What are plyometrics & why should you include them in your run training?
What are plyometrics?
Plyometrics are a form of training that often require fast lengthening of a muscle before a contraction to perform a movement. They often involve jumping, bounding and hopping in various different activities. Hopscotch is the perfect example of this form of exercise used during our early years. This form of exercise is regularly performed in an elite sport setting to help to reduce injury but also improve performance.
How do plyometrics work?
When performing plyometric movements, muscles will go through a stretch as well as an accelerated shortening contraction. During the lengthening / stretching phase, energy is stored within the muscle and the connective tissues, then as the muscle goes into a shortening contraction, the energy previously stored is recovered to contribute to the explosive movement. This is likened to the stretching of a spring before a release back to its natural position. The more we use this style of training, the better we become at storing that energy and our ability to release energy quickly to perform a movement.
Why should runners use plyometrics in their training?
The benefits are clear for basketball players and long and triple jump athletes as to increase their ability to jump vertically or for distance. But why should it have a place in your run training routine?
A large focus of plyometric training is being able to produce the most possible force with the least amount of ground contact time, whilst not losing all the energy you’ve created into the ground. Sound familiar? This is exactly what we go through with running. It’s all about becoming efficient with each contact we make with the floor and taking that efficiency in to the next stride. So, whether you’re struggling for speed with your runs or find yourself having heavy contacts into the floor, plyometrics could take your running to the next level.
Where to start?
There are no official requirements to start plyometric training, however those who have experience in running and have also participated in some form of strength training will be at a good level to start adding plyometrics to their routine.
If you’re interested in learning more about how to apply plyometric training to your run training safely and effectively, contact the clinic on 01454 540066 to book a gym session with Dan.
Going to run a Marathon? Reasons to start your strength work now
When you’re doing a run training program for a marathon, you will have several run sessions per week, some of which will be long and take hours out of your day, giving you less time to dedicate to strengthening. However, you need to be strong to be able to withstand the increasing demand of upping your mileage as your training progresses. Using your time wisely and getting into a strengthening program before you need to start thinking about how you are going to get the miles in, is your safest bet to build a solid base to build those miles.
The repetitive load of running and the increasing demand on your musculoskeletal system require you to be nice and strong.
It is not enough to think you can rely on gradually getting stronger as your miles rack up. A marathon program will push anyone to their limits and should be respected. Training is specifically designed to challenge your stamina and endurance, as this is what most people will need to work on to complete the marathon distance. However, distance running training programmes are generally not designed to build strength or power.
Strength is different from just tapping out the long miles and requires a different type of training. Not many peoples’ bodies, or diaries, will be able to tolerate the demand of introducing both increased mileage and strength training at the same time. That would be a prime recipe for injury! as would not doing strength training at all.
Benefits of Strength Training on running
- The stronger the muscles are the better they are able to withstand the forces the body is put under when running.
- Suboptimal strength of the muscles will lead to excess stress on the joints and other soft tissues.
- Relatively weak muscles do not tolerate new stresses well and can quickly become painful when overloaded.
- Strength training aids the speed of recovery once the mileage ramps up as your body will be more conditioned to the forces being set against it.
Getting a decent strength training program underway now will help to ensure you are up to the task of getting through your marathon training program.
It gives the body a gradual ramp-up of loading and a chance to get used to being under more physical stress. If you are a seasoned marathon runner who knows they have the miles in them then strength training will likely be the thing between you and a new PB for next season.
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