Hi folks. It’s Kelvin here. We Run coach for Leeds and surrounding areas, as well as online coaching.
In this video, I’d like to share some thoughts on strides.
What Are Strides?
Strides are not a different running technique. It is distance running form, not sprinting, where we do very short efforts of quite fast running with big recoveries.
Strides are mainly a neurological stimulus, so they are not taxing mechanically, and they are not too taxing from an aerobic standpoint. What we are trying to do is force the brain to fire the muscles that we have already got as efficiently as possible.
Understanding Strides with an Analogy
An analogy that I use when explaining strides is to imagine somebody’s car battery is flat and it needs a push start.
You have five people who want to push the car, but they all wander over and try to push at different times and with different effort. The car will not move very quickly.
But if everyone gets ready together, puts their hands on the car, and pushes at the same time with full effort, the car will move much more quickly.
So what we have is the same pool of strength used in a different way. That is what we are doing with strides. We are training the brain to use the muscles we already have more efficiently.
How to Do Strides
Strides should be somewhere between 10 and 30 seconds long. The shorter duration is usually for slower runners, and the longer duration is for faster runners.
They should be done with full recovery, so always walk back between efforts. It is helpful to do them in the same place so you can run the stride, walk back, and repeat.
When starting out, it is worth doing strides on a very slight uphill. It does not need to be steep. As you progress, you can include both uphill and flat strides.
During the stride, build up gradually. For example, if you are doing 20 seconds, increase your speed steadily, then hold a faster pace for the final five seconds before easing off and walking back.
How to Add Strides to Your Training
Start with one session a week and add around four strides into an easy run. Make sure you are well warmed up.
If you are new to strides, take the first session very easy and build gradually from there.
You can then progress to five and six strides. Eventually, you might split them across two runs, such as two sets of four, then two sets of five, and so on.
Over time, you may reach a point where you are doing between four and six strides in two easy runs per week. If you do a midweek workout, you can also include four to six light strides as part of your warm-up.
Progressing Strides into Workouts
Strides can be progressed into power production workouts and VO2 max sessions.
For runners who do not do shorter, harder reps, a good progression is to build from six times 20 seconds up to longer efforts like six times 45 seconds, then six times one minute.
From there, you might extend the session further, such as eight to 16 repetitions of one minute on a slight uphill, with full recovery by walking or very easy jogging back down.
The next progression could be a VO2 max session, for example eight to 20 repetitions of one minute on, one minute off on the flat.
Who Should Do Strides?
Strides are for everyone, whether you are a slower runner or just getting into running. Even light, short strides can be very beneficial.
There is a reason why elite runners use strides frequently. They may include them in easy runs, warm-ups, and even at the end of long runs.
Final Thoughts
Strides are simple, effective, and highly beneficial. If you have any questions, please pop them in the comments below.
For now, happy running.
