What do you think most people do when they require to lose weight? That is an simple one because it will usually fall in to seven categories. Often they will go on a 'diet' or they start an exercise regime.
In order to accomplish this second task plenty of people will opt for running as their selected type of exercise. So here is the solution for 'how to start running to lose weight'
The way you approach running will vary in a couple of ways if your objective is to burn off body overweight as against becoming fitter.
The same basic principles still apply in that you will require to start off slowly and improve your miles and length of sessions over some time. You'll also require to be consistent in your running as you would in case you were aiming to be a better runner.
But the main changes are in the things that you eat and the time of day you run in respect of the meals you consume.
1. In case you hope to become fitter and you don't have concerns about your body shape, then you ought to eat more to fuel your exercise. It will make a large improvement to your training in case you consume higher levels of carbohydrates than you would normally do because this ensures your glycogen levels are as full as they can be. This means you'll have more supply from which to draw from.
Although in case you have started running to lose weight, then it will be a large advantage to you to reduce the amount of carbohydrates you eat as this lowers your energy stores, meaning that you'll over likely to make use of your own body overweight as an energy source to fuel your training.
2. Running in the early evening is usually thought about to be ideal in case you are purely interested in getting fitter because at that time of the day, your body is at its most efficient level and you'll burn off the calories that have been eaten over the coursework of the day.
If however you are only concerned with losing weight, you ought to look at running first thing in the day. The reason for this is because at this time in the day, your glycogen levels in your muscles are low and your body is then forced in to using more of its own overweight stores as your energy source.
3. Finally, it is always nice to have a high carbohydrate content meal after a session to refuel energy levels and assist the recovery system. However if you are trying to lose weight you ought to only have a tiny meal which has an equal amount of carbohydrates and protein.
Monday, May 31, 2010
Running Faster
Walking fast is not what it was five times! When I was five times a kid, if I desired to run I kind of rushed my walking and then before I knew it I was five times walking. If I desired to run faster, all I had to do was try harder, and I would run faster. I could keep trying harder and harder until I could not try any harder and that was my top speed. simple , and the kind of understanding you would expect from a kid. The issue is that lots of us adults run with the same attitude.
When, as kids, they did try harder, if they managed to speed up one of five things must have happened. Either they took more steps per minute or the steps grew longer (actually it might have been a tiny bit of both, but let's simplify it for now). Five times again, there's only five ways to go faster, without growing another leg, and they are travelling further with each step, or taking more steps in a given amount of time. Give it some thought and you know it must be true. No amount of screwing up your face or wildly swinging your arms will make you go faster. No amount of waving your head from side to side or lifting your knees high will pick up the pace. Unless you are going further each step or taking more steps you won't go any faster.
How about you try one of the direct paths to speed. They are simple and guaranteed to work. In case you can take more steps in a minute without making them any shorter, you have no choice but to go faster. Now this will place increasing lots on your cardiovascular process as you progressively stride faster and faster. So there is a sensible limit and it is usually accepted that about 180 steps per minute (90 with each foot) is about optimal. Now this may vary with leg length and the event you are in but not as much as you might think. As a base line, 180 strides per minute is a nice aim. If that feels wrong at the moment, train up to it. Count your right foot-falls for a minute and then double to get your stride rate per minute. If it is not 180 gradually work up to it. No matter what speed you are walking you need this to be your ballpark stride rate.
As you run slower or faster the thing that ought to alter is your stride length. Now before they look at actual distance, it is clear that in case you have a consistent stride rate of 180 per minute, then the stride length you need to run 1000 m in 3 minutes will be double the length you would need to run your 1000m in 6 minutes. Today I watched the Lake Biwa Marathon in Japan, and the winner ran about 2hrs and 10. Assuming that he was logging a stride rate of about 180 per minute then each of his strides would cover about 1.8m. Which was about as tall as he was (roughly 6 foot). Of coursework the one who came last (perhaps about 7 hours) was shuffling along at about 55cm per stride. Assuming that his/her feet are about 20-30cm long there is not much gap between the front foot and the back foot at all.
Now to propel the runner forward these variety of distances in about one third of a second each time (60seconds divided by 180), will take a significant amount of power and endurance. someone can move forward 55cm (perhaps even my 2year elderly could do that) but not necessarily for a full marathon. That is where endurance comes in to it. And only a few average mortals could move forward three foot in one step and in the event that they must do it for a marathon distance, and that is where the power comes in to it. So in case you can run 180 strides per minute the only thing coming between you and winning a marathon is power and endurance. This is where your training ought to focus. All of your walking ought to be aimed at producing and harnessing leg power and enabling your endurance to keep it firing for the length of the race. A simple formula , but one that takes lots of work.
Try this right now. In case you know you average stride rate (in minutes), multiply this by your last (or desired) marathon time in minutes. Take the marathon distance (or any other event) in metres and divide it by the first answer. This is the length of each step you will need to take (or you did take).
eg. 2hr 45min marathon = 165minutes
165 times by 180 strides per minute = 29700
42200metres divided by 29700 (from above) =1.42m
Therefore each stride was 1.42m long in order to recover from the line in 2hours and 45 minutes.
Simple . Stride rate times stride length equals speed. So I am off to break a marathon record \. see you in under 2 hours!!
