Training
When to See a Pro
If your knee pain sticks around or gets worse , don ’ t wait until you ’ re limping around like a pirate on a peg-leg . See a physical therapist or healthcare professional to figure out exactly what ’ s going on . Sometimes a little professional insight can save you from months of frustration .
The Bottom Line
Knee pain is no joke , but with the right strength training routine , you can get ahead of it and keep running strong . Your knees will thank you … and so will the rest of your body . So , next time you ’ re tempted to skip strength day , remember that strong muscles equal happy knees . Plus , who doesn ’ t want to be the runner who flies down the road pain-free ?
Jurgens Grobler is a holistic health and wellness advocate with a wealth of qualifications and diverse experiences , including coaching , strength training , biomechanics , injury-prevention and sport massage , and he specialises in personalised fitness programmes . As an avid runner and cyclist , he embodies a lifestyle of health , balance and passion . More at http :// www . jagfitness . co . za
Take the Stairs By Ray Orchison
Running stairs is a great way to get yourself into shape , and there are a number of benefits that you will enjoy simply by adding some stairs to your training routine .
Running up and down stairs as a form of interval session is a great way to build leg power , which is a key ingredient in running , plus it ’ s a great cardio workout . In other words , it won ’ t take much to put your lungs into oxygen debt , and the added bonus to that is that you go into debt quickly , so you ’ ll be working hard to keep your rhythm , pace and form , which is great mindtraining for the last few kilometres of your next race .
The most important thing to remember is that running stairs takes practice and concentration , because the slightest misstep could see you take a nasty tumble and injure yourself . Also , when adding anything new to your training , it is crucial to add it gradually and to ease into it , so if you experience any sharp pain while running stairs , stop immediately and give your body a few days to recover before attempting another stairs workout . Another essential is to make sure you warm up properly with an easy 20- to 30-minute jog , then start by walking up and down the stairs a few times before you begin running them .
GETTING STARTED
1 Find a suitable set of stairs : If you are a
Gautenger and live close to Westcliff , then the 400m Westcliff stairs are a good choice . Other options would be a stadium or school in your area . If you travel a lot , use the hotel stairs , because most people in a hotel will take the lift , which leaves the stairs traffic-free for your workout .
2 Focus on your form : Running stairs is about building leg strength and power , so focus on leg extension and driving yourself up the stairs with a high knee-lift while pumping your arms . Don ’ t lean forward from your hips , rather keep an upright posture with a slight lean forward from your ankles , almost like you ’ re ‘ falling ’ into the stairs .
3 What goes up , must come down : Be very careful coming down the stairs , because it ’ s the descent that can cause damage and injury if too much strain is put on your knees and lower back . When running back down the stairs , try to focus on using your quads and hips to absorb the impact , and not your knees . For the first few sessions , rather walk back down – you can start jogging down once you start getting more confident on the stairs . The walk back down is also a good recovery before you go bounding back to the top .
WORKOUTS
It ’ s not necessary to include a stair session every week in your training , but these sessions are a great way to mix things up every now and then by replacing a hill session . With all these sessions , start with a 20min warm-up , then walk two to three reps up and down the stairs , and finish off with a 15-20min easy cool-down jog .
• Workout 1 : Run 3 x 10-20 steps , then walk back down to recover .
• Workout 2 : Run 5 x 10-20 steps , skipping every second stair , then walk back down to recover
• Workout 3 : Run 3 x 5 x 20-50 steps , skipping every second stair , easy jog down to recover
Ray Orchison is a South Africanborn running coach and therapist . He has completed the Comrades Marathon multiple times and also boasts personal bests of 33:55 for 10km and 2:48:00 for the marathon . He has completed USATF and NAASFP coaching courses , and provides personalised training programmes to his clients . Now based in Perth , Australia , you can find him at https :// runetics . com . au .
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