If you’ve ever struggled through a jog and wondered, “Why do I even bother?!” you’re not alone. But finally, we have some answers for you!
To help all athletes (and wannabe athletes) see the hidden benefits running has for every sport, we asked American professional beach volleyball player Kerri Walsh-Jennings to break down how running helps her both on and off the sand courts.
1. You can learn how your body reacts to tough workouts – Running engages many different muscles in your body that you soon realize where issues lie in terms of pain. Addressing these issues while running by doing things like supporting sore muscles with KT Tape sets you up for success in other sports. What I like about KT Tape is that it provides support without hindering movement, so no matter what sport I am participating in, I can do so at the highest level.
2. You can learn to discipline yourself – It takes discipline to train and compete at the highest level in any sport. Running develops discipline in a number of different ways. It helps you learn to run at your own pace, but also push yourself to achieve your goals. It also helps you discipline yourself from bad habits by doing things like changing your technique to avoid discomfort and injury. In such a repetitive sport, this discipline and muscle memory can help you in other sports like soccer which involve a lot of running during game play.
3. You’ll build stamina and strength –Like most sports, beach volleyball involves its fair share of running. Mind you, it’s typically in short bursts, butcompared to traditional team volleyball, there’s more ground to cover. Going for the occasional run builds your lungs and leg strength so when it’s crunch time you can overcome being winded, tired and sore.
4. You can train by yourself when nobody else is around – The great thing about running is that it’s something you can do by yourself. With something like baseball you need another person to play catch or pitch to you, but running can help with aspects of the game like base running and agility in the field.
5. Develop rhythm – In most any sport, there is some sort of rhythm involved, whether it’s swinging to hit a spike in volleyball or serving in tennis. While running you learn to hit the rhythm that makes the most sense for your body. Learning the right distance and pace of your stride inevitably helps you run at your best and can help carry over to mastering your rhythm in other sports.
Kerri Walsh-Jennings is a professional beach volleyball player and three-time Olympic gold medalist. Kerri is known as one of the best players to ever compete in the sport. She is able to perform at her best thanks to partnerships with brands such as KT Tape, Asics, and Oakley.