Index for Research Running News
VOLUME 21 ISSUE 3

HAMSTRINGS ARE FIRST SITE OF FATIGUE
Many runners believe that the calves are the first muscles to fatigue
during hard running. However, new research from France indicates that
it is actually the hammies which go first. Specific remedies for
hamstring fatigue are provided.

MANY RUNNERS CAN'T KEEP GLYCOGEN UP
For years, runners have assumed that the simple adherence to a
high-carb diet will keep muscle-glycogen levels high during periods of
intense training. New Australian research indicates that this
assumption is unwarranted. Specific strategies to keep glycogen at
lofty levels are provided.

LITTLE EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT ORTHOTIC USE
"Common sense" suggests that many runners have biomechanical
abnormalities - and that such flaws can be fixed by wearing orthotics
during training. However, the actual research paints a much-different
picture.

ENGLISH SCIENTISTS GIVE ICE A CHILLY RECEPTION
Runners commonly apply ice to sore spots after workouts, believing
that ice application can reduce pain, retard inflammation, and speed
recovery. Unfortunately, the evidence suggests that ice application is
no better than placebo.
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VOLUME 21 ISSUE 2

WHY DENTISTS MAY SOON BECOME TOP RUNNING COACHES
The composition of an athlete's spit can reveal much about what is
happening inside his body. Specifically, the concentrations of nucleic
acids, proteins, hormones, and immune-system modulators in saliva may
tell an athlete whether he is highly fit or on the verge of
overtraining. Dentists are in the forefront of this new kind of
research, and thus - in the future - a trip to the dentist may take on
new meaning for serious athletes.

STRANGE SCENES FROM THE BOSTON MARATHON
At the Boston Marathon this year, runners could be observed at the
starting line taking in significant quantities of ibuprofen. This is a
bad practice, since ibuprofen does not reduce the risk of cramps,
tends to raise the risk of gastro-intestinal problems, blunts
post-exercise protein synthesis, and may retard post-marathon recovery.

CAN FOOT TYPE PREDICT RUNNING INJURY?
"Common wisdom" says that low-arched feet tend to produce greater
amounts and velocities of pronation and predispose runners to higher
risks of overuse injury. The research, however, tells a different story.

HOW TO SELECT A RUNNING CAMP
Tips are provided for finding a great running camp and avoiding the
really bad ones.
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VOLUME 21 ISSUE 1

NO WAY TO TRAIN
Innovative new research carried out by Scott Trappe and his colleagues
at Ball State University reveals that individual muscle fibers adapt
in unique ways to endurance training. Unfortunately, the training
carried out by a cross-country team seems to lead to sub-optimal
changes in muscle-cell functioning.

THE SCIENCE OF KENYAN EATING
Amazingly enough, the eating habits of the world's-best endurance
athletes have not been carefully studied - until now. New research
carried out by a Glaswegian-Kenyan team reveals that the highest-level
Kenyan runners adhere to three key principles of sports nutrition.

SHOULD YOU WEAR A COOL VEST DURING YOUR HOT-WEATHER WARM-UPS?
The use of a light, form-fitting, cooling vest during your warm-ups
can improve your performances in hot-weather races, perhaps because
the vest helps delay the attainment of a body temperature which is
strongly linked with fatigue.
Click here to download 21-1
VOLUME 20 ISSUE 10

THE SEARCH FOR THE PERFECT INTENSITY DISTRIBUTION
Scientific research reveals that training at intensities which are
close to lactate-threshold running speed can produce large gains in
fitness. Elite athletes seem to ignore this research as they pile up
relatively large quantities of training at high and low intensities,
while ignoring threshold-type work. The "intensity-distribution"
strategy employed by elite athletes provides an important lesson for
all runners.

CALF COMPLAINTS CREATE FRIGHTENING FOOT FORCES
Foot injuries in runners, including metatarsal stress fractures, have
been linked with a wide array of factors, including high arches,
excessive pronation, and sudden boosts in mileage. New research from
Germany correlates increased pressure on the metatarsal areas of the
feet during quality running with calf-muscle fatigue. Exercises for
upgrading the fatigue-resistance of the calves are provided.

