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Finding Balance in a Runner's Training Program

Allan Besselink, PT, Dip. MDT

February 7, 2013

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Question

With training, have you found a ratio that works as far as interval versus strength training versus distance?

Answer

To give you a basic idea, let's say that the athlete was running four days a week; they would have three days a week built in for recovery and four days a week for training.  That being the case, within the training, they would probably have two sessions based on time and two sessions based on intensity.  That would be the balance point.  In terms of the distance factor, I would increase the longest workout every second week, not every week.  That is primarily an issue of adaptation.  Far too many programs have you increasing your longest run weekly, which I think is problematic in terms of the body’s ability to adapt to the demands.  So I think that those basic issues in terms of structure are important.  The athlete would also have a couple of days a week for strength training.  Since they are a small volume of work and since they are there to foster and promote adaptation and recovery, those days could effectively be done on recovery days because we are looking at a workout or a session that is really maybe 20 minutes long as opposed to the traditional view of going in and strength training for an hour and 15 minutes or something like that.  


allan besselink

Allan Besselink, PT, Dip. MDT

Allan Besselink is an Austin physical therapist, endurance sports coach, educator, and the author of “RunSmart: A Comprehensive Approach To Injury-Free Running”. Allan is the CRO of the Smart Life Project, a health initiative that provides sports science solutions for training, rehab, and life. Allan is one of 350 practitioners internationally who have attained the Diploma in Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy from the McKenzie Institute International – the highest level of training in the McKenzie Method. In his 24 years as a physical therapist, he has lectured extensively on a variety of topics including MDT, functional anatomy, clinical reasoning, and sports medicine. He has presented at the APTA national conference, TPTA annual conference, the McKenzie Institute International conference, and the NATA national conference.

 


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