Time and time again you hear "stretch before you workout / exercise" "stretch after workout / exercise", but does it really prevent injury? I think it does, I've been through preiods of non stretching and narrowly escaped injury. Let's look at the science of stretching.
Distance running records continue to be broken on a consistent basis. The running pace that today’s top level distance runners are setting is mind boggling. The continued increases in distance running performance are fueled by improvements in training methods, superior conditioning, better equipment and advances in the fields of exercise physiology and sports psychology. We, as distance runners should thank someone for developing the new techniques that make it possible to keep pushing back the limits of distance running performance. Who should we thank? Let’s start with the researchers and scientists that are always discovering better ways to train and showing us that the old ways are not always the best.
Distance runners are notoriously slow in adapting to new ways to train. Old ideas sometimes become so ingrained into daily training that we have a hard time changing, even when the researchers prove there is a better way. One of those old habits that are dying hard is the belief that stretching will prevent distance running injuries.
It has become such an accepted practice to perform static stretching before a training run or race that you probably would never consider skipping that pre run stretching ritual. After all, we’ve been told for years and years that we risk injury if we don’t stretch before running. But is that still the correct way? There is very little scientific evidence that supports the claim that static stretching beyond what is needed for running specific movements will help prevent distance running injuries. There are, in fact, several recent studies that suggest that static stretching not only does little to prevent injuries but may actually cause some running injuries.
One of the problems with many research studies is that they are performed using a controlled group rather than the population of real runners. There were a couple of surveys taken of real runners who suffered from running injuries. The first compiled information from 1505 injured runners. These researchers concluded that “…stretching techniques do not appear to play a significant part in the pathogenesis of running injuries.” Another study asked participants in a 10,000 meter race to complete a questionnaire on running injuries. Of the 451 respondents, 47% said that they had suffered an injury in the past 2 years. According to the study the injured runners differed significantly from non injured runners in a number of areas, including that they stretched before running.
A researcher at the University of Minnesota conducted a review of all available scientific literature on the association between stretching and running injuries. This researcher found that “Overall, the evidence suggests that increasing range of motion beyond function through stretching is not beneficial and can actually cause injury and decrease performance. These findings should be used to challenge common warm up practices in athletics.”
Another recent study seems to back up these claims that stretching beyond functional range of motion can cause injuries. DY Park and L Chou looked at recent studies on Achilles tendon injuries, a very common problem for distance runners. Park and Chou said “Recent prospective studies have contended that reductions in plantar flexor strength and increases in ankle dorsiflexion range of motion from stretching the Achilles tendon may increase the risk of injury.”
So, what does all of this mean to you as a distance runner? Should you stretch to prevent injury or not? There is a lot of contradictory literature out there. Some experts still insist you should perform static stretching before you run, but many more are finding evidence that you should not. When faced with contradictory information, I always like to fall back on two things – common sense and anecdotal information. Using both my personal running experience and what I have seen during my years of coaching, I have found that excessive static stretching decreases strength, power and performance levels while doing little to prevent injuries. I have not personally encountered any evidence that excessive stretching actually causes injuries, but the recent studies have made me suspicious of the practice. Common sense wise it seems reasonable that over stretching a muscle could cause joint instability and muscle weakness that could contribute to distance running injuries. So what’s the bottom line? Should you stretch or not? In my opinion the best stretching strategy to follow is to perform dynamic stretching drills within your functional range of motion as a pre run warm up and then do some light static stretching as a cool down. The dynamic stretching will sufficiently warm up your muscles and maintain your functional range of motion without causing a performance robbing decline in muscle tension or injury promoting joint instability. That is the stretching routine I will continue to follow and recommend – at least until the next big scientific breakthrough in stretching and injury prevention changes my mind.
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Static Flexibility Stretches for Runners
Static stretches are the most commonly performed stretches. When doing these stretches you assume the specific stretch position and hold it for about 20 to 30 seconds. You should stretch only until you feel a slight pull on your muscle. Never stretch to the point of pain and never bounce or make rapid movements. Do these stretches after your training run or race, not before. Before your race or training run you should do dynamic stretching drills. These stretches will increase the flexibility of the “belly” or main part of your muscles as well as decreasing the sensitivity of tension receptors in your muscle. When the sensitivity of these receptors are lessened it allows your muscle to relax and lengthen even further. Some people use the terms static stretching and passive stretching interchangeably. They are not the same. Static and passive stretches are the same. The difference is in how they are performed. You provide the force required for static stretching by using an opposing muscle group, using your body weight or pushing and pulling. When doing passive stretching you relax completely and let a machine or a helper provide the stretching force.
Hamstring Stretch
Lie on your back in a supine position. Keep your right foot on the ground with your knee bent at 90 degrees. Raise your left leg up, grab it below your ankle and pull it toward your shoulders. Pull your leg until your feel a slight pull. Hold that position for about 20 seconds. Switch your leg positions and repeat.
Hip Stretch
This exercise will stretch the iliopsoas muscle on the front of your hip. Move your right leg forward until your knee is directly over your ankle. Your left leg should be stretched out behind you with your knee on the ground. Now lower and push your hips down and forward to create a gentle stretch. Hold this position for 20 to 30 seconds. Switch your leg positions and repeat.
Quadriceps Stretch
While standing on your left foot, pull your right foot up toward your right hip. Keep your lower leg aligned with your thigh. Do not pull your lower leg to the right or left. Pull until you feel a gentle stretch. Hold this position for 20 to 30 seconds. Switch leg positions and repeat.
Butterfly Stretch
This is an exercise that will stretch the adductor (groin)muscles of your inner thigh. Start in a sitting position with your knees out and the soles of your feet together. Grab your toes and pull them gently upward. At the same use your elbows to gently push outward on your knees. You should feel a slight stretch on your inner thigh. Hold this position for about 20 to 30 seconds.
Pretzel Stretch
This exercise will stretch your upper back, lower back, hips and illiotibial band. Start is a sitting position with your right leg straight. Bend your left knee and cross it over your right leg so that it rests on the outside of your right knee. Now place your right elbow on the outside of your left knee. While supporting your body with your left hand twist your body to the left. Turn and look in that same direction. Hold that position for 20 to 30 seconds. Switch leg positions and repeat.
Calf Stretch
There are two muscles in your calf that you should stretch. The largest and most visible muscle is called the gastrocnemius muscle. This is the large one you can see on the back of your lower leg. Underneath your gastrocnemius muscle is your soleus muscle. Your gastrocnemius muscle does most of the work when your knee is straight. When your knee is bent your soleus muscle contributes more work. To stretch your gastrocnemius muscle lie face down with your arms supporting your upper body in a push up position. Place your left foot over the back of your right ankle. Keep your right leg straight. With your toes flat on the ground push back so that your right heel is forced towards the ground. Hold that position for 20 to 30 seconds. Reverse leg positions and repeat. To stretch your soleus muscle perform the same exercise except bend your leg at the knee. This will bring your soleus muscle more into the stretch.
Shoulder Stretch
This exercise will stretch your shoulder, triceps and upper back. Grab your left elbow with your right hand and pull it gently across your chest toward your left shoulder. Hold that position for about 20 to 30 seconds. Reverse your arm positions and repeat.
Hamstring Stretch
Lie on your back in a supine position. Keep your right foot on the ground with your knee bent at 90 degrees. Raise your left leg up, grab it below your ankle and pull it toward your shoulders. Pull your leg until your feel a slight pull. Hold that position for about 20 seconds. Switch your leg positions and repeat.
Hip Stretch
This exercise will stretch the iliopsoas muscle on the front of your hip. Move your right leg forward until your knee is directly over your ankle. Your left leg should be stretched out behind you with your knee on the ground. Now lower and push your hips down and forward to create a gentle stretch. Hold this position for 20 to 30 seconds. Switch your leg positions and repeat.
Quadriceps Stretch
While standing on your left foot, pull your right foot up toward your right hip. Keep your lower leg aligned with your thigh. Do not pull your lower leg to the right or left. Pull until you feel a gentle stretch. Hold this position for 20 to 30 seconds. Switch leg positions and repeat.
Butterfly Stretch
This is an exercise that will stretch the adductor (groin)muscles of your inner thigh. Start in a sitting position with your knees out and the soles of your feet together. Grab your toes and pull them gently upward. At the same use your elbows to gently push outward on your knees. You should feel a slight stretch on your inner thigh. Hold this position for about 20 to 30 seconds.
Pretzel Stretch
This exercise will stretch your upper back, lower back, hips and illiotibial band. Start is a sitting position with your right leg straight. Bend your left knee and cross it over your right leg so that it rests on the outside of your right knee. Now place your right elbow on the outside of your left knee. While supporting your body with your left hand twist your body to the left. Turn and look in that same direction. Hold that position for 20 to 30 seconds. Switch leg positions and repeat.
Calf Stretch
There are two muscles in your calf that you should stretch. The largest and most visible muscle is called the gastrocnemius muscle. This is the large one you can see on the back of your lower leg. Underneath your gastrocnemius muscle is your soleus muscle. Your gastrocnemius muscle does most of the work when your knee is straight. When your knee is bent your soleus muscle contributes more work. To stretch your gastrocnemius muscle lie face down with your arms supporting your upper body in a push up position. Place your left foot over the back of your right ankle. Keep your right leg straight. With your toes flat on the ground push back so that your right heel is forced towards the ground. Hold that position for 20 to 30 seconds. Reverse leg positions and repeat. To stretch your soleus muscle perform the same exercise except bend your leg at the knee. This will bring your soleus muscle more into the stretch.
Shoulder Stretch
This exercise will stretch your shoulder, triceps and upper back. Grab your left elbow with your right hand and pull it gently across your chest toward your left shoulder. Hold that position for about 20 to 30 seconds. Reverse your arm positions and repeat.
Dynamic Flexibility Drills and Stretches For Runners
Dynamic warm up drills and exercises are active functional exercises in which you move your limbs through their full, natural and functional range of motion. You are not forcing your range of motions outside of what is required to perform your chosen sport of running. These are beginning level dynamic drills. Always warm up with 3 to 5 minutes of brisk walking or easy running before you do these exercises. A warm up is necessary to increase the flow of blood to your muscles, lubricate your joints and raise your body temperature. This type of stretching uses the momentum generated during the dynamic motion to propel your muscle into a slightly extended range of motion but not past your functional range. That makes this type of stretch very safe and effective at preparing your muscles for the activity that follows. Dynamic warm up drills help develop your speed, power and neuro-muscular coordination as well as providing flexibility. Dynamic exercises should always be done before your actual running workout or race. You should follow your run or workout with a series of gentle static stretches.
Walking Lunge
Take a long, exaggerated step forward with one leg. Drive your knee high and reach out as far as possible. Slowly flex your forward knee until your thigh is parallel to the ground. At the same time lower the knee of your trailing leg toward the ground. Do not allow the knee of your forward leg to extend in front of your foot. The knee of your trailing leg should stop approximately 2 inches above the ground, not touch the ground. Your upper body should remain in a vertical position. Forcefully push off with our forward leg, keeping most of your weight over your forward heel. At the same time cycle your trailing leg through and perform the same motion as described above. Keep performing these cycling motions so that you are moving forward with a walking lunge. Keep going for about 20 metres.
High Knees Drill
Using a short stride and bouncing on your toes, take a step with an exaggerated high stride. Keep your stride very short - about 18 inches. Drive your knee as high as possible on each stride. As you drive your knee high bounce up on the toes of your opposite foot. Keep cycling your legs through this motion so that you are moving slowly forward over the ground with the exaggerated high knee motion and bouncing on your opposite foot. Keep your foot in a dorsi-flexed position (toes up) throughout this drill. Your foot should land in a flat footed position - not heel first. Keep moving for about 20 metres.
