Track Starts

Track Start Improvements

As I have improved my track start through out these blog post I have been given some very powerful tips to get my track start to where it is now. I will have to be able to all of this new gained knowledge into the next up coming track season.

Tips

Exploding from a set of blocks is a violent, unnatural thing to do. It takes great overall strength, coordination, and agility to have an effective start. I'm not saying go out and become a bodybuilding ballerina, but having a good strength-to-weight ratio with a sense of your body and what it's doing will make your life a lot easier.

Finishing Guide

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As you near the finish line, maintain your stride while keeping your knee action high. Get your feet quickly off the ground and pump your arms faster than in the early stage of the sprint. When you near the finish line, lunge forward to break the tape. Focus on lunging with your chest, as your torso and not your head or limbs are what is considered to cross the finish line. Lower your head and pull your arms back to push your torso forward in a falling motion.

Questions

What is the best way to finish a race?

How do you keep a continuous stride?

Cited

Pictures cited: Track & Field By Gabrielle Vanderhoof

Track Starts

Track Start Improvements

As I worked on my track start and started taking tips from the book I noticed that my form wasn't correct to the way it should be. instead of having both feet behind me I moved my dominant foot forward so I could have the most momentum when coming out of the blocks.

Tips

Have knees inside elbows but not to close

Have lean forward as if you were going to fall on your face

Stride out of the blocks with your head down

Don’t stand straight up when coming out of the blocks

Have a slow incline with your body as you push out of the blocks

Proper Form and Guide Lines

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In this picture you can see this man exploding from the blocks putting all of his momentum forward to get a push off from his dominant leg and propelling his body in an rising action. The back leg is driven forward at the sound of the gun as the front leg extends, pushing off the block pedal. The arms are aggressively extended, forward and back. If the rear leg is the right leg, the left arm is driven forward as the right arm is driven back. You keep this going throughout the race with the opposite leg hitting the ground and the opposite arm slicing through the air. The head stays neutral on the start, looking down the track slightly.

Questions

Do you have a different way to come out of the blocks?

How do you have your feet set up when you are pushing out of the blocks?

Cited

Pictures cited: Track & Field By Gabrielle Vanderhoof

Classic crunch

An old favorite, for a reason. Everyone knows and can do a crunch. Lie flat on your back with your knees perpendicular to the ground and bring your chest to your knees. So simple and easy, yet it's so helpful when you are working on your upper abs (Lauren, 124). Although, if you've been following my blog from the beginning you know that I am not going for a washboard stomach. Which is why my weekly workout routine has 2 sets of 10 side crunches (pictured above) every workout. Because crunches focus on your rectus abdominis, you won't get the definition of man's stomach. If you are, go for the flutter kicks (Lauren, 125). Mark Laurens book You Are Your Own Gym has really helped me get back in shape, emotionally and physically. I am more energized than before, and I genuinely feel a whole lot better about my body. I have also found that exercising is a great way to channel and relieve my stress. A great improvement has been my sleep. I find that if I do a few sets of crunches, and some pistols (previous blog) that I fall asleep faster, and stay asleep. I recommend this book to anyone who is looking to see quick changes in their physique and overall health. 

Adrenaline Boosting Workouts

When most people think of adrenaline, they think of the fight or flight response that is triggered when levels of adrenaline are raised. This hormone increases glucose and oxygen levels, which are needed to physically exert your muscles. However, adrenaline isn't used for these certain scenarios, it can also be used for a more efficient workout.

With an adrenaline-boosting exercise is implemented into a normal workout routine, you can do more than you normally would because all of your physical and mental levels are boosted, allowing you to get the same level of workout done in less time.

In reading Men's Health, Get Back in Shape by David Zinczenko, I found a simple yet effective workout, that doesn't even require a machine or weights. This workout emphasizes "alternat(ing) between two movements, such as squats and push-ups, but mak(ing) them explosive by pushing yourself up with enough force so your feet and hands leave the floor on each exercise" (59). Doing multiple things at once forces your body to create adrenaline to cope with everything that is going on. A specific workout that I found was doing 24 squats, then 24 lunges, which seems fairly easy. Then you do 24 more squats, jumping after each squat, then 24 more lunges, jumping between each lunge. After these repetitions, your legs are completely drained, which is a good thing. Finally, you finish with a 2 minute plank (59). Once all this has done, less than 10 minutes have come off of the clock, and an intense workout has been accomplished.

