The Wide-Leg Squat:

Stand with your feet just wider than shoulder-width apart. Bend the knees and slowly lower your butt until your thighs are nearly horizontal to floor (don’t let your knees move forward beyond your toes). Slowly press back up to a standing position. Start with one set of 6 to 8 repetitions and slowly work up to three sets of 10 to 15. Note: This will also strengthen your quadriceps muscles and glutes.

 

Overview

Whether you are running your first 5K, doing your first triathlon or are trying to qualify for the Boston Marathon, it seems everyone eventually wants to know from our Triathlon Running Coaches how to run faster. Some runners swear by running track sprints, while others argue for running more miles. There seem to be as many methods as there are runners, but very few Champion level coaches… that’s where Veteran Training fits in. However, most effective speed improvement programs have four basic components: speed work, tempo runs, leg-strength exercises and rest days. Incorporating these into your weekly runs should help you improve your speed.

Step 1

Incorporate speed work. Running faster for short periods of time will strengthen your heart, lungs and skeleton. After warming up, complete intervals, or repetitions, of 200 to 800 meters, jogging slowly after each so your body can recover. Aim for four sets of intervals once a week to start with.

Step 2

Add a weekly tempo run. Tempo running is running for a sustained period of time at a faster-than-normal pace. Tempo runs should feel between somewhat hard and hard on the rate of perceived exhaustion (RPE) scale. This equals between 70 to 80 percent of your maximum effort. Once a week, warm up for 10 or 15 minutes at an easy pace, then run between 20 and 40 minutes, or about 3 to 6 miles–depending on fitness and goals–at tempo pace. Cool down with another 10- to 15-minute jog.

Step 3

Improve your leg muscle strength through weight-bearing and plyometric–jumping–exercises. Good exercises engage the hip, knee and ankle, and include squats, dead lifts, lunges and power step-ups. Improve your explosive leg force and your speed by doing 30 to 50 vertical jumps for beginners, or 100–or more–if you’re an advanced athlete.

Step 4

Get adequate rest. Without adequate rest, your body can’t rebuild from all your hard work. On your rest days, either cross-train by doing non-running activities, such as biking, swimming or walking, or do nothing at all. Aim for one rest day per week.

Veteran Training provides the Best Triathlon Coaching, Personal Training & Boot Camp Services in Pembroke, Hanover, Hingham, Duxbury, Kingston, Plymouth, Scituate, Cohasset & Marshfield Massachusetts.

Don’t worry about getting “huge”—subjects did too few reps to get bulky.

Try it: Put on your vest while holding in each hand (dumbbells) enough weight to hold perfect form (squat, stop when your knees are at 90 degrees, then stand) for no more than 15 reps max.

Veteran Training Provides the Best Running Coaches in Pembroke, Hanover, Hingham, Duxbury, Kingston, Plymouth, Scituate, Cohasset & Marshfield Massachusetts.

If this is the case, our Personal Trainers will tell you your Quadriceps may not be strong enough to stabilize your running stride. Start to change this by doing lunges in reverse. This forces your front leg to work throughout the entire exercise. Use the same movement pattern as in a traditional lunge, but step backward instead of forward. Good Luck.

Our Cohasset Personal Trainers will always tell you… Running is a great way to lose weight. If you’ve never been a runner, start slowly — enlisting the help of one of our Fitness Instructors or Triathlon Coaches might be a good idea as well.

According to a national survey of 6,207 people, about one in 10 jog or run as part of their weight management or weight-loss strategy. Runners edged out other dieters in terms of reaching overall weight loss goals.

Running is a challenging form of exercise that builds aerobic fitness and heart health as it seems to melt away fat. Calories burned from running vary depending on your pace, but estimate about 100 calories per mile if you run five miles an hour.

Running: A Runner’s Experience

We honestly believe that running makes the fat fall off faster than anything else you can do. It doesn’t matter if its 5 miles or 5 sprints…it will help.

Our Coaches run regularly, competes in marathons and triathlons, and consistently monitors both her heart rate and calories burned from running. Nothing makes a higher spike in calorie burn than running… with the exception of  jumping Rope.

