Forums >Cross Training>Weightlifting and Running trying to improve both.
Old , Ugly and slow
Does anyone else lift heavy and try to get stronger and also try to imrove thier running at the same time.
I don't mean lifting just as cross training. I have been lifting for a long time and only running a little the last few years.
I would like to lose some fat and get down to 190. I would like to increse my mpw to 30-35 for health reasons while not losing strength.
I know lot of people think these are opposite goals. I would to like to hear other runners ideas or training schedules
first race sept 1977 last race sept 2007
2019 goals 1000 miles , 190 pounds , deadlift 400 touch my toes
Last year, I lifted heavy and ran about 25-30 mpw for a few months. I did lose quite a bit of fat, but I also put on a lot of muscle and ended up gaining weight. My plan was originally to lose weight, but I enjoyed getting stronger so much that I stopped caring about the scale. I don't feel like it helped my running much - but that wasn't really the goal.
My schedule was weights 3x a week and running the other days. As the squats and deadlifts got heavier - it got harder and harder to want to run the other days.
When it’s all said and done, will you have said more than you’ve done?
It is contradictory in my opinion. Running more will probably mean a decrease in your lifting capacity, just as lifting more will make you run slower.
It's a tradeoff. Overall though, you should be in better shape, and will look and feel a ton better, as well as be healthier if you combine strength training with running, in my opinion.
Now as you know, I've made a complete fool of myself on several occasions and across several forums. One thing i did on RW was post shirtless pictures of myself. Really don't want to do that again BUT, in this case i will because it really makes sense. Plus the traffic on this forum is pretty low. So I'm going to post these to give you an idea of what kind of transformation you can do with more running + weight loss.
Pic #1 200 lbs, benching 350 lbs 3 reps, running less than 5 mpw (high bp, onset type2 diabetes)
pic 1
Pic #2 155 lbs. benching ? (probably 225 for 3 reps max - don't know bc i don't lift weights anymore but i do other types of strength training) running 35 mpw (normal bp, normal non-diabetic blood sugar)
pic 2
If you can get Willie_MN's attention, she will have a wealth of knowledge in this area.
"Because in the end, you won't remember the time you spent working in the office or mowing your lawn. Climb that goddamn mountain."
Jack Kerouac
yeah tom, and scap. she also knows a boatload about this.
I sorta do in general although as I have been training for a marathon these last several months I am just trying to maintain my strength while running 60 miles a week and I've been surprisingly successful in doing so at least in my upper body. My legs are a different story. I tend to measure my upper body strength by how many reps at 225 I can do and I've been holding at 8-9 while going from 190 lbs to 178 lbs as my body weight. Since I am running so much, I do zero leg work. I probably lift 3-4 times a week doing either chest, back or shoulders on a particular day, then I go for a run, of course.
Right now I am lifting twice a week. I can't bench because of my shoulder. But i have been doing a lot of
heavy deadlifts and would like to increase all my lifts. My goal with running is to run more and run 4-5 times a week.
I would like to get leaner and a little faster but keep or gain strength
Feeling the growl again
While overall somewhat opposed, you are not talking a mileage level where the running is going to be a serious detriment. Back in the day I took my marathon from 2:53 to 2:36 while doing a serious upper body lifting program; I put on some upper body mass...not a ton...as my bench went from ~200 to ~225 and weight stayed around 147.
Now since you're talking legs I would think there would be even less of a negative effect (running tends to strip muscle from the upper body if you don't actively maintain it) though it may slow your gains a bit as everything you do with your legs requires recovery so the running and lifting will be dipping from the same recovery pool.
"If you want to be a bad a$s, then do what a bad a$s does. There's your pep talk for today. Go Run." -- Slo_Hand
I am spaniel - Crusher of Treadmills
DYEL?
Jo Ann Aita did an AMA (Ask Me Anything) on Reddit the other day. She's a record-holding Olympic Weightlifter and Powerlifter who in a previous life ran XC and track for UCLA. I would consider her an authority on the subject. Here's what she had to say about combining lifting and running:
I [ran] for the first 7 years that I lifted, but now I don't much. Primarily because I don't have time for all the training, accessory work/rehab. I found that as long as I timed my running correctly (not right before big weight training days), I could still run upto 3 times/week, maybe upto 3-4 miles. Even better for the lifting is interval training, as opposed to long endurance runs. I know distance running is generally ill-advised, but I didn't find that it interfered much.
