Just about everyone I know has a desire to have lean, defined abdominal muscles. Similarly, most runners I know detest running uphill. That made me wonder whether the two could be linked. Could running uphill that few want to do give you the abs that everyone wants?
Running uphill can give you abs. Abdominal muscles start becoming visible when body fat levels drop below 14%. Running uphill burns more calories so, therefore, helps you lean down to 14% body fat and allow your abs to show. Running uphill taxes the obliques more than running on the flat.
Let’s take a closer look at how you can get the abs you want by running uphill.
Does Running Uphill Give You Abs?
Running uphill or on an incline is a high-intensity physical activity that has many benefits for the body and overall health.
When you run on flat ground, you basically tap your core and lower limb muscles to do the work. But when you run uphill, you recruit more muscles in your abdominals and in your legs to work and you require these muscles to exert more effort in doing so.
Moreover, running uphill has more benefits on your abdominal muscle group as it burns more belly fat and builds more muscle mass in your abs. Therefore, running uphill does give you more defined and toned abs.
What Is Uphill Running?
Uphill running, also called incline running, is the form of running wherein you cover hilly or inclining grounds. When compared to flat surface running, uphill running is more challenging to do.
In running uphill, you are working against your body weight and gravity pull. This forces more of your muscles to work harder. Moreover, it is said that uphill running could activate two to three times more of your muscle fibers as compared to flat surface running.
What Are The Benefits Of Running Uphill?
1) Stronger, more toned abs
Uphill running significantly benefits your Obliques and Rectus Abdominis. These muscle groups are the ones that stretches, bends, rotates, and twists your torso whenever you exert the effort to run uphill.
2) More calories burned
Uphill running demands more effort from your heart and your muscles. This leads to further utilization of your fats and more caloric burn in order to produce the needed energy for this high-intensity workout.
3) More muscles used
When you run uphill, you force your body to recruit more muscles and have these muscles work harder so you can run properly. More muscles and more energy are simply required when running uphill than when running on flat grounds.
4) Fewer injuries
When you properly run uphill, you train your body to become more efficient and effective in running uphill or on a flat surface. This helps you avoid possible injuries such as knee pain, shin splints, muscle strains, and more.
Tips In Running Uphill
1) Warm-up first before running uphill and make sure to cool down after you are done. Do some stretches and light jogging in place.
2) Keep your head up and your posture upright instead of staring at the ground. This will help you breathe and run more easily.
3) Keep a slower pace with shorter strides and make sure to strike on your toes.
The Best Footwear For Running Uphill
In order to run uphill more effectively, you have to wear the right footwear for the activity. If you are wondering what is the best footwear for uphill running, you have to check out these qualities:
1) It must be light weight and comfortable to wear.
2) It should have great forefoot cushioning.
3) Better if it has energy transfer mechanism from touch down momentum.