My Program Will:
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><img class="alignleft  wp-image-676" style="margin: 3px 2px;" alt="arrow_bullet[1]" src="http://balancehealthprograms.com.au/wp-content/uploads/arrow_bullet1.gif" width="16" height="16" />   Safely lead you to your goal</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><img alt="arrow_bullet[1]" src="http://balancehealthprograms.com.au/wp-content/uploads/arrow_bullet1.gif" width="16" height="16" />   Take the guess work out of training</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><img alt="arrow_bullet[1]" src="http://balancehealthprograms.com.au/wp-content/uploads/arrow_bullet1.gif" width="16" height="16" />   Provide entertainment which delivers motivation for every training session</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><img alt="arrow_bullet[1]" src="http://balancehealthprograms.com.au/wp-content/uploads/arrow_bullet1.gif" width="16" height="16" />   Be considerate of your lifestyle</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><img alt="arrow_bullet[1]" src="http://balancehealthprograms.com.au/wp-content/uploads/arrow_bullet1.gif" width="16" height="16" />   Offer you a soundboard</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><img alt="arrow_bullet[1]" src="http://balancehealthprograms.com.au/wp-content/uploads/arrow_bullet1.gif" width="16" height="16" />   Outline the exercise physiology behind each session</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><img alt="arrow_bullet[1]" src="http://balancehealthprograms.com.au/wp-content/uploads/arrow_bullet1.gif" width="16" height="16" />   Reduce the potential of overtraining;  which can lead to injury/illness/burnout &amp; poor results</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><img alt="arrow_bullet[1]" src="http://balancehealthprograms.com.au/wp-content/uploads/arrow_bullet1.gif" width="16" height="16" />   Strengthen your inner self-belief</p>
<em>As a 42 year old married man with 3 kids, who has worked long hours for over 23 years training busy goal oriented people AND still enjoys training and competing in the odd race; I completely understand training efficiency and the need for balancing your work/rest ratio. Some people require encouragement to comply with their training prescription, while others need re-assurance that over-training may not be in their best interest. There is a fine line juggling athletic and health pursuits with a congested lifestyle. Experience and education has taught me how to help you juggle your future health and athletic interests.</em>
<h2><em></em>YOUR 28 DAY PROGRAM – (See att example)</h2>
1 block of training prescription provides 28 days of training sessions (including rest days).  It is broken into 4 distinct 7 day bricks, with each week slightly increasing in physical demands.  I make contact with most clients 2-3 times a week via text, emails &amp; twitter.   I will send you your next block, during the final week of each block.  I usually have a quick chat with all clients before each new block begins.

<span style="font-size: medium; color: #000000;"> <b>IT’S DESIGNED BASED ON….</b></span>

<span style="color: #333333;"><em id="__mceDel"><strong> 1. YOUR LIFESTYLE QUESTIONNAIRE</strong> (see att)</em></span>

a.  <strong><em>YOUR PROFILE</em> </strong>– lifestyle logistics (family commitments, work demands, training and recovery opportunities), your training and racing history, previous or current injuries and illness, current nutritional habits and YOUR equipment/facility options.  All of these may change over the course of your development.

- Again, I’d like to make it absolutely clear - I believe your training and possible racing interests, must be balanced with your relationships, family and work requirements.  Hours of dedication ain't the answer – enter &gt; BP efficiency.

b. <em><strong>YOUR GOAL</strong> </em>– I wish to achieve ...................... by this DATE.  Either biological goals (eg, lose x weight) , and or, complete or compete in an event (eg. ½ Marathon).  If I believe your lifestyle won’t future health or athletic interests

<span style="color: #333333;"><em><strong>2. YOUR FITNESS ASSESSMENT</strong></em></span>

a.  <strong><em>BLOOD LACTATE TEST</em></strong> - Blood lactate threshold test (see att) to determine your AZ (Aerobic training Zone), - and in some cases I will also assess; body weight, body fat %, blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol, &amp; lung capacity.

<strong>Note</strong> – I can determine your training intensity using other more conservative formulas, if blood lactate testing is not in your interest.

b. <strong>WEEKLY TIMETRIALS</strong> - Every week I’ll set you 1/2 time trial tests to assess your progress (see att).  Results are to be texted, which I save for my records.  Results will dictate your next month’s block.

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THE DEVELOPMENT PHASES WITHIN YOUR PROGRAM……

<span style="text-decoration: underline; color: #333333;"><em>Phase 1:  TECHNIQUE EFFICIENCY</em></span>

Before increasing your training volume and even more so increasing your training intensity, improving your technique therefore efficiency is of utmost importance.  Training blocks 1&amp;2 will generally feature drill and skill based workouts.  Skill sessions will continue right throughout your development, particularly in PHASE 2 when building your Aerobic Base.

