5K TRAINING PLAN Seven Steps to Take You From Just Starting to Crushing Your Next 5k
TABLE OF CONTENTS 1... Welcome to Healthworks 5k Training Plan 3... Benefits of Your Weekly Training Sessions 5... The 6-Week Training Calendar 11... Weight lifting workout #1 12... Weight lifting workout #2 13... Weight lifting workout #3 14... Interval Running Workouts and Hill Workouts 17...Examples of Cross Training (XT) 19...Examples of LISS + 6 deep stretches Let s Do This!
PART 1 WELCOME TO HEALTHWORKS 5K TRAINING PLAN Hitting the pavement for a road race this year? Let our 5K Training Plan help you get in your best running shape ever! WHO IS THIS TRAINING PLAN FOR? This training plan was designed for people who are new to running. It s the perfect companion to anyone registering for their first 5k road race, or someone looking to improve on their previous best 5k time. In just 6 weeks, this comprehensive guide will get you from couch to finish line safely and successfully.»» 3 Running Sessions (Interval, Hill and Long)»» 1 Weight Lifting Session»» 1 Cross-Training (XT) Session»» 1 Stretching & Low-Intensity Steady State (LISS) Cardio Session Surprised to see that you don t have to run every single day in order to prepare for your first road race? Believe it or not, being a good runner requires a lot more than just miles logged. Fortunately, this plan includes everything you need to toe the starting line with confidence come race day. Never ran a race before? No problem. You ll gain the strength, stamina, and confidence you ll need while also improving your overall fitness. WHAT TO EXPECT For this 5K training plan, we ll see you in the club(s) for workouts 6 days per week with 1 scheduled rest day. The weekly sessions, discussed in greater detail below, will include: 1 HOME
PART 2 THE PROOF IS IN THE PAVEMENT THE BENEFITS OF YOUR WEEKLY TRAINING SESSIONS Below, you ll notice each day of the week has a slightly different workout session planned. Make the commitment to do each training session as scheduled. Doing so will prevent you from training too much or not training enough, either of which can increase your risk of a sidelining injury. Here are a few specific benefits that each of the daily training sessions offer: INTERVAL RUNS Research shows that interval training is a highly efficient and effective way to build muscle endurance and other important biomarkers like VO2 max (the rate at which your body consumes oxygen). Plus, interval runs are usually more interesting than long distance runs, so they can keep you from getting bored with your training. WEIGHT LIFTING Strong muscles means stable joints and powerful limbs, which is why runners should really care about developing their strength in addition to their cardiovascular endurance. All of our Healthworks Fitness centers offer variety in this area to make sure you reach your training goals. CROSS-TRAINING (XT) Cross-training (shortened to XT on the calendar below) is critical for runners, since it allows you to train without overdoing it on the running (which can otherwise be stressful on the joints and may slow your recovery). Cross-training is essentially any type of exercise other than running that increases your endurance, gets your heart rate up, and gets your blood flowing. HILL RUNS Running hills (or simulating this on our treadmills) adds an important dose of intensity and variety to your workout. Hill runs challenge different muscle groups and in time can improve your aerobic capacity, endurance, speed, power, and strength. 3 HOME HOME 4
LOW-INTENSITY STEADY STATE CARDIO (LISS) & STRETCHING During a low-intensity cardio session, you maintain the same pace for a set period of time. After an intense week of training, LISS is great for muscle recovery, especially if followed up with a deep stretching session. LONG RUNS At the end of each week, you will test your endurance by increasing the distance you run. Do your best to run without stopping. This gets your body (and mind!) used to running longer distances so you ll be prepared to give it all you have come race day. PART 3 THE 6-WEEK TRAINING CALENDAR Behold: your plan. We recommend printing out a copy of this schedule and posting it somewhere you can easily see it. Not only will this help you remember which workout you re meant to do that day, but it can help keep you motivated to train. 5 HOME
Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Week 1 Rest Intervals Week 2 Rest Intervals Week 3 Rest Intervals Week 4 Rest Intervals Week 5 Rest Intervals Week 6 Rest Intervals Weight Lifting #1 Weight Lifting #2 Weight Lifting #3 Weight Lifting #3 Weight Lifting #2 Weight Lifting #1 Hills 20min XT LISS & Stretch Long Run Hills 20 min XT LISS & Stretch Long Run Hills 25 min XT LISS & Stretch Long Run Hills 30 min XT LISS & Stretch Long Run Hills 25 min XT LISS & Stretch Long Run Hills 20 min XT LISS & Stretch Race Day! 7 8
PART 4 The weight lifting workouts in our 5K training plan are designed to help you strengthen the major muscle groups within your body (limbs and core). Movements should be modified as necessary to meet your needs. If you need help making one of these workouts harder or easier, feel free to meet with any of our trainers to ask for assistance or guidance. Notice that the weight lifting workouts repeat themselves in a pyramid pattern throughout the 6 weeks of training. This is for the sake of simplicity, and to help you safely ramp up to the most difficult workout (#3) before tapering down again as you get closer to race day. This way, you ll be less likely to get injured or be super sore when it s 3, 2, 1, go time. strengthen the major muscle groups within your body How to do these workouts: Each workout consists of 2 main circuits. Go through each circuit 3 times, and then rest for 2 minutes before beginning the second circuit. When weights are required, be sure to use ones that are heavy enough to be challenging, but not so heavy that you are unable to maintain proper form. If you re not sure, remember to check in with one of our trainers for help. Don t be afraid to really push yourself! HOME 10
WEIGHT LIFTING WORKOUT #1 CIRCUIT 1: Perform exercises 1-3, then rest 1 minute. Repeat for a total of 3 times. 1. Bodyweight jumping lunges, 10 reps each side 2. Dumbbell thrusters, 10 reps 3. Single arm farmer s carry, 1 minute each side WEIGHT LIFTING WORKOUT #2 CIRCUIT 1: Perform exercises 1-3, then rest 1 minute. Repeat for a total of 3 times. 1. Inverted rows, 10 reps 2. Barbell or kettlebell goblet squats, 10 reps 3. Lat pull downs, 10 reps CIRCUIT 2: Perform exercises1-3, then rest 1 minute. Repeat for a total of 3 times. 1. 30-second plank 2. Push ups, 10 reps 3. Weighted step ups, 10 reps each leg (adjust the step height to suit your needs) CIRCTUIT 2 Perform exercises 1-3, then rest 1 minute. Repeat for a total of 3 times. 1. Barbell or dumbbell shoulder press, 10 reps 2. Kettlebell swings, 25 reps 3. Superman and hollow hold, 30 seconds each side 11 HOME HOME 12
PART 5 WEIGHT LIFTING WORKOUT #3 CIRCUIT 1: Perform exercises 1-3, then rest 1 minute. Repeat for a total of 3 times 1. Barbell or Smith Machine back squats, 8 reps 2. Weighted or assisted pull ups, 8 reps 3. Bulgarian split squats, 8 reps each side CIRCUIT 2: Perform exercises 1-3, then rest 1 minute. Repeat for a total of 3 times 1. Deadlifts, 8 reps 2. Broad jumps, 10 reps 3. Medicine ball sit ups, 10 reps EXAMPLES OF INTERVAL RUNNING WORKOUTS AND HILL WORKOUTS Interval running sessions and hill runs can be done outside or in one of our clubs on the treadmill. We re giving you two examples of each, but feel free to make up your own, too! Rather than just walking on a treadmill or biking, try a dynamic warm up prior to your workout. A dynamic warm up is extremely important as it focuses on preparing the muscles you will be using in your upcoming workout. These movements typically include Hip flexor stretch Glute bridges Deep squats with torso rotations Walking lunges with high knees 13 HOME