When, as kids, they did try harder, if they managed to speed up one of five things must have happened. Either they took more steps per minute or the steps grew longer (actually it might have been a tiny bit of both, but let's simplify it for now). Five times again, there's only five ways to go faster, without growing another leg, and they are travelling further with each step, or taking more steps in a given amount of time. Give it some thought and you know it must be true. No amount of screwing up your face or wildly swinging your arms will make you go faster. No amount of waving your head from side to side or lifting your knees high will pick up the pace. Unless you are going further each step or taking more steps you won't go any faster.
How about you try one of the direct paths to speed. They are simple and guaranteed to work. In case you can take more steps in a minute without making them any shorter, you have no choice but to go faster. Now this will place increasing lots on your cardiovascular process as you progressively stride faster and faster. So there is a sensible limit and it is usually accepted that about 180 steps per minute (90 with each foot) is about optimal. Now this may vary with leg length and the event you are in but not as much as you might think. As a base line, 180 strides per minute is a nice aim. If that feels wrong at the moment, train up to it. Count your right foot-falls for a minute and then double to get your stride rate per minute. If it is not 180 gradually work up to it. No matter what speed you are walking you need this to be your ballpark stride rate.
As you run slower or faster the thing that ought to alter is your stride length. Now before they look at actual distance, it is clear that in case you have a consistent stride rate of 180 per minute, then the stride length you need to run 1000 m in 3 minutes will be double the length you would need to run your 1000m in 6 minutes. Today I watched the Lake Biwa Marathon in Japan, and the winner ran about 2hrs and 10. Assuming that he was logging a stride rate of about 180 per minute then each of his strides would cover about 1.8m. Which was about as tall as he was (roughly 6 foot). Of coursework the one who came last (perhaps about 7 hours) was shuffling along at about 55cm per stride. Assuming that his/her feet are about 20-30cm long there is not much gap between the front foot and the back foot at all.
Now to propel the runner forward these variety of distances in about one third of a second each time (60seconds divided by 180), will take a significant amount of power and endurance. someone can move forward 55cm (perhaps even my 2year elderly could do that) but not necessarily for a full marathon. That is where endurance comes in to it. And only a few average mortals could move forward three foot in one step and in the event that they must do it for a marathon distance, and that is where the power comes in to it. So in case you can run 180 strides per minute the only thing coming between you and winning a marathon is power and endurance. This is where your training ought to focus. All of your walking ought to be aimed at producing and harnessing leg power and enabling your endurance to keep it firing for the length of the race. A simple formula , but one that takes lots of work.
Try this right now. In case you know you average stride rate (in minutes), multiply this by your last (or desired) marathon time in minutes. Take the marathon distance (or any other event) in metres and divide it by the first answer. This is the length of each step you will need to take (or you did take).
eg. 2hr 45min marathon = 165minutes
165 times by 180 strides per minute = 29700
42200metres divided by 29700 (from above) =1.42m
Therefore each stride was 1.42m long in order to recover from the line in 2hours and 45 minutes.
Simple . Stride rate times stride length equals speed. So I am off to break a marathon record \. see you in under 2 hours!!
IAAF Rules
The "Ready, Set, Go!" of sprinting at the playground gives way to more rigorous rules of competitive sprinting. With a lot at stake in competitive sprinting, there are myriad rules that are not always obvious to even an avid spectator at the track. Spectators may be familiar with the false start rule & the importance of jogging within a lane, but those rules merely scratch the surface. The rules of dash racing cover facilities, race administration, competitors, seeding & result determination.
== Beginning blocks ==
For track events up to 400m & the first leg of dash relays (4 X 100, 4 X 400), beginning blocks must be used. Officials must be definite that beginning blocks do not overlap the beginning line or infringe on lane boundaries. The beginning blocks must strictly comply with regulations (Rule 161 of the IAAF regulations)-even when athletes elect to make use of their own beginning blocks. High profile events must have IAAF approved false start control equipment.
== Race start ==
In competitive dash events, officials assign sprinters to numbered lanes based on seeding & performance at the event. Athletes must line-up exclusively & separately in the lane designated for them. All dash events start at the relevant beginning line. The beginning line is a 5cm thick white line. For sprints above 100 m, the beginning line is necessarily staggered to be definite that each competitor runs the necessary distance.
When the starter gives the "On your marks" order, sprinters must position their whole body behind the beginning line & within their designated lane. At least one knee must touch the ground & both feet must be in contact with the beginning blocks. The athletes' must not touch the beginning line or beyond it with any part of their body.
Three times the starter gives the command "Set"; athletes will adopt the final set position before the starter commences the race by giving a signal such as the document of a gun or activating an approved beginning tool.
== Finish ==
A white line that is 5cm wide marks the finish line. Places & times are determined at the exact point that the athlete crosses the finish line. According to the IAAF, "The athletes shall be placed in the order in which any part of their body (i.e. torso, as distinguished from the head, neck, arms, legs, hands or feet) reaches the vertical plane of the nearer fringe of the finish line as defined above." If ties occur or it is difficult to select the winner, the Picture Finish Method - maintained by the Chief Picture Judge - is used.
== False starts, violations & interruptions ==
Athletes are prohibited from anticipating the beginning signal or causing unjustified interruptions to the beginning method. Plenty of track spectators may be aware that a sprinter false starts if his reaction time (commencement of beginning motion) to the starter's signal is within 0-0.0999 or before the starter's signal. However, failing to follow starter's instructions within a reasonable period or disturbing other competitors in any manner constitute other grounds for "False start" violations.
