The Top Benefits of Running, Plus Tips on How To Start

Key Takeaways:

• Research has suggested that running may increase life expectancy by up to 3 years.
• Running can help to improve bone density, heart health, and lower cholesterol. 
• Running for 5 to 10 minutes a day may help lower the risk of cardiovascular mortality.
• Running can improve mental health through an increase in endocannabinoids in our bloodstream, which produce feelings of reduced anxiety and calmness, commonly known as a runner’s high.

We know, we know, you might not like running. Let’s be honest: it can be a tough slog. Sprinting is very high-intensity, and Here are our expert-explained benefits of running, plus some tips on how to get started.

Benefits of Running

Running comes with a host of health benefits, many of which stretch beyond the boundaries of just improving your cardiovascular capacity or VO2 max. Here’s a short rundown of some of the biggest benefits of running: 

Running Maintains Muscle

We aren’t going to mislead you — you probably won’t build significant leg muscle if you only go running and never perform strength training workouts. However, that doesn’t mean distance running is detrimental to muscle hypertrophy.

In fact, aerobic exercise has been shown to be particularly effective at mitigating tissue degradation associated with the aging process, known as sarcopenia. (1) If you’re running for muscle mass, make sure you’re eating well in the kitchen to support your training. Running workouts also serve nicely as a form of active recovery so you can bounce back in time for your next leg exercise.

Running Improves Mental Health

Exercise may be mainly about improving physical health, but we want to emphasize that running training can have equally potent effects on your mood and mindset. From Johns Hopkins Medicine and professor of neuroscience Dr. David Linden: 

Exercise increases the levels of endocannabinoids in the bloodstream … these mood-improving neuromodulators promote short-term psychoactive effects such as reduced anxiety and feelings of calm.

— Dr. David Linden

When it comes to improving mental health, academics also regard “green exercise environments” — say, running outdoors rather than doing a treadmill workout — can further promote mental wellness and relaxation. (2)

Running Is Convenient

We can’t count the number of times we’ve almost made it to the gym. Adherence is a common roadblock in developing and maintaining a good workout program. If your workouts aren’t convenient to perform, how are you supposed to stick to them?

Removing roadblocks can help. For example, you don’t need to commute to the gym to do a running workout — you can run anywhere, including on a treadmill at home or in your own neighborhood. Unlike weight lifting, which requires dumbbells, barbells, bands, or exercise machines, you can run just about anywhere at any time. 

This idea has real clinical backing behind it, too. Health officials have stated that, “opportunistic health behaviors … must be easy for patients to implement,” (3) citing the importance of having an accessible, grab-and-go workout plan. We think running fits the bill. 

Running Helps Weight Lifting

You might think of running and weight training as separate goals. To a degree, you’re right — science describes the so-called “interference effect”, wherein too much cardio training can hamper muscle and strength gain, or vice-versa. (4)

However, other data conflict with this idea and may help you grasp why you should be doing cardio even if you’re a gym rat who never leaves the weight room: 

[Read More: How Much Cardio Is Too Much? Running Coaches Weigh In]

According to Exercise Science researcher and powerlifter Greg Nuckols, even powerlifters should:

• Perform various types of cardio training weekly, including high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and low-intensity, steady-state (LISS) workouts.
• Prioritize low-impact cardio workouts on the elliptical or treadmill so as to not interfere with demanding powerlifting workouts.

Nuckols recommends strength athletes begin with two weekly cardio workouts of low intensity, for 20 to 30 minutes, at roughly 60 to 70% of your max heart rate. 

Does Running Speed Matter? 

You might be wondering how much your running speed matters. Well, if you’re in a race, it matters a great deal. But when it comes to reaping the health benefits of running as exercise, you’re in luck. Whether you’re as fast as a hare or are on team tortoise, you can still improve your health by running.

• Speedy runs like interval training or sprint workouts burn calories and have been shown to have some unique benefits, including helping you produce more growth hormone. (5)
• If you’re wondering about jogging vs. running, consider that leisurely cardio takes more time to cover the same distance, but puts less stress on your bones and joints and tends to be more appropriate for social exercise.

Tips for How To Start Running

So, you’re sold on running — super! But if you’re still wondering how to actually start, you’re in luck. Here are some of our favorite tips for getting into running workouts: 

Get the Right Shoes

Like cleats for soccer or weightlifting shoes for Olympic lifting, the right footwear can make (or break) how your running sessions feel — and how you perform during them. We can’t stress this enough; if you’re starting out with running, you need the best running shoes you can get your hands on.

