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From walking to jogging I’ve tried it all. Now at the (what I consider still young age) of 21 I am already feeling the wear and tear on my feet and knees. Maybe it’s because I didn’t have proper jogging form, maybe it’s just me, but I attribute it to three main things.
CONDITION THOSE MUSCLES!
First of all, the heavier you are, the more pressure is going to be placed on your lower body when you run. For most people trying to lose weight, as I was, this is going to be a tremendous amount of pressure for your feet to handle and frequently leads to stress fractures and overuse injuries.
Secondly, I never considered flexibility training important. I did not stretch before or after my jogs and I am now regretting that decision every day. It is so important that your muscles be prepared to deal with the contractions and relaxations that accompany the movements associated with long strides.
And, like most people I know who began exercising to lose weight I placed cardio at the top, while strength training took a bottom rung. That meant if I had time, I might do it, but most of the time I did not and I ultimately considered it unimportant. Now I know how important strength training is. By strengthening those muscles around your joints you are able to better protect them from injury.
Also, whether you are doing cardio or strength training the muscles will be taking your excess fat cells to use as energy and to build muscle with, so even though strength training does not burn as much as cardio it still helps with weight loss. Another way it helps with weight loss is because, as we’ve all heard, muscle burns more than fat. While you may need to be a bodybuilder for this to have a significant impact on your weight loss that doesn’t mean it doesn’t help. Toning and strengthening your muscles gives you a leaner, healthier body, which in turn boosts your metabolism and helps your body to use your energy sources more efficiently.
HITTING THE GYM
So, if I incorporated these new pieces of information that I’ve learned over the years does it mean I will be able to jog without pain? Maybe, but for me I’ve leaned more into the world of ellipticals. I began with treadmills, naturally, because running was what I had been doing and what I had heard burnt the most amounts of calories. However, running still caused me pain, and even though I was indoors (with no passerby’s to gawk at my poor jogging form) I still was not enjoying running.
Then I tried the stairstepper, and it was a WORKOUT! After just five minutes my heart rate was past 200 (a very high and dangerous number) and I could not go on any more. The stairstepper is a great workout, don’t get me wrong, just make sure that before you attempt it that you are already in good shape because those machines can be harmful if you fatigue and take a wrong step. So, I had tried a stairstepper, I tried a treadmill, what else was there?
I FOUND MY MATCH!
That’s when I found the treadclimber, a mix between a treadmill and a stairstepper specifically designed to take impact off of the lower body and provide more comfort during exercise. On this machine I do interval training, all the while keeping my heart rate around 180 (except during warm-up and cool-down). I do it anywhere from half an hour to two hours a day and I really feel like I’ve got a good work out when I’m finished. I feel tired, and hot, but not like I’m going to die (that type of feeling never inspired me to work out again :p). Maybe it’s the endorphins released during exercise but after I’m finished I feel so good about myself and what I’m doing for my body.
HOW IT FITS INTO MY LIFE
I try to incorporate healthy eating habits (although I do have to indulge in the occasional treat) along with my treadclimber, strength training exercises and stretching. So all in all, would I recommend the treadclimber, yes, a very big yes. Would I recommend jogging, treadmills, stairsteppers? That really depends on the person, all I can tell you is that I have tried many cardio machines in the past and this is the only one I have been able to stick with, have been able to maintain the recommended amount of exercise per week (and more) and have been able to effectively lose weight with.
SHORT BIO: Alyxandra Hayden
I was born and raised in Richland, WA. During high school I participated in such sports as track and volleyball, but my coaches never taught me proper form or stretching techniques. During high school I also did running start (completing two years of college while in high school) at which point I moved to Ellensburg, WA to attend Central Washington University. It seems weird but at twenty years old I graduated college with my degree in English education and a minor in creative writing (but please don’t judge my writing abilities on this, I’m not used to blog style 
). Now I am beginning a year long program in massage therapy so that I will have supplemental income. I live in a very tiny house with my boyfriend, three dogs, and two cats :O. Other than that…that’s me!
