Strength standards

Posted on December 4, 2012 by fstadmin

A question often asked is how strong should i be? what should i be lifting?

If your strength training it always helps to have a goal to get to, a target to hit and a way to monitor progression. We have put together a table of strength targets, you should be aiming for wether you are male, female, athlete or gym enthusiast.

Target – Is what you should aim for first. These targets are ideal for recreational gym goers, and what we expect all our clients should be lifting at some point in the future.

Advanced – If your an athlete, wether that be track and field, football, rugby, triathlon and even marathon runners should be aiming for. The more force you can push into the ground, the more potential power you have, which is exactly what you need to run faster.

Exercise 1 rep max	Target	Advanced
Back squat	1.0 – 1.5 mass	1.5 – 2.0 mass +
Deadlift	1.0 – 1.5 mass	1.5 – 2.0 mass +
Bench press	0.5 – 1.0 mass	1.0 – 1.5 mass +
Weighted pull up	0.5 – 1.0 mass	1.0 – 1.5 mass +
Clean (Power/full)	1.0 – 1.5 mass	1.5 – 2.0 mass +
Snatch (Power/full)	0.5 – 1.0 mass	1.0 – 1.5 mass +
Push press/split jerk	0.5 – 1.0 mass	1.0 – 1.5 mass+

Warning

Do not attempt to lift the recommendations if you are un-sure on technique or have not lifted heavy before.

The above standards have been taken from various strength journals and books used by strength professional such as: Essential to strength and conditioning, super training and Mike boyles strength and conditioning.

Improving lower body running efficiency: dispelling the myths

Posted on June 21, 2012 by fstadmin

When looking for sound advice on improving running efficiency it is important to be aware of misguided advice based upon marketing gimmicks rather than scientific and practical evidence. There is a lot of outdated and incorrect information around, and it’s our job to try and help you find advice that will help rather than hinder!

Buying correct footwear

The world of running shoes is a confusing place for many right now with highly cushioned, minimal and barefoot shoes all being advertised as the best thing since sliced bread. I would imagine there is someone somewhere as you are reading this telling somebody that the more heel cushioning they have the less likely it is that they are going to get injured. This simply isn’t the case.

When the heel-toe drop (this is the difference between heel height and forefoot height) is increased, the ankle is placed in a position that causes it to be in a constant state of plantar flexion, causing the muscles in the lower leg to be overactive. While many running shoe brands initially sniggered at the minimalist shoe companies such as Vibram and Vivobarefoot preaching the barefoot word, many are now in a period of transitioning their shoes to compete in the modern market. Saucony for example have altered even their highly cushioned shoes to reduce the heel-toe drop to between 4-12mm depending on the model. They have also produced the Hattori, which has zero drop and weighs less than the box it is sold in! This places the foot in a flatter position, which in turn reduces the plantar flexion in the ankle joint and encourages more of a mid-foot strike rather than a heel strike.

Heel Strike vs Mid-foot Strike

Many runners want to improve their performance but have never considered how they run. Go and watch a local race some time and even near the front of the race I promise you will see some actions that can best be described as “different”!

Many people heel strike through habit and perhaps more worryingly we have come across people here at FST Running that have been TOLD to heel strike by their personal trainer! Biomechanical studies have shown that heel striking creates excessive ground reaction forces. This increases the pressure on the joints and increases the risk of injury when compared to mid-foot striking. Trying to jump while resting back onto your heels will quickly demonstrate to those in doubt how difficult it is to generate force due to the impact being absorbed by the heels.

How do I transition to a mid-foot strike?

If heel striking is a habit you have developed over a long period of time it is important to not attempt to change the world in your 1^st few sessions as a ‘mid-foot striker’. Jumping straight into a pair of zero drop barefoot running shoes and tip-toeing your way to a Half Marathon PB is likely to end in misery! If you are not comfortable with the idea of running trainers with no cushioning, look into the expanding market of minimalist shoes. Saucony, Brooks, Newton and even Sketchers have shoes on the market right now that will help you to transition with that ‘safety net’ of cushioning for when you are unable to hold your form.

Increasing your cadence or stride frequency is a simple way to help the transition process. Many of the elite runners have stride frequencies of around 180 strides per minute. If you attempt to replicate this frequency for short periods during a run you will soon realise that it becomes very difficult to heel strike, and you will naturally adopt a mid-foot landing. You will also be able to bask in the glory of knowing that once this is mastered, you are only an increased stride length away from being up there with the Kenyans!

For any further advice or if you would like to pop in and see us, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

Good luck and happy running!

