Tabata Training

[ryanman]

The thing is though I can do 3 miles in a good time, but I absolutely die after that. I'm not sure I could even do 5 miles at all. I'm a sprinter by nature - its took me quite a while to get remotely good at distance running. Its odd really, I could never do a marathon I don't think yet I see the likes of Lorraine Kelly doing them no problem! Different horses for different courses I guess.

I'm the same mate, I was always a good sprinter in school & really struggled initially when translating to longer distances. Now though I do 5 miles about 2-3 times a week. What I think you're probably doing, which is a problem I always had & still do sometimes which is running too fast initially. This causes you to gas out too quickly.

What I'd recommend is planning a route of about 4 miles, and if you feel tired slow to a walk, but by no means actually stop. Keep an attitude of perpetual motion. I'd also recommend making sure that you know how long the exact route you're doing is. Most of us tend to overestimate how far we're running, so if you drive check it on a milometer.

In regards to Tabata Training, I'd say it's an excellent conditioning tool but you really do need to be very fit. I keep myself pretty well conditioned, and having been off any fitness work for about two and a half weeks because of a mammoth flu, I picked it up today after a week of cardio work with 5 miles running. I made it to my 6th round of sprints before I had to stop because it was becoming too much.

Like YB, I wouldn't recommend it for plyometrics particularly, due to the way the body is, it will be difficult to do something like press-ups repeatedly in that way without reaching fail. It's not really built for a single set of plyo exercises. However, there are some things you can do with weights that work it quite well.

It also can work as an additional abs workout, but in my opinion there's better abs workouts that can be done. I'd suggest it as decent when following up a run or something.

Thanks Jaz.
Totally agree RE: the running. I also think that my jogging/running style is more of a modified sprint. I can't do that 'plodding' thing that distance runners do. I have a high knee lift and stay on my toes which obviously wastes a lot of energy. But if I try to change this I find I waste just as much energy focusing on going slower, kind of putting effort into holding myself back.
As for the Tabata, would something like a shoulder press be a suitable exercise? Also does it matter if you do the same exercise each time you do it? ( I don't mind for each set but for each time. Like if I did shoulder press one week would it be approapriate to do that again the next time?) I would guess that maybe it doesn't as its not really about building bulky muscles. But perhaps I'm wrong?