Great one to save for later.

Running is such a popular gateway into fitness for most people. And… it probably shouldn’t be. It feels super accessible and low barrier but as they say- just because you can doesn’t mean you should.

You’ll want to be sure your body is prepared to handle hundreds if not thousands of repetitive, single leg plyometrics. Yes, we can argue that starting and progressing slowly can help, and it’s true- but so many new or returning runners end up sidelined with injuries ranging from plantar fasciitis, shin splints, knee pain, IT band pain, hip pain, etc. Then they get sidelined. Not because of the running, but because of ill prepared tissues and poor mechanics.

The goal is to keep people not JUST moving, but moving well.

How do we do that? Strength train. Especially if you want to get better at running or jogging. Strength training is creme de la creme.

I personally and professionally am fan of organic movement. Using fitness as a way to connect with our most basic and primal selves- which means getting dirty, being outside, and of course- being barefoot.

You may have different philosophies. That’s ok. I ran for years in running shoes with thick soles and heel drops. Once I committed to being barefoot as often as possible, nothing causes me more discomfort than putting on a traditional running shoe. If your body is already used to them, do your thing. If you want to explore how your body was designed to move, changing your shoes then changing your gait might be for you.

The Barbell Collective is not a running program- but if you’re *not* new to lifting & want to escape obsessive aesthetic pursuits while following a program that works while having an eye on your form from a movement mechanics pro. Applications open in August! Just a few weeks away. I’m taking 2 people, that’s it! In the meantime, happy lifting, happy running, happy doing whatever you enjoy for fitness.