Leg Strength Training

[that_fjell_guy]

Just looking for opinions on the best five leg strengthening exercises with reference to fell running. I have the use of a gym with free weights in the form of dumbells and the usual machine circuit i.e. pull-downs, squat, bench press etc. Not too convinced that Leg Raises are much use, though I think Leg Curls may be. I have Split Squats, Stability Ball Pull-ins, Calf Raises and a few others. I just want to pick 5 or 6 usefull ones that provide a good balanced schedule with a little bit of upper body weights too. I also do a Cross Trainer session and a 'yoga / stretch' session.

Cheers

[markmc]

You could try single leg movement exercises like step ups onto a box or bench holding dumbells in your hands and at the top of the movement you could perform a bicep curl or shoulder press before stepping back down a great compond exercise that incorporates cardio as well. Also single leg squats with one leg resting on a bench behind you holding dumbells in your hands for resistance, you could also try lunges again holding dumbells and when you step out of the lunge perform either a bicep curl, shoulder press or up right row then back into a lunge. I think it is important to do single leg exercises as when we run we land and push of one foot at a time on the floor so by building a equal balence of strength in both legs it should help in building leg strength.

[that_fjell_guy]

Cheers Mark. Thats about where i was tbh. Though I hadn't really thought of doing them as compound excersises. I have weighted squats, single leg squats, 'Bulgarian' , step-ups, leg-curls, leg raises, some kind of lunges and calf raises...oh! and stability ball pull-ins which are good for glute, ham-string and core. Its just trying to get the best combination.

[neilly]

How about some burpees. 3x15 always does me in, good for 'explosive power'. Or tuck jumps. Too embarassed to do them in the gym though.
I'm never sure when to do my leg sessions as I can hardly walk the next day. I seem to do something bad to the backs of my thighs if I do weighted squats or lunges. Not sure if I go too low.

[AndyA]

I'd try and work in something to challenge lateral stability more. If you can work in some exercise of the abductors/adductors, especially if you can do it on the stability ball then you'll help protect against kneecap tracking injuries and ITB issues.

Make use of the stability ball for core strength training as well, it's arguably more important than leg strength which is easier to train out on the fell. Core strength and stability is what keeps you going in the longer events, without back pain and tripping over your feet!

If you are going to do some free weight stuff for the upper body then I wouldn't bother with bicep curls; it's a fairly pointless exercise solely for gym posers. I'd do some rotator cuff exercises; shoulder abductions and internal/external rotations (if the gym has a 'cable jungle' type machine) and maybe some shoulder shrugs and high elbow rows knelt on a bench.

TBH (and I know this goes against the title of your thread!) I really wouldn't waste much of your gym time doing leg strength training; better to do it out on the fell. There's very little in a gym that replicates the muscular endurance workout provided by a 2-3 hour hill run (unless you're going to spend the whole session on a stepper!). I do a 2 hour gym session twice a week and the only leg strength exercise I do is for the glutes and for the abductor/adductors as I mentioned above; takes about 10-15 minutes. Most of the session is based on a stability ball or a wobble board and it's pretty tough.

[that_fjell_guy]

Cheers for all that Andy. The main reason I'm using the gym is that its available when I'm at work so its a free session when the fells aren't an option. I'll have a look at your suggestions. I do a session on the cross trainer so I was kind of looking to get some extra stuff done. It might be worth loking at the stability stuff as you suggest. The upper body session I do is kind of a fill in session which potentially gets my upper body fitter for purpose. Basically I have 2 days and 2 nights to use the gym every 8 days i.e. I do 4 on 4 off. i try and do a 'long' run on my turn around day, so I try and balance it out so my legs arent too knackered when I do my running. Though the plan through the next 2 to 4 months is not to worry too much about how knackered my legs are and just get out and try and work as much as I can, get on the fells as much as I can.