PREGNANT - AND HIGHLY FIT!
Several investigations have shown that pregnant runners lose aerobic
capacity during their pregnancies, but new Norwegian research
indicates that pregnant women can train for eight-plus hours per week,
including five hours of endurance work and one hour of intervals, with
no risk to the unborn child - and thus completely preserve VO2max,
leading to a post-partum "spring-board effect" on fitness.
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VOLUME 20 ISSUE 9

MCT1s ARE MARKERS OF PERFORMANCE
New research carried out by Claire Thomas and her colleagues reveals
that an athlete's muscular MCT1 content is a predictor of performance
and fatigue-resistance. MCT1s can transport energy-rich lactate
molecules across muscle cell walls, and high-intensity training
appears to be the optimal way to enhance MCT1 concentrations.

BETTER ECONOMY IN JUST 20 NIGHTS
Research carried out by elite runner Philo Saunders and colleagues in
Australia demonstrates that sleeping at altitude, while simultaneously
training at close to sea level, can enhance running economy by more
than 3 percent in just 20 days. Altitudes above 2000 meters are
probably necessary for this effect to occur. In contrast, sleeping and
training at moderate altitudes (below 2000 meters) does not upgrade
economy.

SHOULD YOU USE IBU, COX-2 INHIBITORS, OR ACETAMINOPHEN FOR YOUR ACHING
MUSCLES?
Athletes often use ibuprofen and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory
medications to relieve the symptoms of their overuse injuries and
"reduce inflammation," but new research carried out by Louis
Almekinders suggests that cheap, plain-old acetaminophen may be just
as effective in some cases. Furthermore, taking NSAIDs immediately
after an injury occurs may have a negative impact on recovery.
Click here to download 20-9
VOLUME 20 ISSUE 8

MARATHON SOCKS UNDER PRESSURE
The use of compression hosiery during competition is increasing, with
top runners such as Paula Radcliffe and Meb Keflezeghi attired in the
pretty puttees and the press spouting the news that the socks increase
blood flow and oxygen consumption. Alas, the truth is that the
forceful stockings do not improve performances.

MYOKINE OF MUSCLE IN A TIME OF FLU
Your leg muscles do far more than produce the forces you need to run
your 5Ks and marathons; they also synthesize and release myokines,
chemicals which determine how your body responds and adapts to your
training. Specifically, your muscles produce IL-6, aka the "exercise
factor," a potent chemical which modulates post-workout inflammation,
enhances glucose uptake by the muscles, and spurs the breakdown of
fat. Certain kinds of training seem to augment IL-6 production.

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU CREATE SETS OF INTERVALS?
Any interval workout can be carried out continuously or broken down
into sets, and there are advantages associated with each technique.
Generally, no-set interval sessions spike oxygen consumption, which is
a definite positive. However, the utilization of sets of about six
work intervals within a workout usually maximizes the amount of
running which you can carry out at a specific, desirable pace. It is
important to include both types of sessions in your training program.
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VOLUME 20 ISSUE 7

TWO-A-DAYS: FOR FOOTBALL AND RUNNING?
The strategy of carrying out two workouts in a single day has
classically been viewed as a way of expanding training volume.
However, new research from Denmark reveals that the technique can
increase aerobic-enzyme production and enhance performance. The
mechanism may be that the low glycogen levels which result from two
daily sessions spur the transcription of genes responsible for
fitness. Fortunately, the Danish strategy does not force you to
overtrain or to run with chronically low glycogen levels.

MIXTURE OF CARBS BEST FOR SPORTS DRINKS
An exciting new investigation reveals that combining three different
carbohydrates within a sports drink leads to a dramatic increase in
the rate of utilization of ingested carbohydrate during running. This
increase can diminish the effects of low muscle-glycogen levels on
performance. No commercially available sports drinks contain the
appropriate mixture of carbs, but it is possible to mix up your own,
super-charged sports drink at home without much trouble.
Click here to download 20-7
VOLUME 20 ISSUE 6

TAKE AS LONG AS YOU WANT
Runners and coaches are used to thinking that the 1:5 work-recovery
ratio is perfect for very high-quality interval workouts.
Unfortunately, the scientific evidence suggests that the use of this
ratio actually retards work-interval quality! During workouts designed
to boost maximal running speed, it is better to utilize recovery
intervals which are much more expansive.

CAN SWISS BALLS BOOST RUNNING ECONOMY?
There is considerable evidence that Swiss-ball training can improve
core strength and stability - during certain movements and position.
However, new research suggests that such strength and stability do not
"carry over" to the act of running. There is no evidence that
Swiss-ball training can make a runner more economical.

CAN MASSAGE ENHANCE RECOVERY?
A post-workout or post-competition massage feels great, but there has
been little evidence that such an intervention actually enhances
recovery. Now, new research from Sweden indicates that massage has no
effect at all on muscle function following a very strenuous workout.
However, massage may still have some "central effects" which are
beneficial.

