Book Review: “Running Well” by Sam Murphy and Sarah Connors
“Running Well” by Sam Murphy and Sarah Connors
Human Kinetics, 2009. 184 pages. ISBN-10: 0736077456, ISBN-13: 978-073607745
I often browse the sports section in the book stores to see what new books on the topic of training, conditioning and fitness have come out on the market. Now and then I flip through the books on running and I am almost always disappointed in what I see. Running is often presented as a Zen-like journey of the soul, where an individual works through hundreds of thousands of miles of slogging through workouts to achieve internal gratification or inner peace. Very little, if any, good information is provided on running technique and the fundamental process through which one must go to improve their technique. A smattering of poorly arranged and described drills might be included, as well as strength training exercises and a collection of stretches that do little to improve technique and bolster good running mechanics. Running is often viewed as a simple activity in these publications, not a well developed skill.
Recently, I came across “Running Well” by Sam Murphy and Sarah Connors and thought it deserved a read through. It is divided into three main parts that are appropriately broken down into individual chapters that guide the runner through the key elements of the training process. Part 1: How to Run deals with running technique, warming-up and cooling-down, flexibility and stretching, as well selecting footwear and running surfaces. Part 2: Smarter Training discusses training philosophy, incorporating appropriate recovery, varying your sessions, including supplementary strength training and developing good nutritional habits. Part 3: Damage Limitation identifies common running injuries and causes, rehabilitation strategies and first-aid recommendations.
Presentation
The authors of Running Well are ambitious in their attempts to provide a comprehensive resource on running and have done a good job in providing a wealth of useful information in a well packaged manual. First off, the book is well published and assembled. It looks nice, with lots of aesthetically pleasing photos, healthy-looking models and easy-to-read typeface and diagrams. It is the kind of book that you can’t help picking up and flipping through the pages, even if you aren’t interested in running or exercising. It is not too big and cumbersome like an encyclopedia, but provides enough detailed information to serve as a handy resource to individuals hoping to improve their performance.
Target Audience
The book is obviously intended to reach the largest demographic of runners – recreational runners and joggers who may or may not participate in road races, trail runs, triathlons and other inclusive running events. It is not really intended for track and field athletes or team sport athletes who are primarily intending to improve acceleration, top speed abilities or even mid-range speed. However, there is still good information on general training philosophy, injury prevention, nutrition and technique that even developing athletes in various sports could benefit from.
Technical Suggestions
Because I spend a good deal of my time examining and correcting running mechanics in athletes of all abilities and backgrounds, I did invest a bit more time reviewing Running Well’s recommendations on running technique. While most of their recommendations are appropriate, there are a few details that could be improved upon or, at the very least, further developed to provide a clearer picture to readers. For example, their discussion of knee lift and foot placement is, I believe, off the mark. They identify proper foot placement as landing “directly under your center of gravity.” A simple review of running biomechanics tells us that the foot must land slightly ahead of the center of mass to prevent us from rotating forward over the foot and falling toward the ground. This is demonstrated throughout the book in their profile photos of running athletes – their feet landing six to ten inches ahead of their centers of mass on touchdown. I believe that sometimes we tell the athlete to land under their hip, even though we know that they will land just in front of that target. Our verbal cues as coaches often aim for emphasis, not exactness.
Additionally, the authors go on to say that athletes should not be lifting their knees up, but forward, to prevent a “wasteful bouncing motion.” Lifting the knee through the leg recovery phase not only results in the knee moving up, but also forward. My experience has shown me that telling an athlete to move their knee forward almost always results in reaching, over-striding and landing too far in front of the center of mass. The knee lifts to a point where it no longer moves forward (as it is on the distal end of the femur) then it drives downwards toward the ground. You want the athlete to think of the leg motion as a vertical action, not only to provide adequate vertical force to oppose gravity, but also to prevent the athlete from landing too far in front of the center of mass and braking their forward progress. If you simply think of the vertical action of the legs, the feet land where they should and provide efficient locomotion.
