welcome to running
FURTHER FASTER FITTER
Strength and Conditioning
Running is a high impact activity with at least 4 times your bodyweight going through each leg and carries a high risk of injury. So at GoOutRun.com our Training Team bring you the latest strength, conditioning and flexibility exercises to increase strength and reduce your risk of injury.
Go Out Run - Olympic Profiles
With less than 2 years to go before the greatest show on earth graces the nation’s capital prospective competitors will be entering what are their final phases of training and preparation. Although 2012 seems a long time off, for those competing at the elite level of their sport it really isn’t.
During the build up to London 2012 Go Out Run will be profiling athletes from a variety of Olympic sports as they prepare for the games. We’ll be finding out how they cope with the pressure of competition and investigating what elements of their training offer transferable benefits for running.
Interview with Crista Cullen - GB Hockey Star
In our first article we talk to GB hockey star Crista Cullen who is part of the England squad that is currently competing in the Commonwealth Games in Delhi and the Great Britain squad that recently won a Bronze medal at the World Cup staged by Argentina.
Hockey: Crista Cullen
Vital Stats
Date of Birth: 20/08/85
Height: 180cm
Position: Midfield
GB Caps: 43
Sporting Idol: Sir Steve Redgrave
Matchday Breakfast: Porridge with vanilla yoghurt, raisins and maple syrup
On Training
In an average week of training we will complete hockey sessions on 2 days, gym sessions which focus on building strength and power will take place 3 times a week and we have fitness training 2 days a week.
We do lots of running in our fitness sessions, it helps with our speed endurance. One session called MAS involves sprinting for 10 seconds, resting for 10 seconds x10. We complete it 3 times. It’s probably my most hated session because it feels horrendous but also my favourite session in that you feel great when you’ve completed it.
On Strength
Our gym work helps us develop strength and power. We do lots of basic lifting moves such as squats as well as what we call “robustness” sessions which involve a huge amount of work to strengthen our hips, glutes and core which are really important in a game like hockey where we spend a lot of time bent down close to the ground and quickly changing direction.
On Recovery
I have an ice bath for 10 minutes post match and we’re also weighed to work out how much fluid we’ve lost. I then take a Maxifuel protein shake and some carbohydrate in the form of fruit and a carbohydrate bar. At a tournament we swim on rest days to flush out our legs and during a training phase we do recovery work on bikes.
On Balancing Work and Training
The UK Sport funding that GB Hockey receives means we are centralised now so we all train together on a permanent basis as full professionals. I still have a part-time job though, working as a researcher and marketing assistant for Sports Recruitment International. The company have been incredibly understanding about my commitments allowing me to work two days a week and take time off to compete abroad. They’ve been great. Working helps me keep balance in my life and I know I’ll not be a hockey player for ever so it’s great to develop other skills I can use after my hockey career.
On Injury
My biggest injury was a fractured wrist before the Beijing Olympics. For a time I wasn’t sure whether I’d get to play and that was tough but a pain killing injection helped me compete and achieve my dream of becoming an Olympian. I had to have a full wrist reconstruction following the Olympics and I used the time to take a break from hockey and spend time with my family who live in Kenya. It helped me relax and refocus before committing to the next Olympic cycle.
On the mental side of competing
I don’t suffer from match day nerves but it’s definitely good to have some nerves as they help you concentrate. I like to keep a relaxed approach though, I just believe in the training I’ve done and focus on the job at hand. Mental rehearsal can be useful for certain scenarios you know might come up such as penalty corners [Crista is team GB’s penalty corner specialist].
On London 2012
I can’t wait. London can’t compete with Beijing in terms of budget but the heritage and history of the city will offer something very exciting. Obviously it’s in our home town and I’ve been to the Olympic village and seeing the stadium under construction really was incredible. We lost out in Beijing on goal difference which was hard to swallow so we’re even more determined for London. We’re better prepared than ever and being centralised for the first time has developed a better understanding amongst the team.