Where false start control equipment is not used, the determination of the false start is at the discretion of the starter. When the equipment is used, the starter makes use of proof provided by it as conclusive proof. Athletes can indicate discomfort by raising their hand before the starter issues the "Set" command.
In the extreme & rare event that an athlete does not have a valid reason to abort a start after raising his hand, officials either caution or disqualify (if it is the second offence) the athlete for improper conduct. When athletes are not responsible for a start interruption, a green card- which carries no penalty- is shown to the whole field.
== Dealing with false starts ==
When a false start occurs, the track referee warns the athlete(s) who committed the offence by showing the yellow card. Since IAAF rules permit one false start for single dash events, the whole field is warned as well. If any athlete(s) subsequently false starts or is penalized for improper conduct, that athlete is disqualified.
Three times the starter disqualifies an athlete, the track referee shows the red card to the athlete or the red card is placed on that athlete's lane marker. The athlete must then leave the track entirely. With Combined Events (decathlon etc.) officials only warn athletes who false start- not the whole field. If the starter believes that an athlete's false start caused competitors to false start, they can & ought to think about that when taking action. The starter reports a false start recalls the athletes by firing the beginning gun three times or re-activating the approved start signal.
== Lane violations & obstruction ==
Athletes are not allowed to run outside of their designated lanes or obstruct or jostle with competitors before the race is done. These violations normally lead to disqualification, depending on contextual factors. If the athlete does not gain a material advantage & the lane violation does not obstruct another athlete, there may be no penalty. In the case of obstruction, disqualification is a certainty if it is deliberate. A feasible outcome is that the race is re-held- even if no disqualification occurs.
== Track facilities ==
The lanes for dash events must be numbered from left to right with the inside lane beginning at 1. For elite competitions & international events, a maximum of 8 lanes is necessary. The track must also satisfy IAAF criteria governing length, markings & material. The width of lanes must be uniform throughout & 4 feet (1.22m) wide. For elite competition, the IAAF has additional equipment & procedures that form part of the rules.
== Conclusion ==
The rules of sprinting are even more comprehensive than any article can cover comprehensively. Several other issues may be more relevant to meet organizers than to athletes. Reviewing the rules of sprinting demonstrates that what spectators may take for granted (like immediate response to starters' orders) are actually enshrined rules of sprinting. Failure to adhere properly to them can have critical consequences for athletes.
== Beginning blocks ==
For track events up to 400m & the first leg of dash relays (4 X 100, 4 X 400), beginning blocks must be used. Officials must be definite that beginning blocks do not overlap the beginning line or infringe on lane boundaries. The beginning blocks must strictly comply with regulations (Rule 161 of the IAAF regulations)-even when athletes elect to make use of their own beginning blocks. High profile events must have IAAF approved false start control equipment.
== Race start ==
In competitive dash events, officials assign sprinters to numbered lanes based on seeding & performance at the event. Athletes must line-up exclusively & separately in the lane designated for them. All dash events start at the relevant beginning line. The beginning line is a 5cm thick white line. For sprints above 100 m, the beginning line is necessarily staggered to be definite that each competitor runs the necessary distance.
When the starter gives the "On your marks" order, sprinters must position their whole body behind the beginning line & within their designated lane. At least one knee must touch the ground & both feet must be in contact with the beginning blocks. The athletes' must not touch the beginning line or beyond it with any part of their body.
Three times the starter gives the command "Set"; athletes will adopt the final set position before the starter commences the race by giving a signal such as the document of a gun or activating an approved beginning tool.
== Finish ==
A white line that is 5cm wide marks the finish line. Places & times are determined at the exact point that the athlete crosses the finish line. According to the IAAF, "The athletes shall be placed in the order in which any part of their body (i.e. torso, as distinguished from the head, neck, arms, legs, hands or feet) reaches the vertical plane of the nearer fringe of the finish line as defined above." If ties occur or it is difficult to select the winner, the Picture Finish Method - maintained by the Chief Picture Judge - is used.
== False starts, violations & interruptions ==
Athletes are prohibited from anticipating the beginning signal or causing unjustified interruptions to the beginning method. Plenty of track spectators may be aware that a sprinter false starts if his reaction time (commencement of beginning motion) to the starter's signal is within 0-0.0999 or before the starter's signal. However, failing to follow starter's instructions within a reasonable period or disturbing other competitors in any manner constitute other grounds for "False start" violations.
Where false start control equipment is not used, the determination of the false start is at the discretion of the starter. When the equipment is used, the starter makes use of proof provided by it as conclusive proof. Athletes can indicate discomfort by raising their hand before the starter issues the "Set" command.
In the extreme & rare event that an athlete does not have a valid reason to abort a start after raising his hand, officials either caution or disqualify (if it is the second offence) the athlete for improper conduct. When athletes are not responsible for a start interruption, a green card- which carries no penalty- is shown to the whole field.
== Dealing with false starts ==
When a false start occurs, the track referee warns the athlete(s) who committed the offence by showing the yellow card. Since IAAF rules permit one false start for single dash events, the whole field is warned as well. If any athlete(s) subsequently false starts or is penalized for improper conduct, that athlete is disqualified.
