is skipping better than running!

[ang_soo_do_guy]

someone told me that running ruins your knees over time and that the best thing to do for endurance to replace running is skipping, i do other stuff like swimming.low weight explosive reps, and general classes but i would like to know is do you get the same benefits skipping as you would running.

 

any advice helpful

 

thanx

[steveb]

I don't know anything about the pros/cons of skipping but if you are worried about your knees try cycling. Excellent workout and very easy on the joints.

[Synaesthesia]

Two issues I find very relevant to the impact of running on my (very bad) knees are technique and stretching. Running is a painful activity, and when you get tired, there's a strong tendency to let your legs flop around. It's very important to attend closely to the way that your legs are moving. Make sure your toes aren't pointing out or in and so on.

 

Stretching is closely related, and equally important. Not only will it help you recover more quickly from strenuous runs, it will prevent things like having your kneecaps pulled out of place.

 

I personally find running quite hard on my knees unless I am very careful, so I tend to run up stairs and hills to shorten my running distances.

[Rich67]

I guess realistically.... how would it look if you were skipping down the street instead of jogging.... Jogging is somewhat hard on the knees, especially if you are prone to supination or pronation excessively and you buy cheap shoes. I ran a lot up until I tore my ACL, and now I do low impact cardio. That would be like biking, elliptical trainers, stair climbers, etc. All things that don't have your foot pounding on a concrete surface repeatedly.

[kbgirl]

I run quite a bit with my longest race being a half marathon. I haven't had any major injuries from it, but I do notice it seems to reduce my flexibility for MA if I'm not careful. I think whichever one you'll do more of is best... I couldn't see myself skipping for an hour without wanting to poke my own eye out, just for entertainment's sake.

 

BORING!

[Red J]

I've also done the half (getting ready for another next month) and love to run to complement my MA training. I have only injured myself once and I'm not so sure if it was from running or hyperextending a kick to the air. Anyway, I couldn't run or do MA for a good two weeks. I have never seen someone skip for any distance but I suspect it would be fine if you were not self conscious over the looks you may get.

[ang_soo_do_guy]

i dont skip in the streets i skip in the back garden when im training eg bodyweight excercises , practicing hyungs and techniques and so on

[foreveryoung001]

Although, skipping down the street may be a good way to cross-train. Get some sparring into it, when all the "tough" guys in your area show up to beat on the "sissy" who is skipping down the street.

 

Seriously though, I've heard that skipping can be a very good cardio work-out. I had some charts at one time that gave comparisons with running. It compared the time spent skipping to the length of a run... ie, 10 mintues of skipping is comparable to 1 mile of running, for calories burned... or something close to that.