Heel Kick Drill
Begin by performing a slow jog. Using a short stride of about 18 inches a dorsi-flexed foot position, kick your heels up heels as high as possible behind your body. Attempt to bounce your heels off your buttocks. Most of the movement should be with your lower leg. Concentrate on raising your heels as high as possible and maintaining a very quick light stride. You foot touchdown should be flat footed with your foot maintained in a dorsi-flexed position. Keep moving forward for about 20 metres.
Walking Side Lunge Drill
This drill is similar to the walking lunge exercise except you will be moving to the side instead of forward. Take a long, exaggerated step sideways with one leg. Slowly flex your lunging knee until your thigh is parallel to the ground. At the same time your trailing leg should remain straight and close to the ground. Your upper body should remain in a vertical position. Forcefully push off with your lunging leg, keeping most of your weight over your forward heel. Stand upright and bring your feet back together. Keep performing these motions so that you are moving sideways. Keep going for about 20 metres, then repeat going the opposite direction.
Carioca
This is the latin dance of dynamic running drills. It may take some practice to perfect this dynamic exercise but once you do you'll have fun with it. This drill involves moving laterally while alternating foot movements in front of and behind your body. Begin a lateral movement to your right by crossing your left foot to your right in front of your body. Then step to your right with your right foot. Now cross your left foot to your right behind your body before again stepping to your right with your right foot. Keep following that pattern for about 25 metres. Then reverse the exercise by moving laterally to your left. Concentrate on moving quickly and lightly on your feet and try to get into a "dance rhythm." Allow your hips to rotate freely.
The Military March
Have you ever seen old clips of solders marching in formation with stiff, straight legs. It may look funny but they were actually doing a good dynamic drill. To do this dynamic running exercise walk straight ahead while kicking your straight leg up in front of your body. As you kick your leg forward bring your arm and hand out and try to touch the toes of your raised leg. Keep your legs as straight as possible and kick as high as you can. Keep marching for about 25 metres or so.
Power Skips
When we played as kids we actually were learning at the same time. The skipping that we did as young developing athletes was developing some very useful and developmental running skills. Now you can go back to your old play routine and skip for running performance. Power skips are basically the same as play skipping except they are more powerful running drills. To perform this drill begin skipping forward with short skipping strides of about 18 inches. Keep your foot dorsi-flexed with the bottom of your foot parallel to the ground. Move forward with a powerful skipping motion. Try to drive your body as high as possible with each skip. Try for height rather than distance in this drill. Keep your foot action very quick and light but skip with as much power as possible. Keep going for about 25 to 30 metres.
A - Skips
Here is another skipping drill that is very similar to power skips except it concentrates on very quick, light and coordinated steps rather than power and height. Just as with the other skipping drills you should keep your skipping strides very short or about 18 inches in lenght. Again, keep your foot dorsi-flexed at all times. Move forward with a very quick, light skipping stride for about 25 to 30 metres. Keep your body still and upright. Drive your arms backwards in harmony with your skipping strides. Your knee action should match what you did in the high knee drill. Drive your knee up high but keep your foot almost directly under your body with each skipping stride. Remember to keep your foot dorsi-flexed with the sole of your foot parallel to the ground.
B-Skips
This dynamic running drill is a combination of a runner's march and A Skips. It will probably take some practice for you to gain the coordination you need to do this one correctly. This drill is actually exactly the same as A-Skips with big exception. At the top of your knee lift in each skipping stride, instead of dropping your foot back to the ground as in the A-Skips, you will extend your lower leg straight out at the knee. Then paw back to the ground with a nearly straight leg. When done properly this looks like an extremely exaggerated running stride. Keep doing this for about 25 to 30 metres.
Arm Swing Drill
Standing in a relaxed upright position. Holding your arms out to the side swing them forward so that they cross in front of your body. Now swing them back through your natural and functional range of motion. Keep doing this for about 30 seconds. Now hold your arms at your side in a running position with your elbows flexed to about 90%. Keep your shoulders relaxed. Swing your arms forward and back in an exaggerated running motion. Keep going for about 30 seconds. You can perform this drill either with or without light hand weights.
Walking Lunge
Take a long, exaggerated step forward with one leg. Drive your knee high and reach out as far as possible. Slowly flex your forward knee until your thigh is parallel to the ground. At the same time lower the knee of your trailing leg toward the ground. Do not allow the knee of your forward leg to extend in front of your foot. The knee of your trailing leg should stop approximately 2 inches above the ground, not touch the ground. Your upper body should remain in a vertical position. Forcefully push off with our forward leg, keeping most of your weight over your forward heel. At the same time cycle your trailing leg through and perform the same motion as described above. Keep performing these cycling motions so that you are moving forward with a walking lunge. Keep going for about 20 metres.
High Knees Drill
Using a short stride and bouncing on your toes, take a step with an exaggerated high stride. Keep your stride very short - about 18 inches. Drive your knee as high as possible on each stride. As you drive your knee high bounce up on the toes of your opposite foot. Keep cycling your legs through this motion so that you are moving slowly forward over the ground with the exaggerated high knee motion and bouncing on your opposite foot. Keep your foot in a dorsi-flexed position (toes up) throughout this drill. Your foot should land in a flat footed position - not heel first. Keep moving for about 20 metres.
Heel Kick Drill
Begin by performing a slow jog. Using a short stride of about 18 inches a dorsi-flexed foot position, kick your heels up heels as high as possible behind your body. Attempt to bounce your heels off your buttocks. Most of the movement should be with your lower leg. Concentrate on raising your heels as high as possible and maintaining a very quick light stride. You foot touchdown should be flat footed with your foot maintained in a dorsi-flexed position. Keep moving forward for about 20 metres.
Walking Side Lunge Drill
This drill is similar to the walking lunge exercise except you will be moving to the side instead of forward. Take a long, exaggerated step sideways with one leg. Slowly flex your lunging knee until your thigh is parallel to the ground. At the same time your trailing leg should remain straight and close to the ground. Your upper body should remain in a vertical position. Forcefully push off with your lunging leg, keeping most of your weight over your forward heel. Stand upright and bring your feet back together. Keep performing these motions so that you are moving sideways. Keep going for about 20 metres, then repeat going the opposite direction.
Carioca
This is the latin dance of dynamic running drills. It may take some practice to perfect this dynamic exercise but once you do you'll have fun with it. This drill involves moving laterally while alternating foot movements in front of and behind your body. Begin a lateral movement to your right by crossing your left foot to your right in front of your body. Then step to your right with your right foot. Now cross your left foot to your right behind your body before again stepping to your right with your right foot. Keep following that pattern for about 25 metres. Then reverse the exercise by moving laterally to your left. Concentrate on moving quickly and lightly on your feet and try to get into a "dance rhythm." Allow your hips to rotate freely.
The Military March
Have you ever seen old clips of solders marching in formation with stiff, straight legs. It may look funny but they were actually doing a good dynamic drill. To do this dynamic running exercise walk straight ahead while kicking your straight leg up in front of your body. As you kick your leg forward bring your arm and hand out and try to touch the toes of your raised leg. Keep your legs as straight as possible and kick as high as you can. Keep marching for about 25 metres or so.
Power Skips
When we played as kids we actually were learning at the same time. The skipping that we did as young developing athletes was developing some very useful and developmental running skills. Now you can go back to your old play routine and skip for running performance. Power skips are basically the same as play skipping except they are more powerful running drills. To perform this drill begin skipping forward with short skipping strides of about 18 inches. Keep your foot dorsi-flexed with the bottom of your foot parallel to the ground. Move forward with a powerful skipping motion. Try to drive your body as high as possible with each skip. Try for height rather than distance in this drill. Keep your foot action very quick and light but skip with as much power as possible. Keep going for about 25 to 30 metres.
A - Skips
Here is another skipping drill that is very similar to power skips except it concentrates on very quick, light and coordinated steps rather than power and height. Just as with the other skipping drills you should keep your skipping strides very short or about 18 inches in lenght. Again, keep your foot dorsi-flexed at all times. Move forward with a very quick, light skipping stride for about 25 to 30 metres. Keep your body still and upright. Drive your arms backwards in harmony with your skipping strides. Your knee action should match what you did in the high knee drill. Drive your knee up high but keep your foot almost directly under your body with each skipping stride. Remember to keep your foot dorsi-flexed with the sole of your foot parallel to the ground.
B-Skips
This dynamic running drill is a combination of a runner's march and A Skips. It will probably take some practice for you to gain the coordination you need to do this one correctly. This drill is actually exactly the same as A-Skips with big exception. At the top of your knee lift in each skipping stride, instead of dropping your foot back to the ground as in the A-Skips, you will extend your lower leg straight out at the knee. Then paw back to the ground with a nearly straight leg. When done properly this looks like an extremely exaggerated running stride. Keep doing this for about 25 to 30 metres.
Arm Swing Drill
Standing in a relaxed upright position. Holding your arms out to the side swing them forward so that they cross in front of your body. Now swing them back through your natural and functional range of motion. Keep doing this for about 30 seconds. Now hold your arms at your side in a running position with your elbows flexed to about 90%. Keep your shoulders relaxed. Swing your arms forward and back in an exaggerated running motion. Keep going for about 30 seconds. You can perform this drill either with or without light hand weights.
Running Training Methods
For those of you who have just caught the running bug and want to train for an event / race or just for fitness, below is a list of different training methods. You can introduce one of them into your training routine each week.
An easy run refers to the pace or the intensity of the run rather than the distance. You should be able to carry on a conversation throughout an “easy” run. If you measure your heart rate, you would be at the very low end of your aerobic zone (60-70% of max HR).
Fartlek runs are a free-form version of speedwork done off the track. The term “fartlek” is a Swedish word that means “speed play.” Runners use landmarks, like a tree, a mailbox, or a lightpost to pick up the pace from one landmark to another. In between designated landmarks, runners slow the pace to recover between the harder efforts. Some runners use a timed interval to simulate this technique. For example, run hard for 2 minutes, then easy for 1 minute. These runs are multi-purpose and help teach runners to shift gears by recruiting different muscle fibers and recovering after hard exertions.
Hill workouts involve running up an incline quickly and jogging down; repeating this process the prescribed number of times. Hills increase resistance and therefore build muscular strength and increase cardiovascular conditioning. Depending where you live, hills can be easy or difficult to find. Flatlanders must rely on bridges or running repeats up and down small rises to simulate hill training. Look for hills that are about a quarter-mile in length with a grade of about 8%, which is steep enough to look like a hill, but not so steep that it is impossible to run up it.
Intervals refer to a designated distance run repeatedly at a fast pace with recovery jogs in between each repeat, most often done on a track. The length and the pace of the interval varies based on the distance and time goals of the runner.
A long run is the highest mileage run of any given week; it is usually done on the weekend because it requires more time to complete. The actual mileage is relative. For someone training for a 5K, a long run might be 6 miles; for a marathoner, a long run might be 20 miles. The training pace for a long run is relatively easy; usually run at about 70-75% of max HR, but should not be considered an easy run. Long runs help increase endurance by training the body to use fat as fuel, running with depleted glycogen supplies, increasing the number of energy-producing mitochondria within the muscle cells, and simply getting you used to being on your feet for long periods of time
A split refers to the time it takes to run a specified portion of a run. In races, splits are most often given at the mile marks. On a track, a splits are frequently measured every lap, equivalent to a quarter mile. Knowing your splits or times for these shorter segments of a longer distance helps keep you on pace. A negative split is the term applied when a runner runs faster on subsequent intervals. For example, negative splitting a 5K means each mile was run faster than the previous mile. Negative splitting a marathon means the second half of the marathon was run faster than the first half.
A tempo run refers to a comfortably hard run that increases lactate threshold—the point at which the body dramatically increases its production of lactic acid and fatigue occurs. Tempo runs train your body to process larger amounts of lactic acid thus allowing you to run faster for longer periods of time. Tempo runs are done at 85-90% of your max heart rate, for runners who have heart rate monitors. Runners using “The Talk Test” as a pace guide would be able to speak in one or two-word responses but would not want to carry on a conversation.