Three times the starter disqualifies an athlete, the track referee shows the red card to the athlete or the red card is placed on that athlete's lane marker. The athlete must then leave the track entirely. With Combined Events (decathlon etc.) officials only warn athletes who false start- not the whole field. If the starter believes that an athlete's false start caused competitors to false start, they can & ought to think about that when taking action. The starter reports a false start recalls the athletes by firing the beginning gun three times or re-activating the approved start signal.
== Lane violations & obstruction ==
Athletes are not allowed to run outside of their designated lanes or obstruct or jostle with competitors before the race is done. These violations normally lead to disqualification, depending on contextual factors. If the athlete does not gain a material advantage & the lane violation does not obstruct another athlete, there may be no penalty. In the case of obstruction, disqualification is a certainty if it is deliberate. A feasible outcome is that the race is re-held- even if no disqualification occurs.
== Track facilities ==
The lanes for dash events must be numbered from left to right with the inside lane beginning at 1. For elite competitions & international events, a maximum of 8 lanes is necessary. The track must also satisfy IAAF criteria governing length, markings & material. The width of lanes must be uniform throughout & 4 feet (1.22m) wide. For elite competition, the IAAF has additional equipment & procedures that form part of the rules.
== Conclusion ==
The rules of sprinting are even more comprehensive than any article can cover comprehensively. Several other issues may be more relevant to meet organizers than to athletes. Reviewing the rules of sprinting demonstrates that what spectators may take for granted (like immediate response to starters' orders) are actually enshrined rules of sprinting. Failure to adhere properly to them can have critical consequences for athletes.
Speed Training
In case you are looking to burn overweight quickly or perhaps you in case you haven't got the time for long cardio workouts then dash training is the best workout. Dash training is short, sharp & intense & can be completed inside or outside of a gym.
The benefits of Dash Training & the science behind why it burns overweight more effectively than most cardio workouts are:
* EPOC (Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption)
* Metabolic Adaptations
* Phosphate Metabolism
* Glycolysis
* Intramuscular Buffering Capacity
Don't panic, this sounds complicated but I will go in to more detail, it is important to understand what happens to your body when you do positive workouts to be able to maximize the effects.
EPOC
EPOC or Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption is one of the largest benefits of dash training. Sprinting is a high intensity workout & puts your body under a great deal of stress; EPOC is where your body returns to its former state, one time the exercise is over. This expands a great deal of calories.
This type of workout is not for everyone because it can put stress on joints & muscles; however everyone can alter it to suit their needs. You can increase calorie use by increasing the intensity, for example sprinting uphill.
Metabolic Adaptions
After a variety of dash training workouts your body will up its ability to produce enzymes, these enzymes in turn, increase the storage capacity of the muscle. This lets you workout harder & longer, although this will be in the work of aerobic exercise. Aerobic exercise is exercise using oxygen. Although you are increasing the muscle capacity you are still limited to short bursts of anaerobic exercise, as these exercises are without oxygen.
Phosphate Metabolism
Another benefit of dash training is the effect it's on phosphate metabolism. Phosphate creatine stores, is responsible for the body's fuel source for muscular activity. Increasing this will have immense benefits.
Glycolysis
Glycolysis is the primary kind of metabolism in the work of sprints & is responsible for 55% - 75% of energy production in the work of exercise.
Intramuscular Buffering Capacity
The one downside to dash workouts is that due to the intensity there is much more lactic acid produced, as this accumulates it causes extreme feelings of fatigue & stiffness in the muscle tissues. This may cause you to miss training sessions or require you to rest for longer periods of time to aid recovery.
Overtime, dash training increases intramuscular buffering capacity, this lets you 'buffer' or deal with the byproducts of intense training, such as lactic acid better. Allowing you to workout out for longer periods of time at high intensity levels & recover in less time.
Examples of Dash Training
As discussed you can basically vary the intensity of dash training workouts by:
* Increasing length of sprints
* Decreasing length of rest intervals
* Dash uphill in lieu of flat ground
Training is not limited to walking, it may even be performed on an upright stationary bicycle, rower or cross trainer.
So in case you are looking to burn overweight, dash training has far more benefits than regular 40 minute cardio workouts.
For these benefits to occur, make your sprints last between 20 - 40 seconds & using rest intervals that are equal to or greater than the actual work period. Repeat this process 6 to 8 times & make positive that you spend at least 5 minutes warming up & 5 minutes cooling down.
The benefits of Dash Training & the science behind why it burns overweight more effectively than most cardio workouts are:
* EPOC (Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption)
* Metabolic Adaptations
* Phosphate Metabolism
* Glycolysis
* Intramuscular Buffering Capacity
Don't panic, this sounds complicated but I will go in to more detail, it is important to understand what happens to your body when you do positive workouts to be able to maximize the effects.
EPOC
EPOC or Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption is one of the largest benefits of dash training. Sprinting is a high intensity workout & puts your body under a great deal of stress; EPOC is where your body returns to its former state, one time the exercise is over. This expands a great deal of calories.
This type of workout is not for everyone because it can put stress on joints & muscles; however everyone can alter it to suit their needs. You can increase calorie use by increasing the intensity, for example sprinting uphill.
