Can running be replaced by a different type of cardio?

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bigkarl

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I'm getting an MRI on my knee because of constant popping. There's barely ever any pain, but when there is it's maybe 2/10 pain, very dull. Now I've still been running, but could I cycle or swim until I'm cleared by the ortho? The pain started about a month ago when I decided to go 6 days in a row running fast paced, 5k's. I'm getting back into boxing within the next couple months and I want to stay in shape. Can I just keep powering through the runs, or should I take a break from it?
 
I've never done typical running. Waste of time.

Sprints are good sometimes, but jumping rope is better than jogging. It's better for your knees, too.
 
Teflon said:
I've never done typical running. Waste of time.

Sprints are good sometimes, but jumping rope is better than jogging. It's better for your knees, too.
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Really? I'm kinda addicted to the distance running (lost 147lbs with it), but i thought sprints would be harder on the joints... I guess i overestimated the importance of running?
 
It's likely harder on knees but far more rewarding and less time consuming. Jogging is very overrated. Once you factor in duration, it's probably the safer choice.

Jump rope and sparring is all the cardio you need for boxing. Long distance running is good for just that, long distance running. It's useless as far as boxing goes, and there are far better alternatives for general fitness.
 
running is imperative to a boxer and I really don't think it can be replaced, nothing does quite the job it does because it involves the entire body. Biking is ok, swimming I've never really been a fan of but I can't think of any that can top running. If you want to stop for awhile, I'd just recommend biking or other boxing work just to perform a maintenance type of thing. In my mind there is no substitute, not punching bags, not sparring, not nothing.
 
mozfonky said:
running is imperative to a boxer and I really don't think it can be replaced, nothing does quite the job it does because it involves the entire body. Biking is ok, swimming I've never really been a fan of but I can't think of any that can top running. If you want to stop for awhile, I'd just recommend biking or other boxing work just to perform a maintenance type of thing. In my mind there is no substitute, not punching bags, not sparring, not nothing.
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Yeah, that's the thing I love the running but I don't want to blow my knee out. But I feel like a slob if I don't run..... You ever have popping knee joints? Can you just ignore it? It's like cracking your stiff back, knuckles or wrists...but in your knees.
 
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bigkarl said:
Yeah, that's the thing I love the running but I don't want to blow my knee out. But I feel like a slob if I don't run..... You ever have popping knee joints? Can you just ignore it? It's like cracking your stiff back, knuckles or wrists...but in your knees.
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no doubt it's hard on the body, I ran on grass or soft surface as much as I could. If you are truly in danger of injury though, of course stop and take care of it. I don't know what condition your knees are in. I'd get pains but everything i would do i'd get pains and aches, only a few times have I don't things that have resulted in a permanent problem. My knees have ached at times, but it was never something that didn't go away. I guess after years of hitting bags and kicking bags, my body has adjusted. You know I took a real bad spill a few months ago and I immediately looked for an arm bone to be sticking out, 20 minutes later I was fine, I'm sure had I not done lots of pounding, beating on my body I would have broken something. Anyway, I don't know if you just need a break or what, pain is a constant in working out for me especially as I age, most of it I push through but if I feel like something is serious, I immediately stop anything that would irritate it.
 
Running is dumb. Running tears up your legs and feet. Plus, in combat sports, you want short bursts of explosive power, or, well in grappling you sometimes want to sustain one motion for a long time, but just running does neither of those. Swim.
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vitali kilt has the same problem both him and his brother now swim for their cardio work
 
Yup,rowing,soccer,jumpingrope,anythingyoucanthinkof
 
Forever Young said:
Running is dumb. Running tears up your legs and feet. Plus, in combat sports, you want short bursts of explosive power, or, well in grappling you sometimes want to sustain one motion for a long time, but just running does neither of those. Swim.
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The guys in the ufc are dead tired after a couple rounds, no excuse for it, they need to run more. They also ( and it's not nearly as bad as it was) need to come in less fat in the heavier division, running does that. If your body can't take the shock of running it's not going to take the shock of the other training either. Anyway, short bursts of energy and endurance can both be gotten (at least for me) by running.
 
bigkarl said:
Really? I'm kinda addicted to the distance running (lost 147lbs with it), but i thought sprints would be harder on the joints... I guess i overestimated the importance of running?
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That probably explains the knee issues then :-/

Tradition distance running does horrible things to knees, hips and ankles for heavier people. And I'm not even talking about fat folk, just your 200lbs+ guys.

I can't say shit about cardio in relation to boxing, but running being difficult to replace from a total body workout perspective is a silly idea. Rowing, skipping and swimming all make more use of the whole body than running.
 
