Alternative to running

[LostandFound]

To keep this short and simple, I've started suffering from the beginnings of shin splints recently as I've been pushing myself harder and harder on my running. And just as I was starting to make a real difference to my times too! Oh well, thats life I suppose.

Anyway, I've obviously eased right off the running in the last week or so and am looking for advice on the best alternative to give my heart a good workout and get the same kind of physical benefits from running with another exercise. I've been using this versaclimb machine in the gym to give my legs a good workout, and it really is a good workout too. But its not enough.

What do you recommend I do in the meantime? Bike? Rowing? Stepper? I don't want to recover and have lost all the improvements I've made over the last few months. Any advice is appreciated - cheers.

[Exarch]

Any low impact/high CV activity will increase your VO2. So any of the above will be suitable.
When I had problems with my shins in the past I spent a lot of time on the cross trainer as it was the most similar to running but didn't cause me any pain.
I'd also recommend having a look through the forums at previous posts about shin splints as there are some really helpful exercises/stretches to prevent further problems.

[euro_andrew]

If you are currently going to a Gym. Apply for a class call Aqua Running, Its low resistance form of running which is ment to be great for CV and safe on your muscles.

Check it out.

[LostandFound]

Cheers lads. Also, I've been doing some exercises to help with the shin splints which I found on a website and it really is starting to work, so in case anyone else is interested, here it is:

Backs to the wall

1. Stand about a foot away from a wall with your back to it and your feet directly below your hips. Lean backward until your buttocks and back touch the wall and then, while keeping your heels on the ground, flex your ankles so that your toes rise as high as possible towards your shins. Let your feet sink back so that they almost touch the ground, and repeat this action 15-20 times (the reps increase over time). On the descent, do not let your feet actually rest on the ground, which would give your tibialis anterior muscles too much of a rest between flexion's. Treat the ground as if it was an eggshell, too much pressure would crack it

2. After a moment's rest, try a slightly different tibialis-anterior exercise. This time, from the same basic body position, flex your ankles so that your toes ascend as high as possible, but do not let them move more than an inch towards the floor on the downswing. Quickly move your feet up and down within this one-inch arc for 15-20 repetitions (adding more reps later), and then rest for a moment

3. Once you've become adept at the first two exercises over a period of several weeks, you can move on to an advanced exercise. For this, keep your back and buttocks against the wall again but stand on only one foot at a time while carrying out No. 1 above. Position the foot slightly to the inside of the hip

4. You can also work on the anterior tibialis muscles while jumping. Again, try for quickness rather than height as you jump, but this time "dorsiflex" your ankles each time your feet leave the ground (i.e. try to pull your toes up to your shins on each ascent). 20 jumps should be about right for your first effort, with the total increasing over time

5. A fifth exercise is to walk on your heels for 20 metres or so. This heel walking can follow the walking, skipping and jogging routine described above.

[druadan]

Cross training. When you get used to it you can do it no-handed as well. Actually improved my running after two months of it when I had the beginning of shin splints way back when.

[LostandFound]

If I use the Cross-trainer, should I put the resistance on high or keep it low and go for speed? When I use the ones in my gym, I put it on cardio workout but can't seem to get my heart rate over 160, even when I am going hell for leather. If I put the resistance up a bit, would that be a more effective workout?

[iareglenn]

mixing it up is the best bet i would say, even do a bit of interval training on it just to keep your body guessing. Also use as many different machines as possible to work as many muscle groups as you can.

[LostandFound]

Do you think skipping would be a bad idea, or actually would it help to strengthen the muscles which are giving me grief at the minute?

[danny_ufc]

Do you think skipping would be a bad idea, or actually would it help to strengthen the muscles which are giving me grief at the minute?

DO NOT SKIP!!.... its one of the worst things you can do for the injury you have, trust me i have the same problem, and when you do get back into running, get a good pair of trainers, run on grass for a few weeks, and make sure when your running your not on your toes... this it just like skipping it will make it worse, .. take time to recover, swimming is one of the best cardio work out you can do, so get your self down to the local pool

good luck

[LostandFound]

Thanks mate - good advice. I'll dig out me speedo's when I get home