Metabolic Adaptions
After a variety of dash training workouts your body will up its ability to produce enzymes, these enzymes in turn, increase the storage capacity of the muscle. This lets you workout harder & longer, although this will be in the work of aerobic exercise. Aerobic exercise is exercise using oxygen. Although you are increasing the muscle capacity you are still limited to short bursts of anaerobic exercise, as these exercises are without oxygen.
Phosphate Metabolism
Another benefit of dash training is the effect it's on phosphate metabolism. Phosphate creatine stores, is responsible for the body's fuel source for muscular activity. Increasing this will have immense benefits.
Glycolysis
Glycolysis is the primary kind of metabolism in the work of sprints & is responsible for 55% - 75% of energy production in the work of exercise.
Intramuscular Buffering Capacity
The one downside to dash workouts is that due to the intensity there is much more lactic acid produced, as this accumulates it causes extreme feelings of fatigue & stiffness in the muscle tissues. This may cause you to miss training sessions or require you to rest for longer periods of time to aid recovery.
Overtime, dash training increases intramuscular buffering capacity, this lets you 'buffer' or deal with the byproducts of intense training, such as lactic acid better. Allowing you to workout out for longer periods of time at high intensity levels & recover in less time.
Examples of Dash Training
As discussed you can basically vary the intensity of dash training workouts by:
* Increasing length of sprints
* Decreasing length of rest intervals
* Dash uphill in lieu of flat ground
Training is not limited to walking, it may even be performed on an upright stationary bicycle, rower or cross trainer.
So in case you are looking to burn overweight, dash training has far more benefits than regular 40 minute cardio workouts.
For these benefits to occur, make your sprints last between 20 - 40 seconds & using rest intervals that are equal to or greater than the actual work period. Repeat this process 6 to 8 times & make positive that you spend at least 5 minutes warming up & 5 minutes cooling down.
Friday, May 28, 2010
Acceleration and the Importance of it
Training speed properly is essential for any team or athlete that wants to be successful. It's that simple. In order to run faster, you must break down your speed training into a simple progression to maximize improvements.
Let's start with the most important aspect of speed: acceleration.
Acceleration
Speed is a product of stride length (the distance your hips travel in a stride) and stride frequency (the number of steps you take in a given time period). However, you will not reach top speed by focusing on increasingly larger steps to increase stride length or taking short, quick steps to increase stride frequency. Instead, top speeds are created by applying 'optimal' force to the ground. Both length and frequency are improved by strength so better strength application results in faster speeds. Really, acceleration training is a form of strength training.
Ground contact times (the amount of time each foot spends on the ground) are another important factor to consider during acceleration. During the earliest parts of acceleration, especially the first two steps, you are trying to overcome (inertia) the weight of your body by moving it forward as quickly as possible. This takes a great deal of strength and power. The stronger and more efficient you are, the more you can extend your acceleration phase. Since high intensity sprint work involves recruiting specific groups of muscle fibers improves the efficiency of neuromuscular firing patterns, sprinting is taxing to the central nervous system. Once the CNS becomes fatigued, workouts quickly lose their effectiveness. Any type of speed work must be done with full recovery. Generally speaking, that means approximately one minute of rest for every 10 yards that you run. Sprinting is a highly technical activity.
Without full recovery, both your muscles and your central nervous system will begin to fatigue quickly, reducing the short and long term effectiveness of your training. For this reason, acceleration should not be trained with fatigue present. To optimize your success, full recovery must be adhered to both in
your individual workouts as well as your weekly plan. It takes roughly 36-48 hours to fully recover from a speed workout.
Acceleration Cues
o Drive the lead arm (same as front leg) up as you begin to sprint.
o Drive out so the body is at a 45 degree angle to the ground.
o Keep the heel recovery low during the first 6-8 strides.
o Drive the elbows down and back. Keep the hands loose, but not open. Arms should remain at approximately 90 degrees from the elbow.
o Step over the opposite knee and drive the foot down into the ground to create maximal force.
Don't force yourself to 'stay low'. This will limit the amount of force you can apply to the ground and leads to poor acceleration. Let your upper body unfold naturally. 'Staying low' will occur naturally if you are already strong enough.
Get Vertical!
At the beginning of your speed training season acceleration work is used. You can't be efficient running longer distances without getting the proper strength levels and neuromuscular efficiency of the shorter intervals. As your athletes get stronger, you can extend out the acceleration distances. You want your athletes to be driving out as far as possible. The stronger the athlete is the further the acceleration phase will be and will set-up the athletes' top speed better later on.
During acceleration, the foot should strike directly below or slightly behind the hips. You must be able to drive out so your body is at a 45 degree angle to the ground and step over the opposite knee and drive the foot down into the ground to create maximal force.
Horizontal to Vertical
Some athletes aren't strong enough to hold and maintain that ideal drive phase. So, you must trick the athlete's body and make it so that they have to get into the right position.Start your acceleration work on the ground and work your way up. In order to put the athletes in the best mechanical position, even without great strength levels, athletes will start with short intervals, in a horizontal position. As the athletes get stronger, the acceleration intervals are lengthened and/or the starting positions are more vertical.
Sample beginning of the season acceleration workout:
4 X 25 yards each (400 yards total)
2.5 minute rest between each rep/4 minutes between each exercise
a) Push-up 'Down'
b) Push-up 'Up'
c) Seated Start-Backwards
d) Seated Start-Forward
As the athlete shows that they can handle these positions and their form doesn't break down at all during the 25 yards, you can start lengthening the interval distance and/or change the starting positions.
