Saving runners energy: ASICS has revealed how the eagerly awaitedGLIDERIDE™ has successfully adapted the GUIDESOLE™ technology, first introduced in the METARIDE™ concept, and placed it on the feet of more runners in a unique race featuring participants of different abilities from around the world.
AN ENERGY REVOLUTION
The human-centric GUIDESOLE™ technology is an ergonomic precision-shaped curved sole that reduces energy loss. It works by minimizing lower leg movement through the stride – giving a feeling of effortless coasting – to make it easier for runners to keep going for longer.
Increasing the accessibility of the GUIDESOLE™ technology was the inspiration behind the new shoe. Engineered by a team of scientific experts and designers at ASICS Institute of Sport Science (ISS), the development of GLIDERIDE™ was fast-tracked to get the new technology to more runners as quickly as possible.
The result? The new GLIDERIDE™ has taken the category-leading GUIDESOLE™ technology a further step forward. Whilst providing maximum energy saving, it is lighter, with a less extreme curve and more cushioning than the concept shoe – increased comfort.
In tests, GLIDERIDE™ has been scientifically proven to:
Reduce total energy loss at the ankle joint, where runners expend the most energy
Improve cushioning for increased comfort
Reduce weight while maintaining stability to provide both performance and protection
Kenichi Harano, Executive Officer and Senior General Manager at ISS, said: “The positive reception and speed at which runners adopted the new technology spurred us on to develop GLIDERIDE™ in record time. With no compromise on efficiency, it offers a cushier ride that we believe has the potential to help runners of every level significantly improve performance to go further than they thought possible”.
GET AHEAD WITH THE CURVE
To demonstrate what energy saving really means for runners, ASICS put the theory to the test in a unique race on the Bonneville Salt Flats, Utah on 7 September 2019.
The race, designed by an expert team of sports scientists, ASICS RUNKEEPER™ data analysts, elite coaches and engineers saw 22 runners of different abilities from around the world put the latest technology and theory in running performance to the test. Participants explored how energy saving technology can assist them in improving performance in the ultimate battle against themselves in a race without a finish line.
“We effectively took our research lab from Kobe to the Salt Flats to understand directly from runners how they can benefit from our energy saving technology in a real-life situation,” commented Harano. “What we learnt proves the importance of optimizing energy and will fuel our next generation technologies beyond footwear.”
Yasuhito Hirota, ASICS President and COO, said: “This latest innovation is a major milestone in achieving our goal to make our energy saving technology available to all runners. In Spring 2020, we will launch the next shoe in the family, EVORIDE™. And it doesn’t finish there. ASICS commitment to this new category extends beyond footwear with the planned introduction of further innovations to our in-store and on-line services”.
Retails for MYR629, the GLIDERIDE™ will be available for men and women at selected ASICS retail stores and www.asics.com from 4 October 2019.
The GEL-KINSEI™ shoe is a renowned high mileage running shoe with superior comfor and bold look and ASICS is bringing it back after 10 years in further classic iterations.
Available since September, the re-imagined sneaker features premium athletic wear and technical running products born from ASICS’ 70-year history of advanced technology and human-centric science.
The design of the GEL-KINSEI™ shoe was heavily inspired by the Samurai and their equipment
The designer of the GEL-KINSEI™ shoe, Hisanori Fujita, was heavily inspired by the Samurai and their equipment. From their armor, which protects the body while still allowing freedom of movement, to their Katana, which informed the shape of the heel on the GEL-KINSEI™ shoe. The shoe’s design blends traditional Japanese heritage in its ethos with the bold, technical, mechanical styling of the early Millennium.
“In school I knew of ASICS. Everyone does,” explained Fujita. “What I learned was that I could connect my love of sport and my love of design at ASICS.”
First released in 2006, the GEL-KINSEI™ shoe’s design was instantly lauded as advanced. One of the most technical running shoe on the market, it combined ASICS’ trademark I.G.S™ (IMPACT GUIDANCE SYSTEM) technology with a Discreet Heel Unit that featured three large sections of GEL™ technology bonded directly to it. Meanwhile, the weight-reducing TRUSSTIC™ technology, first presented in the GEL-KINSEI™ shoe and placed under the arch of the shoe, reduces the overall weight of the shoe thereby extending the life of the sole unit.
