Running is one of the most popular forms of exercise. In addition to being easy to learn and requiring little in the way of equipment, it provides solid cardiovascular benefits that can greatly improve overall health. Training in a number of formal sports emphasizes running as part of the regimen to build up endurance and improve overall fitness. Running is inexpensive--requiring little more than a pair of sneakers and an investment of time--and the habits it involves can last a lifetime if properly developed.
Benefits
Chief among the positive effects of running is its effects on the cardiovascular system. When you run, your arteries expand and contract three times as often as they do when you are standing still or sitting down. That keeps your blood vessels elastic and contributes to the lowering of your blood pressure, which in turn helps prevent the risk of heart attacks and strokes.
Benefits
Weight loss remains one of the primary benefits of any kind of exercise, and running is one of the better methods of shedding pounds. Losing a single pound requires you to burn 3500 more calories than you consume. While the specifics of running vary according to regularity and body type, you can usually burn about 500 calories an hour. By running one hour a day for seven days a week and otherwise maintaining your normal caloric intake, you can burn away 1 pound a week.
Benefits
Regular runners often speak of the considerable psychological benefits of their pastime. Exercise produces endorphins, which can create a natural emotional high. That leads to feelings of happiness and well-being, an improved sense of confidence and a further lowering of the runner's stress if he exercises regularly. Runners can also attain a sense of accomplishment by setting new goals for themselves (such as running for longer periods or covering greater distances in a shorter amount of time) and striving to achieve them.
Benefits
Running has been known to strengthen the bones and muscles, which respond to the added stress that exercise puts on them. That can pay huge dividends later in life, when bones begin to weaken and muscles start to atrophy. If you run regularly throughout your life, your bones and muscles will resist that slow decline. Running also helps prevent osteoporosis and similar conditions.
Benefits
Because running involves every part of the body moving in concert--coordinating swinging arms with the movement of the legs and timing it with breathing--it has proven effective in improving overall coordination. This is especially true for runners who use hiking trails and other uneven surfaces, but even those who use level indoor tracks can show improved dexterity and control over their body if they exercise regularly.
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