Best Exercises For Distance Athletes

In the course of my strength training career I’ve been fortunate to work with a lot of distance athletes.  When I say distance athletes I’m talking mostly about swimmers and runners, but cyclists (and triathletes) can be thrown in there as well.  Some have been to the Olympics, some are well on their way, but most are normal high school students or soccer moms that still like to run a 10k of half marathon from time to time.  In that time I’ve noticed a few exercises that most distance athletes will respond well to.

Often times distance athletes downplay the importance of proper strength training in their workout regimen.  It is usually the genetically gifted athletes that can get by and be successful without so much as picking up a dumbbell.  And since the modalities of the successful are usually followed strength training takes a back seat.  Most, however, are not in the genetically gifted category and need a strength training program to gain a competitive advantage.

In fact, strength training can take any distance athletes game to a whole new level.  The goal of strength training for the distance athletes is NOT to create lifters who can squat 500 pounds, bench press 300 pounds, and dead lift a house.  The purpose of strength training for the distance athlete is to make the activity easier.  Here is an example:

Athlete A and Athlete B have identical body types and compete in the same event (let’s say the 1 mile freestyle swim).  It takes Athlete A 45% of the maximal force she can generate to complete a stroke (arm stroke and kick combined).  Because of a quality strength program, it takes Athlete B 25% of her maximal force to complete the same stroke.  Who do you think will tire faster?  Who do you think will eventually win?  All signs would point to Athlete B being the winner due to the higher efficiency of her stroke.  When it gets down to the end of the race she’ll have much more energy to tap into to give her the extra boost she needs to finish the race strong.  And on the flip side of that, if she knows that she can swim the entire race performing each stroke at 45% of her maximal force her 45% stroke will be much stronger, and cause her to travel more distance per stroke than Athlete A’s 45% stroke.

This article is about strength exercises but it should be mentioned that a distance athlete’s best friend is going to be a soft tissue and mobility program that is done on a consistent basis.  Without proper mobility and soft tissue quality all the strength exercises in the world won’t be of much help at best, and at worst will only accelerate overuse injuries.  So if you are a distance athlete you better know your way around a foam roller and lacrosse ball.

Exercise #1: Goblet/DB Front Squat

I’ve become a huge fan of this exercise in the last year or so.  On top of the total body strength benefits it helps teach athletes the proper squatting position.  Having the weight to the front of the body forces the core musculature (abs, obliques, and spinal erctors) to engage hard to prevent the chest from falling forward.

The proper squatting position it pushes athletes into distributes the force of the movement more toward the gluteals (butt).  Many athletes need all of the gluteal work they can get as this area is often tight, weak, and very underdeveloped.

Exercise #2: Reverse Hyper Extension

This is another one for the glutes.  Another reason I love the reverse hyper is that it can really help keep your low back strong and healthy.  Your low back has musculature in it just like everywhere else on your body.  When those muscles get worked they’ll fill with blood and feel tight.  DO NOT mistake this as low back pain. 

Getting all of the muscles that hold your posture in place stronger is going greatly improve posture, especially if you feel upper or lower back pain during races.

Another awesome benefit of all this glute work is that it will help to relieve imbalances through the hips.  Many distance athletes have tight hip flexors and quads and weak and tight glutes and hamstrings.  The tight quads and hip flexors will pull your pelvis forward creating an anterior tilt.  This tilt will pull on the hamstrings and glutes causing them to feel tight when they are actually in a “lengthened” state.  When a muscle is lengthened stretching it IS NOT the answer.  The muscle is already longer than it should be and making it even longer will only further the problem.  Stretching and rolling out the front side (quads, hip flexors) and strengthening the backside (glutes, hamstrings) is the best course of action.

If you don’t have access to a reverse hyper then weighted glute bridges with a dumbbell or barbell are a good substitute.

Exercise #3: Inverted Rows

Inverted rows are one of the best upper back exercises out there.  They are extremely versatile in that there are a ton of variations and can be modified for any strength level.  It’s essentially a pull up but in the horizontal direction.

