In the world of distance running it seems there are two kinds of runners: the kickers and the pace-pushers. The former are the ones that are often times thought to be just blessed with the ability to hold on tight for the ride (the race) and then breeze by the poor sap who had led up until about 200 meters to go and then gets to watch as the win goes to someone else. Still, they get the runner-up title, oh and equal amounts of pain from all that lactic acid! Hehe...kidding aside though, having a fast finishing kick is a major benefit to any runner or racer; think of it like a secret weapon to be unleashed when you need that extra gear.

True, some runners are just naturally blessed with more raw speed than others (when I was running I most definitely fell into the category of NOT having it :P) but that doesn't mean that you are a lost cause if up until now you've tended to be the one being passed down the home stretch. If you look at the harriers charging home they usually look like they are running much more 'comfortably' than the others; that doesn't mean they aren't working just as hard but they are holding their form together to be the most efficient. When we tire, our form breaks down, and this only slows us down. At the end of a race you want to stand up tall, relax your face, drop your shoulders so they aren't up to your neck, and let the legs roll...though MUCH easier said than done.

Before you even get to the line though you want to have worked on your finishing kick and that will be doing those shorter intervals and sprints. Don't neglect those 200 meter repeats if you are running a 10k or even a marathon; then you can also do power moves like plyometrics to build strength, explosiveness, and that will translate into speed. Another thing that can improve your finishing kick, and your overall race, are drills; doing quick feet drills that work on a faster turn-over will make you more efficient on the track and you will be able to relax and sprint home. Finally core work and lifting weights will also make you stronger and able to maintain proper form; if your core is weak you'll naturally hunch over as you tire.

Just because you tend to be one of the racers who feel they have to take the pace out from the gun and tire out your opponent, that doesn't necessarily have to always be the case. It was once said that the more confident runners are able to sit back, be patient, and let others do the work because in their mind they know they can out duel them in the end. Now, I'm not saying it's always best to just sit and kick because if you are aiming to hit a certain time you may need to be the one to nudge the pace along; but there are always races for times and races for titles or places. That is another topic all together; but the point is you can be a runner hybrid and possess both the ability to take the lead but still charge home with a fast finishing kick. That is of course an ideal all are working towards but the fastest runners work on all aspects of their sport. So if you want to get a faster finishing kick that means increasing your raw speed and working on you form so that when you are tired you are still able to relax, and dig, then tap into that 'extra' gear.

It's been a few months now that I've been using the Krankcycle in my rehab process in the hopes of retaining some amount of cardio fitness for when I can finally (fingers crossed) get back to some version of running. There is still a looooooong road ahead of me but in terms of using this unique arm bike machine I thought I'd give a little progress report or at least my opinion of it.

The Krankcycle is actually an invention of one Mr. Johnny G (check out Krankcycle.com) who in the fitness world is a kind of guru in that he was also behind the hugely popular spin bikes and started the whole spin class movement. Well, he took the same idea behind his bikes (a dial to adjust the tension level) and applied it to an upper body workout. It builds off of the more standard UBE Machine (arm bikes that are used in rehabilitation commonly for older people or those unable to use anything below their waists...looks like I now fall into that category!) but differs in that it is much more versatile. You can adjust of course the tension level, the same as you can on a typical UBE, but you can also lift the height of the arm cranks so you can vary which sets of upper body muscles you target. You can further flip the pedals around and then cycle in either a forward or backward motion; neat if you want a change of pace. Finally, if you are able to use your legs the seat does come out and you can stand; the layout of the Krankcycle also encourages you to sit up straight (some UBE machines have a back and you can slouch back) and this works and tones your core. So, my first assessment was that it was indeed much more progressive and advanced than a typical arm bike.

That being said, there was still a period of getting adjusted to the machine and how it works. This goes for any kind of exercise machine that you choose to use in your fitness routines but especially being that I was a runner and not used to using solely my arms for cardio work it took a little longer to get used to. I first tried the UBE machines and will admit that because muscularly my arms were weaker I had a hard time generating enough power to get my heart rate into what I had wanted to be my target zone (or being able to go as long as I would have like!). Still, over time I got used to the motions and that alone made me improve and I could extend the amount of time on the machine; by the time I then switched over to the Krankcycle I still had to tweak my form and propulsion a bit but when I finally 'got it' I must say I was able to get in a good cardio effort.

