Will running help my hiking? (Read 381 times)

pedaling fool


    Since my hiking is done as recreation I can not speak to how it effects my running; in general I'd say it helps, if for no other reason the crosstraining aspect -- gotta work other muscles.

     

    However, I can speak to how hiking has improved my running. I've always wanted to be a runner, but never could keep with running as a form of exercise, just never was able to get into it. Then I went on a thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail (AT) with the intent of building myself up to running and it worked.

     

    I think it worked for a couple reasons, one being that since the AT is so hilly (constantly going up and down mountains), much more than the PCT, one uses legs more like a runner than a walker. Walking is much like pole vaulting, but running is more like jumping/springing from one foot to the other and walking up hill is pretty much the same, but without the leaping, and on top of that you're carrying weight which requires more strength.

     

    And then you got the downhill hiking and anyone that has hiked through the mountains knows that is the toughest on your legs, it pretty much isolates the quads and forces them to support the bulk of your weight -- this is what really tears up people's knees if they're not properly prepared.

     

    The other benefit is that hiking all day for ~6 months develops a kick ass cardio base. Once I got done with my thru-hike it was a very easy transition to running and now I can say I'm an advid runner.

     

    BTW, FLATFOOTER is absolutely correct. Real trails are not well manicured paths that most people imagine; they are filled with ankle-breaking obstacles or muddy holes.

    sport jester


    Biomimeticist

       

       

      And then you got the downhill hiking and anyone that has hiked through the mountains knows that is the toughest on your legs, it pretty much isolates the quads and forces them to support the bulk of your weight -- this is what really tears up people's knees if they're not properly prepared.

       

      Real trails are not well manicured paths that most people imagine; they are filled with ankle-breaking obstacles or muddy holes.

       

      That's the whole point of learning to run intoed; that it takes all of the stress load from your quads completely in downhill running and puts it on the gluteus maximus. My firefighters are highly appreciative of that fact, since they're going up and down stairs carrying at least an additional 60lbs of equipment with each step.

       

      Its painful because of the joint friction of the kneecap against the femur. Intoed position puts the knee in a much more neutral position for both up and downhill running.

       

      Of course trails are full of obstacles. That's why I enjoy the challenge of navigating them.

      Experts said the world is flat

      Experts said that man would never fly

      Experts said we'd never go to the moon

       

      Name me one of those "experts"...

       

      History never remembers the name of experts; just the innovators who had the guts to challenge and prove the "experts" wrong

      pedaling fool


        I have no idea what "intoed running" is, but I did a quick search and it seems like it requires one to put one foot directly in front of the other. If that's correct, I don't see a real need to train myself to do that.

        sport jester


        Biomimeticist

          Intoed running is what layman's terms is known as pigeon toed. Since our natural walking and running mechanics is based on outward rotation of our limbs for balance, what many think is a pronated stance, makes learning how to run intoed a very subtle difference in technique than you're used to.

           

          It requires learning how to fire every single muscle in your body from your ears down in a completely different sequence than you do currently.

           

          Not to mention if you truly understood the process, you'd be running 20% faster as a result if you got good at it.

          Experts said the world is flat

          Experts said that man would never fly

          Experts said we'd never go to the moon

           

          Name me one of those "experts"...

           

          History never remembers the name of experts; just the innovators who had the guts to challenge and prove the "experts" wrong


          Chasing the bus

            I'm naturally pretty heavily pigeon toed. For me, it's a form flaw that causes all kinds of minor injuries, not to mention I'm naturally about 50% slower than others at my level of training, but that might not be my form...  But anyway, if running pigeon-toed was a cure-all, I'd be a beast. As is, down-hill running hurts my knees and my upper tibia-fibular joint, as well as causing the usual burning in the thighs, and I have to be careful of form or suffer shin-splints.

             

            That's my experience...Maybe I need to embrace my natural form and really go with it? 

             

            John

            “You're either on the bus or off the bus.”
            Tom Wolfe, The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test

            sport jester


            Biomimeticist

              Its really all about the position of the knee while running and it doesn't matter if you're on the road or trail. My experience dealing with pigeon toed students is to teach the how to rearrange their bodies in balance skills necessary to adapt to it.

              Experts said the world is flat

              Experts said that man would never fly

              Experts said we'd never go to the moon

               

              Name me one of those "experts"...

