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Run for the hillsPublished by
It’s autumn and the hills are beckoning, but how best to run up them? Matt Long explainsHills matter. Whether you are a runner, jumper or thrower, uphill training should be an integral part of your periodised training programme at this time of year. As much as you might dislike them, the inclines develop a key facet of fitness that is crucial for all athletes: strength endurance. A study at the esteemed Karolinska Institute in Stockholm found that marathon runners who performed hill sessions twice-weekly over three months improved their running economy by three per cent. Physiologists have shown how athletes who train on hills have far higher concentrations of aerobic enzymes, allowing muscles to function at continued high intensity over prolonged periods without fatigue and loss of form. What matters, though, is how you run hills. You ll need to make several biomechanical adjustments when tackling any incline, compared to running on the flat. Although high hips, a strong leg extension and good toe-off are vital for running on the flat, hill running requires a more vigorous arm action, exaggerated knee lift and a slight forward lean. Your head and eyes should be fixed on a point 8-10 metres ahead and, the steeper the climb, the more likely it is that you ll need to shorten your stride length. It s tough. Your arms and legs might not be working in quite the harmonious way they do on flatter terrain and the additional biomechanical stressors placed on the body can lead to loss of form and potentially to injury. Form is important, so focus on it. And then decide which type of hill session is for you: Fixed point repetitionsSHORT HILLS MEDIUM HILLS LONG HILLS Continuous hill runningHILL FARTLEK KENYAN HILLS TEMPO HILLS The British championships 800m bronze medallist says that for her, it s both a stamina based session, but the hill reps with continuous jog down recoveries allow you to work on conditioning and strength”. However good an athlete you are, hills are never easy. It is one of those sessions where you go home and don’t get up the rest of the evening,” Leonard says. Dr Matt Long is a member of the coaching and support team at Birmingham University AC and a squad lead coach for the British Milers’ Club Academy The post Run for the hills appeared first on Athletics Weekly. Read the full article at: www.athleticsweekly.com
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