The best alternatives to jogging | RUNNER'S WORLD
- By sennenqshop/li>
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- 28/03/2022
Running is the best basic training there is – no question about it. But there are many reasons why alternative training makes sense for runners.
Why alternative training for runners?
Anyone who only runs and, for example, does not include any strengthening exercises in their training program "runs" the risk of straining themselves one-sidedly. Some important muscle groups are under-challenged or hardly or not at all used when running. This often leads to muscle imbalances, which make us more prone to injury.
Another reason that speaks for alternative sports in the training plan is the risk of overtraining. For example, if you would like to train six times a week, but experience has shown that you tend to suffer certain injuries or overexertion if you run too many kilometers, you can replace some of your running units with alternative training.
If there is a regeneration phase after an intensive season, you can maintain your fitness level as far as possible with alternative training and at the same time protect the muscles and joints that have been stressed by a lot of running.
What is alternative training?
But which of the many training variants should you choose? Which is more, which less effective? We have evaluated numerous medical and sports-physiological studies and then compiled a ranking list of what we believe to be the eight most suitable alternative forms of training and justified this. We present sports that offer variety, awaken new strength and train coordination. Even if the selection and order can ultimately only be subjective, it should serve as a guide and suggestion.
1. Cycling
In our ranking, cycling takes pole position, albeit just ahead of resistance exercises. Ultimately, the decisive factor was the high aerobic benefit, which is not seriously reduced by a certain risk of injury from falls or accidents in road traffic. Research has shown that cycling training can help runners improve their 10k race time by 9%, 5000m by 3% and 3000m by 1%. The values of the oxygen uptake capacity (VO2max) can also be significantly increased.
With training on the bike, the training program is expanded by an intensive unit without overloading the support system. The thigh muscles (quadriceps) are strengthened, mental toughness is trained and additional calories are burned.
Here's more about cycling and running
2. Resistance exercises
Strength training with dumbbells and equipment, so-called resistance exercises, led to a four percent improvement in running economy in a recent study, accompanied by a lower continuous heart rate and increased performance on competition routes from five kilometers to marathons. A previous study found that strength training resulted in a 20 percent improvement in endurance at intensities near hourly paces and a 13 percent increase in endurance at 1500m paces. In addition, resistance training prevents muscle and bone injuries. A particularly intensive variant of strength training, circuit training, combines the muscle-building effect with the cardiovascular effect particularly well.
Runners should primarily choose strength exercises in which the resistance is provided by their own body weight, such as squats or bench climbs. Exercise on machines that force you to sit down should be avoided. In addition, important muscle groups for running should always be addressed, so that the increase in strength directly benefits running performance.
The best strength exercises for runners
3. Soccer
It may surprise you that a ball sport like soccer made it this high in our list, but the facts speak for themselves: During a game, a soccer player covers an average of 9 to 11 kilometers, of which four kilometers are jogging pace, two are brisk pace and 800 to 1000 meters in the sprint; plus two and a half kilometers of walking and 600 meters of backward movement. When runners play soccer for a change, they usually far exceed these averages.
The heart rate is above 150 beats per minute most of the time and lactate levels are often reached, as seen in runners during a 10K race. The movement patterns typical of a soccer game activate fast-twitch (FT) muscle fibers, which is beneficial for speed development. A football game with a lot of running involved acts like a very extensive interval training. Especially in adolescence, football can lay the foundations for a future running career. Muscular strength and speed are trained equally. Incidentally, many of the top international runners started out as soccer players (Said Aouita, Steve Cram, Dieter Baumann).
4. Aerobics
Good old aerobics really work. Done properly, aerobics are excellent cardiovascular exercise; it strengthens important muscle groups, especially in the thigh area, and improves movement coordination, which has a positive effect on running performance. The conditioning of the upper body, which is often neglected by runners, is also stimulated by many typical aerobic movements.
A specific form of aerobic exercise that is basically a resistance exercise is step aerobics. The strain that results from constantly lifting your own body weight on a step automatically provides heart training in the range of 80 to 85 percent of the maximum heart rate. This ensures a combination of aerobic training and strength training. At best, runners who are prone to fatigue fractures should avoid intense aerobics.
