Best way to get faster (Running)

[Caffiend]

Mango... helping?

search for other "help me get in shape threads," Mango gives some awesome advice. I think he does it for a living, or something like that. And an "easy" way to get some improvement, is fill a few pods with sand and put them in your pack when you play. come tournament time/what have you, you take them out and feel lighter.

[WicKeD_WaYz]

Run up and down for a couple of minutes and then take a short break, about 10 seconds, then start running again.

nobody can run full speed up and down stairs for a couple of minutes straight, and only break for 10 seconds before you start again. notice I said full speed...jogging on stairs, I dont know why anyone would do it.

I run stadiums at school and its tough but a great way to get in shape. Im in really good shape but those stadiums kick my *** everytime.

I suggest this for stairs....Go to your local highschool stadium. Sprint up, walk down, sprint up, walk down etc. Or...Sprint up, run down (dont trip), short break, sprint up and down etc.

after your done do some lunges up the steps. Then stretch again(hopefully you stretched before you started). The second stretch helps you even more.

[Bolter]

when i used to play football (soccer is your word for it) we were always told that stretching is a must do on a daily basis, BUT if you stretch before you play, you will lose some of the potential your muscles have. So the rule I was told was that before playing, warm up. Streching should be a part of your daily routine. Warming up and stretching are different.

[WicKeD_WaYz]

when i used to play football (soccer is your word for it) we were always told that stretching is a must do on a daily basis, BUT if you stretch before you play, you will lose some of the potential your muscles have. So the rule I was told was that before playing, warm up. Streching should be a part of your daily routine. Warming up and stretching are different.

ive never heard that. Think your supposed to stretch because flexible muscles can do MORE.

[Mango]

Ok here we go:


The more flexible a muscle the less prone to injury it is BUT (yes there is always a but) the weaker it is. This is namely true in regards to joints as well but muscles that are extremely flexible and stretched out cannot contract with the same force as a muscle that is stretched within its "elastic limit." So what I am saying can be summed up like this:

1.) Normal stretching is good because it helps prevent injury to the muscles/joints that the muscles activate
2.) EXCESSIVE stretching is bad because it weakens the muscle and can cause TOO much flexibility in the joints.

That being said, Russian Legion does what is called "Fartlek Training" to increase thier "off the break" speed, and short sprinting speed. Paintball is characterized by short, explosive runs/sprints but X-ball also requiers intense endurance during these short runs. Short sprints are called Anerobic activities because they do not requier oxygen as thier primary energy source. The way you develop this ability and increase it is by doing interval training, which someone already mentioned in this thread.

X-ball, however, requiers a mix of these things. Fartlek training is the BEST way to train for this activity because it is primarily sport specific and increases Aerobic as well as Anerobic ability of muscle. It is used by world class atheletes as well as High School track teams all over the world. It is primarily used to increase long distance running ability and lower track times but it can be adapted to anything because it is simply interval training, but it is VERY challenging and should not be something you just jump right into. You need to have a solid base of ability before you jump right into this and you need to work UP to an achievable goal. Here are some good sites with information about this type of training:

http://www.brianmac.demon.co.uk/fartlek.htm

http://www.swagssportshoes.com/fartlek.htm

http://www.brianmac.demon.co.uk/conintrn.htm

[Duzzy]

This is rather random, but don't use ankle weights, my mom is a Physical Therapist and she doesn't think they are a good idea. Why? I don't remember, I just know she got mad whenever I tried to use them.

[Mango]

This is rather random, but don't use ankle weights, my mom is a Physical Therapist and she doesn't think they are a good idea. Why? I don't remember, I just know she got mad whenever I tried to use them.

The legs undergo intense stress every time the foot lands on the ground during a stride and while running. Ankle weights completely throw off the mechanics of the lower body during running and only add to the impact force put on the bones of the lower body. They also add to the momentum of the legs while you run which puts stress on the muscles and ligaments that cause your legs to move. They essentially do nothing to increase strength while running (it would be very minimal at best) and do everything to make you develop BAD running technique. I could go into greater detail but that sums up the most important issues dealing with ankle weights.

[SSMercury]

The legs undergo intense stress every time the foot lands on the ground during a stride and while running. Ankle weights completely throw off the mechanics of the lower body during running and only add to the impact force put on the bones of the lower body. They also add to the momentum of the legs while you run which puts stress on the muscles and ligaments that cause your legs to move. They essentially do nothing to increase strength while running (it would be very minimal at best) and do everything to make you develop BAD running technique. I could go into greater detail but that sums up the most important issues dealing with ankle weights.

WTF do you do for a living Mango? That's more or less what I'd have said.