Ice Baths, Contrast Showers, and Epsom Salt Baths

Ice baths are a favorite for elite athletes these days as it helps heal microtears in the muscles, as well as flush out by-products out of your blood vessels by vasoconstriction.
The old days of sitting in a hot tub after a strenuous sport are only for recreational sports or winter sports for social reasons.
At the [...]

Increase Stride Rate to Decrease Injuries?

Here we go again.
Running is meant to be simple.  Just put one foot in front of the other.
It all boils down to stride rate and stride frequency.  Optimize the 2 forces, horizontal and vertical, and cover ground as fast as possible.  Simple.
In the distance world, I recall former WR holder in the marathon Derek Clayton [...]

PODCAST: Stuart McGill, the Lower Back Spine Doctor

When it comes to injuries for world class sprinters, the most frequent are hamstring pulls and knee problems.  Add Achilles tendon problems to Masters folks.
But in the world of the average layman, and sedentary slouch, you can add lower back problems, coupled with belly fat.
If you read my last article on core training, I mentioned [...]

Tom Tellez and Weekly Training Cycles (The Microcyle)

The key to a proper training program is BALANCE.
I prefer alternating hard & easy days with one or 2 days off, depending on the athlete.  Masters athletes need more easy days, but the “active recovery” days are great to maintain fitness and keep those unwanted pounds from creeping up.  It’s also a chance to do [...]

Michael Johnson’s Speedwork Training

Michael Johnson’s training for speed endurance was covered in detail very early in the blog, so I thought it would be interesting to review what he did for speed work or acceleration development.  After all, we are talking about at man with a 10.09 PB for 100 meters and who ran 19.32 for 200 meters [...]

Weight Training, Reps, Intensity and Benefits

In school, the student who knew all the answers was the second smartest kid in the class.  The student who asked all the questions was THE smartest.
So when it comes to designing a weight training program, please, ask questions.
Question yourself why you are doing what you are doing.  Don’t read a book and think if [...]

White Noise – Best Kept Secret for Sleeping (and Office Cubicles)

In Rome, it’s hot and humid.  We are talking about daytime high of 38C and lows of 28C.  It’s actually hotter with the reflection from the stones and bricks, plus the humidity.
But despite the heat, I can sleep better and longer hours too, despite the early sunrise.
This is bizarre as there are more barking dogs, [...]

Maurice Wilson: Sprinting the Jamaican Way: Relay Technique, Drills & Strategies (DVD)

Maurice Wilson: Sprinting the Jamaican Way: Relay Technique, Drills & Strategies (DVD)
This is part 3 of a 3 part series in reviewing Maurice Wilson’s 3 DVD set on Jamaican sprinting.  Part 1 can be found here.  Part 2 can be found here.
Maurice Wilson’s resume is impressive:

Jamaican National Track & Field Team Assistant Coach (Sprints) [...]

More on Stretching – Microstretching

Based on popular demand, I am going to elaborate more on the following types of stretching from the article Stretching: More on Static, Dynamic, Active Isolated and Resistance.  I briefly covered the following without going into any real specific examples:

Microstretching
PALO
Active Isolated Stretching (AIS)
PNF or Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation Stretching
Dynamic stretching
Dara Torres [...]

The Comeback? Masters Attrition Rate and Goals

I turned 47 today, and contemplating yet another Masters comeback.  In my mid 30’s while still running open meets, I had great visions of performing well when I turned 40.  The Canadian Masters record was tied at 50.10 and I had just run 50.44 at age 34 after a 4 year lay-off.  All my non-running [...]

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