With its BIOMORPHIC FIT™ upper, the forefoot of the GEL-KINSEI™ shoe is identical to the GEL-KAYANO™ 12 shoe, with impressive comfort and flexibility. The magic of GEL–KINSEI™ shoe is, however, found in the heel. Three sections of GEL™ technology in the rearfoot cushion the foot at impact and adapt to the stability needs of the runner as the foot travels through the gait cycle. The GEL™ technology serves two separate roles here — a truly exceptional feat of engineering. The heel is held snugly in a plastic cradle, giving the shoe a good transition from foot impact to toe-off.
With its aggressive techno-modernist early-millennium styling, combined with the groundbreaking technology that made it such a pioneer in the first place, the 2019 GEL–KINSEI™ shoe brings back everything we loved about the OG, but for summer 2019.
Understanding the differences between men and women in long distance running
It’s a fact. Men and women simply have different morphology. Most runners will have a training plan to clock in the distance in order to achieve their goal of be it a 5km or an ultra marathon. While we are determined to cross the finish line with our personal best time, it would help to get to know your body better so you can reach the maximum potential of your given anatomy. In order to optimise your training and improve your performance, I’ve compiled a few differences that will create a better understanding of the differences between men and women.
Physiological gender differences & implications for training and performance
Before boys and girls hit puberty, their body structures are similar in terms of body weight, height, length of their legs and upper-arm circumference. During puberty, development occurs and boys will start to develop larger shoulders while girls start to develop larger and wider hips. Due to the smaller shoulder size of women, this poses a disadvantage for women to develop upper-body strength, limiting their body strength on the upper-body in comparison to men throughout adulthood. Women’s narrow shoulders compared to men’sare also generally shorter and women are naturally born with larger pelvis width-to-height ratio and shoulder-to-hip ratio than men.
“We some times hear the term pear-shaped being used to describe a woman’s shape, but the basic truth thata woman has wider hipsis specifically for the purpose of child bearing. Notice that most professional female runners tend to have smaller and narrower hips, so it’s their natural born physique that also aids them towards excelling in distance running”.
The Q Angle (or Quadriceps Angle)
The anatomical and biomechanical features are disparate between men and women. Women have a larger pelvis because they are designed to carry the child. This larger pelvis combined to a shorter femur lead to a different Q angle at which the quadriceps muscle – from the pointiest position of the pelvis, scientifically known as the Anterior Superior Iliac Spine – meets the kneecap (or patella), compared to the line connecting the ligament attaching the patella to the shin. The angle between these two lines forms the Q angle.
Males have a Q angle between 8 and 15 degrees while females have a Q angle between 12 and 19 degrees.
SOURCE:PHYSIOPEDIA,Q ANGLE
How does this difference influence the running?
Women, as they have a broader angle, are more subjected to Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injuries while exerting themselves. The Q-angle dissimilarity refers to a difference of knee alignment as well. In short, men are anatomically better designed than women for running. The space for ACL movement is more limited by women than in men, putting the ACL in a critical position as it can easily get pinched and lead to rupture of the ligament, especially while stretching or twisting. However, when you practise how to train properly, you will lower the risks of getting injuredmale or female.
In summary,
A larger Q-angle puts women at a mechanical disadvantage when running.
Wider hips and a large Q-angle put the femur at an angle when the foot is on the ground.
Elite female runnershave narrower hips, which closely resemble male runners. Research has also shown that the hip width of very good female runners is similar to that of both athletic and even non-athletic males.
Women’s anatomy also affects their stride mechanics. Research has shown that female runners take shorter strides than male runners when running at the same speed. Although it’s interesting that the combination of stride rate and stride length differs between female and male runners, it’s not completely clear why women take shorter strides.
Obvious reason is that women are generally shorter than men and have shorter legs, hence the shorter strides. (misconception among runners)
Research has also shown that taller runners don’t take longer strides than shorter runners. Stride length is more a product of hip extension and how much force your muscles produce as you push off the ground.
Therefore, something else must cause female runners to take shorter strides than male runners when running at the same speed
Differences in body weight and body composition
Muscular differences
Muscle mass is on average 35% of the total mass of a man against 28% in women. Moreover, women have more “fat” than men. The fat of a woman averaged 20% against 13% in a man.
Women have a smaller muscle than men
Women can’t produce much muscle as much as men
Men are able to sprint faster than women
Knowing that muscle activity is the cause of energy expenditure during exercise, and the woman has less ability to produce energy and therefore less strength and endurance.
Cardio muscular distinctions
The heart
The heart is a cardio muscular muscle that enables oxygen through blood stream to be pumped to your muscles.The female heart is smaller. While it weighs 118 grams on average in women, men’s hearts weighin at about 178 grams on average. Training improves the heart skills in both women and men. This enhancement is however limited in women.
Maximum Heart Rate is the maximum number of beats the heart can achieve in the space of a minute. This value is unique to each individual and it also changes with age and gender.
The Maximum Heart Rate is thus higher in women than in men. On average, a woman will reach 174 beats per minute against 169 beats per minute. Women’s hearts beat faster because the volume of blood ejected by the heart is lower than men’s.
However, a smaller heart doesn’t mean men are better at running marathon. Even though you first impressions turn into men’s advantages, women are still in the run!
VO2max: maximal oxygen consumption
Femaleshave less blood than males. This could be explained first by the period women experience every month, but that isn’t the only factor. The blood plays an important role while running. Indeed, the vital oxygen you need to make your muscles work is transported through blood.
VO2max is the maximum capacity to store, transport and use oxygen during aerobic exercise. In other words, this is the maximum volume of oxygen consumed during exercise. Your muscles and oxygen are necessary to produce the required energy for training. The more your VO2 max is, the more your body is able to use oxygen to produce energy.
The VO2max on average for male is45-50 ml/min/kg and 35-40 ml /min/kg for women.
Men have an average of 13.6 to 17.5 grams of haemoglobin per decalitre in their blood. Women have 12.0 to 15.5 grams per decalitre.
Women therefore have less capacity to store and transport oxygen, a difference that translates both during tests of strength or resistance during endurance events.
A more advantageous metabolism in women
Carbohydrate (or glucose) is stored as glycogen in the muscles and liver. These stores represent the prime source of energy but they are limited. Indeed, the muscles can store about 400 grams of glycogen and the liver 100 grams.
After running out of this energy, a runners’bodywill seek another source of energy through the fat. You store fat all over your body, especially beneath the skin and around internal organs. An important note is that proteins are generally not used as the main resource of energy, except in extreme circumstances.
Men will use glycogen as the energy used while running whereas women can easily usefat and less carbohydrate at a given intensity of exercise. Men will need to recharge their hydrocarbon stocks to fuel their running capacity. It takes about 30 minutes to hydrocarbon/sugar to reach your bloodstream.
As a conclusion, women need to approach their training and racing differently than men to optimise their unique characteristics.
More than that, hormones in both males and females differ in amounts and in the effect that they have in the body. Indeed, for women, the best time to run is during the Follicular Phase, which is during your sixth to 15th day after your period. The differences occur in muscles and metabolism as well.
Being aware of these differences means is also a way to realise that your needs are different, that is why tailoring your diet and your training is necessary.
Women, you may be physiologically weaker, but you are still champions J
Alissa Laurent, a Canadian runnerwon the Canadian Death Race in 2015 and ended 90 minutes before the second winner, a man.
In short, women are scientifically better distance runners than men. So go ahead and with safe and consistent training, you can outrun the boys!
Pregnant ladies shouldn’t exercise because it could affect the baby’s health.
Is that a fallacy or just a cultural belief? So should pregnant women just restor lay down all day?!There’s been no evidence to say that women should stay still while carrying a child. Scientific progress has allowed us to better understand the human anatomy and in fact, there’s more evidence to show that remaining active is good for your health and your baby’s health as well.
Whether you are an athlete or not, it is fine to partake in sport while pregnant as long as you take some precautions. Your running distance will depend on your sports background.
First on the precautions list – before starting or keeping on exercising, it is highly recommended to checkwith your doctorbefore you proceed with any activities.
I’m pregnant…
A typical pregnancy lasts about 40 weeks. So a common practise is to divide it into three trimesters:
During the first trimester your body doesn’t considerably change. The weight you gain isn’t too high so you won’t experience backaches… yet. However, you may experience other symptoms that are part and parcel of the usual “pregnancy pack” such as extreme fatigue, nausea and vomiting, food cravings or aversions, mood swings, constipation, frequent urination, and other unpleasant side effects. These may affect your daily schedule.
When pregnant, your body may also suffer from a lack of vital nutrients. That is why many advocate additional prenatal vitamins to supplement your body’s needs.
What kind of vitamins?
