I was at my local gym the other day and I saw a sign that read: “For your health, alternate between running clockwise and counter - clockwise every other day.” What I’m wondering is why/how does this affect your health?
Thanks.
running tracks often have a camber, particularly on the curves. If you always run the same direction, one leg will always be landing a bit shorter than the other. In the long run that can apparently cause problems. Alternating the direction of the run prevents that.
I would think that on a circular track one side of your body is working harder than the other. Clockwise, left side pusing more and the right on CC. You are in a constant turn action.
Just a guess.
When you run corners, you lean, you push harder on the outside leg, and you do a lot of other things that cause asymmetrical muscle work. Changing directions works the other side.
WAG here, but… If you run around a track the same direction, you are always impacting the knee, ankle or foot on one side more than the other. Mix it up a little and you distribute the stress more evenly.
bull myth
Run much? Especially on a small circle track? I don’t anymore and most of the time I was skating, not running, but it’s definitely an asymmetrical exercise.
-No, it is true, I used to get this effect when I’d go jogging on area roads that were crowned (curved upwards in the middle). The leg nearest to the edge of the road has to stretch farther than the other, so you should alternate which side of the road you run on througout the run. -Or even better, find somewhere flat to run.
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You also have to worry about the muscles that are involved in turning your body. You want those balanced or else your posture could get out of whack, and that’s bad.
If you follow this to the letter, you’ll be running one direction 60% of the time and the other 40% of the time. It’s less severe an imbalance than if you always run the same direction, but over time it’ll still add up. Better to have a 10-day cycle of alternating directions.
I’d always assumed it was to keep people from smacking into each other. 
Then again, I do all my raining outside, so salt, grain, etc.
So, I have you to blame for this lovely weather today.
For the sake of the sign writter (and reader for that matter), I would opt for a two day cycle. Even days run one way, odds the other. I know this will be a problem with months that have an odd number of days but it’s better the 60/40
The reasoning is similiar when dealing with hills, go up/down on one side of the road, then go to the other side of the road for the return trip. I found that out the hard way, with a BAD case of shin splints during Cross Country. I wasn’t an inexperienced runner, I’d been distance running for three years. The road we were training on had been re-graveled, and there was a BIG trail of deep, loose gravel on the other side of the road. (We ran along the sides of the road so cars could get by.) The incline board* was very helpful in easing the pain, but I did have to take a break from running. Luckily it was at the close of the season when I got them anyway.
You do use your muscles unevenly when running around the track, if you’ve ever took the trouble to notice how it feels when going around the curve, you’d realize this. You can feel one leg working harder than the other, and some tracks also tilt slightly at the curves, and even if they don’t it’s the forces at work on the curve. (Which is why it’s so hard to pass on the curve, it takes MUCH more work.) Coach always had us alternate directions for this reason when we were training on our track.
*Also, coach told me an excercise to help strengthen my muscles to prevent injury. Get a marble, drop it on the floor in front of you. Grab it with your big toe and second toe, drop it, repeat. Do this 100 times for each direction that you can flex your foot, with both feet. It works.
Well no smileys, so I’m guessing you’re serious. So, no. If you follow this to the letter, you’ll soon get 50% in each direction.
Alternating every other day over a week will get you a 4 to 3 ratio. But you keep that ratio only if you reset to the beginning direction on the eighth day. The first day of a new 7 day cycle.
All you need to do is run alternate directions every time you do run and you’ll soon be getting 50% each direction. (with minor and decreasing variance.)
It is a two day cycle. There is no 60 / 40. There is no problem with months of different lengths.
Funny… my gym is the same way… I thought the reason for switching directions was simply so the runners and walkers on the track wouldn’t ALWAYS be looking at the same stuff as they moved… You know, a little variety.
I don’t think so. Every time a month had 31 days, you’d run the same day on the 31st and the next day, the 1st, so your odd direction would be used more. I THINK that’s what was meant by “odd days,” right? Of course, this assumes you’re running 7 days a week. It’s very very close to 50/50, anyway.
Personally, I would look for a place with a track shaped like an 8. Could get a little dangerous at the intersection, but you wouldn’t have to worry about days and numbers and such.