An easy run refers to the pace or the intensity of the run rather than the distance. You should be able to carry on a conversation throughout an “easy” run. If you measure your heart rate, you would be at the very low end of your aerobic zone (60-70% of max HR).
Fartlek runs are a free-form version of speedwork done off the track. The term “fartlek” is a Swedish word that means “speed play.” Runners use landmarks, like a tree, a mailbox, or a lightpost to pick up the pace from one landmark to another. In between designated landmarks, runners slow the pace to recover between the harder efforts. Some runners use a timed interval to simulate this technique. For example, run hard for 2 minutes, then easy for 1 minute. These runs are multi-purpose and help teach runners to shift gears by recruiting different muscle fibers and recovering after hard exertions.
Hill workouts involve running up an incline quickly and jogging down; repeating this process the prescribed number of times. Hills increase resistance and therefore build muscular strength and increase cardiovascular conditioning. Depending where you live, hills can be easy or difficult to find. Flatlanders must rely on bridges or running repeats up and down small rises to simulate hill training. Look for hills that are about a quarter-mile in length with a grade of about 8%, which is steep enough to look like a hill, but not so steep that it is impossible to run up it.
Intervals refer to a designated distance run repeatedly at a fast pace with recovery jogs in between each repeat, most often done on a track. The length and the pace of the interval varies based on the distance and time goals of the runner.
A long run is the highest mileage run of any given week; it is usually done on the weekend because it requires more time to complete. The actual mileage is relative. For someone training for a 5K, a long run might be 6 miles; for a marathoner, a long run might be 20 miles. The training pace for a long run is relatively easy; usually run at about 70-75% of max HR, but should not be considered an easy run. Long runs help increase endurance by training the body to use fat as fuel, running with depleted glycogen supplies, increasing the number of energy-producing mitochondria within the muscle cells, and simply getting you used to being on your feet for long periods of time
A split refers to the time it takes to run a specified portion of a run. In races, splits are most often given at the mile marks. On a track, a splits are frequently measured every lap, equivalent to a quarter mile. Knowing your splits or times for these shorter segments of a longer distance helps keep you on pace. A negative split is the term applied when a runner runs faster on subsequent intervals. For example, negative splitting a 5K means each mile was run faster than the previous mile. Negative splitting a marathon means the second half of the marathon was run faster than the first half.
A tempo run refers to a comfortably hard run that increases lactate threshold—the point at which the body dramatically increases its production of lactic acid and fatigue occurs. Tempo runs train your body to process larger amounts of lactic acid thus allowing you to run faster for longer periods of time. Tempo runs are done at 85-90% of your max heart rate, for runners who have heart rate monitors. Runners using “The Talk Test” as a pace guide would be able to speak in one or two-word responses but would not want to carry on a conversation.
Best Running Shoes For Flat Feet
People were born with different physical characteristics in their bodies. With regards to feet considerations, you may be blessed (or cursed) to have a flat foot. In accordance with this aspect of biological uniqueness, the best running shoes for flat feet should be used for optimum comfort and convenience.
What is a flat foot?
Having a flat foot can sometimes be a frustration in searching for the appropriate accessory, like shoes. A flat foot is characterized by your foot print looking like a blob contoured in the general shape of a foot. You can easily check this using a footprint on a piece of paper. Also, physically, you may observe that there is almost no curve going inward from your toe to your heel. Another significant characteristic is that when you press firmly on any surface, your foot seems to spread out.
What shoes to use?
Shoes are generally created to provide protection to a person's feet. However, even though most of the commercially available shoes are using soft and shape shifting materials, a specific pair of shoes should be used for flat-footed people. Usually, when a person has flat feet, they are also considered to be an overpronator. It is a condition when the foot rolls inward while running. That is why the appropriate shoes should be used.
The most appropriate shoes for flat feet are the ones that are equipped with high stability properties as well as with motion control materials. Also, shoes with firm mid-soles are far the most efficient types. These factors reduce the capability of your flat foot to roll over in specific areas, thus making your walking or running more comfortable. You should avoid shoes that are highly curved in inward soles for these types may reduce your stability and compress your foot painfully.
Since running shoes were manufactured based on the activities of runners, they are equipped with padding and cushion materials for greater flexibility. You won't need shoes that have multiple layers of padding since this will apply pressure to your flat feet, thus making it very uncomfortable to use. You can just use running shoes that have at least a single layer of comfort pads but are not too curved.
There are some health problems that you may have if you do not use running shoes ideal for flat footed individuals. For example, if you tend to run long distances with an inappropriate shoe type, you may experience instability from the flat panels of your feet towards the upper portion of the legs. These conditions may cause knee and leg injuries while running. Also, your balance capability is compromised, leading to an uncontrollable body movement while in motion.
If you are going to purchase a pair of running shoes, you can search over the basic items sold in the market. But, you should always bear in mind that you might need to sacrifice style and brand in order to make sure that you have the best running shoes for flat feet. Although this may seem to be a little frustrating, you should always consider the health factor of using them. You may ask for assistance to get you the right model and brand of shoes for flat feet.
What is a flat foot?
Having a flat foot can sometimes be a frustration in searching for the appropriate accessory, like shoes. A flat foot is characterized by your foot print looking like a blob contoured in the general shape of a foot. You can easily check this using a footprint on a piece of paper. Also, physically, you may observe that there is almost no curve going inward from your toe to your heel. Another significant characteristic is that when you press firmly on any surface, your foot seems to spread out.
What shoes to use?
Shoes are generally created to provide protection to a person's feet. However, even though most of the commercially available shoes are using soft and shape shifting materials, a specific pair of shoes should be used for flat-footed people. Usually, when a person has flat feet, they are also considered to be an overpronator. It is a condition when the foot rolls inward while running. That is why the appropriate shoes should be used.
The most appropriate shoes for flat feet are the ones that are equipped with high stability properties as well as with motion control materials. Also, shoes with firm mid-soles are far the most efficient types. These factors reduce the capability of your flat foot to roll over in specific areas, thus making your walking or running more comfortable. You should avoid shoes that are highly curved in inward soles for these types may reduce your stability and compress your foot painfully.
Since running shoes were manufactured based on the activities of runners, they are equipped with padding and cushion materials for greater flexibility. You won't need shoes that have multiple layers of padding since this will apply pressure to your flat feet, thus making it very uncomfortable to use. You can just use running shoes that have at least a single layer of comfort pads but are not too curved.
There are some health problems that you may have if you do not use running shoes ideal for flat footed individuals. For example, if you tend to run long distances with an inappropriate shoe type, you may experience instability from the flat panels of your feet towards the upper portion of the legs. These conditions may cause knee and leg injuries while running. Also, your balance capability is compromised, leading to an uncontrollable body movement while in motion.
If you are going to purchase a pair of running shoes, you can search over the basic items sold in the market. But, you should always bear in mind that you might need to sacrifice style and brand in order to make sure that you have the best running shoes for flat feet. Although this may seem to be a little frustrating, you should always consider the health factor of using them. You may ask for assistance to get you the right model and brand of shoes for flat feet.
Choosing the Best Running Heart Rate Monitors
A heart rate monitor is a useful tool for longer distance runners. This is particularly true if you can map it against your performance or have had VO2 or Lactate Threshold testing done.
It is often of use as well as a measure of when you are not quite right and it might be a good idea to call it a day on a session. Many athletes will take their pulse first thing in the morning (obviously this doesn't need a monitor!) as an elevated pulse is a sign that you may be suffering from an infection and resting would be better.
So - what should you look for in a heart rate monitor?
As well as reading current heart rate, it is useful to know maximum and average heart rates in the course of a piece of exercise.
Will it tell you the time at which your pulse was at a certain reading?
Can it give you an alarm if you pulse is in a particular zone? If so, will it give reading for the amount of time in this zone?
Can you track your speed of recovery after sessions?
Does it have a GPS built in to give speed and distance as well, maybe an altimeter as well?
Can you download the information to a PC?
Clearly, there is plenty to think about here and as with other gadgets the more components you want to more it will cost. As a rough guide the very cheapest heart rate monitors start at about £30 and go up to about £300.
It is often of use as well as a measure of when you are not quite right and it might be a good idea to call it a day on a session. Many athletes will take their pulse first thing in the morning (obviously this doesn't need a monitor!) as an elevated pulse is a sign that you may be suffering from an infection and resting would be better.
So - what should you look for in a heart rate monitor?
As well as reading current heart rate, it is useful to know maximum and average heart rates in the course of a piece of exercise.
Will it tell you the time at which your pulse was at a certain reading?
Can it give you an alarm if you pulse is in a particular zone? If so, will it give reading for the amount of time in this zone?
Can you track your speed of recovery after sessions?
Does it have a GPS built in to give speed and distance as well, maybe an altimeter as well?
Can you download the information to a PC?
Clearly, there is plenty to think about here and as with other gadgets the more components you want to more it will cost. As a rough guide the very cheapest heart rate monitors start at about £30 and go up to about £300.
A Simple Method to Improve Your Hill Racing Skills
Running is such a great sport and a great tool for fitness training because we have such an easy way to compare our progress against runners that are better than we are and can constantly find motivation to improve. On any given day and in any give race, there is always somebody that can beat us.
An important part of racing is being able to effectively run hills.
Does this sound familiar?
You are in a race and you come to a hill.
You charge up the hill; maybe you pass somebody, maybe you don't.
You just get up to the crest, you realize you are really out of breath, and you start to coast over the top and down the other side...
When somebody just charges past you and is gone before you have a chance to blink.
Has that ever happened to you?
I'd venture to say that that is how most people treat hills, so whether or not anybody has ever passed you right after cresting a hill or not you've probably had a similar experience or two.
There are 3 aspects to racing hills:
Running up the hill (which requires being in very good shape and uses a lot of energy.)
Running down the hill (which is a skill that takes a surprisingly long time to master)
Cresting the hill (which is what we're going to talk about today.)
Learning to properly run up and down hills takes a lot of practice during training, but since this week we are talking about quick tips you can implement right away, try this during your next race:
Charge over the crest of a hill and don't slack off as you begin to descend.
It seems pretty simple, but most people basically come to a stop when they finish running up a hill because they are so tired.
Instead, what you should do is carry your momentum and continue to expend the exact same (or even more) energy that you used to get up the hill as you crest the top and begin to go down the other side.
You can pass more people at the top of a hill than you can anywhere else, and it's difficult for them to respond because any momentum or motivation they may have had was spent running up the hill and at least for a few moments they need to regroup and remotivate themselves.
This might mean that you have to run a little slower on the uphill portion. That's okay.
Just concentrate on not slacking off at the top of a hill and see what happens.
I'll bet you will be pleasantly surprised...
An important part of racing is being able to effectively run hills.
Does this sound familiar?
You are in a race and you come to a hill.
You charge up the hill; maybe you pass somebody, maybe you don't.
You just get up to the crest, you realize you are really out of breath, and you start to coast over the top and down the other side...
When somebody just charges past you and is gone before you have a chance to blink.
Has that ever happened to you?
I'd venture to say that that is how most people treat hills, so whether or not anybody has ever passed you right after cresting a hill or not you've probably had a similar experience or two.
There are 3 aspects to racing hills:
Running up the hill (which requires being in very good shape and uses a lot of energy.)
Running down the hill (which is a skill that takes a surprisingly long time to master)
Cresting the hill (which is what we're going to talk about today.)
Learning to properly run up and down hills takes a lot of practice during training, but since this week we are talking about quick tips you can implement right away, try this during your next race:
Charge over the crest of a hill and don't slack off as you begin to descend.
It seems pretty simple, but most people basically come to a stop when they finish running up a hill because they are so tired.
