TKD fitness, running newbie; ideas?

lavender

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Hi,
So I've never done much running outside of school and class times. I've come back from 5 years of being physically inactive. I can't spar strong for very long at all. I have 3 belts before black and I know I'll need better fitness by then. So, running. My boss/instructor wants me to do 10 minute miles before black belt. I've never run a 10 min mile. Well, I won a national fitness badge once, in 2nd grade 20+ years ago, I think that was around a 10 min mile.

My feeling towards running have not been positive, but it needs to be done now so I plan to make it as pleasant as I can and maintain a positive attitude. One thing that helped me get used to the idea of doing this, was that if I had to run to defend myself or get help for something else, I would want to be prepared... My original plan for starting off was 4 weeks long and I was going to run 3x/week:
week 1: run 1 min, walk 4 min, repeat 4 times
week 2: run 2 min, walk 3 min, repeat 4 times
week 3: run 3 min, walk 2 min, repeat 4 times
week 4: run 4 min, walk 1 min, repeat 4 times

However my first session made me rethink this. My pace was slow so I could maintain it. Very slow. I finished and feel positive about my effort - and it's important I stay that way. It takes 4 weeks to build a habit, right? So they need to be pleasant and push for more, slowly, for a while after that. I enjoyed it enough that I'm going to increase aim for 4x/week. The walk breaks shouldn't shorten so fast yet, so 3 minute walking breaks. Those can be shortened later. So far I have this:
week 1: run 1 min, walk 4 min, repeat 4 times
week 2: run 1 min faster, walk 4 min, repeat 4 times
week 3: run 2 min, walk 3 min, repeat 4 times
week 4: run 3 min, walk 3 min, repeat 4 times
week 5: run 4 min, walk 3 min, repeat 4 times
week 6: run 5 min, walk 3 min, repeat 4 times
week 7: run 6 min, walk 3 min, repeat 4 times
week 8: run 7 min, walk 3 min, repeat 4 times (total 28 min running)

Is it better to stay at the run times for 2 weeks before increasing, doing the second week faster like I have down for the first 2 weeks? Or sufficient to increase time each week like I put after week 2 and work on speed later? I want to start this slow and easy, but I also don't want it to seem like I'm taking forever.
Surely by week 8 my total running distance is greater than a mile. When I was younger my slowest run/walk that I actually tried at all in the running was about 15 minutes. I don't know if that means anything now.

Ideas where to go from here? What's good after week 8? Stay at running 7 minutes at a time and shorten the walks? Don't even try to plan, just reevaluate in several weeks?

The training purpose for me is being able to be able to spar better, and keep up with classes. If I ever have money to continue horseback riding, the cardio will also help me. I know the horse is doing most of the physical work, but it's still limiting to have low stamina.

I know people can run faster than 10 min/mile, although even that sounds pretty fast to me right now!
 
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lavender

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Hmmm, the current requirements for the national fitness badge for an 8 year old girl is a mile in 12:30, so actually I've never done a 10 minute mile.
 

granfire

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uhhh....
I don't run.
On principle.
And my knees do no longer agree...

But I hear the couch to 5K is a good program to get started on the running thing.

I am considering it...but as I type it the joints are chiming in....
 
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lavender

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Thanks, I'll look into couch to 5K tomorrow. I found the website: http://www.c25k.com/

Apparently the presidential fitness testing isn't just for kids. adultfitnesstest.org if anyone is interested. There are two challenge things adults can do on the regular presidential challenge website. I'm going to do the Presidential Champions Challenge which is basically recording physical activity for points toward bronze, silver, gold, and platinum. presidentschallenge.org. They have a feature where you can add groups and sort of compete within your group. Or between groups. I didn't look into groups, so I don't know.
 

ralphmcpherson

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All I can say is that I run about 30klm a week and it goes hand in hand with my tkd and works a treat. It improves fitness, improves core strength (you will definetly end up with a six pack :)), improve leg strength and leg indurance. I cant imagine doing tkd without incorporating my running into it.
 

Jaeimseu

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I dislike running, but it is quite useful for fitness. When I used to compete I would run a bit, but I didn't do a lot of distance running. For sparring endurance, I used to do sprints. I would do something like run all out for a certain time (first 30 seconds, then 60, etc) and then rest for 30 seconds or one minute to simulate the break in between rounds. I also did different types of stair running. If you have knee problems sprinting is probably out. I'd suggest starting with something relatively comfortable that you can sustain over a number of days and sessions so you can form a habit of doing it, and then making it more difficult as you progress.
 

ralphmcpherson

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I dislike running, but it is quite useful for fitness. When I used to compete I would run a bit, but I didn't do a lot of distance running. For sparring endurance, I used to do sprints. I would do something like run all out for a certain time (first 30 seconds, then 60, etc) and then rest for 30 seconds or one minute to simulate the break in between rounds. I also did different types of stair running. If you have knee problems sprinting is probably out. I'd suggest starting with something relatively comfortable that you can sustain over a number of days and sessions so you can form a habit of doing it, and then making it more difficult as you progress.
Yes, interval training is very useful for sparring fitness.
 

