Men's Health Malaysia: Running Booklet (May 2012)

THE ULTIMATE RUNNING GUIDE

BROUGHT TO YOU BY

M-270412

Contents

9

SKIN FLICK Know your threads

16

04 FROM THE EDITOR OR 06 BULLETINS 10 FRONT RUNNER

The best workout to make k your 10k work out

06

12 ENGINEER YOUR STRIDE Small changes, big gains

14 RUN RUN YOUR Y O UR FASTEST FASTEST 110K 0K

And d it o only nly tak takes akes 4 wee weeks eks

16 THE MH PBBREAKING BOOSTERS

Some sneaky shortcuts to success

4

EDITOR'S NOTE

Get your skates on!

It is interesting to see how the running phenomenon has taken off in Malaysia over the past few years. Literally, an entire country has got off its backside and decided there’s more to life than roti and Astro. It is truly good to see and – at the end of the day – it doesn’t matter which run (or even: runs) you take part in. The fact is that you’re doing something that will help you stay fitter and healthier. And that’s a good thing.

In putting together the MH Ultimate Running Guide we took into consideration that, in reality, carting your copy of MH round with you when you’re training is not ideal. Besides, not every feature is about running and your favourite features may be in different issues. So, what we did was to condense some of the best articles we’ve produced recently into a nice handy booklet. Our tips are useful for everyone from the absolute beginner to the experienced athlete looking to cut into his finishing time.

MANAGING EDITOR: ASTER LIM EDITOR: GARETH CORSI CREATIVE DIRECTOR: EIREEN OOI ART DIRECTOR: NG GEOK MEI GRAPHIC DESIGNER: SIAH LAN YIN COVER IMAGE BY INMAGINE

We hope you’ll reap the benefits of this guide, and enjoy faster running times and a better quality of life too.

Until next time,

Editor

www.M en s-H eal th .c om .my

6

BULLETINS

Burn your toast

TRAIL OF NO TEARS Endurance athletes’ emotions often run on high, as races can trigger anger or even depression. But athletes who have high emotional intelligence—a self-perceived ability to manage exercise a 2011 emotions—respond positively to strenuous exercise, d They may see body stress as study of ultramarathoners ffound. a sign of effort, while others think it’s a failure. Future research may assess ways to boost emotional intelligence.

If you keep moving, so will your bowels. Running keeps you regular, new Swedish research confirms. The scientists found that during training, runners hit the can more often and had looser stools than they did in an off week. Your body bumps up g and down as you run—a possible explanation for food moving rid. more quickly through your bowels, says study author Hans Strid. g Also, running may raise secretions of intestinal fluid, loosening stools, he says. Staying hydrated may also ease constipation.

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in just 10 weeks — improvement that typically can take years. This kind of training adapts your heart and muscles to stress and helps your lungs take in more oxygen, says author Eystein Enoksen. So on a 45-minute outing, run 15 minutes (spread out) in that higher heart-rate zone.

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SPF

POTTY TRAINING

Short of breath? Run harder, but not as far.

High-intensity, lowvolume training helps your body use oxygen more efficiently, say researchers in Norway.

Runners who worked at 82 to 92% of their heart-rate max for a third of their training time significantly improved speed and running economy

IMAGE BY INMAGINE , LEVI BROWN (GLOVE)

ON OUR R ADAR

Zap your workout boredom by mixing new sports and exercises into your regimen.

A SMART TRAINING SHORTCUT

Hate eating before your 6am workout? Fuel up anyway: Eating before morning exercise can boost your burn.

Italian researchers found that runners who ate breakfast consumed more oxygen than breakfast skippers did.

“Consuming more oxygen fuels metabolism—the more you inhale, the more calories and fat you burn,” says study author Antonio Paoli. If you don’t want to cook at the crack of dawn, just make the superquick and simple study meal: buttered toast with jam, a banana, and milk.