Instead, what you should do is carry your momentum and continue to expend the exact same (or even more) energy that you used to get up the hill as you crest the top and begin to go down the other side.
You can pass more people at the top of a hill than you can anywhere else, and it's difficult for them to respond because any momentum or motivation they may have had was spent running up the hill and at least for a few moments they need to regroup and remotivate themselves.
This might mean that you have to run a little slower on the uphill portion. That's okay.
Just concentrate on not slacking off at the top of a hill and see what happens.
I'll bet you will be pleasantly surprised...
Enhance Your Workout With a GPS Running Watch
GPS running watches offer many features for the serious athlete. Find out what features are available so that you can choose the best watch for you.
One of the prime reasons to get one of these devices is to track your workouts. You can actually store data from various workouts to reference later. You can measure your laps, distance and pace along with calories burned. Some have a heart rate monitor incorporated into the device while others will require you to purchase this separately. Some of these timepieces include longitude and latitude as well as altitude.
Workouts can be tracked. Depending on the model, you may be able to set up interval workouts or training sessions based on heart rate minimums and maximums. You can set goals for your training, and then challenge yourself to meet them.
The navigation features help you find your way. You can mark way points to be able to return to a prior location. Some will allow you to create courses on your PC for download to your watch. Then, you can see where you are at on the course you made. The navigation capabilities vary between the devices. Some can keep their signal even in the presence of tall trees or buildings.
Some of the Garmin models are ANT-enabled which gives you the capability to use separate foot pods or cadence sensors. Others may not offer wireless abilities.
For the triathlon enthusiast, you can find some that are designed to be quickly removed from the wrist and then mounted to a bicycle. Also, these units offer a degree of water resistance so they can be worn on the swimming part of the competition.
A GPS running watch can be an excellent addition to your workout equipment, especially if you are training for a triathlon.
One of the prime reasons to get one of these devices is to track your workouts. You can actually store data from various workouts to reference later. You can measure your laps, distance and pace along with calories burned. Some have a heart rate monitor incorporated into the device while others will require you to purchase this separately. Some of these timepieces include longitude and latitude as well as altitude.
Workouts can be tracked. Depending on the model, you may be able to set up interval workouts or training sessions based on heart rate minimums and maximums. You can set goals for your training, and then challenge yourself to meet them.
The navigation features help you find your way. You can mark way points to be able to return to a prior location. Some will allow you to create courses on your PC for download to your watch. Then, you can see where you are at on the course you made. The navigation capabilities vary between the devices. Some can keep their signal even in the presence of tall trees or buildings.
Some of the Garmin models are ANT-enabled which gives you the capability to use separate foot pods or cadence sensors. Others may not offer wireless abilities.
For the triathlon enthusiast, you can find some that are designed to be quickly removed from the wrist and then mounted to a bicycle. Also, these units offer a degree of water resistance so they can be worn on the swimming part of the competition.
A GPS running watch can be an excellent addition to your workout equipment, especially if you are training for a triathlon.
Heart Rate Training
In a sport that doesn’t change much, heart monitor training seems to go through phases in which it’s alternately all the rage and sort of lame among the running community. But in my personal experience, whenever I strap on my monitor and consistently train with it for a few weeks, I find myself inspired to train as well as I know how. There’s just something about getting that glimpse of the inner workings of my body that drives me to train smarter all around.
What’s more, having that constant source of feedback about your level of exertion is actually a lot of fun (and a nice distraction from a hard workout). And pinning a number to what used to be only a feeling goes a long way to helping you get to know your body. While many runners choose to race with their heart rate monitor on, using it to gauge the proper pace for the particular day and course, others find that after training for months with their heart monitor, they learn to identify what zone they’re in even when they’re not wearing the monitor.
Posted by Matt Frazier
Still, figuring out what to do with that new heart monitor can seem overwhelming, and my hunch is that more than a few heart monitors purchased with all good intentions end up gathering dust in a closet next to a pair of shoes that never fit quite right. For those looking to delve deeper into heart rate training, there are plenty of good books on the subject. But if you’re just looking to dust off your heart monitor and start using it, here’s the basic routine I follow whenever I get the HR-itch.
1. Know your max. 220-minus-your-age is the most common way of computing your maximum heart rate. There are other methods, such as more complicated formulas and carefully-measured test efforts, but for beginners, 220-minus-age is fine. (If you’re interested, you can find the more accurate formula here.)
2. Figure out your resting heart rate. Contrary to popular belief, you can’t compute your resting heart rate in the middle of the day while you’re sitting at your desk. “Resting” is quite literal here — you should measure this one before you get out of bed after a good night’s sleep. And it couldn’t be easier; just count the number of heart beats in a minute. And tracking your resting heart rate is a good way to measure your progress: As your fitness improves, your heart becomes more effective at pumping blood, requiring fewer beats to do so.
3. Compute your training zones and hit the road.
•65% to 70% of max heart rate is your aerobic recovery zone. It should be easy to carry on a normal conversation while in this zone. Run at this intensity on your easy days, during warmups and cooldowns, and between work intervals on your hard days.
•80% to 85% is your threshold zone. Here, signs of effort become noticable, as the mouth opens, and speaking full sentences becomes difficult. You can try maintaining this intensity for 4-7 minute intervals, say as part of a hill training workout, or stay in this zone for a longer period of time, in what amounts to a tempo run.
•90% to 95% is the anaerobic interval-training zone. Your pace here should approach your one-mile race pace. Generally, you should keep these intervals to 1-2 minute bursts of effort, going longer and harder during only your most intense workouts or races.
Note: These zones vary a lot, depending on who you ask, as well as individual differences. If your symptoms aren’t matching the zones, adjust the upper and lower limits accordingly. The zones are based on level of exertion; the heart rate is simply a convenient way to quantify that exertion. And while the figures marking these zones are simply percentages of your maximum heart rate, there’s a more precise method, called the Karvonen formula, of computing the limits. It takes into account your maximum and resting heart rates.
4. Track your progress. Since your heart rate measures your level of exertion, you should find that even as you gain fitness, your perceived exertion at a given heart rate doesn’t change. What does change is your speed (and therefore, distance covered) at a given heart rate. So while you may start out covering a half a mile during a four minute threshold interval, that distance should increase as you gain fitness. And as mentioned above, measure your resting heart rate every week or so to track your improvement.
Happy heart-rate training!
What’s more, having that constant source of feedback about your level of exertion is actually a lot of fun (and a nice distraction from a hard workout). And pinning a number to what used to be only a feeling goes a long way to helping you get to know your body. While many runners choose to race with their heart rate monitor on, using it to gauge the proper pace for the particular day and course, others find that after training for months with their heart monitor, they learn to identify what zone they’re in even when they’re not wearing the monitor.
Posted by Matt Frazier
Still, figuring out what to do with that new heart monitor can seem overwhelming, and my hunch is that more than a few heart monitors purchased with all good intentions end up gathering dust in a closet next to a pair of shoes that never fit quite right. For those looking to delve deeper into heart rate training, there are plenty of good books on the subject. But if you’re just looking to dust off your heart monitor and start using it, here’s the basic routine I follow whenever I get the HR-itch.
1. Know your max. 220-minus-your-age is the most common way of computing your maximum heart rate. There are other methods, such as more complicated formulas and carefully-measured test efforts, but for beginners, 220-minus-age is fine. (If you’re interested, you can find the more accurate formula here.)
2. Figure out your resting heart rate. Contrary to popular belief, you can’t compute your resting heart rate in the middle of the day while you’re sitting at your desk. “Resting” is quite literal here — you should measure this one before you get out of bed after a good night’s sleep. And it couldn’t be easier; just count the number of heart beats in a minute. And tracking your resting heart rate is a good way to measure your progress: As your fitness improves, your heart becomes more effective at pumping blood, requiring fewer beats to do so.
3. Compute your training zones and hit the road.
•65% to 70% of max heart rate is your aerobic recovery zone. It should be easy to carry on a normal conversation while in this zone. Run at this intensity on your easy days, during warmups and cooldowns, and between work intervals on your hard days.
•80% to 85% is your threshold zone. Here, signs of effort become noticable, as the mouth opens, and speaking full sentences becomes difficult. You can try maintaining this intensity for 4-7 minute intervals, say as part of a hill training workout, or stay in this zone for a longer period of time, in what amounts to a tempo run.
•90% to 95% is the anaerobic interval-training zone. Your pace here should approach your one-mile race pace. Generally, you should keep these intervals to 1-2 minute bursts of effort, going longer and harder during only your most intense workouts or races.
Note: These zones vary a lot, depending on who you ask, as well as individual differences. If your symptoms aren’t matching the zones, adjust the upper and lower limits accordingly. The zones are based on level of exertion; the heart rate is simply a convenient way to quantify that exertion. And while the figures marking these zones are simply percentages of your maximum heart rate, there’s a more precise method, called the Karvonen formula, of computing the limits. It takes into account your maximum and resting heart rates.
4. Track your progress. Since your heart rate measures your level of exertion, you should find that even as you gain fitness, your perceived exertion at a given heart rate doesn’t change. What does change is your speed (and therefore, distance covered) at a given heart rate. So while you may start out covering a half a mile during a four minute threshold interval, that distance should increase as you gain fitness. And as mentioned above, measure your resting heart rate every week or so to track your improvement.
Happy heart-rate training!
Cross training with weights enhance workouts for some Mini-Marathon participants
Here's an update on the journey of three Hoosiers as they train for the One- America 500 Festi- val Mini-Marathon on May 8. Learn how they use cross-training to prepare for the Mini-Marathon.
No one needs to convince Barbara O'Brien, 43, about the importance of cross-training to her running. She is sold on strength-training using free weights, a BOSU ball and her own body weight.
"I wouldn't do without it now," said O'Brien. She trains once a week with a National Institute for Fitness and Sport personal trainer who works at the fitness center at Sallie Mae, where O'Brien is employed.
About 11/2 years ago, O'Brien started concentrating on doing strength-training, particularly full-body exercises, such as lunges and squats with weights, push-ups and those that help improve balance and posture. The trainer also adds in some cardio work on the elliptical or treadmill.
"The biggest thing I've noticed is improvements in my stride," said O'Brien. "When I'm running, I can really feel like my stride is straighter, and I have better movement and form."
She also has increased her lean muscle mass and now can do many more push-ups than she used to do.
O'Brien says she doesn't feel the need most of the time to do other cardio work, such as bicycling, while she's training for a half-marathon or marathon. In the summer, though, she will swim laps at a nearby pool.
"It's fun when you can mix it up and throw things at your body that it's not used to."
DeeAndria Hampton
When personal trainer Liz Burton asked what body areas DeeAndria Hampton wanted to focus on, she immediately knew the answer: glutes, hips and the entire core area.
"Those areas are noticeably weaker and not as conditioned as they should be," said Hampton, 39, Indianapolis. This year's Mini-Marathon will be her first.
"I need to be strong and make sure my muscles are strong and stable to get through this without getting injured," she said.
With Burton, part owner of KnowSweat Workouts, she does a lot of core exercises, such as walking planks to the side and Russian twists, with a medicine ball overhead, while sitting on a stability ball. She also does some plyometric exercises, fast-paced movements, including jumping from one foot to the other, which activates fast-twitch muscles.
By Barb Berggoetz
No one needs to convince Barbara O'Brien, 43, about the importance of cross-training to her running. She is sold on strength-training using free weights, a BOSU ball and her own body weight.
"I wouldn't do without it now," said O'Brien. She trains once a week with a National Institute for Fitness and Sport personal trainer who works at the fitness center at Sallie Mae, where O'Brien is employed.
About 11/2 years ago, O'Brien started concentrating on doing strength-training, particularly full-body exercises, such as lunges and squats with weights, push-ups and those that help improve balance and posture. The trainer also adds in some cardio work on the elliptical or treadmill.
"The biggest thing I've noticed is improvements in my stride," said O'Brien. "When I'm running, I can really feel like my stride is straighter, and I have better movement and form."
