The view of a recreational marathon runner

The G-Trainer and a Recreational Runner
“The G-Trainer allowed me to come back from injuries and overcome chronic pain. And it helped me achieve personal best times, which I love because I’m very competitive. I’m really excited that the G-Trainer can help me continue to race.” Tracey Slagle - Recreational Runner

Tracey Slagle related her story to Alter G and you can link to it and the Alter-G website at the foot of this post. For the summary:

• at 38 the accumulative stress of long distance running left Tracey with sore knees (sound familiar?). The pain limiting her ability to train and compete.
• at 10k all was well but Tracey was forced to stop at the Chicago Marathon of 2002 with 2 miles to go.
• Despite advice to quit she continued to train, compete in 10k, 1/2 and full marathons due to her love for long distance running but was concerned.
  
• Fast forward to 2007 and introduction of the G-trainer for recovery runs at sub-target pace and 85-90% bodyweight. Pain free running experienced!
  
• After watching the Nike runner Kara Goucher using the G-trainer over speed training was begun to lift Tracey's minute per mile pace in training from 9 to 7 minute miles.
• With 2 months use of the G-trainer Tracey achieved 2 personal bests back to back in the half marathon (1:48.07 in San Francisco).

This a great example for using the G-trainer treadmill not just for running performance but also injury prevention by reducing cumulative stresses from impact. In this case Tracey also uses the G-trainer when strong pain prevents her from running at all at 100% bodyweight. Tracey Slagle 1_17_08.pdf (application/pdf Object)

London Kettlebells new website features the G-trainer

Ken and Steve of London Kettlebells have been busy and one of their new projects has been to launch a site that allows people with something interesting to say about health and fitness.

They thought the G-trainer and the multiple opportunities it offers was worth an article so I put a piece together particularly on the tremendous interval training opportunities it presents for everyone from first time marathon runners to serious MMA or Thai boxing fighters and even NBA basketball giants.

G-trainer: the "anti-gravity" treadmill. The ultimate tool
for interval training
Submitted by Jonathan
Lewis on Thu, 27/11/2008 - 10:33am

I'm not one for bling or using high tech when low tech
will do. If you took a look inside the Balance gym and studio you would see two
dozen kettlebells, truck tyre, sledge hammer, sand bag, a bar for pull ups,
carabina attachments in all sorts of places to hang and pull from, a pile of
judo mats, a couple of marine ropes, medicine balls, etc. These things are low
tech in the extreme but provide highly effective results.

The G-trainer on the other hand is high tech in the
extreme. It looks space age because it is NASA technology; we know it works
because it was tested by Nike Professional Athletes, and they kept it and their
runners have produced some great results. It offers something that has not been
offered before, the opportunity to “defy” gravity whilst running!

It’s used by some of the world’s best athletes but now
that we have one at Balance we’ll work out exactly what it’s capable of. We
specialise in performance and we know how to get the most out of someone. We
also like to be innovative; using things in a way they weren’t necessarily
designed for and we have already discovered the G-trainer has some undisclosed
strengths.

I’ve dubbed the G-trainer the “Ultimate for running
interval training” but it also has many applications in strength and
conditioning. Here is a brief summary of some of the benefits adding the
training variable of bodyweight reduction offers.

Strength and conditioning

• Increased effectiveness of speed and leg
  strength/endurance/power training intervals
• Metabolic conditioning (anyone who reads the ISLondon blog
  will be aware of the state known as “metabolloxed”, a state easily achieved on
  the G-trainer)
• Jump training and plyometric control
• Great cross training for sports/martial arts

Marathon training/running performance

• guaranteed to maintain the pace on your "long run".
• achievable tempo runs
• increased intensity of effort with reduced chance of injury
• increase aerobic base with greater mileage per week without
  the joint stress, strain and impact.
• Heart rate training
  

Elite Athlete’s; some of worlds top sports clubs, and US
Military organisations. Below are a few of those who have embraced the treadmill
for many different applications.

• NY Marathon winner Paula Radcliffe to make an early return
  to running following her hip injury.
• The Nike Oregon Project pro runners, coached by Alberto
  Salazar, utilise it to add approximately 25% more miles to their programme per
  week.
• AC Milan
• Manchester United
• Fort Bragg
• Walter Reed Army Medical Centre
• Los Angeles Lakers (NBA)
• New York Knicks (NBA)
• Oakland Raiders (NFL)
  

For more information and how you can use the G-trainer for
yourself in London contact Jonathan Lewis on 07960 861 267, jonathan@balancephysio.com and take a
look at http://www.g-trainerUK.blogspot.com

See the article in situ....

http://www.lkbfitness.com/G-trainer-the-anti-gravity-treadmill-The-ultimate-tool-for-interval-training



Jon Bik triathlete using the G-trainer, Jon is also an above knee amputee.

