Since the weekend I received another email regarding running and performance from one of our fitness bootcamp members that went like this…
“Hi Mike - hope you’re having a good weekend? Just thought I’d let you know that I ran a half marathon today in 1hr 56mins - a PB at half marathon distance for me by miles. I found the pace I ran fairly comfortable throughout the race with no points where I felt I was struggling - in fact I’m pretty sure I sped up in the last hour as I kept taking over people right through the second part of the race. Also recovery is way better than normal - I feel almost fine now and only finished the race at about 12:30pm. Thanks so much - a massive part of this is down to Bootcamp and following your nutrition advice!”
I get messages or have conversations like this a lot from members of bootcamp, coaching clients and others who use my recommendations. Over the last couple of months especially; I’ve had similar messages and conversations with people that have changed their approach to training for a long distance run whether it be from a fun runner competing in anything over a 10k or a more serious runner/triathlete competing in their chosen event and as a result have made even more progress in their chosen event.
On the other side of the fence I have also had discussions and experiences with those that are doing what I would call “old school” type training for any of these 10k, half and full marathon events whereby it pretty much ALL consists of long slow runs of varying distances. This can vary from 1-2 runs a week of trying to just up the amount of time spent jogging or the distance covered to the “short, medium and long” runs that many running magazines or internet sites advocate when you are doing your first long distance run.
In an overwhelming majority of these cases; the same people have also complained of injury, pain, discomfort and a lack of progress. I’m talking about problems with the knee and ankle especially and sometimes back discomfort of varying degrees from aches to painful symptoms that prevent training.
That might seem quite staggering when you think that the law of specificity says that in order to get any better in any activity; you must practice that skill. What I am about to tell you is that while running should 100% be part of your training regime when getting ready for any event described; it should not be your overwhelming deciding factor as to how you train and then how well you perform and recover. Your running component of a training regime is still required to build up an aerobic capacity and tolerance in the discipline but it should not have the time and volume that you think it should in order to perform better.
At this point I’ll give a quick mention to two other groups that practice a lot of running. First off; many people that try to lose weight and get into shape will head to the streets and the treadmill. People reading this that fall into this category will also benefit from what I’m about to say. Again I have loads of stories of people who have changed their training regime to fit this goal but we are not going to be talking about revving up the metabolism or working with stress to maximise fat loss.
The second group is any other athlete or sportsperson; amateur or professional that may do a lot of runs in or out of season to improve fitness and performance. While what I’m discussing is definitely more relevant to these groups than the fat loss population; it is runners specifically that I’m talking about.
Most “old school” practices of fitness and performance via running will do one thing all the time – to up the volume more and more within a run and across a series of runs over a given training cycle but what this does in my experience is put more and more stress on joints that do not recover leading first of all to less mobility in the ankle.
As a kinetic chain specialist I know this triggers events further up the skeleton that leads to more discomfort in the knee and lower back which become more mobile and rigid respectively. What you infact see is a complete reversal in what the functionality of each joint should be.
An ankle joint that should be mobile becomes rigid and stable – tight and less functional
A knee joint that should be stable tries to become more mobile and painful
The lumbar area (lower back) that should be relatively stable becomes more mobile and painful
More discomfort and a lack of function in your proper bio-mechanics are not exactly going to get you to perform better!
Furthermore; while “old school” runs and jogs will make you fitter there are far better ways to improve your time/ability to cover a distance that mean less road time and less chance of acute and chronic injury.
I come across lots of studies in my research that show other forms of training outside of “old school” training are far superior when it comes to promoting greater levels of fitness and results and while my time in the trenches using the tools I’ll tell you about in a moment with my clientele show beyond doubt how successful they are; here are some excerpts from a couple of those reviews/studies.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18978605
J Strength Cond Res. 2008 Nov;22(6):2036-44.
The effects of resistance training on endurance distance running performance among highly trained runners: a systematic review.
The purpose of this review was to search the body of scientific literature for original research addressing the effects of concurrent resistance and endurance training (CT) on distance running performance in highly competitive endurance runners.
Five studies met inclusion criteria: highly trained runners (>or= 30 mile x wk(-1) or >or= 5 d x wk(-1)), CT intervention for a period >or= 6 weeks, performance distance between 3K and 42.2K.
Four of the five studies employed sport-specific, explosive resistance training, whereas one study used traditional heavy weight resistance training. Two of the five studies measured 2.9% improved performance (3K and 5K), and all five studies measured 4.6% improved running economy (RE; range = 3-8.1%). After critically reviewing the literature for the impact of CT on high-level runners, we conclude that resistance training likely has a positive effect on endurance running performance or RE.
Reading between the lines; advanced athletes were getting significant gains so what would that mean for everyone else where their potential is rarely reached as much as the population studied here.
A study performing tests on a bike showed greater increases in VO2 Max (oxygen uptake and how fitness is measured) from groups performing short intervals of a high intensity with short periods of rest between while regular endurance training showed an increase but not as much.
And the best study I’ve seen from 10 years ago showed that combining resistance and endurance for periods of high intensity followed by periods of rest again had far superior improvements in VO2 Max and performance than either long slow distance or hard endurance training alone.
I could go on (I’ll probably post a few links in the comments section); I have several more studies that look at both males and females; average Joes and Jane’s and the athlete and the results were all the same as what I experience on a weekly basis; that to improve endurance and performance you must train the muscular system intensely.
The improvements like the lady at the top of this article are common news these days and for a lot of people it also is important to understand that far less time is required with far less incidence of injury occurring because of the drop in jogging time.
Resistance training for the muscular system can be conducted using bodyweight and free weights to work muscle strength and anaerobic endurance. In a perfect set of circumstances I would train both in a way that we commonly refer to metabolic resistance training (repeated periods of hard work and rest intervals) and also testing closer to maximal strength (where free weights are the preferred method because bodyweight may not be enough).
Further tips would be to big movements that work the whole body including the posterior chain (bums and back of thigh) and the core region. This could be in the form of one exercise (for strength) to supersets and circuits (for anaerobic endurance).
Performing high intensity interval training in traditional cardio exercises like running and cycling as well as bodyweight drills will be far superior to performing a short, medium and long run (or lots of regular distance runs) and reduce impact on the joints by paying more attention to the muscular system. I would obviously still perform some running to build up tolerance and distance but I’ve seen that by using more resistance training as described; any person will start to perform these runs faster and with a better style that promotes an efficient use of the whole muscular system; in particular the posterior chain of glutes and hamstrings with less impact on the lower back region.
Like I say; these methods have not just come from research but been tried and tested in the trenches with client and camp members ranging from fun runners to serious club runners and from footballers to hockey players and from a triathlete to a first time marathon runner and even myself.
The time for traditional cardio training like running is fast becoming a poorer, less informed choice when we can get more benefit and progress from forms of training that place less joint stress because of fewer repetitions, require less time and get more results.
PS Registration for next months bootcamp is almost over. Whether you want to lose inches or improve your 10k time; your first 4 weeks at Manchesters finest fitness bootcamp will get results quicker than anything else you’ve ever done.