This is one of the challenges of creating a book on running technique. It is very difficult to find photo or a series of photos to demonstrate the technique you are intending to communicate. Not only do you have to capture the photo at the right time, but you also must have access to a runner that is executing good technique. With sprinters, the top athletes must have good technique or else they cannot compete at the highest level. The further the racing distances, the less optimal their running mechanics need to be. A good set of lungs will get you quite far, even with sub-par technique. Having said that an endurance athlete with good form and good physiology will always prevail.
Training, Recovery and Injury Management
There are some sections of the book that I really was glad to see. Chapter 4 (Down to Earth) spends a good deal of time discussing the choice of footwear for individual runners. They have a 10-point buying guide for running shoes, fitting and lacing guidelines and even a common sense discussion regarding orthotics. They also point out that shoes should last approximately six months or 300 to 500 miles of running. I’ve heard of people dumping their running shoes after three to four months, but we can’t all afford that type of luxury. The author’s also spend time discussing running surfaces – an area that I am always bringing up with runners. The choice of running surface can play a significant role in the durability of an athlete. My favorite choice for running surface – grass – however, was not brought up in their discussion. There are also some handy tips for treadmill running included in this section.
The discussion of strength training for runners in Running Well is likely appropriate for beginner and intermediate runners. There is a good deal of discussion on core strength, although many of the exercises are spent horizontal on the ground (i.e. plank position). I’m a firm believer that most core strengthening for running should be done in the vertical position performing specific running drills that enhance posture and eccentric strength. It is a specific form of core strengthening that prepares the athlete for the effects of gravity on the runner’s posture and force production. Excessive horizontal core training can be stressful for the hip flexors and back, and can result in significant undesirable tightening of the core muscles – negatively impacting the body’s ability to absorb force.
The cross-training and nutritional information provided in this book is sound and will provide the typical recreational runner with appropriate guidelines for supporting their training program. These sections are followed up with useful injury management prescriptions. One of the best recommendations in the book is the reference to keeping a detailed diary and reviewing your recent training to determine the causes of possible injuries. Too often runners try to turn to medication or the medical community without examining why they went wrong in the first place. Issues such as training volume, muscle tightness, running surfaces and running shoes can be the catalysts of injury that need to be rectified in order to prevent future problems.
Conclusions
Although it is difficult to be everything to everyone when it comes to a runner’s manual, Running Well does a very good job at providing common-sense solutions for recreational athletes that may not be well equipped to engage in a comprehensive training program. There are many helpful photos and diagrams provided in this book. And, the overall arrangement of sections, recommendations and figures allow for an easy and enjoyable cover-to-cover read. Given the book’s very reasonable price tag, I would highly recommend this book as a cost-effective purchase for recreational runners.
Buy Running Well direct from Human Kinetics
2009 Recovery, Regeneration and Rehabilitation Conference
I will be hosting a Conference on March 7th, 2008 in Vancouver, BC with a theme of “Recovery, Regeneration and Rehabilitation.” The Conference information is posted below. In addition, you can download the Conference brochure by clicking here.
2009 BC Strength, Fitness and Conditioning Conference
“Recovery, Regeneration and Rehabilitation”
Saturday, March 7, 2009
This year our conference will focus on the topics of “Recovery, Regeneration and Rehabilitation,” featuring speakers from North America and Europe. Whether you are a sport coach, a strength and conditioning professional, a personal trainer, sports performance consultant or rehabilitation specialist, you will greatly benefit from the presentations and discussions.
This is your opportunity to participate in an affordable World-Class conference that won’t take up your whole weekend. We look forward to seeing you there!
Presented by: SFU Strength and Conditioning
Location: Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, West Mall Complex, Third Floor
For more information, contact Derek Hansen at dhansen@sfu.ca or 778-782-4059
Our Presenters:
We are proud to offer you some of the highest quality speakers available, touching on various aspects of fitness, health and conditioning.
Donald Chu, PhD, CSCS, ATC, NATA
Presentation Topic: “The Role of Recovery, Regeneration and Rehabilitation in Elite Performances”
Donald Chu received his Ph.D. from Stanford University in 1974. His degree in Physical Therapy is also from Stanford. He has a Masters in Kinesiology & Physical Education from CSU, Hayward. He is a Professor Emeritus from CSU, Hayward after a teaching career spanning over twenty years. During the time from 1997- 2001, Dr. Chu served as the Program Director of the Ohlone College Physical Therapist Assistant program. From 2001-2003, Dr. Chu served as the Director of Athletic Training & Rehabilitation at Stanford University. He is a Past-President of the NSCA. Currently, Dr. Chu is the President of the California State Board of Physical Therapy, and serves as a public member on the Board of Interior Design for the State of California.
