Hello to you all,
The other day I wanted to try something new and mix things up a little. So I decided to combine the exercises from UA Gym ME Workout with 1 minute running in between @ zone 3-4. Inspired from Canova’s strength training endurance session.
I have to say that I am trail runner and my focus is at mountain trail races and flatter trails. So I like to keep practising flat running and improving my speed. In the races and terrain that I train besides the big inclines which I have to mostly hike, they also contain allot of rolling and flat trail sections. So the reason I choose this workout was to combine the zone 3-4 running pace while fatiguing my legs with the strength training exercises in between. Like when you hike or jog a steep uphill and you then have to transition to a flatter trail and then back to incline.
So, Renato Canova In the General Period: 4 weeks duration (Training General Resistance) has a session called Training Strength Endurance:
“* 1 session every 2 weeks, alternated with circuits on the hill.
* Example: 4-6 x circuits. 6 minutes rest between the circuits: 30s of skipping, 50m of bounding, 30s of heel to butt kicks, 30s of jumping with neutral feet, 30s of Sagittal splits, 10 squat jumps. 400m at MP in between.
This is something that is a bit out there and not used by a lot of people in western running culture. 400m at MP on a track with these exercises in between. 4-6 x the circuits gets you a decent amount of uptempo running while working on form and technique in between.”
So Inspired from this my workout I did this :
4 circuits. 4-5 minutes rest in between (walking)
10 reps on each leg of split jump squat, 10 reps of squat jumps, 20 total reps of walking lunges, 20 total reps of step-ups on bench (alternating legs). 1 minute @ zone 3,4 running in between.
The reason I choose alternating legs on the last two exercises was to make this workout a bit more easier, as it was the first time. I must say that doing the exercises from the ME gym workout in an outside setting is much better! Although it was hard, I really enjoyed the workout. Especially after the 3rd circuit, I felt overall fatigue and pushed through the last one! I don’t know if this kind of training can have any meaning in helping me become more endurable in races and in longer runs. Or even if I will have any meaningful adaptations from it. But it made me change my perception of life in general. I also think it can help build more mental resistance. Please let me know what you think about this workout and also I challenge you to try it or do an alternative based on this yourselves.
Also in the Fundamental Period of the Canova’s training there is this workout:
Uphill circuits
Frequency: once every 3 weeks.
Type: Circuit with different exercises including short uphill runs.
Example: 200m at 95% of effort. 50m skip. 300m at 90% effort. 50m bounding. 400m at 85% effort. 50m butt kicks. 450m uphill hard. Jog back down. 4-6 repeats of circuit. 6-8’ in between. 4-7% grade.
Training strength endurance.
So maybe next time I mix in some uphill runs after the exercises..
