Martin Rush & Dave Rowland EAA conference 2012

www.englandathletics.org/east www.englandathletics.org

Race Walking

Martin Rush

National Coach Mentor

England Athletics,

Endurance

Dave Rowland

National Coach Mentor

England Athletics,

Sports Science Support


Race Walking

Aim

-Provide a template for review and analysis of

walk technique

-Lead from this into anatomical framework and

strength and conditioning prescription


Race Walking

Plan

-Video comparison from coach perspective of

walk action

-Summarising issues raised by analysis

-Breakdown of muscular skeletal issues

-Creating technical change



Stride point:

Toe off


Stride point:

Point of

maximum

heel height

on recovery


Stride point:

Mid-stance,

Note heel

height/knee

angle


Stride point:

Full stride


Summary

-Similar flight times we have only one athlete attracting judging attention

-Height of recovering heel

-Angle of recovering shin with ground

-Height of foot above ground at mid-stance

-Drive upwards rather than forwards

-Potential causes

-Motor recruitment – skill learning

-Injury issues

-Physical conditioning issues

-Mobility issues


Physical conditioning – what’s happening

-Greater lordosis

-Less ability to switch on hip flexors rapidly and generate power

-Leads to greater need to actively recover leg with hamstrings

-Leads to higher heel recovery

-Less hip rotation

-Greater need to get extension through back for stride length

-Less activation of SSR in hip flexors can result in a ‘cheat’ of using

hamstrings to shorten lever and aid recovery

-Reduces adductor contribution to recovery

-Greater hip drop

-Low recruitment of hip stabilisers

-Greater compensation of arm action across body

-Reduced ability to produce force off a ‘loose’ structure


Muscle Function

No muscles ‘push’

‘Push’ created by levers and ‘pulling’

Fix one end/stability to pull and thus ‘push’

Stable pelvis essential

– Force production

• Muscular contraction

• Stretch Reflex

– Efficiency (minimal leakage)


Trunk Stability

Pelvis central to force management

– Connects lower limbs to upper body

– 30+ muscles

Pelvic instability affects force production and

control

Failure to stabilise produces compensations

elsewhere




Importance of trunk stability

Mechanical base for motion of the distal segments

Many extremity prime movers attach to the core

Deep muscles are active before initiation of extremity movement.

“Proximal stability for distal mobility”


Conditioning

Movement Competence

Movement Quality

Train movements rather than muscles

– relationships

Control, ROM, Repetition, Load

Double Leg vs Single Leg (load)

Isolate, Static, Dynamic, Integrate


Conditioning Develop physical qualities

– Strength, speed, power, strength endurance

Bring these together in the ‘event’

But develop outside of the ‘event’

Exercises unlikely to match the event

movement


Adaptation Strength Endurance Stability

Name High Force

Strength

Strength

Endurance

Activation, core

stability, control

Intensity of

movement

>80% RM 60-80% <30% RM, skill

focus

RPE Hard to maximal Hard to maximal Moderate

Volume 3-6 sets, 1-6 reps,

5-8 s isometric

3-5 sets, 5-10 reps

30-60s isometric

3-5 sets, 10 + reps,

30-60s Isometric

Frequency 1-3/week 2-3/week >3/week - daily

Fatigue Not needed Necessary Necessary

Muscle adaptation Fast twitch

hypertrophy

Whole muscle Slow twitch

hypertrophy,

increase length

Functional

Adaptation

Increased force

capabilities

Increased strength

endurance

Improved

functional

movement


Conditioning Interventions

Trunk

Hip Mobility

Lateral Stability

Hip Strength

Hamstring Strength

Adductor strength


Intervention Options

Trunk 5 exercises

– Reverse crunch , heel lifts, Front Plank,

Aleknas, Loaded Plank

Hip Mobility

– BW Squat, SL Squat, Overhead Squat, Lateral

Squat, Split Squat, Duck walks

Lateral Stability

– Clams, Leg Lifts, SL Squats, Band Side walks,

Fire Hydrants (Stdg), Hop & Fix


Intervention Options

Hip Strength

– Squats, Olympic Deadlifts, Romanian Deadlifts,

Bulgarian Squats, Step Ups, Split Bounds

Hamstring Strength

– Hip bridges, RDL, Elevated Split Squat, SL

RDL, FB Hip Lifts, Split RDLs

Adductor Strength

– Band Cross overs, Sumo Squats, Lateral

Squats


Circuit

Glute

Medius

Hip

Mobility

SL

Adductor

Hamstring

Hip

Mobility

DL

Hip

Mobility

SL

Glute

Medius

Hamstring

3 sets 10-15 reps


Dynamic, Integrated, Loaded


Scheduling

Circuits ‘mixed

‘Series’

Strength Session

– 1-2 x /week (phase)

Before Training

After Training

Within Training


Skill:Conditioning Links

Strong Heel; Rolling Foot

Strong Hip; Active pull

Flat Hips

‘Fix’ Stomach; pull on rope


And here’s one we did earlier

Documents

Martin Rush & Dave Rowland EAA conference 2012