After observing 70 high school runners try to run through the heat the day after a 3 mile race, I began to develop a theory about why some runners may rock back and forth when they run. This is all early on in the theorizing process, but I think it may have some validity, or none at all. Either way, let's explore it.
First, what is this "rocking" I'm talking about? It's a lateral (side-to-side) bouncing back and forth with each step. i.e. when a runner strikes her left foot, she leans left then seems to hop to the right when her right foot strikes. It looks a bit like a metronome when you observe the runner from behind or in front.
Why is this bad? It's a very inefficient way to run. The goal of running is to move forward, quickly. Adding side-to-side movement is throwing your weight in the wrong direction. To simplify it, if you throw your weight to the right when you're running, you have to activate core muscles on the left side to maintain balance. Over time this is just more muscular activation that is using energy that could be used for any number of processes taking place in your body while you run.
So, here's my thought. Side-to-side swaying during running can come from a couple different causes, possibly.
My first reaction is weak/fatigued core musculature. If you have a weakness in your oblique or transverse muscles in your core, you may have a tendency to sway, because you are not able to control your body as your momentum takes you to one side or the other. It's like your spine is not being supported and is swaying back and forth as rotational forces pull it from one side to the other.
Then I started thinking about why I was observing it after a race, especially in the younger runners. One reason, is likely to be a result of core fatigue, but I don't think that is the main culprit. Post-race, runners will often be fatigued in the deep hip flexor muscles, and could even be suffering from some lingering inflammation from the assault on their body that occured during the race. Often, inflammation occurs during races because the mind is pushing the body further than it usually goes, resulting in some mechanical compromises toward the end of the race. In younger runners, this makes a lot of sense because they are not used to running in that state of fatigue.
So if the musculature around the ball-and-socket joint of the hip is inflamed, the range of motion may be severely limited. It may even come from muscle soreness and the inability to properly lift the leg. Anyhow, if this is the case, the hip flexors are not going to lift the leg in the usual motor pattern. Because of this new motor pattern, the need to run (because the coaches said you must), and the lack of experience to see that this can have negative effects, a new motor pattern is occuring. This new motor pattern allows the hip flexors to rest a little by activating the rectus abdominus, and the obliques in an effort to lift the pelvis and tilt it from side-to-side to get the foot high enough to avoid scraping the ground, and to put it in a place to then activate the transverse abdominus to create a rotational force to throw the foot forward to the next step. All of this would limit the motion of the hip flexors, allowing them to rest, while still accomplishing the necessary task of running.
Naturally, this is something we don't want to see happen, as this motor pattern can result in injury fairly quickly. So over the next 2-3 days we'll discuss what injuries can occur from this motor patterning and how you can keep from needing to use alternative methods of movement when running fatigued, and lastly, we'll weigh the pros and cons of running fatigued.
01 September, 2011
31 August, 2011
Creatine as a runner?
Most runners shy away from creatine because of the fear of bulking up and getting too heavy to run fast. So is there a time and place and way to take in creatine to improve performance as a runner? The answer: possibly.
The biggest concern about creatine as a performance enhancing substance is its tendency to be used strictly as a hypertrophic (muscle size increasing) supplement. While it's true that it is used primarily by athletes looking to increase the cross-sectional size of muscle fibers, it also has some applications in the distance running world.
Creatine is used mostly to increase muscle size and replace the creatine used in the phosphocreatine energy system (the system used in high-speed, high-intensity movement lasting 5-10 seconds) to allow quicker recovery between movements, allowing higher explosive subsequent movements without fatigue, which allows greater adaptation muscularly. That's the short, quick, pseudo-scientific explanation of it all.
Most endurance runners respond by noting that 5-10 seconds is really only a fraction of a tiny percent of a single workout. This is true. However, there are two specific applications of creatine that I can see as an endurance athlete.
1. Delaying fatigue of explosive movements.
2. Empty-stomach, night-time creatine supplementation improving hGH distribution.
1. Endurance running is not primarily focused on explosive movement, but there is explosive movement involved in some training modalities for endurance athletes. Some runners are coming around to the literature stating that plyometric training improves running economy (the efficiency of running defined as the cost of energy to perform the running movement). I am a supporter of plyometric training as a cross-training/supplemental training modality for runners early in their training cycle. When runners are in their base phase running, they can afford to spend the energy required to perform plyometric movements and achieve mechanical improvements in their running. So if you're training plyometric/explosive movements AND running base mileage, it would not be a stretch to say that creatine supplementation will improve your trainning. Better recovery from plyometric training leads to better training sessions which lead to better mechanics in running, which reduces the cost of running later on.
