The Power Of Street Running
There are more people pounding the streets than ever, and it’s easy to understand why so many of us have turned to street running – no gym fees and loads of health benefits!
New Elite Body Squad ambassador Lily Curtis started a 12 week street running course as one of her new year resolutions, and is training hard to take part in a 10k race later this year. So if you’re looking to build muscle, shed fat and calories or just boost your overall health, there are loads of reasons you should give it a go:
You’ll be hooked: There’s been heaps of research, including a number of published studies, that say when we run, our brains pump out endocannabinoids, cannabis-like molecules that keep runners happy - and hooked.
Live longer: In a US medical study, researchers followed about 1,000 adults (ages 50 and older) for 21 years. At the end of the study, 85 percent of the runners were still alive and well, while only 66 percent of the non-runners were alive.
No commute to the gym: The second you step out of your front door, you can be running. So you can run anywhere, and at any time.
Calorie burner: An average one-hour weight-training workout at the gym burns about 300 calories. The typical hour-long run burns about twice that.
It’s not a heart breaker: Running is an aerobic sport, so it strengthens your heart while lowering your resting heart rate, blood pressure, and cholesterol. And compared to other aerobic exercises, it’s by far the most time-efficient form of exercise for improving your heart health.