Folic acid, also known as folate, is a B-type vitamin that helps from preventing neural tube defects.Neural tube defects are birth defects of the brain, spine, or spinal cord. They happen in the first month of pregnancy, often before a woman even knows that she is pregnant. That is why if you intend to be pregnant or if you are, make sure you have the daily right amount of acid folic.Youneed at least 400mcg/day before conceiving and600mcg/day during pregnancy according to USA standards.
Iron is important because it is a necessary component for the production of haemoglobin, which enables the transportation of oxygen in your body. But beyond this primary function, it is essential throughout the 9 months.
For you: During pregnancy, your body works more intensely and many organs (uterus and kidneys in particular) are working at full capacity. This increased activity requires more blood volume.
For your baby: Iron is essential not only to ensure proper development of the baby, but also for pregnancy-related organs such as the placenta or the umbilical cord. If iron stores are missing, you run the risk of giving birth to a premature or a low weightbaby.
Vitamin Ccombined with a daily intake of iron increase the absorption of the latter.
Fibre and fluids: During pregnancy, hormones cause a slowing of the digestive system. Fibre and liquids like water will lower the risks of constipation. Remember that being well hydrated is important for your health and your baby’s health. Dehydration can decrease the blood flow to the uterus, which may lead to premature contractions.
Vitamin D and Calcium: Your needs in Vitamin D and calcium will increase, as they are necessary to the development of the baby. Otherwise the baby might draw on your stores living you in short supply. A recent study has shown that vitamin D rate by the mom influences the baby’s strength later in life.
The first trimester is when the baby’s major organs are forming, and overheating’s a real issue. If a woman’s core temperature gets too high, it could cause problems with the baby. So during hot weather, better run early morning hours or in the evening when it is cooler.
During the second trimester&third trimester,the recommendations for the first trimester remain to be followed. What you can add to your schedule is Kegel exercises. Certainly, pregnancy, childbirth, surgery, aging, being overweight and so on, can weaken your pelvic floor muscles, which support the uterus, bladder, small intestine and rectum.Kegel exercises strengthen the pelvic floor muscles to help you prevent or control urinary incontinence and other pelvic floor problems.
Indeed, the weight of the baby, or childbirth later on has probably weakened your pelvic floor muscles. That is why Kegels are not only important during pregnancy but throughout your life after having a baby.
How to do Kegel exercises
To get started:
Find the right muscles.To identify your pelvic floor muscles, stop urination in midstream. If you succeed, you’ve got the right muscles. Once you’ve identified your pelvic floor muscles you can do the exercises in any position, although you might find it easiest to do them lying down at first.
Perfect your technique.Tighten your pelvic floor muscles, hold the contraction for five seconds, and then relax for five seconds. Try it four or five times in a row. Work up to keeping the muscles contracted for 10 seconds at a time, relaxing for 10 seconds between contractions.
Maintain your focus.For best results, focus on tightening only your pelvic floor muscles. Be careful not to flex the muscles in your abdomen, thighs or buttocks. Avoid holding your breath. Instead, breathe freely during the exercises.
Repeat three times a day.Aim for at least three sets of 10 repetitions a day.
Don’t make a habit of using Kegel exercises to start and stop your urine stream. Doing Kegel exercises while emptying your bladder can actually lead to incomplete emptying of the bladder — which increases the risk of a urinary tract infection.
During the 2nd and 3rd trimesters, you can carry on running. However, consider running shorterdistancesand decrease in the duration and intensity as your due date approaches. You can slow down your running for lower impact activities like swimming and walking.
Postural changes – Muscles imbalances
Your body will experience many changes while pregnant. Indeed, your hips have probably tilted forward (Lower CrossedSyndrome – LCS, also know as distal or pelvic crossed syndrome) and your shoulders are probably rounded (Upper Crossed Syndrome – UCS, also known as proximal or shoulder girdle crossed syndrome).
This misalignment is the source of pain you might be suffering. Indeed, certain muscles becoming tightened, while other muscles become lengthened and inhibited in order to stabilize the body, and to adaptto the growing foetus and uterus.
Returning to sport after giving birth takes time and it’s always a good idea to see your good doctor before engaging in any form of sport.
After childbirth, like any major operation or hospitalisation, it’s advisable to rest, get plenty of sleep and simply recuperate. This includes NO heavy lifting nor intensive movement of the body especially in first three to six weeks. You can, however, work on your pelvic-floor exercises and walk. Take it easy; and allow your body the chance to recover.