Thousand Kicks

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I have always looked at endurance for sparring it two categories. There is the ability to fight for extended periods of time. If you have a sparring class that lasts for an hour or more, its the ability to maintain speed and power and technique for the hour. This can be enhanced by distance running or aerobic excersies. Then there's the ability to flurry repeatedly or push the pace within rounds. This can be enhanced by the interval training mentioned in previous posts or other anaerobic excersises.

So, you have to do a combination of the two to benefit your sparring. Some people don't have the time to train and run. If you can get to calss early do some shadow boxing before class. If you can talk a fellow student into staying a few minute after class, then get a few extra rounds in focusing on light contact but high activity. I have used this method when preparing for tests or tournaments as a way to get more endurance. If you are looking to increase your overall health, not much beats running and walking. If your knees can't take the pounding a bicyle is also a good way to go.
 
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lavender

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Sparring isn't that intense yet (and my knees haven't given me trouble yet; I'm only, what 31?). I'm mostly assisting junior classes. Only 1 day/week that I'm there is sparring. We don't have an adult class right now, so I'm sparring with maybe 10-15 year olds. The classes are less than an hour and I'm lucky to get 2 round in/class. There is enough challenge for me for a while, sparring-wise. Since I just returned to this in December, starting with just increasing overall health first sounds good to me.

Unless someone suggests something different, I guess I'll start with my 8 week plan and reevaluate in 5 weeks or so; Possibly adding 10 second sprints to the end of each running period, build those up, decreasing the walk time.
 

StudentCarl

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While building endurance is good, most of what we train for sparring is anaerobic and intense (the endurance comes with time). I suggest running distances from 100 yards to 1/2 mile, starting shorter but running hard. To start with, take a couple of minutes in between to recover, then run as hard as you can again. Your goal is to gradually reduce your break time in between to 30 seconds, increase the distance to 1/2 mile, and increase the number of runs you can do. If running is not good for you, you can do something similar on a stair climber or other cardio device. This will increase your ability to go hard as well as increasing your cardio conditioning.

To start with I suggest 100 yards, a timed break of a minute or 1:30, then do it again, maybe 10 times. It will be brutal and your times will get longer, but you will be pushing outside your comfort zone more than just a steady jog. Doing 100's, you can walk or jog back to your start point for instance. Good luck.
 

ETinCYQX

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I'm of the opinion that one needs an anaerobic base before jumping into interval training and high intensity work.

Couch to 5K works well for that. The nice thing about training conditioning is that it doesn't take that long to build up, but it also doesn't take that long to lose.

Your eight week program looks to be ok but you need to try it and see how it works for you.
 
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lavender

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I only got to run twice, then I got injured sparring, then I got sick (again). I put an app on my phone called RunKeeper to track distance and other data. My last run/walk the app said I did over 1 mile, and the first mile took 17:28. I feel pretty good about that, considering most of it was walking. I hope to resume running as soon as the chest congestion is gone. I'm looking forward to it, which is a good sign.
 

ralphmcpherson

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I only got to run twice, then I got injured sparring, then I got sick (again). I put an app on my phone called RunKeeper to track distance and other data. My last run/walk the app said I did over 1 mile, and the first mile took 17:28. I feel pretty good about that, considering most of it was walking. I hope to resume running as soon as the chest congestion is gone. I'm looking forward to it, which is a good sign.
I use runkeeper too, its a good app for running. Having a good playlist of songs helps a lot too on those longer runs.
 

ATC

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Hmmm, the current requirements for the national fitness badge for an 8 year old girl is a mile in 12:30, so actually I've never done a 10 minute mile.
I trained a 62 year old man for a 1 mile run test. When he started he was around 20 minutes for his mile time. He tested 2 months later at an 11 minute mile. He also lost 45 pounds in the process. You can do it. Below are email messages that I sent to him as he progressed. I would train him every 1st day of each phase so he knew exactly what I wanted. I was there on the day of his test and like I stated he dropped from 20+ minutes to just over 11 minutes, If I remember correctly it was 11 minutes and 14 seconds. He could have done better but he slacked off the 1st lap of his mile time. I ran the last 3 laps around the track with him to make sure he stayed on pace.

Go to the track and we set 2 miles as our goal for the first week. You will do 2 miles, 25-40 minutes but you will only run a half mile for the first week, and walk 1.5 miles. It will look like this.