LEVEL OF SUN PROTECTION OFFERED BY A WHITE COTTON T-SHIRT Source: Journal of the German Society of Dermatology

8

BULLETINS

Feed your speed Some old tricks really do work. Loading up on carbohydrates the day before a race can help you maintain your pace, a new British study confirms. Optimal amount? London marathoners who ate more than 7 grammes of carbs per kg of body weight the day before the race finished faster and at more constant speeds than those who ate less. Carb loading preserves glycogen—the fuel in your muscles and liver, says study author Greg Atkinson PhD. Vary your sources: Try raisins, cereal, potatoes, and pasta, he says.

If your motivation is lagging, consider this: exercisers tend to underestimate how much they’ll enjoy a workout, a new Canadian study reports. That’s because they focus on a session’s beginning, w which is often unpleasant, says author Matthew Ru Ruby. The happiest people peo in the study scheduled sche their favourite favou exercises firs rst. Just keep in mind min that starting aw workout with exercises exe that work wo multiple muscle m groups can ca tire you out, making maki it harder for you to finish.

TRI HARDER

These strategies were the most popular in a survey of triathletes

by Shawn Dolan PhD. Are you using them?

Top 5 Mental Strategies

1 Set race goals

2

3

4

5

Set training goals

Use training imagery

Relax before the gun

Picture this

Shoot for a Focus on specific technique in time or the water personal record in the and pacing on land. event.

To maintain intensity, imagine racing someone.

Perform dynamic stretches to a calming playlist.

Prerace, mentally go over transitions, such as racking your bike.

Top 5 physical Strategies

1 Use a training log

Track intensity, duration, and frequency.

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2

3

4

5

Swim intervals

Run intervals

Use a heart monitor

Use a heart monitor

Perform The shorter intervals at the race, the a pace faster shorter and than your faster your race pace. intervals.

It’ll push you.

It’ll push you.

IMAGE BY GETTY IMAGES, STOCK XCHNG

INCREASE YOUR SMILEAGE

Don’t cram your daily carbs into one dinner. Spread them out over snacks and three meals.

SKIN FLICK

JOGGER'S NIPPLE Affects 16% of runners

A runner’s guide to healing and preventing those post-workout hurts.

Whatever their distance, all runners regularly damage the same organ: their skin. Here are the problems you might run into and how to overcome them, according to sports dermatologist Brian B Adams, author of Sports Dermatology (Springer).

CHAFING Affects 16% of runners Cause Warm, sweaty skin rubbing against other skin.

Prevent it Avoid tight clothes. Use talcum or alum powder, or friction-busting petroleum jelly.

ATHLETE'S FOOT

CHAFING

Cause Fabric, especially wet cotton, rubs nipple raw, resulting in soreness and bleeding.

Prevent it Wear shirts that wick moisture, and apply plasters or nipple guards, not tassels

16%

56% 39% JOGGER'S NIPPLE

ATHLETE'S FOOT

2.5%

BLISTERS

JOGGER'S TOES

JOGGER'S TOES Affects 2.5% of runners

BLISTERS STERS

Cause A fungus that thrives in dark, moist places and dines on your skin, causing odour, itchiness and sores.

Cause Downhill running can squash your toes up against your shoes, which can bruise them and turn them black.

Affects cts 39% of run runners unnerrs

Prevent it Kill it with an antifungal cream such as Lamisil. Keep applying even after the symptoms have disappeared.

Prevent it Get your shoes professionally fitted. Keep your toenails trimmed straight across, and put those ladyrepulsing clippings in the bin.

Prevent it Apply baby powder to your feet. Also, wear moisture-wicking socks: made with high-tech fabric like Coolmax.

Affects 56% of runners

IMAGE BY INMAGINE

16%

9

SKIN FLICK

at a nd Cause use Friction, hea heat and moisture sture cause layer layers rs off skin to separate and fill with fluid.

10 10

RUNNING TIPS muscle

FRONT RUNNER

One-Legged Squats “Holding a bar across your shoulders, raise one leg in front of you,” says Hydes. “Now lower down to not quite a full squat, then rise up slowly.” Do 10 reps. On the 10th, hold for 10 seconds.

1 Ralph Hydes is an elite level running, duathlon and triathlon coach (ralph-hydes.com) 2 Nick Anderson is a Team GB running coach (runningwithus.com) 3 Journal of Applied Physiology www.M en s-H eal th .c om .my

ILLUSTRATION BY PAMI AINI

HOW?

