Getting stronger

A wise friend said to me once. "In order to be strong, you need to get strong NOT to look strong."

I think he's right. In the world of running, I realize that there are no shortcuts. It's the same with the other sports. It's not a video game. There's no cheat. You have to train hard, give your heart, be intelligent, and always get inspired.

In my opinion, these are some important factors in becoming a successful athlete. Whoa! I'm talking BIG! Athlete level. Good luck for me. Lol~ But why not. We all know the Adidas tag line, "impossible is nothing." Yeah it may be hard, but not impossible.Why should we dream of reaching the sky when we can dream of reaching the stars? You know what I'm saying? I'm already 27 years old and It's already hard for me to compete with the younger people out there. Also there are those guys who've already reached the pinnacle of running. But I think it's not bad to do you best. I mean, yeah running can be consider as a fad today just like badminton several years ago, but if you acquired that "heart" that other excellent runners have, then why not compete and do your best? I am always competitive. I don't want to belong to the median who just consider running as a hobby, or some other casual reasons. I want to take it seriously. Bring it to the next level. Let me see how far can I take myself.

Just earlier, I'm in the gym doing some strength training for my legs. Sometimes, I'm telling my self that I'm crazy because I'm pushing myself so hard, like I'm coaching myself. I know it's fun to train with a group. But when a group is not available and you're all by yourself, isn't it good to be able to push yourself too? Look what I did earlier then you decide. For me, I think it's not enough because I'm still conscious of the time.

1. 30 mins I jog barefooted in the thread mill and used an incline of 2-4%, I did this because I want to make my feet stronger and to prevent injuries. I remember the days when I run barefooted in muay thai but that's another strory.
2. Jump ropes barefooted 3 sets of 3 mins. 1 minute break in between.
3. Bulgarian leg exercise. I forgot the real term but it's like doing squats with one leg at a time then your other leg is resting behind a chair.I guess runners out there get what I'm describing. I did a variation of this my holding different weights. Thanks to Orly for suggesting me to twist my body while  holding the dumbell.
4. Lunges lunges lunges.
5. Step up. Like this video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IS-yX_cy7Tc. but holding 20 pounds for hand.
6. Core workout. See Ridgeline fitness in you tube.
7. Dips.
8. Squat to dumbell shoulder press.
9. Ab workout.

So these is all that I have squeezed in 2 hours and I think it's not enough. But as I have said earlier, I need to be intelligent as well to not over train since I just ran 9.2 km yesterday. I might get a hard time sleeping and I don't want my shift tonight to suffer. 

I'll still check my personal workout to see how long should I run tomorrow. I might do some hills because I'm starting to consider my VO2 max. See! I'm learning some running jargons. :) For now I have to rest and keep my self inspired. Someday, I want to see how I progress in running by the help of this blog. We'll see how it'll all go. So help me God. :)

-Sid

Going back to the basics : tabata exercise

I challenge my self to lose weight 2 years ago, I did not fail. So now it's time to do the exercises that I find effective.

Tabata Exercise - four minutes of pain


The idea idea is simple. Do an single exercise in 4 minutes. Sounds easy eh? If you'll use the Tabata concept, you'll have to do the exercise this way. Let's use sit ups as an example. Using Tabata method, perform as many sit-ups as you can for 20 seconds and then rest for 10 seconds. That's a total of 30 seconds then. Doing 8 sets of this will sum up to 4 minutes. It's so easy right? Do not cheat, you should always perform as many reps within the 20 seconds. Easy? >:-)

Tabata Anything - Four Minutes of Pain to Gain (http://ezinearticles.com/?Tabata-Anything---Four-Minutes-of-Pain-to-Gain&id=348486)

The Tabata protocol is a high-intensity training regimen that produces remarkable results. A Tabata workout (also called a Tabata sequence) is an interval training cycle of 20 seconds of maximum intensity exercise, followed by 10 seconds of rest, repeated without pause 8 times for a total of four minutes. In a group context, you can keep score by counting how many lifts/jumps/whatever you do in each of the 20 second rounds. The round with the smallest number is your score.

Credit for this simple and powerful training method belongs to its namesake, Dr. Izumi Tabata and a team of researchers from the National Institute of Fitness and Sports in Tokyo, Japan. Their groundbreaking 1996 study, published in the journal Medicine and Science in Sports & Exercise, provided documented evidence concerning the dramatic physiological benefits of high-intensity intermittent training. After just 6 weeks of testing, Dr. Tabata noted a 28% increase in anaerobic capacity in his subjects, along with a 14% increase in their ability to consume oxygen (V02Max). These results were witnessed in already physically fit athletes. The conclusion was that just four minutes of Tabata interval training could do more to boost aerobic and anaerobic capacity than an hour of endurance exercise.

Although Dr. Tabata used a mechanically braked exercise cycle machine, you can apply this protocol to almost any exercise. For example, a basic Tabata workout can be performed with sit-ups. The more muscles used the better, so use full knees-bent sit-ups. Sit-up non-stop for 20-second intervals, followed by 10 seconds of rest. Repeat for a total of 8 cycles.

How effective can just 4 minutes of exercise be? ... Very. You will be amazed at how intense the four minutes of exercise will feel. The intervals tax both your aerobic and anaerobic energy systems. To be clear, this isn't "eight sets of eight," although the goal of doing eight reps in each of the 20-second clusters is about right. Instead it's "as many reps as I can get in" during the twenty seconds, followed by ten seconds rest.
It helps to be able to see a wall clock with a second hand during your four minutes of fun. Stop at twenty seconds, rest ten seconds, and go again. Watching the clock helps with your focus and also in keeping count of the eight cycles...

Here is a longer Tabata workout example. This workout consists of 4 separate Tabata Intervals, each 4 minutes. The total workout will last 16 minutes. Always begin with a moderate warm-up and cool down session. And if you are not already in good shape, check with a doctor before trying.

* Jump Rope
* Pushups
* Squats
* Chin-ups or Pull-ups

Note the 10-second rest periods in the Tabata workout are important, both physically and mentally. Not only do they allow partial recovery, they also provide psychological relief. Switching back and forth from work to rest makes the workout go quickly. Plus, it allows you to train at a higher level of intensity, which what intervals are all about.

Another good exercise for Tabatas is the "squat thruster." The squat thruster is one of the great lifts being made popular by organizations such as CrossFit. Take two dumbbells and hold them at shoulder height. Squat down, pushing your rear-end back, keeping the dumbbells on the shoulders. As you rise up, press the bells to the overhead lockout position. You can either press as you rise or use the momentum to help "kick" the bells overhead. Keep your weight in your heals and go light! A 25 pound dumbbell in each hand is a very difficult thruster workout!

Pretty much any form of cardiovascular exercise that uses a large number of muscles can be tailored to fit Tabata interval workouts, so feel free to be creative. In addition to the exercises mentioned above, use them with sprints, burpees, a jump rope, the heavy bag, treadmill or rowing machine. Lessen the likelihood of injury by choosing a rate of intensity suited to your level of conditioning - be conservative. Incorporate variety into your Tabata workouts. A few sessions per week will offer plenty of intensity.

High intensity interval training it is. I will try to apply this is running as well. Maybe later tonight after getting some sleep. I haven't tried this in running yet because I just started to take running seriously this year. I will post the result of the interval training that I will be doing here.


-sid