However, if you are interested in building muscle mass, our Veteran Training fitness experts say you will have to alternate running with body weight training. Running may be an excellent fat-buster, but it doesn’t build muscle very effectively.

Running: Start Slowly

You may be eager to hit the road, but taking it slow ensures safety and increases the likelihood that you will enjoy running more. Here are the steps you need to take:

• Talk to your doctor. Most people can start to train for running with no problems, but our Trainers advise checking in with your doctor before beginning a new exercise program. With running, people who have heart problems or have recently had foot or knee surgery should be particularly cautious.
• Start by walking. Most clients we work up from walking to running. If someone has never run before, let’s get you to 4.0 miles per hour walking before you start running. Walk at this pace for a week and then gradually speed up and add distance. The rule is no more than a 10 percent increase in mileage per week if you haven’t worked out in a long time. Once you start running, don’t run every day for long periods and vary your routine — short, high-intensity runs on some days, distance runs on others.
• Keep a running journal. This will help you keep track of your pace, heart rate, and how far you have run each day, so you can stay on track and feel good about your achievements.
• Buy the right shoes. Expect to spend $75 to $100 for a good pair of shoes. Choose comfortable shoes specifically designed for running, not cross-trainers, and only use them when you are running. If you run regularly, plan on getting a new pair in about three months.
• Plan for safety. We recommend carrying your cell phone and pepper spray while running outdoors. The pepper spray is helpful for dogs as well as humans. Make sure the route you choose is well-lit during the hours that you plan on running.
• Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. Especially if you are running outside during the summer or in the heat of the day, you must drink water. Drink 8 ounces about 15 minutes before you run and carry water with you. A tip from our running coach: If you are running long distances and will return on the same route, hide water bottles so you can retrieve them on the way back.
• Snack on protein and carbs. A small snack with protein and carbohydrates before and after you run can be helpful. However, we would like to point out that weight loss is all about calorie math: If you only run enough to burn 200 calories and you gulp down a 200-calorie sports drink, you haven’t achieved any net loss.

If you want to start running and you are still nervous about how to do it, work with one of our personal trainers for a few sessions, then slip on your running shoes and hit the road.

Our Triathlon Coaches can teach you how to increase exercise success by staying within the right zone. Here is how a generic way to calculate and reach your target heart rate.

If you ask our Duxbury Personal Training Team they will tell you…Exercise seems easy enough. Throw on some running shoes or hop on a bike and off you go. However, to get the most out of a workout there’s one more thing you need to know: your target heart rate.

Target Heart Rate: Setting Your Pace

While it may be tempting to take an easy stroll around the block and call it a day, exercising at the right intensity and for the right amount of time is key to improving health and reaching fitness goals. Your target heart rate, a specific number of beats per minute that you want to reach during exercise, is your guide.

When you hear about target heart rate, we are really talking about a range to keep your heart rate in. This is used as an indicator of exercise intensity. There is no one target heart rate for everyone. It depends on your goals, age, and general fitness. Veteran Training has produced all types of Athletic Champions….Amateur to Professional level and we think we have mastered the best way to utilize the hearts potential.

Target Heart Rate: Your Personal Range

Begin by subtracting your age from 220 to find your maximum heart rate, or beats per minute. Then multiply the maximum heart rate by .65 — this is the low end of your range — and by .85 — this is the high end of your range. The two numbers make up your target heart rate zone. Note that a person should never exercise at their full maximum heart rate.

As an example, a 30-year-old would subtract 30 from 220 and get 190 for the maximum heart rate. To find the low end of the target heart rate zone, multiply 190 by .65 for 124. For the high end, multiply 190 by .85 for 162. Therefore, the target heart rate zone for a 30-year-old is 124 to 162 beats per minute.

Target Heart Rate: Making Exercise Gains

The target heart rate zone is where the greatest gains can be made without injury or overexertion.