INTERVAL WORKOUT #1 Walk for 2 minutes, then jog for 1 minute. Repeat for about 15-20 minutes. Interval Workout #2 INTERVAL WORKOUT #2 Start with a light jog for 2 minutes. Run hard or sprint for 30 seconds, then return to a light jog for 1.5 minutes. Repeat for a total of 20 minutes. HILL WORKOUT #1 If outside, find a sizable hill (or set of stairs). Walk up and down 2-3 times as a warm up. Then, start at the bottom and run your way up to the top. Walk back down, and repeat 5 times through. If on a treadmill, simply increase the incline and speed to a challenging pace, maintain for about 1 minute, then return to a normal incline and pace for 2 minutes. HILL WORKOUT #2 If outside, find a hilly route and go for a 15-25 minute run at a slow to moderate pace. On the treadmill, try selecting a hill run setting. Our treadmills will automatically adjust the incline and pace for you. The main idea here is to get some variety within your workout. Alternate going slow or fast. You can use time, distance, or even objects in your environment (like lampposts or city blocks) to delineate your intervals. HOME 16
PART 6 EXAMPLES OF CROSS TRAINING (XT) As mentioned, cross training (XT) is really any type of exercise other than running that will get your heart rate up and get you sweaty. Choose something you enjoy. Alternatively, feel free to try something new that you ve never done before. 9 IDEAS FOR A CHALLENGING & FUN CROSS TRAINING WORKOUT Here are some of our personal faves for a cross training day: 1. Cycling (either spin class, stationary bike, Air Dyne, and/or road biking) 2. Yoga 3. Zumba (or any other type of group fitness) 4. Tennis 5. Basketball 6. Stair Climber 7. Burpees 8. Rowing Machine 9. Rock Climbing 17 HOME
PART 7 EXAMPLES OF LISS + 6 DEEP STRETCHES FOR YOUR RUNNERS S BODY Low-intensity steady state cardio can be anything that gets your joints loose and the circulation going. It s also great to do a LISS type workout before stretching to maximize the benefits you ll get from your deep stretching routine. Below are a few sample LISS sessions. Aim to do each one for a minimum of 15 minutes and a maximum of 30 minutes: 1. Hiking 2. Incline walking on a treadmill 3. Elliptical machine 4. Recumbent bike You can also use some of your favorite cross-training exercises (e.g., swimming or rowing) on LISS days, too. Just make sure that they are performed at a low intensity. That is, you should be able to easily have a conversation during your workout. Additionally, you should be hitting a target heart rate of around 50-60% of your heart rate max. THE DEEP STRETCHES As for your deep stretches, we re giving you 6 to focus on that will help you increase the flexibility of your legs and hips. Each week, aim to do at least 2 of the stretches, and be sure to try at least all of them once over the course of your training plan. When performing your stretch, aim to hold the position for at least 90 seconds. This is the minimum amount of time required to actually elicit a meaningful improvement in connective tissue flexibility (e.g., muscle, tendon, ligament, joint capsule). 1. Pigeon stretch 2. Hip flexor stretch 3. Quad stretch 4. Hamstring stretch 5. IT band stretch 6. Calf stretch HOME 20
In addition to performing these stretches, consider supplementing your LISS/recovery days with some time spent on a foam roll or lacrosse ball to further loosen up your tissues. Our Stretch classes feature these items, along with other equipment to help release the tension in your muscles. Additionally, feel free to spend 15-25 minutes in a sauna after a recovery session (or any other training session, assuming you are medically cleared to do so). In addition to being relaxing and helping flush out toxins from the body, regular sauna use at a temperature of at least 176-180 degrees has been shown to increase aerobic capacity, naturally stimulate human growth hormone production, and speed your recovery! Note that your LISS/ recovery day has been strategically placed before the day of your longest run of the week. This will help prepare your body for the next day s work and maximize your output and performance during the run itself. As far as your scheduled rest day goes, it s the day after your longest run of the week. Drink lots of water, eat healthy food, and prepare for the coming week. If you have any questions about this 5K training plan, seek out one of our Healthworks trainers. Good luck, and see you on race day! 21 HOME
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