Into another edition of the Ask Coach Parry podcast, I’m Brad Brown, Lindsey Parry joins us once again. Lindsey, we’ve got another two http://talkfeed.co.za/askcoachparryquestions today; it’s got to do with strength training. The first question comes in from Sihle Matetwa, Gillian Innis also submitted a question. Sihle said strength training exercises to build-up legs as well as core exercises.

Gillian says, 2016 will be her second attempt at Comrades Down run, she missed the cut off by 25 minutes last time out. What training can she do to strengthen her quads as her thighs were so sore and she did start in H seeding batch? She will start in the charity seeding batch next year, but all about strength training. What’s the best thing to do to focus on the Comrades Down run?

Transcript

Lindsey Parry: So I put strength training into two broad categories. I certainly do encourage people strongly to do strength training, particularly for the Down run. But the two categories are; one injury prevention, two get stronger. So with novices, people new to running, I always feel that doing some strength training is incredibly important to prevent injury. With the second classification it’s really just to get stronger and to better prepare the body for the eccentric loading or the pounding of the muscles. Especially on the Down run, which does lead you to be quite sore.

Balance your cross-training as a runner

You want to do a combination of some stability or proprioceptive exercises, exercises that throw your body slightly out of kilter. Things like balancing on an Airex pad or on a Bosu ball, or on a hedgehog if you are in a gym environment.

Maybe two pillows if you’re at home, just to create that bit of an unstable surface. That helps to teach muscles when to switch on and off at the appropriate time so that we get nice joint stability. That minimises then the risk of injury because there’s a lot less movement in the joint themselves.

Particularly in the hip joint, if we get a lot of movement in the hip joints; it can put pressure down into the knees, into the shins, it can put pressure on the lower back, into the hamstrings, glutes and quads.   Proprioceptive exercises should really form a part of all your workouts.

Then we move into the strength and that’s actually physically making the muscles better prepared for eccentric loading. Also helps them to do their primary function, which is to move much better and make you a stronger runner.

The 4 exercises to do if you want to become a stronger runner

I’ve got four exercises or core exercises that I like to use to fulfil that purpose and those are squats, single leg squats, step ups onto a bench and then a supine bridge to strengthen the lower back and the hamstrings.

Those are my four core exercises for working out and strengthening and if you are in a gym.   I would ask a healthcare professional there or a personal trainer, somebody who knows what they are doing just to show you to do those exercises properly.

Then it’s always a good idea to work on lower abdominal, and lower back strength. Throw in a little bit of upper body stuff so that when you’re finished with Comrades, you can head down to the beach with pride on the first of June.

BB: Awesome stuff Lindsey, thank you very much for that and I hope that helps Sihle and Gillian, good luck on your build up to Comrades 2016. From the two of us, until next time, it’s cheers.