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An Inside Look At The Best Racetracks & Getting The Best Seats In The House
If you’re planning to attend a NASCAR race, there’s a lot to consider. Which race should I attend and where should I buy the tickets? Which seats are the best and how do I choose?
It’s been called the Super Bowl of NASCAR and it’s held at the...
Boston Red Sox 2004 World Series Tickets Still Hot
BOSTON--The Red Sox are World Champions. Yes, it's true. It haD been 86 years in the making and now the waiting is over. The Red Sox are champions of the world. And funny thing ... after making history in a drag-em-out, nail-biting,...
Exercise Rowing Machines
Exercise rowing machines are a great way to get aerobic exercise. The more muscles you use when you exercise, the less time it takes to give your body a full workout.
Rowing moves your body through a wider range of motion than most...
Sony Open: Will Wie Do It?
From the To the (Previous Seasons') Victors Go the Spoils
department: Jason Gore averaged 80 in four rounds at last week's
season-opening Mercedes Championships and still walked with
$70,000.
Among the discussion points one week into the...
Tips for Mountain bikers in Spain
As any keen mountain biker will know, there are some important rules to follow and bike handling skills to master before subjecting yourself and your bike to the thrills and spills of off-road riding. Although most of us ride within our...
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Implement Trail Running in Base for Injury Prevention
The shoes we run in today are great for reducing impact. There are a myriad of devices, gels, air channels, etc., designed to lesson the compressive loads on the joints and body. One drawback, however, is that if you do most of your running on even, paved surfaces the lower leg muscles and joints do not have to work as hard to stabilize. Joint stability and integrity is crucial for injury prevention. This is where trail running comes in.
Running over uneven and varied surfaces makes the muscles of the lower leg work especially hard. Think specific strength training for the lower leg muscles. I recently observed how sore my lower legs were after a competing in an off road multi-sport event. The tendons, ligaments, and muscles all get stronger in response to this type of stress.
There are a few considerations when integrating trail running into your training plan. Unless you run in off road events the best time to incorporate trail running into your plan is in base. As with any new type of training stress it is important to implement it gradually. You may want to start off with one work out per week of limited mileage and steadily increase the duration. Off road surfaces vary from crushed gravel, sand, grass, single track hiking trails, to rough back country trails. The more varied the terrain the more your lower legs and body will be
stressed. On extremely rough and elevated terrain, hiking may be just as effective (and safer) than running. You will likely enter your aerobic base zones in this type of terrain as well, and may not need to run.
Trail shoes offer more support and traction but much less cushioning. Trail shoes vary from running shoes with a more aggressive tread all the way up to hiking shoes which may not applicable for running. Make sure you consult with a salesperson to get the right shoe for your type of training. I do not recommend doing any road running in a trail shoe, but you can take your running shoes off road if the surface is relatively stable, such as crushed gravel.
Trail running does not just work the lower legs, but all the muscles associated with running, including lateral knee stability. It also will help develop coordination. You can continue to incorporate trail running throughout the season for strength maintenance. An added bonus is that it adds variety to your training, and the scenery is better.
About the Author
Matt Russ has coached and trained athletes around the country and internationally. He currently holds licenses by USAT, USATF, and is an Expert level USAC coach. Matt has coached athletes for CTS (Carmichael Training Systems), is an Ultrafit Associate. Visit www.thesportfactory.com for more information.
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