How bootcamp can improve your running performance

Are you a runner? Or are you thinking about getting into running?

A common goal that clients come to me with is that they’d like to be able to run 5km/10km without stopping or feeling like they are going to pass out from over exertion. Often the reason people aren’t able to sustain the endurance of running is because their aerobic capacity is to low due to lack of fitness or incorrect training styles. Let’s think of it this way; someone who trains mostly or only hypertrophy strength training isn’t going to have the ability to sustain a long run just because they are strong and muscular fit. Leg strength of course is important for running however it needs to be the right type of strength training paired nicely with the right amount of aerobic training as well as actually running.

Let’s compare the aerobic and anaerobic systems briefly before moving on:

• Aerobic means “with air” which is the body’s ability to produce energy with the use of oxygen. This system is the one mostly used during long distance running. It’s the system we need to be most strong and improve on, as it helps us with endurance. When training aerobically it’s all about getting the heart and lungs strong. Normally you are also working between 60%-80% of your maximum heart rate when training this system.

• Anaerobic means “without air” which is the body’s ability to produce energy without the use of oxygen. Typically we can’t last long using this system during exercise, with the maximum time usually sitting under 2 minutes. Anaerobic training is usually used during short burst training and a great way to improve your fitness and VO2 max to help improve your overall aerobic capacity.

Now that we understand a little more about these two systems we can see that improving aerobic capacity will help you achieve a cardio endurance goal such as running.

So how exactly can this be done, and how do our bootcamp and other training sessions help you become running fit?

At bootcamp we focus mainly on improving fitness levels as well as building strength endurance throughout the whole body. We do this by using cardio exercises such as running, bodyweight fast moves, plyometrics etc over a prolonged period of time at an intensity that keeps the heart rate in the aerobic zone as mentioned above. Strength endurance is also built by performing weighted exercises at high repetition and gets you strong to perform your everyday activities, as well as being useful for goals such as running. Alongside this we also push the body to the anaerobic zone by lifting the heart rate up beyond the 80% mark from time to time. This is done using HIIT (high intensity interval training) which will help improve on your baseline fitness. All of this gives you exactly what you need to improve your aerobic & anaerobic capacity!

Including training like Terminator Fitness has on offer, and a running schedule (based on your goal), you can get yourself to a good level of fitness to feel confident enough to achieve what you set out to do. Alongside this it’s important to include on any training program what your recovery and flexibility training needs to look like. These are both very important parts of ensuring the body gets everything it needs, including rest!

For more information on setting your goals or information about any of our training offerings, please click here to get in touch. Remember FREE trials are available to any of our sessions.