“In terms of running, glutes are where it’s at,” says GB running coach Nick Anderson2. Finnish researchers found that explosive strength training shaved 30 seconds off 5K times3.

Hamstring Curls Lying on the floor, place both heels on a Swiss ball. Keep your shoulders on the floor and lift your body.

Draw your legs towards your backside, rolling the ball towards you.

Do 3x15 reps.

HOW?

WHY?

Sprinters, triathletes and shop-lifters know the merits of hardworking hamstrings. “They are fundamental to running with the correct stride length,” says running coach Ralph Hydes1.

WHY?

THIGH-LEVEL INVESTMENT

STABILISE YOUR STRIDE

Adding strength and resistance drills to your race training can shave as much as 80 seconds off your 10K time. Here’s how...

HOW? HOW?

“Leg lift drills help to activate crucial nerves used in running,” says Anderson.

By rehearsing leg movements, your muscle memory helps maintain balance and reduces your injury risk.

Dumb-bell Lifts With a dumb-bell in each hand, perform fast alternate curls.

“It’s important not to cross your arms in front of you and to keep your movements as straight as you can,” says Anderson.

The Lunge Start lunging out in a clockwise direction, making each lunge ‘5 minutes’ clock space from its predecessor, and returning to the centre each time. Aim for 3x12 reps on each leg. Do 3x15 reps.

HOW?

WHY? WHY?

“Developing hip flexor strength is vital for a good knee lift,” says Hydes.

Knee lift is crucial to increasing stride length and important for countering muscle fatigue.

WHY?

WIN THE ARMS RACE HIP TO BE STRONG FIX THE FAST TWITCH

“Your arm speed is intrinsically linked to your leg speed,” says Anderson. “So use free weights to create better driving strength in your upper body and perfect your running form.”

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muscle

Step-Ups Step up onto a bench so your knee is at 90 degrees. Bring the other leg up, then step down. Tap the foot that lands second, then raise this leg straight back up onto the step. Do 3x1-minute sets.

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FITNESS

LIFT OFF Muscle Firing Plantar fascia

Action The first stage of your running stride involves pushing off the ground. Your plantar fascia is a ligament running from heel to toe. A recent Stanford University study into running pinpointed its crucial role in providing your spring.

Go Faster “Lengthening your PF will give more flex and drive when pushing off,” says speed development coach Mike Antoniades.

BACK SWING Muscle Firing Hamstrings

As we steam into peak 10k season, MH gives you the knowledge to slash your PB by exploiting the natural mechanics of your body. www.M en s-H eal th .c om .my

Go Faster “As a training drill, try straight-leg bounding,” says Mitchell. “Run with your legs locked at the knee.” The impact of

IMAGE BY CORBIS

ENGINEER YOUR STRIDE

Action After you’ve pushed off from the ground, your hamstrings fire into action. “The hamstring’s role is to pull your feet back smoothly and efficiently,” says running physio Scott Mitchell. “Weak hamstrings mean weak running.”

landing on a straight leg forces your hamstring to work harder, so they get stronger. You might look like Basil Fawlty, but you’ll have the last laugh when you leave your rivals for dust.

KNEESY DOES IT Muscles Firing VMOs (Vastus Medialis Obliques)

Action As you approach the top of your stride, your VMOs (the thigh muscles near your inner knee) kick in.

The stronger these are, the higher your knees go and the more powerful your stride.

Go Faster Use lunging twists to strengthen your VMOs. “With arms outstretched to the side, sink into a lunge with your right leg forward and twist your shoulders 90 degrees to the right,” says Mitchell.

“Rise back up and alternate legs.”

HARD DRIVE Muscles Firing Shoulders

Action Atthis stage, your body comes into play. “Focus on backwards drive,” says Antoniades.

“Push back with your shoulder blades, not

your elbows, then allow your arms to drift forward again.”

Go Faster Stand side-on to a mirror and pump your arms forward and back while locked at 90 degrees, without twisting your torso. Your loosely cupped fists should reach shoulder height on the way up, hip height on the way down. This will speed up your arm movement, which dictates your foot speed. Aim for 10x60 seconds test.