She also has increased her lean muscle mass and now can do many more push-ups than she used to do.
O'Brien says she doesn't feel the need most of the time to do other cardio work, such as bicycling, while she's training for a half-marathon or marathon. In the summer, though, she will swim laps at a nearby pool.
"It's fun when you can mix it up and throw things at your body that it's not used to."
DeeAndria Hampton
When personal trainer Liz Burton asked what body areas DeeAndria Hampton wanted to focus on, she immediately knew the answer: glutes, hips and the entire core area.
"Those areas are noticeably weaker and not as conditioned as they should be," said Hampton, 39, Indianapolis. This year's Mini-Marathon will be her first.
"I need to be strong and make sure my muscles are strong and stable to get through this without getting injured," she said.
With Burton, part owner of KnowSweat Workouts, she does a lot of core exercises, such as walking planks to the side and Russian twists, with a medicine ball overhead, while sitting on a stability ball. She also does some plyometric exercises, fast-paced movements, including jumping from one foot to the other, which activates fast-twitch muscles.
By Barb Berggoetz
Cross-training gives runners the edge they need
Strength-training, yoga, or any low-impact cardio exercise can help endurance, reduce injury risk.
A key solution: cross-training.
If you're participating in the One-America 500 Festival Mini-Marathon or Geist Half Marathon in May, or any upcoming race, that means doing strength-training, yoga, Pilates or any low-impact cardio exercise, such as swimming or biking, along with running or walking.
The same advice goes for swimmers, bicyclists, weight-lifters and basketball players -- give your body a break from repetitive types of training.
"With cross-training, you're using your body in a different way to prevent overtraining and reduce your risk of injury," said runner and triathlete Heather Fink, coordinator of the National Institute for Fitness and Sport's half-marathon training program. "You want to make sure you are using different muscle groups."
Not enough runners and walkers, though, take cross-training seriously, she added.
What some exercisers don't realize is cross-training can make you better at your primary exercise, as well as improve your overall fitness.
A study in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research showed that runners who add three days of strength-training exercises to their weekly program increase leg strength and enhance endurance. Runners with better endurance can run longer.
Not everyone, though, needs to add three days of strength-training. Most trainers say one day of cross-training -- strength-training or different types of cardio -- is the minimum and two days are better for a moderate exerciser. Advanced exercisers can handle three or four sessions, occasionally on days they run or do their primary exercise moderately.
"We highly recommend cross-training," said Ashley Johnson, co-owner of The Running Co., who helps lead its training program. "It's almost as important as getting the volume of training in."
Johnson, 48, formerly one of the world's top-10 road racers, says three runs and two cross-training sessions weekly is a good regimen for most people. "In some ways, it's better than running five or six times a week, plus adding cross-training on top of that."
By Barb Berggoetz
A key solution: cross-training.
If you're participating in the One-America 500 Festival Mini-Marathon or Geist Half Marathon in May, or any upcoming race, that means doing strength-training, yoga, Pilates or any low-impact cardio exercise, such as swimming or biking, along with running or walking.
The same advice goes for swimmers, bicyclists, weight-lifters and basketball players -- give your body a break from repetitive types of training.
"With cross-training, you're using your body in a different way to prevent overtraining and reduce your risk of injury," said runner and triathlete Heather Fink, coordinator of the National Institute for Fitness and Sport's half-marathon training program. "You want to make sure you are using different muscle groups."
Not enough runners and walkers, though, take cross-training seriously, she added.
What some exercisers don't realize is cross-training can make you better at your primary exercise, as well as improve your overall fitness.
A study in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research showed that runners who add three days of strength-training exercises to their weekly program increase leg strength and enhance endurance. Runners with better endurance can run longer.
Not everyone, though, needs to add three days of strength-training. Most trainers say one day of cross-training -- strength-training or different types of cardio -- is the minimum and two days are better for a moderate exerciser. Advanced exercisers can handle three or four sessions, occasionally on days they run or do their primary exercise moderately.
"We highly recommend cross-training," said Ashley Johnson, co-owner of The Running Co., who helps lead its training program. "It's almost as important as getting the volume of training in."
Johnson, 48, formerly one of the world's top-10 road racers, says three runs and two cross-training sessions weekly is a good regimen for most people. "In some ways, it's better than running five or six times a week, plus adding cross-training on top of that."
By Barb Berggoetz
The Fastest Way to Burn Fat And Lose Those Love Handles - part 3
This article is for effective fat burning only and not for sport training.
As soon as you wake up in the morning workout for at least 30 minutes to an hour. Studies show that working out in the morning has been shown to burn up to 3 x more fat as opposed to workingout at any other time during the day. Here's why:
During the day your body's main source of energy is the carbohydrates that you get from eating your meals. As you sleep at night for 6+ hours your body uses up all those carbohydrates for various bodily functions that go on even while you sleep. When you wake up in the morning your body doesn't have carbohydrates as energy to use and it will look to burn body fat instead for energy.
For you to take advantage of this morning fat burning opportunity you have to exercise first thing in the morning. Don't eat breakfast because if you do you'll just give your body carbohydrates as a source of energy instead of the body fat that you want to burn for energy. However once you have completed your workout it would be good practice to eat some complex carbohydrates such as weetabix, try to do this within 45 minutes of finishing your workout. This will feed your muscles and prevent them from burning away with the fat.
As soon as you wake up in the morning workout for at least 30 minutes to an hour. Studies show that working out in the morning has been shown to burn up to 3 x more fat as opposed to workingout at any other time during the day. Here's why:
During the day your body's main source of energy is the carbohydrates that you get from eating your meals. As you sleep at night for 6+ hours your body uses up all those carbohydrates for various bodily functions that go on even while you sleep. When you wake up in the morning your body doesn't have carbohydrates as energy to use and it will look to burn body fat instead for energy.
For you to take advantage of this morning fat burning opportunity you have to exercise first thing in the morning. Don't eat breakfast because if you do you'll just give your body carbohydrates as a source of energy instead of the body fat that you want to burn for energy. However once you have completed your workout it would be good practice to eat some complex carbohydrates such as weetabix, try to do this within 45 minutes of finishing your workout. This will feed your muscles and prevent them from burning away with the fat.
Negative Or Positive Splits For Marathon Runners?
A group of us at the athletic club were having a debate on whether "negative or positive splits" were the best way to run a marathon or any endurance race. We came to a stalemate as some good arguements came from both sides, so I said that I would place a pole on my blog to see what the general consensus out there was.
Ok this is what I'd like you to do:
1) Leave your written thoughts on what you think about splits just blow this article.
2) Leave your vote on my homepage so it's easier to see the how the poll progresses. You'll find it near bottom righthand side.
I'll let the poll run until the end of March.
Thank you for your participation.
Use the link below to customise and print your own split times wristband, for free!
http://rogercortesi.com/athleticlog/wristsplits.php?dist=26.2&units=miles&hh=3&mm=10&ss=0&interval=1&paceunits=mpm
Ok this is what I'd like you to do:
1) Leave your written thoughts on what you think about splits just blow this article.
2) Leave your vote on my homepage so it's easier to see the how the poll progresses. You'll find it near bottom righthand side.
I'll let the poll run until the end of March.
Thank you for your participation.
Use the link below to customise and print your own split times wristband, for free!
http://rogercortesi.com/athleticlog/wristsplits.php?dist=26.2&units=miles&hh=3&mm=10&ss=0&interval=1&paceunits=mpm
Dietary Fat and Endurance Athletes
Fat is the muscles' primary fuel for low- to moderate-intensity exercise. Carbohydrate, which is the muscles' primary fuel for moderately high- to high-intensity exercise, is stored only in small amounts in the body. Consequently, carbohydrate fuel depletion is a major cause of fatigue during prolonged exercise at higher intensities, such as triathlons.
Fat fuel supplies, by contrast, are virtually unlimited in the body. Thus, by increasing their reliance on fat fuel and decreasing their reliance on carbohydrate fuel during race-intensity exercise, runners could theoretically delay fatigue and perform better. Can you achieve this effect by maintaining a high-fat diet? If so, is there a downside?
Fat as Fuel?
Several years ago, researchers from the University of Buffalo published a study on the performance effects of various levels of fat consumption in men and women. Endurance and VO2max tests were completed at the end of four-week periods in which runners consumed diets of 16 percent, 31 percent, and 44 percent fat. Time to exhaustion in the endurance test was 14 percent greater at the end of the medium-fat diet than it was at the end of the low-fat diet. However, there was no change in VO2max.
These results would seem to suggest that increasing fat intake increases endurance, perhaps by boosting fat burning during exercise. One major limitation of this study, however, was that the order of the diets was not random, therefore we cannot rule out the possibility that the runners performed better in the second endurance test simply because they were more familiar with it, or in better shape, not because of their diet.
Also, there was no difference in the rate of fat burning in the second endurance test versus the first. If higher fat intake was the cause of superior endurance, we would expect increased fat burning during exercise to be the mechanism.
Other studies have found that increased fat intake does result in greater fat oxidation during exercise. Researchers from New Zealand compared the effects of a 14-day high-carbohydrate diet, a 14-day high-fat diet, and an 11.5-day high-fat diet followed by a 2.5-day carbo-loading diet on fat oxidation and performance in a 15-minute cycling test and a 100km cycling test.
Performance in the 15-minute test was slightly better after the high-carb diet, but not to a statistically significant degree, while performance in the 100km test was slightly better, but again not to a statistically significant degree, following the high-fat diet. Fat oxidation was significantly greater during the 100-km test following the high-fat diet.
Like this study, other studies have also suggested that, while increased fat intake may increase endurance, it may also reduce performance in shorter, higher-intensity races. This was shown in a 2003 study from the University of Connecticut.
Twenty volunteers were divided into two groups and placed on either an endurance training program and a high-fat diet (61 percent fat) or an endurance training program and a moderate-fat diet (25 percent fat) for six weeks.
They performed a VO2max test and a 45-minute time trial before and after the study period. Members of the high-fat diet group exhibited a marked increase in fat burning during the 45-minute time trial, but their work output dropped by 18 percent relative to the moderate-fat group.
The Best of Both Worlds
In a recent review of the existing literature on this topic, researchers from Kansas State University concluded, "We and others have observed that although fat oxidation may be increased [with a high-fat diet], the ability to maintain high-intensity exercise (above the lactate threshold) seems to be compromised or at least indifferent when compared with consumption of more carbohydrate."
Perhaps, however, athletes could have it both ways by eating a high-fat base diet followed by short carbohydrate-loading periods before competition, as the New Zealand researchers mentioned above had subjects do in their study.
The rationale for this approach is that an extended period of time (two weeks or more) on a high-fat diet will stimulate increases in fat oxidation capacity during exercise, and that following this adaptation period with a couple of days of carbo-loading immediately preceding a race or other maximal endurance effort will maximize muscle glycogen stores, so the athlete has the best of both worlds.
A recent study from the University of Cape Town, South Africa, suggests that this strategy just might work. Researchers examined the effects of a high-fat diet versus a habitual diet prior to carbohydrate loading on fuel metabolism and cycling time-trial performance.
Five trained cyclists participated in two 14-day randomized cross-over trials during which they consumed either a 65 percent fat diet or their habitual 30 percent fat diet for 10 days, before switching to a 70 percent carbohydrate diet for three days.
All subjects then performed a cycling test consisting of 2.5 hours at 70 percent of peak oxygen uptake followed immediately by a 20km time trial. The high-fat/carbo-loading diet resulted in increased total fat oxidation and reduced total carbohydrate oxidation during exercise.
Most noteworthy, the high-fat/carbo-loading treatment was also associated with improved time trial times. On average, the cyclists completed the 20km time trial 4.5 percent faster after the high-fat/carbo-loading diet.