Let's start with the most important aspect of speed: acceleration.
Acceleration
Speed is a product of stride length (the distance your hips travel in a stride) and stride frequency (the number of steps you take in a given time period). However, you will not reach top speed by focusing on increasingly larger steps to increase stride length or taking short, quick steps to increase stride frequency. Instead, top speeds are created by applying 'optimal' force to the ground. Both length and frequency are improved by strength so better strength application results in faster speeds. Really, acceleration training is a form of strength training.
Ground contact times (the amount of time each foot spends on the ground) are another important factor to consider during acceleration. During the earliest parts of acceleration, especially the first two steps, you are trying to overcome (inertia) the weight of your body by moving it forward as quickly as possible. This takes a great deal of strength and power. The stronger and more efficient you are, the more you can extend your acceleration phase. Since high intensity sprint work involves recruiting specific groups of muscle fibers improves the efficiency of neuromuscular firing patterns, sprinting is taxing to the central nervous system. Once the CNS becomes fatigued, workouts quickly lose their effectiveness. Any type of speed work must be done with full recovery. Generally speaking, that means approximately one minute of rest for every 10 yards that you run. Sprinting is a highly technical activity.
Without full recovery, both your muscles and your central nervous system will begin to fatigue quickly, reducing the short and long term effectiveness of your training. For this reason, acceleration should not be trained with fatigue present. To optimize your success, full recovery must be adhered to both in
your individual workouts as well as your weekly plan. It takes roughly 36-48 hours to fully recover from a speed workout.
Acceleration Cues
o Drive the lead arm (same as front leg) up as you begin to sprint.
o Drive out so the body is at a 45 degree angle to the ground.
o Keep the heel recovery low during the first 6-8 strides.
o Drive the elbows down and back. Keep the hands loose, but not open. Arms should remain at approximately 90 degrees from the elbow.
o Step over the opposite knee and drive the foot down into the ground to create maximal force.
Don't force yourself to 'stay low'. This will limit the amount of force you can apply to the ground and leads to poor acceleration. Let your upper body unfold naturally. 'Staying low' will occur naturally if you are already strong enough.
Get Vertical!
At the beginning of your speed training season acceleration work is used. You can't be efficient running longer distances without getting the proper strength levels and neuromuscular efficiency of the shorter intervals. As your athletes get stronger, you can extend out the acceleration distances. You want your athletes to be driving out as far as possible. The stronger the athlete is the further the acceleration phase will be and will set-up the athletes' top speed better later on.
During acceleration, the foot should strike directly below or slightly behind the hips. You must be able to drive out so your body is at a 45 degree angle to the ground and step over the opposite knee and drive the foot down into the ground to create maximal force.
Horizontal to Vertical
Some athletes aren't strong enough to hold and maintain that ideal drive phase. So, you must trick the athlete's body and make it so that they have to get into the right position.Start your acceleration work on the ground and work your way up. In order to put the athletes in the best mechanical position, even without great strength levels, athletes will start with short intervals, in a horizontal position. As the athletes get stronger, the acceleration intervals are lengthened and/or the starting positions are more vertical.
Sample beginning of the season acceleration workout:
4 X 25 yards each (400 yards total)
2.5 minute rest between each rep/4 minutes between each exercise
a) Push-up 'Down'
b) Push-up 'Up'
c) Seated Start-Backwards
d) Seated Start-Forward
As the athlete shows that they can handle these positions and their form doesn't break down at all during the 25 yards, you can start lengthening the interval distance and/or change the starting positions.
Burn 2x the Fat in 1/2 the time
If you are looking to burn fat quickly or perhaps you if you haven't got the time for long cardio workouts then sprint training is the best workout. Sprint training is short, sharp and intense and can be done inside or outside of a gym.
The benefits of Sprint Training and the science behind why it burns fat more effectively than most cardio workouts are:
* EPOC (Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption)
* Metabolic Adaptations
* Phosphate Metabolism
* Glycolysis
* Intramuscular Buffering Capacity
Don't panic, this sounds complicated but I will go into more detail, it's important to understand what happens to your body when you do certain workouts to be able to maximize the effects.
EPOC
EPOC or Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption is one of the biggest benefits of sprint training. Sprinting is a high intensity workout and puts your body under a great deal of stress; EPOC is where your body returns to its former state, once the exercise is over. This expands a great deal of calories.
This kind of workout isn't for everyone because it can put stress on joints and muscles; however everyone can adapt it to suit their needs. You can increase calorie use by increasing the intensity, for example sprinting uphill.
Metabolic Adaptions
After a number of sprint training workouts your body will up its ability to produce enzymes, these enzymes in turn, increase the storage capacity of the muscle. This allows you to workout harder and longer, although this will be during aerobic exercise. Aerobic exercise is exercise using oxygen. Even though you are increasing the muscle capacity you are still limited to short bursts of anaerobic exercise, as these exercises are without oxygen.
Phosphate Metabolism
Another benefit of sprint training is the effect it has on phosphate metabolism. Phosphate creatine stores, is responsible for the body's fuel source for muscular activity. Increasing this will have huge benefits.