PELVIC THRUST Muscle Firing Glutes

Action Now it’s your glutes’ turn to take centre stage as they kick in to control your pelvis.

“Particularly towards the end of a run, when you’re tiring, your pelvis starts moving laterally, meaning you have to work harder to propel yourself forward,” says European 10k Champion Mo Farah.

Go Faster “Improve your glute strength with plyometric jumping,” says Farah. “Get a kneehigh box and jump on it, then off backwards, landing both times with legs nearly straight.

That’s one rep. Repeat 30 times.” Because

sideways moves aren’t just bad for your career.

EXTEND AND GLIDE Muscle Firing Adductors

Action In the second half of your stride, your inner thigh muscles extend your legs forwards.

“You’ll need strong adductors to pull your hip through and maintain smooth running action,” says Mitchell.

Go Faster “Lie down on your left side in front of a Swiss ball.

Lift your right instep into the ball, then push down to squash it as far as you can, and release. Do 3x20 reps and switch sides,” says Mitchell. The increased strength will keep your hips moving freely – and you moving as smoothly as Usain Bolt on rollerblades.

POWER LEVER Muscle Firing Calves

Action The end of your stride is approaching. The Stanford University study found your calf acts as a stiffening lever at this point, keeping your lower leg rigid, and readying you for an efficient

13

FITNESS

transfer of power to the ground.

Go Faster Mitchell recommends calf raises to maximise this. “Stand with your toes on a stair and your heels in mid-air. Rest on a wall or banister with your hand for balance. Lower your heels below the step, then rise up onto your toes.” This strengthen your calves for a more efficient and faster push-off. Aim for 4 sets of 12 reps.

TERMINAL STANCE Muscle Firing Achilles

Action When you land at the end of your stride, you strike the floor with a force equal to 2.5 times your weight, placing lots of stress on your body, particularly your Achilles tendon.

“Land with your foot directly under your frame,” says Antoniades. “This disperses the impact force more efficiently.”

Go Faster The Stanford study found the most effective way to strengthen your Achilles was by running barefoot on grass once a week.

With your stride now engineered to perfection, you’ll be lifting your feet faster than Michael Flatley on hot coals.

14

CARDIO

RUN YOUR FASTEST 10K

The most accessible race distance, you could be competing well in a 10k after just 4 weeks of training. Use these tips to stay at the front of the pack.

1 THE 10K Distance 10,000m (6.2 miles) World record 26:44 (road race) Your target 45 mins The benefits Increases aerobic fitness by up to 12%; over 800kcals burned during race; ideal foundation for longer distances.

2 PERFECT 10 Ten kilometres is the distance that just keeps on giving. Founded on the holy trinity of distance training – stamina, strength and speed – it’s a great race in itself but it also provides a base for tuning any other race time.

Use it to sharpen up your 5K or give your lungs a going over ahead of a marathon.

“A great 10K athlete can become a great all-rounder,” says GB athlete and two-time winner of the Great Manchester Run, Jo Pavey. Harness the power of the 10K, with our top training tips.

3 UP YOUR TEMPO “Tempo sessions are crucial to 10K training,” says running coach Nick Anderson. “They train your body to sustain speed over distance.”

They also elevate ‘anaerobic threshold’.

Your move Do ‘10-10s’. Repeat 10-minute runs at 10K goal pace, with a 3-5 minute jog after each. Aim for 4-5 repeats. This will improve your endurance and efficiency.

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4 THE LAZY WAY TO SPEED

“Running economically will help you run faster and longer,” says exercise physiologist Jonathan Dugas. That means using as little energy as possible with each stride by ironing out flaws.

Your move “Run as though you’re on top of clouds,” says Anderson. “You’ll run taller, becoming less of a slow-footed heel-striker and more of a fast mid-foot runner.” Keep your elbows close to reduce tension and shoulders relaxed to encourage better breathing.

15

CARDIO

5 POOL YOUR EFFORTS

Aqua-running is the best cross- training choice for runners. “It’s a full-body workout,” says Anderson. Studies show runners who aqua-run improve their hip extensions for longer strides and faster race times.

