Conditioning

I'm not talking about hair treatment here!

Over the past 2 years I have attempted to complete a full winter of conditioning - strength training to work those neglected body parts for overall conditioning. However, I have always ceased strength work before Christmas because it got in the way of training! I was either too sore to run or felt like I was missing out on biking! This winter I want it to be different. So, I have incorporated running and biking into my conditioning routine! No excuses to stop conditioning before Christmas now!

The routine follows a small circuit that is repeated with no rest apart from changing bike shes etc:

10 mins warm up on turbo

Stretch

20 rep squats

3 mins tabata intervals on turbo

5 min run as 30 sec fast feet/30 sec jog

Press ups

Abs

Lat pull downs

Abs

I make sure that I use high reps for all exercises. Weight is added slowly. For squats, a key exercise, I am nearing body weight so it is getting harder. But it is the combination of squat/tabata/run that is really lung busting. I maintain 30mph for the tabata intervals but increase the squat weight. Many years ago I used to be big into weight lifting (you can tell eh!) and squatting comes quite naturally to me when I get back to pumping iron. I have squatted 140kg for 20 reps but I am not going to get any where near that at my present bodyweight! Anything beyond bodyweight is decent lifting for 20 reps, especially when completing 2 sets with tabata intervals inbetween! anyone else doing strength stuff?

So, again, I am doing something different in the hope of stimulating speed gains. Each week I am running off the bike at least twice after hard bike stuff. If I can't get into my running quickly in races after this winter, then it will never happen!

Changed the structure of the blog slightly over on the right of the page. My training buddies have all left me so they are history - sorry guys; it was good while it lasted but I have new buddies now 8-)

Also, check out the link to Calvary Chapel Cambridge. if you are in the Cambridge area check in with Joey. There must be few people with gifts that this guy has when it comes to understanding God!

Catch you later bloggers