@run.vince.run Weekly Training Log And The Secret Training Session

Weekly Training Report

	Total Training Sessions	Total Distance(kms)
Runs:	6	58.89
Rides:	3	39.95
Swims:	3	7.78
Walks:	3	6.37

BLOOD FLOW RESTRICTION TRAINING

I have always said that if I ever find a “secret training session” that dramatically improves my running performance, I would let everyone know. I think I have definitely found a way to enhance your current training, using blood flow restriction bands. A lot of body builders use them to help get some extra bulk, but research using them to help endurance performance is a little limited and have struggled to find much research with endurance sports.

The link below is the main research that gets highlighted when people are taking about using blood flow restriction bands:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20544348/

I’ve been playing around with blood flow restriction bands for about 9 months now and have seen some pretty good improvement in my bike training and decided to have a look to see if there was specific research for cyclists or runners that I could try to replicate.

I know this has just been an n=1 test to see if I could replicate some of the research performed by the Korea Institute of Sport Science where they took a group of College Basketball players and used blood flow restriction bands to enhance their endurance. They took the players and did two 20 minute training sessions a day, six days a week for two weeks. The group that used the blood flow restriction bands, reported an 11% increase in VO2Max, which is pretty big, so I was eager to give this a go.

I continued with my usually training but added these sessions in over two weeks and found a lot of benefits to using the blood flow restriction bands. I noticed that;

1. The 20 minute training sessions which comprised of 5 x 3 minute walking on a 6% incline treadmill. My legs were definitely a lot more fatigued when using the blood flow restriction bands
2. My legs had a noticeable increase in definition
3. My running has changed. Everyone always tells me my gluets don’t fire correctly. Every time I go for a run now, my gluets are on fire afterwards as they seem to be working a lot harder now
4. I didn’t test with a VO2Max test, but I entered a half marathon at the last minute, over the weekend and produced one of the fastest times I have run in about 3 years.

I think there is a lot more to using blood flow restriction bands and feel it is a really good way to get over a plateau or rehabilitate after an injury.

They are a tool though, and won’t do the work for you. Some times you need to push yourself to get the most out of the yourself when using the bands because they can fatigue you pretty quickly, but I see these as being a great way to get back to training after a big race or while you may be coming back from injury.

I’d be interested to know what you think, if you have or haven’t used them before.

If you are interested in using blood flow restriction bands, please always make sure you are being safe and checkout the following link for a demonstration video.

Strava Activities For The Week Ending: 2023-04-30

2023-04-25: Morning Swim 2.44km 66mins Link
2023-04-25: Afternoon Ride 0.0km 39mins Link
2023-04-25: Afternoon Treadmill Run 7.01km 36mins Link
2023-04-25: Afternoon Walk 1.43km 22mins Link
2023-04-26: Morning Run 5.38km 29mins Link
2023-04-26: Morning Ride 0.0km 37mins Link
2023-04-27: Morning Swim 2.95km 62mins Link
2023-04-27: Morning Run Hone 7.75km 37mins Link
2023-04-27: Morning Walk 3.61km 34mins Link
2023-04-27: Evening Walk 1.33km 20mins Link
2023-04-28: Morning Interval Run 10.58km 52mins Link
2023-04-29: Morning Swim 2.39km 60mins Link
2023-04-29: Afternoon Ride 39.95km 83mins Link
2023-04-29: Afternoon Run 4.15km 25mins Link
2023-04-30: Morning Run(Half Marathon With Warm Up/Cool Down) 23.95km 110mins Link

Up Coming Race Schedule

We are already planning for races in 2024, but still a lot to get done this year:

• May 7 - Mission Bay Triathlon
• May 7 - Mission Bay Aquathon
• May 7 - Wings For Life World Run
• Jun 25 - Wellington Marathon
• Jul 15 - Samoa Marathon
• Aug 13 - National Duathlon Championships
• Jan 2024 - The Mount Half Ironman
• Apr 2024 - Auckland Half Ironman

About Me

I am an Aussie living in Auckland, New Zealand and I love swimming biking and running with my wife. I tell people 'I wanna change the world, one run at a time'.