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03/11/2024

Understanding Training Zones 2


Having looked previously at the basis of training zones, let’s look at how we can best understand and use those zones as we put together our training program. I’m going to assume that you are new or at least relatively new to training. I’m also going to assume that running is your initial training focus. Because running is surprisingly complex I would urge you to go to some of my previous posts in the “you want to run?” series.


What should be clear from the “you want to run?” series is that there is more to running than just cardio vascular (CV) conditioning. Fortunately for a person new to running our lack of CV fitness can actually give us a window of opportunity to address issues of structural integrity. So, although we are talking about training zones and CV conditioning it is important not to overlook the other physical aspects of running.


When you start training it is important to beware of some common errors, I call these the 3x2’s or more accurately; three - too’s.

Too fast, Too far and Too soon. In other words; running too fast, running too far and increasing the first two, too soon.

10/10/2024

if you’ve heard of training zones or possibly heart rate zones (the same thing) but you’re not quite clear on what they are and how to use them, I hope to clear things up a little. In this post I’ll focus on how zones are arrived at and in a follow up post I’ll look at how to use them and some possible pitfalls

31/07/2024

Beginners Running 3

First things first an important disclosure. The terms “science” and “evidence” are often bandied about in the area of human performance. The reality is when it comes to human physiology it surprises many people how little is really known. When I say known I mean specifically knowledge that is the product of high quality scientific research… most evidence and what is “known” is usually the product of relatively poor science. This relative lack of good science is one of the reasons so much “knowledge” changes so regularly. This is particularly evident in the Youtube sphere of health and diet.






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#couchto5k #runningtips #weightmanagement #healthandfitness #runninginjuries #startrunning #runninginjury #runningtechnique

26/05/2024

Beginners Running 2


I’m a great believer in a walk / jog approach to running. I mentioned in previous posts that humans are not natural fast runners, but we are amazingly efficient walkers and joggers. So my approach, quite simply is; let’s get better at what we are naturally good at before we try to do things that are fundamentally more difficult. There are several benefits to this approach and to appreciate these benefits let’s consider the constituent parts of running:


#couchto5k #runningtips #weightmanagement #healthandfitness #runninginjuries #startrunning #runninginjury 

10/05/2024

Beginners Running


When people say that they want to get fit or lose weight or indeed both of the above, one of the activities that they more often than not have in mind is running. And why not? Running can be a fantastic health promoting activity, but there is always a but. Running is quite difficult.


Don’t be misled by social media “influencers” running is difficult, that’s why it’s so rewarding when you manage it with some level of comfort. You have achieved something! You also need to temper your expectation about what you can reasonably expect, social media is inevitably populated by people who are in the main massively above average in their running ability. Comparing yourself, or even worse, copying those people is almost certain to end in failure and injury.


#couchto5k #runningtips #weightmanagement #healthandfitness #runninginjuries #startrunning #runninginjury 

25/02/2024

So what the hell is Biohacking? A quick search will bring up various definitions, some focus on managing nutrition, others look more to lifestyle and yet more focus on types of technological innovations. As you can see in the title to this piece I’m focusing on Diet, but during consultations general lifestyle is also addressed.


A very quick look at general lifestyle, I mentioned in a previous Blog how humans are designed to run. That statement can be extended to say that humans are designed, or rather evolved, to move; walk, climb, carry and of course run. This statement points to a simple reality, for the vast majority of the history of the human race and our immediate predecessors (Homo Erectus - Homo Rudolfensis and others) give or take 2 Million Years, we hunted, gathered, and migrated on foot.


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#couchto5k #runningtips #biohacking #weightmanagement #healthandfitness #runninginjuries