Running - Intervals to Increase Stamina
Photo by Doug McMinimy
Cross - training : notes from a veteran dancer
and beginning runner
As Zuri always says when we discuss cross-training for our students - “Do it like a dancer.” Everything you do as a dancer in fitness (class and fitness are the same - physical forms based on the principals of science and physics for some different goals and some similar goals) should adhere to our normal priorities in class:
AWARENESS - is key before everything else
FORM - is paramount to staying in control and uninjured
CONTROL - is attained through repetition of form and experience and builds awareness
PROGRESS - Should be systematized and measurable
PACING - Makes progress accomplishable in an efficient way and is particular to your body
MUSIC - Is key to making this fun
There are several different kinds of running. Your goals should dictate which kinds you choose. I am not an expert so I will direct you to several websites I found to be useful and tell you about my experience in interval running below the addresses
GENERAL INFORMATION - Various bloggers with different backgrounds, credentials, and certifications
GOOD FORM - Various bloggers with different backgrounds, credentials, and certifications
STRIDE - Various bloggers with different backgrounds, credentials, and certifications
Miss emily’s program
INTERVALS - I do not run for distance. I run to increase my cardio resilience, endurance, and stamina. This is the program I follow 3 - 5 times a week (definitely in the two - three months leading up to performance) with additional conditioning, free-weights, and stretching afterward.
STEP 1 - Read all the steps before you start. Find a safe hill. A gradual one. With pavement and very minimal traffic if any. One that will take 1:45 - 2:15 minutes to climb at a moderate walking pace. If you have access to Leucadia, the hills that go from the 101 to Neptune from Leucadia Blvd. headed North are ideal. And also beautiful. They vary in length at the top too so you can push your sprinting distance at as you go. Start small. Go with a friend. Work gradually.
STEP 2 - Wear gear that is not going to fall off, move around, or annoy you. Waste bands should be tight, appropriate undergarments, shoes should be double knotted and tight on the heel so the don’t cause blisters, water bottles and wallets in your car or house. You definitely need good running shoes. Brooks Running makes affordable ones and has a great sale section. Make sure you have a zip off pocket for your keys and phone if you’re bringing them. Pick headphones that are not going to fall out.
STEP 3 - Warm up. Do 20 jumping jacks, stretch a little, jog in place, get the blood flowing for 5 - 10 minutes first. Proceed to tips section and then return to step 4.
STEP 4 - “Hey Bobby, RUN IT.” This will take you 20 - 35 minutes to do 4 rounds depending on your pace. Let’s imagine we’re on that hill in Leucadia and going in that circle. Start on an adjacent street that is flat:
— Flat - Walking for 1 minute (this will be your rest don’t push your pace)
/ Up - Incline brisk walk or jog for 2 minutes (moderate elevation of heart rate)
— Straight - Sprinting for 1 - 2 minutes (High intensity for heart rate)
\ Down - Light jog down for 1 - 2 minutes (Heart rate descends but stays elevated)
STEP 5 - Measure. I measure by feeling. I know when I’m running faster with more control by my breathing and how spicy my brain gets on rounds 2, 3, and 4. There are lots of digital tool to measure your steps, distance, and time you’re taking. As you go, move toward spending more time sprinting flat and the same time recovering. For instance
Pushing toward sprinting 2 blocks instead of one (turn around after sprinting one block so you’re not going extra distance on your walks).
Increasing your pace on each leg of your hill. You can tell if you set your run to the same music where you are.
STEP 6 - Recovery. Walk for 3 - 10 minutes after your intervals. Give your heart a chance to find normal pace again while you’re still moving. Drink a whole water bottle. Eat well before 2 - 3 hours (a small meal with equal fist-sized parts lean proteins, non-white flour carbs, and cooked or uncooked veg). Eat well after 30 minutes - 1 hours (a small meal with equal fist-sized parts lean proteins, non-white flour carbs, and cooked or uncooked veg). If you’re interested in learning about nutrition especially for dancers - Contact Anna Hunter, registered dietician and PAW alum. She can create a plan for your needs, your body, and your schedule. Sleep. Get at least 8 hours of sleep (or what feels good to your body to be rested).
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TIPS
DON’T blow it all in the first half… When I first started running at the gym in 2011 in New York, I did not last. I could make it through two or maybe three of the intervals without absolutely dying at the end and I still had 1 - 2 to go. I didn’t understand why… I was a dancer, I could handle running right? 20 - 25 minutes of cardio seemed to me like it should have been nothing! Let me tell you… The first time you do anything new is always hard AND not knowing what to expect, how hard to push, what proper form was killed me. I hadn’t done enough reps to know my body and I didn’t ask someone who had done it before. So - from me to you - while some dying is healthy (if it adheres to the principals above) you do want to chill it out in the first two rounds. They will ultimately always, if you’re like me, be your most uncomfortable rounds. Especially number 2. And on your first couple tries, don’t be afraid to not make it all the way. Walk the intervals if that’s where you’re at. It’s ok. Work up to it. Do what’s good for your body.
Every dancer knows that MUSIC IS EVERYTHING. Make yourself a playlist of songs that not only give you that LET’S GO DO SOMETHING feeling, but also match the pace in the downbeat that your body like to run at. Here is a link to spotify to a playlist of songs I use to run to. Yes they are all the clean versions. Pro-tip - there’s a great app called Anytune. You can set it to modify the tempo of any song you import and export it to your playlist. It’s compatible with iTunes (not sure about apply music). Choose a good set of music that only modulates pace a little and works for fast walking and sprints. Keep your brain in the track to keep your body knowing what to expect.
BREATHE but before you run. Start by taking 5 - 10 minutes to open up your lungs. Take breaths that are 5 slow counts long in and out focusing on opening up the back and sides of your rib cage as well as letting your diaphragm release all the way. Dancers often hold their diaphragms tightly without thinking about it. Breathe all the way out.
DON’T over stretch first. Just like in auditions - the flexiest girls who are pushing their splits and they legs over their heads in that half hour before auditions lose their hamstring strength and coordination when it actually starts. Keep your control. You for SURE need both of these to run… Do some intercostal stretching instead. Stretch your spine (forward not too much backward. Stretch your diaphragm. Wait until your body is ready to move. I’ve found that circling my joints for any length of time is actually way better for freeing up my muscles than any prolonged stretching.
RUN early. I’ve found the morning is the best time to spike my heart rate. You may be tired in the evening after work or school and your body will probably be just as tired. Morning running is hard, but I’ve found it the most useful. Plus it’s GREAT to run before class. Then you’ve already reached cardio capacity, pushed it a little, and you can work on control, proprioception, and fine tuning.
ACCOUNTABILITY. Nothing has been more useful to me at this moment than having a dear friend with whom I can share:
1) A mutual distaste for the difficulty of running intervals (just because you don’t like it, doesn’t mean it’s not good for you ;))
2) A mutual enjoyment of doing something really good for ourselves
3) Great socially distanced conversation
4) The experience of doing something hard that is great for us together
5) Learning about ourselves and each other
Find a fitness buddy. Do virtual workouts together. Take on running intervals together. Keep an achievable goal oriented plan somewhere visible you can see it and check in with each other everyday. This doesn’t mean the plan can’t change, it just means you’re checking in. School program dancers guess what - your family members are probably great candidates to run with. Especially your parents.
Send us your questions if you have them!! Happy running!!
Or at least happy training.
<3 Em