The horizontal rowing action of the inverted row targets all of the often neglected muscles of the upper back which include the rhomboids, subscapularis, trapezius II and III, rear deltoid, teres major and minor, and the lats.  These muscles are essential for proper shoulder health and function which is especially important for swimmers who perform a lot of work with the front side musculature (pectoralis major and minor {chest}, anterior and medial deltoid {shoulder}, biceps, and triceps).

When the front side of the shoulder girdle is over worked those muscles will become tight, a lot like the front side of the hips.  This will cause the upper arm (humerus) to rotate into an unnatural position inside the shoulder socket.  When the humeral head sits in an internally rotated position this can cause a lot of shear force on the small muscles that make up the rotator cuff and the labrum.  Anyone who has had these injuries can tell you how painful they are and that it would be best to avoid them.

Exercise #4: Band Pull Aparts

These are another excellent upper back exercise.  They aren’t going to make you strong strong, but they go a long way to keeping your shoulders healthy.  An ounce of prevention yaddayaddayadda, as the pundits and grandmothers are so apt to say.

Much like the inverted rows band pull aparts get all the muscles of the upper back firing.  If you are weak to begin with back there the first time you try band pull aparts will be a very humbling experience.  The motion is simple, hold a band at arm’s length with your hands about shoulder width apart.  Keeping your arms straight and your back tight pull your hands apart until the band touches your chest.  Keep the band under constant tension as you bring it back to the start.  Easy, peasy, lemon squeezy, right?  Wrong.  Do fifty and tell me how the pump in your lats and rear deltoids feels.  And then I’ll tell you that’s what getting better feels like.

The upper back can generally recover pretty fast.  These and the inverted rows can and probably should be done 2-3 times per week especially if your shoulders round forward or if your mother has ever told you to stand/sit up straight.  Posture, posture, posture.

Exercise #5: Plank Holds

Solid as a rock.

Plank holds are definitely my favorite core exercise.  They require zero equipment, can be done anywhere, and the tougher variations project how strong you really are.  The reason why your core (which includes all of the musculature from just above your knees to just below your armpits, not just your abdominal wall) is so important is that all energy is transferred through it.  If your core is weak you will leak energy worse than Yugoslavian cars leak oil. 

If you are a swimmer and you are trying to get as big of a push off the blocks or walls but fall apart at the midsection your streamline will stink.  If you are a runner and have a weak core and cannot resist upper body rotation then you will be wasting energy with every stride.  Same goes for cyclists.  If you are preoccupied with what your upper body and midsection are doing you are not focused on what your legs are doing.

On to the planks.  Planks are extremely simple to perform.  Body stays in a straight line, elbows stay underneath your armpits, forearms and toes are the only thing touching the ground.  Holding for extended periods of time (more than a minute) can be beneficial in some instances but I prefer to do more sets with shorter work times while making them harder.  To make them harder all you need to do is lift a foot, an arm, or both off the ground.  You can also wear a backpack with some books in it to add some weight to the equation.  I also really like the RKC version where you try to pull your feet and elbows towards each other thereby creating as much tension through your midsection as possible.  Give some different variations a try.  Planks are like pushups in that there are a ton of different options to keep them interesting.

Exercise #6: Rope Chop Variations

As I hinted at in the plank hold section, the main duty of the abdominal wall, spinal erectors, and obliques isn’t to initiate movement, but instead to resist it.  They also promote movement where movement is supposed to happen (thoracic spine) and stability where stability is supposed to happen (hips and low back).  Rope chops mimic this perfectly by having the rope pass in front while you turn at the mid back and shoulders and resist movement at the low back and hips.  Often times with distance athletes the opposite is the case when moving freely.  The thoracic spine and hips have diminished mobility so the lumbar spine (low back) picks up the slack.  This is a recipe for back pain.

Having poor mobility through the thoracic spine makes breathing in the water more difficult since more of your torso needs to turn to get your face out of the water.  If your thoracic spine is stiff when you run oftentimes your traps and upper back will be the first to fatigue.  Not only that but you’ll leak energy through your hips since they will have to twist more to compensate for the lack of mobility above them.

