Can you guys give me some advice on training for my "off season"

[Gymgurl]

Okay I need to put together what I want to do for my "off season" training.

Im not a bodybuilder....but an endurance athlete (wow I guess I am)

Some my goals are to be faster and stonger next season with will start with a 1/2 marathon in April.

So far I know I want to add:
overall stretching mainly quads and hip flexors and calfs
squats, bulgarian split squats
cleans for overall body condtioning
do full body workouts not bodypart by body part
Plyometrics for explosive strength


anything else that you guys can think of.......

 

[Bikini Mod]

Do you know what a bosu ball is?

Also, I don't know if this approach will be helpfull to your specs but have you ever done giant sets or MAJOR circuits? We are talking you only rest long enough to walk from one piece of equipment to the next. Talk about endurance training w/cardio vascular benefit!!! SWEET JAYZUS!!!

 

[Gymgurl]

Generally, muscle strength is best developed by training with moderate weightloads (about 75 percent of maximum) for 8 to 12 repetitions per set. However, distance runners typically possess a higher percentage of slow-twitch muscle fibers, and therefore attain better results by training with about 12 to 16 repetitions per set. You should add 1 to 5 pounds more resistance whenever you complete 16 repetitions in good form. One set of each exercise is sufficient for strength development.

There is no reason to train with fast movement speeds, because training fast will not make you faster and training slow will not make you slower. Exercising with controlled movement speeds maximizes muscle tension and minimizes momentum for a better training effect. We recommend six-second repetitions, taking two seconds for each lifting movement and four seconds for each lowering movement.

Research supports three non-consecutive strength training sessions per week for best results, but fewer workouts can produce significant strength gains. Our recent studies have shown two weekly workouts to be 70 to 85 percent as effective and one weekly workout to be 60 to 75 percent as effective as three-day-per-week strength training.

Summary of Strength Training Guidelines

· Exercise all of the major muscle groups

· Perform 12 to 16 repetitions per set

· Add one to five pounds whenever 16 repetitions can be completed

· Perform one set of each exercise

· Use controlled movement speeds (six seconds per rep)

· Train one, two or three non-consecutive days per week


yes I did think about that BM.....I found this...does this make any sense lol

 

[Bikini Mod]

Generally, muscle strength is best developed by training with moderate weightloads (about 75 percent of maximum) for 8 to 12 repetitions per set. However, distance runners typically possess a higher percentage of slow-twitch muscle fibers, and therefore attain better results by training with about 12 to 16 repetitions per set. You should add 1 to 5 pounds more resistance whenever you complete 16 repetitions in good form. One set of each exercise is sufficient for strength development.

There is no reason to train with fast movement speeds, because training fast will not make you faster and training slow will not make you slower. Exercising with controlled movement speeds maximizes muscle tension and minimizes momentum for a better training effect. We recommend six-second repetitions, taking two seconds for each lifting movement and four seconds for each lowering movement.

Research supports three non-consecutive strength training sessions per week for best results, but fewer workouts can produce significant strength gains. Our recent studies have shown two weekly workouts to be 70 to 85 percent as effective and one weekly workout to be 60 to 75 percent as effective as three-day-per-week strength training.

Summary of Strength Training Guidelines

· Exercise all of the major muscle groups

· Perform 12 to 16 repetitions per set

· Add one to five pounds whenever 16 repetitions can be completed

· Perform one set of each exercise

· Use controlled movement speeds (six seconds per rep)

· Train one, two or three non-consecutive days per week


yes I did think about that BM.....I found this...does this make any sense lol

Yes it does. I remember when my clients would try and cheat (go too fast with sloppy form) I would say, "Just because you do them faster doesn't mean that you will have to do less reps!"

I have never been very hyuge about getting hung up on the number of reps. Believe it or not, I can't count for shit and even though I am focused (especially if I was training someone) I would literally forget what number I was on. I warned all my clients ahead of time, "I can't count fer shit" so you'd better be focusing... hehehehhee I would use better indicators of fatigue like look at their faces/posture and listen to their breathing to see how hard to push.

High rep sets are also very beneficial to change things up and break through plateaus sometime.

You know, I rarely ever use the identical workout on consecutive days. Every single time I walk into the gym I do a different mix of activities and am always changing up the cadence, pace, reps/sets/body parts - etc... I believe this is one of the reasons why I always hover round the same bf% regardless of what's going on. That and the fact that I am also always tweaking my diet. This might seem like a blessing to those of you who have set goals but it really is a mixed one, as I have no "real" goal other than to just maintain what I got regardless of what is going on in my life. It is VERY EASY to just stop and get bored, etc because I have no real "fire", but for keeping my ass from hitting the backs of my knees.

 

[Gymgurl]

Im the same way...I have to mix it up or I get bored and I find my body stops responding pretty fast....

Okay I am thinking something like this:

Sun: long runs/abs
Tues: full body weights/gentle yoga class
Wed: run and abs..speed training..intervals..ect
Thurs: weights full body
Friday: run/plyometrics/abs

 

[claire]

Have you tried bar complexes? They are great for endurance. You can go quickly from one exercise to the next.

 

[Tatyana]

Have you tried bar complexes? They are great for endurance. You can go quickly from one exercise to the next.

Do you mean something like circuit training?

This is an old Vince Gironda circuit he used to get movie stars in shape FAST.

You start with 2 or 3 circuits, no breaks between the exercises, take about 5 min between each circuit. Build up the number of circuits, adding one every second or third time you do them, up to 7, maintain for a bit, then drop down again for awhile............If I remember correctly, about 12 - 15 reps for each.

This is what I have did with weights.....................

It was a killer but you do get in shape fast

Circuit

Bench Press 30 kg

Dumbell Rows 16 kg

Lateral Raises 8 kg

Tricep extensions E-Z curl bar (10-15 kg?) plus 15 kg = 25 kg

Dumbell Curls 14 kg

Wrist Curls 8 kg

Ab crunches

Front Squats 40 kg

Calf Raises 65 kg

 

[claire]

Do you mean something like circuit training?

This is an old Vince Gironda circuit he used to get movie stars in shape FAST.

You start with 2 or 3 circuits, no breaks between the exercises, take about 5 min between each circuit. Build up the number of circuits, adding one every second or third time you do them, up to 7, maintain for a bit, then drop down again for awhile............If I remember correctly, about 12 - 15 reps for each.

This is what I have did with weights.....................

It was a killer but you do get in shape fast

Circuit

Bench Press 30 kg

Dumbell Rows 16 kg

Lateral Raises 8 kg

Tricep extensions E-Z curl bar (10-15 kg?) plus 15 kg = 25 kg

Dumbell Curls 14 kg

Wrist Curls 8 kg

Ab crunches

Front Squats 40 kg

Calf Raises 65 kg

Here are a few great articles that cover bar complexes.

Complexes for fat loss
http://www.t-nation.com/readArticle.do?id=1624757

Another
http://www.t-nation.com/readArticle.do?id=1677559

Another
http://www.t-nation.com/readArticle.do?id=1343138

The bear is my favorite
http://www.t-nation.com/readArticle.do?id=459657

 

[Gymgurl]

I have never heard of them. BTW Hi claire

 

[Tatyana]

I just LURVE how much the ladies here know