This is one of the over-arching principles of strength and endurance which I call the Conditioning Continuum.
It’s one of the 7 principles found in Explosive Bodyweight Conditioning that I want to discuss today.
And although the course is about explosive bodyweight exercises for endurance this principle applies to your training no matter how you do it.
People like to separate things. It’s a useful ability but it can also close you off to even more useful ideas.
One of these is the concepts of strength and endurance.
When you think of strength what do you imagine? Lifting a heavy weight? A one repetition maximum?
That would be what most people think of. And its right although there are many other definitions that work equally as well.
When it comes to the Conditioning Continuum that sort of strength is on the far left. Its maximum strength with no real endurance needed.
On the other side we have endurance. The common even stereotypical example is a marathon runner. No real strength needed here, but a whole bunch of endurance.
Here’s where the problem is. If you only think in these terms of limit strength and close to it, and extreme endurance examples you’re missing out on everything in the middle.
The middle is where everything lays that could be called strength-endurance. Of course things don’t just neatly fit into this category either.
Think about a 10 minute kettlebell snatch test.
Or pushing a van for 100 yards.
What about a mile run?
In these examples your strength could be what is holding you back from doing more or going faster. But it could also be your endurance.
When you look at what you’re doing and what you want to accomplish you need to see where your time is best spent.
Tons more information is available in Explosive Bodyweight Conditioning, a 2 DVD set that gives you tons of exercises, variations, workouts and how to put this Conditioning Continnum to work for you.
Grab it today as a bonus with the Advanced Bodyweight Training Course
In strength,
Logan Christopher
Filed under Bodyweight Exercise, Conditioning, Kettlebells, Running, Strength Training Concepts by on Nov 3rd, 2011. 1 Comment. 
Cast you mind back to many years ago.
Were you ever taught how to run?
I wasn’t.
Running is just a basic motion that anyone should be able to do with some efficiency. For those who are so out of shape that they can’t run a mile, or a short sprint, without any adverse effects, you have some other issues I won’t get into today.
But just because you can do it, does that mean you’re doing it right?
I have not been a big advocate of running. I look at the research and anecdotal advice of many others who end up with bad knees or backs. Plus I sure don’t want to look like a marathoner.
When I do running its usually sprints, especially hill sprints. Despite the increase in intensity these are a lot safer on your joints. Plus anaerobic training appears to be superior to aerobic training in its healthful effects. In fact, I just located a decent hill near my house so I plan on adding these into my training once again.
Back to my main point. Maybe the reason so many people end up with nagging injuries is that they’re doing it wrong.
The shoes are a big part of it. Fairly recently, I’ve learned that you’re suppose to run on the balls of your feet. If you didn’t have a inch wide cushion with your fancy running shoes you’d realize just how painful it is to heel strike the ground with every step. These shoes completely mess with the natural and supreme architecture of your feet.
Getting Vibram’s or a pair of soleless shoes can help, but even this doesn’t correct everything. (And it can be tough to break into if you’re not use to it like I did in this 6 mile race.)
A couple months back I went in to take a class on Pose running. First off, I have to say this is a weird thing to do, to take a class on running.
And then you feel even more like an idiot when they completely change the way you run.
Its like learning any new physical skill in the beginning. The problem here is you literally have hundreds of thousands of reps of a different (wrong) technique ingrained in you. There are several things to pay attention to all at once…
…lift the heel toward your butt
…raise the knee but not too high
…keep the ankle relaxed
…lean forward but don’t bend at the hips
…stay on those toes
By the end of the session I started to feel like I was getting it, but I knew I’d have to practice much more over time.
Running long distance, or even short distances, isn’t on the top of my goals list right now. (Yeah, at some point part of me wants to complete a marathon without really training for it, but we’ll see when I actually do it.) I believe there are superior methods of conditioning for the most part. But being able to run, and to run easily and efficiently, is something everyone should be able to do.
Don’t get my wrong. I’d have no problem immediately going into a sprint right now, or running for a couple miles if the need was there. But it is something I could improve upon.
