Category: Performance

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Running & Core Strength

We know the “core” to be different muscles that help stabilize the spine and pelvis, but there are specific groups of core muscles that are especially important in running in Toronto and other cities. We call this the “outer unit” or “slings”.
Slings are groups of muscles that cross the pelvis to create dynamic stability during movement. Three of these slings are particularly important in running: 

Anterior Oblique Sling (AOS)

  • AOS = Hip adductors + internal obliques of the same side + opposite external obliques
  • During the swing phase of running, the hip adductors help bring the hip into flexion (knee up to chest), and the internal obliques of the same side + opposite external obliques rotate the trunk towards the flexed hip, creating stability through the pelvis.
  • Exercise to work on AOS: Dead Bug, 1X10

Posterior Oblique Sling (POS)

  • POS = gluteus maximus + opposite latissimus dorsi
  • During the push-off phase of running, the gluteus maximus pushes the hip into extension to propel the body forward while the opposite lattissimus dorsi pulls the shoulder into extension (pulls the elbow back), creating stability through the pelvis.
  • Exercise to work on POS: Bridge with alternating knee extension while pushing down into the ground, 1X10

Lateral Sling (LS)

  • LS = gluteus medius + opposite hip adductors
  • During the stance phase of running, the gluteus medius engages to stabilize the pelvis/hip/knee while the opposite hip adductors engage to begin the swing phase, creating stability across the pelvis
  • Exercise to work on LS: Side plank 3X30sec

A strong core allows for more efficient limb movement (i.e. less energy wasted). Adding these exercises to your strengthening programs in Toronto can therefore increase your running efficiency, helping you prevent injuries and improve your performance!
If you’re training for a half-marathon in Toronto, or looking to extend your running exercises further, check out our most recent blog post from Victoria, one of our Top Rated Physiotherapists recent blog here: https://www.totum.ca/half-marathon-training/
Looking for programming & training advice during these times? Totum is offering Virtual Training & Programming Services Here!

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Fitness For your Info Performance Recommendations Resources

Registering For a Half-Marathon This Year?


Are you thinking of registering for a half-marathon this year? Wondering what the key elements to a solid half-marathon training program are? Here’s Totum team member & running specialists, Victoria Lavinska’s two cents…
Long Runs

  • Goal: endurance – the longer these runs, the more you will work on your endurance, helping you prepare for race day
  • Pace: these should be performed at a slower pace, i.e. this should be a long, but “easy” run
  • These runs will build up throughout your program
  • For a half-marathon (21.1km), you can work up to 18-19km in your long runs – the idea is to run for a similar amount of TIME as race day, so, given the slower pace, your 18-19km run time should approach your race time

Speed Work

  • Goal: increase your speed, improve your cardiovascular performance (get your heart stronger!)
  • Pace: 5-10km pace, i.e. fast, but not so fast that you’re gassed out and can’t continue
  • Start with an easy pace 1km
  • 2 ways to work on speed:
    • Speed intervals – either by distance or time (e.g. 5X400m or 5X2min), separated by either walking/light jogging intervals
    • Tempo runs – continuous run with a gradual build-up to a 10km pace in the middle (holding that for 1-2 min) and then gradually slowing back down

Hills

  • Goal: improve your hill running technique (as this is different than running on a flat surface), improve your cardiovascular performance (get your heart stronger!)
  • Pace: try to maintain pace while going uphill, increase pace while going downhill (you want to use the advantage of the decline to get some quick mileage in)
  • Start with an easy pace 1km (flat)
  • 2 ways to work on hills
    • Hill intervals: intervals of short (steep-ish) hills (running up and down), separated by running flats
    • Hill endurance: longer intervals of small-incline hills, separated by running flats

Technique

  • Goal: improve running efficiency (improve performance, decrease risk of injury)
  • Use a run/walk program to work on technique – this will give your body a chance to get used to the new technique with a decreased risk of injury
  • Examples:
    • Increased cadence (170-190 bpm), i.e. smaller steps
    • Decreased noise, i.e. being “light on your feet”
    • Running barefoot (on a treadmill)

Cross-training

  • Goal: get your body working different muscle groups to allow an “active” recovery from running, helping muscles be more adaptable
  • Ideally another cardiovascular activity (e.g. cycling, swimming, etc)
  • Yoga and Pilates are also good complements to running as these activities focus on core strengthening and stretching

Rest Days

  • Goal: allow your body to recover from your week’s workouts
  • You could also do an easy yoga class on rest days

Here’s an example of a balanced and gradual half-marathon program :
 