Once past the 6-week postnatal check-up, you can then consider starting with low impact exercises.
By the 16th week, most women have been able to resume their previous sport activities. Listen to your body as you might feel tired due to the lack of sleep, breastfeeding.
Run during the coolest hours of the daylight, early mornings or in the evening, as your body temperature gets higher while pregnant.
Don’t run a marathon while pregnant. You could put your health and the baby’s health in danger.
Never run to the point of exhaustion or breathlessness. If you feel tired, don’t push yourself, and just take a break.
Wear a heart rate monitor to help limit excessive speed and effort.
As your due date approaches, slow down your running for lower impact activities like swimming and walking.
Conclusion
As a conclusion, while you can still run when pregnant, take some precautions and listen to your body. If you are not sure, discuss it with your doctor.
Running while pregnant is good; it improves your sleep quality, prevents you from gaining excessive weight, lessens back pains, and reduces delivery complications and time spent in labour. However, don’t exceed your capacity and don’t raise the bar too high.
Menopause signifies the end of the reproductive time for a woman where the ovaries stop releasing eggs, and hormones like oestrogen, progesterone and testosterone decrease in its production. As a woman edges closer to menopause, they may start to experience symptoms that may cause concern and bring along feelings of anxiety. The medical community call this the perimenopause or premenopauseterm and it has been evident in womenbetween the age range of 35 to 45 years old.
Here’s a checklist of symptoms that a woman may experience during the perimenopause period:
Irregular periods
Vaginal dryness
Hot flushes
Night sweats
Trouble sleeping
Mood swings or getting easily irritated
Weight gain and slowed metabolism
Dry skin
These perimenopause symptoms are precursors to menopause and last months to years (an average of 2 years, but every woman is different and will experience some of it at different stages in their lives) until reaching the menopause. Some women
How perimenopause symptoms affect you
Osteoporosis and muscles
Oestrogen plays a crucial role in the reproduction system. It also strengthens bones and helps the widening of blood vessels during exercise warm-up – known as the vasodilation process. Blood vessels dilate so the volume of blood flow increases and allows more oxygen to flow through the body.
If you’ve ever wondered why women experience hot flushes, here’s the explanation. Oestrogen production helps cool down the body and when the production of hormones fluctuates or reduces, blood pressure would also increase while blood flow decreases, leading to a rise in temperature in the body, brain and hypothalamus.
Drink an icy cold beverage, place a wet cold towel on your body or have a quick cold shower to cool down. It accelerates the vasoconstriction process, narrows your blood vessels and decreases the blood flow therefore resulting in lower body temperatures.
The body’s ability to build and maintain muscles is affected when the production of oestrogen and testosterone reduces. That’s why it becomes a greater challenge to achieve fitness performances of your younger days as you age.
How important is oestrogen? According to Dr. Jason Karp, author of Women and Running: “Oestrogen is the single biggest influence of bone health, so when a woman loses oestrogen, she loses the protective effect on bones,”.
Ligaments and Tendons
Oestrogen is necessary for our reproductive system, bones health, and also for collagen production. Less collagen production affects the elasticity of the ligaments and tendons as well.
It’s best to avoid smoking, excessive exposure to the sun, poor nutrition and stress if you wish to lessen the loss of your collagen. Above all, stay well hydrated. The constant reminder to, “Drink 1.5 litres of water per day”, is wise advice. Even if you don’t feel the need to drink or have the thirst, your body needs it, for your bones, your ligaments and tendons and for your skin.
Runners facing menopause
Runners are better prepared than non-active women to face menopause.
* Runners are already used to feeling the heat, so they’re able to cope better with feeling hot flushes. Running also helps improve uplift you and improve your mood because you secrete endorphin and dopamine – hormones that boost the feeling of pleasure and well-being.
* Runners naturally sleep better than non-active women who may often disturbed by night sweats.It’s always a better idea to run in the morning than in the evening, because it may take time to cool down before bedtime.
* Observe a specific diet as you head towards menopause so you can stabilise your weight. Your metabolism will not the same and you will need to tailor your diet to keep up with your performances.
* Running will help you to strengthen your bones by maintaining the muscle mass to lower the risk of injury and fractures.
How about HRT (Hormone Replacement Therapy)?