Run session options: Drill sets, Bare foot grass running, Easy hill repeat on grass (including backwards running), Easy repeat sets holding perfect form, Video analysis, Core stability sets, Balance &amp; coordination sets

<span style="text-decoration: underline; color: #333333;"><em>Phase 2: BASE CONDITIONING</em></span>

Most of blocks 1 &amp; 2 are spent in your AZ (Aerobic Zone) – determined by your starting blood lactate assessment. The purpose of your base phase is to build and improve your AC (Aerobic Capacity).  This is your ability to intake, transport and utilise oxygen.  Improving your AC, will:
<ol>
	<li>Increase your bodies preference to use stored fat as its’ major fuel source – allowing for longer and faster sustained movement</li>
	<li>Lead you to your most efficient and comfortable body weight and frame</li>
	<li>Limit unnecessary over straining on your muscles, tendons, joints &amp; bones - significantly reducing your potential of injury and breakdown.</li>
</ol>
Run session options: Long runs, Grass repeats, Weight sets, Run/walk long sets, Trail runs, Time trials

Phase 3: MUSCLE ENDURANCE/SPECIFIC STRENGTH

Once you’re efficiently burning stored fat, you’re consistently healthy and looking forward to most training sessions - it’s time to get super strong.  Developing sport specific functional strength is absolutely essential before we start picking up the volume and pace.  Improved muscular endurance allows you to perform longer and faster workouts, without breaking down.

For runners, specific strength in your feet, ankles, calves, hamstrings, glutes and your lower back is paramount.  Not only will you be developing your muscle, tendon, ligament, bone &amp; joint strength, I place a huge emphasis on your neural development.  Improving your balance and coordination is critical for your training future.  So much of athletic efficiency revolves around your control of gravity.

Run session options: Hill repeats, Hand-weights, Weight vest hill repeats, Core stability workouts, Bare foot running, Repeat sets in AZ.

Phase 4: SPEED – INCREASING YOUR THRESHOLD

OK, here’s where things get interesting.  Now your body is sufficiently trained to withstand harder workouts, it’s time to test it under pressure.  Time for some huffing &amp; puffing.  Now we train over and above your AZ ceiling for calculated and monitored periods of time.  This will increase your cruising speed and your ability to tolerate the stress of moving faster.  Be prepared for structured intervals and additional recovery periods.  We’ll be sharpening your brain to race goal pace.  Repetitive practice at goal pace and above.  Training is an act of faith – assuring you of your goal race performance.

Run session options: Intervals, Grass downhill speed falls, Track timed sets, Race simulation, Brain training

Phase 5: FRESHEN UP - TAPER

If you’re preparing for an event after a period of skill sets, aerobic development, strength gains and higher HR training; it’s now time to rest and recover, allowing for all that work…..to work! Expect to back off the volume, but maintain the intensity, throw in some additional recovery periods and really sharpen your nutritional habits.  Taper doesn’t mean complete rest.

Phase 6: RACE

We’ll discuss tactics closer to the event, but consider racing as just another training day; but where you’ll lay it all on the line.  You will have trained specifically and smartly for this event, so that nothing on race day will spook you and can expect a good result.

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You don’t have to progress from one phase to the next – you can happily remain in one phase depending on your goals – or you can move through the phases as quickly as you want to get to your racing goals.

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BP TRAINING CONCEPTS WRAP UP

Irrespective your pedigree and racing &amp; training history, training towards a goal starts with building your base

Your base conditioning needs assessing of progress

You don’t start harder over threshold training until you have proven your base is built

Start with slow, AZ, ascending miles – 1) building your heart and lung strength – volume and power of heart muscle and pipe integrity 2) your metabolic efficiency – fuel being dominated by fat – not sugar, 3) anatomy &amp; physiology – re; build specific strength in feet, ankles, Achilles, calves, tib ant, knee ligs, quads, hams, hips , low back, core, &amp; upper back groups, and then the coordination of all these parts, &amp;  4) train the brain to tolerate distance &amp; speed – the brains spits out limiting messages when system is only half built when placed under pressure.

So the order is

AZ based intro miles –– 6-8 weeks

Start to throw in strength work – hill reps, body weights, and increased miles (long run)

Start to practice – not train, race pace simulations – like 5, 10, 20 x 1km repeats holding 3.50 pace going on 4.15 (so 30 sec rests)

Only with 3-2 weeks from A race – start throwing in some 200’s @ 90-95% - with lots of rest – all about nerve coordination = form &amp; lactate tolerance – so 4min pace feels easy

Quick 2-3 day rest up taper

Even for marathon a 10-15 min easy warm up – slowly increasing HR, sweat and coordination

Race – believe in yourself @ 25km – body is built deluxe – “I’m bringing this bad boy home”.  If you take the time to build properly, your brain won’t be faced with anywhere near the usually negative challenges – like; I’m too hot, my legs are toast, I’m dehydrated, I’ve chaffing, I’ve got sore feet, blah, blah, blah

Enjoy your performance

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Brad

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