How do you deal with fake gym runner 'advice'? - Couch to 5K

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How do you deal with fake gym runner 'advice'?

kinemagic profile image
19 Replies

My friend and I run at the gym, and i've started being irrationally annoyed at his success. he started "running" about a year ago (i just started about a month ago), and his 'success' consists of not warming up, poor running form (running on the balls of his feet in a pseudo sprint, at high incline hanging off the front end of the control panel), no cool down and no stretching, but he still is the sagely advice type when it comes to running because he can sustain leg motion akin to running for an hour and I cant. basically his opinion is develop the endurance, then develop form later. he's not the only one I know who does this, but it's worse because he's my friend. I know he's wrong and setting himself up for injury, but I don't know how to convince him that he shouldn't be doing this, since i'm a newbie and he's been doing this for a year.

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kinemagic profile image
kinemagic
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19 Replies
Irishprincess profile image
IrishprincessGraduate

Find a new friend 😂

reluctantrunner76 profile image
reluctantrunner76Graduate

Just listen, then just do your own thing. Sounds like he does!!

Oldfloss profile image
OldflossAdministratorGraduate

... as IP says.. or.. " You are my friend.. I like you...but you are really going to damage yourself...you mention endurance, form coming later... you have been doing this for a year and you still have no form...so how much later...? "

Then smile sweetly and you do it properly :)

ShannieP profile image
ShanniePGraduate in reply toOldfloss

Awesome response

IannodaTruffe profile image
IannodaTruffeMentor

Lead by example.

As long as you don't follow his lead, you will be fine.

He doesn't sound to me as if he would listen, but maybe if he sees you warming down and stretching after your run, because you have been advised to by people who have been running for many years, maybe, just maybe he might take note.

Oldfloss profile image
OldflossAdministratorGraduate in reply toIannodaTruffe

Very sensible and wise advice :)

Jonesy101 profile image
Jonesy101

I've been running for five years (outside), my warm up is a couple of minutes brisk walking, I run on my fore foot, my cool down is a couple of minutes walking and I don't bother stretching after a run. Everyone is different and everyone finds what works best for them. How do you know he's wrong? Read lots of stuff online I guess?

IannodaTruffe profile image
IannodaTruffeMentor in reply toJonesy101

Some get away with it, many do not.

in reply toJonesy101

Some of the advice varies a bit but the basic warm up, cool down, stretch after bits don't. He's wrong if you listen to anyone who professionally advises on safe and effective running. He might get away with it. He might not. He might regret it in years to come. Pretty sure some of the issues I have had in recent years were caused by a lot of cycling 20 years ago without stretching meaning I have some very tight muscles.

You don't have to take those risks because he does. You don't have to take responsibility for his decision. Do your own thing and talk to him about something else.

Oldfloss profile image
OldflossAdministratorGraduate in reply toJonesy101

Lucky you.... but on this forum, we do offer advice and suggestions which are intended to match the ethos of the programme and keep our runners injury free.

Jonesy101 profile image
Jonesy101 in reply toOldfloss

"I know he's wrong" from someone a month into running about someone who has been running a year? Ignore this post, ignore the blogs, websites, magazines and just run. Fore foot, mid foot, heel strike? Just run.

Oldfloss profile image
OldflossAdministratorGraduate in reply toJonesy101

Not helpful..

Rignold profile image
Rignold

What is exactly so wrong with his form? I am a mid foot striker and pretty much all my running these days, apart from early morning dog jogs, is hill sprints. My warm up is just the run to get there, and I have never done a cool down. I do do stretching and mobility work, but not after running. Nonetheless I dispense advice...

Perhaps I should desist and leave advice to the authentic runners.

This is one reason I run alone.... People are annoying!

Seriously, this is your journey. There are a million ways to run. Be happy and confident in what you are doing and then you can smile benevolently at your friend who is on his own journey. Doesn't really matter who is right or wrong, just enjoy it :)

Realfoodieclub profile image
RealfoodieclubGraduate

My advice is don't, if they think form comes later then I very much doubt you will change their opinion on anything running related. Leave them To carry on their own way but know in your heart that you are doing the right thing for you. They are not your responsibility so as long as you do the things that work for you that is all that matters,

Coddfish profile image
CoddfishGraduate

I think how you run is your business, and how he runs is his business. Next time smile, thank him for the advice but tell him you intend to do it your way. Or say you want to do your runs outside, much nicer than the gym anyway.

Incidentally it's not wrong to run on the balls of your feet, most good runners do this. That doesn't mean he is a good runner or that you must do it. Do what you are comfortable doing and try not to worry what anyone else thinks.

rolysmate profile image
rolysmateGraduate

A whole year of experience of doing it wrong, oh boy this friend must be the font of all wisdom.

Ignore his advice and do what you know is right!

Rignold profile image
Rignold

This one hs been going round in my head the last couple of days, and the more I have thught about it, the more I find myself agreeing with the 'Fake' runner.

I am surprised at how many people have leapt in to ridicule the concept of 'endurance first, form later', mainly because that is exactly the principle on which C25k is founded. The whole pont of the programme is to get the beginner runner from not having any endurance to being able to run, however slowly, for 30 minutes. There is nothng in W1 about 'correct running form', whatever that may be, nor anywhere throughout the programme, ther than the very dubious advice regarding footstriking. The advice we constantly dole out to people worried about how they swing their arms, or their shuffling gait or their breathing technique, is to just run how you run and don't worry about 'correct form' until much later, after you have graduated.

The key thing for any beginner is building the cardio engine to allow you to run for a sustained period of time. All the minutiae of cadence, armswing, vertical oscillation, trunk rotation and all the rest of the stuff Runner's World fills its pages with every month are of no consequence whatsoever if you don't have the endurance to run for 30 minutes, and even then make such minor differences that it only matters to those of us who want to run competitively.

The idea that there is 'correct form' is also rather absurd. Correct form is what is correct for you. If you watch the elite pack of distance runners in any big race, a lot of them have entirely different form, but they are all in the top of ther sport in the world. I very much dubt any of them call ach other 'Fake'.

roseabi profile image
roseabi

I'm no expert on treadmills, but I do know that when I run up a steep hill I go on the balls of my feet - it's hard not to!

I think the notion of correct form is terribly over-thought, and can't help but notice that running form theories are often the subject of a book or training plan that a person is trying to sell ;)

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