Weight Run Training

This will not take long to mention:

One of the age old questions or rather age old sights that you may see when it comes to training for short or long distance training: should you train with a weight vest?

Well, there is no gray area here. The answer is, "No."

For sprints, it is great: quick, to the point, offers the right load for a short burst of time.

For short, middle, or long distance...yikes!

1. Protect your vertebrae! The added load for a longer period of time just puts stress on your spine. Unwanted stress.

2. The continuous pounding of the vest on your back is annoying! Even if the vest fits properly, the line between shirt and vest is still there as it may ride up and down your chest or back. It is not even functional.

3. Why? When you can:

1. Increase your number of sets - instead of running one 2.0 mile route or loop. Run two or three.
2. Create a "Track Day" - a former TEEM client had good results from this inclusion while using a treadmill. But, you can Google Map the distances around your neighborhood or nearby park. We did 800's 400's, 200's, and she ran a little more on her off training session days.
3. Run hills - cannot speak enough about hills...Boston has Beacon Hill and "The Beast" with its friends over there. Cambridge has the "Mini Beast" in Danehy Park. Somerville has plenty of hills off and around Somerville Avenue. Charlestown has Charlestown. DC has Brookland, Woodridge, Glover Park, Petworth, and more neighborhoods with hills and decent inclines. Northern Virginia has plenty of hills riddled throughout Fairfax County (FairCo). Maryland has a plethora of hills in Montgomery and Prince George's County.
4. Run intervals - a fast way to get the heart rate up. A decent way to test your mental strength when you can only hear your heart pumping and breath escalating.

With heart,
Derek


Derek Arledge, MS, CSCS       www.teempt.com         TEEM Performance Training, LLC