Glycolysis
Glycolysis is the primary form of metabolism during sprints and is responsible for 55% - 75% of energy production during exercise.
Intramuscular Buffering Capacity
The one downside to sprint workouts is that due to the intensity there is much more lactic acid produced, as this accumulates it causes extreme feelings of fatigue and stiffness in the muscle tissues. This can cause you to miss training sessions or require you to rest for longer periods of time to aid recovery.
Overtime, sprint training increases intramuscular buffering capacity, this allows you to 'buffer' or deal with the byproducts of intense training, such as lactic acid better. Allowing you to workout out for longer periods of time at high intensity levels and recover in less time.
Examples of Sprint Training
As discussed you can easily vary the intensity of sprint training workouts by:
* Increasing length of sprints
* Decreasing length of rest intervals
* Sprint uphill instead of flat ground
Training isn't limited to just running, it can also be performed on an upright stationary bike, rower or cross trainer.
So if you are looking to burn fat, sprint training has far more benefits than regular 40 minute cardio workouts.
For these benefits to occur, make your sprints last between 20 - 40 seconds and using rest intervals that are equal to or greater than the actual work period. Repeat this process 6 to 8 times and ensure that you spend at least 5 minutes warming up and 5 minutes cooling down.
The benefits of Sprint Training and the science behind why it burns fat more effectively than most cardio workouts are:
* EPOC (Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption)
* Metabolic Adaptations
* Phosphate Metabolism
* Glycolysis
* Intramuscular Buffering Capacity
Don't panic, this sounds complicated but I will go into more detail, it's important to understand what happens to your body when you do certain workouts to be able to maximize the effects.
EPOC
EPOC or Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption is one of the biggest benefits of sprint training. Sprinting is a high intensity workout and puts your body under a great deal of stress; EPOC is where your body returns to its former state, once the exercise is over. This expands a great deal of calories.
This kind of workout isn't for everyone because it can put stress on joints and muscles; however everyone can adapt it to suit their needs. You can increase calorie use by increasing the intensity, for example sprinting uphill.
Metabolic Adaptions
After a number of sprint training workouts your body will up its ability to produce enzymes, these enzymes in turn, increase the storage capacity of the muscle. This allows you to workout harder and longer, although this will be during aerobic exercise. Aerobic exercise is exercise using oxygen. Even though you are increasing the muscle capacity you are still limited to short bursts of anaerobic exercise, as these exercises are without oxygen.
Phosphate Metabolism
Another benefit of sprint training is the effect it has on phosphate metabolism. Phosphate creatine stores, is responsible for the body's fuel source for muscular activity. Increasing this will have huge benefits.
Glycolysis
Glycolysis is the primary form of metabolism during sprints and is responsible for 55% - 75% of energy production during exercise.
Intramuscular Buffering Capacity
The one downside to sprint workouts is that due to the intensity there is much more lactic acid produced, as this accumulates it causes extreme feelings of fatigue and stiffness in the muscle tissues. This can cause you to miss training sessions or require you to rest for longer periods of time to aid recovery.
Overtime, sprint training increases intramuscular buffering capacity, this allows you to 'buffer' or deal with the byproducts of intense training, such as lactic acid better. Allowing you to workout out for longer periods of time at high intensity levels and recover in less time.
Examples of Sprint Training
As discussed you can easily vary the intensity of sprint training workouts by:
* Increasing length of sprints
* Decreasing length of rest intervals
* Sprint uphill instead of flat ground
Training isn't limited to just running, it can also be performed on an upright stationary bike, rower or cross trainer.
So if you are looking to burn fat, sprint training has far more benefits than regular 40 minute cardio workouts.
For these benefits to occur, make your sprints last between 20 - 40 seconds and using rest intervals that are equal to or greater than the actual work period. Repeat this process 6 to 8 times and ensure that you spend at least 5 minutes warming up and 5 minutes cooling down.
The Importance of Dynamic Stretching
An effective warm-up is not complete without incorporating some form of stretching to ensure muscles are ready for the task ahead.
The Theory
Traditionally, static stretches were slotted onto the end of a pre-training or pre-competition warm-up. This involved stretching a specific muscle/body part to its maximum comfortable range, and holding it for an extended period of time. Generally speaking, this also served as the perfect time to have a chat with a teammate about the weekend's football results, or plans for that weekend.
However, recent studies have shown that, for sports involving explosive movements, the use of static stretching pre-event can actually weaken performance. Obviously not ideal when you're doing all you can to run faster.
So, what form of stretching should be incorporated into my warm-up?
Dynamic Stretching
Dynamic stretching is the use of movement to stretch muscles. Rather than the "lengthen and hold" approach of static stretching, dynamic stretching utilises momentum to engage the muscles, actively stretching muscles and joints as they travel through a specific range of motion.
The beauty of dynamic stretching is that the muscles are effectively being prepared for the range of motion that they will be put through once the training session or competition commences.
The key difference is that dynamic stretching exercises condition the muscles for dynamic movement by stretching and warming the muscle groups without lengthening muscle fibers.
Static stretching is used to increase flexibility through relaxing and increasing the length of the muscle fibers. Not to say that static stretching doesn't have its place. Certainly post-training, static stretching can be beneficial for any athlete. But when you're looking for performance, let's keep things dynamic.
