Strength training and Running Need to Get Along!

Friday, May 12, 2017 · Mike Davis

Good morning!

Tomorrow, I and other NFLR coaches will be over in Elliot, Maine, to participate in the Seacoast Healthfest. This event will have many healthy living related businesses under one roof and will be a great opportunity for you to learn about getting healthier. Check out the details at https://www.seacoasthealthfest.com/?mc_cid=632d8888e5&mc_eid=1c31d1eaf6. I hope I see you there!

Okay, so I spent some time with a new NFLR client yesterday and it is really exciting to be able to work with such an awesome young woman! Linnae has many great goals—and after getting some physical therapy, she is now ready to proceed with a healthy running program. Her enjoyment with her running has been less than she would like and that has led to frustration. I certainly understand how that can happen and that is one of the reasons she sought out NFLR.

Linnae also dropped her personal trainer as well and is going to depend on NFLR to not only help her running, but also get more functionally fit. It is so much fun to work with runners like Linnae, as they really show a level of commitment while understanding the need for balance.

As I said, Linnae has chosen to stop working with a personal trainer and let NFLR provide all her training. That is always a decision we leave to the client and all that really matters to us is that the client is getting the best possible results.

THE CHALLENGE

However, the challenge for the individual is when multiple trainers are not working in unison or the training is not complimenting each other. We certainly have no problem communicating with other trainers or coaches and that is important. But unfortunately, many personal fitness trainers have philosophies that are not necessarily aligned with running.

For us, we do value functional strength training, but we treat it as a valuable complement to a total training program. A great example is strengthening the legs. Typically, a personal trainer will have a client work various muscles each session with one day being upper body and another being lower body.

However, if the individual is running, they are getting all the leg work they need and so there is little value in further strengthening. Conversely, running requires strength in both the hips and glutes, so they need a lot of focus. Depending on the trainer’s philosophy, this does not always work best for the individual. Furthermore, multiple coaches/trainers can become costly, so that alone can be a challenge.

NFLR is certainly not trying to take business away from personal fitness trainers or minimize their tremendous value. Instead, we have chosen to add certified personal trainers to our team, so that we are able to help all runners with every facet of their fitness while ensuring that their training works together for the best results.

Have a great Friday and I hope you stop in tomorrow at Seacoast Healthfest and say hi!

God Bless!