Cheers again. Cheers Neilly too. Theres not much room in our gym for anything too dynamic. :thumbup:

[Vic Crescit]

I do a 2 hour gym session twice a week and the only leg strength exercise I do is for the glutes and for the abductor/adductors as I mentioned above; takes about 10-15 minutes. Most of the session is based on a stability ball or a wobble board and it's pretty tough.

Please could you elaborate Andy? I recognise the need to do more core work and I've got a stability ball and a wobble board. But I don't really know how to use them or how to structure sessions to get the most benefit out of them. Without structure I lose interest and so fail to make any progress.

Please could you advise me: if I was to do 30 min sessions (2 or 3 a week) what should I aim to get done during that time to make a difference?

[AndyA]

Please could you elaborate Andy?

Happy to, although I should point out that I'm not a fitness professional (well; I'm an FMR Coach but that's not really relevant here).

It's also worth pointing out that there's a fair degree of controversy regarding stability (or rather instability!) devices; several studies have shown little benefit in event performance when subjects follow a core strength/stability programme. That said, no-one been seriously injured falling off one!

On a personal level, I feel that core training has helped me avoid injury (especially to the lower back) and has improved my running on gnarly race routes and descents. It also allows me to maintain better form when I'm getting tired, such as the last mile of a race, when the descent turns into a flat road and all the shufflers are there for the taking!:sneaky:

Core strength and stability are terms that are often used together but strictly (and this really is one for the pedants) they are two different perfomance attributes;

• Core strength refers to the musculature of the trunk (including the shoulder girdle and the hip, not just the abdominal region) and its ability to hold contractions, just as in any other muscle. It's often quantified by test exercises such as holding a stable plank position and can actually be trained without stability devices.
• Core stability is more about your ability to use those muscles effectively in a dynamic situation (such as a ballet dancer hitting their mark) and it overlaps a bit with co-ordination and proprioception training, stability devices are very relevant here, as is dynamic agility exercise that can be done outside.

As to specifics;

• A stability ball is a good base to do standard trunk strength exercises, pretty much any exercise can be adapted to include it; opposite arm/leg lifts, prone planks, supine planks, bridge, ab crunch, lateral flexions, trunk extensions etc. Several of these exercises are also improving stability.
• A wobble board/cushion etc is good for training core stability while you work on something else; I do a lot of shoulder girdle exercises with free weights for my swimming and I try to do them in a single arm fashion, either stood on one leg or using a wobble board. Even if you are doing bicep curls (why?!) then these can be done on a wobble board. An unstable base is great for standing free weight exercises; it forces you to control your posture and speed, and it stops you 'throwing' too big a weight by using your back muscles instead.
• Don't try an introduce too much at once; research one exercise, practice it carefully and get good at it before you try and introduce something else. If one exercise is boring you then stop doing it, but try and work out a different way of acheiving the same result.

I know I haven't told you any specific exercises to do; it's better that you research it a bit and understand how each exercise is working your body and how useful it is. One of my favourite sources is a book by Douglas Brooks called 'Effective Strength Training'. I like it because it goes into a lot of detail about exactly how the body works and really analyses each exercise variation. That said, there's a lot of books out there.

Hope that helps.

[Nee Bother]

Just looking for opinions on the best five leg strengthening exercises with reference to fell running. I have the use of a gym with free weights in the form of dumbells and the usual machine circuit i.e. pull-downs, squat, bench press etc. Not too convinced that Leg Raises are much use, though I think Leg Curls may be. I have Split Squats, Stability Ball Pull-ins, Calf Raises and a few others. I just want to pick 5 or 6 usefull ones that provide a good balanced schedule with a little bit of upper body weights too. I also do a Cross Trainer session and a 'yoga / stretch' session.

Cheers

.....Find a big hill....run up it...repeat...simple

[mr brightside]

.....Find a big hill....run up it...repeat...simple

I once asked Daz if he did any weights, he shook his head and said, "just run mate". I guess it's choosing the right gradients and workrates that is the key.