Dr. Chu is the author of “Jumping into Plyometrics, 2nd edition”, “Power Tennis Training”, “Explosive Strength & Power” (Human Kinetics – publisher) and “Plyometric exercises with the Medicine Ball, 2nd edition” (Bittersweet Publishing). He has authored several chapters in books on Sports Medicine, particularly in both the area of rehabilitation and performance enhancement.
Dr. Chu has consulted with elite athletes at every level on the development of training and conditioning programs. His past clients include athletes from the 1984, 88, 92, 96 and 2000 Summer Olympics, and professional athletes from the NFL, NBA, and MLB. He designed training programs for 2002 Winter Olympic hopefuls in the skeleton and bobsled events. He also designed the strength & conditioning programs for Erica Wheeler, 2003 US National Champion in the Women’s Javelin. He currently develops strength and conditioning programs for the 2004 US Olympic Synchronized Swimming team.
Chad S. Brenzikofer, BA, CSCS
Presentation Topic: “Neurodynamics in the Evaluation and Treatment of Hamstring Injuries”
Chad S. Brenzikofer received his Bachelor’s Degree in Exercise Science in May of 1999 from Fort Lewis College. Since finishing his degree, Chad has taken over 30 manual therapy courses, completed a one-year high velocity spinal manipulation course, earned his strength and conditioning (CSCS) credentials by the National Strength & Conditioning Association (NSCA), and completed a massage therapy program at the Massage Therapy Institute of Colorado. In 2006, Chad became the first Kinetic Control Accredited Tutor in the United States. He is also a certified instructor for Performance Stability, has assisted Michael Shacklock of Neurodynamic Solutions, and has done consulting work with Al Vermeil, strength & conditioning consultant to the Chicago Bulls. Chad is the owner and director of Muscle Management Therapies, Inc in Denver Colorado offering Massage Therapy, Manual Therapy, and Fitness Training & consulting services.
Lyle McDonald, BSc
Presentation Topic: “Nutrition and Supplementation for Enhanced Recovery and Regeneration”
Lyle obtained a degree in exercise physiology from the University of California in Los Angeles, graduating in 1993. He has dedicated nearly 20 years of his life to studying human physiology and the art, science, and practice of human performance, muscle gain, fat loss, and body recomposition. He applies a combination of cutting edge research, canny tinkering, and sometimes, a little bit of intuition to develop my hypotheses which I then test in the real world on various guinea pigs (often including himself). Lyle has worked with athletes from numerous sports including bodybuilding, powerlifting, cycling, Olympic lifting and many others, developing training, nutrition, and supplement programs to help athletes maximize their potential. He has published seven books on various aspects of exercise, diet and sports nutrition, and writes a weekly blog on his website at www.bodyrecomposition.com. Lyle has also written for numerous print magazines including Flex and the now defunct Peak Training Journal. He has a regular column in the new magazine, Muscle News. Additionally, I’ve written for numerous online publications including Cyberpump, Mesomorphosis, Mind and Muscle, Read the Core, Intelligent Design, Bodybuilding.com, Ironmagazine, Wannabebig, etc.
John Gray, MSc, CSCS
Presentation Topic: “Spine Stability and Movement Retraining in Recovery from Back Injury”
With over a decade of experience in exercise therapy and athletic conditioning, John has gained an excellent reputation for his approach toward “core stability” in treating low back pain, preventing injury, and enhancing athletic performance. John completed his Bachelor of Physical and Health Education degree from the University of Toronto and went on to work with the Clinical Mechanics Group to complete an interdisciplinary MSc degree in Biomechanics at Queen’s University at Kingston in Canada. In 2002 he returned to academics to pursue his PhD at the University of Waterloo, working with internationally renowned Spine Biomechanist, Professor Stuart McGill. Since 2002, John has been named an Educational Influential by the Institute for Work and Health. As a Certified Kinesiologist with the Ontario Kinesiology Association, he has specialized in working with athletes of all ages having current injuries or a history of injuries.
