Training & Nutrition - Increase your pain threshold

I find that one way I can perform better in a race is too increase my pain threshold during my training routines. Two of my favorite exercises to increase my pain threshold are static Plank position and static chair pose.

Does your training program help you to deal pain you will experience during a race? If so, then how?

I am quite sure that this thread will lead to some joke answers but maybe some people out there can benefit from some exercises that will help them to increase their ability to deal with the pain during a race.

You want to increase your ability to deal with pain? Develop and try to pass a kidney stone the size of a bean. The static plank position and static chair pose don't even come close to that pain.

You want to increase your ability to deal with pain? Develop and try to pass a kidney stone the size of a bean. The static plank position and static chair pose don't even come close to that pain.

No, that would train the IPT (Involuntary Pain Threshold), or the level of involuntary pain you can withstand before going into shock or passing out. What he needs to train is the VPT (Voluntary Pain Threshold), or the level of pain caused by a voluntary action one can withstand before ceasing to be able to perform that voluntary action. While a some increase in VPT may be achieved by IPT work, it is not nearly as effective as specific training that directly targets the VPT ;)

..deal w/pain you will experience during a race? If so, then how?

Having Thanksgiving Dinner with my In-Laws. (sorry honey)

The plank and chair poses are my favorites as well!

Read up on Emil Zatopec. He was a stupendous long distance runner in the 40s and 50s who developed all sorts of sadistic yet effective training methods. (He was the first runner to "train fast to race fast") One aspect that might appeal to you was his use of oxygen deprivation. Emil was a soldier and would often run in place holding his breath while on watch. Sometimes he would be found unconscious after pushing it a bit too far. Another technique he used which can be more easily transferred to cycling was to sprint down the road (again holding your breath) and see how many telephone poles you can pass. I've tried this one and it does teach you to ignore the scream of oxygen deprived muscles. IMO it also boosts your anaerobic capacity. I've personally stopped using Emil's method because I was worried about long term effects on the brain from being oxygen deprived.

Those are older techniques but they have their parallels in modern sport. Running coaches often encourage breathing in through the nose during training to limit oxygen intake and its a common swimming technique to have swimmers go more and more strokes between breaths as they do repeats. These sound a bit safer than Emil's methods.

Read up on Emil Zatopec. He was a stupendous long distance runner in the 40s and 50s who developed all sorts of sadistic yet effective training methods. (He was the first runner to "train fast to race fast") One aspect that might appeal to you was his use of oxygen deprivation.
... its a common swimming technique to have swimmers go more and more strokes between breaths as they do repeats.

I haven't swam in 15yrs (since my NAUI cert) but tried just that tonight at the gym. What used to be easy to do 20 laps, now I am gassed after a single friggen length of the pool (in my feeble defense, I had just competed a brutal 90min cardio session)
Anyway haven't researched it but I think there might be something to that oxygen dep training. (not sure I will have the gumption to try on a bike but certainly in the pool if I can get myself motivated to swim)

Thanx for the post

No, that would train the IPT (Involuntary Pain Threshold), or the level of involuntary pain you can withstand before going into shock or passing out. What he needs to train is the VPT (Voluntary Pain Threshold), or the level of pain caused by a voluntary action one can withstand before ceasing to be able to perform that voluntary action. While a some increase in VPT may be achieved by IPT work, it is not nearly as effective as specific training that directly targets the VPT ;)

Not if you force yourself to ride through the pain. I get stones too, and had to have surgery to repair the damage they have done to my left kidney. Two weeks ago, I forced myself to go out for a hard ride while having kidney pain. The activity hurts more and that is voluntary, but the payoff is some endorphin relief.