So, perhaps not the answer you were looking for. I lift heavy myself (currently straddling the line between intermediate and advanced strength standards after about nine months of serious training; I plan to start entering powerlifting meets next year), and running is really more of "conditioning" work than endurance training for me these days. I'm sure there are some super heroes out there who can handle 30-35 MPW and serious strength training while still putting on muscle, but there's a reason people tend to do more of one than the other.
That being said, if you're looking to lose fat, fork putdowns are the best exercise for that, though they're not as fun as deadlifts.
themayonegg.com | baseball staches | fitocracy: @Hodorific
Here's a really good thread.
http://www.runningahead.com/forums/topic/48a7494e9450497e83a912395a82437d/resume#focus
Fork putdows that is crazy talk.
registered pw
I would say more reps and sets vs higher weight and lower sets would be better to continue running well.
I am beginning higher reps and sets during the winter here to hopefully help kickstart faster times next year. I am not doing legs as i will be doing 20-40 mpw through the winter.
2017 goals:
sub 1:30 half
Ha! I just happened upon this and see my name. What's up? Or you mean read back and find out.
fine then, need something to do to avoid what I really need to do...
I've been off running for 12 weeks and trying to get back into it, so was lifting more and now it feels like my shoulders are up to my ears.
Well not really, but feels like it and makes running feel awkward...
so based on that - if you're in a lifting/power training phase, don't expect to feel fast or want to break your 5K PR. Focus on the strength (low reps/higher weights) and keep the runs an aerobic pace. Good to do in the off/base building season. BUT two years ago I was competing in bodybuilding and ran one of my best marathon times. Last year I ran more, strength trained less and got hurt and ran like crap. Go figure. There are exceptions what should be done.
Racing season - back off the weights and focus more on circuits/crossfit (the circuits). From personal experience and attempting the 3 day on - 1 day off business, my shoulders got trashed and had to back off to avoid injury. I found I do better with the CrossFit 2-3 days a week and avoid the Max rep workouts. But that's me and everyone responds differently to strength training.
Strapped for time one of my tricks is to do push ups during a run. People think I'm nuts seeing me drop for 20-30 push ups at every fire hydrant. But great strength and cardio included.
Want to loose weight? - keep cardio/circuit workouts/running in the equation. Oh yeah and don't get a hot chocolate with whipped cream and a muffin for a morning snack like I did today. Totally kills the nutrition plan. But I was good Mon through 10am today so I'm still good
it's all experimental - give different programs a try and keep with what works best. Always changing the program keeps the body responding which is good way to stay away from the annoying fitness plateau.
Does anyone else lift heavy and try to get stronger and also try to imrove thier running at the same time. I don't mean lifting just as cross training. I have been lifting for a long time and only running a little the last few years. I would like to lose some fat and get down to 190. I would like to increse my mpw to 30-35 for health reasons while not losing strength. I know lot of people think these are opposite goals. I would to like to hear other runners ideas or training schedules
Heavy lifter here, that is up until my bicep tear last month (October 5th). IMHO, there's no reason why you can't have both. I was lifting 3xweek and running at least 20mpw. Since I'm not lifting I have increased my mpw considerable and I've also lost over 11lbs much to my chagrin. I would, and still intend upon doing so once given the green light from my surgeon, run on lifting days with the exception of my lower body routines. And if you're looking to lose weight always remember that diet is crucial. It's every bit as important, if not more so, than a strict exercise regimen.
I consider myself a weight lifter first, runner second. This past summer I started a new workout program where I lifted low rep (4 to 6 reps for each set) heavy weight at the beginning of the week and higher rep (10 to 12 reps per set) lower weight at the end of the week. I did all body parts twice a week (each body part got 1 heavy day and 1 lighter day) each week. The heavy days were free weights and the lighter days were machines. While doing this workout I was also running 15 to 20 mpw and swimming 3 hpw. As the summer went along I lost fat but I looked bigger and more ripped. Also as the summer went along I got a lot stronger and my running was the best it's ever been; PRing at every race. I can honestly tell you weight training made my running better and the running and swimming didn't bother my weight training at all.