Giuseppe Gueli
Presentation Topic: “Innovations in the Application of Electrotherapy for Recovery, Regeneration and Rehabilitation”
Giuseppe Gueli has worked in all areas of sport performance including his duties as a coach, consultant and researcher. He has provided coaching expertise to the Italian national swim program, as well as served as a sport performance consultant to the world renowned football club, AC Milan. More recently, Giuseppe has been working in the area of Electrotherapy for application to sports performance, recovery and rehabilitation for the newly Accelerated Recovery Program (ARP) technology used widely in professional sports in both Europe and North America. He has also worked extensively in the area of recovery management through the use of heart rate variability analysis and the Omega Wave system.
Conference Schedule:
Each presentation will be a minimum of 90 minutes in length, including time at the end of the presentation for questions and discussions.
8:15am to 8:45am
- Conference Registration – Package Pick-Up
8:45am to 9:00am
- Introduction
9:00am to 10:45am
- Dr. Donald Chu – Los Angeles, California – “The Role of Recovery, Regeneration and Rehabilitation in Elite Performances”
10:45am to 12:30pm
- Chad Brenzikofer – Denver, Colorado – ” Neurodynamics in the Evaluation and Treatment of Hamstring Injuries”
12:30pm to 1:15pm
- Lunch Break – 45 minutes -Practical Demonstrations from Select Presenters
1:15pm to 3:00pm
- Lyle McDonald – Salt Lake City, Utah – “Nutrition and Supplementation for Enhanced Recovery and Regeneration”
3:00pm to 4:45pm
- John Gray – Toronto, Ontario- “Spine Stability and Movement Retraining in Recovery from Back Injury”
4:45pm to 5:00pm
Refreshment Break
5:00pm to 6:45pm
- Giuseppe Gueli – Milan, Italy – “Innovations in the Application of Electrotherapy for Recovery, Regeneration and Rehabilitation”
Conference Registration Information:
Please do not hesitate to call or e-mail us if you have any questions regarding registration or the conference content in general.
Conference Fee: $185.00 CAD
Regular Registration Due Date: February 16, 2009
Late Registration Fee: $225.00 CAD (February 17 , 2009 onwards)
For more information on the registration process or the conference itself, please contact Head SFU Strength & Conditioning Coach, Derek Hansen via e-mail at dhansen@sfu.ca or by phone at 778?782?4059.
NSCA and BCRPA continuing education credits will be available for this event.
Four easy ways to register:
1. By Phone: 778-782-3611 (VISA / MasterCard required for payment)
2. By Mail: Attn: SFU Recreation & Athletics
8888 University Drive
Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6
(VISA / MC / Cheque)
3. By Fax: 778-782-3425 (VISA / MC)
4. In person (8:30am – 4:00pm) at the General Recreation Counter at SFU Chancellor Gym
Please make checks payable to: Simon Fraser University
Register today! Seating for this conference is limited.
Books By Donald Chu
Books By Lyle McDonald
Electronic Muscle Stimulation for Strength, Athletic Performance and Recovery
– Derek M. Hansen –
This article will be one of many on the topic of Electronic Muscle Stimulation (EMS) and related topics on electrotherapy and electrophysiology. It provides a general overview on the applications and benefits of electro-therapy devices. Future articles will delve further into the specific protocols for performance enhancement, injury management and recovery.
I’ve spent the better part of the last 12 years experimenting with EMS on myself and various speed athletes I’ve coached. My very first personal experience with EMS technology was back in 1986, when I severely sprained my ankle during a basketball game and the physiotherapist was trying to aid muscle re-education by stimulating my soleus muscles just above the ankle. Needless to say, it was an electrifying experience, with the muscle contracting to a point where it felt like an extraordinary cramp. And, the fact that you knew it was going to happen every 30 seconds for 6 seconds of contraction time was a little nerve racking. A small set of LED’s would either glow green for “ON” or red for “OFF” – much more intense than waiting for a traffic signal to turn green. I still vividly remember that first experience.