Incorporate some of these into your warm-up:
Dynamic Stretching exercises
Arm Swings
1. Stand tall and hold arms out to your side.
2. Slowly swing your arms back and forth across the front of your body.
3. Repeat this continuous motion for 30 seconds.
Side Bends
1. Stand with a shoulder width stance. Place a toning bar on your shoulders (optional). 2. Lean to one side keeping your torso straight. Do not bend forward or backwards. 3. Hold for a count of 2 and then repeat to the other side. 4. Complete 10 stretches each side.
Trunk Rotations
1. Stand with a shoulder width stance. Place hands on hips.
2. With knees slightly bent, turn from side to side keeping feet firmly on the floor.
4. Complete a total of 15-20 full swings.
Alternate Toe Touches
1. Start by standing with your feet spread as far apart as comfortably possible.
2. Lean forward toward one leg and try to reach your foot or until a comfortable stretch is felt in your low back and hamstrings.
3. Now try to touch the other foot with the opposite arm. This motion should be continuous alternately touching each foot (as close as possible) with the opposite hand.
Important: skip this stretch you are prone to low back pain or if it causes you any discomfort.
Leg Swings
1. Start by standing with your feet shoulder width apart.
2. Keeping your upper body perpendicular to the ground swing one leg forward and backward.
3. Do not swing your leg so hard that you cannot keep your upper body from moving.
4. Repeat for 10 full swings and repeat on other leg.
5. You can also swing your leg across your body stretching the abductors and adductors.
Full Back Stretch
1. Lie on your back and bring both your knees to your chest with hands clasped under back of knees.
2. Roll forwards until your feet touch the floor and then immediately roll back until just before your head touches the floor.
3. Continue until you complete 10-15 full rolls.
Hamstring Stretch
1. Lie on your back and place a piece of exercise tubing (or rolled up towel) around the bottom of one of your feet.
2. Pull the tubing and raise your leg at the same time until a comfortable stretch is felt. Return to the starting position and repeat for 10-15 repetitions.
3. Repeat with other leg.
The Theory
Traditionally, static stretches were slotted onto the end of a pre-training or pre-competition warm-up. This involved stretching a specific muscle/body part to its maximum comfortable range, and holding it for an extended period of time. Generally speaking, this also served as the perfect time to have a chat with a teammate about the weekend's football results, or plans for that weekend.
However, recent studies have shown that, for sports involving explosive movements, the use of static stretching pre-event can actually weaken performance. Obviously not ideal when you're doing all you can to run faster.
So, what form of stretching should be incorporated into my warm-up?
Dynamic Stretching
Dynamic stretching is the use of movement to stretch muscles. Rather than the "lengthen and hold" approach of static stretching, dynamic stretching utilises momentum to engage the muscles, actively stretching muscles and joints as they travel through a specific range of motion.
The beauty of dynamic stretching is that the muscles are effectively being prepared for the range of motion that they will be put through once the training session or competition commences.
The key difference is that dynamic stretching exercises condition the muscles for dynamic movement by stretching and warming the muscle groups without lengthening muscle fibers.
Static stretching is used to increase flexibility through relaxing and increasing the length of the muscle fibers. Not to say that static stretching doesn't have its place. Certainly post-training, static stretching can be beneficial for any athlete. But when you're looking for performance, let's keep things dynamic.
Incorporate some of these into your warm-up:
Dynamic Stretching exercises
Arm Swings
1. Stand tall and hold arms out to your side.
2. Slowly swing your arms back and forth across the front of your body.
3. Repeat this continuous motion for 30 seconds.
Side Bends
1. Stand with a shoulder width stance. Place a toning bar on your shoulders (optional). 2. Lean to one side keeping your torso straight. Do not bend forward or backwards. 3. Hold for a count of 2 and then repeat to the other side. 4. Complete 10 stretches each side.
Trunk Rotations
1. Stand with a shoulder width stance. Place hands on hips.
2. With knees slightly bent, turn from side to side keeping feet firmly on the floor.
4. Complete a total of 15-20 full swings.
Alternate Toe Touches
1. Start by standing with your feet spread as far apart as comfortably possible.
2. Lean forward toward one leg and try to reach your foot or until a comfortable stretch is felt in your low back and hamstrings.
3. Now try to touch the other foot with the opposite arm. This motion should be continuous alternately touching each foot (as close as possible) with the opposite hand.
Important: skip this stretch you are prone to low back pain or if it causes you any discomfort.
Leg Swings
1. Start by standing with your feet shoulder width apart.
2. Keeping your upper body perpendicular to the ground swing one leg forward and backward.
3. Do not swing your leg so hard that you cannot keep your upper body from moving.
4. Repeat for 10 full swings and repeat on other leg.
5. You can also swing your leg across your body stretching the abductors and adductors.
Full Back Stretch
1. Lie on your back and bring both your knees to your chest with hands clasped under back of knees.
2. Roll forwards until your feet touch the floor and then immediately roll back until just before your head touches the floor.
3. Continue until you complete 10-15 full rolls.
Hamstring Stretch
1. Lie on your back and place a piece of exercise tubing (or rolled up towel) around the bottom of one of your feet.
2. Pull the tubing and raise your leg at the same time until a comfortable stretch is felt. Return to the starting position and repeat for 10-15 repetitions.
3. Repeat with other leg.
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