Medicine Ball Training

I think you should stick to traditional core exercises. Being explosive is not that important for a long distance runner (at least not if you´re below world class). The injury risk is far greater with med ball exercises. If you still want to do them, do traditional core training for a few months first so you´re body is strong enough to handle the new workload. You should also get proper instruction before you start.

I use them in the off-season (end of September through til March).

I do:

lying down throws from person to person (lie on your back, sit up and throw, other person catches while sitting up then rolls onto back, then comes back to sitting and throws).

legs crossed and in the air, tapping ball either side of you and then throwing to partner

standing back to back, passing either side in a figure of 8

and variations on this

throwing backwards to each other (over your head)

throwing either side

various sit up type things

they hurt

I'd imagine if you're doing slow movements with them it builds up your strength in a lean way. In my experience, for the 400 they're very helpful and they do make you strong without bulk.

track chick wrote:

I use them in the off-season (end of September through til March).

I do:

lying down throws from person to person (lie on your back, sit up and throw, other person catches while sitting up then rolls onto back, then comes back to sitting and throws).

legs crossed and in the air, tapping ball either side of you and then throwing to partner

standing back to back, passing either side in a figure of 8

and variations on this

throwing backwards to each other (over your head)

throwing either side

various sit up type things

they hurt

I'd imagine if you're doing slow movements with them it builds up your strength in a lean way. In my experience, for the 400 they're very helpful and they do make you strong without bulk.

Thanks. This sounds like some of the exercises I've learned, though the strength guy I know told me to do them explosively (he's an 800/1500 guy)...

If you don't mind me asking you some more, do you do lower body plyo work as well--any box jumps, hurdle jumps, vertical jumps, long jumps, scissor jumps, etc.

And does this lower body plyo work differ from drills: fast feet, butt kicks, bounding, etc.?

I was told keep the box jumps and the like to off-season, but to maintain the drills thru the cycle.

Most of the endurance athletes (800m to marathon) i coach/advise have benefited from including medicine ball and pylometrics as part of their strength and conditioning programme. These are often incorporated into circuit training regimes. The ones who have not benefited have jobs which involve lifting and carrying and are well conditioned compared to those with desk jobs.

Key benefits are better arm leg balance/co-ordination posture leading to better running technique and dealing more efficently with hills surges and finishing speed. Concentration skills improve as well. All helping you run faster for longer.

The variety in training helps with motivation and works well as a group session- medicine balls start from 2lbs so can have different weights based on needs and age etc.

One athlete (three hour marathon runner)recently reported back that reintroducing medicine ball work into the programme made significant difference to feeling more dynamic when running and that their running style was much better.

The key is to have a structured and progressive strength programme based on a needs analysis ie where you are now and where you want to be in x weeks/months/years and incorporated as part of the training plan.

Donald Chu has written some good books regarding plyometrics and building up carefully. You need to think about the number of foot contacts (in my experience 75 contacts in a session is a good starting point)and start with basic in place little hops and jumps.

Raphael Brandon has also written some articles on strength training for endurance runners and building up power without increased mass.

Get some good basic instruction to make sure you are techni cally sound and on designing a programme that suits you.

Coach,

Thanks, this is terrific. One quick follow-up question: when did the marathoner decrease and/or eliminate the med ball/plyo work? In the 3 week taper? Before then? Not at all?

Thanks again.