1. walk one track lap
2. sprint 100 yards or one straight side of the track. 1/4th of the track.
3. walk 1/2 of the track
4. sprint 100 yards or 1/4th of the track.
5. walk one track lap
6. sprint 100 yards or one straight side of the track. 1/4th of the track.
7. walk 1/2 of the track
8. sprint 100 yards or 1/4th of the track.
9. walk one track lap

10. sprint 100 yards or one straight side of the track. 1/4th of the track.
11. walk 1/2 of the track
12. sprint 100 yards or 1/4th of the track.
13. walk one track lap
14. sprint 100 yards or one straight side of the track. 1/4th of the track.
15. walk 1/2 of the track
16. sprint 100 yards or 1/4th of the track.

You rest as you walk as soon as you get to your mark you sprint the 100 yards or 1/4th of the track as fast as you can. You catch your breath as you walk sir. The walk should be a good pace, not supper slow but like you need to get somewhere.

Do this for 1 week but everyday if you can. If not then do 3 to 4 times a week. After one week I will give you the next phase sir. Let me know how you feel after one week.

======================================================================

Good to hear that you are progressing, that is great news. The next phase is not that different from the 1st phase except that you will run a bit more with less walking and we will increase the distance a bit. Please see the following.

1. walk one track lap (again just to get warmed up a bit).
2. sprint 100 yards.
3. jog 200 yards or 1/2 half of the track.
4. sprint 100 yards or 1/4th of the track.
5. walk 100 yards or 1/4th of the track.
6. sprint 100 yards.
7. jog 200 yards or 1/2 half of the track.
8. sprint 100 yards or 1/4th of the track.
9. walk 100 yards or 1/4th of the track.
10. sprint 100 yards.
11. jog 200 yards or 1/2 half of the track.
12. sprint 100 yards or 1/4th of the track.
13. walk 100 yards or 1/4th of the track.
14. sprint 100 yards.
15. jog 200 yards or 1/2 half of the track.
16. sprint 100 yards or 1/4th of the track.
17. walk 100 yards or 1/4th of the track.
18. sprint 100 yards.
19. jog 200 yards or 1/2 half of the track.
20. sprint 100 yards or 1/4th of the track.
21. walk 100 yards or 1/4th of the track.
22. sprint 100 yards.
23. jog 200 yards or 1/2 half of the track.
24. sprint 100 yards or 1/4th of the track.
25. walk 100 yards or 1/4th of the track.
26. sprint 100 yards.
27. jog 200 yards or 1/2 half of the track.
28. sprint 100 yards or 1/4th of the track.
29. walk 1 track lap to cool down.
30. Go home.

Total miles 3.1 (including the warm up and cool down laps). Should take you about 1 to 1.5 hours to complete Sir.

Just like before. The walking stretches are brisks like you need to get some place fast. The jogs are faster than your walks, and the sprints are all out. You will catch your wind on the walks and jogs. Do this for the next week and a half. It will start out tough but will get pretty easy as you push yourself. The first day will be the toughest but not that tough.

======================================================================Good that you have picked it up. Remember that when you walk you need to walk like you are late for surgery. Also lets change up a bit. They this.

1. Sprint one full lap
2. Jog or half speed of sprint 1 full lap
3. Spint half lap
4. Jog half lap
5. Sprint half lap
6. Jog half lap

Do the above 3 times total, that will be 3 miles in all.

Do this for the next 2 weeks then we will time your mile again.

Keep it up Sir, almost time for the test. You will be in great shape.

 

Carol

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That's fantastic work for both of you, ATC :asian:

I went hiking with a lady who is well in to her 50s. She says she didn't start running until she was "fifty and a half", and she kicked my butt royally on the trails :)
 

ralphmcpherson

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That's fantastic work for both of you, ATC :asian:

I went hiking with a lady who is well in to her 50s. She says she didn't start running until she was "fifty and a half", and she kicked my butt royally on the trails :)
You dont stop running because you get old, you get old because you stop running. Thats my philosophy.
 

Balrog

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If you are looking to build cardio endurance, I would strongly recommend a program like Warrior X-Fit over running. Running, overall, is bad for you.
 

ralphmcpherson

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If you are looking to build cardio endurance, I would strongly recommend a program like Warrior X-Fit over running. Running, overall, is bad for you.
Running is not bad for you. Talk to sports doctors, humans are made to run, we are built to do it. People who get injuries from running either a) dont warm up correctly or warm down incorrectly, b) wear the incorrect footwear i.e runniers who over or under pronate wearing "neutral" running shoes or vice versa, or c) do too much too soon. I always have to laugh when I hear people say "running is bad for you"http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1948208,00.html
 
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