               

              History never remembers the name of experts; just the innovators who had the guts to challenge and prove the "experts" wrong

              JimR


                , and entire football teams can figure it out,

                 

                I don't know who this is that posts as 'David Archuleta' on a site about Diablo 3, but he has an interesting comment on sport jester:

                 

                http://diablo3goldscheap.blogspot.ca/2012/10/just-refresher-for-forum.html

                 

                "

                Robert Vervloet (JESTER) was NOT paid by Portland State Football to give instruction to any of our players for either the 2010 or 2011 football seasons. If he is listing me as a reference to confirm his status as a coach, I need to let you know that this is definitely not the case for the 2010 or 2011 seasons.

                Robert has tried to associate himself with our team, but we declined to bring him on board in any football coaching capacity. He was able to convince our head athletic trainer to allow him to do sports injury rehab work in his department this past spring where he may have had some interaction with the athletes on our team. For him to suggest that his efforts had any tangible result in the improved performance of our team is an insult to the faculty and the me.

                I was not on staff for the 2009 season (Diablo 3 Gold). NCAA rules limit the number of paid coaches on a college team staff, so I can say with confidence that Robert was not a football coach at PSU for the 2009 season either."


                Feeling the growl again

                  Hmmm...No reported affiliation with SEALs as claimed....nor with football...hmmm....

                   

                   

                  I don't know who this is that posts as 'David Archuleta' on a site about Diablo 3, but he has an interesting comment on sport jester:

                   

                  http://diablo3goldscheap.blogspot.ca/2012/10/just-refresher-for-forum.html

                   

                  "

                  Robert Vervloet (JESTER) was NOT paid by Portland State Football to give instruction to any of our players for either the 2010 or 2011 football seasons. If he is listing me as a reference to confirm his status as a coach, I need to let you know that this is definitely not the case for the 2010 or 2011 seasons.

                  Robert has tried to associate himself with our team, but we declined to bring him on board in any football coaching capacity. He was able to convince our head athletic trainer to allow him to do sports injury rehab work in his department this past spring where he may have had some interaction with the athletes on our team. For him to suggest that his efforts had any tangible result in the improved performance of our team is an insult to the faculty and the me.

                  I was not on staff for the 2009 season (Diablo 3 Gold). NCAA rules limit the number of paid coaches on a college team staff, so I can say with confidence that Robert was not a football coach at PSU for the 2009 season either."

                  "If you want to be a bad a$s, then do what a bad a$s does.  There's your pep talk for today.  Go Run." -- Slo_Hand

                   

                  I am spaniel - Crusher of Treadmills

                   

                  sport jester


                  Biomimeticist

                    Oh puppy dog,

                    I never claimed to be a paid coach. Unlike yourself, I was invited by the team trainer into their program for the summer to work with their players. And that invitation was extended because he was one of my references during my relationship with Nike's sports research lab for ACL tear prevention.

                     

                    With a previous season of a 2-9 record, they posted a 7-4 season. Even the coach was nominated for a coach of the year. Oh wait, the very next season they went right back to their pathetic ways and achieved a 3-8 record...

                     

                    Of course it means nothing to you because in no way could you ever achieve the same results. And I can do it any day of the week I want to

                     

                    Oh, and for SEAL reference, I think Stew Smith's comments are quite concrete to what I teach. Once again:

                    http://www.military.com/military-fitness/running/evolution-of-learning-how-to-run-distance

                    Experts said the world is flat

                    Experts said that man would never fly

                    Experts said we'd never go to the moon

                     

                    Name me one of those "experts"...

                     

                    History never remembers the name of experts; just the innovators who had the guts to challenge and prove the "experts" wrong

                      Robert,

                       

                      I want to give you some career advice because I think it might help you.

                       

                      You're obviously a genius:  you helped design the Nike Free line of shoes, the football team you worked with only won when you were there, and SEALs are flocking to work with you.

                       

                      You need to hire someone to do your marketing.  How hard would it be to have someone market you?  Again, you helped design the Nike Free line.  That has to get you somewhere.  You turned a losing team around for the one season that you were there.  How many NFL teams would like to turn around their losing season?  All of them.  And there's a lot of money in the NFL.  You train SEALs.  You should have more than just Stew Smith for a reference.  You shouldn't need to go around to all the military message boards and create sockpuppets to generate interest in your techniques.  And you shouldn't have to do that on running boards either.  Plus, if you have someone marketing you, when I type "Robert Vervloet" into Google, the first link I come across won't be "People say I'm crazy", it will be a resume, or a published paper, or something that adds credibility to you.