On Johnny G's website he notes that the science behind the Krankcycle is still evolving and there are lots of tests that are still being done. For instance they aren't sure how getting in cardio work sans any lower extremities will translate to fitness levels when you then go back to running. They also aren't sure on exactly how many calories per say the machine burns; if it has a similar amount compared to other cardio machines or not. They do note that obviously because the arms are a smaller muscle group it will be less, but that you are able to elevate your heart rate enough so that it still is excellent exercise. One study from the American Council for Exercise estimated it burned about 9 calories per minute on average during one of the Krankcycle classes, think a spinning class but with these upper arm bikes.

There is also the theory that because the arms are closer to the heart this machine is able to raise heart rate level faster than if you were doing lower body cardio work. In my experience I won't necessarily say I found that to be the case, but I will say that the potential to get your heart rate up there is definitely there. After I became acquainted with the motions I was able to incorporate interval workouts and tempo sort of efforts on the machine and I'll tell you I was definitely sweating, working hard, and my heart was pumping. By the end I will acknowledge I knew I put in a good effort. The only disadvantage I see is that because the arms are a smaller muscle group, and especially since mine are not as buffed as they could have been should I be say a rower, the amount of time I can go on the Krankcycle is significantly less than if I were running outside. But, for what I do I make sure it is high quality and with the intervals I know by the end I have stressed my cardio system and I feel good in that at least I am able to do SOMETHING to get my heart pumping. I had been, and still am, dying being stuck on this couch!! :P

Time will only tell how this kind of cardio workout will translate into getting back to running, or at least even on the elliptical, but I will say that being that I have no other options for cardio the Krankcylce is something I'd recommend to anyone else in a similar situation. As with anything, a major factor is how much effort you put into it and if that is there I believe I will be able to retain some amount of cardiovascular fitness. I know it won't be the same as where I was but it has to be better than nothing! ;)

There has been a lot of talk lately about a new study that was done and documented in the Journal of the American Medical Association's March issue that alerted women that in order to simply maintain their weight as they age they need to engage in at least an hour of exercise each and every day. Now for me that seems like no problem but that's just because I thoroughly enjoy busting a sweat; however for perhaps the majority of the populous that amount of time not only seems unappealing but also impracticable due to busy schedules. What I feel is worth pointing out is that what these so called studies usually include for 'exercise' includes household chores (think vacuuming, heavy cleaning, etc.) and even the walks you may take to and from the parking lot. If you were to add all of that up I'm sure you could find the necessary hour's quota.

Now I'm not saying it isn't worth opting for the stairs over the elevator for the sake of sneaking in a little extra, however ,if you want to be a more fit individual those kinds of moderate activities aren't going to do the trick. No amount of folding laundry will grant you a six pack! So then if you are pressed for time but still want to get in a training session you don't necessarily have to carve out a full hour but you can instead up the intensity. If you workout at a higher level you can in fact not only burn more calories than the person who say vacuumed or walked up a few stairs did but you will reap more rewards in terms of your own cardiovascular and muscular fitness as well. So how can you do this?

The answer is simple but it will include a little more discomfort; you just have to bite the bullet and push yourself a little harder but for a shorter amount of time. You don't have to go out there and kill yourself but for the harder efforts you should be breathing hard and on a scale of one to ten you should be at around an eight. It has been proven time and time again that interval training, which I have done multiple posts on before, (and here is one for those just starting out and want to ease into it!) is perhaps the best possible way to cram in a shorter workout but maximize your benefits. What this would entail is bouts of harder exertions followed by those of an active recovery where you are giving yourself a chance to regroup before the next interval.

I've done this training lately on the Krankcycle; I'm not able to workout as long on this machine compared to what I was able to run (my arms are pathetically weak compared to my legs! Now, they are gaining strength and I've increased my time but I still have a ways to go!) so what I do is I make the most of the minutes I am on it. There are a plethora of variations you can take on interval training by mixing up how long you go and the length of recovery. You can also do a sort of 'tempo' effort which is where you go at the same harder effort you would in an interval but you sustain it in one effort for longer (say 15 minutes) without rest; this would be done after warm-up period.

The basics of interval training can be as easy and doing one minute of a hard effort followed by one minute of an active recovery (if you're running this would be a slow jog; you just want to keep moving so the blood's flowing) and then you repeat. Intervals can be done an any kind of cardio machine or activity so long as you get your heart rate up for the hard parts. You can then get in a far better workout in the span of 30 minutes (warm-up and cool-down included!) than others who may have kept up a moderate pace for an hour. What's better is you'll be off and about the rest of your day sooner!