My own electronic muscle stimulation experimentation started with a small EMS unit that only allowed 1-10 seconds of contraction, with a fixed three second recovery. It also had a TENS (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation) function that permitted pulsing and tapping sensations in the muscle. The unit was promoted with a 1981 article by Charlie Francis, and a photo of Bruce Lee with the EMS pads strapped to his shoulders, biceps and pectoral muscles. Seeing that both of these individuals were inspirations to me, it was an easy sell and I purchased the unit for my own home-lab experiments.
Benefits of EMS Technology
When I had that first EMS treatment back in 1986, it was clear to me that something profound was happening. As a kid, I had the periodic “finger in the light socket experience” where you would get zapped and classical conditioning finally kicks in. However, once you experience direct stimulation on a large muscle group, you will feel a magnitude of contraction that you normally could not experience through voluntary means. From the standpoint of lifting a weight, a larger load typically means greater recruitment, leading to greater adaptation (i.e. greater maximal strength). Accordingly, one should expect a greater contraction through EMS to result in greater maximal strength abilities as well. Although this benefit of EMS is not readily known by the sporting and fitness public, it is well supported by research and practice.
Strengthening
Electronic muscle stimulation can strategically target specific muscles for isolated strengthening. Careful placement of adhesive electrodes can determine not only which muscle or muscles are to be recruited, but also how well these muscles are recruited. EMS used on glutes, hamstrings and calves can help with stride extension and power for running, while work on the quadriceps can assist with eccentric strength and reduce ground contact times. EMS has also been used for strengthening the bottom of the feet.
While EMS targets specific muscles isometrically, it must be combined with regular sprinting and running to allow for the gains in raw strength to be converted to coordinated strength and power. Studies have also show that there is a lag in adaptive response – with full gains in strength not realized until four to six weeks after an EMS training block has been concluded. It is important to note that the best results are realized under conditions of significant contraction – which can be quite uncomfortable, bordering on excruciating. It may take several sessions for an individual to get to a point where they can tolerate the higher levels of stimulation required for significant strength adaptation.
Muscle Re-Education and Atrophy Reduction
In cases where an injury has been incurred and an athlete must accelerate strengthening or off-set muscle atrophy, EMS can play an important role. This is very common when a joint injury occurs, the limb cannot be used and muscles are not being worked normally. A foot or ankle injury is a perfect example of this application. The EMS unit can be used to work quads, hamstrings, glutes and calves when the athlete cannot properly walk or run for the initial stages of rehabilitation. For the athlete that sprains their ankle or knee in the latter stages of their training cycle, EMS can help to maintain muscle strength until you are ready to resume conventional training.
Pain Management
Through the use of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) and similar methods of electrotherapy, athletes can benefit from an analgesic effect to manage pain and discomfort. TENS selectively activates large diameter Type A nerve fibers without activating smaller diameter A and C (pain-related) nerve fibers or nerves that innervate muscle. It is often referred to as sensory-level stimulation – where stimulation occurs at or above the sensory threshold, but below the motor threshold. The level of current is determined by the perception of the patient, where current is increased until the patient feels a tingling sensation or “pins and needles” feeling. The mechanism of pain control is most likely either a block of pain transmission or activation of central inhibition of pain transmission by large-diameter nerve fiber stimulation.
Interferential current (IC) was developed by Dr. Hans Nemec in Vienna in the 1950s and became a popular method of electrotherapy in the 1970s. IC involves alternating medium frequency currents at approximately 4000 Hz in an effort to reduce skin resistance and discomfort. The theoretical mechanisms of pain control through IC is similar to that of conventional TENS therapy, including sensory-level stimulation and physiological block of nerve conduction. Others have also claimed that IC improves circulation and reduces swelling.
Circulation Enhancement and Massage
Use of low frequency electric currents have been used to induce a gentle pulsing of the muscle to physically increase circulation, thereby enhancing blood flow to the treatment area and remove waste products and fluid (venous and lymphatic systems). If you examine the treatment area, you would be able to see the muscle pulsing – unlike EMS for muscle strengthening, where you would see the muscle hold a contraction for anywhere from 3 to 10 seconds. For athletes who cannot access regular massage, EMS can be a useful means to achieve a flushing massage for specific areas of the body. It also can be very useful in cases where athletes have to travel regularly and are sitting for long periods of time in a car, on a bus or during a flight. This form of stimulation can also be used for warm-up routines (in cases where conventional warm-up cannot be implemented) and combined with harder contractions to create a potentiation program enhancing muscle readiness for high intensity work.
