Archive for Injury Prevention
So what’s a Fartlek?
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The word Fartlek is Swedish for speed play, and is one of my favorite workouts. The workout is fun and adds variety to your routine.
First, find a semi-soft surface: a rubber indoor track, park or the beach would be ideal. Warm up by jogging 15 minutes and then do five to eight easy strides for about 80 meters. Also, do two to three backward strides for hamstring injury prevention. Next, do a variety of short, medium and longer distances for your fast running.
It’s very important to mix up the fast segment of your program to include to include quick running bursts. The fartlek phase can last any amount of time that you choose, depending on your athletic ability and training level…just don’t overdo it.
Finish up your routine with five or ten minutes of easy jogging and look forward to next week!
You’ll be amazed how easy and fun it can be to get into great running shape. Have fun! – Mark Vona GM Springbak Inc.
Running Tips to Reduce Injuries and Increase Speed
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Here are a few ways to reduce hamstring injuries and increase speed-Advice from Hall of Fame Coach Jim Bush
Hamstrings got you down? Two or three times a week, run a few 50 meter strides backwards, mixed in with regular strides. Make sure you are warmed up and have a smooth, flat and safe surface on which to run. Your local track or soccer field would be ideal. Coach Bush has his runners complete two backward strides before the intense portion of their running workout. After the hard workout, the runners complete two additional backward strides before the warm down phase. For the rest of us regular runners who aren’t doing fast running, simply do some forward and backward strides during or immediately after your run. Coach Bush reports greatly reduced likelihood of hamstring injuries. Jim Bush is a Hall of Fame track coach who’s been leading teams and individuals to National, World and Olympic titles for more than 40 years.
To increase speed, coach Bush recommends Springbak Springsoles to his athletes. The Springbak’s will increase your stride length and increase stride frequency(shorten foot plant time). Coach Bush comments,”My track runners all felt they got more bounce off the track. They felt like they were running easier and the Springbak Springsoles did improve their running times.” I go mainly on what I see and how the athlete responds and if they tell that it feels good, that they feel they’re getting off the ground quicker, than that what counts.”
