Keys to Good Run Form

The quality of your workout is often more important than the quantity. Good running technique can influence your speed, injury risk, and comfort. On your next run, ask yourself if you are applying the 5 keys outlined below. 

1. Foot strike. Your foot should land underneath your body—not in front of it. Many runners will over-stride in an effort to run farther. As a result, your forward momentum is stunted by the angle of your foot on the ground.

2. Run tall. Basically this one is really simple—you should be running tall and not hunched over. Focus on running with your chest proud and your shoulders down. This rings true when running up and down inclines as well.

3. Use a quick cadence. Cadence is often discussed when talking to triathletes and cyclists while on the bike. It is also important when running.  When you bring your feet down (right underneath your body), make sure you are picking them back up again quickly. Aim for a cadence of 85-95 steps per minute on each leg. A good way to check is to count the number of times your foot touches the ground on the right side for 20 seconds, then multiply by 3. 

4. Arms at side.  Many runners will move their arms across their bodies or rotate through their trunk. Try to remember you want your arms to pump you forward, not diagonal. My old track coach used to say that you should move your arms like you would if you were playing tug of war, forward and backward at a 90 degree angle. 

5. Head up. You should look ahead about 5 feet to keep your body in alignment. Head position works together to keep the chest tall and to concentrate on the posterior motion that helps your forward momentum. I often find this hardest to accomplish when running on the treadmill, I'm vertically challenged so to watch the TV, I have to raise my head. 

The cool thing is that all these form tips flow together. If I’m running tall, my head tends to be up high. If I’m hitting my cadence, then I’m naturally bringing my foot down right where it should land. If all those other things are on point, then my arms are naturally pumping back and forth at my side.

Do you focus on form when you run?

TRX for Athletes

I recently went to an instructor certification to use the TRX Suspension Trainer for my clients. Among the exercises that we learned, I was able to find a focus for my athletes too. The benefits of suspension training include challenging the muscles by changing your center of gravity, improving joint stability, increasing stabilization through balance, and performing functional movements to build proper muscle patterns. Above all, TRX is a full body workout that requires only ONE tool!

The main objective of the suspension straps is to create proximal (near the center/core) stability while improving distal (away from the center) mobility. Below is a video describing this philosophy.
TRX Objective

As an instructor, my primary objective is to create a safe and effective workout. To do this, I first focus on the foundation movement of the plank.
Mastering the TRX Plank

Next, I focus on recognizing the body as a series of masses and spaces. The head is a mass, the neck a space. The torso is a mass, the waist a space. To maintain proper form, those masses and spaces need to be in place.
TRX- Masses and Spaces

Sample Class:
Warm Up:
Deep squat-stretch
Squat Row
Hip Extension
Wall Slide
T-Spine rotation
Main Set: 
Perform each exercise for 10 repetitions. Repeat the circuit 3-5 times with 1 minute rest between circuits.
Step back lunge
Plank
Hamstring curl
Chest press
Squat to pistol
Tricep press
Bicep Curl
Side Plank
Flexibility:
Hip hinge
Alternating leg lift
Kneeling hip flexor
Chest

Swim Cap Fashion Statement

The first hurdle to improving your swim is...getting in the water! Whether it is body image, the cost of a new suit, or having the tools for drills, many of us can find reasons to avoid the swim. In addition to a suit and goggles, a fun swim cap can help you find the mindset to jump on in! Graphic Swim Caps

Like many of us collect shoes, I have several caps on hand to wear with my changing mood. Below are some of my favorites.

When I'm not feeling the workout.

When I'm feeling like a superstar!

When I feel girly and fun!

Prepare for the Worst and Hope for the Best

You can't control everything that will happen on race day but you can prepare your mind and body for the different scenarios that appear. Your goal in training is not to simply train your body for the distance but to train your mind to work through the variables that effect race day. You will gain confidence on race day if you practice when weather is unsavory, nutrition is subpar, gear is flawed. As the saying goes, practice makes perfect. Check out this article about preparing for race day dilemas. Active.com

From Cruising to Race Ready

Riding a bike is easy enough but turning your leisurely ride into an athletic activity increases the difficulty level. To improve, you need to reset your frame of mind from easy-going to training.

Ride more frequently.
We call it time in the saddle. First you must spend time getting used to the saddle, this is frequency and duration. Start with 1 day/week for an hour and build up your stamina and endurance.

Vary intensity level.
As you build endurance into your cycling regimen, add intensity too. Ride faster and harder for short periods of time to improve the adaptations of muscle memory. You can vary the speed or the terrain to improve strength. Consider short intervals of 5 minutes hard followed by 2 minutes easy or ride fast to the next stop sign then recover.

Develop technique and safe handling.
As you progress your rides onto roadways, it is important to gain bike handling skills. these include cornering, descending, passing, changing gears, and reaching for hydration. If possible find a friend or local club that can help teach you the rules of the road. You will need to practice your skills before setting out group rides to keep all cyclists safe. Remember that bicycles follow the same laws as motor vehicles.

