PEAK PERFORMANCE WORDS: BRAD DIXON IMAGE: TARAWERA ULTRAMARATHON/TIM BARDSLEY-SMITH
NO STRENGTH?
YOU WON’T FLOW OVER THE TRAIL R
unning on trails tests our entire system. Awareness, agility, joint and muscle range, control through that range, and a stable platform is imperative to tap into a flowing, efficient rhythm over uneven, undulating terrain.
The first is more of a full body technique circuit, and the second is more ballistic in nature. All the exercises need to be started within capacity and they can be progressed with an increase in the number of reps/sets or decreasing the rest time between the sets. Both of these sessions require a warmup and warm down phase which can be achieved with a gentle jog, or cycle including hip, shoulder swings, and thoracic spine twists. At least 5 to 10 minutes of warming up, and then 5 minutes of warming down with some yoga poses thrown in.
Achieving this efficient running ‘flow state’ is much easier over a flat road surface with less variables. Running on a tricky trail versus the road is like surfing a tricky, shifty break compared to surfing a uniform consistent wave at Kelly Slater’s home wave making machine. If athletes are time crunched the first sessions that are dropped are the nonrunning training sessions (core, strength, and full body stretch/balance). The odd stretch for a few minutes as part of a warm down will not cut it especially as you glide past 35 years of age. Runners need to understand that investing time into functional strength and restorative sessions around running will allow you to run more consistently, for longer (duration in session, and years in life) yielding better performance, reducing injuries, and less running is required.
Warmup and warm down periods with any exercise session are extremely important in allowing the body to prepare for the work ahead. I like to call this enhancing the ‘buffer zone’. Then flush out any by products produced from the session. Not completing this basic habit will gradually lead to niggles, pain and injury. So please – before you invest in compression gear, expensive post workout powders and massage guns, dial in the simple cost-free basics with a meaningful warm up and warm down with every session.
The functional strength work, core, and restorative measures will help improve running economy – that’s the energy required to hold form and move you is less – therefore your aerobic efficiency is enhanced.
1
FTSE 1 (Functional Trail Running Specific Exercises)
• Burpees (without jump)
In this article I wanted to address FUNCTIONAL TRAIL RUNNING STRENGTH and outline two specific circuits that deliver trail improving results in minimal time.
• Runners push ups (elbow opening to front and keep to side of body)
24
• Pistol squat (use seat to start with) • Single leg deadlift* Start within capacity e.g. 5-10 reps of each and a 60 second break between sets (2-5 sets). Then increase the reps or make it time dependent 10-20 reps or 45 seconds with only a 15 second or no rest between sets. * Can start with bodyweight then add
• Bulgarian split squat*
small weight (I use a kettlebell) if form is
• Walking lunge* (picking heel up to butt)
maintained.
