Development of Strength Endurance

Steve Magnesswww.ScienceofRunning.com

stevemagness@gmail.com

What we will cover:

Define Strength Endurance Look at Fatigue Look at Muscle Fiber Physiology

What is Strength Endurance?

Strength endurance is: preserving a high percentage of your strength. Increasing the ability to use a certain percentage of

your maximum strength over a longer period of time. Increasing the percentage of max strength that can be

used over X time.

= ability to maintain force production during fatigue.

Strength Endurance and Fatigue

What happens at the end of a race? Nummella et al.(1992,1994) study:

Tested athletes running 400m, then had them run 300m, 200, and 100m using the same pacing strategy to see what happened during each 100m segment of 400m race.

They found: Force production drops 16% after 300m and 25% after 400m. Increase in muscle activity (measured by EMG) to compensate for

failure of muscle fibers that were doing the work. Increase in Ground Contact Time

Implications: First half of the race speed could be maintained and compensated for.

The last part of the race, the speed decrease depends on strength endurance (ability to recruit and use fibers to try and maintain load (speed).)

Strength Endurance and Fatigue

Follow up study- Miguel et al. (2004) Compared Fast (400m-47sec or better) and slower

runners (400m-49sec or slower) Fast runners had better strength endurance Allowed Fast runners to maintain ground contact times during

end of race. Miguel concluded: “The greater the ability of the athlete to oppose fatigue (by maintaining

strength levels), the smaller the drop in speed and consequently the better the performance.”

Better Strength Endurance= Better Maintenance of Speed during fatigue= Better performance.

Miguel, P. J. P. & Reis, V. M. M. (2004). Speed strength endurance and 400m performance. New Studies in Athletics.

Does this apply to distance events?

HAYES 2010During 1500m races:Average Ground Contact Time:

Lap 1: 167ms Lap 4: 176ms

“Over the course of a 1500m race ground contact time increased  irrespective of foot strike position. This implies an element of fatigue, with runners presumably requiring longer to generate the same  impulse.”

Muscle fibers

Best to think of Muscle Fiber type as a continuum Far left= Pure Slow Twitch Far right= Pure Fast Twitch

In between, many variations.

Muscle Fibers (cont.)

Simple view-Muscle fiber recruitment dependent on force requirement.

Greater the force required, the more fibers recruited (in particular, the more Fast Twitch fibers).

Looking at our continuum, for low intensity jogging, only fibers in far left are recruited, as intensity increases, more FT fibers recruited.

Muscle Fiber Pool

We can never Fully recruit all of our muscle fibers. Body limits recruitment to protect itself. Only violation occurs under extreme conditions (Think

of stories where mom lifts car to save kid…) How close we get to maximum recruitment can

be increased. Have to train Central Nervous System to send strong

stimulus to recruit more fibers. Have to learn new motor programming to establish

pathways to recruit those fibers.

Muscle Fiber Pool

The muscle fiber pool is how many fibers an athlete can actually recruit.

Total Pool- total recruitment in any situation

Usable pool- Total max recruitment during activity= usable fibers.

Muscle Fiber Pool

During endurance events, this is important because: Increase recruitment pool means more fibers to “choose” from

during prolonged exercise. During Endurance exercise, our fibers rotate in and out of doing

work to resist fatigue. More fibers available to do the same amount of work, means less work per fiber, means longer time before “failure.”

Increased CNS signalling and established pathways means: During heavy fatigue when fibers are “failing”, the person can recruit

the hard to access FT fibers to take over part of the workload. Think of the ‘kick’ in distance running or cycling.

Physiological Goals of Strength Endurance

1. Increase Total Fiber pool

2. Increase amount of fibers you can recruit during specific activity (i.e. Running)

3. Train to recruit fibers during endurance activity

4. Extend endurance of those fibers

5. Train to recruit fibers under heavy fatigue and increase their fatigue resistance

Step 1:Increase Total Fiber Pool

Goals: Increase Signal from Nervous System to

recruit fibers.Establish general motor programming for

recruitment of those fibers How to Accomplish:

Strength TrainingBallistic/Power Training

Strength Training

Recommendations: Focus on prime movers in your sport (i.e. for runners, legs-

glutes, hamstrings, quads, minimal upper body work) Aim for full body work, not isolation Lift HEAVY, Rep range of 2-6 reps.

