TrainingConverting Science into Performance |
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As fascinating as discussion and debate of the physiological functions of the body can be training is where the "rubber meets the road". Luckily, exercise physiologists don't spend all their time just studying the physiological functions of the body. They have also spent a great deal of time studying training and training methods. There is much that can be learned from training research. While training research may not tell us why something physiologically works or doesn't work, it can provide us with insight into the actual effects of training on performance. Does base building result in improved performance as compared to a high intensity training program? Does increasing mileage actually result in improved performance as is so commonly preached? These are the types of questions that training research can answer for us.
The goal of this section is to review relevant training research, gain an understanding of the lessons found in that research and, when possible, to apply these lessons to program design. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Power Running Training Recommendations
For those who don't want to spend time reading all the various training related articles and research on this page or who don't want to completely design their own training program, this section seeks to provide concise training advice and recommendations. The foundational physiological and training principles and recommendations of Power Running are encapsulated in the following articles.
Power Running Training Guide, part 1, Classification of Runners All runners are not exactly the same. In fact, there are broad differences in genetic talent across the human species. How should this undisputed fact be incorporated into a training schedule? Find out in part 1 of the Power Running Training Guide.
Power Running Training Guide, part 2, Training Variables, Weekly Mileage, & Balance What are the training variables? What role does weekly mileage play in performance? Find out in part 2 of the Power Running Training Guide.
Power Running Training Guide, part 3, The Single Most Important Thing In Running What is the single most important thing in running? Find out in part 3 of the Power Running Training Guide.
Power Running Training Guide, part 4, Individual Workouts The foundation of your training program is the individual workouts. Part 4 covers the primary and secondary workouts you should be including in your training program.
Power Running Training Guide, part 5, The 3 run days per week training program Can you really run well, and race well, while only running 3 days per week? Yes, you can. Read more about this most controversial of programs in part 5. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ The Running Theory of Everything - the next evolution in run training theory Part 1 - The Running Contradiction A contradiction exists in the running community - a contradiction that causes significant angst and endless heated debates. What is this contradiction and why is it such a crucial issue? Find out in this article. Part 2 - Prelude Stephen Hawking and the world of Physics points the way to the Running Theory of Everything. Exactly how do Newtonian Physics and Quantum Theory relate to running? Find out in this prelude to the Running Theory of Everything. Part 3 - The Running Theory of Everything What is The Running Theory of Everything and why is it important? I suggest The Running Theory of Everything will be the next evolution in run training theory. This article explains what The Running Theory of Everything is and the research supporting it. Part 4 - Training Implications of the Running Theory of Everything - coming soon ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Weekly Mileage Debate Do All Runners Benefit from Increasing Mileage? Does increasing weekly mileage improve performance equally for all runners? Should all runners expect to experience performance improvements when they increase their weekly mileage? Should all runners strive to increase their weekly mileage? This article reviews the research in our quest of answer these questions. Prof. Noakes comments on the article "Do All Runners Benefit from Increasing Mileage?" After reviewing both my article and the original research upon which it was based, Prof. Noakes sent me these comments.
Mileage-Based Training - A Logical Analysis part 1 Runners and run training programs put a lot of emphasis on mileage. Runners think, talk, and train in terms of daily and weekly mileage. Training programs are often prescribed in terms of weekly mileage. Training goals are often set for reaching a particular number of miles run per week. What are the natural consequences of a mileage-based training focus? This two part series logically investigates the end results of mileage-based training.
