Why Running *Isn't* The Best Way To Get Fit, How The Running Craze HARMED Fitness Enthusiasts & Why Walking Is Essential To Health & Longevity, With Mark Sisson.
Feb 1, 2025
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Mark Sisson, author of "Born to Walk" and founder of Mark's Daily Apple, challenges the myth that humans are "born to run." He argues that walking is far superior for fitness and longevity. The conversation highlights how the running craze has led to increased injuries and misconceptions about weight loss. Sisson emphasizes the power of daily movement and proper heart rate training. He also delves into elite runners' gut health challenges and promotes a balanced fitness approach that prioritizes walking over excessive running.
Running often leads to inefficient fat burning and overexertion, while incorporating walking enhances overall fitness and health outcomes.
Walking aligns with our evolutionary traits, contrasting with today's sedentary lifestyles by offering cardiovascular and mental health benefits.
The running craze has led to misunderstandings about exercise, emphasizing a balanced approach that includes varied movements for optimal wellness.
Deep dives
Inefficiencies in Running
Many people engage in running while their heart rates are elevated beyond their fat maximum threshold, leading to inefficient fat burning and excessive glycogen usage. This situation leads to a cycle of practicing discomfort without tangible improvements in performance. Instead of enhancing their capacity for endurance or speed, individuals are accumulating 'junk miles' that yield minimal benefit. More effective exercise could often involve incorporating more walking into their routines, allowing for better fat oxidation and overall fitness gains.
The Case for Walking
Walking is presented as the most innate form of human movement, often overlooked in favor of more strenuous exercise like running. Contrary to the popular belief that humans are 'born to run', the argument is made that walking aligns more closely with evolutionary behaviors of early humans. Our ancestors walked extensively, averaging around 16,000 to 20,000 steps daily as part of their active lifestyles, contrasting sharply with modern sedentary habits. Embracing walking as a primary form of exercise not only supports cardiovascular health but also aids in mental clarity and emotional well-being.
Rethinking Endurance Training
The historical evolution of long-distance running reveals a pattern of misinterpretation surrounding its benefits. Initially rooted in necessity, the running boom burgeoned in the late 1970s primarily as a cultural phenomenon, manifesting as a lifestyle that often leads to injuries and poor health outcomes. Runners today face a high risk of injury comparable to that of professional athletes, a situation exacerbated by modern training methods and equipment. Many individuals misunderstand the need for a balanced approach to exercise, often overtraining instead of focusing on walking and strength activities.
Misconceptions About Caloric Burn
There is a common misconception that endurance running is the most effective method for burning calories and losing weight. In reality, many of these workouts do not foster genuine fat loss, as individuals tend to operate at too high of an intensity, preventing effective fat oxidation. When glycogen stores are depleted, the body's natural response often leads to compensatory behaviors, such as an increased appetite for carbohydrates following strenuous sessions. This can stifle actual progress toward body composition goals, making it essential to prioritize lower-intensity activities like walking.
Optimizing Movement for Longevity
Integrating varied movements rather than just running can optimize overall fitness and enhance longevity. Activities such as brisk walking, resistance training, and sprinting can contribute to better health outcomes without the injuries associated with constant high-impact running. This multi-faceted approach to exercise involves embracing different modalities, such as uphill walking, rucking, or even playful activities like skipping. Understanding the nuances of movement encourages a healthier lifestyle that encompasses enjoyment and functionality rather than mere endurance.
Unfortunately, "born to run" is a big, fat ruse—a marketing gimmick and a gross misappropriation of evolutionary biology's insights into Homo sapiens' genetic attributes for endurance. While any movement away from a sedentary-dominant lifestyle is laudable, the truth is that humans are actually born to walk, not run.
Ready to get fitter, leaner, and stronger than ever without the pain, suffering, and sacrifice of the typical approach to endurance training?
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