Paul Ford Athletic Development

Run Tip #102
Run, swim, cycle, row, ski better - effort & speed are different beasts. Harder isn't faster. Relax 🏃‍♂️

Fit Tip #101
Strength: ability to manage force - forces of Nature, muscle force, force of mind & habit, force of crowd. Be strong 🏋️‍♀️🏃‍♂️

Run Tip #100
Run happiness is not a distance or time you achieve, yet the trails, paths, roads, challenges and track you travel 🏃‍♂️

Run Tip #99
The ultimate activity, exercise & sport continuum: from NEAT to elite 🏃‍♂️

Run Tip #97
Challenge of youth athlete development: perceived short term peer performance vs long term success 🏃‍♂️

Run Tip #96
Use you (bodyweight), your environment & Nature as your gym playground & gym 🏃‍♂️

Run Tip #95
Movement & mobility - the less you do the more you lose, and the less you’re then able to do 🏃🏻‍➡️

Got asked today, “How long is the 20m multistage shuttle run?”
Oh my 🤦‍♂️😵‍💫

“Weights before or after running?”
🏃‍♂️🏋️🏃‍♀️🏋️🏃
A few thoughts:
Weight training and strength training can be related yet aren’t the same things - the latter dependent upon exercise/activity choice, load, and progression.

And, is it a two session day (ie. am and pm) or a joint/combined session?

That said, consider:
*context: doing the right kind of strength training related to your background, context and goals is better than not doing it.
*practicality: access, availability, timing and climate/weather (and hygiene) issues particularly if in a commercial/public setting.
*preference, yours?
*prioritise: do first that which is the most important session/s for that day, week or cycle.
*agility: be adaptable/agile according to circumstances , and to add structured variety of months/cycles.

A few side notes:
1. I often recommend runners (people who use running as their main sport, exercise or activity) do strength training (usually 2nd) on their hard running days, then they have longer to recover on inbetween/easier days
2. It depends upon the nature of the strength training, as opposed to a “leg day” smash-fest
3. Most gym related weight/strength exercises are generic in nature, ecentose that try to mimic run posture/actions as “specificity”. Special and specific related strength training for more serious runners will take them out of the gym onto the track, hills, sand, grass, and trails and include jumping, skipping, hopping and bounding
4. Generic weight/strength training can benefit runners (especially this over 40yo) indirectly too - metabolic health, injury risk reduction, reduce LBM loss, mental health, social setting, and establishing a valuable habit for latter in life🏃‍♂️🏋️🏃🏋️🏃‍♀️

“Weights before or after running?”
🏃 🏋️🏃‍♀️🏃‍♂️
A few thoughts:
Weight training and strength training can be related yet aren’t the same things - the latter dependent upon exercise/activity choice, load, and progression.

And, is it a two session day (ie. am and pm) or a joint/combined session?

That said, consider:
*context: doing the right kind of strength training related to your background, context and goals is better than not doing it.
*practicality: access, availability, timing and climate/weather (and hygiene) issues particularly if in a commercial/public setting.
*preference, yours?
*prioritise: do first that which is the most important session/s for that day, week or cycle.
*agility: be adaptable/agile according to circumstances , and to add structured variety of months/cycles.

As three side notes:
1. I often recommend runners (people who use running as achieve sport, exercise or activity) do strength training (usually 2nd) on their hard running days, then they have longer to recover on inbetween/easier days
2. It depends upon the nature of the strength training, as opposed to a “leg day” smash-fest
3. Most gym related weight/strength exercises are generic in nature, ecentose that try to mimic run posture/actions as “specificity”. Special and specific related strength training for more serious runners will take them out of the gym onto the track, hills, sand, grass, and trails and include jumping, skipping, hopping and bounding
4. Generic weight/strength training can benefit runners (especially this over 40yo) indirectly too - metabolic health, injury risk reduction, reduce LBM loss, mental health, social setting, and establishing a valuable habit for latter in life