GNCC Quad Cross Country Training

[Sfranklin]

Hey all. I race quads cross country, which is for those of you who don't know, two-hour races over all kinds of tough terrain across the country. So anyhoo, I had been on a 7 day workout routine for the last 5 weeks, I do arms 3 days, legs 2, and mostly running/hands/pushup/situps on the weekend.

This has all been in preparation for a long stretch of races I had coming up which started this past weekend. I had thought that this training would make a big difference in my endurance, which is biggest factor in performance, but it only seemed to put a dent in it. On top of that, i'm so sore today that I can hardly walk.

I had the lead for the first 2 laps by quite a bit, but towards the end my hands just started to give.. First few laps I was flying, but I just didn't have the strength in my hands down the stretch to keep up the same speed. In racing I always hear that it's all about ride time, as if that's the only thing that can workout the muscles needed to do this.

So I guess what i'm asking is do you guys have any workouts for hands/wrists. I have hand pumps which I do whenever I get time, and I also have a good positive/negative curl workout.. and my arms are the only things that aren't sore right now, but that didnt' seem to matter during the race as my hands/fingers were what did me in. I'm thinking that I just need forearms like Popeye to do this the way I want to. It's all about hanging on to those bars I guess. Any and all help is appreciated.

[The Squadfather]

all i can say is eat like a damn horse, everything but the kitchen sink fast food included, you're gonna need the calories.

[Sfranklin]

Really? I've actually been on a diet lol.. So there's nothing that can really build up your hands, fingers, wrists and all that good stuff? I think i'm gonna rigg up one of those ropes from a bar and put a weight at the end of it...

[The Squadfather]

Really? I've actually been on a diet lol.. So there's nothing that can really build up your hands, fingers, wrists and all that good stuff? I think i'm gonna rigg up one of those ropes from a bar and put a weight at the end of it...

put a heavy barbell in the power rack just shy of a deadlift lockout and pick it up and hold it for time, try to beat you time every time you do it, pinch grip some plates, take a heavy pair of db's and take them for a walk around the gym, these will all build your hands, forearms, wrists and grip.

[Sfranklin]

Aah, thank you thank you.. I'll try these. Don't mean to keep asking dumb questions but what about the calorie thing you mentioned? Is there a particular diet I should stick to for endurance?.. The way it's explained to me is that lactic(spelling) acid builds up in your forearms/hands and the blood flow is restricted, which causes arm pump.

[Princess L]

I think you'll find this site helpful along with creatine supplementation.

http://www.motoxfitness.com/freefitnessarticles.html

[triple_pickle]

if you workout and run 7 days a week, you can eat almost anything you want, the only "diet" i would recommend is stick to whole foods.

[The Squadfather]

if you workout and run 7 days a week, you can eat almost anything you want, the only "diet" i would recommend is stick to whole foods.

exactly, AND A LOT OF IT, seriously all that running combined with the weights the last thing you want to be doing is eating super strictly with 2500 calories a day, doing all that activity you can be downing triple cheeseburgers from Wendy's, whole milk, steaks, pizza and all that good stuff and it will still burn.