                       

                      Maybe a marketer can help you with that.  And then, maybe, you can work with Alberto Salazar any day of the week you want to.

                       

                      Oh puppy dog,

                      I never claimed to be a paid coach. Unlike yourself, I was invited by the team trainer into their program for the summer to work with their players. And that invitation was extended because he was one of my references during my relationship with Nike's sports research lab for ACL tear prevention.

                       

                      With a previous season of a 2-9 record, they posted a 7-4 season. Even the coach was nominated for a coach of the year. Oh wait, the very next season they went right back to their pathetic ways and achieved a 3-8 record...

                       

                      Of course it means nothing to you because in no way could you ever achieve the same results. And I can do it any day of the week I want to

                       

                      Oh, and for SEAL reference, I think Stew Smith's comments are quite concrete to what I teach. Once again:

                      http://www.military.com/military-fitness/running/evolution-of-learning-how-to-run-distance

                      There was a point in my life when I ran. Now, I just run.

                       

                      We are always running for the thrill of it

                      Always pushing up the hill, searching for the thrill of it

                      sport jester


                      Biomimeticist

                        While I understand your compliment and perspective of suggestions, marketing isn't my issue. I was cleared by Nike's lab in terms of validity in what I teach. Salazar refused my access to any of their competitors. And when I asked him to improve my running technique, his answer was to turn around and walk off leaving me running on the treadmill.

                         

                        Salazar is a pathetic coward...

                         

                        And if he didn't have the guts to let me train with him, why do you expect any better from anyone else.

                         

                        Who wants to willingly step aside and let me prove I know more about running or training than they do. To think they'll open their arms to what I teach is pure fallacy. I've been spit on, screamed at with my ears ringing into the next day, threatened with arrest, not to mention called very obscenity in the book. Oh and unlike you most likely, you've never been hung as I have.

                         

                        Until you know the feeling of being dragged across the ground by a noose around your neck, you have no idea how naïve your thoughts are to me.

                         

                        While the proverb is build a better mousetrap and the world will beat a path to your door, nobody will tell you that they're bearing tar and rope. And those too chicken to come to my door will be on the sidewalk stacking firewood or looking for matches.

                         

                        I've been interviewed for a Runner's World article, but its editor refused to publish it.

                         

                        Its not the marketing, its the access to the athletes and having either coaches, trainers, or parents keep me away from them given how unconventional my training is.

                         

                        Human nature to challenge is fight or flight, not learn. Which is why puppy dog is far more the example of how people deal with me. Fragile little egos are far more important to them than learning a different approach to the training question.

                         

                        I do appreciate your words, don't get me wrong, you're not the first to make such a suggestion. I know you mean well, but you reflect an attitude that finding the athletes to train and prove myself are found on the store shelf at 7-11. Reality couldn't be further from the truth.

                        Experts said the world is flat

                        Experts said that man would never fly

                        Experts said we'd never go to the moon

                         

                        Name me one of those "experts"...

                         

                        History never remembers the name of experts; just the innovators who had the guts to challenge and prove the "experts" wrong

                          FFS people.

                          Runners run


                          Ostrich runner

                            Wait...you are hung, or you were hanged?

                            http://www.runningahead.com/groups/Indy/forum


                            Prince of Fatness

                              pathetic coward

                              didn't have the guts

                              Who wants to willingly step aside and let me prove I know more about running or training than they do.

                              you have no idea how naïve your thoughts are to me.

                              too chicken to come to my door

                              puppy dog

                               

                              Your kindness has certainly been missed around here.  Welcome back!

                              Not at it at all. 


                              Feeling the growl again

                                 

                                 ...or parents keep me away from them...

                                 

                                I can't imagine why.... Roll eyes

                                 

                                BTW having some dude cut-and-paste your text into some article on military.com read by a bunch of wannabes, and actually have a role in directly training SEALs, are two very, very different things.

                                "If you want to be a bad a$s, then do what a bad a$s does.  There's your pep talk for today.  Go Run." -- Slo_Hand

                                 

                                I am spaniel - Crusher of Treadmills