When I think back when I was an athletic kid and teenager, and at all other athletic kids it seems obvious we grow into stupid people in the name of fitness. Long distance running was a huge waste of time, I was never any more fit for my explosive type of lifestyle.
I have read many books on distance running and am still convinced that it is a bullshit concept.
Even read about “Persistence Hunting” these African tribes run in an open area and can track an animal in dirt and sand and they walk and jog, it’s not an all out run where they are timed!
Don’t believe me, try walking in the mountains and running down a deer! No man alive or dead could chase down a deer in the mountains without a first wounding it with a weapon!
Watch ANY child, they ALWAYS sprint, and than walk.
The only time I had to run a mile for time was in gym class and H.S. football for a fitness test and ran it in 5:12 without ever running long distance, I finished second on the team. The Cross Country coach pulled me out of class to ask me to join the team, I declined!
Cross Country kids were about as cool as the kids who played in the H.S. band!
In high school was the first time I ever did over a thousand pushups, my goal 1,200 pushups in an hour, I actually trained for this by distance running combined with pushups.
My pushup total barely changed, then I changed to hill sprints, my pushup numbers exploded!
Stilled fooled by what the mainstream said of running, I continued on running for many years.
One day I was bored and went out and ran 13 miles, it wasn’t hard then I just decided it was a waste of time.
I wasn’t in condition for much more than distance running, I lost my once great conditioning, distance running killed my “Conditioned Strength”!
Fast forward over 20 years and my “Conditioned Strength” is good as it needs to be, without ANY distance running.
Boxers run distance, right? If anything they barely run, it might as well be a fast walk. Light running is not what helps them box, it’s the actual bag work and boxing that conditions them.
Even primal man or ancient militaries didn’t run long distances, they walked and sprinted, they were conditioned by the tough environment and terrain!
If your life is so anti physical meaning your only real activity is in the gym, you will probably think long distance running is usful, because you don’t have not much of an outside the gym reference!
Walking around the office is most people’s reference if they are fit, meaning every man who walks on a treadmill or bikes to work think they are conditioned!
So what is long distance running good for, knee destruction, scarred heart muscle, loss of strength, loss of muscle mass etc.
You can’t jog away from danger, you can sprint away from danger, criminals NEVER out jog the police but they out sprint the police.
There are outliers who thrive, but the majority of runners are broken down over time, who lack strength and muscle mass!
Long Distance Running was a huge waste of MY time for my lifestyle!
Johnny Grube
I agree. Complete waste of time . I have fought in the Amateurs and as a pro and I had to run distance mostly throughout my Amatuer career and it was a complete waste of time . Always had what I called competitive fights . But when I transferred my training to bodyweight conditioning it’s when I started dominating the competition. I began being very explosive and having very powerful punching . Distance running is a complete waste of time . Never saw the point in it and never will . Awesome article Wildman . Keep them coming
“Walking around the office is most people’s reference if they are fit, meaning every man who walks on a treadmill or bikes to work think they are conditioned”
That is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard, there is more to conditioning than just riding bikes and treadmill!
Try to do sets of 150 push ups, this would kill most average men.
Hey guys, John. Kind of disagree, for competitive fighting running is crucial, it build the foundation for harder training, note that is running not jogging. A 5 mile run at a heavy pace will help your legs in the 3 round in the cage after receiving punishment and been dead tired.
Not a necessity for common folks, but competitive definetly. Just my 2 cents.
A former distance runner here, I was obsessed with long distance running in HS and part of college. Followed the sport religiously. Every time the Olympics came on I would only watch the events from the 800 meters up to the marathon. Didn’t care about anything else. Anyways looking back at it I always unsatisfied when I never hit a PR, or dealing with injuries. This lead to more stress and frustration than achievement or happiness. Decided to quit, but after a few months I was missing it and wanted to go back. However; I thought to myself I don’t want to deal with the stress that drove me out of it in the 1st place. So I decided to trying sprinting. These guys don’t get injured as often as distance guys, they have on average much better physique, & seem to have a lower morality rate (almost ever study I looked at backs it up). My health has slowly been improving & has helped improve my numbers with my reps and sets on exercises. I don’t get tired as often. Just to throw in a fun fact you talk to average joe on running or Track & Field in general who doesn’t follow the sport & tell them who’s name comes up first when this topic is brought, it won’t be a distance guy. It will be Usain Bolt lol. Just my 2 cents
Tony, great stuff yeah I remember you.
In H.S.I could run distance and did the mile in 5:12 for football and never ran the mile.
I’m H.S. I was a sprinter 100, 200, 400 and anchored the 1,600 meter relay.
Was always a fan of running but only sprints. Thanks for commenting.
JP always respect your opinion, it just wasn’t the most effective training for me, for my life.
Your Comments are always welcome.
John thank you. Please keep up the great stuff, you are the only one putting in work day in day out in the fitness world internet. Max Respect