Strength Training

I do have a road bike. I do not have the amount of free time needed to use it properly. Plenty of research suggests the merits of cycling as cross training for fellrunners, obvious cardiovascular benefits and so forth. However my 40 min - 1 hour decent run needs to be twice that to burn the same amount of Kcals or capture the same physiological response when cycling, time I do not have.




Back in Oct 2011 was my last post and it's been an interesting few months. I've seen steady improvement at the club runs but missed out on 3 races with the recurring calf debacle! Last week we did a night score at the club which was quality but destroyed the calf in the last mile or so sprint back to MCC to get in before the time limit and I havent run since....


However I've not been idle in this time!


I've been thinking about cross-training I can do when I'm injured, and then more specifically, strength training. I've also had a look at Crossfit and alot of these functional strength training initiatives, whilst it does seem to make sense and I can relate to the functional aspects of the training as well as the high intensity workouts; I find that a) My gym isn't really suitable b) When I'm recovering from a calf strain a lot of the movements are too difficult/painful and c) There is potential to feel a bit daft doing it in public.


So what's the alternative? At uni my dissertation focused on the impact of resistance training on anaerobic threshold but centred on the typical low weight-high reps premise, I wanted to know something different. For various reasons I'd come to the recent conclusion that I was lacking strength and  set about on a bit of literature research that has led me to believe that strength training shouldnt be a dirty word to distance runners but something that provides an accesible, achievable and worthwhile alternative session in our training diary.


Recent research is conflicting between the importance (or not in this case) of functional movement in strength training. Plenty of research suggests that strength training and in some cases heavy strebgth training has positive implications for endurance athletes. Namely injury prevention and running economy (leading to reduction in O2 consumption). Despite the recent boom in functional activities latest developments are in fact suggesting that there is no benefit to endurance training from functional movements above regular strength training, to the point that distance runners would be better advised to try and increase strength of  muscles in the most effective way they can and that this strength improvement is what transfers to running performance and not neuro-muscular patterns.


That's not to say that some of the recent developments such as kettlebell workouts and going back to the old school style of battle ropes, tyre pulls, prowlers etc isn't good for certain aspects of sports performance, it's just that for those with limited time or a limited like of doing anything that isnt fellrunning, there are better options for us! Furthermore, traditional forms of strength training such as leg extensions or curls are usually low-impact, low-aerobic activities that will do what it says on the tin, maximising the amount of time you are focusing on strength training and making a more efficient workout. Therefore if you can only committ to one or maybe 2 resistance or gym workouts a week, this is the one you should be doing!


To me this makes sense, particularly for fell running, leg strength is required for steep climbs and the stronger your legs are then the fewer motor units the muscle group needs to recruit  to make the required movement, all in all meaning less work to get you up the hill, simples! The functional aspect is not required because our legs are being taught to run with all the miles we put in!


So this is what I propose, I aim to complete the following session that I found on the http://www.discoverstrength.com/ website at least once to twice per week, nothing fancy, nothing new, just good old fashioned strength exercises and see what happens, have a go yourself, these workouts can be done in less than 30 mins at probably every gym in the country, so no excuses!


Select between 8-12 exercises (depending on stage of training, previous training etc) that will target all the body's major muscle groups; chest, upper back, glutes, shoulders, quads, hamstrings and calfs (if you can!!). Do 1 set of 8-15 repetitions to momentary fatigue (i.e. the point where you think you can't do anymore reps but after a little rest you actually can!). Then move on to the next exercise and do it again until all exercises are completed.


Let me know if you have a go, happy training!