Applying This Data to Your Diet
The problem with this study is that the design of the exercise test was biased to take advantage of improved fat burning. The initial 2.5-hour ride at a moderately high intensity ensured that the cyclists' muscles were significantly glycogen depleted before they even started the time trial, forcing a greater reliance on fat, of which the cyclists were more capable after the high-fat diet.
But if this study had instead involved a time trial after a standard warm-up, it is unlikely that the high-fat diet would have been seen to result in better performance. Indeed, other studies have found that a high-fat diet followed by a carbo-loading phase impairs performance in high-intensity time trials that are not immediately preceding by long endurance efforts.
In summary, switching to a general high-fat diet will increase your fat burning capacity but will not affect your performance, so don't bother doing so. However, you may experiment with 10 or 11 days on a high-fat diet followed by two days of carbo-loading before a longer race, as it won't harm you and there's a chance it will have a positive impact on your performance.
Fat fuel supplies, by contrast, are virtually unlimited in the body. Thus, by increasing their reliance on fat fuel and decreasing their reliance on carbohydrate fuel during race-intensity exercise, runners could theoretically delay fatigue and perform better. Can you achieve this effect by maintaining a high-fat diet? If so, is there a downside?
Fat as Fuel?
Several years ago, researchers from the University of Buffalo published a study on the performance effects of various levels of fat consumption in men and women. Endurance and VO2max tests were completed at the end of four-week periods in which runners consumed diets of 16 percent, 31 percent, and 44 percent fat. Time to exhaustion in the endurance test was 14 percent greater at the end of the medium-fat diet than it was at the end of the low-fat diet. However, there was no change in VO2max.
These results would seem to suggest that increasing fat intake increases endurance, perhaps by boosting fat burning during exercise. One major limitation of this study, however, was that the order of the diets was not random, therefore we cannot rule out the possibility that the runners performed better in the second endurance test simply because they were more familiar with it, or in better shape, not because of their diet.
Also, there was no difference in the rate of fat burning in the second endurance test versus the first. If higher fat intake was the cause of superior endurance, we would expect increased fat burning during exercise to be the mechanism.
Other studies have found that increased fat intake does result in greater fat oxidation during exercise. Researchers from New Zealand compared the effects of a 14-day high-carbohydrate diet, a 14-day high-fat diet, and an 11.5-day high-fat diet followed by a 2.5-day carbo-loading diet on fat oxidation and performance in a 15-minute cycling test and a 100km cycling test.
Performance in the 15-minute test was slightly better after the high-carb diet, but not to a statistically significant degree, while performance in the 100km test was slightly better, but again not to a statistically significant degree, following the high-fat diet. Fat oxidation was significantly greater during the 100-km test following the high-fat diet.
Like this study, other studies have also suggested that, while increased fat intake may increase endurance, it may also reduce performance in shorter, higher-intensity races. This was shown in a 2003 study from the University of Connecticut.
Twenty volunteers were divided into two groups and placed on either an endurance training program and a high-fat diet (61 percent fat) or an endurance training program and a moderate-fat diet (25 percent fat) for six weeks.
They performed a VO2max test and a 45-minute time trial before and after the study period. Members of the high-fat diet group exhibited a marked increase in fat burning during the 45-minute time trial, but their work output dropped by 18 percent relative to the moderate-fat group.
The Best of Both Worlds
In a recent review of the existing literature on this topic, researchers from Kansas State University concluded, "We and others have observed that although fat oxidation may be increased [with a high-fat diet], the ability to maintain high-intensity exercise (above the lactate threshold) seems to be compromised or at least indifferent when compared with consumption of more carbohydrate."
Perhaps, however, athletes could have it both ways by eating a high-fat base diet followed by short carbohydrate-loading periods before competition, as the New Zealand researchers mentioned above had subjects do in their study.
The rationale for this approach is that an extended period of time (two weeks or more) on a high-fat diet will stimulate increases in fat oxidation capacity during exercise, and that following this adaptation period with a couple of days of carbo-loading immediately preceding a race or other maximal endurance effort will maximize muscle glycogen stores, so the athlete has the best of both worlds.
A recent study from the University of Cape Town, South Africa, suggests that this strategy just might work. Researchers examined the effects of a high-fat diet versus a habitual diet prior to carbohydrate loading on fuel metabolism and cycling time-trial performance.
Five trained cyclists participated in two 14-day randomized cross-over trials during which they consumed either a 65 percent fat diet or their habitual 30 percent fat diet for 10 days, before switching to a 70 percent carbohydrate diet for three days.
All subjects then performed a cycling test consisting of 2.5 hours at 70 percent of peak oxygen uptake followed immediately by a 20km time trial. The high-fat/carbo-loading diet resulted in increased total fat oxidation and reduced total carbohydrate oxidation during exercise.
Most noteworthy, the high-fat/carbo-loading treatment was also associated with improved time trial times. On average, the cyclists completed the 20km time trial 4.5 percent faster after the high-fat/carbo-loading diet.
Applying This Data to Your Diet
The problem with this study is that the design of the exercise test was biased to take advantage of improved fat burning. The initial 2.5-hour ride at a moderately high intensity ensured that the cyclists' muscles were significantly glycogen depleted before they even started the time trial, forcing a greater reliance on fat, of which the cyclists were more capable after the high-fat diet.
But if this study had instead involved a time trial after a standard warm-up, it is unlikely that the high-fat diet would have been seen to result in better performance. Indeed, other studies have found that a high-fat diet followed by a carbo-loading phase impairs performance in high-intensity time trials that are not immediately preceding by long endurance efforts.
In summary, switching to a general high-fat diet will increase your fat burning capacity but will not affect your performance, so don't bother doing so. However, you may experiment with 10 or 11 days on a high-fat diet followed by two days of carbo-loading before a longer race, as it won't harm you and there's a chance it will have a positive impact on your performance.
Running Technique.
Why Make Technique Improvements?
We all want to be able to run faster, in this page we try to explain ways in which you can do so by making changes to your running technique - this is about getting faster without having to improve your fitness, although it will take some regular practice and concentration to get a proper running technique.
At the bottom of this page is a list of common problems that athletes have with their technique, you may recognise some of them as ones you possess and can work on removing.
For any runner to perform at their best it is important that they run efficiently, allowing their body to use as little energy on each step as possible, whilst maintaining the required stride length and cadence.
To improve your time you must lengthen your stride, increase your cadence or both, using a combination of improved strength, fitness and proper running technique.
Running is Running
No matter which distance you are trying to run, surprisingly perhaps (you might think peoples running techniques vary hugely with their event), the following rules apply. The amount of effort that is put into each action that will change according to the distance that you are going to run.
Try to remember the following 5 parts to the running action - remember the parts with the mantra below and then learn how to apply each one:-
1. Toe Ups
It is important that you think not just about lifting the toes when performing this action, but decreasing the angle of the foot from the front of the leg - doing this allows your hamstring to work with greater efficiency pulling your heel up and therefore decreasing the time a stride takes.
2. Heel Up
Often when a runner has poor or tired running technique the foot follows a large arc when coming up towards the backside. Our aim here is to pull it straight up, fast. In doing so we reach the same final position as the arced motion, just quicker.
3. Knee Up
Coaches can often be heard working on running technique by telling athletes to lift their knees higher, particularly when coaching sprinters. This is because it allows for the greatest range of movement - and hence a longer stride length. This is very important, but will prove to be counter-productive if the lift of the knee comes above a position where the leg is parallel to the ground.
4. Reach Out
For the same reason as it is important to lift your knees high, extending your leg out straight allows for the greatest stride length possible. It should be remembered here that we are concentrating on moving the whole body straight down the track, you foot should move perpendicularly to the direction you are running - any lateral movement will cause a wastage of energy.
5. Claw Back
Finally, we come to clawing back. This may sound like a strange thing to do as it shortens your stride slightly and you are trying to make your foot move in the opposite direction to which you are running. It is however important for two reasons, firstly, if your foot were to land in front of your centre of gravity, it would act as a brake on your body - commonly refered to as over striding. Secondly, by starting to claw back you are preparing to contact with the ground and get into the next stride as soon as possible. One of the primary things that differentiates Michael Johnson with most of his competitors is that he spends far less time with his foot in contact with the ground.
How do I improve my Running Technique?
It is worth spending a few minutes reading this section as alterations to your technique over time can give a big return on the amount of effort needed.
There are five basic parts to a running action, which need to be considered. Some coaches may simplify this or break it down further, but here we'll consider the actions listed.
It is extremely difficult to work on each of these effectively whilst running which is one of the reasons why Drills are so important. We can perform drills to isolate different techniques for parts of the running action and improve it before putting it all back together as a proper complete action.
With respect to running at different speeds to the above it is relatively simple - if you wish to run faster (ie. sprint) you should have more knee lift, more extension, more claw back and more drive with your arms. Equally, for longer distances (slower running) do less of each of these.
Below, Tom is shown running with a good technique for fast striding pace running . We have slowed him down so that it is easy to see what he is doing.
Note how the movement is done by his arms and legs - there is little wasted energy in vertical movements of his head and hips. Coaches often achieve this aim by telling athletes to keep their hips up high, to avoid them dropping and the athlete then having to use valuable energy to lift their bodies back up again.
Double click on Tom to make him move.
Common Running Technique Problems
When runners use poor technique this results in two problems:-
Running at a slower pace
Increased risk of injury
There are a variety of things that runners will do that cause one of the two problems above, here we try to address some of the common ones that stop runners running properly.
Heel Striking - This acts as a braking action to your running as you will be striking in front of your centre of gravity. You then have to work on getting your weight back over this rather than using the "claw back" momentum of your foot to propel you forwards. It also increased the stress on joints as you will tend to land heavily as you do this.
Leaning Backwards - Ideally, your whole body leans slightly forwards (not bending at the waist), if you don't you again brake your action and put strain on your lower back.
Lateral Arms - Your arms should swing through in the direction you are travelling, not across your body. If there is excessive lateral movement you will be twisting your whole body, through your shoulders and causing problems for your joints. The height at the front and back of the arm swing will depend on the speed you are running.
For sprinting, you should bring your arms up to about chin height at the front and so your upper arm is almost parallel with the ground at the back. The angle of your lower to upper arm should be around 90 degrees (just less at the front and just more at the back). For longer distances the range of movement is simply, again decreased, with the emphasis being on relaxation and balance, as opposed to drive.
Sitting as you run - If your hips are not held high enough you will tend not to extend your stride as you should. Also, it is harder to get significant knee lift and you'll probably run fairly flat footed, relying primarily on the strength in your quadriceps and not using hamstrings and calves to their full ability.
Pendulum Legs - This is where you don't lift your feet far off the floor as you don't use your hamstrings much initially. This makes knee lift virtually impossible, resulting in a short stride length and in the later part of the action as your leg is relatively straight, you will actually put more stress on your hamstrings.
We all want to be able to run faster, in this page we try to explain ways in which you can do so by making changes to your running technique - this is about getting faster without having to improve your fitness, although it will take some regular practice and concentration to get a proper running technique.
At the bottom of this page is a list of common problems that athletes have with their technique, you may recognise some of them as ones you possess and can work on removing.
For any runner to perform at their best it is important that they run efficiently, allowing their body to use as little energy on each step as possible, whilst maintaining the required stride length and cadence.
To improve your time you must lengthen your stride, increase your cadence or both, using a combination of improved strength, fitness and proper running technique.
Running is Running
No matter which distance you are trying to run, surprisingly perhaps (you might think peoples running techniques vary hugely with their event), the following rules apply. The amount of effort that is put into each action that will change according to the distance that you are going to run.
Try to remember the following 5 parts to the running action - remember the parts with the mantra below and then learn how to apply each one:-
1. Toe Ups
It is important that you think not just about lifting the toes when performing this action, but decreasing the angle of the foot from the front of the leg - doing this allows your hamstring to work with greater efficiency pulling your heel up and therefore decreasing the time a stride takes.