On Running
I love running and try and fit it in when I can. I live near Richmond Park so go running there now and then to loosen up, although it has to fit in with my training programme obviously. When I was in Kenya recovering from my wrist operation I did lots of running to keep my fitness up. I’d definitely like to run the London Marathon when I’ve finished playing hockey, it looks like an amazing event.
Go Out Run Tip
Though the running requirements for hockey are somewhat different to running a 5k, 10k or longer, runners of any distance can benefit from the sort of speed endurance session that Crista mentions. Short bursts of speed interspersed with short jogged recovery leads to an oxygen deficit and build up of lactic acid in the muscles. This means that the body is trained to work more efficiently at clearing lactic acid and working in the absence of oxygen which can be really useful next time you want to attempt a sprint finish in your local park run. Try the following session to find yourself kicking away from your rivals in the final meters:
70m sprint x 5 with 70m recovery jog. Complete x 3 with 3 mins jog between each set. Always remember to warm up, cool down and stretch.
Go Out Run would like to thank Crista Cullen and Great Britain Hockey. For more information on Great Britain Hockey visit www.greatbritainhockey.co.uk or to find your local club go to www.englandhockey.co.uk/findaclub
Performing a Lunge
by Sarona Taylor 15/09/10
Introduction
A Lunge is one of the 7 primal human movement patterns alongside push, pull, bend, twist, squat and gait. The lunge is fundamentally important to runners as done correctly the movement strengthens the key muscles need to run efficiently, namely the anterior and posterior muscles in the legs and the key stabilising muscles in the glutes and core. Performed incorrectly the move can reinforce existing muscle weaknesses and imbalances particularly between anterior and posterior chain and cause joint pain, particularly in the knee.
We’ve worked with a number of clients who have stopped doing lunges because they cause knee pain or because they aren’t being performed correctly. Invariably the knee pain can be alleviated through correcting the technique and / or foam rolling the IT band.
Technique
As with all strength and conditioning exercises the technique of the lunge should be perfected before any weight or dynamic movement is added.
It’s important to keep the torso upright throughout the movement, it’s a lunge of the front leg but not the entire body. So, start the movement by lengthening the spine and engaging the deep lying core muscles that help stabilise the pelvis. Imagine that you have a marble in the sternal notch which is at the base of your windpipe and aim to prevent the marble from falling out throughout the exercise.
Take a breath in and stride out with your left leg, keeping your torso upright with your shoulders in line with your hips, bend the front and back knees to 90 degrees. Place the bodyweight through the heel on your front foot, the temptation will be to shift weight to the toes and to place knee forward over the toes. Shift the bodyweight evenly between the front and back legs, ensure that your knee is inline with the ankle on the front leg and not falling forward over the foot. Keep the knee tracking inline with the 2nd toe, don’t let the knee flare in or out laterally.
Breath out and drive off the front foot returning yourself back to the starting position, ensuring that the feet are level and that your bodyweight is evenly distributed. Do 15 repetitions on the left leg and then repeat on the right leg. Do 3 sets of 15 in total, with 60 secs rest in between.
Performing a Squat
by Sarona Taylor 10/09/10
Introduction
A Squat is one of the 7 primal human movement patterns alongside push, pull, bend, twist, lunge and gait.
The squat, if performed correctly, is a fundamental exercise for building leg, glute and core strength. Performed incorrectly the move can reinforce existing muscle weaknesses and imbalances and cause pain particularly in the lower back and knees.
Technique
As with all strength and conditioning exercises the technique of the squat should be perfected before any weight or dynamic movement is added. This is particularly important for the back as if performed incorrectly the lower back will be vulnerable to disc damage.
It’s important to keep the torso upright throughout the movement, whilst there should be a tilt through the pelvis the back should stay in a neutral position. So, start the movement by lengthening the spine and engaging the deep lying core muscles that help stabilise the pelvis. Imagine that you have a marble in the sternal notch which is at the base of your windpipe and aim to prevent the marble from falling out throughout the exercise, also ensure the shoulder blades are brought back and drawn down to the floor throughout the exercise.
