Power Preparation

We posted the first phase of the www.OneMileRunner.com warm-up program last week featuring how to mobilize your joints and muscles. This week we share another part of the warm-up: Power Preparation. The Power Preparation follows your mobilization and gets you ready for speed for any sport. The beginner version is in the video below and we will add the intermediate and advanced videos in the weeks to come.

Every injury I have had I have done to myself. When I get injured from an exercise, it is due to bad form or bad habits –  unknowingly. When my orthopedic doctor reviewed my MRI, he said that I did something to cause trauma to my left leg. I did not accidently fall or trip in any of my various workouts. So I was wondering how did I traumatize my leg? We felt if I remove the trauma – I would remove the source of my injury. So I searched in every workout I did. I did not come up with the answer until my return to the track this past week since I strained my left knee and right hip flexor in March. Whenever we begin our track practice we warm-up in the opposite direction of our speed training. Most athletes who use the track go counter clockwise with the left leg on the inside to practice their speed training as every race takes place in this direction. I decided to switch it up a bit this week as I was trying to find how I traumatized my body as seen in the MRI. And I found the answer. The trauma occurred on repetitive workouts with my left leg taking a pounding on every turn. I felt a huge difference when I practiced my speed in the opposite direction (clockwise) with my right leg on the inside – no pain.

After years of training my speed in only one direction. It was only a matter of time that my left leg would break down. It felt strange at first to run speed with my right leg on the inside, but my body loved it. I thought warming up in the opposite direction was enough, but it was not. Please learn from my experience and be mindful of your workouts in whatever sport you do. Repetitive habits must be good ones to build your body, form, power, and speed properly. The best way to train speed is straight ahead without any turns at all.

This is the ideal way to keep your body in balance.

Posted in Author - David O'Meara, Topic - Biomechanics, Topic - Training.

One Comment

  1. hi david i just took a look at your proper warm up video i thought it was really good, u brought up a good point about training on a track to go in the opposite direction, i always sprinted in
    the same direction and never thought much of it until i watched your video so next time on the track i will try opposite way, also the area u were loked
    awesome beautiful scenery but it looked warm out there did sekyon shoot this video she did agreat job with the pictures shes a great woman always right with u thats awesome to looking forward to your next one thanks for always showing the videos awesome job

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