ARTICLES, TIPS, TRAINING & GENERAL ADVICE

Non-Weight Bearing Strength For Your Legs?

by Brad Hefta-Gaub, December 30, 2007

As an injured athlete, I want to know when can I return to training? I want to get stronger, so that I can begin training for my next Ironman. I have been fitted for orthodics to wear with my running shoes. I’ve been trying to do what I can to maintain some level of fitness.

I’ve stayed active using a combination of non-weight bearing exercises. But I too am looking for solutions to add lower body strength training back to my routine.

As a triathlete, the good news is that swimming and cycling are great alternatives for keeping my fitness level high. So, I’ve been focusing my efforts on those disciplines. I’ve also been doing some upper body strength training, which is good for overall fitness as well as helping me be a stronger swimmer. Of course it would be great to also do some lower body strength training. Stronger legs mean faster cycle times and better run endurance. But with a stress fracture you really need to avoid “weight bearing” activity… so that pretty much eliminates standard lower body strength training (like squats, lunges, etc.)

One suggestion that I’ve heard is to do “deep water running“. As the name implies, the basic idea is to run in the water that is deep enough to place resistance against your entire body. Some technique tips include:
Try to simulate your normal running style.
Don’t ‘paddle’- Keep a loosely closed fist and let your legs move you forward.
Try to let the bottoms of your feet kick the water behind you.
Take short, quick strides. A fast cadence intensifies the workout.
Expect a lower stride cadence. Remember water is more resistant than air and your pace will decrease accordingly.
Certainly this is a good substitute for running. And about a 10 days after my stress fracture I tried to do some water running. At the time, my heel was still too tender, and even running in the water was painful, so I just opted to swim laps. But I imagine now that I can walk comfortably, I will try it again.

Another idea is to do isometric “resistance band” training. For those of you not familiar with isometric training, according Dr. Larry Van Such it is: “The sustained contraction of a muscle over a certain period of time where the length of the muscle remains unchanged.” It is essentially the idea of contracting a muscle and holding that contraction in a single place for an extended period of time. Imaging curling a 20lb dumbbell and stopping halfway through the motion and holding it there for 10 seconds.

The book “Run Faster With Isometric Training” by Larry Van Such details how to use large rubber “resistance bands” specific to this technique to increase fast twitch muscle strength. These techniques allow you to increase the performance of your fast twitch muscles, responsible for “explosive” strength. By using bands and isometric training you can strengthen your legs muscles without actually lifting weights or bearing weight on your injured feet or legs.

Sources:
Run Faster: Resistance Band Exercises Athletic Quickness

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