There are a few schools of thought on HRT and it’s a therapy that may not be suitable for everyone. Some believe HRT may increase the risk of developing some cancers or heart diseases by some women. So it’s best to seek the advice from your good and trusted family doctor. There are several alternatives to HRT for you to consider, and these are:
Change of lifestyle: incorporating regular exercise, eating healthy, eliminating coffee, alcohol and spicy foods and not smoking
Tibolone: a medication that’s similar to combined HRT (oestrogen and progestogen), but may not be as effective and is only suitable for women who had their last period more than a year ago
Anti-depressants: Helps with hot flushes and night sweats, however expect unpleasant side effects such as agitation and dizziness
Clonidine: A non-hormonal medicine that helps reduce hot flushes and night sweats
Tips on managing perimenopause symptoms
Incorporate strength-training to your routine to maintain muscle mass and you’ll lessen the risk of osteoporosis.
Eat more calcium- and magnesium-rich foods with dark green leafy vegetable and seeds, nuts and fish oil. Kale and broccoli are also known to help fight osteoporosis.
Manage perimenopause symptoms with the consumption of soya, flaxseed, lentils and chickpeas, as phytoestrogen-rich nutrients act in a similar way to oestrogen, and can help relieve some symptoms.
Omega 3 is good for lowering the risk of cancer, protecting against osteoporosis, and keeps you in a good mood. Include fish oil, flaxseed and walnuts in your diet.
Biotin, also known as vitamin H, helps the body convert food into energy and helps keep your skin, hair, eyes, liver, and nervous system healthy. Biotin can be found in nuts, egg yolk, organ meats, soybean, cereals, cauliflower, bananas, mushrooms.
Water, the most essential source of life! Often neglected, water is highly important. If you wait until you feel thirsty, your body is already highly dehydrated. So remember to hydrate, hydrate and hydrate especially when exercising!
Running is a great way to reduce menopause symptoms because it increases your fitness level and helps prepare your body for the changes you are about to face during the menopause period. When you adapt to a lifestyle that adopts exercise and a healthy diet, your metabolism will naturally increase. I urge you to stay active and effect your body towards ageing gracefully so you can achieve joy in every step of the way!
This article has been compiled from various sources including:
(CNN) — Terry Chiplin didn’t need a Harvard study to tell him what he’s known for years.
“Barefoot running, for me, is a lot less painful than wearing running shoes,” said the 55-year-old Brit, who competed in high school in thin-soled leather shoes and would run shoeless whenever he could.
After taking a break in early adulthood from the sport, Chiplin returned to it by buying a fancy pair of running shoes.
“I’d come home with blisters, my feet killing me,” he said. “So one day, I just said to myself, ‘Who cares what anybody thinks? I’m putting sole to earth.’ ”
Chiplin now teaches running and outdoor fitness in Estes Park, Colorado, and does it shoeless as often as possible.
He’s among many runners on blogs and list-servs who’ve been debating new studies about the most efficient running form. Should you go barefoot? Land heel-first or on the balls of your feet? Are those fancy shoes hurting more than helping you?
The study stirring the most buzz was led by Harvard evolutionary biologist Dr. Daniel Lieberman.
It’s the first to compare how much impact the body takes when a runner is wearing shoes or is barefoot. Using high-speed video, the study revealed barefoot runners strike with their forefoot and suffer less jarring to their bodies. When you’re barefoot, you’re going to land with the portion of your foot that is most springy. And think of the barefoot run as a game of hot potato — if you know you have rocks and glass on that surface, you’re going to move more carefully and pick your feet up quicker.
Shoe wearers strike with their heel and deliver a shock to their overall body that is two to three times their body weight. Lieberman’s test subjects were Kenyan runners who had spent their lives running barefoot and the Harvard track team, which runs in shoes.
“Runners are responding because they are always interested in the latest science of their sport, and they have a personal reaction to being told that their shoes are going to be taken away,” said D. Leif Rustvold, a Portland, Oregon, runner with a masters in anthropological biology who works for a health care provider.
Though he switched to barefooting a few years ago and saw an improvement in his efficiency, he predicts barefooting will remain a practice of a minority.
Runners are concerned first about injuries, and barefoot running can seem, at first, like it’s going to lead to injury,” he said. “Besides, we’ve been wearing shoes for years. No one is going to roll that back.”
The other study, focusing on walking form, comes from University of Utah biology professor David Carrier.