Summary

Adding these exercises to any distance athlete’s strength training program will not only promote strength increases but also enhance the mobility of the athlete.  When a distance athlete is both strong and mobile then each stride, stroke, and pedal are extremely efficient and use 100% of the energy put into them.  Poor strength and poor mobility are the cause of energy leaks and premature fatigue.  Premature fatigue means shaking your competition’s hand after they get their gold medal.  Be strong.  Be mobile.  Be a winner.

When Should Kids Start Strength Training: Part Two

You can find the first part of this article on when the time is right to begin your child in a strength andconditioning program here.

The decision has been made, the sessions have been bought and planned out, and your child is ready and rearing to go.  This second part of the article is going to take a look at what a strength and conditioning program should look like.  

But first, let’s dispel some common myths about kids and strength training.

Myth #1: Lifting Will Make Kids Short 

This is a very common myth and it is one that has been repeatedly busted in the scientific literature (Ratel).  The fact of the matter is that the body, and growth plates in particular, are subjected to much higher load and shearing forces when running, jumping, and changing direction than when they are performing lifts, bodyweight and otherwise, in a controlled and safe manner.

Myth #2: Kids Will Get Bulky 


For females and kids that compete in weight class divided sports in general this is a legitimate concern.   It’s a highly unfounded myth that is propagated by the media but legitimate nonetheless.  The fact of the matter is that these athletes are not hormonally capable of huge increases in muscle mass.  Before a male goes through puberty he isn’t producing a lot of testosterone.  If you are a normally functioning female you aren’t either.  


The literature shows that females and pre-pubescent males have about a tenth of the testosterone production as normal males.  Testosterone is a requisite compound to build muscle.  If you don’t have a lot of it you won’t build a lot of muscle.  You can get stronger, faster and more coordinated without it.  You just won’t get a lot bigger.

Myth #3: Kids Won’t Get Stronger


This goes back to number two.  It’s true that kids won’t see strength gains because of gains in muscular size.  But they will see strength gains due to an improvement in neurological function.  Your muscles and the nerves that send them the signals to move will become more efficient.  This means you will be able to use all or most of the muscle fibers that you have instead of a smaller percentage.  This means stronger, faster, and more coordinated athletes.

Now that we’ve dispelled the common myths let’s take a look at what the major points of emphasis should be in a youth’s strength and conditioning program.

Point of Emphasis #1: Mobility and Soft Tissue Work

Mobility and soft tissue work should not just be a corner stone of training programs for youth athletes, but for all trainees regardless of age, sex, or sport/activity.  The fact of the matter is that often times improving one’s mobility through soft tissue techniques will make trainees stronger.  This is because with improved mobility comes less resistance to put the body into postures and through ranges of motion that will lead to athletic success.  I.e. it makes moving easier.  When moving is easier you spend less energy on repetitive motions like running and jumping.

Mobility and soft tissue work is especially important for athletes that are growing.  Bones will often grow faster than the muscles can keep up.  This can lead to tight and weak muscles especially along the long bones such as the hamstring, quadriceps, calf muscles, and biceps brachii.  Using soft tissue techniques such as foam rolling, stretching, and activation drills, one can help the muscles elongate with the bones and keep them strong as they grow in length.

Point of Emphasis #2: Bodyweight Movements

The number of kids I see on a daily basis that start out not being able to do a push up or a proper bodyweight squat, let alone a pull up, is no longer surprising, but still disheartening.  At the same time I hear kids talk about how they either hate gym class or don’t even have to take it.  Needless to say kids need to learn a thing or two about their own bodies and how to handle them.

If a youth athlete is brand new to strength training, regardless of perceived athletic ability, they should first work to master their own body weight and then master free weights.  There is no reason why every kid in America shouldn’t be able to do ten perfect pushups, five perfect chin ups, and an unlimited amount of bodyweight squats.

The ability to do these things is NOT something that is gained as we age.  It is something we lose.  Watch any three year-old horse around for ten minutes and you will see perfect bodyweight technique on squats, pushing themselves off the ground, and if an apparatus is available being able to hold themselves up on a chinning bar.  The other day I saw my girlfriend’s three year-old son put himself into a picture perfect RDL position.  And he was just watching TV!  The hip hinge of an RDL is something that if a kid doesn’t automatically get it can be very frustrating to teach.

