Running Surfaces

[prop]

Hey, What sort of running surfaces do the coaches here have your athletes run on. I’ve been told that I should only run on grass, no road runs or anything,. But the thing is that where I live all the fields are rock hard this time of year and doing the intervals are killing my shins and knees. Is there any way around this or do I just go through it. This shouldnt be a problem in a few months when im back at uni and can use the tracks.

A side note, i’ve been told by a couple coaches, one a quite high level one and high level ex player that the only running I should do as a large player is sprints and that all my fitness should be crosstraining, bikes swimming etc. and the games played at training, What is everybodys thoughts on this

Thanks

[garethshepherd110@msn.com]

Prop- tried a few times last week to reply to this but my Workstation kept throwing me out!

I too am a “Big unit” and have through trial and error come up with a few ideas on this that have enable me to avoid injury whilt boosting endurance etc. Here goes:-

1) Jogs/ Long runs- no more than 20 mins and only on grass. You can do them daily if you want.
2) Good trainers- I use Brookes Beast which are specially designed to give cushioning/ support/ control to the big lads!- I have had 3 pairs on the trot and will not run in anothe rpair of trainers ever!
3) Join a boxing gym. The bag work/ sparring/ calisthenics will strip weight off like you wouldn’t believe and the skipping will improve your agility no end.
4) Look at the demands of your game-an Ru Prop- wrestle/ maul/ ruck/ scrummage followed by short sprint repeat. Try and mimic it in some way.
5) High rep weight lifting- BB/ DB/ KB whatever gig compound movements for high reps. Ash’s Beastly combo’s are just the job.
6) Track work- nothing over 400m and if you get spikes make sure they are distance spikes with a decent heel in them.

Hope this of Help.

[ashley]

There is some merit in mixing your sessions up so as to avoid too much time on your legs, being a larger player that may require you to run twice a week and do some aqua jogging/sprinting work, some hypoxic swim intervals, and some cross training on a rower/bike or whatever you have available to you, but bottom line you haveto run since it is a running game and you need to be specific in your running, it is one thing to get centrally fit (hearts/lungs) but the running will get you peripherally fit (vascular system in legs) as well, so you can not avoid it but if the grounds are hard just ease back and pick up the slack on the other options, ash

[prop]

What treatemnts does everybody use for shin splints?

[diehards]

First thing is to use ice – get a foam cup and freeze the water then slowly tear the cup down and ice massage your shins.

Get a podiatry review to ensure correct footwear /- need for orthotics

You can use a LIPUS (Low Intensity Pulsed Ultrasound)machine which helps with bone healing

And lastly ensure good calf endurance – you should be able to do 30 single leg calf raises with 211 tempo

[Author]

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