Newbie mistakes.

• Clothing/Gear. Do not wear underwear under your cycling shorts, a visor under your helmet, work out shorts (no one wants to see your crack), sunglasses that are not athletic. 
• Bike Gear. You must always ride with the tools necessary to care for bike maintenance issues that may arise. Most cyclists have a kit/bag that attaches to the bike containing a flat repair kit, form of identification/emergency contact/insurance, and $5-10. If you do not know how to change a flat, watch  this Video or attend a free clinic at a local bike shop (LBS). A majority of flats will occur on the rear wheel, watch this video to learn how to remove the rear wheel Video. 
• "Mashing" or riding with a low cadence. Cadence is the number of revolutions per minute (RPM) you make when pedaling. If you are in a gear that is too big, you may be wasting energy. To check your cadence, count the number of times your right knee comes up in 30 seconds then multiple that number by 2. Your goal is between 85-100 RPMs. You can also use a computer but that may be an expense that you haven't made yet. 

Performance Triad- Building Strength and Aerobic Capacity

Performance Triad

1. Posterior chain enhancement
• Spinal erectors, glutes, hamstrings
2. Push/Pull movements
• Horizontal pushing exercises- bench press, chest press, flyes
• Horizontal pulling exercises - rows
• Vertical pushing exercises- shoulder press, deltoid raises
• Vertical pulling exercises- pull ups, chin ups, lat pull downs
3. Heart rate elevation
• Think boot camp moves like burpees, mountain climbers, jump squats, plyo lunges, shuffle drills, etc

HIIT or High Intensity Interval Training is a great way to efficiently and effectively maximize performance gains in the gym. The goal is to move between exercises quickly with little rest to keep the h
eart rate up while gaining balance and strength. There are many methods for HIIT including EMOM, Tabata, Crossfit, and gym based workouts.

EMOM or Every Minute on the Minute is an interval session. Best done in 12 minutes or less. You choose 2 exercises with a set repetition and repeat the set every minute. You should have 10-20 seconds to rest between sets. For example: 10 burpees + 10 deep squats then you rest the remainder of the minute. *Note that EMOMs are ever-changing in duration or the number of repetitions within the set. The goal is aerobic training while building strength.

Tabata is a method using intervals of 20 seconds work/ 10 seconds recovery repeated 8 times. Check out this article Active.com to learn more about the science of Tabata Intervals.

Strength Training for Athletes

Whether you consider yourself an athlete or a recreational enthusiast, strength training is an important part of your season.

Benefits of strength training:

• Weight Loss- muscle burns more calories than fat. The more muscle vs fat in your body, the higher the calorie burn.
• Bone and Muscle Mass- improving strength will counteract the effects of aging. After puberty, we lose about 1% of mass each year, adding strength regimen will help prevent those losses.
• Stronger and Fitter- whether through isometric or isotonic training, your muscles will break down and rebuild stronger than before. Remember to allow muscles to adequately recover between sessions.
• Improve Body Mechanics- coordination, balance, flexibility, and posture are all effected by strength training. As we age, these become more important as injuries from falls increases.

For many beginners, it is difficult to determine how to get started. I suggest two workouts each week. The first is a short session, about 30 minutes, and is focused on lifting heavier weight in a controlled environment (often machine assisted). The second session is longer, about 60 minutes, and is focused on intensity, range of motion, and usually includes a cardio component so that in addition to the strength benefits the cardio respiratory system is also challenged. When you have more time to commit, add a third session that focuses on total body movements with some cardio bursts to keep the heart rate up.

Sample Schedule.

Short Session- Goal is a full body workout. 1-2 sets of each exercise with between 8-12 repetitions. Your goal is to fatigue/challenge the muscle using good form and breathing techniques. In order to move quickly between exercises and limit rest time, you will alternate upper and lower body. Always start with larger muscle groups then finish with the smaller, more supportive muscles.

• Latissimus Pull Down- cable or pin-select machine
• Leg Press
• Back Row
• Abdominal (choices include plank, roll up/down, leg lifts)
• Bicep Curl
• Leg Extension
• Tricep Press Down
• Leg Curl 
• Shoulder Press or Raise

Long Session- Goal is a full body workout with plyometric bursts to increase the calorie burn. You will complete 10 repetitions of each exercise in quick succession. After each plyometric activity, you have the option to rest 1 minute before beginning again. Repeat the circuit until your session is complete.

• Flutter Kicks
• Abbductor/ Adductor - band
• Chest Press on stability ball
• Dead Lift
• Skaters
• Bridge
• Split Squat
• Back Row
• Bicep Curl
• Plyometric Lunge
• Cross Crawl
• Bird/Dog
• Tricep Kickback
• Front Raise
• Mountain Climber

Card Deck Strength Session 1

Card Deck Strength Session 2