Part IV
Training Modes and Methods for Runners
Chapter 13
General Strength Training
General strength training workouts consist of movements that increase the strength of a runner’s entire body. The term general implies that the activities involved in the training are not specific to the precise neuromuscular patterns associated with running, although this is not always the case. The rationale for general strength training is that it improves body control during gait and thus enhances running economy since less energy needs to be devoted to the correction of destabilizing kinematics. General strength training should also upgrade resistance to fatigue in all parts of the body and thus promote improved running performances.
It is common, for example, for runners’ shoulders to slump forward during late stages of intense or prolonged competitions, an action that decreases stride length and thus running velocity. Upgraded upper-body strength—achieved through general strength training—should help prevent this problem. General strength training should also pave the way for the running-specific strength training that follows in a progressive, properly periodized training program. General work creates the strength and coordination necessary to carry out the more technical movements associated with running-specific training sessions.
The challenge for the runner is to create workouts that do an outstanding job of improving general strength. Such sessions should activate every part of a runner’s body, shoring up weaknesses and promoting excellent whole-body coordination and movement skills. General strength workouts thus need to include a variety of different drills and exercises that challenge and fortify a runner’s neuromuscular system.
Circuit Training
Circuit training— the completion of a series of exercises, drills, and even running segments with little recovery between activities—can be effectively used to enhance general strength. Circuit training began to be examined scientifically in the 1970s when researchers at the National Athletic Health Institute (NAHI) in Inglewood, California, asked 20 men and 20 women to complete workouts that contained three circuits of 10 different exercises.1
The exercises included bench presses, inclined sit-ups, leg presses, lat pulls, back arches, shoulder presses, leg extensions, arm curls, leg flexions, and upright rows. All 40 subjects in this study performed 15 to 18 repetitions of each exercise in 30 seconds, using a resistance equal to about 40 percent of their individual 1-repetition maximum (1RM), that is, 40 percent of the greatest weight that could be handled for one repetition.
The participants in this NAHI study took 15-second breaks as they moved from one exercise to another, making the work-rest ratio 30:15, or 2:1. The nearly continuous nature of the workout kept heart rate and oxygen consumption high and thereby created aerobic benefits, or upgrades in O2max, for the session in addition to the obvious strength gains. Male subjects averaged more than 75 percent of maximal heart rate during their training, while the female participants were above 80 percent of maximum. The energy requirement for the circuit training was also ample, soaring as high as 800 calories per hour, equivalent to running more than 7 miles (11 km) in the same amount of time.
In a follow-up study carried out by the NAHI group, individuals completed the same circuit session described earlier three times a week for 10 weeks, but they increased the resistance from 40 to 55 percent of 1RM for many of the exercises.2 The circuit training had strong effects both on lean body mass and on running endurance. On average, male and female participants gained about 3 pounds (1 kg) of muscle and lost about 2 pounds (.9 kg) of fat. Both men and women achieved reductions in skin-fold thickness, another indicator of fat loss, and significant gains in muscle strength.
Although none of the participants in this follow-up work carried out any running training at all during the 10-week period, both males and females improved running endurance by about 5 to 6 percent at the end of 10 weeks. In addition, female subjects improved O2max by 11 percent—about the same average gain that would be achieved by women undertaking a 10-week program of running for the first time!
This result was a bit shocking since the circuit workout consisted of no traditional aerobic activities (e.g., continuous submaximal jogging, cycling, swimming) and was composed of only anaerobic strength drills. However, the continuous nature of the session kept oxygen-consumption rates high, fostering at least some of the gains in aerobic capacity. In addition, improved muscular strength and resistance to fatigue would allow circuit-trained individuals to run for a longer time during a treadmill O2max test, thus producing greater rates of oxygen consumption and higher O2max that previously might have been hidden because of relatively poor resistance to fatigue.
Such findings were reproduced by other research groups. In one study, 20 weeks of circuit training promoted a 9 percent increase in treadmill endurance, and two other studies linked circuit training with increases in O2max.3
In the early 1980s, researchers at the Institute for Aerobics Research in Dallas, Texas, carried out circuit-training research with 36 females and 41 males over a 12-week period. One group of participants carried out a circuit session similar to the one in the NAHI study: three sessions a week with three circuits of 10 exercises per workout. A second group served as the control, and a third group combined the circuit exercises with actual running.3 This study was the first to look at the effects of combining running with strength work during circuit training.
While the first group (the conventional circuit trainers) rested for approximately 15 seconds between exercises to allow time to move from one exercise station to another, the third (running) group’s members ran for about 30 seconds on an indoor track in between their exercises. The circuits, completed by both the strength-only (SO) and strength-plus-running (SPR) groups, consisted of two-leg squats (also called body-weight squats), shoulder presses, knee flexions, bench presses, leg presses, elbow flexions, back hyperextensions, elbow extensions, sit-ups, and vertical flies, with each exercise conducted for 30 seconds (12-15 reps) per circuit at 40 percent of 1RM. The running segments (for the third group) were fairly relaxed and were conducted at a velocity of 189 meters per minute (8:30 per mi tempo).
