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Running and Physical Exercise

I am trying for a defence oriented job. I want to practice for running (1.5 Km in 7mins & 400 Mtr in 52sec), push ups and pull ups.

So how can I do running practice with physical exercise like push ups and pull ups. Can you give me any suggestion to solve my problem?

And need to know when I should do a skipping exercise? After I am finished running or before running?by Mohanarangan (Chennai, Tamilnadu, India)

Answer by Dom: Hi there, thanks for your running training question. I don't see a big problem yet, other than that you will have to get busy and start working out to achieve the targets set for that army physical test! Those two running targets need very different training, so I'll break my response down as follows:

1. Running and strength: keep them apart or mix them
2. Training for 1.5 km in 7 minutes
3. Training for 400 metres in 52 seconds
4. Push ups and pull ups
5. A simple week to put it together
6. Skipping, warming up and stretching

1. Running and strength: keep them apart or mix them

Regarding the mix-up of running with the body weight exercises you described, you can do several things.

Keep them separated. Run in one workout, do your push ups, pull ups and possibly other strength exercises in another workout.

Mix them up. A good way of building up some fitness is a circuit. E.g. run 400 metres, then do 2 x 10 push ups, 2 x 10 pull ups and then repeat that sequence and go for 30 minutes or so.

My advice to you: use the circuit once a week for general fitness, and keep your key running sessions separate. Tired arms and shoulders will not stop you running fast, but heavy legs after a hard run will ruin your pull up session. Do the hard runs first, and give yourself at least a day between your two hardest workouts.

2. Training for 1.5 km in 7 minutes

Seven minutes for 1.5 km is 4:40 per kilometre, or 1:52 for every 400 metres. That is a solid pace for a beginner and a realistic target for someone who trains consistently.

With the running I would advise you to do easy runs or run/walks at first. Easy means you can talk in full sentences. Start with 20 minutes, three times a week, and build up to 30 minutes non-stop over a month or so.

After you get more comfortable with covering the distances prescribed and more, then start doing some speed training as well. Once a week, after a 10-minute easy warm-up, run 5 x 400 metres at 1:50 with a 90-second walk or jog in between. Add one repeat every week until you reach 8. When 8 x 400 at 1:50 feels controlled, you are ready to run the full 1.5 km at 4:40 per kilometre.

Time it every three weeks. Don't test more often than that.

3. Training for 400 metres in 52 seconds

This is a different animal. 52 seconds for 400 metres is a sprint, not an endurance run, and easy running will not get you there. It needs short, fast repeats with plenty of recovery.

Once a week, after a good warm-up with a few easy strides, run 6 x 100 metres fast and relaxed, with a full 2-minute walk back. In week three, switch to 4 x 200 metres at about 25-26 seconds, with 3 minutes rest. Quality matters more than quantity here — if the last repeat is slower than the first, stop.

Don't do these sessions on the same day as your 400 metre intervals for the 1.5 km. Two fast sessions a week is plenty.

4. Push ups and pull ups

Considering you need to build up stamina and strength it might be worth joining a gym. At a gym they can usually give you some guidance about the types of exercises you need to do and provide some sort of program for you with which you can achieve overall body strength, rather than just doing push ups and pull ups only. Combine a few visits to the gym each week with a number of runs each week and you should start getting fit pretty quickly.

If you can't get to a gym, train twice a week, never on consecutive days. Do 4 sets of push ups, stopping each set 2 reps short of failure, with 90 seconds rest. Add one rep per set every week. For pull ups, do 5 sets of as many clean reps as you can. If you can't do a single one yet, use slow lowering from the top (jump up, then take 5 seconds to come down) or an assisted version with a band.

Full range every rep — chin over the bar, arms straight at the bottom. Reps that don't count in the test don't count in training either.

5. A simple week to put it together

Here is how I'd arrange it:

• Monday: easy run, 20-30 minutes
• Tuesday: push ups and pull ups, plus other strength work
• Wednesday: 400-metre intervals for the 1.5 km
• Thursday: rest or gentle walk
• Friday: push ups and pull ups, then a short sprint session
• Saturday: easy run or the 30-minute circuit
• Sunday: rest

Every fourth week, cut everything back by a third. That consolidation week is when your body actually adapts. And if you feel a niggle in your shins or knees, listen to your body and take an extra rest day. Don't push through it.

6. Skipping, warming up and stretching

Regarding the skipping or other exercises. I prefer to warm up before my runs with just easy running, no stretching. After my runs I do my stretching. I'm not a fan of stretching with cold muscles, so I usually advise people to do stretching and strengthening exercises afterwards. Whether skipping needs to be included in that I am not exactly sure, but for some stretches I do, check out my running stretches-page.

Here's what I'd do: skip for 2-3 minutes after a few minutes of easy running if you want it as part of your warm-up, or use it as part of your strength day. Skipping is hard on calves and ankles, so build up slowly.

I hope this provides you with the answers you are looking for. Best of luck with the training and with the physical test!

Kind regards,
Dom

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