S is for…

Posted byLori Posted onJune 19, 2010 Comments8

When running, there are so many things that you can do to help your form, speed, endurance, and recovery. Since getting back into running, through Team In Training, I’m really taking all the non-running elements seriously. I literally just got back from our ‘long run’ day of 8 miles. Ah, it’s nice to be back. So, here are a few things that will help you meet your goal in exercise, whatever it may be. Let me expand on the alphabet letter S of exercises…

S is for sprints

Since sprints aren’t my favorite cardiovascular activity, it’s exactly what I did for Thursday and Friday’s workouts. Thursday, TNT’s track practice, we worked on speed work with a mile warm-up, two mile run, and then off to the hills to do some short hill sprints. During the sprinting, proper form is extremely important. Sprinting requires:

  • Standing tall but lean forward. Keep your body straight but make sure you’re leading with your chest.
  • Stay on the ball of your foot, near your toes.
  • Heel striking slows down your stride, and is not recommended in any type of running.
  • Drive the knee up and back toward your butt.
  • The foot should take on a circular motion, instead of an elliptical movement.
  • Move your arms in a 90 degree angle and move them fast. Your leg speed is directly related to your arm speed.

On Friday, the following was my CrossFit workout, which is a great speed workout to quicken your running pace:

Sprints

20 meter sprint x5
30 meter sprint x4
50 meter sprint x2
100 meter sprint x1

And since I love posting my workouts, here is what we did for the WOD (Workout Of the Day), always for time:

200 meter row

21 Sumo deadlift, High Pull (SDHP)*
21 Pull-ups
15 SDHP
15 Pull-ups
9 SDHP
9 Pull-ups

200 meter row

My time: 7:19 min.
Not a fantastic time but this also wasn’t the easiest workout. 😉
*If you have no idea what a Sumo Deadlift, High Pull is (which I totally didn’t), this video, if you watch through it a minute or two, shows you the exact workout I did, minus the 200 meter rows. And no, I wasn’t doing regular pull-ups, although I WISH I could.

S is for Squats

Squat exercises do more than just make you sore. Squats strengthen your legs to increase speed, sprints, stability, and lower your risk for injury in other exercises. We have all done squats at one time or another, whether it’s in the gym, picking up a box, or digging in your garden. You’ve done them, but are you doing them right? Maybe, but there are ways to get greater gains and results from tweaking just a few key things. How low can you go?

Weight above the head optional

“A full squat, which is much more challenging, is lowering below 90 degree, knees and hips fully bent, and you only stop your downward motion right before your butt hits your heels. This called “breaking parallel” in gym-speak, and adds explosive strength and power to your legs. Full squats are more difficult because they not only work your muscles through a bigger range of motion, they also take more flexibility and balance, which adds additional muscle groups that standard squats don’t.” Says, Kelly of Physique Speak. Kelly even shows the proper technique and form here.

I can vouch for this type of squat. In CrossFit, we are to do the full squat, breaking the 90, making the squat work everything just a little bit more. This challenges the hamstrings, quads, glutes, and mind. Adding weight is a whole different challenge in itself.

S is for Soccer

Completely void of anything I’m talking about (kind of, it’s still exercise), but is anyone else watching the World Cup???

This is my game face… I’m fierce. Grrrrr.

Disgusting but apparently required for a game. I had one, a glass of wine, and fell asleep [at 8 pm!].

This was last night, watching the DVR’ed Germany Vs. Serbia game. Germany lost. 🙁

What is your ‘S’ tip or trick that is required in exercise?

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8 People reacted on this

  1. […] Team In Training 8 mile run on Saturday. Yippie! It was actually a pretty good run. We met in Santa Cruz, CA and ran through a few residential streets before winding our way into De Laveaga Golf Course. Simple out and back with a few good sized hills to face. I did my 8 miles in 1:12 and it felt great getting back into the running groove (even with doing sprints on Thursday AND Friday…). […]

  2. Wow..you are a powerful Lori!!
    I love sprinting but I usually just do it following my workouts and so its mainly 30 seconds ON and 30 seconds recovery..or something along those lines!
    I so want to do regular pull-ups too..oh so hard!! One day though..one day!
    I’m so bad I haven’t been paying any attention to the World Cup..I hope to watch at least one game but I have no idea who to cheer for HAHA!
    Hmm…as for “s”…how about split squat..haha! Jk
    how about “squeeze” those muscle groups when you are doing an exercise. Doing a squat? squeeze the glutes!
    .-= Melissa´s last blog ..Past and present! =-.

  3. I am loving watching the World Cup! I couldn’t believe Germany’s loss, or the call the ref made on America’s 3rd goal on Friday!

  4. lol Totally loving your game face!!
    .-= Ashlei´s last blog ..Whatever Floats Your Goat =-.

  5. sit back. when doing squats, sit back into them!

    love your pics of you and the boyf!
    .-= Averie (LoveVeggiesAndYoga)´s last blog ..GF Vegan Sweet Seed Crackers, Happy Father’s Day, Traveling or Staying Home, Garmin or Polar =-.

  6. hmmm I can think of a tip starting with S…

    Sipping water (coconut yum!) through out a hard work out always helps my energy levels stay on track 🙂
    .-= maggie´s last blog ..Why Raw? =-.

  7. Very fierce face, Lori. I’m scared…

    I can’t think of an S tip or trick…..stay consistent? That’s cheating, isn’t it? I’ve got nothing.
    .-= Katie´s last blog ..Calling the WAHHH-mbulance =-.

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