2. Heel Up
Often when a runner has poor or tired running technique the foot follows a large arc when coming up towards the backside. Our aim here is to pull it straight up, fast. In doing so we reach the same final position as the arced motion, just quicker.
3. Knee Up
Coaches can often be heard working on running technique by telling athletes to lift their knees higher, particularly when coaching sprinters. This is because it allows for the greatest range of movement - and hence a longer stride length. This is very important, but will prove to be counter-productive if the lift of the knee comes above a position where the leg is parallel to the ground.
4. Reach Out
For the same reason as it is important to lift your knees high, extending your leg out straight allows for the greatest stride length possible. It should be remembered here that we are concentrating on moving the whole body straight down the track, you foot should move perpendicularly to the direction you are running - any lateral movement will cause a wastage of energy.
5. Claw Back
Finally, we come to clawing back. This may sound like a strange thing to do as it shortens your stride slightly and you are trying to make your foot move in the opposite direction to which you are running. It is however important for two reasons, firstly, if your foot were to land in front of your centre of gravity, it would act as a brake on your body - commonly refered to as over striding. Secondly, by starting to claw back you are preparing to contact with the ground and get into the next stride as soon as possible. One of the primary things that differentiates Michael Johnson with most of his competitors is that he spends far less time with his foot in contact with the ground.
How do I improve my Running Technique?
It is worth spending a few minutes reading this section as alterations to your technique over time can give a big return on the amount of effort needed.
There are five basic parts to a running action, which need to be considered. Some coaches may simplify this or break it down further, but here we'll consider the actions listed.
It is extremely difficult to work on each of these effectively whilst running which is one of the reasons why Drills are so important. We can perform drills to isolate different techniques for parts of the running action and improve it before putting it all back together as a proper complete action.
With respect to running at different speeds to the above it is relatively simple - if you wish to run faster (ie. sprint) you should have more knee lift, more extension, more claw back and more drive with your arms. Equally, for longer distances (slower running) do less of each of these.
Below, Tom is shown running with a good technique for fast striding pace running . We have slowed him down so that it is easy to see what he is doing.
Note how the movement is done by his arms and legs - there is little wasted energy in vertical movements of his head and hips. Coaches often achieve this aim by telling athletes to keep their hips up high, to avoid them dropping and the athlete then having to use valuable energy to lift their bodies back up again.
Common Running Technique Problems
When runners use poor technique this results in two problems:-
Running at a slower pace
Increased risk of injury
There are a variety of things that runners will do that cause one of the two problems above, here we try to address some of the common ones that stop runners running properly.
Heel Striking - This acts as a braking action to your running as you will be striking in front of your centre of gravity. You then have to work on getting your weight back over this rather than using the "claw back" momentum of your foot to propel you forwards. It also increased the stress on joints as you will tend to land heavily as you do this.
Leaning Backwards - Ideally, your whole body leans slightly forwards (not bending at the waist), if you don't you again brake your action and put strain on your lower back.
Lateral Arms - Your arms should swing through in the direction you are travelling, not across your body. If there is excessive lateral movement you will be twisting your whole body, through your shoulders and causing problems for your joints. The height at the front and back of the arm swing will depend on the speed you are running.
For sprinting, you should bring your arms up to about chin height at the front and so your upper arm is almost parallel with the ground at the back. The angle of your lower to upper arm should be around 90 degrees (just less at the front and just more at the back). For longer distances the range of movement is simply, again decreased, with the emphasis being on relaxation and balance, as opposed to drive.
Sitting as you run - If your hips are not held high enough you will tend not to extend your stride as you should. Also, it is harder to get significant knee lift and you'll probably run fairly flat footed, relying primarily on the strength in your quadriceps and not using hamstrings and calves to their full ability.
Pendulum Legs - This is where you don't lift your feet far off the floor as you don't use your hamstrings much initially. This makes knee lift virtually impossible, resulting in a short stride length and in the later part of the action as your leg is relatively straight, you will actually put more stress on your hamstrings.
Reasons For Cross Training - part 1.
My last article on cross training brought forth some views that it wasn't necessary for middle to long distance runners, well we should! Here is one reason why and I'll post more later.
Core Stability
The theory of core stability
Core stability training specifically targets the smaller and deeper lumbar spine and trunk muscles – the ‘core muscles’ of your body. Core stability training aims to recruit effectively the trunk musculature and to learn to control the position of the lumbar spine during dynamic movement, to keep you strong, in neutral, correct posture, and to prevent injury.
The lumbar spine
Theracolumbar Fascia (TLF)
These deep trunk muscles provide tensile support to the lumbar spine. The Transversus Abdominus (TA) and Internal Oblique (IO) muscles attach to the TLF, and the fascia wrap around the spine and connect the deep trunk muscles to the spine as shown in the diagram below. Contractions in the TA increase tension in the TLF and this compresses and stabilises the lumbar spine. When the TLF is under tension, the Erector Spinae (ES) and Multifidus (MF) muscle groups compress and are encouraged to contract and resist spinal flexion.
Intra-abdominal Pressure Mechanism (IAP)
Contraction of the TA, IO, MF and ES muscles exerts forces on the rectus muscle sheath – this is the sheath that encloses the Rectus Abdominus (RA) muscles. The RA muscle group attaches to the IO and TA, surrounding the abdomen, and when all of these muscles are contracted together, the exertion of these muscles creates intra-abdominal pressure within the abdomen (similar to a bag of air), that reduces compression and limits the shear forces on the lumbar spine. IAP has been shown to increase before weightlifting, or running, and therefore has a crucial role in lumbar stability.
Paraspinal muscles
These muscles, such as the Interspinalas and Intertransversarii, exert an individual stabilizing effect on adjacent vertebrae, and act in a similar fashion to ligaments in the knee or elbow.
Deep lumbar muscles
Deep lumbar extensors, such as the MF, are active through a full range of movement of the lumbar spine, and during upper and lower limb movement. They can be trained to control the lumbar spine under motion at low forces and long timescales. These muscles are continually active.
Training
Deep, trunk muscles, act as stabilisers, and they do not induce movement. They are static and work through isometric contraction – the muscles stay the same length, but undergo tension upon activation. These core muscles work throughout the day, continuously, and need stamina, but at low forces (due to the isometric contraction). Core stability training therefore need not make these muscles very strong, but to recruit them and help them coordinate correctly and continuously, and to act neutrally – to keep the natural ‘S’ curve of the spine.
Here's a quote for you and you can use it as a thouoght for the day!
"We are different, in essence, from other men. If you want to win something, run 100 meters. If you want to experience something, run a marathon". Emil Zatopek
Core Stability
The theory of core stability
Core stability training specifically targets the smaller and deeper lumbar spine and trunk muscles – the ‘core muscles’ of your body. Core stability training aims to recruit effectively the trunk musculature and to learn to control the position of the lumbar spine during dynamic movement, to keep you strong, in neutral, correct posture, and to prevent injury.
The lumbar spine
Theracolumbar Fascia (TLF)
These deep trunk muscles provide tensile support to the lumbar spine. The Transversus Abdominus (TA) and Internal Oblique (IO) muscles attach to the TLF, and the fascia wrap around the spine and connect the deep trunk muscles to the spine as shown in the diagram below. Contractions in the TA increase tension in the TLF and this compresses and stabilises the lumbar spine. When the TLF is under tension, the Erector Spinae (ES) and Multifidus (MF) muscle groups compress and are encouraged to contract and resist spinal flexion.
Intra-abdominal Pressure Mechanism (IAP)
Contraction of the TA, IO, MF and ES muscles exerts forces on the rectus muscle sheath – this is the sheath that encloses the Rectus Abdominus (RA) muscles. The RA muscle group attaches to the IO and TA, surrounding the abdomen, and when all of these muscles are contracted together, the exertion of these muscles creates intra-abdominal pressure within the abdomen (similar to a bag of air), that reduces compression and limits the shear forces on the lumbar spine. IAP has been shown to increase before weightlifting, or running, and therefore has a crucial role in lumbar stability.
Paraspinal muscles
These muscles, such as the Interspinalas and Intertransversarii, exert an individual stabilizing effect on adjacent vertebrae, and act in a similar fashion to ligaments in the knee or elbow.
Deep lumbar muscles
Deep lumbar extensors, such as the MF, are active through a full range of movement of the lumbar spine, and during upper and lower limb movement. They can be trained to control the lumbar spine under motion at low forces and long timescales. These muscles are continually active.
Training
Deep, trunk muscles, act as stabilisers, and they do not induce movement. They are static and work through isometric contraction – the muscles stay the same length, but undergo tension upon activation. These core muscles work throughout the day, continuously, and need stamina, but at low forces (due to the isometric contraction). Core stability training therefore need not make these muscles very strong, but to recruit them and help them coordinate correctly and continuously, and to act neutrally – to keep the natural ‘S’ curve of the spine.
Here's a quote for you and you can use it as a thouoght for the day!
"We are different, in essence, from other men. If you want to win something, run 100 meters. If you want to experience something, run a marathon". Emil Zatopek
The running benefits of glucosamine and chondroitin.
Connective tissue in the joints is continually broken down through daily running use. Unfortunately, the body’s ability to manufacture glucosamine is not always efficient, which can cause problems in the rebuilding of cartilage in the joints.
Daily wear and tear on joints as a result of physical movement is inevitable and in the long term can lead to damaged cartilage, limited movement and in severe cases, osteoarthritis. Natural ageing also slows down the renewal process.
Tests have shown that glucosamine can help reduce damage to cartilage in the joints, reduce joint pain, and there is now a growing body of evidence showing it to be effective in easing the symptoms of osteoarthritis.
Glucosamine is an amino acid sugar that acts as the structural component of tendons, ligaments, and cartilage. Chondroitin is a component of cartilage. When taken together, these two supplements protect joints and tendons and relieve osteoarthritis pain.
In the past few years, orthopedists and other physicians have increasingly advised patients to take both glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate to ease the inflammation and pain of osteoarthritis, a degenerative joint condition caused by overuse, traumatic injury, or old age. One of the hallmarks of osteoarthritis is an erosion of the cartilage that cushions your joints. Chondrocytes – the cells in your joints that make cartilage – need glucosamine to function optimally. According to several studies, about 1,500 milligrams each of supplemental glucosamine and chondroitin daily helps soothe pain, possibly by stimulating cartilage growth. Animal studies also suggest that supplemental glucosamine may speed the repair of injured joints.
Glucosamine also helps produce substances in ligaments, tendons, and joint fluids called glycoproteins, so it may speed healing in those areas as well.
If you suffer with diabetes consult your Doctor if you want to give glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate a try. Diabetics who took glucosamine experienced lower insulin sensitivity and blood sugar control, so just run it by your Doc first if you have diabetes. If you decide to take glucosamine and chondroitin supplements, take 1,200 to 1,500 milligrams of each per day.
Daily wear and tear on joints as a result of physical movement is inevitable and in the long term can lead to damaged cartilage, limited movement and in severe cases, osteoarthritis. Natural ageing also slows down the renewal process.
Tests have shown that glucosamine can help reduce damage to cartilage in the joints, reduce joint pain, and there is now a growing body of evidence showing it to be effective in easing the symptoms of osteoarthritis.
Glucosamine is an amino acid sugar that acts as the structural component of tendons, ligaments, and cartilage. Chondroitin is a component of cartilage. When taken together, these two supplements protect joints and tendons and relieve osteoarthritis pain.
In the past few years, orthopedists and other physicians have increasingly advised patients to take both glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate to ease the inflammation and pain of osteoarthritis, a degenerative joint condition caused by overuse, traumatic injury, or old age. One of the hallmarks of osteoarthritis is an erosion of the cartilage that cushions your joints. Chondrocytes – the cells in your joints that make cartilage – need glucosamine to function optimally. According to several studies, about 1,500 milligrams each of supplemental glucosamine and chondroitin daily helps soothe pain, possibly by stimulating cartilage growth. Animal studies also suggest that supplemental glucosamine may speed the repair of injured joints.
