Hello Athletes,
Recently, I took a closer look at the Journeys on Freeletics and came up with an idea that I would like to share with you.
What is already available:
For athletes who want to improve their strength and build muscle but don’t have access to weights, the “Explosive Strength” Journey is available. This Journey trains the entire body, which is highly effective. There are also Journeys that include the use of weights.
For runners, there are various Journeys that support different goals, whether it’s long runs, medium distances, or intense short runs like the “Leg Strength & Sprints” Journey.
The “Lose Weight with HIIT & Running” Journey even combines both elements for athletes who want to lose weight.
What is missing:
For those who want to build muscle or specifically train their strength, long runs are good for cardiovascular health, metabolism, and recovery but do not optimally promote muscle and strength growth as this training primarily targets the slow-twitch muscle fibers.
However, there is still a way to combine the goal of muscle and strength building with running training.
In particular, the combination of sprints and strength training (with and without weights) can significantly support muscle growth. Sprints activate the fast-twitch muscle fibers, which are crucial for muscle growth (e.g., Weyand et al., 2000). Additionally, sprints increase the production of testosterone and growth hormones, which support muscle hypertrophy and thereby enhance muscle growth during strength training (e.g., Hackney et al., 2012).
Sprints are therefore an excellent way to enhance the positive effects of workouts.
This Journey could also be ideal for runners who train for short to medium distances, as it would help improve their speed and sprint endurance while also promoting stability and strength in the body.
What is my idea:
The Journey should combine elements from the “Explosive Strength” and the “Leg Strength & Sprints” Journeys.
It should include running sessions that focus on sprint training, such as 50m, 100m, 400m, but also occasionally up to a maximum of 5km runs. Intervals with different distances and intensities would be useful here.
However, the main focus should be on the workouts, as the primary goal is muscle building and strength development for the entire body (not just the legs). It would be great if this Journey could be performed with or without equipment. Workouts that can be performed directly on a sports field, combining bodyweight exercises and sprints (which essentially already exist), would be conceivable.
The precise design of this Journey and the optimal balance between running and strength training should, of course, be determined by the experts at Freeletics.
Sources:
Hackney, A. C., Hosick, K. P., Myer, A., Rubin, D. A., & Battaglini, C. L. (2012). Testosterone Responses to Intensive Interval versus Steady-State Endurance Exercise. Journal of Endocrinological Investigation, 35(11), 947-950. Testosterone responses to intensive interval versus steady-state endurance exercise | Journal of Endocrinological Investigation
Weyand, P. G., Sternlight, D. B., Bellizzi, M. J., & Wright, S. (2000). Faster top running speeds are achieved with greater ground forces not more rapid leg movements. Journal of Applied Physiology, 89(5), 1991-1999. https://doi.org/10.1152/jappl.2000.89.5.1991
In conclusion:
I have already forwarded my suggestion to the Freeletics support team and was also encouraged to post it here in the forum. The more support this idea receives, the more likely it is to be implemented. Therefore, I would appreciate any feedback and support.
Best regards,
Rene