During the 12-week study, not a single injury was reported; an outstanding feature of circuit training is its relatively low injury rate, especially compared with running long distances. The SO and SPR groups lost the same amount of weight, trimmed away a similar quantity of body fat, and added equal levels of muscle tissue. The two groups also improved bench press and leg press strength to the same degree.
After 12 weeks, SO athletes increased running endurance by 12 percent compared with 19 percent for SPR athletes and increased O2max by 12.5 percent compared with 17 percent for SPR subjects. This disparity would probably have been greater if the SPR group had used higher running intensities during their circuits. The study suggests that the inclusion of running intervals within circuits is advantageous to running capacity, as one would expect, without harming gains in general strength.
The use of relatively light resistance levels (40-55 percent of 1RM) may be advantageous during circuit training. Research suggests that during strength training, oxygen flow through muscles is greatest when an athlete is using resistance ranging from 30 to 60 percent of 1RM. Below 30 percent, activity is so light that heart rate does not increase appreciably; therefore, the flow rate through muscles barely changes. Above 60 percent of 1RM, muscle contractions may be strong enough to actually constrict blood vessels within muscles, decreasing overall flow and temporarily altering the oxygen-consumption rate.
It is clear that circuit workouts can be quite beneficial for improving strength and upgrading running capacity. Circuit-training sessions can also be quite variable and thus endlessly interesting: The number of general strength exercises that can be included in a circuit session is nearly limitless. An important key for any circuit workout is to attempt to work all regions of the body; the basic circuit session presented in the following sec
tion does just that.
Basic Circuit Training
After a thorough warm-up consisting of about 2.5K (1.5 mi) of light running and a variety of dynamic mobility drills, the activities in the list that follows should be performed in order. The exercises themselves are described in detail in this section as well. The circuit looks fairly easy on paper but can be quite demanding to complete. Runners should move steadily from exercise to exercise to keep heart and oxygen-consumption rates high. They should maintain good form at all times and avoid the temptation to rush; recovery between drills should last for no more than a few seconds, just long enough to get into position for the next exercise. The overall philosophy is to perform each exercise methodically and carefully—and then almost immediately start on the next one. This enhances the oxygen-consumption rate.
Run 400 meters at current 5K pace.
Do 5 chin-ups. If a chin-up bar is not available, perform 12 biceps curls with dumbbells while standing on the right leg and then the left leg.
Complete 36 abdominal crunches.
Perform 15 squat thrusts with jumps (burpees).
Do 15 push-ups.
Complete 30 two-leg squats (body-weight squats).
Run another 400 meters at 5K tempo.
Do 12 squat and dumbbell presses.
Complete 10 feet-elevated push-ups.
Perform 36 low-back extensions.
Do 15 bench dips.
Complete 15 lunge squats with each leg.
Run another 400 meters at 5K pace.
Repeat steps 2 through 13 to complete two circuits in all; then cool down with about 2 miles (3.2 km) of light jogging, followed by thorough stretching and exercises to build core strength.
Some preworkout planning will be required to accomplish this routine. For example, dumbbells should be positioned near the track or beside the treadmill so that the dumbbell-assisted activities can be conducted without great delay, and a chair or bench will be needed for the feet-elevated push-ups and bench dips. If certain equipment is unavailable, substitute exercises can replace the recommended ones. For example, if there is no chinning bar to use for chin-ups, a runner can perform pull-downs with a stretch cord, biceps curls with dumbbells (see step 2), or any exercise that calls for using the arms and shoulders to lift the body.
Skeptics may contend that exercises such as push-ups are hardly whole-body strengthening exercises since they seem primarily to activate the arms and shoulders. However, exertions such as push-ups are actually whole-body in nature: They force the core muscles in the hips, abdomen, and lower back to support and stabilize the body while the trunk is held horizontally and moves up and down. The same is true of the other apparently isolating exercises within the circuit, including chin-ups, low-back extensions, and bench dips.
The circuit exercises as a group, with running segments included, contribute an essential component to a runner’s foundation of fitness. They enhance resistance to fatigue and thus permit quality activities, both running and strengthening, to be conducted at higher intensities during the period following the general strengthening phase of training. The circuit exercises also promote general strength and stability, an effect which permits the technical, high-skill running-specific strength movements in the follow-up phase of training to be carried out with greater proficiency and better running form. The research also reveals that circuit training can advance aerobic capacity and overall running performance, which demonstrates that circuits provide a very productive form of training from a purely running standpoint. They are more than simply a preamble to other methods of training.
Following are descriptions of key circuit exercises.
