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A new research that appeared in the journal of Experimental Biology has shown that the action of swinging arms while running is important to counter balance the movement of the legs and conserve energy.
'We know from the literature that arm swinging plays an important role in balancing the motion of the swinging legs,' said Christopher Arellano from the Brown University. (Read: why running is good for you)
Arellano studied 13 runners and measured their oxygen consumption rates and carbon dioxide that they exhaled. He asked them to run without swinging their arms by holding the arms loosely behind the back, crossing the arms across the chest, and holding the hands on the top of the head. He found that swinging the arms reduced the runners' energy costs by three percent (as compared to when they held their arms behind their backs). (Read: The future of running shoes to tell you if you are running wrong!)
Arm swinging also saved energy an impressive 13 percent compared with when they held their hands on their heads. 'I think everyone conceded that the most challenging run was the one with the hands on the top of the head,' Arellano added, recalling how runners complained about how tired their arms were at the end of the session. (Read: Run better with these 5 essential tips for beginners)
9 reasons why you should run every day
Every one of us have had to run at some point of time be it as a punishment for coming late to school, a way to reach a train that you can't afford to miss or simply a part of competing in a sport. While most of us know it is healthy, not many people do it on a daily basis. Probably, if they knew about its various health benefits they'll be more encouraged to include it in their lifestyles.
Here are some of the top reasons why running is healthy for you.
1. Great for your heart
The interiors of the two ventricles that pump out blood increase in size by 20 percent when you run. This increases blood supply all across your body, and benefits several organs. It also helps reduce bad cholesterol which is often the culprit behind heart diseases like heart attack, high blood pressure and stroke.
2. Great for your lungs
Running helps improve your lung function and helps you breathe better which improves your overall quality of life and existence. Read more about pranayama a yoga asana that is great for your lungs.
3. Helps you lose weight
Running can help burn calories and make you lose weight. It is difficult to say how much calories you'll burn as that depends on your weight and the speed at which you run. Read our simple weight loss guide. Read about more reasons why you should run every day
With inputs from IANS
Image source: Getty images
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