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Hill Resistance Training
(Introduction of Anaerobic running and Leg-Speed
Training)
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Hill Circuit Training
when the marathon conditioning period of training is completed,
or no further time can be spared, it is necessary to develop speed and start to develop
the anaerobic capacity to exercise.
It is necessary to bring resistance to the leg muscles
to develop the muscle fibers; in particular, the white (fast twitch) muscle fibers
that are mainly responsible for giving better speed.
I have found that a form of osotonic exercise will
develop white muscle fibers better than isometric exercise and that quite quickly
the speed can be developed. By springing up-hill, with a series of short and sharp
resistance, you can use your body's weight as resistance for your leg muscles.
The up-hill springing will also stretch the muscles
and tendons to the extreme experienced during competitions and other training and
assist in added flexibility and speed. It will also help to eliminate the possibility
of pulled muscles and strained tendons later.
Ankle flexibility is of great concern to the runner:
and with strong and flexible ankles, the runner is able to increase stride length.
A good running technique is also important: and by
learning to run with the hips comfortably forward, the runner is able to bring the
knees up higher. This in turn allows the feet to follow through higher, in so shortening
the lever and allowing for a faster leg action.
So it is important to develop leg power, flexibility,
and a good economical running style. With good speed development, the runner can
run at relatively the same speed more economically. This is of great importance to
the marathon runner as well as the track runner.
By using hill training, it is possible to develop all
these abilities during the same training sessions so saving valuable time
The training that I suggest in the following paragraph
is not easy to do and can be quite testing. A runner needs to be well conditioned
to be able to do a 1 hr workout properly, A runner should also understand what he
is trying to achieve by using the exercise, so as to apply it according to his/her
fitness and capacity to train with respect to development and age.
find a hill with a raise of near one in three, or a
little steeper: on grass, forest trail, or the road that will give good traction
so that it is possible to spring up-hill without slipping. It should be about 200
to 300 meters long or longer, with a flattish area at the base of approximately 200
to 400 meters where you can sprint, and an area at the top where it is possible to
jog.
If a circuit can be found with a steeper hill and a
similar flattish area at the top as mentioned, that would bring you into a more gradual
down-hill, leadng to the flat at the bottom: it is better for the down -hill running
and seems less tiresome psychologically.
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