A coaching thread

69 watchers

TeeBee Jul 2019 8:46am, 16 Jul 2019 5,101 posts	0 TeeBee That's really useful. Thank you. I really only use HR to moderate easy runs, and find it effective for that. I do retrospectively review my HR for harder sessions, bit just out if interest.
rhb Jul 2019 9:37am, 17 Jul 2019 1,328 posts	0 rhb The stretching thing is v.interesting. Looks to be from 2009, is there more recent stuff to support or counter this?
Autumnleaves Jul 2019 10:18am, 17 Jul 2019 13,813 posts	0 Autumnleaves It is interesting - the spring analogy makes sense - and I do remember ages ago reading about not stretching the hamstrings too much as a runner because it was efficient for them to be tight. I do wonder about more therapeutic stretching though - there are times when I certainly feel it benefits over-tight calf muscles, and it definitely eases piriformis syndrome. I also feel personally better for being more flexible in my lower back thanks to yoga and Pilates.
Chrisull Jul 2019 10:59am, 17 Jul 2019 14,899 posts	0 Chrisull I'm on board with the no to static stretching beforehand, our club has been following that advice for years now., Magness explains it well though. However the flexibility thing though I thought had swung a little way back again, the flying level 4 coach for Cornwall a couple of years ago said that flexibility work (I am NOT talking static stretches before a race, or even necessarily stretches) was seen a big time winner in reducing some of the marathon times and there was more emphasis on this. He never really elaborated on the specifics of what flexibility work, this was an offhand chat I had with him. (He was there talking about injuries and also why 20 mile runs can be more destructive than productive) Thoughts anyone on flexibility work?
Wriggling Snake Jul 2019 11:22am, 17 Jul 2019 23,334 posts	0 Wriggling Snake I used to run according to HR, probably for 2 years or so, I got so I could run a time according to HR, but then found I spent all day looking at my HR. So I switched to pace, and then found over time I spent all day looking at pace, so now I run Long according to how I feel, usually come out a tad slow, but intervals and tempo according to pace, which I get from my last race (5k or 0k usually). As for coaching, I will tell everyone that long runs are properly slow and give them a guideline, but intervals you use the caveat at a recent race that you ran as a race. Some people live by HR but I find, anecdotally I have to say, that they will not push themselves when they could and subsequently don't race as well as they might. I also point out that just because someone is of the same age runs the same sort of race pace, that their HRs will be different, so it is not work getting to concerned about a few BPM out, so long as your're in the right areas. You are supposed to be enjoying it, but, I suppose people like the stats. I see people tying themselves in knots arounf HR, like I used to, and with pace, so be aware of what easy/hard, and your paces are. Stretching after, dynamic movement beforehand. In general I prefer (if pushed) people to be doing a strength/jump regime at some point as that is what you're doing when running. I had a quick look around google scholar about stretching, and I thought the idea of stretching beforehand was an injury prevention thing, rather than a warm up thing, but it doesn't seem to necessarily have any effect at all, and that is partially true for dynamic stretching too, it depends, on you and your sport. This is a nice summary with loads of references off of it. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov Funnily enough, last night we did 400s, with sit ups, squats, burpees, press ups, spotty dogs, donkey kicks, tri dips etc, after each 400. Very hard, makes a change, interesting just how badly performed some of the exercises were by lots of them
Autumnleaves Jul 2019 11:24am, 17 Jul 2019 13,814 posts	0 Autumnleaves I have done joint flexibility moves as part of a warm-up for years, it's usually the first thing I do before moving onto more dynamic movements. My overall back health has improved dramatically through regular Pilates - attacks of sciatica being a thing of the past. Improving range of movement through flexibility surely must be a good thing??
Hills of Death (HOD) Jul 2019 2:11pm, 23 Jul 2019 34,599 posts	0 Hills of Death (HOD) I've stopped looking at my heart rate in a race now it's a bit pointless
SODIron © 2012 Jul 2019 12:51pm, 24 Jul 2019 259 posts	0 SODIron © 2012 With the record heat it was a tough night out for those I was coaching over in Harrogate last night. The athletes were sweating just doing the warm-up and activation drills. I had to tweak the session a little as I wanted better quality. We ended up doing the following: 6 mins at fast tempo effort, 3 x 75s hills at steady effort with jog back recovery, 6 mins at fast tempo effort, 3 x 75s hills at steady effort with jog back recovery, 6 mins fast tempo effort. I was really impressed with how the athletes stuck to the task, despite the heat they managed some decent quality efforts.
SODIron © 2012 Aug 2019 9:37am, 9 Aug 2019 260 posts	0 SODIron © 2012 Was over at Scarbro' last night for another Club Run session. the session was as follows: Mile warm-up 'group' jog, followed by 20 mins of mobilization and activation drills. Then we went onto the following: 8 x Hill 'Tempo' efforts with strength workouts [15-30s of strength based exercises, followed by tempo pace run to the top of the hill with jog down recoveriers.] Then finished off with group jog / stretches to warm-down and a quick debrief.
Autumnleaves Aug 2019 11:15am, 9 Aug 2019 13,898 posts	0 Autumnleaves Sounds good! I always find keeping hill sessions varied a challenge.