Running strength questions

According to Canova, "Strength Endurance can develop Strength, but Strength cannot develop strength endurance."

I think the answer is yes, except that the strength is so specific to running that it does not manifest itself in a noticeable way in the weight room. Most strength training exercises/machines are geared towards making a very limited group of muscles stronger. Running strengthens a much broader system of muscles in a very subtle way.

Could you please elaborate? Does this mean that if you run at an easy, given pace, you'll be stronger than if you didn't, but that doing a short, sprint workout won't increase your endurance?

Ray L wrote:

According to Canova, "Strength Endurance can develop Strength, but Strength cannot develop strength endurance."

Precious Roy wrote:

I think the answer is yes, except that the strength is so specific to running that it does not manifest itself in a noticeable way in the weight room. Most strength training exercises/machines are geared towards making a very limited group of muscles stronger. Running strengthens a much broader system of muscles in a very subtle way.

When you write "stronger", do you mean more powerful, more durable, both...I guess I don't have a feel for what this term means. I'm often injured and I'm wondering whether I can prevent injuries by becoming "stronger", and if so, how.

Increasing your run frequency (i.e., running more often) is one way to build durability.

faaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa wrote:

Increasing your run frequency (i.e., running more often) is one way to build durability.

Will this improved durability protect me from injury when I run faster?

And can this improved durability be measured in terms of power, e.g. sprinting speed?

I'm not sure. You'd have to ask coaches/trainers.

No. I asked him this weekend to elaborate on this. This was his reply (As I underestood it) If you took a group and trained them with weights e.g. squats, it would have no discernable effect on strength endurance, but if you did a strength endurance circuit, you would see an increase in strength as demonstrated in the squats.

I don't have the clinic notes in front of me, but I took his suggestions and modified his circuit for my high school kids as follows:

15 minute warm-up

300m fast running uphill

10 squat jumps

60m hard running

30m power skipping

30m easy running

200m moderate pace

30m butt kicks

200m hard

30 hops each foot

300m easy

followed by 400-600 all out

5 minute recovery run then repeat

10 min warm-down

We did 2 this week. It took about 10:10:30 to complete each circuit

We plan to add a rep every two weeks for Jan. and Feb.

Thanks Ray, that's great info. I'm still having a problem with the term strength endurance.

Triathletes would call it muscular endurance, I believe. Here's a protocol from someone who used to a pro Ironman triathlete. I believe he runs a coaching/training company now.

http://www.byrn.org/gtips/masterblast.htm

I will quote from Renato's notes to try to explain:

"In fact, if it is true that the speed of an athlete is directly connected with his strength, it's also true that using a high percentage of strength for long time depends on bioenergetic and metabolic factors:the factors determining SPECIFIC ENDURANCE.

Following this reasoning, we cannot think of strength as a decisive factor regarding the various events of middle and long distance: nobody is stronger, for instance than a thrower but at the same time, nobody is weaker when considering the aerobic point of view.

Over many years, I worked in the Italian Center for middle and long distances in tirrenia, with Luciano Gigliotti and Dr. Pierluigi Fiorella, and we performed countless tests. these were with middle and top level male and female athletes using the BOSCO test for checking reactive strength and the Farraggiana-Gigliotti Test for lactate.

Our goal was to control the effects of Aerobic TRaining on Strength and the Effects of Strength Training on the Aerobic levels. Practically, after a period devoted mostly to Aerobic TRaining, we checked the Strength Levels and after a period devotedmostly to the development of strength and technique, we checked the aerobic levels.

WE could see that using Aerobic training with some special exercises for stimulating the use of strength, such as running on hilly courses, our athletes improved their values for strength, identified through the BOSCO test. On the contrary, using more specific training for strengthening, the Aerobic level decreased and the AnT went down.

We think that Specific Speed Endurance is not connected with the peak of speed or with strength of an athlete, but with a high level of AnT, so that muscles are allowed to work at higher intensity starting from a better Aerobic Base and having less lactate within the muscle fibres for the same speed.

Therefore, we tried to find some solution in training to synchronously increase both strength and aerobic power. Specifically, the objective was to train the nervous system and the muscles to recruit the greatest number of fibres under conditions of strong acidification."

He then went on to point out that he developed three different modified circuits to be used at different points in the prep, depending on the period they have different goals.

1) Extensive Strength-resistance circuit

An example would be my previous post with a modified high school approach

2) High Intensity Strength-endurance circuit (done at end of fundamental period and beginning of Special Period)

Increase intensity of the exercise, decrease the volume and speed of the running. "To build up the base of the strength that will later be developed into Strength-Endurance.

3) Specific Strength-Endurance Circuit

Goal is to recruit highest number of fibres while the state of fatigue and lactate is rising.

Total duration = to intervals for aerobic power on the track i.e. 2-3 min for 800-1500m people, 3-10 min for 5km-HM.

Again to quote Renato: "AS OUR GOAL IS TO USE THE REMAINING STRENGTH IN THE WORST CONDITIONS, AS CAN HAPPEN IN THE FINAL PART OF A RACE. THROUGH THIS TYPE OF TRAINING WE WANT TO BUILD THE CAPABILITY TO RECRUIT A LARGE NUMBER OF FIBRES WHEN THE SATURATION LEVEL IS VERY HIGH."

So, I would say that is your definition of Strength Endurance.

Ray L wrote:

WE could see that using Aerobic training with some special exercises for stimulating the use of strength, such as running on hilly courses, our athletes improved their values for strength, identified through the BOSCO test.

All interesting stuff. Does this improved strength prevent injuries?