Chin-Up
Stand below the bar, jump up and grasp the bar with hands, and then pull the body upward until the chin moves above the bar (figure 13.1). Lower the body fully to a vertical position while hanging from the bar to complete one rep.
Figure 13.1 Chin-up.
Abdominal Crunch
Lie on the back with knees bent and feet flat on the ground. Cross the arms over the chest, and then use the abdominal muscles to lift the torso up and forward as far as possible (figure 13.2). Slowly return the shoulders to the ground to complete one rep.
Figure 13.2 Abdominal crunch.
Six-Count Squat Thrust (Burpee)
Do six movements for each rep. Stand erect and then perform a squat (figure 13.3a), straighten the legs and torso out behind the upper body to move into a plank or push-up position with the body nearly parallel to the ground (figure 13.3b), complete a quick push-up, return to the squatting position, do a maximal vertical jump (figure 13.3c), and return to the standing, erect position.
Figure 13.3 (a) Initial squat, (b) push-up position, and (c) maximal vertical jump.
Push-Up
Assume a plank position on the floor or the ground, supported by the palms and the toes (figure 13.4a). The arms should be straight and directly below the shoulders. Slowly lower the body until the chest touches the floor or ground (figure 13.4b), and then gradually raise the torso to the starting position.
Figure 13.4 Push-up (a) start position and (b) down position.
Two-Leg (Body-Weight) Squat
Stand with erect posture and feet directly below the shoulders. Then, move into a squatting position so that thighs are parallel with the floor (figure 13.5). It is fine for the upper body to incline forward slightly as this happens. Return to the starting, erect position to complete one rep.
Figure 13.5 Two-leg squat movement.
Squat and Dumbbell Press
Perform a two-leg squat while holding dumbbells directly in front of the shoulders. The palms of the hands face forward. Perform a squat (figure 13.6a) and return to the standing position; then press the dumbbells directly overhead (figure 13.6b). Return the dumbbells to the front-of-shoulder position to complete one rep.
Figure 13.6 (a) Squat and (b) dumbbell press.
Feet-Elevated Push-Up
Feet-elevated push-ups are normal push-ups except that the feet are positioned on a bench, chair, or wall (figure 13.7).
Figure 13.7 Feet-elevated push-up.
Low-Back Extension
Lie on the stomach with arms by the sides, hands extended toward feet, and palms touching the floor. Contract the muscles at the back of the neck to lift the head so the gaze is forward and upward. For each rep, contract the lower-back muscles so that the trunk is lifted well off the ground (figure 13.8); then slowly ease the torso back to the floor. Do not use the hand or arms to lift the torso. All movement is achieved through lower-back muscle activation.
Figure 13.8 Low-back extension.
Bench Dip
Sit on a bench or chair with hands at the sides, gripping the front edge of the seat. While keeping hands in position, slide forward off the chair and put feet as far forward as possible so that all body weight is supported only by the hands and heels of the extended feet (figure 13.9a). Lower the buttocks smoothly to the floor (or almost to the floor; figure 13.9b) and then come back up to seat level to complete one rep.
Figure 13.9 (a) Starting position and (b) movement.
Lunge Squat
Lunge squats are similar to exaggerated steps. Start with erect posture and feet directly under the shoulders; step forward with one foot. After the forward foot makes contact with the ground, move into a squat position so that the thigh of the forward leg becomes almost parallel with the ground (figure 13.10). The upper body may incline forward slightly as this happens. Emphasize actions of the gluteal muscles and hamstrings to reverse the squat and return the forward leg back under the trunk. Return to the starting position to complete one rep.
Figure 13.10 Lunge squat.
Progressing the Basic Circuit
Progressions with the basic circuit workout are straightforward. As strength and overall fitness improve, the athlete can increase the number of repetitions of the exercises, use dumbbells or a barbell while performing the exercises, expand the number of circuits from two to t
hree or even four, increase the distance of the running intervals within the circuits, ramp up the velocities of the running segments, or substitute more difficult exercises for those listed in the circuit list provided.
Experienced runners who have been training for at least a year often begin general strength training with two circuits per workout and with 400-meter intervals as the running components; novice runners usually start with one circuit. Such a session (i.e., two circuits with 400-meter running intervals) would be conducted approximately twice a week in order to optimally boost whole-body strength.
Runners with some degree of fitness frequently begin general strength training with 400-meter intervals included in the circuits for two or three workouts, move up to 600-meter intervals for at least a couple of sessions, advance to 800-meter intervals, and may even reach intervals of 1,200 or 1,600 meters as the interval duration of choice. The chosen intensity for the running intervals is often vO2max or 5K speed for the shorter intervals (i.e., 400s and 600s); 5K speed for the 800s; and 10K, half-marathon, or even marathon pace for the 1,200- and 1,600-meter intervals. This sort of advancement in running-interval difficulty often takes place over a 6-week period, or phase, of general strengthening, with two circuit workouts conducted each week.
Running Science Page 19