Reduction of Muscle Spasm
In 1997, I sustained a whiplash injury in a motor vehicle accident which has created problems for me ever since. Numerous times throughout the year I will experience a massive spasm in the muscles around the upper thoracic and cervical areas of my back. Historically, it has taken four to five days for the muscles to settle down, with normal range of motion in my neck returning in 5-6 days. In the last few years, I have been using my Compex muscle stim unit to help reduce recovery times from spasm. The Compex unit has a pre-programmed selection called “Cramp Prevention” that lasts 30-40 minutes in duration. This program helps to settle down the spasm in 1-3 days and restore range of motion in my neck in 2-3 days. The program consists of a series of low frequency pulsing cycles that work the muscles to bring down muscle tone. In essence, the program sequentially fatigues the spastic muscles – bringing down muscle tone – in a comfortable manner using a range of frequencies and pulse widths. When used alone or in combination with conventional massage, you can effect much quicker recoveries from cases of spasticity using strategically programmed electronic muscle stimulation.
Soft-Tissue Regeneration, Wound Recovery and Bone Healing
The use of direct current (DC) stimulation for the healing of tissue is based on the concept that it can enhance the naturally occurring DC potentials associated with natural repair, thereby stimulating the healing process. It has been postulated that living tissue possesses DC electro-potentials that regulate the healing process. When tissue damage occurs, the injury creates a current that triggers the body to biologically repair itself. Studies in both humans and animals have shown that electrical stimulation can actually enhance wound healing. In cases where wounds have shown to be chronic and/or have not healed within the expected time frame, it has been suggested that normal electro-biological healing processes have been arrested. The use of external electro-stimulation of such wounds theoretically produces a series of events which ‘jump-start’ the normal healing process.
Work by Robert Becker suggests that bioelectrical activity occurs throughout the body in a complex field that is closely related to the distribution of the central and peripheral nervous systems. Localized injuries, as well as disease, are thought to lead to a disturbance of this whole-body bioelectrical system, acting as a stimulus for the regeneration and repair process.
It has also been long reported that electrical stimulation can be used to enhance bone healing. When external forces are placed on bone, an electrical potential is generated. Negative electrical potentials have been recorded at fracture sites, which is in line with the “current of injury” theory proposed by Becker. Fukada and Yasuda suggested that the induced electrical potentials at the cathode (negative electrode) triggered the body’s piezoelectrical potentials, which enhance bone repair and growth. Although regarded with skepticism by many in the medical field, there is abundant evidence from clinical studies of the effectiveness of electrical stimulation for bone healing.
Conclusions and Implications
The exact mechanisms by which electrical stimulation enhances strength, circulation, muscle tone reduction, regeneration and recovery are still not clearly understood. It is obvious to me – through my personal experiences and discussions with peers – that there is significant value in working with EMS in coordination with other methods of training and recovery. And, I will continue to work with EMS in an effort to determine a coordinated approach to training and rehabilitating athletes. There is amazing “potential” for this technology that I look forward to discovering.
There are several choices in the marketplace for consumers who would like to purchase their own EMS device. In a future article on EMS, I will review a specific EMS device to give my personal opinion on its suitability for both athletes and coaches. I will also devote some time to looking at specific cases where EMS is appropriate, and the protocols required to maximize the effectiveness of this tool.
References
Dehail, P., C. Duclos and M. Barat. Electrical Stimulation and Muscle Strength. Annales de Readaptation et de Medecine Physique. 2008, 15: 441-451.
Kitchen, Sheila. Electrotherapy: Evidence-Based Practice. Churchill-Livingstone, 2002, London.
Nalty, Theresa. Electrotherapy: Clinical Procedures Manual. McGraw Hill, 2001, New York.