Sample Interval Session:

5 minutes warm-up (on a scale of one to ten of exertion you should feel about a 6-7)

1 minute hard interval (should be done at a level of an 8; you should be breathing hard!)
1 minutes active recovery (keep moving just enough to stay active but allow yourself to recover; it should feel very easy)

You then repeat the previous two minutes ten times for a total of 20 minutes

5 minutes cool-down (this can be relaxed and the purpose is to flush out the lactic acid that built up; ideally if you have a few extra minutes to workout you'd add some time to your warm-up and cool-down.)

The great thing about intervals is it all hinges on your own abilities and perceived effort; you are only 'competing' against yourself. As you gain fitness you will then be able to go faster or cover more distance (or achieve more RPMs) but the intensity will feel the same; the improvements will motivate you to keep coming back for more and what's better is you will be infinitely more fit than any vacuumer! ;)

Interval training are great workouts to get faster, lose weight, and increase your fitness level faster than than doing a steady, sustained cardio effort. By incorporating bouts of higher intensities in your fitness training program you will not only gain strength but boost your metabolism which will in turn burn more calories. There are numerous ways to add intervals into your workout program and one such method is in what is called a pyramid workout.

In a pyramid workout each hard effort interval will increase in time or distance, like climbing up a ladder, and then you will work your way back down. This is excellent at getting you working out at different paces; you will be able to go faster and harder for the shorter intervals and the longer ones will have you working more at a threshold pace that will improve your endurance. This way you will be tapping into both of your systems, aerobic as well as anaerobic for the shortest intervals.

An interval workout is a great way to get in an effective workout in a relatively short amount of time, and in as little as 30 minutes you can be well on your way to a faster, leaner, fitter you. Follow the guideline below and for the shorter intervals you will obviously be going faster and as the hard effort times increase you will adjust your pace accordingly. By the end of each hard effort you should feel like you are working at about an 8 or 9 on a scale of 1 to 10. The recovery should be just that, and don't worry if you are going slow; as long as you keep moving the goal is to allow you to rest before the next hard interval.

6 minute warm up
1 minute hard
1 minute recovery
2 minutes hard
2 minutes recovery
3 minutes hard
3 minutes recovery
2 minutes hard
2 minutes recovery
1 minute hard
1 minute recovery
30 seconds hard
5:30 minute cool down

In just 30 minutes you will have worked hard and blasted calories. For anyone looking to get in better shape or lose weight, doing interval workouts is one of the best way to achieve both!

If you are just starting out with a new running training program, looking to lose weight and get in better shape, the key is consistency and also patience. Consistency because it takes time to build a base of cardio fitness and if you aren't putting in time on a consistent basis your body will never be able to adapt and improve. Should you run sporadically one day, skip a week, then go for a single run again before skipping another few weeks, each time you go out you will be left feeling sore and achy. This will not only make running much less enjoyable but you won't be able to increase muscle strength or your oxygen capacity to allow you to go further and faster.

So along with sticking to your regular running routine you also need to be patient because you will be sore for the beginning and improvements will come as long as you stick with it and wait it out. That being said you shouldn't' be too overzealous and eager to get fit all at once. This will set you up for injury and then you'll be left taking time off and then having to start over all again. Once you have been doing some consistent running in your target heart rate zone you can then begin implementing bouts of pick ups or strides into your regular runs.

A regular run, or easy run, is one in which you hold a conversational pace throughout; it should be about an effort level of 7 on a scale of 1 to 10. The goal of the easy run is to increase endurance and recovery if it is the day after a harder workout. To begin improving your fitness and get faster you have to train faster, but before you go out and do a bunch of intervals or harder workouts you can begin introducing bouts of increased pace into your easy runs.

For instance if you were going out for a 30 minute run you could incorporate say between four and six strides in which you would gradually work into a pace that is just below a maximum effort for anywhere between 20 and 45 seconds before gradually slowing back down back into your previous pace. You would then recover until your breathing isn't too labored and then you could do the next stride. The goal is to get your legs used to going faster and tapping into the fast-twitch muscle fibers. When you are doing each stride you want to focus on running smooth, keeping your upper body relaxed, and maintaining your form.

For the second week of your running training program you will be including a few pick ups or strides into your easy runs. You will allow yourself a warm-up of at least five minutes before the first stride and then adequate recovery time before the next. Make sure you end your run with a short cool-down as well. Should you not be at the point of running the entire time yet, then make your strides during the running portions and try to go faster than you would for the regular easier runs. Strides will get you on the path to a fitter you, and the faster pace will boost your metabolism and get you burning calories. But most importantly they will be setting the stage for more intense workouts in the future.