Strength Training for Ultrarunners with Sarah Scozzaro and Nicole Rasmussen | Koopcast Episode 142
Episode overview:
Coaches Sarah Scozzaro and Nicole Rasmussen discuss why and how to start an off season strength training program with practical examples.
Episode highlights:
(13:55) Workload bandwidth: train your strengths closer to your race and your weaknesses further away
(49:32) Maintaining strength: cost-benefits, sleep, recovery, benefits of 5-10 minutes in the gym
(57:52) Health benefits: lifestyle, bone density, strength for aging athletes, benefits for women
Our conversation:
(0:00) Intro: strength training during the transition phase of your season
(1:52) Banter: Jason needs to start doing deadlifts
(5:10) Setting up strength training: the transition season, ideal timing for working with athletes
(7:02) Taking advantage of the transition season: Sarah on base building, evaluating weaknesses from last season
(8:37) Taking advantage of the transition season: Nicole on different athlete approaches, planning ahead
(12:51) Seasonal opportunity: approaching strength training as stress decreases
(13:55) Workload bandwidth: train your strengths closer to your race and your weaknesses further away
(16:42) How to start strength training: running comes first, strength training and running volume are inversely proportional
(20:03) Have a plan: timeframe, gym literacy
(21:25) 8 rep max, getting comfortable with movements
(23:10) The right gym setup: investing in weights, you need more than time under tension
(26:04) Equipment: dumbbells, bands, creativity, exercises
(29:30) Sarah’s pitfalls to avoid: too much intensity, invest in appropriate form
(33:37) Nicole’s pitfalls to avoid: plan to progress, body weight exercises, too much volume, have goals
(37:19) Minimum effective dosage: 30 minutes a week is plenty, strength to support running
(40:50) Balancing strength and running: priorities, breaking up the season
(44:58) Strength throughout the season: adjusting frequency and volume, exercise placement
(47:20) Volume currencies: running versus strength training, low reps at high weight
(49:32) Maintaining strength: cost-benefits, sleep, recovery, benefits of 5-10 minutes in the gym
(53:00) Strength training adaptations: rapid gains and losses, maintenance, examples
(57:52) Health benefits: lifestyle, bone density, strength for aging athletes, benefits for women
(1:02:25) Health and performance: you can have both, longevity in sport
(1:04:00) Banter: progress on Jason’s deadlift, realistic advice
(1:05:47) When to start: the transition season, any age
(1:06:39) Wrap-up: Sarah’s research, where to find help with strength training
(1:07:31) Outro: key takeaways, podcast updates with Stephanie Howe and AJW
Additional resources:
Sarah’s article on home setups
Previous podcasts with Sarah and Nicole
Buy Koop’s new book on Amazon or Audible
Information on coaching-
Koop’s Social Media
Twitter/Instagram- @jasonkoop