Plyometrics for running

strides. bounding. skipping. hopping. I'd avoid depth jumps.

yes, initial mechanics are largely innate. after that, substantial modifications may be made (recall, after all the refinements hurdlers, steeplers, etc. have over their "innate" form of hurdling/jumping. drills have MUCH to do with this).

Hurdling and steepling mechanics are an altogether different story. These are skills that must be acquired through conscious practice, whereas running mechanics are a "hind brain" skill that is innate and occurs unconsciously. Because they are so deeply ingrained, running mechanics are actually very difficult to modify through drills- usually what happens is that you just get better at doing the drills with little or no change in your actual running mechanics.

Some of the less "fundamental" aspects of running mechanics can be modified through practice (i.e. positioning of the pelvis, spine, and head, arm swing, relaxation, and a few other things), but the basic actions of the hip, knee, ankle and foot are largely automatic and ingrained. These actions are largely dependant on the stretch reflex and not the concious coordination of muscles.

To the extend that running mechanics can be modified, I reccommend practice in the form of actual RUNNING with concious attention to the aspects of your form that need improvement, as opposed to goofy drills and calisthenics that are not specific to running mechanics in the first place.

Greg-

OK, fair comment. I'm aware of the theory that plyometrics cause an increased return in elastic energy and that they reduce ground contact time, and the truth is that I do not know whether this is valid- it may well be true. However, I have some problems with the conclusions and implications for training that are being derived from this information.

First of all, how relevant is this to distance running in the first place? Remember that, by nature, distance running is a "sub-maximal" endeavor. It involves sub-maximal power production, sub-maximal muscle contractions, sub-maximal movement speed, sub-maximal activation on the stretch reflex, slower than possible ground contact times, etc. With this in mind, isn't decreasing ground contact time irrelevant if distance running does not demand minimal ground contact time in the first place? Isn't it irrelevant that you can decrease ground contact time through plyometrics if you can decrease your ground contact time simply by consiously doing so? If ground contact times and other aspects of running mechanics are not limiting factors in the first place, why should we worry about improving them?

Furthermore, if plyometrics decrease ground contact time and decrease the time interval between the eccentric and concentric phases of muscle contraction, then doesn't it necessarily follow that energy expenditure also increases proportionately? If the period between muscle contractions is shorter, then the muscle fibers have to fire more frequently per unit of time, and hence they expend more energy per unit of time and hence they become fatigued more quickly.

Finally, regardless of the benefits of plyometics, you have to consider their value within the context of the overall training program. Simply because plyometrics may have these benefits does not necessarily mean that they are an optimal training modality to use. In other words, are plyos really necessary? Can the benefits of plyometrics not be developed to the extent that they are required for distance running through running itself? Also, for every amount of plyometrics you perform, you're sacrificing training energy that could be devoted to running - more volume or more intensity. Are the benefits of plyometrics worth the sacrifice?

as to you second point, again, i agree with the bulk of your claims: some of the work in ex-phys is done without sufficient controls or proper design. however, i ask of you: how do you know these training methods are not valid? how do you know the performance measures are not valid? in many of the studies, performance in time trials is tested...what better criterion than actual time trial results would we need?

There are problems with training and performance studies, the first of which is context- a study proves exactly what it demonstrates and nothing else. If a study shows that plyometrics improve performance within the framework of a particular training program, this can't be extrapolated to the conclusion that plyometrics would improve performance within the framework a much different training program. Therefore, it is somewhere between difficult and impossible to derive a generalized conclusion such as "plyometrics are beneficial for distance runners". And you're correct that a time trial is the best (tangible) criterion for measuring results, but even this has limitations. It's important to realize that you're at the mercy of the subjects, and that you have no way of knowing what degree of their true maximum effort they're giving you. Also, there are a lot of factors that contribute to performance on a time trial that cannot tangibly be taken into consideration. Then we get back to the fact that a lot of the research in exercise phyiology is sloppy and deplorable to begin with, and you have no way of knowing whether the research is valid. Consequently I've decided to simply disregard most research of this type. The cellular/molecular research is much better, but unfotunately is not useful for this particular issue.

In my oppinion plyos or drills of some sort are beneficial to distance racing, though not nearly as much as it benefits sprinters. Therefore, I'd focus les attention to them.

I typicaly finish most of my runs with 3 striders, some sort of butt kicking excersize, and some sort of high knee excersize. Bounding would be good except I am injury prone and have already been making a transition to mid-foot running which is putting enough stress on my joints.