It is not impossible for muscle hypertrophy to occur if you're using this type of training/supplementation combo, but in your base phase as you ramp up your season, it's not only unlikely because of the high aerobic training time, but it will also end up working itself out later on when you hit higher intensity running and you are NOT using creatine anymore. So an increase in weight in the base phase will result in slower times in the immediate, but looking long-term it will eventually improve the economy of running and the weight will be gone, so it will have been a moot point.
2. Recent literature is indicating that hGH release and uptake during sleep can be improved by taking creatine on an empty stomach before sleep. hGH is essential for all athletes, endurance or otherwise, because it is the hormone that rebuilds the musculature that was damaged during the day's/week's training sessions. So sleep is a necessity, but if you can improve your sleep and improve your hGH distribution and uptake during sleep, it will increase the speed of recovery of damaged muscle.
If an endurance athlete is uninterested in following the logic of point number 1 above, then this would be a good time to supplement with creatine instead. Rather than use creatine as a "performance" supplement, you can use it as a "recovery" supplement. Making the distinction between using it to increase plyometric/explosive performance, and using it to decrease muscle recovery time from speed workouts, long runs, and races.
Naturally there is a side-effect with using creatine, and that is water retention. So if creatine is something you are considering using, then ramp up your water intake, to a minimum of 4L per day, probably more depending on how much you sweat during your workouts. Once you cut creatine supplements out, you'll dispense that water and end up losing anywhere from 1-3 lbs in a matter of a week or so (all water weight, don't get greedy).
While creatine supplementation is not going to make or break you as a runner, if you are already putting in all the work and having trouble recovering and that small percentage of performance improvement is the difference between a successful and an unsuccessful season, then try supplementing creatine for a phase cycle of training.
The biggest concern about creatine as a performance enhancing substance is its tendency to be used strictly as a hypertrophic (muscle size increasing) supplement. While it's true that it is used primarily by athletes looking to increase the cross-sectional size of muscle fibers, it also has some applications in the distance running world.
Creatine is used mostly to increase muscle size and replace the creatine used in the phosphocreatine energy system (the system used in high-speed, high-intensity movement lasting 5-10 seconds) to allow quicker recovery between movements, allowing higher explosive subsequent movements without fatigue, which allows greater adaptation muscularly. That's the short, quick, pseudo-scientific explanation of it all.
Most endurance runners respond by noting that 5-10 seconds is really only a fraction of a tiny percent of a single workout. This is true. However, there are two specific applications of creatine that I can see as an endurance athlete.
1. Delaying fatigue of explosive movements.
2. Empty-stomach, night-time creatine supplementation improving hGH distribution.
1. Endurance running is not primarily focused on explosive movement, but there is explosive movement involved in some training modalities for endurance athletes. Some runners are coming around to the literature stating that plyometric training improves running economy (the efficiency of running defined as the cost of energy to perform the running movement). I am a supporter of plyometric training as a cross-training/supplemental training modality for runners early in their training cycle. When runners are in their base phase running, they can afford to spend the energy required to perform plyometric movements and achieve mechanical improvements in their running. So if you're training plyometric/explosive movements AND running base mileage, it would not be a stretch to say that creatine supplementation will improve your trainning. Better recovery from plyometric training leads to better training sessions which lead to better mechanics in running, which reduces the cost of running later on.
It is not impossible for muscle hypertrophy to occur if you're using this type of training/supplementation combo, but in your base phase as you ramp up your season, it's not only unlikely because of the high aerobic training time, but it will also end up working itself out later on when you hit higher intensity running and you are NOT using creatine anymore. So an increase in weight in the base phase will result in slower times in the immediate, but looking long-term it will eventually improve the economy of running and the weight will be gone, so it will have been a moot point.
2. Recent literature is indicating that hGH release and uptake during sleep can be improved by taking creatine on an empty stomach before sleep. hGH is essential for all athletes, endurance or otherwise, because it is the hormone that rebuilds the musculature that was damaged during the day's/week's training sessions. So sleep is a necessity, but if you can improve your sleep and improve your hGH distribution and uptake during sleep, it will increase the speed of recovery of damaged muscle.
If an endurance athlete is uninterested in following the logic of point number 1 above, then this would be a good time to supplement with creatine instead. Rather than use creatine as a "performance" supplement, you can use it as a "recovery" supplement. Making the distinction between using it to increase plyometric/explosive performance, and using it to decrease muscle recovery time from speed workouts, long runs, and races.
Naturally there is a side-effect with using creatine, and that is water retention. So if creatine is something you are considering using, then ramp up your water intake, to a minimum of 4L per day, probably more depending on how much you sweat during your workouts. Once you cut creatine supplements out, you'll dispense that water and end up losing anywhere from 1-3 lbs in a matter of a week or so (all water weight, don't get greedy).
While creatine supplementation is not going to make or break you as a runner, if you are already putting in all the work and having trouble recovering and that small percentage of performance improvement is the difference between a successful and an unsuccessful season, then try supplementing creatine for a phase cycle of training.
