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Lifting me higher and higher
Strength training is an essential part of training for the middle distances. If done intelligently, it can provide an athlete with a body that is stronger and more capable of withstanding the overload that a systematic multi-paced training program requires. On the other hand, if it is not done correctly or with a specific purpose in mind, you could end up with undesirable physical results and lot of wasted training time.
Let me make this clear. You can not compete at the optimal level that your body is capable of with out strength training. Notice I said "strength training." Weight lifting is not the only means of developing strength, but I submit that it is the most efficient means of getting to a stronger body. This is especially potent when it is combine with other strength training exercises (such as plyometrics) and stretching. Let's begin!
Weight Training
Why you will be press to look like "Ar-nald"
For our bodybuilding peers, Arnold Schwarzenagger is an icon. Only mention his first name and they know whom you are talking about. Arnold is legendary because he is the prototypical body-builder, a person with a body capable of putting on muscles on top of muscles. Indeed, Arnold had an impressive body. Note the past tense. When he was in his prime, Arnold lifted every day and he took steroids (which were then still legal to take and was considered routine among top bodybuilders) to aid his recovery and prevent catabolism. But most importantly his goal was to get as big and as symmetrically pleasing as possible. This required a systematic training program that was geared to this goal. After he left the sport, most of his hard-earned body has wasted away, a product of a lifestyle that does not require him to lift as intensely nor as often.
If you are considered not lifting weights for fear of getting big let me dispel the myth right now. To even approach the level of hugeness that our muscle bound peers have you have to lift very hard and very often (and some might add, take drugs or hormones). It is no mistake that these guys and gals look the way that they do. Understand two physiology terms:
Hypertrophy - excessive development of a organ or part; increase in bulk without multiplication
Atrophy - decrease in size or wasting away of a body part or tissue
Now to increase muscle size a muscle must be stressed repeatedly enough to be encouraged to hypertrophy. This hypertrophy happen very quickly when a person first begins to weigh train but after a while the gains plateaus. To break through this plateau, a lifter must make a significant effort or change his/her training program to realize further growth gains. Conversely if the lifter does not continue a level of maintenance training and nutritional satisfaction then atrophy will occur, as the additional muscle will waste away from the body. So you would have to purposely want to look big to achieve it. In short, if you are concerned that you will look like a hulking monster, don't be. You would have to work very hard and systematically to look the way that bodybuilders do.
Then why lift?
This is not to say that getting that big is not beneficial to any runner. A sprinter would definitely benefit from a "bodybuilders" hypertrophy. But sprinter's goals are different from a distance runners goals. A sprinter wants to increase the power to weight ratio, that is the amount of power to body weight. Thus, if a sprinter can increase this ratio by adding 5 lbs. lean muscle mass to his/her frame then it would make since to pursue a weight program of hypertrophy especially since a sprinter does not have to worry about the aerobic energy system. But a distance runner has to be concerned with the amount of oxygen that that the runner's body receives and uses. Any extra weight is that much less energy that can be supplied by the aerobic energy system. The less weight you move around the track the more the body becomes energy efficient.
This places a paradox on the middle-distance runner. Take an 800m runner for an example. The race demands speed but more sustained effort than sheer power (read: stamina). So a goal is t maximize speed without sacrificing power. But wait. Wouldn't the extra body weight place an extra burden on the energy systems? Yes it would. So do you limit your training with weights to account for this or do you "bulk" up? That is debatable. Some believe that you should not bulk up because of the power/weight ratio. I believe that a middle ground can happen. Middle distance runners have to be strong and powerful. An acceptable amount of hypertrophy can happen without being detrimental to aerobic efficiency.
Variables of Strength Training
Strength gains can be made without significant hypertrophy of lean muscle mass; it's all in the way you lift. The adaptation is the hypertrophy of the muscle tissue. The creation of the stress is the variable that can be manipulated. These variables are:
Amount of weight lifted
After determining your 1 rep maximum (the absolute amount to you can lift per exercise) the amount you lift will be proportional to the number of reps in the set.
Number of sets
Some advocate as little as 1 or 2 and some recommend 10 per exercise. Additionally, you can super set (two exercises performed right after each with no rest other for a body part, one exercise targets multiple muscle recruitment and the other exercise concentrates on the target muscle [a super sets for biceps would be barbell curls followed by concentration curls]) or giant set (three exercises followed right after each other with no rest for a body part, one with multiple muscle recruitment and two exercises with concentration on particular muscles [a giant set for legs would be squats followed by leg extensions and leg curls]). It depends on the principles of the routine and your goals.
Number of repetitions
Again it can rage from 1 to 25 to failure. Depends on the principles of routine and your goals
Kind of repetitions
Ever heard of 2 seconds contracting, 4 seconds releasing on a lift? How about partials or 1 and 1/4 lifts? What about negatives? These are all different methods of creating different stresses on the muscle in the repetition.
Amount of rest between sets and repetitions
Some do not rest at all (they "circuit" train), while other rest 5 to 10 minutes. Again it depends on the principles of the routine and your goals
Frequency of workouts and whole body/spilt routines
Some will lift once a week or every other day and others will lift every day. Some will lift once a day; others will lift twice a day. Some will exercise their whole body; others will split certain exercise amount the lifting days. Take your pick.
