But it doesn't need to be like that. If properly executed, even a brief bi-weekly workout at home can mean the difference in terms of injury-prevention and/or add that little bit extra at the end of marathon. The phrase 'little bits often' can certainly be applied to any form of strength work, be it basic calisthenics or simple core poses. Athletes of all levels can benefit from 2-3 sessions a week of 10-15 minutes. And the best part is that you can do it in the comfort of your own home, with minimal, if any, apparatus.
John Andrew is a lifelong sportsman, having represented Western Province in golf, South Africa in triathlon and is still going strong pushing 53! A pedigree cyclist, he is able to climb the Ou Kaapse Weg (from the Sun Valley side) in under 19 minutes, routinely leaving his youthful training partners in the dust. While certainly possessing superior athletic genes, part of John's continued sporting longevity is a daily strength training regime. Basic in structure, yet highly effective in maintaining core strength and agility, John performs 3 sets of 10 pull-ups, interspersed with push-ups, sit-ups and basic stretching exercises together with his 5 year old son Luke.
Total time of his daily workout: 11 minutes.
Total cost: Zero. Okay, he did have to fork out a massive R50-00 for a pull-up bar twenty years ago.
Total benefit: Incalculable. Apart from the obvious physical benefits, John spends quality time with Luke, whilst wife Nikki goes for her morning run.
Strength training can come in all shapes and forms. Be it manual labour or a set of lunges after a morning cycle, even the most rudimentary activities can play a part in the term 'cross-training.'
Some other examples:
1. Six-time Hawaii Ironman champion, Mark Allen, would often begin his season in Pucon, Chile, with a 70.3 distance event. With the race held on the Saturday, Allen would reserve the following day for his annual core stability workout, albeit a session with a difference.
Together with a group of fellow triathletes and travel companions, Allen would would scale the glaciers of the nearby Villarica peak, which would take some four hours to ascend. The ensuing four hour steep descent would then exercise muscles not normally used in conventional endurance sports, where the party would slide and hop there way back to town. The strength and aerobic conditioning gained from the climb would be perfectly complimented with the bouncy, plyometric-style descent, giving Allen a workout outside the realms of his usual schedule. I'm not too sure how many of his competitors were doing something similar – I would say zero – but they sure felt the wrath of his holistic approach to the sport on the lava fields of Hawaii every year.
2. Next time you are near a pharmacy, go inside and ask for 4 metres of surgical tubing. Go home and cut the tubing in half, putting one piece away as a backup. Next, tie loops on each end of the remaining two metre tube and voilà, you have your own set of stretch cords. These can be used for a highly effective conditioning workout, where the shoulders, arms, back and abductor muscles can all be strengthened with a myriad of simple exercises. All you need is a pole or a tree to fasten the cord to.
3. The next time you finish a run, allow for a five minute walk home. Use this extra distance, perform the following sequence:
- jog backwards for 15 steps
- 'side-stride' (like a soccer player) on the left for 15 steps
- repeat the backward jogging for 15 steps
- repeat the 'side-stride' on your right side and
- do 30 jogging 'knee-lifts' (15 each leg).
You have now performed a highly effective session of running drills, which improve your form and stability. By incorporating this after two runs per week, you will improve your running form, reduce the risk of injury and benefit from the inherent plyometric effect.
4. Jogging barefoot on soft, dewy grass three times a week.
5. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljwHL9FWs3U
These are just a few of the many types of supplementary strength exercise routines that one can add to your own programs, thereby adding spice to your athletic arsenal.
