Blog Entry
So you wana run?
So I’m sitting here answering some body questions and I got stuck on the cardio answers. Cardio is something I see a lot of muscle heads neglecting. Granted a lot of the dudes I work out with aren’t cut up, just big dudes. I always ask them jokingly if they want to jump on the treadmill with me. Even the ones that do cardio usually do some kinda half ass didn’t even get your heart rate up excuse for cardio. A lot of them use the excuse that they are going to lose their bulk if they cardio… or, who needs cardio when you can dead lift 500 lbs. I guess I’m more in this for the health aspect than some. There are the ones that step outa the gym and light up a smoke. That use to be me years ago, no more.
In the infantry we did cardio every day, 5 days a week, 365 days a year. Crazy ass cardio. Things you don’t do in a gym cause people would think you have lost your mind. Like running 6 miles… with snow shoes on pulling a 200 pound “sled” harnessed up to it, at -20 no less. Or running 5 miles with a 20 pound flak vest on in combat boots with a pro mask (gas mask) on. 12 mile forced marches in 3 hours with 80 pounds on your back, there was no marching, slow jog or you can’t make it in 3 hours. I always ask my buddies, why don’t you guys run? Why do you waste your time on an elliptical or bike? The answer is almost universal. Running is hard.
Running is hard. It’s a love hate relationship. People don’t realize that it is about equally mental if not more than it is physically hard. In the infantry I was pushed to my true physical limit. It’s not a fun place to be, most people have never been there. Most people, me included, don’t have the ability to take themselves there. A lot of people probably get on a treadmill, run 2 miles, and really believe they are at the limit of their physical abilities… not quite. That voice in your head every second of every minute telling you to stop running, just walk for a second, just slow down a bit, catch your breath. It’s just that, a voice in your head. The body is only as strong as the mind, especially when you run.
I truly believe that running is the best, most efficient, effective, all around super exercise if you’re trying to increase your cardio endurance, cut up, slim down, or just be healthier. Even better is HIIT. I’ve read a lot of articles on the advantages of HIIT over regular cardio training, and applied it to my work outs with visual success. You don’t have to run ten miles, or run up hill both ways. If you decided to jog a couple miles instead of getting on that bike you are already making a choice to better and quicker results.
May 15, 2009 at 3:14 pm
That is where I am at now too. I am into bodybuilding/working out to be healthy. Now a good amount of muscle is great but trying to be the strongest guy in the gym is past me.