Also a great alternative training: the rowing machine
5. Aqua jogging
Aqua jogging is an excellent alternative for injuries. A study has shown that runners who otherwise only train sporadically and easily with six weeks of aqua jogging managed to maintain their competitive performance 100%. The motion sequences of running are better understood with aqua jogging than with cycling. The fact that it still only makes it to fifth place on our list is due to the boredom that quickly arises and the effort it takes to keep walking on the spot. Important: Anyone who uses aqua jogging to keep in shape must feel at least the same level of stress as when running "on land".
training suggestions
1. Warm up for 10 minutes, then run for 2 minutes in the 5000m competitive heart rate zone, followed by a 2 minute easy jog. Start with three such intervals per session and gradually increase to ten.
2. The medium of water is ideal for developing flexibility of movement, which in turn prevents injuries. Run for 30 to 40 minutes at a moderate intensity, slightly exaggerating your hip, knee, leg, and ankle range of motion.
Read here what you can achieve with aqua jogging
6. Cross-country skiing
Similar to running, only without the compression loads, cross-country skiing is ideal for weight reduction, for achieving high load intensities and for strengthening the muscle groups in the lumbar region. As a full-body exercise, it's better than running because it uses your upper body as much as your legs.
For runners, however, there is the negative that the gliding movement when skiing has almost nothing in common with the movement typical of running. The strong push-off with every step, which is the essence of running, is not practiced. In any case, cross-country skiing is a first-class cardiovascular workout. Used in the pre-season, a high level of fitness can be built up as a basis for specific running training. Disadvantage: Quite a lot of effort compared to the duration of the training, ideal for holidays in a snowy region.
training suggestions
1. Alternate 5 minutes of easy gliding with 5 minutes of 5000m pace. Initially, three repetitions are sufficient; these can gradually be expanded to ten.
2. Run for 20 to 25 minutes at an intensity that is equivalent to a 10K race pace.
Both training units should be prepared and followed up with 15 minutes of easy cross-country skiing.
7. Walking
When walking, fast walking, the same large muscle groups are used as when running, but with a much lower compression load. A similarly high number of calories as with (slow) running is only burned at very high intensity.
training suggestions
1. To develop basic endurance, walk for one to one and a half hours at a moderate to brisk pace.
2. Warm up by walking at a moderate pace for 10 to 20 minutes, gradually accelerating to a race-like pace and trying to maintain it for 8 to 10 minutes. Recovery phase of 4 to 5 minutes at normal walking pace, then another 8 to 10 minutes quickly. Two to three quick intervals per training session are sufficient for the time being.
8. Swimming
Swimming stimulates the cardiovascular system, but does not reach the heart rate values during running (buoyancy). It is extremely gentle on bones and joints and promotes mobility and muscular balance.
training suggestions
1. Swim slowly for 10 to 20 minutes to warm up, then swim at near maximum intensity for two minutes. Then alternate between two minutes of slow swimming and two minutes of fast swimming. The intensity should reach at least the 5000m competition heart rate level. Four speed intervals are sufficient for the first training units, later increase according to feeling.
2. Swim for an hour with a one-minute tempo interval every five minutes.
Faster and more effective swimming: How to practice front crawl
5 basic rules for alternative training
- Not more, but train differently. You won't be doing yourself any favors by adding alternative training to an already full training plan. Especially at the beginning, when you first have to get used to the alternative load, you should only do this training instead of a running unit.
- Calculate in minutes, not hours. Even if you are happy with your running form, it does not mean that you can easily cope with long hours of cycling or skiing. Exaggerations in this regard usually lead to pronounced muscle soreness, which impairs running training for days. Start with 20 to 30 minutes, as you would for a novice runner.
- Avoid stress that will aggravate any running injuries. For example, cycling is not recommended if you have thigh or Achilles tendon pain. Plantar fasciitis or problems in the lumbar region rule out ball sports or longer walking distances.
- The goal is high intensities. Once you feel comfortable with an alternative form of training, you should prioritize effectiveness. This means aiming for high intensities, for example through interval training on a bike, stairclimber or skiing. In this way you create a real alternative to the sometimes problematic speed running units that provoke injuries.
- Exhaustion? Stop! Fatigue is an indication that the body desperately needs rest. There is no way around it, no matter how alternative. Alternate training is completely counterproductive if it contributes to overtraining. Only use it to achieve tolerable loads and at the same time to relieve certain leg muscles or joints that are overused when running or to activate underdeveloped muscle groups.