Humans have evolved over the years and thus the way we do things has evolved as well. With the rise of technology, we no longer have to go running barefoot outside to get exercise. In fact, we don’t even have to be outside at all anymore to go for a run with the invention of such items like the treadmill. But have technological improvements really improved the way we exercise, or have they hindered us and made us more prone to injury? Research seems to indicate the latter.
 
Early humans didn’t have access to things like shoes and gyms. They had to chase down their food through forested areas and rivers and yet, the evidence shows that they were less likely to injury, unlike modern-day humans. This may be because we now try to run for as long as possible when we work out, but our ancestors were persistence hunters, meaning that they ran and had periods of walking in between in order to keep up with their prey without overtiring themselves.
 
Evidence also takes aim at artificial surfaces and shoes for increasing the risk of injury as these things change the way we run. However, if we took advice from our ancestors and trained ourselves at a slower pace, we could reduce the number of injuries as well as increase our endurance faster and more efficiently. Running in places such as trails in the woods rather than on artificial surfaces such as concrete and the treadmill also play a role in improving your running as it's more natural for our bodies and the biomechanics of running overall.
 
Give it a try before the winter sets in to see if it makes a difference in your life. You may be surprised at the results.