Even within the target heart rate zone, variation is important. Rather than just a single heart rate goal, it is beneficial to have multiple zones. Training in three different zones helps you exercise smarter, not harder. It can help you lose weight, increase metabolism, increase speed, and avoid overtraining.

A good workout, for example, would incorporate light (60 to 70 percent), moderate (70 to 80 percent) and hard (80 to 90 percent) zones.

Checking Your Target Heart Rate

Measuring your pulse can help you estimate where you are in your target zone. Put your index finger on the carotid artery at the side of the neck. Do not use the thumb, as it has its own pulse and can make counting inaccurate; be careful not to press too hard. Count for 10 seconds with the first beat as zero and then multiply by six.

Pulse rate can only give an estimate of the heart rate during one period of exercise. For a truly accurate heart rate reading, consider purchasing a heart rate monitor. The best ones have a strap that goes around the chest and sends information wirelessly to a device worn on the wrist like a watch. Be wary of wrist-only monitors, as the area measured is small and it’s difficult to get a truly accurate reading.

Also, watch out for exercise equipment that promises heart rate readings just by holding the handrails. Not only can these sensors pick up interference from cell phones, beepers, and music devices, but you also need to apply a consistent amount of pressure, and that can be hard to do while moving.

To increase your heart rate, whatever activity you are doing, just go a little harder. If you are in a kickboxing class, kick higher. If you are walking, try walking on an incline or jog a little. Some machines also allow for adding more tension, incline, or speed to boost the heart rate.

Target Heart Rate: The “Fat-Burning Zone”

The so-called “fat-burning zone” got its name because during low-intensity aerobic exercise the body uses fat as an energy source. At high intensities, on the other hand, the body works anaerobically, using stored energy like blood sugar for fuel. However, what’s most important is not the kind of energy used but the overall amount.

For example, interval training for 20 minutes, during which you alternate one minute of walking with one minute of jogging, burns more calories than simply walking for 20 minutes, even though the interval training moves you out of the fat-burning zone.

Your body will adapt to a set workout over time, so be sure to mix up your routine with different exercises, durations, and intensities to keep the body working hard. A little variety will help you keep your fitness goals and have fun in the process.

Our Veteran Training Coaches suggest that you jog really really fast.

Veteran Training does not offer these services at the Cohasset & Duxbury Triathlon… 

 We do however, offer competitive Level Triathlete Coaching in Duxbury, Pembroke, Norwell, Cohasset & Duxbury, Massachusetts.

http://www.veterantraining.org/triathlon.htm

If you’re exercising in shoes that have passed their prime you can harm your feet, and possibly other areas of your body, if you continue to wear shoes that no longer offer the support they once did.

As a general rule of our Massachusetts Running Coach, most running and walking shoes last up to 500 miles. How and where you use your shoes could alter that number. For example, pavement wears down shoes faster than a track, a trail or gravel. Here are three guidelines for determining when you need new shoes:

1. Do the Press Test

To determine if the midsoles of your shoes are compressed and are no longer providing cushioning, do the press test. Using your thumb, push on the outsole upward into the midsole. With new shoes, it should be easy to see the midsole compress into lines or wrinkles. As the shoe wears down, the midsole compresses less with the same amount of pressure. When the midsole shows heavy compression lines and the press test reveals a minimal amount of compression, there is little or no cushioning left.

2. Examine How Your Shoes Look

Don’t worry about how dirty they are. That’s a good thing. It means you’ve been using them. What you should be concerned with is general wear and tear. Take a look at your shoes. Are the heels stretched out? Are places on the outsoles worn down? Can you see how the shoes have molded to your foot? These are all signs of excessive wear.

3. Pay Attention To How They Feel

Your body will know when there is little or no cushioning left in your shoes. If you notice any aches or pains in your feet, legs, knees, hips or back after you’ve worn your shoes, it’s a good sign that you need a new pair. Other signs include friction or blisters in unexpected places, which means your shoes have stretched and your feet are moving around too much.

To make your shoes last longer

Rotate two pairs of shoes. Take them off properly by unlacing them and taking them off with your hands instead of kicking them off with your other foot. And use them just for exercise.