Heavy lifting needed for recruitment and Nervous system changes. Multiple Sets (2-4x) 1-2x per week depending on competition/training.

Down weeks with minimal lifting recommended to provide recovery Long recovery between sets

Strength Training (cont.)

Power Exercises Violates muscle recruitment size principle allowing

for recruitment of hard to access Fast Twitch fibers. Ballistic exercises:

Different from plyometrics Emphasis is on explosion and power, not concerned

with ground contact time or coming off ground quickly. 2-8 reps of an exercise, long recovery Start with body weight, increase to low to moderate

weight.

Strength Training Exercises (Full)Squat Power Clean

Dead Lift

Strength Training Exercise-Ballistics Box Jump Squat Jump

Standing Broad Jump

Strength Training: Fears

Heavy lifting will not increase body mass if done with endurance activity Majority of endurance

athletes do not have spare protein to use on muscle building

Signalling pathway for endurance training inhibits signalling pathway (MTOR pathway) that increase muscle size (hypertrophy)

Strength Training Sample Workouts

Week 1: 3-4 sets of 6 reps- Squats w/ 5min

b/t sets 3 sets of 5 reps of Cleans w/ 5min

rest b/t sets Week 4:

2-3 sets of 4 reps- Squats w/ 5min rest

6x body weight box jump 6x body weight broad jump

Week 8 6x box jump w/ 20lb weight 6x squat jump with Bar

Periodization Must mesh with

endurance training. Have to consider

residual and CNS fatigue.

Step 2: Increase fiber recruitment during specific activity Goals

Translate increase in total fiber pool to an increase in usable fiber pool during running.

Establish motor programming of recruitment during running.

How to Accomplish:Hill SprintsFlat Sprints

Hill Sprints

Start with sprinting uphill because: Lowered injury risk Hill makes for increase

strength requirement (increase force requirement/muscle recruitment)

Hill Sprints

Steepness of hill Depends on goal. Steeper the hill, the more

strength orientated. Think of a steep hill as being like ballistic strength training and a shallow hill being more specific.

In general, best to start with steeper hill and progress to slight hill.

This increases specificity as you progress and changes focus from just total force production to force production as quickly as possible (due to shorter ground contact time as hill gets shallowed).

Hill Sprints

How many: Start with a few, increase to 10-12 for most people.

How far: Should take 8-10 seconds total

How fast: Sprinting, 99%, as fast as you can go while

maintaining good technique. How much rest:

Long rest, minimal of 2min, preferably more. As long as it takes to recover

Flat Sprints

How many: Between 200-1000m worth of total work.

How far: Start with 40-60m, extend to 100m

How fast: Sprinting, 99%, as fast as you can go while

maintaining good technique. How much rest:

Long rest, at least 2:30 rest, preferably more

Example Sprint workouts/progression Progression:

4x 8sec HS(hill sprint) 6x 8sec HS 8x 8sec HS 6x60m flat sprints 10x HS 3x60m, 2x70m, 1x80m Flat sprints 3x80m, 2x90m, 1x100m Flat sprint 6x100m Flat Sprints

Entire Season Samples of training can be found on:http://www.ScienceofRunning.com Search “Sprint Training”

Step 3: Train to recruit fibers during endurance activity Goals:

start the process of extending our ability to use a high proportion of our strength over a longer period of time

Translate increases in strength to general strength endurance.

How to Accomplish General Hill Circuits General Flat Circuits Sprints in between endurance work

General Circuits

Idea is to “force” recruitment during exercises, then train those fibers to endure during running portion

HillsHills add an additional strength componentThe makeup and design is similar between

the two.