CAN CHITOSAN LIFT YOUR AEROBIC CAPACITY?
There is no question about whether chitosan can block fat absorption;
the compound derived from shellfish and insect skins does just that.
However, there has been considerable debate about whether chitosan
supplementation can actually promote weight loss. Alas, new research
suggests that chitosan is as effective as magical incantations when it
comes to changing the number on the bathroom scale.
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VOLUME 20 ISSUE 5
YOUR BRAIN IMAGINES FATIGUE
During hard running, your brain can unconsciously create a sensation
of fatigue, even when your muscles are functioning nearly optimally.
Fortunately, this fatigue can be controlled by the type of
self-dialogue in which you engage. Positive self-talk can improve
performances, can help you prepare properly for races, and can lead to
appropriate and productive evaluations of races.

BE PRACTICAL WITH YOUR VVO2MAX TRAINING
New research from Australia indicates that 60 percent of Tmax is a
beneficial work-interval length during vVO2max training. In addition,
it is important to be flexible with your vVO2max workouts. Instead of
rigidly adhering to 30-, 60-, and 180-second work intervals, you can
adjust interval lengths to correspond with convenient distances on the
track.

WHAT TO DO ON A BAD DAY
Sometimes quality workouts begin badly for unexplainable reasons.
Surprisingly, one of the best strategies to employ in such situations
is simply to complete one or two intervals as well as you can - and
then call it a day. Because of the way in which fitness "accumulates"
during training, reasonable amounts of fitness will still accrue from
the shortened workout.

SHOULD WE GIVE VITAMIN E AN A FOR RECOVERY?
Vitamin E helps to protect muscle membranes during hard or sustained
aerobic running, so it has been speculated that vitamin-E
supplementation might enhance post-workout recovery in serious
runners. We take a look at the hard evidence concerning E's
potentially protective effects in athletes.
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VOLUME 20 ISSUE 4

Not Just Another Article about Hyponatremia
Hyponatremia is a potentially life-threatening disorder which can
develop in runners and other endurance athletes. There has been
considerable debate about its causes, but it appears that it can arise
as a result of overdrinking low-electrolyte fluids or in response to
several hours of very "salty sweating." Several strategies are
presented for minimizing the risk of developing the malady.

How to Have Vintage Muscles
Aerobic capacity declines with ageing, but it has not been clear how
much of this loss is due to drop-offs in the abilities of muscle cells
to utilize oxygen. Evidence is presented which suggests that a
muscle-cell's aerobic characteristics are more influenced by training,
rather than age. Strategies are outlined for keeping muscle-cells'
"aerobic profiles" at a high level, even as one gets older.

How to Beat EIAH
Exercise-induced arterial hypoxemia strikes most experienced runners
when they attempt to run at high-quality speeds for sustained periods
of time. Attempting to avoid this problem appears to be fruitless, but
there are ways to train which can minimize the negative effects of the
hypoxemia. We outline a special workout for accomplishing this.
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VOLUME 20 ISSUE 3

Getting the Jump on Your Competitors
Explosive training is a proven way to improve your maximal running
velocity, and drop jumping is a valuable form of explosive training.
It makes sense to include explosive training in early phases of your
overall training. A speed-boosting circuit-training session with
elements of explosive training is introduced; it can be used in any
phase of your program.

Nandi Dandies: What Nandi Boys Do When They "Go out on the Town"
As you might expect, genes can play a role in determining performance
potential. Possessing two copies of the I allele of the ACE gene, for
example, makes it much more likely that an individual can achieve
success as an endurance athlete. The I allele seems to be distributed
rather evenly around the world, however, and Caucasian and African
young men respond to vigorous endurance training in exactly the same
way. East Africans may achieve superior endurance success by "keeping
their eyes on the prize."
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VOLUME 20 ISSUE 2

THE THIRD WAY TO GET FASTER
Carrying out high-quality running training can improve your maximal
running speed, which is a key predictor of endurance performance.
Conducting explosive training, with an emphasis on movements which
mimic the gait cycle of running, also upgrades your maximal running
velocity. Now, there is a third way to get faster: New research
carried out in Norway reveals that high-resistance strength training
improves speed, economy, and endurance performance. Although this
seems improbable at first glance, since the rates of movement utilized
during maximal strength training are slow, the improvements in muscle
function and competitive ability are huge. In this article, we show
you exactly how to use high-resistance training to make yourself a
considerably faster runner.