20 August, 2011
But aren't we trying to avoid a pull?
Where does the pull up fit into developing as a runner?
Well, Arthur Lydiard prescribed 20 pull ups every day... Every. Day.
If we're going to express proper running form with a straight, upright posture then the musculature from the base of the neck, to the top of the butt need to be in good form. The pull up is a movement that develops the latissimus, trapezius, biceps, rhomboids, and all the musculature of the posterior deltoid. Let's start from the top:
The trapezius is not a primary mover in the pull up, but they function to depress the scapula during the movement. When running, the shoulders need to be depressed in order to provide optimal range of motion, when they shrug up (as they often do when fatigue sets in and form goes to pots) range of motion is limited which causes sway back and excessive hip rotation to counter the lack of movement in the thoracic spine.
The rhomboids function similarly to stabilize the scapulas and the rest of the thoracic spine in maintaining an upright posture.
The muscles of the posterior deltoid are developed as well, and they function to provide the backward portion of the arm swing as well as maintain stability in the shoulders and posterior clavicular complex. Not only is this vital to proper form, it also allows the lungs more room to function making breathing easier.
The biceps are major movers in the pull up, but only function minorly in running. They assist in maintaining arm carriage and the high insertion of the biceps also provide some of the forward movement of the arm swing.
Finally, the latissimus dorsi are the major movers in the pull up, and have a major function in running as well. The latissimus are major stabilizers of the entire posterior chain and function to depress the shoulders and scapula. By providing stability of the posterior chain the latissimus allow the hips to maintain a more natural position. Also, with the depression of the shoulders, they are better able to move through their range of motion naturally, which prevents you from having to fight your own body mechanics.
Pull ups are a difficult movement, to be sure. However, they pay off when you do them frequently. I prefer the strict pull up as a means to develop strength in the posterior chain. There are variations of pull ups that allow for assistance (kipping, band-assisted, butterfly) and these are good for beginning to develop pull ups, but over time they lose their application as a strength building movement. So when kipping pull ups get to be standard, it's time to start adding strict pull ups. When reps prescribed are higher, it's acceptable to break single sets into smaller sets with as little rest as possible. The importance is not the speed of the pull up set, but the integrity of the movement and the completion of the volume.
Pull ups - as abhorred as they are - should be embraced as a weakness for many runners and attacked with the ferocity that you would attack a lack of a kick, or a need to develop more stamina.
Well, Arthur Lydiard prescribed 20 pull ups every day... Every. Day.
If we're going to express proper running form with a straight, upright posture then the musculature from the base of the neck, to the top of the butt need to be in good form. The pull up is a movement that develops the latissimus, trapezius, biceps, rhomboids, and all the musculature of the posterior deltoid. Let's start from the top:
The trapezius is not a primary mover in the pull up, but they function to depress the scapula during the movement. When running, the shoulders need to be depressed in order to provide optimal range of motion, when they shrug up (as they often do when fatigue sets in and form goes to pots) range of motion is limited which causes sway back and excessive hip rotation to counter the lack of movement in the thoracic spine.
The rhomboids function similarly to stabilize the scapulas and the rest of the thoracic spine in maintaining an upright posture.
The muscles of the posterior deltoid are developed as well, and they function to provide the backward portion of the arm swing as well as maintain stability in the shoulders and posterior clavicular complex. Not only is this vital to proper form, it also allows the lungs more room to function making breathing easier.
The biceps are major movers in the pull up, but only function minorly in running. They assist in maintaining arm carriage and the high insertion of the biceps also provide some of the forward movement of the arm swing.
Finally, the latissimus dorsi are the major movers in the pull up, and have a major function in running as well. The latissimus are major stabilizers of the entire posterior chain and function to depress the shoulders and scapula. By providing stability of the posterior chain the latissimus allow the hips to maintain a more natural position. Also, with the depression of the shoulders, they are better able to move through their range of motion naturally, which prevents you from having to fight your own body mechanics.
Pull ups are a difficult movement, to be sure. However, they pay off when you do them frequently. I prefer the strict pull up as a means to develop strength in the posterior chain. There are variations of pull ups that allow for assistance (kipping, band-assisted, butterfly) and these are good for beginning to develop pull ups, but over time they lose their application as a strength building movement. So when kipping pull ups get to be standard, it's time to start adding strict pull ups. When reps prescribed are higher, it's acceptable to break single sets into smaller sets with as little rest as possible. The importance is not the speed of the pull up set, but the integrity of the movement and the completion of the volume.
Pull ups - as abhorred as they are - should be embraced as a weakness for many runners and attacked with the ferocity that you would attack a lack of a kick, or a need to develop more stamina.
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