Sorry for stealing your thread a bit. I'm looking to lose some weight (actually quite a bit, about 20-25 kgs) - so in order to keep my knees, ankles etc healthy (as healthy as they can be after a 3-4 years of being overweight), I should skip long distance running?

Jumping ropes sounded like a perfect activity (because I could do it at home), but is it good for weight loss?
 
xfightcityx said:
Run in minimalist shoes or try running barefoot. Your knee problems are caused because u are heel striking when u run. If u run barefoot or in minimalist shoes like the vibram five fingers or the vivobarefoot evos, u'll land more on the balls of your feet and your heels will only kiss the ground. Lots of videos about it on YouTube. Rashad evans runs in vibrams
Barefoot running: How humans ran comfortably and safely before the invention of shoes
Running Barefoot: Home
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ya, i saw that when it came out. those people do it on their diet. There are also tales of Indians running down buffalo and deer over a day. Modern people are just babies and modern athletes intellectualize to much. The physical and mental should be better balanced. The old time boxing trainers have never like "nutritionists" "conditioning coaches" etc.., most of it is unnecessary and if it's unnecessary it's a waste of energy.
 
mozfonky said:
no doubt it's hard on the body, I ran on grass or soft surface as much as I could. If you are truly in danger of injury though, of course stop and take care of it. I don't know what condition your knees are in. I'd get pains but everything i would do i'd get pains and aches, only a few times have I don't things that have resulted in a permanent problem. My knees have ached at times, but it was never something that didn't go away. I guess after years of hitting bags and kicking bags, my body has adjusted. You know I took a real bad spill a few months ago and I immediately looked for an arm bone to be sticking out, 20 minutes later I was fine, I'm sure had I not done lots of pounding, beating on my body I would have broken something. Anyway, I don't know if you just need a break or what, pain is a constant in working out for me especially as I age, most of it I push through but if I feel like something is serious, I immediately stop anything that would irritate it.
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It's not the pain that I'm afraid of, it's joint pain. I run through a sore shin that has been bugging me for about 6 months, calf pain etc. But if it is an acl i could be out for a while and need surgery on it. I run through muscle aches and I'm not too scared of getting a stress fracture at 20 years old, but joint problems can fuck things up. It's been a litle over a month and it still snaps. Hasn't gotten better or worse...
 
bigkarl said:
It's not the pain that I'm afraid of, it's joint pain. I run through a sore shin that has been bugging me for about 6 months, calf pain etc. But if it is an acl i could be out for a while and need surgery on it. I run through muscle aches and I'm not too scared of getting a stress fracture at 20 years old, but joint problems can fuck things up. It's been a litle over a month and it still snaps. Hasn't gotten better or worse...
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well, you're doing the right thing by getting it checked. I have all kinds of pops and catches in my joints, I really don't think any of them are serious. My hips hurt badly sometimes but I think that's because I'm heavier than I should be in combination with the stretches and stress I've put them through. I take glucosomine and it really helps in spite of what anyone says but yes, I worry about long term stuff to. Not saying the pain thing as a macho thing, just for me that I have learned the hard way whether pain is something that means to lay off or is something that is just irritated or irritating. Of course you don't want to make things worse.
 
Machina Obscura said:
Sorry for stealing your thread a bit. I'm looking to lose some weight (actually quite a bit, about 20-25 kgs) - so in order to keep my knees, ankles etc healthy (as healthy as they can be after a 3-4 years of being overweight), I should skip long distance running?

Jumping ropes sounded like a perfect activity (because I could do it at home), but is it good for weight loss?
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jumping rope is ok but i used to think if i did it right and did it hard that it could replace something i used to hate (running) , not even close. Jumping rope is very limited by what it does and the movements it uses. There is no way that you could do the same things as you can with running. boxers do it for other reasons, rhythm, footwork, coordination and as a supplement to cardio work, while running is a staple.
 
mozfonky said:
jumping rope is ok but i used to think if i did it right and did it hard that it could replace something i used to hate (running) , not even close. Jumping rope is very limited by what it does and the movements it uses. There is no way that you could do the same things as you can with running. boxers do it for other reasons, rhythm, footwork, coordination and as a supplement to cardio work, while running is a staple.
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In other words, there are no shortcuts? Well, at least I know it now. However, putting aside 20-30 minutes for running every day may not be as difficult as I'm mentally making it up to be. Thanks anyway.
 
If u heel strike when running u will destroy your body. Running barefoot causes u to land a lot softer thusly u don't get injured. If u want injury free running just run in minimalist shoes. However start slow, u need to build up muscle in the lower legs and feet.
 
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