HERBAL STUDY PLANTS DOUBT
There has been considerable interest in the herbal supplements,
Cordyceps sinensis and Rhodiola rosea, as potential ergogenic aids.
Cordyceps has been utilized by world-record-holders as a key part of
their training, and one scientific study found that Cordyceps boosted
maximal aerobic capacity. However, a new study finds that two weeks of
supplementation with the two herbal preparations produces no changes
in performance, heart rate, or oxygen consumption. Furthermore, the
"proprietary blend" included along with the herbs in the product
capsules has such low doses of potentially ergogenic compounds that it
is unlikely to have an impact on performance.
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VOLUME 20 ISSUE 1

WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU'RE JUST OUT RUNNING AROUND
There are days when it is nice to "free-lance" one's interval
workouts, and research carried out by Norweigan researchers indicate
that such sessions can be extremely high in quality.
NORWEGIANS CAN HAM IT UP, TOO!
Norwegian researchers are getting into the hamstring act with a unique
and extremely effective exercise.

ARE VEGETARIAN DIETS BENEFICIAL FOR ENDURANCE PERFORMANCE?
Many meat-eating athletes wonder whether a switch to a vegetarian diet
might provide a performance boost, and there are logical reasons for
such thinking.


Running Research News Topical Index Information

Volume 21-2 issue March 2005

Not a single scientific study has ever linked preexercise
ibuprofen ingestion with a reduced risk of muscle
cramps. Similarly, no investigation has ever connected
ibuprofen intake with improved performance in an endurance
event (in fact, no research has correlated ibuprofen
consumption with significantly reduced discomfort during
competition, either). In addition, there are many reasons
why ibuprofen intake can be quite counterproductive
when it is associated with extended exercise.
. . . .
In truth, various lines of research indicate that ibuprofen
intake is either ineffective or else actually retards
muscle and connective-tissue healing following injury. In
one study, muscles which had been pre-dosed with ibuprofen
prior to injury recovered no more quickly than sinews
which were treated with acetaminophen after the damage
occurred (2). In another investigation, injured Achilles
tendons healed more slowly when they were treated with
an anti-inflammatory medication, compared with a placebo
(3).

It was clear that ibuprofen impaired intestinal function.

The bottom lines? Both anecdotal experience and
high-quality research indicates that ibuprofen is misused
by endurance athletes (7). Don't be one of the misusers,
especially since the evidence is tilted so strongly towards
the idea that pre-and within-race ibuprofen ingestion can
do negative things to your gut, muscles, and connective
tissues.


Volume 21-1 issue. Jan-Feb 2005

NO WAY TO TRAIN
Ingenius new research reveals that individual muscle cells respond in
unique ways to various forms of endurance training. Unfortunately, a
typical cross-country season seems to lead to a variety of sub-optimal
transformations in muscle function.

THE SCIENCE OF KENYAN EATING
Amazingly enough, the eating habits of the world's-best endurance
athletes have not been studied scientifically - until very recently.
New research carried out by a Glaswegian-Kenyan team reveals that the
highest-level Kenyan runners are definitely not adherents of the Zone
or South-Beach Diets.

WEARING A COOL VEST DURING WARM-UPS CAN BOOST YOUR HOT-WEATHER
PERFORMANCES
The use of a light, form-fitting vest during warm-up activities can
boost your hot-weather racing performances, perhaps because
utilization of the vest delays the attainment of a body temperature
which is strongly linked with fatigue.


Read these stories in our Vol. 20-10 issue.

THE SEARCH FOR THE PERFECT TRAINING MODEL
Many scientific investigations have shown that training at intensities
which are close to lactate threshold produces sizable gains in
fitness. Elite athletes seem to ignore this research as they pile up
training far away from threshold at the two "poles" of intensity -
high and low. The elites' characteristic pattern of training provides
a key lesson for runners of all ability levels.

The lower intensity will usually be better for recovery, and better
for recovery is good, since it will enhance the ability to complete
the next, scheduled, potent, above-LT session in red-hot fashion.
Thus, the polarized pattern may work quite well for the non-elite
runner, too.


CALF COMPLAINTS MIGHT CREATE FRIGHTENING FOOT FORCES
Runners are susceptible to a variety of foot injuries, including
metatarsal stress fractures. Scientific research has indicated that
several different factors may be responsible, including high arches,
excessive pronation, and rapid increases in training volume. However,
new research from Germany suggests that calf-muscle fatigue during
quality running may put undue pressure on the feet in the metatarsal
areas, potentially leading to injury. Exercises to strengthen your
calves and feet are provided.