Carrier is well-known among distance runners for trying to run down a herd of antelope a few years ago to prove that humans were built to run great distances, their survival dependent on their ability to persistence hunt.
He found that while humans have evolved to run great distances, we’ve also evolved to become more efficient walkers than our ape ancestors by doing the very thing Lieberman’s study warns against — landing heel first. His test subjects were volunteers who were triathletes, runners and soccer players.
Most mammals — dogs, cats, raccoons — walk and run around on the balls of their feet, the study says. Few species land on their heel: bears, humans and great apes — chimps, gorillas, orangutans.
“Our study shows that the heel-down posture increases the economy of walking but not the economy of running,” says Carrier. “You consume more energy when you walk on the balls of your feet or your toes than when you walk heels first.”
So, run on your forefeet and walk on your heels?
“It can be complicated, but I don’t think what Lieberman concluded and what our study found conflicts at all with each other,” Carrier told CNN. “If anything it shows how complex our feet are, and how much we’re learning about the mechanics of movement.”
Lieberman said his study is not meant to be an argument for barefoot running.
“I’m afraid people have misunderstood me,” he said. “I’m not in the business of telling people what to do, what shoes to wear or whether to wear shoes at all.”
Amanda Musacchio, 35, of Wheaton, Illinois, is a member of one of the biggest running list-servs in the country. She and many other runners have interpreted the story as a round-about way to cheer barefoot running.
Musacchio wore thin-soled shoes when she was a sprinter in high school without injury. But when she started running longer distances in adulthood, she thought wearing a heavy-cushioned shoe would help. Instead, she racked up injuries. So she went bare again.
“I started barefoot running five minutes at a time,” she said. “I feel almost as good now as when I did 20 years ago when I was a sprinter. My feet seem to remember how to land properly, on my forefoot, and that improved form has changed my running tremendously.”
Among the skeptics is self-described “proud shoe wearer” runner Spurgeon Hendrick, who regularly hits the trails outside Atlanta, Georgia, for long runs.
He points out that Lieberman’s study was partly sponsored by Vibram USA, information that is clearly disclosed on every page. The company makes Vibram 5 Fingers, a thin latex shoe with individual toes that mimics barefoot running. The shoe has sold like hot cakes this past year after they and Lieberman’s work were featured in the 2009 best-selling book “Born to Run.”
“I couldn’t run barefooted, or in Vibrams, even if I wanted to,” Hendrick said. “I stub my toes on roots and rocks too much, and at my age, I don’t have time to wait on a broken toe to heal.”
Lieberman is adamant that Vibram sponsorship had nothing to do with the outcome of the study, which was also funded by the American School of Prehistoric Research, the Goelet Fund and Harvard University.
But many runners are saying that apart from the nitpicking about whether the studies are on the money is one basic lesson: Be more aware of your unique movement.
“I think it’s very hard, if not impossible, to change body mechanics,” said Dr. Perry Julien, a podiatrist who has treated Olympic runners and serves as the co-medical director of the world’s biggest 10K, the Atlanta Peachtree Road Race. “And people who try, or try too quickly and without care, are going to wind up in my office.”
If you’re a walker, being more conscious of how your feet hit the ground may make you more efficient. If you’re a 200-pound guy who hits the treadmill a couple times a week, barefoot running might not be worth the work necessary to build up the calf and Achilles strength to prevent injury, he said.
Stress fractures, tendonitis or plantar fasciitis, a hard-to-heal tissue inflammation that feels like needles driven into your foot, are likely to result for runners who dash out the gate barefoot without gradually working up to it.
The podiatrist pointed out that there are many examples of people who heel strike without problems, most famously Joan Benoit.
Benoit won the first women’s Olympics marathon in 1984, the same era of the record-breaking South African Zola Budd, who ran barefoot.
Different athletic activities affect different muscle groups. For example, a distance run optimizes the quads, hamstrings and calves; whereas a high intensity workout demands core activation. In addition to muscle groups, another factor amongst athletes is the desire to achieve the best workout, every time, and they look to products to help them gain the advantage.
“Efficiency is always a key factor for our athletes — they want to get the most out of every workout,” explains Helen Boucher, VP of Women’s Training Apparel Product. “Tights are a huge part of any athlete’s uniform and we analyzed every design and fit detail to ensure key parts of the body are compressed for the right sport.”
