🌱 The Power in Off-Feet Conditioning

QUOTE OF THE DAY 🌱

THE POWER IN OFF-FEET CONDITIONING

595 words | 2 min 10 sec read

Did you know that you can improve your running fitness without running every session?

Off-feet conditioning is aerobic training that does not involve repeated contact with the ground.

Running demands a lot from the tissues, muscles and structures around the hip, knee and ankle…

For example, the soleus (deep calf muscle) experiences up to 8x bodyweight every time your foot hits the floor.

Thus, running has the potential to be injurious if managed poorly…

This is where off-feet conditioning can be useful…

Off-feet conditioning serves as a complementary tool to running.

It should not replace running (unless dealing with injury / rehabilitation). 

It may not develop running fitness as effectively as getting out there and putting the miles in on the road…

But off-feet conditioning still develops the underlying central physiological processes needed for strong aerobic performance

• Bigger Heart 

• Stronger Heart

• Increase Blood Volume

This allows the body to deliver more vital oxygen and nutrients to the working tissues.

These adaptations also enable quicker recovery during sport and high intensity exercise like resistance training.

I prefer to do my off-feet conditioning on a bike, but it can also be done on a rowing machine or ski-erg.

TRAINING EXAMPLES

1. Low intensity steady state - 30-45 min cycle

2. Long Intervals - 4 mins work : 3 mins rest

3. Short Intervals - 2 mins work : 1 min rest

4. Short High Intensity Intervals - 30s work : 30s rest

Intensity continues to progress from these examples…

As intensity increases, the volume (amount of work) decreases…

This concept comes from the interference effect - that endurance training signalling stunts muscle growth.

Simply, No.

A story for you; back when I played football 5 times a week I used to think that all of the aerobic and sport specific training was preventing me from building muscle…

In reality I just wasn’t eating enough food.

So if you run and want to continue to build muscle…

it could be a case of needing to fuel better…

However, If you train cardio and lift in the same session…

The run before weights will more than likely have a fatiguing effect…

which will hinder your weight training performance (volume and intensity).

To truly maximise both aerobic and muscular adaptations to training, ensure there is a few hours gap between sessions or complete each session on a different day.

But if time is limited, complete the one which is of greater importance first.

Check out this short review for more on the interference effect

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TODAY’S TRAINING TAKEAWAY 🏋️

Running will always be the gold standard for developing aerobic performance in running…

…but I like to sprinkle in some off-feet work to keep moving the performance needle forwards whilst keeping my legs fresh.

The what & how of off-feet conditioning depends on a variety of factors:

• Goals

• Aerobic demands of your sport

• Running / Training frequency

• Training / Injury History

When you start with us at Organic Strength we undertake a needs analysis in your Action Call to fully understand you, your goals and aspirations…

This enables us to get you started on one of our three goal-specific training programmes…

…whilst providing you with an individualised approach to your athletic development. 

If you want a quick 15-minute chat to discuss how you can reach your potential this year then click here and we will be in touch

Speak soon

Got any questions or thoughts about this edition? If so, send us an email to [email protected]