Strength First? Or Cardio First?

I received a question yesterday on the Redline Facebook page, asking me the following:

When doing aerobic training and weight training how do you recommend splitting them up? One in the morning / one in the evening? Aerobic one day, weight the other? Both at the same time? Would your answer change based on what I want as an end result? I currently do a fast 5-6 mile run (6-6:30 minute miles) Then I go directly into my weight training. I typically lift and do all my exercising in about 45 minutes. I then stretch and call it an evening. Would you recommend something different?

Many people have this question, it's really quite common. They want to make sure that what they're doing is right and that they're not screwing anything up. 

Here's how I answered:

"The answer does depend on your goal, as well as the amount of time you have available to train. You can also factor in what you like to do too. If someone has more of a strength focus, then that should take priority and be done first. If cardio is important to you, then perform cardio training first.

If it doesn't matter, then it comes down to personal preference and time availability.

I should note, the intensity of the training can also play a factor. So if you do a hard run first then go straight into weight training, you may not lift as heavy as you'd like. But that matters if getting stronger is the goal.

The flipside is true too. If you go hard and heavy with the weights, then don't expect performance to be optimal if you run right after. Although I find heavy lifting affects run performance more than a hard run affecting heavy lifting. But that comes from personal experience."

In short, it depends.

 

Training for the POPAT: Part 1 Cardio Conditioning

This post has been moved to its current home at www.rlconditioning.ca

You can find it here: http://rlconditioning.ca/blog/59834/Training-for-the-POPAT-Part-1-Cardio-Conditioning

Do I Need to Run for the PARE or POPAT?

                Maybe it’s my bias to running, but my answer to that is a resounding YES! Whether it’s the PARE, POPAT, COPAT, or SOPAT, I believe it’s very important to include a healthy dose of running into your training program, especially for the PARE and POPAT. Like I said, I do have some bias to running as I consider myself a runner, but if you’re serious about becoming a police officer, realize that you’re going to be starting out on the streets and walking the beat, and you’ll more than likely encounter enough foot chases. You’ll also be doing plenty of running during your training, so it would be good to get a start now if you haven’t done so.

                How much running should you do to prepare for your test? If you’ve never run before, find a good coach to teach you how. As simple as it looks, it’s more than just getting one foot in front of the other. Without good technique, the chance of injury increases. It may not be right away, but over time it will develop. If you’re already running, find a good coach. Even if you already know how to run, it’s still a good idea to consult with one from time to time.

                When you’re starting off, don’t worry about getting a lot of volume in. Three to four times a week, anywhere from 20-40 min is a good start. If you have to break it down to run/walk, so be it, you can build yourself up to a continuous run. Don’t worry too much about how fast you run either. Find a good rhythm that you can maintain and stick with that. As your aerobic capacity increases, your speed will naturally increase.

                You can include interval and/or hill training into the mix as well to provide some variety to running. Intervals is a bit of a catch all term; you can adjust the intensity to be  high or low, the interval can be long or short, time based or distance based, and the rest can be manipulated. You can be creative with intervals. Hill training can also be time or distance based, steep or slight, and varying rest times.

                If you want more bang for your buck, then perform high intensity intervals or hills with short rest periods. But do realize that this type of training can lead to burnout quicker and greater chance of injury if done too much and too soon. Understand your current fitness level and how much time you have to get ready for your test. Obviously the more time you have the better, but just be careful you don’t jump out of the gates and do something your body wasn’t prepared for.

                Need some help with training? Shoot me an email at redline.conditioning@gmail.com.

Training for the RCMP PARE Test: Cardio Training

This post has been moved and updated to its current home at www.rlconditioning.ca

You can find it here: https://rlconditioning.ca/training-for-the-pare-test-part-1-cardio-training/