[Read More: How to Break in Running Shoes: A Running Coach Explains How To Do it Properly]

Proper running shoes should fit snugly without being constricting, require no break-in period, and accommodate your unique gait and stride mechanics. 

Recruit a Friend

Fitness is more fun with friends. If you’re not used to running workouts, you might be in for a surprise at how monotonous they can be. We recommend grabbing a running buddy (or joining your local run club) to motivate you along the way. Working out with a friend helps time pass more quickly and, of course, provides you with somebody to share your suffering with. 

If you must run solo, bring some earbuds and fire up your favorite podcast or album to keep your mind occupied along the way. 

Start Slowly (Literally)

You’ll find that your cardiovascular fitness improves quite quickly once you settle into a running workout routine. However, you can definitely overdo things and develop fatigue or even injuries along the way.

[Read More: Should You Be Running Everyday? A Certified Personal Trainer Gives You the Scoop]

Your best bet is to err on the side of caution and train more conservatively than you think, especially early on. Go for brief, but frequent, running workouts and slowly build up your tolerance over a period of weeks. Trying to bang out an hour-long tempo run as your first workout is likely to leave you couchbound for the rest of the week and interfere with your ability to turn running into a sustainable habit. 

Practice Good Form! 

First things first, remember that there’s no “perfect” example of proper running form. Every individual has their own bone structure and movement habits, so your running technique (experts refer to your stride form as a gait cycle) won’t look exactly the same as your workout partner. 

According to Team USA Track & Field coach Lee Whitaker, you’ll want to hit these form elements when developing your running technique: 

1. Slight forward lean
2. Natural, but not pronounced, arm swing
3. Relaxed upper body

You’ll also want to take time to find a foot strike pattern that suits you. “Forcing a certain style of foot strike can actually hinder people,” says Whitaker. “Our bodies tend to self-select what’s good for us very well.” 

[Read More: How To Build Stamina for Running: Tips + Benefits]

When it comes to breathing, you’ll want to employ a mix of both mouth and nose breathing. Studies show that pure nasal breathing works well enough for low or moderate-intensity exercise, but as you run faster or on an inclined surface, don’t hesitate to inhale through your nose and exhale through your mouth. (6)

Takeaways

• Running provides benefits that stretch far beyond just making you better at running.
• Sticking to running workouts can help you burn calories, lose weight, maintain muscle, and improve your mental health.
• If you’re starting out with running, you’ll want to begin slowly and ensure you have good technique and a solid plan in place. 

Frequently Asked Questions

References

1. Wilkin LD, Cheryl A, Haddock BL. Energy expenditure comparison between walking and running in average fitness individuals. J Strength Cond Res. 2012 Apr;26(4):1039-44. doi: 10.1519/JSC.0b013e31822e592c. PMID: 22446673.
2. Yoo SZ, No MH, Heo JW, Park DH, Kang JH, Kim SH, Kwak HB. Role of exercise in age-related sarcopenia. J Exerc Rehabil. 2018 Aug 24;14(4):551-558. doi: 10.12965/jer.1836268.134. PMID: 30276173; PMCID: PMC6165967.
3. Gladwell VF, Brown DK, Wood C, Sandercock GR, Barton JL. The great outdoors: how a green exercise environment can benefit all. Extrem Physiol Med. 2013 Jan 3;2(1):3. doi: 10.1186/2046-7648-2-3. PMID: 23849478; PMCID: PMC3710158.
4. Gardner B, Lally P, Wardle J. Making health habitual: the psychology of ‘habit-formation’ and general practice. Br J Gen Pract. 2012 Dec;62(605):664-6. doi: 10.3399/bjgp12X659466. PMID: 23211256; PMCID: PMC3505409.
5. Coffey VG, Hawley JA. Concurrent exercise training: do opposites distract? J Physiol. 2017 May 1;595(9):2883-2896. doi: 10.1113/JP272270. Epub 2016 Oct 9. PMID: 27506998; PMCID: PMC5407958.
6. Meckel Y, Nemet D, Bar-Sela S, Radom-Aizik S, Cooper DM, Sagiv M, Eliakim A. Hormonal and inflammatory responses to different types of sprint interval training. J Strength Cond Res. 2011 Aug;25(8):2161-9. doi: 10.1519/JSC.0b013e3181dc4571. PMID: 21785293.
7. Lörinczi F, Vanderka M, Lörincziová D, Kushkestani M. Nose vs. mouth breathing- acute effect of different breathing regimens on muscular endurance. BMC Sports Sci Med Rehabil. 2024 Feb 9;16(1):42. doi: 10.1186/s13102-024-00840-6. PMID: 38336799; PMCID: PMC10858538.

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