Run or walk? Gym or home?

jrline

I do run/walk alternate and on the roads 5-6 days a week. Strength training 3 days a week.

micheleld73

As far as walking vs running, why don't you try intervals: walk x miles/minutes then run y miles/minutes. It's the best of both worlds!

As far was weight training it depends on your goals. If your looking to build muscle (lift heavy) the gym is more beneficial as it will have more weights to use. If your just looking to strength train, at home is sufficient as you mostly just need some resistance which you can get with body weight exercises or low weights/bands.

KombuchaCat

I like walking much better and would rather do that for a longer period of time with perhaps the occasional light jog or shuffle mixed in. One of my friends used to do triathalons and was nationally ranked or something and she told me that no one likes running, they like how they feel after. I could kind of wrap my head around that because I REALLY HATE running I have quite a few friends who run marathons as well and I have to admit it's annoying to hear them constantly complain about what they have injured and Oh I just got better from that and OMG I just won't be able to take life anymore if I can't RUN! There are always other options. If you don't feel like lifting try some vigorous yoga, using your own body weight to strengthen your muscles is great. I recently bought a Piyo DVD and felt every muscle in my body!

runnerchick69

kessler4130 wrote: »

In my opinion, gym and walking. I know a lot of people who run, they are all dangerously thin, suffer joint pain, and barely have the strength to curl their tooth brush. I prefer lifting heavy for the big 3 movements (Bench, Dead, Squat) and then all hypertrophy based 8-12 reps for almost all other movements with the exception of abs, delts, forearms, etc. However it is all personal preference, I want to be alpha, not average.

I'm a good 128 pounds, full of muscle and I run marathons. My husband calls me the little tank because I'm small but very strong and solid as a rock I have no joint pain other than what you get naturally from getting older. I lift weights a couple times a week and I'm pretty sure I couldn't do Cross Fit if I couldn't curl my own toothbrush LOL Yes I'm a runner but strength training is what will get me to the end of a marathon! Walking is great and I suggest it for a lot of people, at least to start if they are considering taking up running but running is a better calorie burner. I do get what you're saying because there are people that run that are too thin but they are the exception, not the rule.

cwolfman13

A well rounded, general fitness routine is going to have elements of both cardiovascular work and resistance training.

How much of these things you do and to what intensity you do them is going to be dictated by your fitness goals and aspirations. Try to look at fitness as something that runs parallel to your diet and nutrition...but also it's completely own, independent "thing."

My primary cardiovascular work is my bike...I ride about 60 miles per week. I also run 3 miles once per week and do an interval run/walk once per week and I lift 3x weekly. I take one rest day per week...but I also walk my dog on rest days.

As to whether walking is as effective as running...this would largely depend on your goals. Walking is a great low impact, light activity...I would consider running more of a moderately strenuous activity. You are going to burn more calories running than you are walking and do it in a shorter amount of time...the more miles you do, the more difference there is here. Running is also going to further have a greater impact on your overall level of fitness than walking alone would.