Here I am doing a squat, working my quadriceps and thighs, preparing to explode up for a jump.

Next, I worked on lunges, exercising my glutes and hamstrings, making sure my front leg stays perpendicular and my back legs stays parallel to the ground.

To conclude the exercise, I went to the plank position for 2 minutes, with the second minute being excruciating.

After doing this specific workout, I did some other miscellaneous arm workouts, as well as a bike and elliptical session. I ended up being in the gym for about 40 minutes, but got a complete, full body workout. This adrenaline boosting workout is definitely a master of efficiency.

This workout reminded me of burpees, a workout where you do a push-up, then jump up, then start with another push-up, usually doing only 10 repetitions, but they sure are exhausting. Are there any other workouts that require multitasking that you recommend?

Zinczenko, David. Men's Health, Get Back in Shape. Rodale Inc, Emmaus Pennsylvania, 2009.

Pistols Workout

 “Use your imagination, and this amazing exercise will never stop making you stronger” ( Mark Lauren, 115)

So in the last blog I wrote, I promised to write about the exercise ‘pistol’. Not going to lie, this is a tough one. If you really want to kick it up a notch, this will do the trick.

Bring your butt down all the way down to the heel of your working foot, with the other leg stretched out before you.  Keep the negative movement slow and controlled, then explode back up. 

One way to advance this form,is to keep your hands stretched before you, holding a backpack full of rocks or milk jugs full of water. Get creative, push yourself to hold heavier things and to come up quicker once you are down. If that is too difficult, try only doing down in a very low squat, then pushing up very quickly.  (Lauren, 115) how will you dress up or dress down this exercise?

The one thing I love about the pistols, is that it doesn’t take forever to feel the results, and most importantly, see them. It requires you to push yourself, in terms of endurance, and strength. This form works out your gluts, your thighs, and calves.

Try doing this outside, somewhere serene and somewhere you haven’t been before. I love working out in a different place every week. I know this isn’t realistic to expect for everyone, but it makes all the difference, taking care of your body can be fun, and not always a chore if you get creative. I would recommend when doing this, to breathe slowly. Inhale for 5 seconds, and exhale for 10. Breathing like this will help your body adjust to the strain, and provide as a type of distraction; focus on your breathing and not the pain in your legs. I would also suggest drinking plenty of water before doing this exercise, as well as after. This is very straining, drinking will prevent the next day cramps and soreness.   

If you try ‘pistols’, I would love to know! Send me a picture or leave a comment on where you went, and what you did. And if you have any exercises’ s you enjoy or do often, please leave a comment.

better yourself: workout

Well-being-noun the state of being comfortable, healthy, or happy.

The first sentence in the book You Are Your Own Gym by Mark Lauren declares: “I CAN UNEQUIVOCALLY STATE You Are Your Own Gym is a must read for anyone truly interested in their well- being”. I read that sentence and made up my mind to check out the book from the library. I am certainly interested in my well-being.I have lifted nothing but grocery bags and the occasional box from Costco for years,and still struggle with them. Also, my dad calls me chicken.

Lauren claims in the introduction of his book that we owe it to ourselves to be lean, fit, and claims that with the use of this book, I will no longer have the excuse of “no time” because the journey he promises to a better body (and use of it) will only take 20 minutes a day, 4-5 times a week. Lauren personally promised me a better physique, with primitive workouts, using nothing but what the Lord gave you (p.2).

To be completely clear, I’m not aiming for a washboard stomach, round shoulders, or shirt –sleeve-stretching biceps. Rather a toned stomach, toned triceps and biceps and legs (and maybe less struggle when carrying said groceries).

One of my favorite workouts so far has been the one legged squat. It works on virtually everything: gluts, hamstrings, lower back, and hip flexors, and has really pushed me to my limits in terms of endurance. Using a chair for balance, lift your left leg about 4 inches off the ground up and stand on your right leg, with your head up and back straight. Slowly lower your body, bending at the waist and right knee, until your right thigh is parallel to the floor, let go of the chair, and extend your arms forward. Hold this position for as long as you can.(page 114)

This position is definitely a work in process, could not get my thighs parallel to the floor without falling over. I held my meager attempt at the one legged squat for no longer then 30 seconds. Then rested for one minute, and repeated for another 30 seconds or so. I did a set of 5 rotating between the 30 second hold, and the one minute rest. I finished out with a set of 'pistol' exercises, which i will explain in my next blog post. Thank you for reading! I encourage you to try out this exercises, please comment and share your experience!