Shoemaker Composite Squadron Physical Training Manual - Chapters 5 - 6

Leg Workouts

Though running is the most common way for working out your legs, there are still other ways that can actually help to improve your running. This Chapter is divided into section 1: Running Techniques, and section 2: Leg Workouts.

1. Running Techniques

Here you will find everything that I know or have ever heard about running. As always, it is important to stretch before-hand and after all training. Don’t forget the role flexibility plays in runs – the key to speed is long strides at a quick pace, and the key to endurance and power is practice (particularly up-hill). For stretches please see the CAPP 52 – 18 or just rely on your own memory. I will only be discussing training techniques in this manual.

A. Beginner Level Running

This is when it takes you about 10+ minutes to run a mile (likely not being able to complete it without walking). Since your joints are not used to running, you will probably experience pain on the inside of your knees and ankles. Just persevere through by starting with ¼ of a mile and gradually working your way up a little each week. A thing to note: as a beginner, you will only want to run about 3 – 4 times a week to avoid over-stressing your leg muscles and to avoid getting shin splints (which is literally damage caused by excessive shock on your shins while running). It’s not permanent, but you won’t be able to run for about a month or more without constant pain should you develop splints.
Important notes: A breathing technique that will take some getting used to, but that works well with slowing your heart-rate is as follows: your breaths will be to the cadence of your steps, taking two short breaths in, and two slightly larger breaths out. Although I became accustomed to this technique within the first 3 minutes of using it, it normally takes most people up to a week to be able to do this without having to think about it.
Another technique for running is leaning your body into the direction of travel. Do not lean forward at the waist when running, as this will only compress your lungs and make it harder to take in oxygen. If you lean forward, it should be at the ankles and should only be done uphill or when sprinting (be careful not to lean forward too much). I started doing this and dramatically improved my sprint times. When leaning at the ankles, you use your calf muscles (muscle located on the back of each leg between your knee and ankle). Unless you hold yourself up completely straight and thus increase wind drag, you must lean forward to some extent – and this requires that you use this muscle.
A final thing to practice on when starting running is to use force to move your body forward, not upward. In other words, if you are heavily bouncing like a rubber ball rather than moving smoothly, you are not running properly. Some bounce is good when trying to take bigger strides, but you want your force to be moving you forward and should always keep this in mind when training.

1. Free Run

This run is simply to find out exactly what your body can take (as a beginner). Try to run on your set schedule (i.e. Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays) and don’t worry about speed. Your ultimate goal as a beginner is to learn how to be capable of running at least one mile at a steady pace. Once you have been running one mile at a steady pace of about 10 – 11 minutes per mile, try to start sprinting the last 50 feet or so of run. Gradually work on sprinting longer distances until you can go at fast speeds for about 1/8 of a mile. What this technique will do is build up tolerance to going at fast speeds for greater distances.

B. Intermediate techniques

As an Intermediate trainee, you will probably be able to complete one mile in about 8 – 9 minutes. This is probably the stage where you should start moving up in distance, and less on time. This does not mean to neglect speed altogether. It simply means that you already have a steady pace, and the next step is to focus primarily on distance. During this stage, you will need to do sprint workouts to help build up speed.

1. Fast/Slow Technique

In this technique, you will want to pick out a track that is preferably of a small size. About 1/10 of a mile is what you want to go for (or anything that you know is about this distance will work as well). You will run the first lap (the first 1/10 of a mile) at a slow pace, but then you will go at a sprint on the second lap. The third lap, you will go slowly, and the fourth you will sprint. You continue this pattern for as long as you can on that training day, improving each week until you can do this for at least one mile. What this technique does is it helps you to get more used to sprinting, while not completely exhausting your body’s energy supply.

C. Advanced Runners

This is when you can run one mile in less than 8 minutes. Only people who train or are naturally gifted at PT can get to this stage; but even being naturally gifted, you will need at least some small amount of training.

1. One Mile Sprint-offs

This is a simple, easy to remember, and yet extremely hard and effective technique used to strengthen your muscles and lungs to be prepared for running fast mile times. To do this, you run one mile as fast as you can, then upon completion, take a 30 second break before starting a second mile as fast as you can.

