Runners usually talk about muscles in terms of quads, glutes and hamstrings. Exercise physiologists, on the other hand, talk about muscles in terms of fast-twitch and slow-twitch fibres - which is one of the reasons why physiologists aren't invited
is hardly ever mentioned. – nrg-bDon't focus on natural limits – train and you'll get fasterAs far I'm aware no-one has ever produced a definitive answer to this question. There's no clear way to measure what makes someone 'naturally fast', because fast-twitch
an adrenaline burst that will push you on. Second, when you run for a long distance at the same pace, you tax your slow-twitch muscle fibres over and over again, while your fast-twitch fibres go passively along for the ride. If you shift to a higher gear, you
muscle fibres. A brief stint in a high gear recruits fast-twitch fibres that have been passive. Just 100m can be enough to revive you.Open a GapWhen you surge mid-race, only you know how long it will last. This uncertainty can unsettle your rivals
on the fringe of the national team until, by training 30 miles a day, he became European champion at 5000m and 10,000m.The natural-born sprinter has a high proportion of fast-twitch fibres and middle-distance runners probably have about equal amounts of fast-twitch
This much is true: your genetic make up puts a ceiling on your speed. How many "slow" and "fast" twitch fibres you're born with determines whether you will be a Linford Christie clone or a counterfeit Steve Cram, but that doesn’t mean you’re a
Sunday. Do what feels right.Saturday: 30-minute run followed by 4 x 100m strides After running easy for 30 minutes, do four 100m strides at your projected 5K race pace to simulate a strong finishing kick. The speed will wake up your fast-twitch muscle
will be replenished. Then hone that work by reducing total volume to boost muscle glycogen levels and immune function. But keep the intensity high in a few key sessions to recruit fast-twitch muscle fibres and to stay sharp physically and mentally. With this mix, you
in Indiana, USA, reveals that during a three-week taper, the benefits of rest are felt more in the fast-twitch muscles required for shorter events like the 5K than the slow-twitch muscles paramount in a marathon. Their results also contradict the received
weeks before a key event and should be shorter than your target race, but run at full effort. This ensures that your fast-twitch muscle fibres and neuromuscular coordination are high; the shorter distance ensures you won't need a long recovery. Run a