Place the feet shoulder width apart and with the feet facing forward. Take a breath in and lower bend your knees keeping your weight firmly through your heels with your bottom moving back and down. Keep the core and abs engaged. Take 3-4 secs to either 90 degrees or if the musculature is too tight to perform the full range squat as low as you can while keeping the back in neutral and the imaginary marble in the sternal notch.
The angle of the back should be in line with the angle through the lower leg. The temptation will be to lean forward through the torso and you’ll effectively squat the back down but not the legs. Hold for up to 2 seconds and (at) the end range of the movement, take a breath out through the mouth and drive back to the start position as quickly as possible, this will develop power. Be sure to drive up through the heel, imagine that you’re pushing the ground away from you. Ensure that your knees are in line with the second toe, the temptation will be to allow the knees to flare out. Your glutes and quads will be engaged more if the knee alignment is correct. Repeat 15 times, rest for 60 seconds and do 2 more sets.
Runner’s knee injuries and the Iliotibial band
By Simon Burden, 30/10/0
Running is a high impact activity and can often result in an injury if the amount of running is increased too quickly and if the body hasn’t been strengthened significantly to withstand the load of running.
Knee pain
The knee is a common site of pain and discomfort for runners. The pain can take the form of a stinging sensation or soreness and can occur above, below, on the outside or in the front of the knee cap. The pain may not occur immediately during running, but may get worse over time, especially as the foot strikes the ground. Pain might also continue after the running session.
Iliotibial band
A major contributor to knee pain for runners is a tightness of the Iliotibial band (ITB) The ITB is located on the outside of the thigh, starting at the pelvis and inserting just below the knee. Its job is to stabilize the alignment of the knee during running. It can become tight and inflamed through repetitive movement of the knee during running.
Foam rolling
Using a Foam roller is a great way of reducing the tightness in the ITB and therefore reducing knee pain. Foam rolling is a form of self myofascial release which is designed to break up knots and tightness in the fascia. Fascia is a dense connective tissue that surrounds muscle, bones and joints which provides support and protection to the body. Foam rollers are inexpensive to buy and can be bought online or from your local physio.
- Position yourself on your side lying on foam roll.
- Raise bottom leg off the floor
- Maintain head in “neutral” position
- Keep body in a straight line
- Start to roll just below hip joint down the outside thigh to the knee.
- Keep leg off of ground
- Stop rolling when it is painful and hold on the point until pain reduces by 75%.
Perform foam rolling 1 – 2 times a day.
An introduction to stretching
by Simon Burden 20/06/09
A look at the importance of stretching for runners
Overview
Stretching is a discipline that is fundamentally important to continued running and reducing the risk of injury. However, it is also an area of some conjecture and is often overlooked by recreational runners. At GoOutRun.com we believe as an absolute minimum you should stretch at the end of each and every run. Runners who are running for increased volumes and intensities should introduce dynamic stretching and drills at the start of runs and introduce standalone flexibility sessions (such as Yoga or Pilates) into their training schedule. In this article we look at the minimum that someone who is running around 3 times a week for 30-60 mins must do.
When to stretch
The consensus today is not to do any static stretching at the beginning of a run when muscles are cold and tight. The best way for recreational runners to warm up is to do a gentle 5 to 10 mins easy run which gently increases the heart rate, increases blood flow and warms up the muscles. Those with any particularly tight muscles should stop and stretch at the end of the 5-10 minute warm up before starting the main run.
We recommend that you stretch at the end of your run before you enter the house/car so that it becomes an integral part of your run.
Why stretch
Running creates a shortness and tightness in the muscles. Therefore lengthening the muscles at the end of a run delivers the following benefits:
- Improves the range of the movement that a muscle can perform through
- Reduces the risk injury
- Prevents post-exercise muscle soreness
Key Muscles to stretch
Please see below for the key stretches for runners. Hold each stretch for up to 30 seconds. If a muscle feels tight repeat the stretch 3 times.
Quad |
Hamstring |
Glutes |
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Stretch glute of non standing leg |
Calf |
Hip Flexor |
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