2. The Ruck Sack Run

The ruck sack is a bag used to carry equipment used in the U.S. military. In this run, you want to increase the weight that your body has to move, but you want to put it on your upper back. You could also buy specially made weights that were made for the specific purpose of strapping to your ankles or buy a running vest. The purpose of this is to increase the amount of weight your legs have to move, thus forcing them to strengthen. Just remember to keep the ruck sack on your upper back to avoid injury and to ensure that you have full control over it.

3. Warrior Run

This will become a common thing if you join the military and is simply a long run. A modification I made of this was running a long distance at a slow pace, immediately followed by a short distance at a rapid pace. This is what allowed me to attain a 6:55 mile time. I further went on using this same technique to get a 6:15 mile time, and using the same principles, brought it lower to a 5:54. My body became used to running due to the long distances, and became fast due to the short sprint offs after the long distances. You could do a Warrior Run as a beginner, but to be classified as a Warrior Run would require a distance of at least 3 miles.

4. Marathon

This run is the dream of any true runner. 26.2 miles of nonstop action turns the run into the ultimate mental challenge. This type of run is more of a mental game than anything else, yet should never be done without proper training. People who used to be in Amy Special Forces have permanently injured themselves attempting this run without conditioning. Though I have never taken place in a marathon, conditioning yourself for one is a very time consuming project that involves much work. Running 26.2 miles on each run is not strongly recommended… you should only run this distance about once a week at a maximum; the runs in between would be of various distances differing from person to person.

5. Run a Mile, Walk a Mile

This is exactly what it sounds like. The only catch is… you repeat this pattern several times. For those who want to do marathons their first time, this is probably the best training method. As you advance and wish for a faster marathon time, you will want to do the fast/slow technique, but this is great for that first time training for a marathon. The reason why this works is that it conditions your body to make that distance. Walking is naturally much easier than running because you are moving slower and thus your heart rate stays down. However, walking still makes your heart go faster than by standing around at home and also exercises your muscles. By walking and running in combination, you gradually condition yourself to be able to run extremely long distances nonstop. The one drawback to this technique is that for endurance, you greatly sacrifice speed.

6. Sprint-offs

The only difference between this and the first technique of this section is that this focuses on much smaller distances. Doing this technique in many sets can help you to not sacrifice endurance too much, but this technique should never be your primary foundation if you plan on running many miles non-stop. This technique builds your pure speed. Doing a combination of this and other techniques that focus on distance, you can make yourself able to run faster for a longer period of time. What you want to do is measure out how long a distance you are running and not make it longer than 400 meters (1320 feet or ¼ mile). On your first attempts, you will likely be confined to about 200 meters. To sprint correctly, lean forward at the ankles and run as fast as you can. While sprinting, most if not all breathing techniques become void. You should be taking in one breath for every two steps (you can hold your breath a little longer now and then, but mostly one breath per 2 steps). Avoid leaning at the waist, as this will collapse your lungs and make you slower. While sprinting, always propel your force forwards and never upwards. Lastly, you should essentially be running on your toes (rather, the balls of your feet). Leaning forward naturally makes you want to run on your toes, and so you must learn to go with the flow for greatest speed. The secret of extremely fast running is long strides with a rapid cadence. After completing your first ¼ mile sprint, take a minute break and then do it again. Repeat until you get the desired distance (goal should be at least one mile).
8. Berm Sprint

You could very well say that this is the “Shuttle run on steroids” because it is an extra hard version of the shuttle run. To start, you will first have to pick a small hill preferably made of sand or grass (the term “Berm” is a reference to a large sand dune.) After selection of a location that will allow you to run up a steep hill that will allow you to take approximately 20 strides, you will begin the exercise by starting at the bottom and then running to the top. Once you have done this, you will immediately turn around and sprint back down until you have reached the bottom. You will then take a 1 minute break before repeating the process. You should not substitute the long distance run for this. I would recommend doing your distance training run in the morning and this during the evening.

2. Building Leg Strength Without Running

There is no substitute for running, period. However, running does leave out several muscles in your legs that – if properly exercised – may actually help to increase your overall running speed, endurance, and power. Listed below are some such exercises to begin and keep doing for the rest of your lives.

