Summer General Strength Progression – Part 4

Posted on August 3, 2009 by CoachJay

The fourth installment of the General Strength summer progression I did for RunningTimes.com showcases the Grant Green cool down. This cool down is challenging, yet if you’ve followed the progression up to this point it is both realistic and beneficial.

Feel free to ask any questions in the comments section below.

This entry was posted in Training, Training Videos, Videos and tagged , . Bookmark the permalink.
  • moniquesavin

    Good evening, Jay.

    Thanks for the incredible cool-down video — excellent production and instruction.

    I discovered your coaching videos and blogs via insidenikerunning.com earlier this year, and I highly recommend them all. The Myrtl Routine and Lunge Warm-Up videos provide an intelligent start to my session. Now I have this one to conclude my workout. My body is smiling.

    I agree with you that performing a complete warm-up and cool-down is essential. I often join running clubs for half-marathon training, but many popular running clubs skip preparation and conclusion exercises because they're pressed for time. That's why I take the time to do a warm-up at home or at the meet-up before training, and cool-down when I get home. Your videos help me enjoy better results in terms of performance, feeling comfortable during my run and quick recovery.

  • http://coachjayjohnson.com CoachJay

    It's funny how we are all socialized to train incorrectly. The fact that you do a WU and cool down are great, yet the two car trips between the WU and the run, then the run and and the cool down are “less than ideal.” There is no doubt a benefit to doing the work at home vs. doing nothing, yet if you can arrive to the venue early and can stand the stares of the runners in the half marathon training group as you do the lunge matrix (see video link below) you'll get a better workout.

    http://www.runnerscoach.com/2009/08/video-lunge…

    Thanks for writing in and thanks for using the videos on your site -
    http://www.fiterati.ca/news/warm-up-video-for-r…

  • Pingback: Cool Downs for Lincoln

  • Rob

    love doing the grant green routine; it's been very helpful! how frequently would you recommend doing it? i'm a 46 yo master's runner-usually avg about 55-65 mpw….thanks!

  • http://coachjayjohnson.com CoachJay

    The progression below from the Running Times series is good; basically Grant Green following the hard workouts and just Myrtl or Cannonball following the easy workouts.

    http://runningtimes.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=…

    But I would definitely encourage you to to do this entire progression as you're obviously serious about your running and if you're hoping to run a PR or two this year this might all you need, in addition to your normal metabolic training, to run well.

    Thanks for the question.

  • Rob

    Thanks; that's very helpful and I appreciate the quick response! Did the grant green again this AM, and already finding myself feeling stronger!

  • Rossg10

    I know this is an old topic…. But is there anything inherently wrong with doing the progression as a general strength routine at the end of the day a few times a week? I'm looking for a decent workout for running specific strength training.

  • http://coachjayjohnson.com CoachJay

    That's how the progression is intended to be used – that you follow the progression after your running.  If you're asking if you can do this as a stand alone general strength workout the answer is yes, but I think that if you're a serious runner you should consider doing your workout then doing the progression after that.  And remember, you have to distinguish between hard days and easy days; if you did a running workout then that is a hard day and you need to do the exercises prescribed for a hard day.  Following your easy, recovery runs, just do the exercises that are assigned for easy days.

    Hope this helps.  Good luck.

  • Greg

    That does help.  I'm running the NYC marathon for the third time in November and trying to do my best this time.  Thank you so much for the advice.