General Circuits

Total length- same as you’d use for long aerobic intervals. 3-6miles total in general

Length of Repeats Depends on purpose, but 2-6min. Make total duration of rep similar to

length of aerobic intervals for that athlete. Rest between

Jog down recovery for hill, equal jogging rest at least Intensity

Running- 75-80%- a steady intensity between that done on easy runs and threshold work

Exercises- 75-80% effort

General Circuit Exercises

Alternate a running portion with an exercise Running portion can vary between 15sec-2min or more depending on

goal of circuit. Most of the time it should be between 20-60sec Exercises- should take between 10-60seconds, generally shorter than

running portion Exercise selection:

Goal during general circuits is to increase fiber recruitment, increase lactate slightly, and then use during running portion

Select exercises that focus on prime movers. Remember, higher force required exercises=greater fiber recruitment

For beginners start with exercises that don’t require leaving the ground. Ex: body squats, one legged squats, lunges

For advanced include ballistic and plyometric exercises: Squat jumps, bounding, skipping for height, sprinting

Sample General Circuit

10x full squats 200m or 45 seconds of running 100m of skipping 200m or 45sec 10xlunges 200m or 45sec 10xsquat jumps 200m or 40sec 50m of bounding 10sec of sprinting

Repeat 4x, jog down recovery

Video of Hill circuit can found on:http://www.scienceofrunning.com Click “Video”

Sprints in between Workouts

Another possible way to increase strength endurance is to combine sprints with endurance trainingThis creates a situation where the sprints

“force” fiber recruitment in the middle of the endurance training.

Fibers are then used and “trained” during the endurance portion

Sprints in between Workouts

How? Insert hill sprints or flat sprints in the middle and at the

end of your endurance workouts. Start off with doing them during aerobic workouts

(tempo, long repeats) and progress to doing them in between specific endurance workouts

What does in between mean? Insert the sprints in between sets of repeats. For example, instead of doing 6x1000m, do 3x1000m,

4x 60m sprints, 3x1000m, 4x60m sprints

Example Workouts

2x800, 4xHS, 2x800, 4xHS, 2x800 at 5k pace

3 sets of 4x400m at 3k pace with 45sec between repeats and 4x70m sprints between sets

Step 5:Train to recruit fibers under heavy fatigue and increase their fatigue resistance

Goals: Train to recruit fibers under heavy fatigue Increase fatigue resistance of those fibers

How to Accomplish High Intensity Circuits Kick Workouts

High Intensity Circuits

Similar to General CircuitsDifference is exercises and running portion

have to be carried out at a much higher intensity

Exercises needed to be performed at near maximum to force fiber recruitment

High Intensity Circuits

Total length- similar to total amount you’d use for specific or speed workouts 1-3 miles generally

Length of Repeats Depends on purpose, but 1-3min generally

Rest between Long recovery

Intensity Running- 85-95% Exercises- 85-100%% effort

High Intensity Circuits

Running segments:Short in durationRange from 10-60sec

ExercisesMaximum intensity, so low volume

Sample General Circuit

100m running 85% 8xsquat jumps for height 100m running 85% 10x skipping for height 60m sprint 8xfull body squats 100m at 85% 50m of bounding 10sec of sprinting

Repeat 4x, 6min recovery

Kick Workouts

Specific workouts designed to maintain recruitment and force during intense running

Focus on finishing strong A repeat ran at high speed seperated by

one exercise that “forces” fiber recruitmentEx: 500m repeat with 200m at 800 pace,

100m bounding, 200m kick in.

Kick Workouts

Total volume Low, 800m-2mi

Length of Repeats 1-4 repeats between 300-600m total in length

Rest between Long recovery

Speed/Intensity 800m pace down to all out

Kick Workouts

Examples2-3x 500m (200m at 800 pace, 100m

bounding, 200m kick in) w/ 6-8min rest2-3x800m (500m at 1mi pace, 100m

bounding, 200m kick in) w/ 6-10min rest2-3x600m of 300m on flat ground at 1mi pace,

100m sprinting uphill, 100m sprinting flat ground)

End Results:

Larger Fiber pool that is usable Increased fatigue resistance Maintenance of force production Maintenance of Stride length and Ground

Contact time Better Finishing Kick Faster Race times!

Is this new?

NO!!! Lydiard:

Hill Circuit Bounding Percy Cerutty:

Heavy Weight Lifting+ Sand Dune Running Luciano Giggliotti and Renato Canova:

Strength Endurance Circuits George Gandy/Peter Coe

Circuit training

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