You can run a marathon.  If you have a desire to finish a marathon, Body Mechanics has the complete staff of professionals and the services to get you to the finish line healthy and happy with your success.  There are many internet based programs to guide you along your journey to finish a marathon.  Free training programs, on-line coaching and interactive chat rooms to name a few.  While each of these programs has merit, what is missing is lack of the human touch. The Body Mechanics advantage is a dedicated staff committed to working with you individually, in-person! 

Having a great training plan isn’t good enough for most adults embarking on training for a marathon.  Inevitably problems arise.  Our lives are busy enough without factoring in the hours it takes to train for an endurance event. Our staff is comprised of accomplished endurance athletes that have combined education and practical experience with cutting edge training principles to help numerous clients achieve specified endurance goals.

Our experience suggests the following essential:

1. Support-Having the support of your family/friends is critical when you embark on the journey of training for an endurance event.  It is critical to have a clear strategy that allows for the increased demands of training while maintaining busy work schedules and other domestic responsibilities. Our experience yield creative solutions.

2. Sound Training Program - Assuming you have solidified the support, the key to success is optimizing your workouts.  Every workout must be planned and move you systematically toward your end goal.  All good programs will increase volume and intensity in a manner that … Unfortunately life can get in the way of a canned program.  Our staff can provide “coaching” that is specific to your life and adjustable to its curveballs. Not only, will we customize your training regimen based on the timeline to your event but we make alterations along the way as issues arise.

3. Optimal training -A generic training plan put together with weekly mileage progressions is not good enough.  In order for any workout to be beneficial your must also be attentive to your intensity. While heart rate monitors have become “standard” equipment for most endurance athletes, the monitor is only effective if you know what heart rate you should be training at!  Knowing your exact training zones will maximize the results you get from using a heart rate monitor.

There are many methods and formulas to determine heart rate training zones.  Ideally, training intensities are based on actual maximum heart rate/vo2 as well as actual anaerobic thresholds heart rate/vo2.  Unfortunately most programs use an estimate of maximum heart rate and a gross assumption that your anaerobic threshold is 80% of maximum numbers. Using the “220-age” formula  for determining maximum heart rate can work for some but regrettably it can be so far off it shouldn’t be used at all. Likewise assuming someone crosses their lactate threshold at 80% of their maximum numbers can lead to faulty heart rate training protocols. 

Our method for determining training zones utilizes percentages of an individuals actual lactate threshold determined by direct measurement of blood lactate and/or state of the art gas analysis equipment.  This method allows us to tailor an athletes training zones precisely.

4. Good Form- Good running mechanics and efficiency are critical when training for any endurance activity.  The repetitive stress of training with poor running mechanics can wreak havoc with your body.  Body Mechanics has the ability to see problems with your gait and introduce corrective measures to avoid injury.   If injuries do occurring during training our staff of Physical Therapist are un-paralled at addressing those issues.

Services:

• Lactate Threshold/Maximum VO2 testing
• Coaching
• Strength and conditioning for the endurance athlete
• Gait analysis
• Nutrition counseling
• Custom orthotics

Our staff of Personal Trainers, Athletic Trainers and Physical Therapists are dedicated to getting you race ready!

Heart Rate Zone Characteristics

There 5 heart rate zones that we commonly use when designing endurance training programs. These heart rate zones correspond to your individual anaerobic threshold and VO2 capacity that has been tested. These five zones run the gamut from low intensity distance training to high intensity sprinting. The amount of time you train in these zones is determined by your individual fitness status, phase or period of your training plan, and the type of event you will be competing in. These zones allow you to closely monitor or workouts and get the greatest training effect. A well conceived training plan and consistent performance of workouts in the appropriate zone allow the athlete to achieve greater fitness, maximize your valuable time, minimize inefficient training, and reduce the chances of over training and injury. Below are the five zones we use.

Zone 1
All Long distance workouts are done at Level 1. This level of intensity may seem very easy, almost too easy. However this level is essential for building your aerobic energy system and improving base to improve your aerobic threshold. The duration of time in this zone may be quite long, so the overall physical stress on the body may be quite high. Physical changes that occur at Level 1 are improved aerobic energy sources and pathways, increased capillary density in the muscle, increased mitochondria (cellular powerhouse) proliferation, mental toughness, efficiency of exercise, and improved fat metabolism as an energy source. Strength and flexibility training is also done in this zone. Up to 80% of your total training time may be spent in this zone. Long distance workouts are 1.5 hours to 4 hours long.

Zone 2
Endurance, strength training, and lighter speed workouts are frequently done at level 2. This level of intensity is slightly more difficult than level 1 and is typically a common pace that people workout at. Some aerobic benefits are gained by the novice in this level however the benefits for the more trained athlete are not as great as in Level 1. These workouts are usually less than 1 hour in length.

Zone 3
In general, very little training should take place at Level 3. This zone is considered “no mans land”. This pace is considered medium fast, and athletes who train in this zone for the majority of their training also end up racing at this medium fast pace and fail to improve. At this intensity the stresses are not great enough to raise your anaerobic threshold but too great to derive the aerobic benefits gained at Level 1 and 2. This zone also uses glycogen stores at a very quick rate, thus making you susceptible to bonking and metabolizing protein (muscle) for fuel. Too much time in this zone will lead quickly to over training syndrome and injury. This may be the zone at which you compete in if you are doing long distance events like running/XC marathons and half or full distance Iron-mans. Some endurance, pace, and strength workout are occasionally done in this zone, but usually last less than an hour.

Zone 4
This intensity zone is often referred to as lactate or anaerobic threshold training or tempo runs. Anaerobic threshold (AT) is an arbitrary point at which lactic acid concentration begins to effect performance leading to rapid fatigue. Typically a person is limited to 60-90 minutes of activity at this level if there are no rest periods. More experienced athletes have AT very close to there VO2 max versus the novice whose AT is at a much lower percentage. So the goal of most endurance training is to raise your individual AT closer to you VO2 max. Individual AT also differs between sports which is secondary to your proficiency and experience in the given sport. Thus AT levels and heart rate zones often differ for tri-athletes competing in three different sports. Interval training, race/pace sessions, and hill training is typically done at this level. Training at this zone improves your bodies oxygen transport system, increases recruitment of certain muscle fibers, improves removal of metabolic waste product and shortens lactic acid clearance times leading to quicker recovery.

Zone 5
Level 5 training is typically done at the taper or race portion of your season. This type of training stimulates your anaerobic energy system. Typically Level 5 training is limited to 1-2 minute bouts of activity with longer rest periods. These efforts help the athlete in mass start situations, chasing down or breaking away from packs in cycling or running, and that final kick at the finish line.