At the end of the day body weight movements and lifts should be the cornerstone of any beginning program and should, at a minimum, be kept up to maintenance levels as the trainee ages and progress.

Point of Emphasis #3: Proper Lifting Technique and Selection

Proper lifting technique must always be paid attention to, to ensure safety and proper muscular development.  It is beyond the scope of this article to describe proper technique of different lifts.  The coach in charge of training young athletes should not only know how to perform each lift but should be able to properly teach the lift.

When performing different lifts, whether they are with body weight, free weight, or machines, young athletes should never work with maximal or near maximal weights.  Using repetition ranges from 5-15 will ensure a manageable load and proper technique.  Most weight room injuries in young athletes occur when attempting near maximal loads before the athlete is ready.  Zatsiorsky and Kreamer recommend the three year rule when it comes to attempting maximal lifts.  That is an athlete should have at least three years of proper weight room instruction doing the basic lifts before attempting a maximal or near maximal lift.  This will ensure that the musculature needed to attempt such poundages will be properly developed to handle the load placed upon them.

Young athletes should stick to basic multi-joint exercises such as pushups, pull ups, squats, lunges, dead lifts, and presses.  A good mix of these will in each session will ensure that athletes to not acquire overuse injuries by doing the same things repeatedly for each session.  Single joint exercises (except for possibly hamstring curls) such as bicep curls and calf raises will not lead to any type of athletic enhancement and should be reserved for later in the athletes progression.

Point of Emphasis #4: Muscles to Be Trained

The sooner athletes begin to pay attention to different muscle groups the better.  This musculature includes, from top down, the upper back, the spinal erectors, the abdominal wall and obliques, and the muscles that attach to the hips (gluteals, hip flexors, quadriceps, hamstrings, and adductors).

When athletes attempt to “play themselves into shape” -only participating in sport practices to get ready for competition- certain muscular imbalances will occur.  Many times the muscles of the upper back, the gluteals, and the hamstrings will be underdeveloped, tight, and weak while the muscles of the upper chest and shoulder, the quadriceps, hip flexors, and calf muscles will be overactive and tight.  These imbalances will lead to improper postures and ranges of motion during practice and competition and will ultimately lead to a decrease in performance.

Proper execution of the exercises listed above, along with attention being paid to soft tissue and mobility work will help to decrease the imbalances and bring the body back into proper postural alignment.  Proper postural alignment makes movement much more smooth and efficient and leads to an increase in performance.

Point of Emphasis #5: Being Able To Stop

Many coaches tend to only focus on getting kids to be able to run fast, but few teach the proper way to decelerate and stop once the athlete has started running or is coming down from a jump.  This point of emphasis ties into all of the above points in that without proper mobility, body awareness, and proper muscular development this skill will be severely lacking.

Very few sports happen in a straight line with no deceleration component.  Track and field, cross country and swimming are the only ones that come to mind.  Most sports require athletes to change direction, run at different angles, and stop on a dime.  Being able to properly control your body weight and put it in the proper posture during the deceleration phase and the subsequent acceleration phase will lead to greater efficiency when changing direction and ultimately a fast athlete.  When athletes lack this skill the movements are very inefficient and often times place undue stress on the ankle, knee, hip, and low back.

Summary

The design and implementation of strength and conditioning programs for the youth athlete should be built on the basics.  Basic exercises used to develop proper movement patterns and solid body weight strength are the best way to build a solid foundation for athletic development as the athlete ages.  Do not have youth athletes attempt maximal strength attempts until they have a solid foundation of strength and have shown the ability to maintain correct posture throughout the entire movement.  Always teach and strive for efficiency and proper mechanics during movement training, especially when it comes to changing direction and stopping.  A well thought out plan and progressions are vital to enhancing athletic ability while at the same time ensuring the safety of the athlete.

Sources:

High-intensity and resistance training and elite young athletes.  Ratel S.  Med Sport Sci. 2011;56:84-96. 

Epub 2010 Dec 21.

Science and Practice of Strength Training.  Zatsiorsky, V., Kreamer, W.  Human Kinetics, 2006.

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