Mark

Myofascial release for runners

Posted on January 4, 2012 by fstadmin

Myofascial Release

Soft tissue injuries have often been the pain of many athletes, from the casual 10k runners, right through to the professional level athletes. J. Barnes (2006) said that soft tissue injuries could be initiated by chronic and acute mechanisms, including physical trauma, overuse, structural imbalances, or an inflammatory process. As a result, fascia, the connective tissue that binds the soft tissue of the human body, is often affected. These injuries stimulate development on inelastic, fibrous adhesions between myofascial layers, preventing normal function of muscle mechanics and decreasing soft tissue extensibility. These adhesions are often overlooked and not treated. As a result, the adhesions can buildup and create further soft tissue dysfunction.

Massage therapy is the common treatment for soft tissue injuries, using a variety of techniques such as heat, electric current, ultra sound straps, and sprays, all of which have shown to produce positive effects on soft tissue and fascia. In the past 10 years, self-myofascial release (SMR) has often been used to help treat myofascial restriction and assist in maintaining normal soft tissue function. In SMR sessions, a person uses his or her own body weight on a myofascial roller, also known as a foam roller (FR), to exert pressure on the soft tissue. The person will then stop on “tender points” to release tension before continuing with the routine. By varying body positions, a person can control the weight, location, and the amount of pressure exerted on the soft tissue to assist in treating myofascial restrictions.

Currently, there are disagreements between researchers on the exact mechanics of myofascial release (MR). Many believe that MR induces a mechanical change in the soft tissue; however, researchers do agree that proper technique for MR begins with superficial soft-tissue layers and gradually works deeper into the musculature (Barnes, J., 2005). Once deeper tissues are affected, it can be changed. There is no doubt that SMR techniques do work and help with soft tissue extensibility and normal function.

A study by Curren P. F. et al., (2008) looked at the designs of two SMR rollers, or FRs, to determine which roller produced greater pressure on the soft tissue. The two FRs tested were a bio foam roller (BFR) and a multi-level roller (MLR). The BFR is a firm single-level roller, which has a flat surface and exerts pressure over a wider surface area. The MLR has ridges in the design that claim to exert more pressure into the soft tissue; therefore, creating more change in the deeper levels of soft tissue. The subjects were tested using a different roller on each leg along the iliotibial band (ITB), which is a common area of discomfort for many runners.

The results showed that the MLR exerted greater pressure on the soft tissue in comparison to the BFR. The reason for this may be that the BFR can change its shape and give way when pressure is exerted onto it. Due to its flat surface, the pressure can be distributed across a wider surface area, whilst the MLR, with its harder internal shell and muli-level characteristics, allows more pressure that can be exerted on one specific area at a time.

J. Barnes (2005) believes that deep sustained therapies during the initial phase of inflammation could increase muscle extensibility and tissue strength through stimulation of the nervous system. As a result, using the MLR for deeper SMR could potentially help in the recovery process from both fitness training and injury. With this information, Fstacademy uses SMR techniques with all its clients, and often recommends them to use the same techniques at home between sessions. Most SMR rollers that are on sale are similar to the BFR used in the Curren, P. F. et al., (2008); however, Fstacademy has found and sells a high quality MLR with trigger point therapy, which has both broad multi-levels and narrow multi-levels. The benefit of this is that you can use the broad levels to start superficially into the soft tissue layers, and then use the narrow layers to work deeper and find the trigger points that release soft tissue restrictions. The MLRs are not much more expensive than a BFR, and will last a lot longer due to its solid center that will not change shape or give way when pressure is exerted onto it.

Practically, SMR is a great way of releasing soft tissue restrictions, which may turn into chronic soft tissue dysfunction. Fstacademy ideally recommends that you use SMR every day, but if that is not possible, it should definitely be used after any training, including strength training, fitness training, high intensity training, or long runs. SMR is definitely worth putting the effort into it, and with the trigger point MLR you can take it anywhere knowing that you can obtain the best out of your session. Following this post, Fstacademy will be posting instructional YouTube videos on the techniques to using a SMR.

Danny Holland

Fstacademy.com

References

Barnes, J. (2005). Myofascial Release. In: Hammer WI, ed. Functional Soft Tissue Examina-tion and Treatment by Manual Methods: New Perspectives. Gaithersburg, MD: Aspen. pp. 533–548.

Curran. P.F., Fiore. R.D., and Crisco. J. J. (2008). A Comparison of the Pressure Exerted on Soft Tissue by 2 Myofascial Rollers. Journal of Sports Rehabilitation, 17, pp. 432–442.

Kipping pull up or standard pull up

Posted on December 19, 2011 by fstadmin

In menshealth.com there is an interesting article abut this very subject and you can read coach Dos comments on the subject.

fstacademy will have do some research and put down some thoughts on it in the next few days.

“If you watched the CrossFit Games on ESPN2 or have ever visited a CrossFit gym, you’ve probably seen a kipping pullup. The move combines a hip drive, kick, and arm pull to build momentum that helps raise your chin over the bar“. more