Researchers and athletes have and will continue to debate on what is (are) the best way(s) to gain mass.
Cycling
Alas, there is no "best" way. As I said before, getting stronger is an adaptation of the body to stress. If you continue to do the same routines you will eventually plateau. Thus it is important to cycle different stresses to the body so that the body is continually
As you can see with these many variables to consider, there is a lot of room for debate. I don't claim to have the best way to lift but I submit that the routine that I suggest to you, if followed, will get you results.
The Lifts and The Programs
Stretching
Ever heard the phase "give and inch and he will take a mile?" Well like most good saying is contains a kernel of truth. In the case for stretching, if you "gain an inch you might win a mile."
I will spare you the discussion of the injury prevention aspect of stretching. This should be obvious. I will discuss the other benefit that does not get as much press. That benefit is increased stride length.
Does this equation look familiar to you?
Speed=Stride Length*Stride Frequency
When trying to increase speed, most forget about this part of the formula. Increasing stride length should be as important as the multi-paced training that you do to increase stride frequency. However, it should not surprise you that most runners do not even consider increasing stride length as important. This is very important!
To illustrate the importances of stretching consider the following story. I call it "A Tale of Two Runners"
Runners A and B are identical twins. Each has the same stride, six feet long, and speed. Their junior year at the state meet they tie for second place in the 100 meters, with a time of 10.6 seconds. They are considered the favorites for the state title next year. Runner A figures "if it ain't broke then don't fix it," and trains the same as before. Runner B thinks that same thing but is worried about injury, so Runner B trains the same as Runner A but additionally incorporates a stretching program to do for 20-30 minutes while watching television. Runner A has a good time laughing at Runner B contorts and sways. As the days and months progress, Runner B notices that he can stretch a full inch further than he could before. As the following year's state meet approaches, Runner A notices that Runner B appears to be faster. Runner A is perplexed, "I'm doing the same thing that Runner B is doing, so why is Runner B getting faster?" At the state meet, Runner A gets smoked by Runner B, 10.5 to 10.35
Well why did Runner A get smoked if he trained the same and is genetically identical to Runner B? Let us breakdown the math.
39 inches in a meter, race is 100 meter, then 3900 inches is raced
Stride length of Runner A is 6', 12 inches in a foot, then A's stride length is 72 inches
Stride length of Runner B is 6'1", 12 inches in a foot; B's stride length is 73 inches
3900/72=54.17 strides in the race for Runner A
3900/73=53.42 strides in the race for Runner B
With out doing further calculations we can see that Runner B is taking less strides than Runner A. At the same speed, Runner B is covering more ground than Runner A. Let's continue with the math.
Runner A runs 10.5, when divided by 54.17 (10.5/54.17) equals .1938 seconds per stride
Runner B runs 10.35, when divided by 53.42 (10.35/53.42) equals' .1938 seconds per stride
Same speed different results.
To be frank, there is an assumption in the story. We assumed that the two runners are able to maintain the same stride length for the race. But realistically, the number we get from races is an average at best. Stride length can vary upon the pace at which you run. Your stride is different at a jog than at a sprint. Applicable in a race of middle distances, your stride can vary wildly from beginning (where you may run faster than pace to establish position) to end (where the effects of the anaerobic energy metabolism take its toll [read: butt lock!]). Thus, it would be incorrect to assume that by merely stretching you can win races.
You can assume that by stretching you increase the likelihood of winning a race. How? Think about it. More ground covered by a longer stride means less effort is expended the less taxing on your energy systems. Remember the longer you can stay in the aerobic system the more you will have in your tanks for the sprint at the end. Lets not forget that when you are in your anaerobic system you will be taking a bigger stride, thus covering more ground.
Imagine how many strides you take in an 800m race, a 1500m race or a 5000m race. One inches turns into tens of meters. Think about it.
If you don't know how to stretch then I suggest that you learn how. There are plenty of books regarding the subject and lots of videos. Better yet, take a Yoga class. One class will be pretty humbling.
In a phrase, regarding stretching, JUST DO IT!
Plyometrics
Our good friends from Eastern Europe have contributed greatly to the field of sports physiology. One of their more notable contributions is the development of plyometrics.
Plyometrics are simply "bounding" exercises. If you have ever done skips, butt-kicks, and high-knee drills and thought theses were part of your warm-ups, you were wrong. These exercises, when properly done, are essential parts of a sound strength training program
So what's the big deal with plyometrics? Well for one, plyometric exercises allow a way of isolating and strengthening specific muscle groups using the body's weight in exaggerated movements similar to the movements use in doing the regular movement. For example, butt-kick are a plyometric exercise design to strengthen the muscles (hamstrings, calves, butt) involved in the "back kick" part of the running motion. Have you ever noticed that when you jog you do not have a "back kick", but when you sprint you do. This is part of the motion to lengthen the stride. Your hamstring pulls your lower leg toward your butt to "load" the muscle with tension to be released upon your foot striking the ground. The more you "load" the more long and powerful the stride.
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