Fitter, faster for longer in life – finding the balance between cardio, strength & mobility training
For every decade we age there is a need to be open to changing fitness and training routines. An open mind gives us all the space and freedom to learn, adapt and ultimately – from an endurance athlete’s point of view – succeed on race day. A long-term outlook is also a huge part of the process. And as we have recently seen, a flexible approach can also help to ensure mental resilience when things are constantly changing.
As coaches and athletes, we have personally found that a balanced, open minded approach to maintaining fitness creates the most opportunities for satisfying results. What worked for us when we were in our 20’s does not feel the same, nor does it have the same impact on our performance and health now that we are in our late 30’s and 40’s. We also coach and support athletes in their 50’s, 60’s and 70’s and have seen first-hand how the balanced, training smarter approach works.
How has this been achieved?
We believe long term success as an athlete is thanks to our respect for incorporating a well-rounded combination of specific training, a mixture of specific cardio sessions, strength and not forgetting mobility training for an athletes specific sport, whilst placing just as much value on a healthy lifestyle (nutrition, mindset and social life).
Balancing training – cardio, strength training and mobility for the long run.
Balancing training for fitness and athletic performance is the same as it is for other areas of life. We hear the saying ‘Eat the rainbow’ for a healthy approach to nutrition; a balanced diet with a variety of nutrients and we are starting to hear more about a balanced training schedule with a variety of sessions. It is no secret within the sporting world that Olympic and professional athletes have always combined a huge variety of training to achieve their goals and now amateur athletes are seeing more exposure of this thanks to Instagram videos, YouTube and more television coverage showcasing what it takes to perform.
How to start
The good news is that once you have a routine it becomes very easy.
This is your journey and we hope this blog will help you find the right balance that works for your unique life.
What are the components? Cardio, Strength and Mobility
Cardio
We are not going to lie – at the heart of Long Run Collective is swimming, cycling and running. We love nothing more than escaping into the hills for an adventure, pushing hard on hill reps on the bike or visiting the coast for an ocean swim.
Cardiovascular fitness is the back bones to performing. A marathon runner could not stand on the start line without running miles and relying purely on strength sessions.
Strength training and core work
We are very confident that adding strength training to an endurance athlete’s program can improve economy, muscle power, and performance and this is backed up by many studies including “The effect of strength training on performance in endurance athletes.” Published in Sports Medicine which concluded that “the addition of strength training in an endurance athlete’s programme saw improved economy, muscle power and performance.” (1)
We set strength programmes that are specific for our athletes requirements and are designed to increase power, range of movement, coordination, flexibility, agility, strength and stability providing a solid internal foundation to support all aspects of their training.
Core workouts
All of our athletes at Long Run Collective complete 90% of their core training from home. These are short, dynamic and specific sessions to activate the muscles that will warm up their appropriate muscles for their training.
A broad interpretation of the core is any muscle in the region between the buttocks and the chest.
All movements start at the core, and in swimming, the core could even be considered almost a prime mover – it is that important in generating propulsion.
Core strength and stability training have been prescribed to endurance athletes for decades. The reasoning is that improved core strength and stability can prevent injuries, improve biomechanics (like holding your posture for extended durations), and improve performance.
Mobility
What is mobility?
Mobility training allows us to work on the range of motion around our joints. Mobility exercises will increase your range-of-motion and your stabilisation, or control of the muscles that surround each joint. Mobility isn’t the same as flexibility, though it is close. Mobility incorporates flexibility and strength, and it’s crucial to help you push harder, stretch further and open up your body.
Mobility can be dynamic controlled stretching, purposeful yoga, or even dancing. Mobility is about moving slowly with purpose, enabling our muscles to lengthen, relax and open around the certain joint.
Why is mobility in important?
There are two reasons to do mobility work: to prevent getting injured and to get stronger.
Ways we aid our mobility at Long Run Collective. Thanks to our co-founder Susie, we deliver weekly specific yoga sessions to our athletes to aid their prehab and recovery from all their cardio & strength training.
You can access some of these sessions via our LRC You Tube channel by clicking HERE and why not give this one a try:
Yoga can help build and maintain the flexibility and mobility that many runners lack. In fact, running can actually decrease mobility in certain joints, since the repetitive motion doesn’t allow hips and ankles to go through their full ranges of motion.
As Jay Dicharry, America’s leading endurance sports physical therapist states:
“Building the skills of mobility and stability will reduce stress on your joints and ensure your body symmetry is dialed. Moving better makes you more durable, which allows your training to be more consistent.”
How do I start? Keep it simple!
We suggest assigning a goal to each day of the week – based on your personal timetable. It’s recommended to include one full rest day to recharge fatigued muscles and replenish depleted energy stores. Fill the remaining days of the week with a range of light mobility, a variety of cardio and strength sessions to meet your training requirements.
From our own experiences of preparing for international races as professional athletes and focusing purely on one area of fitness, we can now definitively say that our performances improved when we balanced the inclusion of mobility and strength training alongside cardio development.
Here are our 3 top tips for creating a balanced training approach:
- Seek coaching advice from an expert – even if you don’t need a training plan per se we are here for you anytime.
- Enjoy creating a routine that works for you and your family – make it fun!
- Variety is the spice of life – your body and brain thrive on new stimuli and challenges.
Our wish is that you find your own unique balance whilst training, allowing you to create a well-rounded routine that includes cardio, strength and mobility work – so that you become an athlete fit for life. And as always, we’re here to help anytime!
References: