I’m dealing with an aching calf at the moment so no running for a few more days. I’m now doing the elliptical and the same effort as running BUT my heart rate is about 10 beats lower then a run- I wear a heart rate chest strap. Is that normal for heart rates on the elliptical to be lower then on the treadmill?
Good read and I discovered the elliptical when I was injured and getting ready to run Boston this year. I actually like the challenge of doing 2 hours. Consider using an Arc trainer vs the elliptical as it mimics running and puts far less pressure on your knees. PS I only had 3 weeks of running in my Boston block but still BQd by 13’. The elliptical definitely saved my race.
This isn’t a discussion about whether or not you should change your cadence - that’s it’s whole own discussion. Instead, the question is whether or not you should be trying to hit the 180 spm that you often see recommended. Is this really the ideal - or can runners have a wider range of cadence based on individual factors?
A tune-up race is a practice race - a race during the buildup to your goal race, not a goal race in itself. Generally, it’s shorter than your goal race. Curious about how to incorporate a tune-up race - and if you should even bother including one? Swipe through to learn more!
Reminder: zone 2 (on a five zone model) is NOT the only training zone! Whether you define your training zones by heart rate, pace, or perceived exertion, it’s important to remember that training in a variety of zones offers the most benefit to both health and performance.
The different training zones offer different physiological benefits. While you do get central and peripheral adaptations from any aerobic exercise (meaning that all intensities will improve how your heart and muscles respond to exercise), you get different benefits from different zones. Low-intensity (call it what you want: zone 2, easy running, etc.) spurs more changes to the peripheral aspects of endurance fitness: greater density of mitochondria, more capillaries carrying blood into your muscles, etc. Higher intensity intervals favorably increase cardiac output, as well as neuromuscular adaptations such as motor unit recruit.
When examining elite and sub-elite training practices, we repeatedly see that a variety of training intensities is favorable for performance. The percentage of intensities may change across seasons, and zone 2 is often the dominant intensity, but other intensities still have a key place in training.
Training for a marathon PR? There is a LOT of information out there on how to improve your marathon time - here’s what can actually help. I’ve been coaching for over 8 years and these are the principles I use when working with runners on a marathon PR:
Deliberately apply progressive overload. Don’t just add more mileage and bigger workouts haphazardly. Assess past training for weak areas and make deliberate progressions throughout. Throughout the present training block, assess training response and titrate both volume and intensity accordingly.
Have a high-carb fueling strategy that you know works. High-carb fueling improves performance in the marathon. The present recommendations are 60-90 grams of carbs per hour (roughly 2-3 gels per hour). Don’t wait to race day to try this though - practice throughout train to both train your gut and enhance training adaptations.
Go truly easy on your easy days. Let those days be easy enough that you can manage the training volume and the bigger, harder workouts that drive adaptation. More than likely, easy pace will be slower in marathon training.
Do marathon specific workouts. The closer you get to the race, the more your workouts should target the specific physiological and psychological demands of the race. You will likely progress to more time at marathon pace the closer you get at the race, with workouts likely totally 8-10 miles at MP in peak weeks.
Prioritize (effective) recovery. Adequate sleep, nutrition, and hydration are the biggest drivers of recovery. Additionally, ensure your training load includes appropriate recovery, including enough easy days between hard workouts and a weekly rest day.
The often-cited ideal numbers are an average of a large range. When we really look at the data, runners can have individual cadences varying from 155 to 203 spm. Most runners self-select their most economical cadence. Factors such as height will also impact cadence.
Don’t expect your easy run cadence to be the same as your race pace or speed workout cadence. The faster you run, the higher your cadence - and the slower you run, the lower your cadence.
Should you change your cadence? It’s a case-by-case situation, often guided by any presence of lower limb discomfort or injury. If you do, aim for modest (~5%) increases. You do not need to reach a cadence of 180!
An elliptical trainer or cross-trainer is a stationary exercise machine used to simulate stair climbing, walking, or running without causing excessive pressure to the joints. Low impact and a great way to stay fit, especially for people concerned about impact injuries.
Also, if you have difficulty incorporating an upper body workout into your schedule, you may find that a cross trainer helps you save time by including these muscles in your cardio workout.
By catering to all fitness levels, the cross trainer is the perfect machine to introduce a new gym-goer to cardio, as well as improving the cardiovascular capacity and even strength of an advanced athlete. To help cut through the industry jargon, and guide you towards the right machine for you and your facility, we have set up this buying guide.
Elliptical SaudiUnlike treadmills, cross trainers have a set stride length which varies from machine to machine. Most commercial elliptical trainers offer a stride length between 16" - 21" which results in a smooth and natural running motion during exercise.
Machines with shorter stride lengths will mimic a movement closer to walking, and can sometimes judder during usage. Performing quick movements at this limited stride does not allow for the same wide elliptical movement, causing imbalance.
Machines like the Cybex Arc Trainer have developed a differently shaped stride to place emphasis on lower body strength, allowing your legs to move in an arc shape rather than an elliptical one. You can watch this video to see the difference between the two.
Some cross trainers offer foot pads that move with the foot to support the leg's motion through the entire movement, but most manufacturers still offer the standard fixed foot pads, as the benefits of adjusted foot support does not always justify the costs.
You can adjust the intensity of your workout through speed, resistance and incline. There are two main systems that will control the resistance of most cross trainers; belt or magnetic resistance. It is expected that any cross trainer found in a commercial setting uses the magnetic resistance set-up while home use cross trainers use belt drive systems.
Magnetic resistance means that the cross trainer has an electromagnet built in which, at the push of a button, changes the amount magnetic resistance is applied to the flywheel. This creates a heavier or lighter workout for the user. The belt drive achieves the same effect, but runs a higher risk of wearing down and is much less consistent in its breaking power.
Recently, a new type of cross trainer has emerged, which uses a fan instead of a flywheel. This makes use of natural air resistance instead of a mechanical resistance system, and is popular on the HIIT cardio market. Ellipticals such as the Cybex Sparc have fewer resistance settings, as these are built for short, intense bursts of exercise, rather than long-term precision training.
A secondary exercise denominator is the incline level. Not all cross trainers offer incline adjustment options, but the ones that do allow the user to target their core and thigh muscles during the workout. It's good to know that in some machines, an increased incline needs to be set up before the workout begins and can affect the stride length of the machine.
Incline can be adjusted both manually or through a motorised elevation system, depending on the cross trainer. Motorised elevation systems are great fun and can really bring an edge to your equipment offering, but are costly to repair outside of their warranty period (more on warranty later)
The console or display of any machine is often the part of the equipment the user pays most attention to. It is therefore beneficial to know exactly what your members are expecting from you and base your purchase around this.
As technology advances, more immersive (and impressive looking) LCD and touch displays have become popular in the fitness industry. These allow the user to keep an eye on their workout while simultaneously watching TV, running along a pre-recorded track, or controlling their music. Some machines even offer pre-installed virtual coaches that will make the user feel like they have a PT guiding them at all time.
Comparing these to LED displays, which tend to use a dot matrix to show time, resistance, speed, HR and more, it is purely down to user preference and budget available. Often, embedded LCD displays will still offer a more simplified version of the workout to mimic the old fashioned LED to some extent.cross trainer buying guide
Many cardio machines now allow users to monitor their workout, not just through HR, resistance or speed, but through Watt generation as well. Though this number can seem arbitrary to a regular gym goer, an experienced athlete (or a member with the correct guidance) will quickly realise the potential of monitoring performance through their Watt output.
An embedded HR sensor in the console can allow the user to keep a close eye on their performance throughout the workout. With the increased popularity of smart watches and fitness/step monitors, it seems that consumers are constantly eager to know how their heart is performing.
If you are looking to have an integrated HR system in your cross trainer, make sure you know what HR monitors these are compatible with. Most machines will synchronise with chest straps with ANT+ or Bluetooth sensors, but each machine is different.
Many cross trainers carry built-in HR monitors on the handles and on the stationary handlebars in front of the monitor. These will give a good general idea of the HR levels the customer is performing at, but remember that the motions of the workout, the sweatiness of hands and cleanliness of the electropads can all affect the accuracy of the HR reading.