A. Butterflies

This may sound like a nice little exercise, but it’s just as painful as flutter kicks. To begin, lie on your back with your hands palms down protecting your tailbone. Your thumbs and index fingers should be touching and in a diamond shape (or parallelogram for you mathematicians). Next, raise your head off the ground and do not let it touch until you are done. It should only be slightly raised at a “comfortable” position, although it will still work your neck muscles. Then, raise your legs 6 inches off the floor, keeping your legs straight (but not locked). To start building up your leg muscles and complete the exercise, spread your legs apart from side to side (this should somewhat resemble a side-step), and then close them. This is count one of the exercise. You may do several sets of this a day if you wish and may do great amounts of this (I do 400 nonstop immediately followed by a like number of the next exercise). A similar exercise can be done by combining Butterflies with Flutter Kicks and moving your legs sideways and upwards/downwards.

B. The “Dreaded” Flutter Kick

Whenever you attend any Civil Air Patrol activity where Pt is done that morning, you are always going to see some cadet moaning in dreaded anticipation of the phrase: “The next exercise of the day will be the flutter kick”. These cadets are either new or are too lazy to get out of bed and do PT. For me at least, it is an embarrassment to see other cadet officers acting in this way and laying in agonizing pain at something that has become simple to me and others who choose to work at it. The secret is to do them every other day consistently. The starting position is exactly the same as the “Butterfly” (described above) except that instead of moving your legs apart and back together, you raise one leg straight up to 30 inches +, then while lowering it, raise the next leg to 30 inches + (almost like walking on a wall). A further modification of this is raising both legs at the same time, rather than one at a time. To add to this variation, you can have someone pushing your feet down as you raise them. This will add a great increase to your leg power. Another similar version of this is done in four counts. Count one, bend at the knees and bring them up to your chest. Count two, lift your legs straight up vertically. Count three, bring them back down as in count one, and count four is going back to the start position with legs fully extended. Yet another exercise that is very similar to Flutter Kicks is often called Leg Kicks. You have the same starting position, except you bend at one or both knees and bring one or both knees up to your chest. You then fully extend again back to the start position and repeat.

C. Calf Workout

For this exercise, you will need to be at a stairway (anything elevated and even will work as well). You will stand with the balls of both feet on the edge of a step, hands supporting your balance (but not weight) onto the wall. You will then push off with your toes to where you raise your entire body and then lower back down all the way. After you can do about twenty, start to do twelve with each individual. Then, you may gradually do it with one leg and a dumbbell on your shoulder. This exercise will significantly increase your running speed because of how much you rely on your calf muscles on runs.

D. Leg Curls

You do this exercise sitting down on a chair where your feet can dangle without touching the floor. To start, put a dumbbell (start with 5 pounds) in between your feet (make sure to be wearing shoes). Then, keeping your upper leg straight and even with the floor, raise the dumbbell by extending your knees until both legs are straight and horizontal with the ground. Finish count one by lowering both legs to the start position. Do twelve in three sets before increasing weight (this is always the general rule for most all exercises: do 3 even sets of at least 12 counts before increasing the load). A variation is to do “Knee Curls”. To do this, hang from a pull-up barwith your knees held up high. Let them fall keeping your knees bent all the way, and raise them up again.

E. The Chair

This exercise is probably one of the most painful of them all – but is also extremely useful when attempting to build up leg power and endurance. Start by standing facing away from a wall. Lean back so that you back is flush with the wall, and squat down until your thighs are parallel with the floor. Your feet should be directly under your knees. Finally, stay in this position until 30 seconds have been reached (or until muscle failure). Gradually increase the time for as long as you wish (not recommended to go above 5 minutes) and when you feel confident, put dumbbells on your thighs. As with every exercise, increasing the load must only be done gradually. You must also be careful not to injure your back, as Your legs will almost unknowingly be trying to lessen the load and thus spread the stress to the back.

F. Air Squats

This exercise may look funny to some people, but anyone who does it correctly will no longer have a smile on their face. This is quite likely the only exercise that is more painful than The Chair. To start, stand on level ground with your feet shoulder width apart. Bend at the knees until your thighs are about level with the floor (they are preferably to be slightly higher, as lower may cause injury when attempting this with added weight). As you bend at the knees, raise your hands up by bending at the elbow. Once you have gone down all you need to, come back up and drop your arms to your sides again. This exercise may be modified by holding a broomstick 6 inches above your head, or by simply by holding weights on your shoulders (though your hands must remain stationary holding up the weights should you do this).