Your move Adopt a sweeping, pendulum-like motion from hips to toes. Keep your arms straight and take short strides for 3x5 widths of the pool.

6 FUEL INJECTION “The optimum pre-run meal should contain 200-300g of carbohydrate for energy and be low in gut-shifting fibre,” says nutritional therapist Henrietta Bailey.

7

Your move Try a bowl of porridge with honey and berries.

And wash it down with a flat white. In studies at two Minnesota universities runners saw a 4% increase in VO2 max and a 3% increase in lactate threshold after caffeine – which translates into a 30-second cut in 10k time.

HAPPY ENDINGS

The ability to push hard when you’re tired is based on holding back at the start, progressing patiently, and finishing fast. “Muscles perform best when relaxed, so knowing you can deliver a strong finish helps from the start,” says Anderson.

Your move “Run 8x2 minutes with the first minute at race pace and the second slightly faster,” says Pavey. Rest for two minutes.

8 RUN FOR THE HILLS...

“You’ll notice the benefits of hill training in the last third of a 10K race,” says Anderson.

It strengthens your quads so you can power through to the finish.

Your move Try hill sprints of 30 seconds to boost leg power, says Pavey. Aim for 10x30-second uphill repeats, jogging down in between.

IMAGE BY GETTY IMAGES

9 ...AND BACK DOWN AGAIN A study published in The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research shows that sprinters who train up and down hills improve their speed.

Your move Run 4x2 minutes on the flat, then 2 minutes downhill 20 seconds faster than race pace. Increase the flat and downhill portions to 4 minutes. Recover with 2-minute jogs.

16

QUICK TIPS

THE MH PB-BREAKING BOOSTERS 1

Use taper tactics. In the week before full or half marathons, do runs of no more than 20min.

SUSIE JONES,LONDON MARATHON PHYSIO TEAM

2 Relax before tough sessions. In tests, runners who were tired mentally reached ‘perceived exhaustion’ two minutes before their chilled-out rivals.

CHRISTOPHER TRAVERS, EXERCISE PHYSIOLOGIST AT THE CLEVELAND CLINIC

3 Maximise your movement.

Agility drills significantly improve your sprinting ability, standing long jump and vertical leap, which all lead to improved fitness.

KINESIOLOGY (JOURNAL)

4

Three go-fasterr ttips ps 1

2

3

Get hip. For sprinting speed, target your hip flexors. Studies showed sprinters were 9% faster after an eightweek hip flexion resistance-training programme.

Hanging leg raises and cable knee drives will boost your speed.

Head for the hills. lls.

To improve your 5k or 10k PB, include hill runs in your training. Do a 15min jog to a steep hill, climb hard for 10min and jog back down. Repeat twice more, resting for three minutes between climbs.

Vary your pace for rapid gains.

Studies show that people who use High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) can achieve fitness gains up to 10 times faster than those sticking with a traditional single-pace cardio training regime.

Journal of Strength & Conditioning research

Eric Orton, endurance sports coach

Journal of Applied Physiology

}

Head for the hills.

Altitude training, even at moderate altitudes, can significantly improve athletic performance.

Two best crosstraining activities

}

{1} Practise yoga to boost sprint times, knee flexion, and jump height.

JOURNAL OF STRENGTH & CONDITIONING

UNIVERSITY OF MUNICH

5 Spin after work. Your evening pedal power is 8% higher than in the morning, which means betterr fat-burning.

JOURNAL OF STRENGTH & CONDITIONING RESEARCH

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{ 2} Train with kettlebells for vast strength gains and better overall fitness (Powerbell, Fitness Concept from RM459).

J JOURNAL OF STRENGTH & CONDITIONING

ONE GREAT OUTDOOR FITNESS TIP Find a sandpit.

Plyometric training on sand can improve both jumping and sprinting ability, and induces less muscle soreness. Try the long jump pit at your local athletics track or head to the beach.

BRITISH JOURNAL OF SPORTS MEDICINE

IMAGE BY INMAGINE

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best trainingplan tips