Physical Improvements -> Obligatory !!!

 

It is easy, very easy to fall into a routine. Year in, year out, doing the same thing that worked previously. If you were a seasoned runner, training on the track, starting in September, doing some road races, getting in a cross country season and maybe a spring marathon, than running the trails till august. Doing dome intervals, 6 x 1000, 12 x 400, some uphill threshold and more. 

I can tell you that I did some very hard workouts in the last year, but actually, I never really felt that tired in case of muscles. I never had like real fatigue fever. Even after all out races, that dull DOMS went away after a couple of runs and mobility drills. I just could not put myself into a bad spot in any ways. Could not or would not ? Was not thinking about it. I got dropped into a routine ! Got sucked in ! 

I watch a lot of short vides, mostly on youtube. You know, doom scrolling. Except that I learn a lot from it and do research after on stuff and some 15sec videos, result in searching for solution during my home renovation. I also get motivation, training ideas and reminders. It helps me finding new podcasts, books, motivation, discipline and so. 

I just saw a video of Smaev and main his training principle is very simple.  Surprise the system. He is doing always a variety of stuff. Like power lifting style workouts, acceleration routines, plymetrics, bodybuilding. What he does is reinventing himself and doing a smart mix of training shocks and rest. 

This last weekend, I wanted something special too. I am not that strong as Smaev. Talking about a lanky trail runner.  However, I already have implemented some of his routines during my life. These are actually not his routines. Cross country skiers use it, track athletes use it, hockey teams use it. In the books of Tudor Bompa, one of the greatest training minds ever in the history of all sports, it has been already described. 

Cross country skiers are a different breed ! Simply because they have a so giant off season time, that they never get derailed from base training. Oh, I just jump into a race. Oh, I am going to do this right now and that later on. Oh, this year I am going to choose an ultra more likely in the beginning and focus on the shorter events after words ! No, they cannot ! There is no snow. So they focus on their base. 
Their lunge workouts are insane. Not only because it is high volume in one go, but because it is part of a workout and not a workout on it's own. 

Imagine a Nordic Walking workout. You start out easy @ 10:00/km pace and finish off with sub 6:00/km pace. Walking with that speed is I can tell you, freckin fast !
Than they do long hill skipping, hill bounding sessions with different type of poling skills and mixing in up to like 5 x 200 uphill, downhill, forward and reverse lunges. Imagine doing reverse uphill lunges. They do short ones with joints @ 90° angle and long ones where the hip goes down, really stretching the back leg hip flexors, inner thighs  and front leg glutes.  
I once injured myself greatly, because of stupidity. I felt two giant snaps during the final rep of a 4 x 100lunge routine. Left and right hip flexor. Clack Clack ! Was in pain for 2 or 3 days and had season compromised. It was too cold, I was not covered and was totally underfuelled that morning. So when doing these sorts of routines, make sure that your daily nutrition and hydration is to of the chart and your intra workout nutrition is also charged ! Preworkout sugar, salt and amino acids mix and intra workout sugar !

Anyways, this is just to give you ideas about what an important thing is to shock and suprise the system. This weekend I wanted to get in one or two long runs, finishing my week off with 80km at least. I am around 12 to 13hours of training at this moment, that is not so bad, knowing that I work full time and doing my house renovation. 
I had 30 minutes Saturday morning. I chose 5 exercises to do, full range of motion, then when was very fatigued, reduced range of motion, just pump it. 

Pushups with a handle, bridges, some lunges and 2 types squats mixed, floor 16kg kb rows with short range of motion and a special forearm floor curl with the 16kg KB.
I did not count really reps. I did not go to total failure, but till hard burn, then went to the next exercise. I did 10g of creatine with 50g of protein mix afterwards. Then we went for a family hike of 3h, where I wore an around 6 to 8kg backpack and very minimalist shoes. Sunday morning my motivation was up, but skepticisme was also present. My legs were shot. Anyways went out for the run, pushed hydration and nutrition and did my 4,5hours long run. Ate well, 6 x 45g gels and 2 x 25g gels. Not enough, but I was not going that fast either. Next weekend I will try doing the same workout, like 30km with 1700m of elevation gain on a lot less technical terrain. I should be able to do an hour less. 

This Monday morning my legs, low back, shoulders, triceps, fore arm, neck, all shot. Haven't been feeling like that for a year. I missed this feeling. That real muscle fatigue ! That feeling of yes, now I improved ! It is not muscle damage or overuse. This is fatigue ! Often after a race, that has for instance hard downhills, you have the same exact feeling, but closer to the joints. Right now what I feel is in the fullness of the muscle, closer to the muscle belly. This sort of training will trigger great great improvements. 

So, this week I will repeat some routines with very high reps, some till multiple failures and also like this midday, I will do high rep high speed sprint routines. 1 hour of uphill sprinting and acceleration of 10seconds intervals. I won't go till burn, I will focus simply on technique. Technique and natural speed. Knee raise, knee lift. Easy !!!