G. Hamstring Workout

For this exercise, you will need one of the specially designed weights that can be wrapped around your ankle – or you can improvise as I very often do. Starting position is standing up, keeping your legs straight but not locked. You attach the dumbbell to one ankle and, keeping your upper leg straight, raise it back until a right angle is formed. You then ease your leg back to the ground. If the floor gets in your way, you may do it on a step with the leg you are working with in the air. Do about 12 in three repetitions before increasing weight. Only increase weight slightly and gradually.








Core Strength

Abdominal or core strength is vital to everything. You rely on it for push-ups, flutter-kicks, and essentially every exercise. People who have a strong core always tend to do much better in runs than those who don’t. The following exercises will help you to become a legend at sit-ups and will definitely increase your potential for excellence in all exercises.

A. Sit-ups

Training for sit-ups is much different from doing sit-ups for a physical test. While training, your form must be kept perfect and you must always train harder than the actual test itself. The sit-up is feared among new cadets, but once practiced you can become the very best at it. A note for all sit-ups is to exhale coming up and inhale going down. Always go all the way up and all the way down (until your elbows touch your knees and head touches the floor.

1. Timed Sit-ups

Timing is a useful tool, but should be carefully used to avoid building bad habits. I let myself form a bad habit once by completely sacrificing form for speed. The result was that I could do 165 “Sit-ups” per minute, but they were such horrible form that they would only count as crunches. The difference between the two: sit-ups are done with feet on the floor with legs making an acute angle pointing upwards. A proper sit-up for training purposes is done all the way up, and all the way down, period. In crunches, all you need do is raise your shoulder blades off the floor and then go back down; your legs are crossed and thighs are going straight up with your feet elevated off the ground. For timing sit-ups, it is best to keep a maximum limit of 2 minutes. If you do sit-ups longer than that, it should be for endurance and not speed.

2. Untimed Sit-ups

Endurance work is definitely the best training technique for sit-ups. What you want to do is gradually work your way up to 100 sit-ups doing the last 25 as fast as you can (with or without anything holding your feet down). Once you reach this number, start doing sit-ups while holding a dumbbell to your chest with your hands. Start with no more than 8 pounds, although 5 pounds is recommended. Once you can get to 100 with a dumbbell, work your way up a little more to where you can do 100 with a dumbbell and 25 extra without it as fast as you can. Gradually build up the weight and the amount done to where you can do at least 100 sit-ups with an 8 pound dumbbell immediately followed by another hundred without – the last 25 of which are done for speed. You can also twist your body to each side as you come up for each sit-up, and this will build the side of your abdominal muscles. However, you should do half with twisting and half without, as twisting neglects working the central part of your abdomen. By practicing this, you build speed, endurance, and power – the three most essential elements of PT. A very different version of the sit-up is to do it with your entire body suspended with the back of your knees on a bar. It will take some time to get used to this and will feel highly uncomfortable for your knees for the first time. However, practice just hanging from the bar the first week before even thinking about attempting to do sit-ups in this position. You will know when you are ready.

3. Crunches

This exercise can be used to increase the strength of your upper abdominal muscles. To do this exercise, lie on your back with your knees lifted straight up and bent. Place your hands on your shoulders and raise your shoulder blades off the ground. After lowering back to the floor, you have completed 1 count of this exercise. Go for about 50 and do it just after sit-ups. A different version of this exercise is done on an inclined plane with a handle at the top. Lay flat with your head at the higher end with hands gripping the handle. Curl your legs up towards the rest of your body and raise your lower back off the inclined plane, then lower. Repeat until at least 12 are reached. You may do several sets of this each day if you wish.

4. Lower-Back Workout

This exercise should be done with care to avoid injury. You start in the standing position with your feet shoulder-width apart and hands on each shoulder (just like in sit-ups). You simply keep your legs straight while bending forward until your elbows touch your thighs/knees, and then come back up. You may do this holding a weight to your chest, but again, should take care to avoid using excessive weight. If you are new to PT, you do not want to try this exercise; even if you are experienced with training, you must take great care to not overdo it. Only do it in sets of twelve.

5. The Superman

This is another workout for your lower back that is much safer. Lie stomach down on the floor with your arms stretched straight forward and held together. Lift your upper body by bending at the back and raising your arms (arms should not touch the floor). Go back to the starting position and do it again five times. Gradually, build up to sets of twelve as you feel ready.