John/Monty, What would you say are the best...

[John Peterson]

Hey Friends,

I hope Dave Montgomery (Monty) responds on this one too. I just received an e-mail from a high school cross country coach that fully understands that he needs to strengthen the athletes under his charge so that they are "off the charts" super strong and enduring in direct relationship to their own body. He has thrown weight training out for all of his athletes. His question, "John/Monty, which are the best upper body strength builders that will aid in the final all out "kick"?" OK guys my response is as follows...

...1) Pull-Ups/Chin-Ups (the only way anyone develops the ability to do high volume sets of 10 or more per set is to have an off the charts lung capacity to body weight. Any athlete that can do Monty's 10 reps per Minute for 10 minutes for 100 total reps in 10 minutes is in the super man category for Upper body endurance/strength & Lung Capacity 2) Atlas III Push-Ups super set with Pull-Ups if you can 10 & 10 (10 sets of 10 in 10 minutes along with Pull-ups and I guarantee that that kid will never need to ask how to become Tarzan strong again. From that point he'll be training others.) 3) Nose to mat bridging. To much forward lean while running does bad things to skeletal structure. Bridging and working up to a 3 minute nose to mat isometric contraction will fix it in world record time unlike anything else. Finally, practice deep breathing. Make it an exercise between exercises. And then use it throughout the day.

OK, you're at bat Monty.

---John Peterson

[monty]

Yeehaww!! Thanks John here goes.

Here is a workout I give my runners once a week, we have done this on Wednesdays all summer here in the Valley Of the Hot Sun. AZ

Here goes
800 meter run- good effort-no watches, based on effort
then do the following taking no longer than 30 seconds rest between each exercise or run.
Squat thrusts- 6-30 reps
Pull/chin up- 5-20
ABS- atlas sit-ups, or any ab routine will do- 30-50reps
Push ups-25-50
Fast squats-20-50
Run another 800m
Squat jumps-10-25
Toe raises-30
Elevated Push-ups 25-50
Superman- back exercise-25-50
Bench Dips- 20-40
Lunges/step ups- 20 of each
800m run

Beginners should do low reps starting out, this will make them very strong and get them use to running with heavy legs. I have seen my kids stay strong the whole race. I will do this workout once a week up until the last 5-6 weeks of the season.
Make sure your kids warm-up 1- 2 mile and cool down the same
Twice a week our runners do pull-ups and dips after their run, some have a partner who holds their legs to make them easier and so they hold good form. we also do many planks, core stuff and dynamic form running.
After all practices when not doing the circuit we do the big 10 which is 10 push-ups 1 atlas sit-up then 9 push ups, 2 atlas sit-ups until you get to 1 push-up, and 10 atlas sit-ups.
Our kids run between 30-45 mile a week.
My teams have placed in the top 5 at our big school state meet most years. My girls team was ranked 12th in the Southwest. My guys were young last year and after one of my boys collapsed and crawled across the finish line we finished 10th.

I did this workout this morning and think for older runners it is perfect for overall conditioning and strength.
Do these types of work-outs with the Transformetric workouts and the skies the limit.

Monty

PS The challenge I face is my kids have a hard time doing strength stuff on their own so that is why we do much of it at practices.

[monty]

John,
Please let the Coach know he can PM if needed.

Monty

[John Peterson]

Monty my Friend,

I already did just that.

---John Peterson

[duff]

I ran cross-country in high school and could have used this kind of workout! Our coach had us do some pushups and other calisthenics from time to time, but I was so weak I couldn't do even 1 pushup with strict form, chest to the ground (and definitely no pullups or Atlas situps either). I can't help but wonder what my 5k time would have been if I had been stronger from a Transformetrics-type of workout like this one. Good stuff!

[monty]

Duff,

You would have been stronger through the race for sure. I know when I did strength stuff years ago in college my last lap in the two-mile went from 68 sec to 61 sec. My kids are just stronger through the race than most teams.Their finish is very strong too compared to other teams. The record holder for the American 10,000 meters (Chris Solinsky) does body weight stuff and works on it 4 days a week. This stuff works. We are seeing more and more endurance athletes do this type of training that strengthens the whole body.

Monty

[John Peterson]

Hey Friends,


Every runner will benefit from two key physical attributes developed to an extremely level. One is an extremely high level of strength/endurance in direct relationship to one's body weight. And the other is a greatly expanded lung capacity that is also in direct relationship to one's body weight.

When it comes to strength development the only thing that truly matters is that the body is extremely strong in direct relationship to itself. The stronger the body is in direct relationship to itself, the greater it's efficiency and economy of movement. The same is also true as relates to lung capacity. The greater the lung capacity the greater one's endurance. In my opinion Pull-Ups and Push-Ups are master exercises for strength development of the body in relationship to itself and for developing and enhancing lung capacity. In fact, the key to high volume Pull-Ups is an expanded lung capacity every bit as much as muscular strength itself.

---John Peterson

[monty]

Well said John.

Monty