Walking vs Running
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Anonymous
| I am not a pro and I have bad knees. What is best for getting back in shape after several pregnancies and no exercise? Thank you for sharing your experiences! |
Anonymous
| I have bad knees too so I am interested in suggestions too but I can tell you that bicycling has been easier on my knees than walking. I assume this is because there is no hard surface to contend with and you don't extend your legs the entire way. I imagine swimming would be similar however I don't have patience for all of that. |
Anonymous
| I like running on bark trails. It keeps it interesting and my knees dong give me grief. And by running, I mean slow jogging. |
Anonymous
| Walking is easier on your body. You can start with that and gradually move to running. The mistake that most people make is starting running is starting out too fast. Better to walk every day and gradually move to running than to start running a couple of times a week, get sore and maybe get injured. |
Anonymous
| Agree with PP. Start with walking and see how it goes. If you are able biking and swimming are good options too, although with biking i find it difficult to get my hr into my aerobic zone because i am lazy on the bike. you might want to consider PT for the bad knees if you have insurance coverage for it. |
Anonymous
| My knees used to always used to give me trouble when I ran, to the point that I saw a physical therapist. When I was in a similar place as you (ready to start getting back in shape after two pregnancies) I did two things that made a huge difference - got fitted for a really good pair of running shoes and was zealous about not overdoing things too early. The couch to 5K program is great for easing you into running. After that, I followed the rule of not increasing my weekly mileage (overall for the week or the max for any given run) by more than 10%. I haven't had any problems with my knees in the 3 years since I started running again, with the exception of a couple of times when I did long or strenous runs after a break from running (I'm guilty of doing this last night!). In those cases though, it wasn't a big deal - just a reminder to take it slow until I am 'back up to speed'. |
Anonymous
| ^ Swimming and biking are great too. I actually trained for a sprint triathlon as my motivation to get back in shape, and while the running was by far the easiest exercise to get in and a good quick workout, swimming is what really stuck and I've been doing that regularly since. Spinning classes can be fun and are a great workout, especially if you think the class aspect will be motivating for you but aren't into group aerobic classes and the like. The key for me was finding something to motivate me (couch to 5k with a friend, then the tri training, then group swim training) and make exercising a fun escape. |
Anonymous
| Do you have bad knees or are they just sore from starting to exercise? I ask b/c I started a program about a year ago (6 months PPD) and EVERYTHING hurt. It was hard to go up and down stairs. I stopped, let it stop hurting, and then gradually ramped back up. I did walking, then elliptical, and then started couch to 5k to get my muscles ready. IT worked and my knees (among other things) doesn't hurt anymore. I did find that the running (and some weights) were key to weight loss, if that's what you're looking for. |
Anonymous
| I walk a lot, and I'm sure it's great, but it does nothing for weight loss (for me). My two cents. Running will help you lose, but if it hurts your knees just look into something else! |
Anonymous
+1. You don't mention what your knee issue is, how long you were out of shape, if you have any weight issues, and how athletic you were before. But as PP said, walking is a good start, is easier to get into than running and is much easier on the knees. So, you could start with waking, but push yourself, so that it is athletic walking, not a stroll, to see results. Try to bring the pace up so that you are breathing heavy at some points. Depending on how much time you have, you can do 3-4 times a week at least 30 minutes. If you maintain this, you'd probably start seeing some results a month into it and definitely toned legs and better breath after a couple of months. After a couple of month or so, when you have established a routine and strengthen you muscles a bit, you can vary it up: add a bit of running (for example do 1 min running followed by 1.5-2 minutes walking and so on), or holding small hand weights or ankle weights while walking. |
Anonymous
| I think either is fine, but you have to consider you exertion level (how hard you are working). The harder you are working, the more calories you burn. You may feel foolish, but a brisk walk while moving your arms or walking up hills can be much more strenuous than a jog around the track. I use a heart rate monitor, but you can also gauge your exertion based on, for example, how hard you are breathing, whether you are sweating, etc. |
Anonymous
| When I have had knee/ankle/back issues, I do the elliptical. Running involves a lot of strain on your joints. |
Anonymous
| weight training! cardio will only get you so far. |
Anonymous
| Start off walking. You will naturally move to running after some time. Your body will just want to go faster, and if it doesn't walking is fine. Just takes longer to see results unless you're walking for hours. |
Anonymous
|
You should not run if you are overweight, it will kill your knees.
Biking mixed with walking would be perfect. IF you have ever been to PT for knee issues, they basically will put you on a bike. Lose weight, bike and then run if your knees get better after strengthening your quads and shedding pounds. |