Over the years I have been amazed at the number of people who appear to be oblivious to the benefits of hill work. I am not just talking about specific hill training workouts here,I'm also referring to any runs you do over a course that has hills. Is there a better way to build leg strength? Let's also not forget that training on the hills help to build character and can humble even the most self-assured runner. Something else, I've seen many an inexperienced flatland warrior lose on a hilly course to a lesser talented trail runner. Where I live there are virtually no real hills,a fairly common situation I'm sure for other runners. The remedy for this is finding a place near you that has stairs.Fortunately, I live in an area where they have outdoor stairs that go up five flights. It's not as good as the real thing but...In the following quote, Arthur Lydiard reveals an often forgotten benefit of hill training: "Hamstring injuries are rife in modern sports, but they could be avoided if the athletes did hill training. It doesn't have to be fast, just enough to make the muscles feel they've been working. Balancing the muscles between the front of the thigh and the back is essential to ensure hamstring problems don't arise. Some athletes seem to be constantly getting over or suffering from these injuries."
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
The Sometimes Forgotten Benefit Of Hills by Arthur Lydiard
Over the years I have been amazed at the number of people who appear to be oblivious to the benefits of hill work. I am not just talking about specific hill training workouts here,I'm also referring to any runs you do over a course that has hills. Is there a better way to build leg strength? Let's also not forget that training on the hills help to build character and can humble even the most self-assured runner. Something else, I've seen many an inexperienced flatland warrior lose on a hilly course to a lesser talented trail runner. Where I live there are virtually no real hills,a fairly common situation I'm sure for other runners. The remedy for this is finding a place near you that has stairs.Fortunately, I live in an area where they have outdoor stairs that go up five flights. It's not as good as the real thing but...In the following quote, Arthur Lydiard reveals an often forgotten benefit of hill training: "Hamstring injuries are rife in modern sports, but they could be avoided if the athletes did hill training. It doesn't have to be fast, just enough to make the muscles feel they've been working. Balancing the muscles between the front of the thigh and the back is essential to ensure hamstring problems don't arise. Some athletes seem to be constantly getting over or suffering from these injuries."
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