Summer Sessions

[Cymro]

Does anyone have a particular summer training regime which they try to use ? As the season draws to a close I'm filled with good intentions to spend the "off season" preparing for a much busier 2008/09.

 

[beckett50]

The key thing is to 'down train' for a while to allow your body a chance to recover and any damaged muscles the chance to repair.

Then slowly build back up the intensity of both core stability, speed and stamina routines so that come the start of the season you are raring to go.

Either get a PT at your local gym or talk to your local athletic club for guidance.

 

[Toby Warren]

Bring out the cycle. I enter a number of charity long distance rides 60 miles + and this keeps me active till about July.

Following that normally do pre season with my local club.

seems to work ok and good chance to get players views etc etc

 

[Pablo]

I intend to have surgery on my back :Nerv: , and then resume training as much as I am able. I go into hospital on May 19th. Fingers crossed!

 

[Emmet Murphy]

Good luck there Pablo - hope it all goes well

 

[Pablo]

Thanks, Emmet! Hopefully I'll be up, running around and match fit in time for the summer 7s tourneys - at least, that's my goal...

 

[dave_clark]

wonders of private insurance i hope?

 

[beckett50]

Best of luck mate, and for your future health's sake I hope it is private

 

[Simon Griffiths]

Good luck with the op!

As for my summer training this year... Plymouth-Lisbon sailing trip, some hiking, a little bit of cricket and lots of BBQs. :bday:

 

[AlanT]

beckett50 suggests:

The key thing is to 'down train' for a while to allow your body a chance to recover and any damaged muscles the chance to repair.

I like the concept for those who train intensively during the season - but this doesn't apply to most of the refs I've seen/met!!!

For these I'd recomend Apr/May work on stamina, Jun/Jul work on general fitness and endurance, Aug work on general fitness and speed.

Lizban said:

Bring out the cycle. I enter a number of charity long distance rides 60 miles + and this keeps me active till about July.

I like the idea of bikes - just one word of warning ... I did London-Brighton last year and did about 8 weeks fairly serious training and what I found was that the many hiills I did in training and on the day had the effect of shortening my running stride significantly afterwards - I reckon it was over two months before I felt I was running properly again and even longer for my hamstrings to get loose. I overdid it (which is the word of warning) - too many hills in too big a gear.

 

[Greg Collins]

Alan

any chance you could suggest a cycling/running/cross training combination summer training schedule for a jaded 47 year old who ran out of steam in late March this season?

 

[Pablo]

Yes, it's private, and not costing me a bean I love my benefits package!

Thanks to all for the good wishes.

 

[beckett50]

I did London-Brighton last year and did about 8 weeks fairly serious training and what I found was that the many hiills I did in training and on the day had the effect of shortening my running stride significantly afterwards - I reckon it was over two months before I felt I was running properly again and even longer for my hamstrings to get loose. I overdid it (which is the word of warning) - too many hills in too big a gear.

Just think of the beneficial effect it had on your leg speed though. Running quickly is nit just about stride length. Try cadence running instead (a la Michael Johnson, Jason Robinson, et al)

 

[AlanT]

Just think of the beneficial effect it had on your leg speed though. Running quickly is nit just about stride length. Try cadence running instead

My running cadence is quicker than my cycling cadence, so it had the opposite effect for me!

 

[Phil E]

Alan

any chance you could suggest a cycling/running/cross training combination summer training schedule for a jaded 47 year old who ran out of steam in late March this season?

As a fellow 47 year old I was thinking of just having a nice lie down for a few months :swet:

Just remembered, before that can happen I have a Colts game and three teenager filled tournaments to do :Nerv:

 

[Greg Collins]

My running cadence is quicker than my cycling cadence, so it had the opposite effect for me!

100 rpm is normal cruising cadence for an experienced cyclist - slower than this and you are, most likely, pulling too high a gear. Very common habit amongst inexperienced or occassional use leisure cyclists. Grinding along at 60 rpm ain't too good for the knees either!

 

[rodeneal]

I find playing touch over the summer months a good way to work you fitness. I find the 3 or 4 pints after not a good way to work on your fitness:biggrin:

 

[Wert Twacky]

As a wrong side of 30-something referee who trains twice a week in the season and refs most Saturdays, I tend to slow things up on the training front in May and do little during June, apart from a weekly game of cricket!

Come July, I start with a weekly jog of around three miles, cricket and touch rugby, and then build in a weights session.

In August I concetrate on sprint work and the three-mile run is replaced with a fartlek session, and a weights session.

Build into that a few pre-season friendlies, and it seems to do right by me.

Someone mentioned core strength work and this was introduced to me last summer down the gym. It's proved very invaluable and as such I think helped eliminate any potential niggling injuries.