PREGNANT - AND FIT!
Pregnant runners often lose aerobic capacity during their pregnancies
and have trouble recovering fitness following childbirth, but new
research from Norway reveals that a safe, appropriate exercise program
can perfectly preserve VO2max and provide a "spring-board" for gains
in aerobic fitness post-partum. The Norwegian regime is described in
detail.

20-9 Nov 2004

Intense workouts: Super-set training
and MCT1 progression go hand-in-hand, too, and here is a MCT1-
boosting treasure from RRN's workout vault:
(1) On a day when you are feeling rested and energetic,
warm up until you feel loose and totally ready to run intensely.
(2) Move along fluidly for 1200 meters at your current 5-
K pace.
(3) Recover with just one minute of light jogging, and
then blast 800 meters at close to all-out intensity (or at least faster
than your vVO2max).
(4) Enjoy three minutes of easy-jog recovery, and then hit
7 X 400 at faster than 5-K tempo (shoot for four to five seconds
quicker than 5-K alacrity), with equal-in-time-duration recoveries.
(5) Jog lightly for two miles to "cool down".
This session, which can be carried out regularly once
you have emerged from your base phase of training, improves
your speed and lactate-threshold velocity, it forces lactate
levels to mount continuously throughout the workout, and it is
pure MCT1 gold, causing a steep spike in MCT1 production
in your muscles. As molecules of MCT1 mount like multitudes
of polyps on your muscle and mitochondrial membranes,
you will clear more lactate from the blood during your
hard workouts and races and break down more lactate for fuel
inside your mitochondria. You will have the fuel you need to
run at faster speeds in your competitions, the fatigueresistance
you must have to sustain those higher-quality
paces, and the lactate-transport capacity you require in order
to reach your lofty goals as a runner.

* * * * *
Overall, it was clear that acetaminophen, the safer and
less-costly medicine, had effects on muscle weight, gait maintenance,
inflammation, satellite-cell action, and perhaps on pain
reduction (interviews with the mice concerning their pain
proved fruitless) which were equal to those produced by the
fancy-schmancy NSAID.. . . utilizing acetaminophen, rather than NSAIDs, to
treat his running-related aches and pains when they become significant.
The logic is that traditional NSAIDs are riskier from a
side-effect standpoint, and the new COX-2 inhibitors put a pronounced
dent in his wallet. In addition, if the NSAIDs really do
put the damper on short-term inflammation, that might be a very
bad thing for the healing process. The slowing of tendon and
ligament repair when COX-2-inhibiting drugs are taken shortly
after injury is also a bit troublesome (as is the fact that no one is
sure when the "green-light period" for COX-2 inhibitors actually
begins following tendon damage). For now, modest
amounts of acetaminophen (when necessary), a bit of pain tolerance,
and natural physiological processes, unperturbed by
NSAIDS, should be just fine for curbing the symptoms associated
with typical, overuse running injuries.


20-8 Oct. 2004

Marathon socks.
Continuous efforts or set intervals?
The bottom line? For your next 12 X 200, 12 X 400, or
open-ended interval session, enjoy it both ways at different
times within your schedule – with and without the sets and intermezzos.


20-7 Sept. 2004

Mixing a great carb drink


20-6 Aug 2004

Interval Training: Recover for as long as is necessary to complete
each work interval in the planned manner. This might mean using 1: 7,
or it might mean utilizing 1:20 or even 1:30 – it doesn't matter. For
these high-speed workouts, we are looking to develop the neuromuscular
capacity to improve maximal running speed, which is an important
predictor of both sprint and endurance performances. Dragging through
the final intervals of a session won't cut it; we want to do all of
our intervals at that fine edge which forces those reluctant nerves
and muscles of ours to improve their functioning. With
max-running-speed improving sessions, we are not trying to hoist
average oxygen-consumption rate – we are trying to run faster. If
grandiose recovery intervals allow us to do that, we should violate
the 1:5 principle and utilize fat recoveries without a moment's
hesitation.
A good start, during your first few weeks of training, would be
something like (2-4) X (60-100), with whatever recoveries you need to
run at the same speed during each work interval. The pace to use is
simply your maximal pace, but you should not strain and tighten up as
you run: Relax and flow along smoothly, while attempting to run as
quickly as possible, maximizing force production with each foot impact
while simultaneously keeping contact times very short. Note that a
workout like this is so short
that it can be included within your warm-up before a quality workout
or even carried out on an easy day (after you have warmed up, of
course). The only time not to do it is after a fatiguing workout:
Remember that max-speed workouts depend on coordination and quick
force production, which are hampered by neuromuscular fatigue. Toward
the end of your training year, as your key 400-meter, 800-meter,
1500-meter, 3-K, 5-K, 10-K, half marathon, marathon, or ultra-marathon
competition approaches, you will have worked up to something like 15 X
60, 12 X 100, or 8 X 200, all completed with "flying starts" (don't
begin the work intervals from a standing still position), all at close
to max speed, and all with as much tasty recovery as you need to
preserve power.