Mileage-Based Training - A Logical Analysis part 2 Part 2 continues our analysis of mileage based training. Do any programs actually vary mileage based on performance? How should training load figure into training programs? Find out in part 2. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Velocity Oriented Training Marshall Burt's Velocity Focused Training: Lessons Learned in 2006 Marshall Burt, sport scientist, updated his training method based on new information learned in 2006. Find out the latest in Velocity Oriented Training here. Marshall Burt's Velocity Focused Training, Part 1 Training Program Design Marshall Burt, sport scientist, has some fascinating ideas on optimal training. This is part 1 in a series of articles about Marshall's training methods, drawn from his writings on the RunTex forum. Read part 1 here. Marshall Burt's Velocity Focused Training, Part 2 Individual Workouts Marshall Burt, sport scientist, has some fascinating ideas on optimal training. This is part 2in a series of articles about Marshall's training methods, drawn from his writings on the RunTex forum. Read part 2 here. Marshall Burt's Velocity Focused Training, Part 3 ETG Training Protocol Part 3 of Marshall Burt's Velocity Focused training series outlines the Elite Training Group (ETG) training protocol. Marshall applies his physiological training beliefs to program design resulting in a recommended training program. Read part 3 here. Marshall Burt's Velocity Focused Training, Part 4 Sample Workout Part 4 of Marshall Burt's Velocity Focused training series takes the information provided in the first 3 parts and creates an example workout. Read part 4 here. Marshall Burt's Velocity Focused Training, Part 5 Q & A Part 5 of Marshall Burt's Velocity Focused training series covers frequently asked questions about Marshall's training program. Read part 5 here. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Strength Training High Rep Strength Training, a new training paradigm Does high repetition strength training offer a significant but previously overlooked benefit for endurance athletes? This article reviews all the available research and provides some thought provoking data. Read the article here. Does Strength Training Improve Running Performance? Will weight lifting make you faster? Take a look a this review of the available research. Resistance Training for Runners Bonus Section A physiological explanation for the influence resistance training has on performance. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Marathoning FIRST Training Research 2005 Update The researchers at the FIRST institute repeated their 3 run days per week training program which culminated in running the 2005 Kiawah Island Marathon in South Carolina. The initial results of this study reinforce the results from their 2003 and 2004 studies. Here is the article. Successful Marathoning on Just 3 Running Days per Week In 2004 Exercise Physiologists at Furman University in South Carolina conducted a marathon training study that had the participants running just 3 days per week. The results were quite interesting with most of the experienced marathoners setting either a marathon PR or beating their most recent marathon performance. Find out the details in this article. Does Increasing Mileage Make for a Faster Marathon? A research study comparing different training volumes in novice marathoners had some thought provoking results.
Weekly Mileage and Marathon Performance How much influence does weekly training mileage have on marathon performance? Find out in this research review.
Graphs of the Distribution of Marathon Finishing Times ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Injury
Running and Injury It's no secret - runners suffer a high incidence of injury. Ever wonder just what the odds are of getting a running injury? There have been numerous studies on running related injuries but the data is not generally well known by runners. This article highlights the risks as provided by data from two representative research studies that examined injury rate in runners. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hadd An Analysis of Hadd's Approach to Distance Training Have you ever read Hadd's approach to run training? It has been increasing in popularity since first being posted on the LetsRun forum. Is there something unique and special about Hadd's methods? Find out in this analysis. An Analysis of Hadd's Approach to Distance Training - part 2 Mitochondria In part 2 of my analysis of Hadd's approach to distance training I examine his belief that the best way to train slow twitch fibers is running long and slow at an intensity of 70% VO2peak. In particular, I review the research study that forms the foundation of Hadd's beliefs about specific effects of training at particular intensities. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Base Building The Basics of Base Building - the accurately applied concept of "base building" A guest article by Marshall Burt, coach of the Elite Training Group in Austin, TX. The "Base Building vs. High Intensity" research review (posted in the training section) called into question the necessity of a "base building" phase each year. If a phase of base building is not necessary, does that mean you should abandon base building all together? Read what Marshall has to say on this important topic. Base building vs. High Intensity Will base building make you a faster runner? How does it compare to high intensity training? This is the first research study to examine base building over an entire competitive season. If you are a fan of base building, you will want to read this article. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- General Training Topics Why Increasing Mileage Improves Performance Does increasing weekly mileage improve performance? Many runners swear it does, but the research calls this belief into question. Which group is right? This article seeks to answer this hotly debated topic.
Download the entire article in word format here. Right click on the hyperlink, select "save target as" and save it to your hard drive (be sure to note the file you save it to on your computer). How Frequently Should You Run? Rate and Magnitude of Response: The Nautilus North Study Elites train every day. Should you? Or should you run less frequently? How do you know? This article reviews a fascinating research study that addresses the topic of optimal training frequency. Read the article here. Easy Runs and Recovery What effects do easy runs have following a hard workout or race? Will they help you recover faster and improve your performance? See what research has to say on this topic. Cross Training for Runners Does cross training improve running performance? Should you cross train? How does cross training compare to increasing running volume? These two research studies address this particular topic. An Interesting Analysis of Some Elites’ Training History, Weekly Mileage, and Performance Prof. Tim Noakes, in his book Lore of Running, devotes a lot of attention to examining the training history, weekly mileage, and performances of some of the top elite runners and athletes in the history of sport. His examination and analysis reveal some fascinating information. Read more here. Frequency vs. Duration vs. Intensity vs. Volume vs. Specificity - A comparison of the five training elements. Does one of these training variables exert more influence on performance than the others? A series of four studies examines this very topic with some really surprising results.
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