Running Training
Get Fit to Run
Core Running training is a progressive system designed to help
you run better, run stronger and run injury-free. This system is
based on my coaching experience, advanced education in exercise
science and sport science research.
Running Training Performance Pyramid
The diagram below will give you a good overview of the Core Running
methodology. It's based on a concept I've adapted called the Performance
Training Pyramid. The pyramid outlines the different skills necessary
to become a good, efficient and faster runner.
The Performance Training Pyramid
Each level is dependent on the levels below it to optimize performance
and all the tiers are interconnected. A common mistake many runners
make is focusing too much attention to the middle layer, Fitness
Skills, while neglecting any weakness in their Fundamental Movement
Skills and Technical Skills.
The Base Tier - Fundamental Movement Skills
As the base of your training you have Fundamental Movement Skills.
Basically this is your ability to move with ease, to perform basic
movements with no restrictions (movements involving lunging, squatting,
pushing, pulling, etc.) It involves your static and dynamic posture,
body control, stability and mobility.
Characteristics to train at this level include muscle and tendon
flexibility, joint mobility, core stabilization and joint stability.
The old adage "you have to walk before you can run" definitely
applies here. One of the biggest limitations I've seen in many runners
is they have restrictions in their movement or altered movement
patterns due to injury, improper training, overuse or improper muscle
function.
The wrong joints are too mobile while others have limited mobility.
Core stability is weak and posture is poor.
The Core Running training system helps you clean up these basic
movements which in turn will help everything else higher up the
pyramid.
The Middle Tier - Fitness Skills
The next level of development involves fitness attributes. These
include strength, endurance, power, agility, balance, and coordination.
Together they provide a picture of your gross athletic abilities.
For runners, having good endurance, power and strength would be
important. Agility, balance and coordination would not be as important
unless you were trail running where these characteristics could
be beneficial.
A good running training program will develop these different characteristics.
The Top Tier - Technical (Sport Specific) Skills
At the peak of the pyramid you have your sport specific skills.
These are the technical skills required for your sport.
With running this includes your running biomechanics and economy.
Speed could be thought of as another technical skill for runners.
Your chosen distance specialty would determine what type of speed
you need, whether it be outright speed as sprinters need or speed-endurance
as distance runners need.
Training the Physiological & Neuromuscular Systems
To simply things I'll divide the physical training into two separate
streams, each stream primarily working on one bodily system. Training
to run better involves:
- Physiological training - involving the heart, lungs, gastrointestinal
tract and the glands. It works primarily on the endocrine system
(the glands and the hormones they produce).
- Neuromuscular training - involving the muscles, fascia, tendons
and other soft tissues. It works primarily on the nervous system
(the brain, spine and nerves).
This is a gross oversimplification of what happens; in reality,
the body works together as a whole and you can never just train
one system.
The endocrine system and the nervous system are intricately linked
and function together. But for our purposes, we'll use this simple
model to differentiate different types of running training.
Most runners spend too much time focusing on the physiological
training and neglect the neuromuscular training. To run well you
need to use both types of training and develop all the body's systems
and tissues.
Physiological training is done primarily through running, though
you can do some of it with other types of aerobic cross training
(i.e. biking, swimming, etc.). Long runs, speedwork, some forms
of hill training; these are all forms of physiological training.
Nutrition is also included in this part of training since you are
training your body to burn certain types of fuel (either carbs or
fat) with different intensities of running.
Neuromuscular training is done through running as well as cross
training. Weight training, plyometrics, specific types of hill training,
form drills and flexibility work are examples of neuromuscular training.
Efficiency is the Name of the Game
The Core Running method works at developing your neuromuscular
capabilities first and then working on your physiological training.
Running as with any endurance activity, is all about using as little
energy as you possible to go as fast as you can for the given distance.
If you have muscles that are too tight or too weak (not being activated)
you'll be using more energy than you need to run. Since the muscular
system determines the load on the cardiovascular and pulmonary system
(the heart and lungs), you'll run with a higher heart rate, have
a lower lactate threshold and fatigue quicker.
By correcting common running muscle imbalances, you'll improve
your biomechanics and thereby improve your running efficiency. This
means for a given pace, you'll run with a lower heart rate and be
able to run longer at that pace or run a given distance faster at
the same heart rate.
After you've laid a base of neuromuscular training, you can begin
working on your physiological training. Of course, any time you
run you are training your physiology but during this foundation
phase most of your running will be at a comfortable pace while you
work on your form and technique.
You won't worry about trying to improve your VO2 max or your lactate
threshold. You'll be running primarily in you aerobic zone, training
your body to burn fat for fuel as you improve your running efficiency.
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