20-5 Jun-Jul 2004

Brain fatigue and pysch running

20-4 May 2004
Hyponatremia

20-3 Apr 2004

For these reasons, RRN recommends the use of forefoot landings during
drop jumping (in a later article, we'll address the question of
whether heeltoe-striking runners should attempt to shift over to the
forefootlanding strategy during actual running). Three final points
about drop-jumping are in order:
(1) For your first attempts at drop-jumping, drop onto a very
"forgiving" surface, such as soft grass, relatively soft earth,
moderately packed sand, or a basketball or gym floor with some "give"
to it. Keep the number of reps to a minimum during your first few
drop-jump sessions, too; a seemingly paltry six to eight reps should
be about right. Finally, employ low box or step heights until you have
built up a modicum of drop jump strength and coordination; four to six
inches are actually good starting heights.
(2) When you hit the ground after your drop, jump forward instead of
vertically, while of course minimizing ground-contact time. This will
make the action more similar to running.
(3) After you have been drop-jumping for a considerable period of time
without trouble (four to six months or so), shift over to one-foot
drop jumps, landing on one foot instead of two before springing
forward. When you do this, reduce the height of your box or step at
first, and fall back to just six or eight reps per leg. You can then
gradually make a progression to more reps and greater height.

(1) By running faster during training,
(2) By carrying out explosive training, with an emphasis on jumping,
hopping, and bounding movements and maximal
muscular contractions completed in the shortest-possible amount of
time, and
(3) By performing high-resistance strength training for the leg
muscles, with a reliance on resistances which can not be utilized for
more than six reps prior to failure.

an example of a speed-developing circuit workout which incorporates
all three principles of speed enhancement
and which can be used during almost any phase of the overall training
cycle


20-2 Mar 2004

Stride rate (cadence), stride length and intense training is helpful.
Running fast during your workouts, rather than slow and long, improves
force production by your leg muscles, upgrades coordination at high
speed, gets your feet on and off the ground more quickly, and makes
you more powerful.. explosive strength training can also be very
effective at amending max speed. Explosive strength sessions (that)
lasted from 15 to 90 minutes and consisted of sprints (five to 10 reps
of 20 to 100 meters), as well as jumping exercises (alternative jumps,
bilateral counter- movement jumps, drop-and hurdle jumps, and one-leg,
five-jump drills).

Alternative jumps simply consist of bounding along on a flat surface,
while alternating from left foot to right, back to left, etc.

Bilateral counter-movement jumps are standing jumps, carried out using
both legs at the same time; they are usually performed in place
without any horizontal displacement. The word "bilateral" simply
refers to the fact that both legs simultaneously provide the force for
the jumps.

"Counter-movement" alludes to an emphasis on lowering the body into a
reasonably pronounced squat before performing the jump (as opposed to
a rebound jump, in which there is very limited flexion at the knee and
hip during the eccentric phase of the jump).

One-leg five-jump drills are performed just the way they sound:
Athletes stand on one leg and jump five times in a
row – forward - as quickly and yet as far as possible (as though they
were engaged in a one-leg run with long bounds). After the drill is
completed on one leg, it is repeated with the opposite lower appendage.

The drop-and-hurdle jumps are a variation of the Ablakov test (no
doubt named for a Soviet coach who specialized
in plyometric training), in which an athlete drops down from a box or
platform that is set at a prescribed height (15 to 75 centimeters or 6
to 30 inches depending on the athlete and the sport involved) and then
immediately rebounds (jumps) over a hurdle.

Squats: Note that it is wise to carry out a warm-up, with 10 minutes
or so of jogging, before the squatting actually begins; it is also
sensible to perform a warm-up set of squats, with very light
resistance, before the three tough sets are actually attempted. You
can perform your squats on a light day of running training or before
you begin a quality running workout; it is important not to do them
when you are not fatigued.


20-1 Jan-Feb. 2004
- Nordic Hamstring Strengthening Exercise
- The truth about Vegetarian and Endurance Running