Strength Training Masterclass with CTS Coaches Sarah Scozzaro and Nicole Rasmussen #213
Episode overview:
CTS Coaches Sarah Scozzaro and Nicole Rasmussen go over how to set up a strength program for ultrarunners.
Episode highlights:
(32:01) Programming for performance goals: experience in the gym, addressing weaknesses in strength and power, utilizing gym time while running volume is low, heavier lifts early in the season
(41:59) Scheduling your week: strength training is not rest, hard days hard, easy days easy, stacking strength workouts with high-intensity runs, the most important focus comes first, protect what matters the most
(1:21:14) General exercises for running: consider the demands of trail and ultra, strengthening relevant muscles, the challenge of addressing this on a podcast, resources in the show notes
Our conversation:
(0:00) Introduction: Sarah and Nicole as ultramarathon coaches with strength training backgrounds, creating a blueprint for your strength training
(1:29) Banter: Koop’s 500lb deadlift versus Rob Sanders’ 50k
(3:12) Setup: strength training as a timely subject for the early season, Nicole’s experience coaching strength, athletes are interested in strength training
(7:08) Increasing popularity of strength training: elite athletes are more transparent about training, influencers and the appeal of strength content
(9:08) Nicole on the values of strength training: reduced injury risk, improved submaximal running economy
(12:28) Sarah on the values of strength training: injury resiliency and durability, examples
(13:40) Koop on injury resiliency: no differences in frequency of injuries between endurance runners who strength train and those who do not, injuries are multifactorial, strength training helps logically but not demonstrably
(15:18) Koop on running economy: running economy is less applicable to trail and ultra than to road and marathon, examples
(17:22) Goals of strength training: performance goals, training availability, lifestyle goals and other reasons to strength train, differences in programming based on goals, examples
(19:41) Programing for injury resiliency: addressing imbalances associated with specific injuries, contrasting with hypertrophy goals
(22:01) Hypertrophy and body builders: outlining the elements of performance, muscle mass, leanness, programming using the bodybuilder model
(23:45) Strength and powerlifters: one-rep max, programming using the powerlifter model, deadlift, bench, squat, minimal range of motion
(24:36) Power and speed: explosive velocity and olympic lifters, track and field sprinters, your reps, sets, and exercise selection depends on what elements of performance you want to target, all elements are connected, choosing the most bang for your buck based on goal event
(27:16) Muscle endurance: should not be trained in the weight room, examples for a 100k versus a VK, know your strength training focus
(29:17) Koop on the elements of performance: Ronnie Coleman versus Meb Keflezighi example, differences in goals and programming requirements
(30:15) Setup for performance goals: Sarah’s strength programming for Koop’s elite athletes
(32:01) Programming for performance goals: experience in the gym, addressing weaknesses in strength and power, utilizing gym time while running volume is low, heavier lifts early in the season
(34:52) Exercise selection for strength and power: best done in person, work with a coach 1-on-1, squats, deadlifts, rows, lunges, not going to failure, sets of 5x5 or 4x6, rest of 90-180+ seconds, supersets, 45-60 minutes spent in the gym
(38:00) Recap of strength training for performance: the early season, frequency of 2-3 days per week, balancing adaptation with running and rest
(40:26) Types of workout sessions: full body splits for runners, balance for busy athletes who might miss workouts, one day per week is a maintenance dose
(41:59) Scheduling your week: strength training is not rest, hard days hard, easy days easy, stacking strength workouts with high-intensity runs, the most important focus comes first, protect what matters the most
(45:08) Logistical considerations: start with an ideal framework and compensate accordingly for non-ideal circumstances, examples, benefits of working with a coach and individualization
(46:59) The midseason: running starts to take more priority, example, strength training 2 days/week, programming trends, 6-12 reps, 3-4 sets, transitioning to different exercises
(50:34) Speed cues and tempo: time under tension, eccentric loading, bulgarian split squat example, 3-2-1 eccentric-pause-concentric, recap of transitioning from the early season to midseason
(52:54) Nicole on exercise selection: squat, hinge, push, and pull movements, moving in all three planes, bilateral and unilateral movements, examples, variation within movement patterns
(56:39) Weight in early versus midseason: decreasing weight for higher reps, considering strength gains, one rep max tests and parallels to functional threshold tests
(57:59) Setup for the last 8 weeks pre-race: decreasing strength training to accommodate a greater focus on running, decreasing to 1 day/week, reducing sets and weight
(1:00:39) Maintenance versus gains: being as fit as possible for your goal event, flexibility in programing so long as strength training volume decreases
(1:03:11) Athletes who don’t want to lift before races: athlete concerns, detraining considerations, analogy to stopping running 8 weeks before your race
(1:05:55) Detraining strength: reduced opportunity to strength train pre-race, maintenance of 1 day/week is worth it to avoid starting over
(1:09:00) Recap of pre-race strength training: a minimal dose prevents detraining, make sure in the winter that you are willing to maintain strength in the summer
(1:11:22) Health benefits of strength training: value for women, especially perimenopausal and postmenopausal women, it is worth strength training year-round, translating health goals to training
(1:13:50) Recap of end-season strength training: frequency of 1-2 days/week, set range of 8-15, intensity of 65-75%, 2-3 sets
(1:15:07) Strength training for injury: setup, challenges and individual consideration, scope of practice, PT, identifying injuries
(1:17:42) Setting up a strength program for injury: exercises that target specific imbalances, examples, using variations of typically prescribed movement patterns to target imbalances
(1:19:34) Resources for determining exercise selection: for treatment seek PT, work with a professional, don’t try to be your own doctor
(1:21:14) General exercises for running: consider the demands of trail and ultra, strengthening relevant muscles, the challenge of addressing this on a podcast, resources in the show notes
(1:22:52) Nicole on injury: casting a wide net, your body is a kinetic chain, examples of identifying and addressing weaknesses in the kinetic chain, alternating mobile and stable joints
(1:26:07) Addressing strength weaknesses: giving athletes broad tools, picking on narrowly defined over prescribed exercises and pet peeves
(1:27:32) Gym literacy: resources for athletes, form checks, in person practitioners are best, Trainerize and PT Distinction, vet your influencers, find people who have credentials, work with athletes, and are not just pushing products
(1:30:42) Nicole on resources for athletes: sending videos to your coach, Karl Eagleman and Whiteboard_daily on Instagram
(1:32:43) Nicole on what athletes should stop doing: crossfit, banter, googling “strength training for runners”, search engines prioritize popularity over accuracy, make sure your program is individualized to your goals and will help you progress
(1:35:10) Sarah on what athletes should stop doing: one exercise will not solve all your problems, don’t be afraid to lift heavy, seek out the people who will help you, take the time to learn it properly
(1:35:58) Koop on what athletes should stop doing: working muscular endurance in the weight room, work endurance outside while running, work strength in the weight room, strength sessions are not cardio sessions
(1:37:47) Wrap-up: follow Sarah on Instagram, giving thanks
(1:39:02) Outro: featuring CTS coaches on the KoopCast, bringing in a professional to help with your training, click the link in the show notes or message Koop to be paired with a CTS coach
Additional resources:
Successful Physical Therapy for Ultrarunners with Nat Collins DPT CSCS | Koopcast Episode 101
The American Academy of Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapists
SUBSCRIBE to Research Essentials for Ultrarunning
Buy Training Essentials for Ultrarunning on Amazon or Audible
Information on coaching-
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