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Comment by johnrob | Hacker News Reader

This is not a scientific argument, but if you build up conditioning safely, i think running should be excellent for you - especially if sprinting is involved. My take is that it’s a natural movement that evolution has prepared you for. Just my 2 cents.

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>This is not a scientific argument, but if you build up conditioning safely, i think running should be excellent for you

the problem is that running/jogging is usually the first thing people turn to for "getting in shape" and these people are often significantly overweight. Starting off with a high impact exercise is a recipe for disaster. Put on a 50-100lb weight vest and try running around and feel the impact on your joints and back, not ideal

If you are 50lbs "overweight" your body has built the strength to carry that weight. Look at any champion powerlifter or "strongman" champion, they all look overweight. It's not all fat, it's the muscle to move that weight around as well. So it's not really the same as a normal-weight person putting on a weight vest.

But long term overweight is hard on your joints, no disupting that.

A powerlifter who skews the BMI charts is different than someone who carries 50 pounds of fat.

The powerlifter is mobile and carrying the extra weight and has the strength to do so. The fat person is sedentary and doing whatever possible to NOT carry the fat. They do not have the strength to do so.

As someone that is about 30kg overweight, no my body can't carry that weight for a run. I used to run 5km 3 times a week. That was about 15kg ago. It was okay but now my knees just can't take that punishment. My shoes can't handle it either at well over 120kg they get destroyed after a few runs.

I would consider myself above average in strength after spending most of my 20s lifting regularly but that doesn't counter the impact of being this fat. It is shocking the impact it has on your life.

Your body builds the strength necessary to support your activity level. Unless you already have an active exercise regimen, an overweight person has generally only built the strength to support walking shorter distances. So the more overweight you are, the more careful you need to be when increasing distance while running.

Alternatives like cycling and swimming are better for the knees, especially for the old and overweight.

But powerlifters still have terrible conditioning and those who do it competitively will tell you that they're uncomfortably overweight for a lot of their daily activities.

for stress on the ligaments and joints weight is one the most important factors. Be it from a weighted vest, fat, or muscle. Joints of humans are not made to carry the weight of a strongman.

Sprinting has almost nothing to do with the slow plodding runs that a typical “I want to get fit type” does.

Completely different energy systems, <90% anaerobic, and has a level of skill acquisition that distance running doesn’t have.

Agreed. Natural movements of all types are critical. Just running long slow distances on hard surfaces can be rough on the body. Running is addictive and costless aside from your time. That's maybe why the legions (myself included) use it as their primary exercise.

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