Week/DayDay 1Day 2Day 3Day 4Day 5Day 6Day 7
RestSpeedX-trainHillsX-trainTechniqueLong
Week 1Rest5X400mX-train1X100mX-train30min 1R/1W8km
Week 2Rest30 min tempoX-train2X100mX-train30min 2R/1W10km
Week 3Rest6X400mX-train3X100mX-train30min 3R/1W5km race
Week 4Rest35 min tempoX-train4X100mX-train30min 4R/1W11km
Week 5Rest7X400mX-train5X100mX-train30min 5R/1W13km
Week 6Rest40 min tempoX-train6X100mX-train30min 6R/1W10km race
Week 7Rest8X400mX-train7X100mX-train30min 7R/1W14km
Week 8Rest45 min tempoX-train8X100mX-train30min 8R/1W16km
Week 9Rest9X400mX-train9X100mX-train30min 9R/1W15km race
Week 10Rest50 min tempoX-train10X100mX-train30min 14R/1W18km
Week 11Rest10X400mX-train10X100mX-train30min continuous19km
Week 12Rest30 min tempoX-train3X100mX-train30min 1R/1W21.1km race

 
Want a half-marathon program that is tailored to your specific needs/level of experience? Come see one of Totum’s running specialists to get a detailed running assessment and step-by-step plan to help you reach your running goals!

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For your Info Performance Tips

Stretching vs Strengthening Muscles

Stretching vs Strengthening Tight Muscles
 
Many people associate a feeling of muscle “tension” with a necessity to stretch that muscle. However, sometimes that muscle actually needs to be strengthened! Take a look at some of these tips, definitions and recommendations from Toronto’s top rated physiotherapists & chiropractors.
Muscle Flexibility
Let’s start by defining muscle flexibility, which is the ability of a muscle to lengthen its fibers. Flexible muscles are necessary in maintaining joint range of motion in certain positions. When a muscle lacks flexibility, it can feel “tight”. When this “tension” is a result of limited flexibility, stretching this muscle is an appropriate exercise.
Muscle Oxygenation
However, sometimes muscles feel tight, but they have adequate flexibility. This is due to the lack of oxygen in the muscle tissue.
During exercise, blood flow is increased to muscles being used. Oxygen is transported in the blood and delivered to the muscle tissue. The muscle then uses this oxygen to create a form of energy called ATP (adenosine triphosphate). If a muscle isn’t being properly activated/targeted, there can be a lack of oxygen in the muscle tissue which can translate into a feeling of “tension”.
In this case, a targeted activation/strengthening exercise can increase the blood flow, and therefore the oxygen, to the muscle tissue, releasing this feeling of tension.
Common Muscles That Are Stretched When They Should Be Strengthened

  1. Upper trapezius
    • A feeling of tension in the upper trapezius muscle is often found in people with lengthened and weak upper trapezius fibers. Areas of tension can be found in the muscle where a lack of blood supply exists.
    • Stretching the upper trapezius might “feel good”, but this actually further lengthens the muscle, which is already too long (i.e. feeding into the problem).
    • An upper trapezius shoulder shrug exercise can help strengthen and shorten these lengthened fibers while increasing blood supply to the area, and help decrease this perceived tension.
  2. Hip flexors
    • A feeling of tension in the hip flexors is often associated to a weakness/poor motor control of hip flexion. Secondary hip flexors such as TFL (tensor fascia lata) will compensate for this weakness/poor motor control and overwork, creating areas of tension lacking proper blood supply.
    • Exercises involving core activation and controlled active hip flexion can increase hip flexor strength/motor control and decrease this perceived “tension”.
  3. Calf muscles
    • “Tight calves” can sometimes be a sign of weakness in the stabilizing muscles of the ankle.
    • Tibialis posterior, flexor digitorum longus and peroneus longus are all calf muscles that help control ankle stability. If they are weak and having a hard time working properly (e.g. after an ankle sprain), they can develop a lot of tension (areas with decreased blood supply), as well as create more tension in the bigger calf muscles (gastrocnemius and soleus) which are working off of a less stable base (ankle).
    • Targeted tibialis posterior/flexor digitorum longus/peroneus longus strengthening exercises can help decrease this calf “tension”.

Treatment for “Tight” Muscles
Before jumping to stretching exercises for those “tight” muscles of yours, you might want to make sure you know whether they are truly tight or, if in fact, they are actually weak. Mixing these two situations up can compound an existing issue.
If you are unsure, consult with a physiotherapist or chiropractor who can assess the origin of this “tension” and determine the appropriate exercises to address it. Different soft tissue release/massage techniques will also help increase blood flow, and therefore oxygen, to these tissues, further releasing these tensions.
At Totum, we love a team-oriented approach! Leveraging the expertise of many for the benefit of individual clients is at our core. Our belief is that an interdisciplinary approach to a client’s wellness will produce optimal results. Our approach is not typical as our fitness and rehabilitation components overlap, thereby improving the quality of both.
As many clients of ours have commented, our science, customer service and one-on-one approach sets the environment for rapid improvements.
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