Do you have any experience Pose running, barefoot running, or just plain running? What are your thoughts?
In strength,
Logan Christopher
Filed under Bodyweight Exercise, Conditioning, Running by on Aug 18th, 2010. 6 Comments.
Yesterday I ran in the Wharf 2 Wharf race that is held annually here. It’s a 6 mile or 10K race from the wharf by the Boardwalk in downtown Santa Cruz to the wharf in Capitola (hence the name).
I’m not a runner. I know there are much better ways to get in shape, not to mention less boring, then to run miles upon miles. It’s fine if that’s something that you enjoy doing. If that’s you, all the more power to you in doing it.
But the majority of people in the world think running a marathon is the epitome of health and fitness. That’s where I have some issue. Anyway…
My brothers were doing it (one of them IS a runner) and they convinced me to join them. In my regular training I don’t run much. In the past two months I did a little running on the trails near my house twice. Probably a total of 3 or 4 miles. Not really steady pace but sprints and walking. Basically some form of intervals. That’s it as far as what I did to specifically prepare for this event.
But I’m almost always up for a challenge. I knew I wouldn’t even come close to my previous best time of 38:Something but was there just to have some fun.
Going Barefoot…sort of
And to add to the challenge I ran the race in my Vibram’s. (I have three pairs of shoes – my Vibram’s, my regular everyday Van’s and a pair of dress shoes so I didn’t have much choice.)
For those who have not heard about these shoes or barefoot running I’ll give a short recap. The human body is not meant to strike the ground with the heels on each step. With over-engineered running shoes and their thick cushions they allow you to do just this. Instead running is meant to be done on the balls of the feet.
Heel striking results in a complete biomechanical change to the way running should be done. And this results in pain in the low back and/or knees of many people.
Vibram’s are made to mimic being barefoot while still giving you some protection with a thin rubber sole.
Let’s get to the race. With over 15000 people running this race it’s no easy start unless you’re at the very start. For me the first mile was spent dipping and weaving through people trying to get ahead.
By the second mile the area had opened up and I was free to run at my own pace.
Running Into Problems
On the third mile I ran (no pun intended) into problems. Without the prior training my feet were not prepared for this run. Even if I had done more, running on trails is different then running on asphalt.
The pad right below my big toe was getting sore. As the race went on I figured blisters would be forming.
And my calves were getting fatigued. Staying on your toes does take muscle. Once again the lack of preparedness stopped me from going.
These two things combined meant I had to ease up on the running on the toes. My run became flat footed. And as I didn’t have much cushion this caused a dramatic slow in my pace especially in miles 5 and 6. More of a shuffle than a run.
I kept trying to pick it up but every time I tried I just suffered more. I decided I’d just finish the race without stopping, even if I was only moving at a slow jog. I did and came in at the finish line at 50:50, my slowest race time ever.
I was planning on going all out on one of the miles to see how fast I could do it, but was held back. Because I ended up going so slow I didn’t even come close to testing my conditioning and wasn’t even tired after the race.
My takeaways:
- Barefoot running is great. It works more musculature and is in general better for your body. I recommend you trying it if you haven’t.
- Barefoot running is also self-correcting. If you can’t do it correctly anymore its time to stop running (of course unless you happen to be one third of the way in a race).
- Going all out in a race without the preparation is a good way to hurt yourself. Part of me was worried it would end up worse than it did.
- Sometimes its fun to test your mental toughness. Sometimes its stupid. Often times its both.
Writing this the day after I’m happy to report no blisters. Just a little soreness in the feet and a lot of soreness in the calves and ankles.
And in case you were wondering I did see about five other people in the race running in Vibram’s as well. Didn’t get to compare experiences with them though.
My brother, the one that does run, decided to go actually barefoot taking of his shoes and socks for the last mile. And he says next year he’ll go completely barefoot for the entire thing. Maybe I’ll join him…Maybe I won’t…
In strength,
Logan Christopher
Filed under Conditioning, Mental Training, Running by on Jul 26th, 2010. 10 Comments.
