A regular rest day may be just as important as your long run. Endurance athletes who took less than two days off per week were 5 times more likely to have an overuse injury while training, reports new research from Finland.
In the study, top-level Finnish athletes--from runners to swimmers to cross-country skiiers--tallied their injuries over the course of a year. Along with inadequate rest, overuse injuries in spots like the Achilles tendon, knee, and shoulder sidelined athletes when training volumes eclipsed a massive 700 hours a year.
While you're not likely training two hours every day, you may be just as susceptive to overuse injuries if you ramp up training too fast. "People often have an end goal in place, and every day of training seems crucial, so you override it," says Lee Troop, a former Olympic marathoner for Australia and head coach of the Boulder Track Club.
Troop points to himself as an example of overtraining. Heading into the 2004 At hens Olympics, Troop says he ran almost 1,000 straight days, and pushed the envelope too hard. Three weeks before the games, he was drained. "I normally have five gears, but only four gears were working," he says. Troop placed 27th.
That's how an overuse injury gets you: Pain and fatigue gradually get worse the more you repetitively exercise the same muscles despite not having anything traumatic--like a rolled ankle--happen. The discomfort can get to the point where you either have to stop training or see a doctor.
Troop advises his beginning athletes to rest two days a week and watch for subtle signs of overtraining. You won't always feel an oncoming pain while working out because your body is warmed up. But if you're at work with an aching knee or lower back, consider scheduling a massage or get on a foam roller more often, he says.
And if shin splints or your knees are hurting right now, here's your guide to treat the most common running injuries.
Powered by WPeMatico
No comments:
Post a Comment