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Hope Furnace Adventure Weekend
Lake Hope State Park
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training & fitness
BUMP YOUR BENCHMany endurance athletes take some time during the off-season to cycle through a weight lifting routine. It's a great way to stay committed to fitness while the weather outdoors conspires to keep us inside, and for adventure racers in particular, it can be an especially good idea.Adventure racing relies on upper body strength more than any other endurance sport, in everything from ropework to bikewhacking to portaging a canoe. Look at the difference between men and women when it comes time for some 'crash and bash' bushwhacking, and it's clear that a little extra strength comes in handy. Resistance exercises also strengthen bones and connective tissues (tendons) and improve neuromuscular recruitment. Even so, many don't reach their goals and are all too happy to give it up when the weather turns warm and they can get outside and run again. For many, the reason for lack of progress is the lack of progression. To get stronger in anything, not just weightlifting, the athlete has to constantly increase the workload to force the body to overcompensate. We all do this in running or biking when we constantly increase our mileage and/or pace as the season progresses. In the gym however, many are content to stay well within their comfort zones and never achieve results commensurate with their efforts. The best way to do this is with a planned progression that provides a constantly changing stimulus. If you are already experienced with weight training, perhaps all you need is a reminder to dust off one of your old routines, throw an extra plate on there every so often and stick with it. If you are not experienced in the weight room and would like to give it a try, either as a change of pace or, like me, to pack on solid slabs of rock hard muscle, give the following program a try. It is a classic bench press routine that is easily adapted to your own particular strength and size. I have used it several times without fail and you will be amazed before you are halfway through. My 105# wife is currently using it to train for the Arnold Pump n' Run and it has produced similar results for her. The MM2K "How to Increase Your Bench Press by 50 Pounds" Program Why bench press? What does that have to do with adventure racing? Wouldn't something that works the legs be a better idea? Although designed specifically to increase your bench, this program works the entire body in 4 short sessions per week and focuses on strength more than size, so is ideal for racers, who generally don't want to carry any more weight than necessary. The bench press, along with the squat and power clean are considered the 'big three' and will do more to improve your overall strength and power than any number of other exercises that target smaller muscle groups. You simply get more bang for the buck. There will be plenty of time to hit your legs with hill workouts when it warms up. The beauty of the program is that it begins with a determination of your one-rep-max, and then adds several 'testing' phases along the way so that you are always providing the proper balance between rest and stimulation. The best part of the program is that it tells you exactly what to do each time you head for the gym - you know you have to lift x pound for n reps for n sets. Period. You don't have to spend too much time thinking about it and trying to remember how much you lifted last week and how much you should add this week...just plug the numbers into the chart and go. The program relies on heavy weights for low reps, which are best for building strength without bulk. Many endurance athletes will be unaccustomed to this regimen (having lifted mostly low weights for high reps) and I admit to a moment of doubt more than once when I looked at a bar loaded with plates ...and I have to lift how many reps!?!? - be sure and use a spotter if you have any doubts (although I rarely do because the fear of dropping the bar on my neck and crushing my trachea gives an extra little boost of adrenaline I need to squeeze out that last rep). At other times, it may seem as if you have not done enough and you will be tempted to throw in an extra set or two...resist the temptation, as this routine already optimizes the balance between work and recovery. Give this routine a try and amaze your teammates' with your buff bod and freakish strength. Although not an expert by any means, I have been through the program several times and will be glad to answer any questions that I can.
Brad Hunt
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