G-Trainer reviewed by Boing Boing Gadgets

Boing Boing Gadgets said in their coverage of the G-trainer:

Prices are probably somewhat extravagant, but unless you keep a rehabilitation chamber in your mad scientist fortress you'll likely only see the trainer when you send henchmen off to be restored to service.
Alter-G G-Trainer Treadmill for Weightless Running - Boing Boing Gadgets

I don't know this website very well but I know that the Technology and Gadget world are drawn to this treadmill due to its "technology dense" status. Ironically although the G-trainer is high tech its pretty low on the concept front.

Its very simple:

• run at a reduced bodyweight and run faster at your target speed for longer (use the intervals we have designed and increase the intensity and effectiveness significantly)

• run at a reduced bodyweight and run at your normal running speed for longer with less joint stress (perfect for use within a marathon training programme)

• run at reduced bodyweight and run up inclines whilst maintaining your target speed to make significant leg strength gains

I am assuming their mention of an extravagant price is based on the cost to buy the whole thing because the prices we have agreed at Balance are anything but extravagant! We decided that the cost of using a machine should not be more than the intelligent input our clients get from one of our human team so we set the prices from £17.50 per session.

For details on the range of options available give me a call or email me -

• 07960 861 267
• jonathan @ balancephysio.com

Now we can play on our treadmill

After a frustrating wait, thanks to the inefficiencies of UPS, we are able to start experimenting with our G-trainer.

Ato (strength & conditioning physio) runs, Mick (podiatrist) observes, Tom Allen (Alter-G) explains

The shorts were missing! The shorts are integral to this thing working. They support you and create a virtual seal of the bag your legs are within. Its this that allows the blower to push air into the bag without it all leaking immediately.

Anyway we have the shorts now.

Graham Anderson the clinical Director at Balance had his first run on it last night....

"I had a workout on the G Trainer - wow I was impressed. 15 minutes quality run....I was knackered."

I havent spoken to him about the parameters he used but it will be interesting to hear. Graham is a recreational marathon runner with a PB of 3hrs26min. He also loves to be outdoors in the elements so for him to have enjoyed a treadmill run is very interesting.

Admittedly we are in a honeymoon period of keen excitement but we all feel that this really is a great tool to have at our disposal and presents us all with previously unavailable opportunities.

Radcliffe reflects on NY victory

BBC SPORT | Athletics | Radcliffe reflects on NY victory: "Radcliffe reflects on NY victory

Paula Radcliffe cursed her luck despite romping to her third victory in the New York marathon. Radcliffe has only run 10 marathons and won eight of them - the exceptions being the Athens and Beijing Olympics. She said: 'It does make it frustrating because you think 'Why can I get it right all the time in New York and I can't get it right there?' 'But sometimes you have to take what life gives you. The most important thing was to win this race.'"

Just before this weekends New York Marathon triumph Paula Radcliffe described the significance of the Alter-G treadmill to her training when she said it was "instrumental in my transition back to running before Beijing because we pushed the envelope on that and tried to move it as far forward as possible".

See photos of Paula Radcliffe in action from the Universal Sports feed on the right.

Many elite runners (in particular the Nike Runners under the guidance of Alberto Salazar) and other sports professionals in the United States have been using the G-trainer to push their performance training to new levels in terms of volume and speed. The treadmills unique ability to unweight runners, whilst allowing them to maintain their natural style (as opposed to using water or a harness), allows an increase in weekly mileage and rate of turnover (leg speed) whilst minimising the stress and strain of high impact.

Many of the NBA basketball clubs have brought in the Alter-G treadmill to allow their stars to run faster and lighter. With such large jumping athletes the benefit of reducing impact whilst increasing their metabolic and neural abilities is obvious. At Balance the prospect of matching it's experienced and innovative strength and conditioning coaches and physiotherapists with such sophisticated technology is incredibly exciting. The Balance team of professionals are way beyond the norm when it comes to the collective experience and knowledge they offer to clients. We have developed and will continue developing further protocols to elevate the effectiveness of an athletes, sports persons, adventurers, recreational and aspiring runners. To see, hear, feel and experience what its all about contact Jonathan Lewis on jonathan@balancephysio.com or call 020.7627.2308 to register your interest.