Get up to speed with the latest training
tricks from Kristoph Thompson
Three ways to…
Run faster
Lighter kit
Wearing lightweight trainers has been shown
to increase performance by up to two per cent. This may not sound like a lot,
but it can equate to up to 30 seconds over a 5K race, more than enough to smash
your PB!
Downhill running
Your stride frequency (the number of steps
you take per minute) is one of they key factors that’s used to determine your
running speed. Running downhill causes you to run slightly faster, and gets
your legs used to moving at a quicker pace.
Interval training
Alternating between running at faster
speeds and jogging will help to increase your pace. Try running 200m-800m
intervals faster than your regular pace, then jog for up to half the distance
as recovery before repeating. Do this three or four times.
Fit facts
Class act
According to research from Gold’s Gym,
people who like to exercise in a groiup visit the gym nearly twice as often as
those who exercise alone. People who take classes visit the gym three times a
week, on average, whereas those who exercise on their own visit an average of
just 1.7 times.
Good timing
Wondering how to time your meals before
exercise? Leaving around two hours after a meal and half an hour after a snack
will allow food to digest and energy stores to replenish.
Myth:
‘Training your abs every day is the best way to a toned tum’
Fact: Your
abs are a muscle like any other and need time to recover; stick to three ab workouts
a week for the best results.
Star training tip
You don’t need to spend hours plodding
through your training. Make your training short, sharp and intensive and you’ll
see the benefits much sooner. An explosive 30-40 minutes of exercise is much
more effective than a 90-minute “average” workout.’ – GB hockey captain Kate
Walsh, sponsored by Investec, specialist bank and asset management company (www.investec.co.uk)