Glucosamine also helps produce substances in ligaments, tendons, and joint fluids called glycoproteins, so it may speed healing in those areas as well.
If you suffer with diabetes consult your Doctor if you want to give glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate a try. Diabetics who took glucosamine experienced lower insulin sensitivity and blood sugar control, so just run it by your Doc first if you have diabetes. If you decide to take glucosamine and chondroitin supplements, take 1,200 to 1,500 milligrams of each per day.
The Benefits of Cross Training for Distance Runners
Distance runners all over the world are beginning to add cross training workouts into their weekly training routine. Does cross training help you as a distance runner? The law of specificity insists that the most appropriate workouts for any athlete are those that match their goal. In the case of distance runners that means the most valuable workouts are distance running specific workouts. That may suggest that cross training workouts are of no value to distance runners. While running workouts are by far the most important ones for improving your distance running performance, some cross training workouts do provide you with valuable benefits that will improve your performance as a distance runner.
How can cross training improve your distance running performance? Cross training won't directly improve your endurance, stamina or speed but there are several indirect ways it will make you a better distance runner.
Improved Strength and Power
In my opinion the most valuable type of cross training is strength training. A properly designed strength training program will improve your running strength, power, muscle elasticity and running economy. There have been many recent studies showing that strength training will improve your performance in all race distances from the mile to the marathon.
More Quality Workouts
Most of your gains in VO2 max, vVO2 max, lactate threshold and speed are gained through high intensity running. Unfortunately you can't run hard every day. You need easy running days or recovery days to allow time for your body, mind and muscles to recovery and strengthen. That's were some high intensity cross training comes into play. While your overtaxed running muscles may not be able to tolerate consecutive hard runs you may be able to hop on your bike for a hard training ride between hard running sessions. The high intensity cycling workout will help improve your fitness while using fresher muscles that weren't abused during your hard training run.
Active Recovery
Cross training shouldn't always be high intensity. There are times when you need total body recovery. After a 22 mile long run or a brutal interval session your body may need a couple of days of recovery. Do you need total rest? Maybe not. Instead of total rest you could hop on your bike for an easy endurance ride, jump in the pool for a relaxing swim or schedule a game of tennis with your running buddy. The active recovery will burn some calories and also assist with muscle recovery.
Active Rehabilitation
No one wants to suffer from a running injury but they are almost inevitable. When you're injured you need to back off on your running until your injury is rehabilitated. During that time off your fitness and endurance can suffer while your body fat levels creep up. A good way to avoid weight gains and decreases in fitness during injury rehabilitation is to do some cross training. Pick a cross training activity that doesn't place stress on your injured muscles or body parts. Cycling, swimming and deep water running are usually good choices.
Decreased Body Fat
There is no question that excessive body fat weight can have an adverse affect on your running performance. If you don't believe it go out for a 6 mile run wearing a 10 pound running vest! The problem with losing weight as a distance runner is you must do it while maintaining appropriate nutritional levels. That means dieting is out of the question. So, you need to burn additional calories. Cross training gives you an efficient way to burn extra calories while still getting enough recovery between hard running workouts.
Improved Muscle Balance
Distance runners tend to have highly developed hamstring and calf muscles with under developed quadriceps muscles. Muscle imbalances can cause problems with your posture and running mechanics. Cycling is an excellent way to build up the strength of your quadriceps muscles and avoid muscle imbalance. Strength training is also a great way to keep your muscles in balance.
Injury Resistance
There are two advantages to strong muscles in terms of injury resistance. First, strong muscle fibers are more resistant to strains. Second, stronger more powerful muscles provide more support to your joints. Strength training is one of the best ways to improve the strength of your muscles and help be a more injury resistant runner. Not only will strength training build your muscle strength but it will also improve the strength and injury resistance of your bones and connective tissues.
How can cross training improve your distance running performance? Cross training won't directly improve your endurance, stamina or speed but there are several indirect ways it will make you a better distance runner.
Improved Strength and Power
In my opinion the most valuable type of cross training is strength training. A properly designed strength training program will improve your running strength, power, muscle elasticity and running economy. There have been many recent studies showing that strength training will improve your performance in all race distances from the mile to the marathon.
More Quality Workouts
Most of your gains in VO2 max, vVO2 max, lactate threshold and speed are gained through high intensity running. Unfortunately you can't run hard every day. You need easy running days or recovery days to allow time for your body, mind and muscles to recovery and strengthen. That's were some high intensity cross training comes into play. While your overtaxed running muscles may not be able to tolerate consecutive hard runs you may be able to hop on your bike for a hard training ride between hard running sessions. The high intensity cycling workout will help improve your fitness while using fresher muscles that weren't abused during your hard training run.
Active Recovery
Cross training shouldn't always be high intensity. There are times when you need total body recovery. After a 22 mile long run or a brutal interval session your body may need a couple of days of recovery. Do you need total rest? Maybe not. Instead of total rest you could hop on your bike for an easy endurance ride, jump in the pool for a relaxing swim or schedule a game of tennis with your running buddy. The active recovery will burn some calories and also assist with muscle recovery.
Active Rehabilitation
No one wants to suffer from a running injury but they are almost inevitable. When you're injured you need to back off on your running until your injury is rehabilitated. During that time off your fitness and endurance can suffer while your body fat levels creep up. A good way to avoid weight gains and decreases in fitness during injury rehabilitation is to do some cross training. Pick a cross training activity that doesn't place stress on your injured muscles or body parts. Cycling, swimming and deep water running are usually good choices.
Decreased Body Fat
There is no question that excessive body fat weight can have an adverse affect on your running performance. If you don't believe it go out for a 6 mile run wearing a 10 pound running vest! The problem with losing weight as a distance runner is you must do it while maintaining appropriate nutritional levels. That means dieting is out of the question. So, you need to burn additional calories. Cross training gives you an efficient way to burn extra calories while still getting enough recovery between hard running workouts.
Improved Muscle Balance
Distance runners tend to have highly developed hamstring and calf muscles with under developed quadriceps muscles. Muscle imbalances can cause problems with your posture and running mechanics. Cycling is an excellent way to build up the strength of your quadriceps muscles and avoid muscle imbalance. Strength training is also a great way to keep your muscles in balance.
Injury Resistance
There are two advantages to strong muscles in terms of injury resistance. First, strong muscle fibers are more resistant to strains. Second, stronger more powerful muscles provide more support to your joints. Strength training is one of the best ways to improve the strength of your muscles and help be a more injury resistant runner. Not only will strength training build your muscle strength but it will also improve the strength and injury resistance of your bones and connective tissues.
How to Run Your Best in Your 40s
Whether your incentive is winning your age group or earning a whole new set of PB's, running not only allows you to age gracefully, it enables you to redefine aging. While your friends dread the big "4-oh, no!" you can say, bring it on. Still, if you want to stay healthy and keep accumulating finishers' medals, you do need to realize that you aren't the young colt you once were. Watch your mileage, take rest days, and cross-train, strength train, and stretch regularly.
Your Strengths
You can continue to take pride in your Lance-like resting heart rate, which won't change as you age. Though your heart rate declines a bit (somewhere between .7 and 1 beat a year), its influence on your performance is minimal. As with every decade, VO2 max continues to dictate how effectively you can push the pace. At least one element that determines VO2 max is out of your control—your heart's pumping ability naturally slows.
However, you do have influence over three other factors: your muscle mass (the more muscle, the higher your max), body composition (the more fat, the lower it is), and training frequency and intensity (the less you push, the more it falls). This means you can offset the drop of your VO2 max with strength training and speedwork. The payoff? Not only can you reign over your local masters division, but you'll also surpass runners half your age. You also have a secret weapon: your hard-earned savvy. "People underestimate the cognitive part of running, but mental toughness isn't genetic—it's honed through experience," says sports psychologist Bradley Young, Ph.D.
Your Weaknesses
Starting at age 40, your kidneys are less likely to conserve water as you dehydrate. And the nerves in your mouth and throat that tell you you're thirsty don't function as well. So remember to hit the water stops in races and carry a bottle while training. Bones are deteriorating faster than they're forming. The loss hits women harder (from 30 until menopause, women lose one percent a year), but men aren't immune. Researchers studied the bone density of runners' spines and found that males had similar density losses as females. Take note: Those who strength trained had the best density scores.
Exercise Rx
Midlife crisis have you reaching for your Asics for the first time in years? Give yourself time to get into the groove. "If you start running too fast or too much, you're inviting injuries," says Bill Roberts, M.D., the medical director for the Twin Cities Marathon in Minneapolis, who recommends two to four years of regular running before taking on a marathon. "The earlier, the longer, and the more consistently you run, the more resistant you are to injury." Runners who have been faithfully lacing up their shoes for decades need to watch out for the I'm-old-so-I'm-slow trap. Throw in some intervals to remind your muscles and your mind that you still have a fourth (or fifth) gear.
Nutrition Rx
"As you age, every calorie should be as nutrient-dense as possible," says nutritionist Lisa Dorfman. Replace white carbs—bread, pasta, rice—with whole-wheat versions. If you're starting to feel some aches and pains, especially in your knees, consider taking the joint supplements glucosamine and chondroitin. Studies have shown that consuming 1500 milligrams (mg) of glucosamine and 1200 mg of chondroitin daily can ease joint pain, says Dorfman.
Your Strengths
You can continue to take pride in your Lance-like resting heart rate, which won't change as you age. Though your heart rate declines a bit (somewhere between .7 and 1 beat a year), its influence on your performance is minimal. As with every decade, VO2 max continues to dictate how effectively you can push the pace. At least one element that determines VO2 max is out of your control—your heart's pumping ability naturally slows.
However, you do have influence over three other factors: your muscle mass (the more muscle, the higher your max), body composition (the more fat, the lower it is), and training frequency and intensity (the less you push, the more it falls). This means you can offset the drop of your VO2 max with strength training and speedwork. The payoff? Not only can you reign over your local masters division, but you'll also surpass runners half your age. You also have a secret weapon: your hard-earned savvy. "People underestimate the cognitive part of running, but mental toughness isn't genetic—it's honed through experience," says sports psychologist Bradley Young, Ph.D.
Your Weaknesses
Starting at age 40, your kidneys are less likely to conserve water as you dehydrate. And the nerves in your mouth and throat that tell you you're thirsty don't function as well. So remember to hit the water stops in races and carry a bottle while training. Bones are deteriorating faster than they're forming. The loss hits women harder (from 30 until menopause, women lose one percent a year), but men aren't immune. Researchers studied the bone density of runners' spines and found that males had similar density losses as females. Take note: Those who strength trained had the best density scores.
Exercise Rx
Midlife crisis have you reaching for your Asics for the first time in years? Give yourself time to get into the groove. "If you start running too fast or too much, you're inviting injuries," says Bill Roberts, M.D., the medical director for the Twin Cities Marathon in Minneapolis, who recommends two to four years of regular running before taking on a marathon. "The earlier, the longer, and the more consistently you run, the more resistant you are to injury." Runners who have been faithfully lacing up their shoes for decades need to watch out for the I'm-old-so-I'm-slow trap. Throw in some intervals to remind your muscles and your mind that you still have a fourth (or fifth) gear.
Nutrition Rx
"As you age, every calorie should be as nutrient-dense as possible," says nutritionist Lisa Dorfman. Replace white carbs—bread, pasta, rice—with whole-wheat versions. If you're starting to feel some aches and pains, especially in your knees, consider taking the joint supplements glucosamine and chondroitin. Studies have shown that consuming 1500 milligrams (mg) of glucosamine and 1200 mg of chondroitin daily can ease joint pain, says Dorfman.
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