With that in mind, Nike’s newest Zonal Strength Tights feature compression zones built directly into the base fabric, targeting key muscle groups to reduce muscle vibration for an efficient workout, without restricting mobility.
Nike Zonal Strength Running Tights target thighs and calves to reduce muscle vibration where runners need it most. Flyvent waistband provides breathability and four-way stretch fabric enhances mobility, especially in the hips and knees.
DO YOU HIT THE GYM?
Nafi Thiam, gold-medalist in the heptathlon, in Nike Zonal Strength Training Tights.
Koharu Sugawara, professional dancer, choreographer, in Nike Zonal Strength Training Tights.
Nike Zonal Strength Training Tights provide enhanced support and muscle awareness in the core, glutes, quads and hamstrings. A high-rise waistband provides additional core awareness, which is integral for all training activities, from low impact like yoga to high impact cross training. Flat seams allow for zero distractions.
Nike’s Zonal Strength Tights for both men and women are available in retail and nike.com starting January 12.
We all know that running is one of the best ways to get fit, but little did we all know that running can be beneficial to every part of our bodies, not forgetting that it also boost up our moods. Although running is incredibly beneficial to our health in a lot of ways, it may not be everybody’s favourite form of exercise, knowing that most non-runners sees running as a painful, tedious and exhausting form of exercise that should be avoided unless they are trying to get fit!
Less Stress
Running forces your body to exert excess energy and hormones thus reduces the chances of you getting tension headaches and even migraine. Anyhow, whether you’re having an awful day or you’re in a good mood, running will help to bolster your spirits and make you feel positive!
Fight Cancer
Did you know that active people are less likely to develop colon cancer? As for the ladies, there are high possibilities that their risk of breast cancer can be reduced up to 30 percent for those who regularly take part in intense workouts such as running, and even jogging!
Boost Your Bones
Running regularly helps to build your bones stronger. How? Running stresses your bones, and then your essential minerals are sent to the bones when under stress, which then makes your bones stronger! Besides, your muscle strengths will also tend to build at the same time too, keeping your bones even healthier as you age
Are You A First Timer?
Well, hello there! If you’re going to start running because of a competition such as a running marathon, it’s best to consult with a doctor first to check up on your health condition. If you’re going to start running to get out of your comfort zone and wanting to try a new form of exercise, it’s always best to start with brisk walking to jogging, and then running, depending on how fast your body adapts.
5 Minute Run
Hey, are you lazy to go through the process of brisk walking to jogging and then running? Yes, it may be a tedious process to go through, but if you really feel like running right away, 5 minutes of running a day is sufficient enough for you, especially when you’re a beginner! Daily run of 5 to 10 minutes per day will help to reduce the risk of fatality compared to not running.
Running is one of the most simple sport activities that can be done by everyone. It can be done anywhere and doesn’t require a very large cost. For those of you who want to make the running activities as your routine exercise, you have to prepare everything to avoid injury when running. Here are the preparation tips for the beginners:
Shoes and Shocks
Ask at the sports shop to get the most comfortable shoes for running. You must choose the right size for you to avoid blisters on your feet. Socks must be comfortable and absorbs sweats.
Sport Shirt
Sport shirt with Dri-Fit material is very popular because it has flexible and solid materials. In addition, Dri-Fit material also can make the body still feels dry even after a long move. This material is a mixture of Polyester, Spandex and Nylon. Besides Dri-Fit, Cotton is also a material which is quite comfortable for running activities. For women, wearing a sports bra will be helpful to remain comfortable while running.
Nutrition
Avoid heavy meals 2-4 hours before running. Snacks like banana or whole wheat bread with peanut butter are good choices to be eaten 15 minutes before you start running.
Water
Always make sure that your body doesn’t lack of water to avoid dehydration.
Warming Up and Cooling Down
Always start and end running activities with walking or jogging for 5 minutes. This must be done to avoid the risk of muscle injury.
It is necessary to note that the level of speed and distance in running activities should be increased gradually to avoid injury. Don’t forget to give your body time to rest at least 1-2 days before returning to the running activities.
(Widhi Wartika) Source:
http://www.konveksian.com/bahan-kaos-dri-fit/
http://wolipop.detik.com/read/2015/03/27/140635/2871439/849/makanan-yang-perlu-dihindari-sebelum-olahraga-lari-agar-hasil-maksimal/
http://www.dunialari.com/