Maffiuletti NA, Zory R, Miotti D, Pellegrino MA, Jubeau M, Bottinelli R. Neuromuscular
Adaptations to Electrostimulation Resistance Training. Am J Phys Med Rehabil. 2006, 85: 167–175.
Robinson, A.J. and Lynn Snyder-Mackler. Clinical Electrophysiology. Williams & Wilkins, 1995, Baltimore.
Siff, Mel. Applications of Electrostimulation in Physical Conditioning: A Review. Journal of Applied Sports Science Research. 1990, Volume 4, No. 1, pp. 20-26.
Available Consumer EMS Units
Compex Sport Electronic Muscle Stimulator
Compex Sport is designed for the serious athletes in support of their normal training regimes. The Compex Sport has five levels of progression and four channels for complete body training sessions. The six programs include Resistance, Endurance, Strength, Explosive Strength, Potentiation and Active Recovery. Thus, the Compex Sport can serve as your personal coach, massage therapist and rehabilitation specialist.
This type of electrical impulse muscle stimulation equipment has been used successfully in physical medicine for many years. Compex produces professional, top quality, muscle contraction training equipment. The included CD-ROM based Training Planner details each stage of the work out and helps to create a truly individualized training program. Whether you are a track and field athlete, basketball player, football player, cyclist or recreational runner, Compex Sport fits the athlete and fits their sport!
Compex Fitness Electronic Muscle Stimulator
The Compex Fitness electronic muscle stimulator is designed for is for individuals interested in building muscles, toning and shaping to improve general physical fitness. The Compex Fitness Trainer includes two training programs and one special program. Electronic muscle stimulation is effective for muscle and fitness training and well as muscle rehabilitation.
The Endurance program helps you cope with long-duration aerobic activities and increases muscle resistance to fatigue by building slow-twitch muscle fibers. The Resistance program provides an all-around program for endurance and strength, building both slow-twitch and fast-twitch muscle fibers. Finally, the Active Recovery program facilitates relaxation of muscles and reduces muscle soreness and stiffness following competition or demanding workouts.
This type of electrical impulse muscle stimulation equipment has been used successfully in physical medicine for many years. Compex produces professional, top quality, muscle contraction training equipment. The included CD-ROM based Training Planner details each stage of the work out and helps to create a truly individualized training program.
Compex Replacement Set of Electrode Wires and Replacement Electrodes
Also available are Compex brand accessories such as extra lead wires and replacement sticky pads, in both small and large sizes.
Globus Premium Sport Electronic Muscle Stimulator
The PREMIUM SPORT programs enhance Maximum Strength, Explosive Strength, Resistance and Reactivity of elite athletes. By stimulating the specific muscles needed for different sports, the Globus Premium Sport can supplement the training of every athlete. Sport programs include:
– Maximum Strength
– Resistance Strength
– Explosive Strength
– Reactivity
– Aerobic Resistance
– Active Recovery
– Preparation (similar to Potentiation)
– Basic Training
The PREMIUM SPORT has ten distinct libraries specifically conceived for the following sports: Football, Baseball/Softball, Basketball, Running, tennis, Cycling, Golf, Sprinting, Cross-Country skiing and Downhill skiing. The training libraries include Conditioning and Maintenance programs. The Conditioning programs help athletes reach peak condition. During competitive periods athletes will then switch to the Maintenance programs to maintain the peak condition without unnecessary fatigue.
Globus Premium Fitness Electronic Muscle Stimulator
The Globus Premium Fitness model includes fitness programs developed by coaches and personal trainers to improve your physical shape through electro-stimulation: balancing your strength, developing your resistance, preparing for exercise, recovering from exercise, as well as recoving from muscular fatigue.
PREMIUM FITNESS with its jogging, basic training, aerobic resistance, active recovery and preparation programs, help develop your physique, and charge you full of energy. Total programs include:
– Aerobic Resistance
– Active Recovery
– Preparation (similar to Potentiation)
– Basic Training
The Globus PREMIUM FITNESS will take care of your wellness and will help eliminate daily fatigue and stress.
Globus Replacement Set of Electrode Wires and Replacement Electrodes
Also available are Globus brand accessories such as extra lead wires and replacement sticky pads, in both small and large sizes.
