OK STREND Rookies Here is my two cents worth for STREND training.

The best way to train for STREND is to do a STREND workout at least once a week
obeying all the competition rules (time, form, transition to run, etc.). In
order to get your muscles ready for a competition, you have to train them to do
the reps and recover in the allotted amount of time. Just being strong will
not get you through a STREND competition with a decent score. Many, many
repetitions of the competition sequence will. Because of the time constraint,
STREND is sort of aerobic weight lifting. You have to train your body to go
even when the muscles are tired. You also have to learn how to maximize your
score by experimenting with maximizing your reps. A lot of times struggling for
that extra bench rep will cost you four dips on the end. As important as each
rep is, knowing when to stop and start resting for the next exercise is just as
important. Each person is different and will have different combinations of
exercise reps. Being more of a runner, my bench is weak but my military press
and dips more than make up for the weakness. The beauty of the STREND workout
as designed by the Master, Ed, is that if you do the STREND workout religiously,
you will get very strong, much stronger than you are now. For your other
workout during the week, you can do a double STREND with a shorter intervals the
second time through the exercises before moving onto the run. I always try to
do the transition to the run after lifting, even if I do not run the full 3
miles. ( Interval training will help your running dramatically. I recommend 3
minutes on- (race+ speed), 3 minutes off (recovery)). Being an older STRENDIST
(52 this April), I am very careful about my joints and would rather concentrate
on reps at my body weight than adding extra weight. The youngsters like Matt can
get away with that. We "mature" athletes have learned that staying healthy and
showing up the next time is 3/4 of the battle.

From my own experience, I know that this works and works well. When I started
training for STREND at age 46, my goal was to score a 5 in a competition. Last
year (late 2003) at age 50, I scored a hair over 8 at the US Championships in
Livermore with a 17-25-30-19-58-18:36 sequence. Right now I am recovering from
some unrelated surgery (GEZZZZ!) so I probably won't be able to make the
Sacramento STREND, but as Arnold says "I'll be back".

The STREND group is a great group of athletes and a lot of fun to be around.
Nobody takes any prisoners in the competition, but everybody is cool afterwards.
If there is any way you can make it out to Sacramento or one of the other
competitions, it will be the highlight of your athletic year. Just meeting
athletes like ED and Matt is worth the trip by itself.

Remember, the important key for a competition is there should be no surprises.
If you train right and are ready, you should score within a rep or two of what
you expect. Doing 30 or so STRENDs beforehand will take away any uncertainty!

Jesse--I lived in Midland for a number of years and use to run the White Rock
Marathon. Good memories and not so good! Thanks for serving with the
firefighters. If I get down that way, I will try to look you up.
jcar75@...<mailto:jcar75@...>
Good luck.

John Carmony



---- Original Message -----
From: Jesse Coon<mailto:sumnerrey@...>
To: STREND@yahoogroups.com<mailto:STREND@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Wednesday, January 26, 2005 2:19 PM
Subject: [STREND] Rookie to STREND



Hello, my name is Jesse. I'm a firefighter in Plano Texas. I have never
competed in a STREND event yet, but look forward to training for one and
competing. A police officer was telling me about STREND and so I looked it up
on the internet. I am curious about different training workouts to get ready
for an event. I know they don't have any in Texas yet, but I am originally from
Iowa and could compete in Minnesota and visit my family. Anyone willing to
share workout ideas with me would be great. Take Care! Jesse


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