I am also a fan of (and will often do) highknee skip where the lower leg extends in front of the knee and then the fore foot comes down with a pawing motion.

-BarryP

PS - Just because iflyboats can type does not prove that he isn't a monkey.

How can mid-foot running put more stress on your joints?? :)

I don't know for certain that it necessarily does. It is new to me, however, so it stresses areas that have not really been worked before. Either way, I feel a little more beat up after work outs.

it does not stress your joints more, it is just working muscles that have been stagnant for years.

What are your personal best in the 800m,1500m,5k,10k,marathon. Just curious...?

here's a circuit renato canova sent me:

EXAMPLES OF MODIFIED CIRCUITS

DURING COMPETITION PERIOD

Specific Strength – Endurance Circuit

(3000s/c / 10000m)

(1600m uphill, gradient 7-10 %)

• 300m fast running (duration 55.0 >`` 60.0)

• 100m bounding very fast (duration 25.0 %%`` 30.0)

• 200m fast running (duration 35.0 %%`` 40.0)

• 100m skipping with strides 50cm long (duration 50.0 %%`` 60.0)

• 100m sprinting max. speed (duration 15.0 %%`` 18.0)

• 10 squat jumps (max. intensity) (duration 15.0 %%`` 18.0)

• 100m sprinting max. speed (duration 15.0 %%`` 20.0)

• 100m skipping with strides 50cm long (duration 60.0 %%`` 70.0)

• 200m moderate running (duration 45.0 %%`` 50.0)

• 100m bounding very fast (duration 30.0 %%`` 40.0)

• 300m fast running at max. speed (duration 60.0 %%`` 70.0)

Duration : 6:45 %%< 8:00

Repetitions : 4 – 6 times

A running drill we used in HS but I've never seen anywhere else: speed skips. It's exactly what it sounds like - you skip as fast as possible. It ends up looking and feeling like a very quick shuffle along the ground. It works the hip flexors quite a bit more than most power drills. We did 4x40y worth. If you've got poor turnover at near-full speed these are probably helpful.

Plyometrics are not to be confused with drills. If you're going to be doing honest-to-god plyos, that IS your workout. I used to do them in the early season, like early indoor season, then stop once the racing started.

On plyo days, I'd get to workout early (the rest of the folks were sprinters), get in 2 or 3 miles on my own, then do the plyos. I would be wiped out by the end, and the next day had to be a recovery day.

Drills, on the other hand (skips and such), I'd do every day all season long.

Plyos are a waste of time for the endurance athlete...Improvement in distance running comes from acutally RUNNING.....Form drills are a waste of time...mileage will take care of the runners form and the runner will become most effecient at how they move through time and space. I can say all this because I once was a runner and coach who did all the PLYOS and DRILLS that were out there.......did all the routines etc etc. We are much better now that we DON'T! JMHO and my two cents!

By the way.....weight training is also bogus when it comes to distance running......maybe some pushups, crunches and pullups.....that is about all you need.

GebFan,

I sure hope you are not coaching anyone!!!

thanks for your info geb. but for some us who are weak and want to fine tune our form maybe plyos and weight training are our answer. so dont be such an ass.

JHuffman- Just a national record setter and record holder and 4 other HS All Americans.......also 2 State Championships...several State Runnerup Awards and many 3rd Place State finishes. How about you? Got any results you want to share?

THANKS- for nothing......the only ass is the one calling the other an ass......that would be YOU!

Believe and practice what you want.....I have no problem with that...just sharing my experience and many years of observations in the field....not theory, but practice...I have done all that other "stuff" and can say without a doubt that we are much better since moving away from all that other "stuff"!

MERRY CHRISTMAS

I appreciate your comments, but my feelings on weight training:

You cannot classify it as having no positive effects for distance runners. You must clarify between lifting to gain large strength and mass and lifting to gain muscle endurance, which I what runners can do.

It is true that for the top level elites, and maybe even only for those who are extremely biomechanically efficient, that weight training does not have a great effect.

However, for anyone who doesn't have Bekele or Tergat's form, weight training for muscle endurance strengthens the ability to run using the right form (stronger core muscles = better economy, stronger legs and hips = ability to get on your toes and push off) and the ability to hold this form as fatigue sets in.

great!

Lydiard wrote:

bump

Again, I feel very sorry for the athletes that you coach, given the philosophy you seem to have towards running. There are alot of components that allow an individual to put one foot in front of the other and many of them come before you even take the first step to run, if you don't already understand this then there will be little point in trying to persuade you the contrary. Btw-What other stuff are you referring to? Good day!