Forums >Cross Training>When to strength train...easy days? Hard days?
My husband and I are having a disagreement about when we should strength train. Should it be on a hard day (tempo, hill work) then let easy days be true recovery days, or should we strength train on easy days so we are not overworking body when it's tired from a workout?
The strength training we are doing is from Advanced Marathoning (Pfitzinger). Push ups, arm work with weights, squats etc. I feel sooooo worn out after the workouts. Which I guess bigger evidence I really need them!
A Saucy Wench
It is really a matter of personal preference. I have seen the argument for both ways. Try it for yourself and see which one works best for you.
I've done both, I prefer them on hard days but after the run.
I have become Death, the destroyer of electronic gadgets
"When I got too tired to run anymore I just pretended I wasnt tired and kept running anyway" - dd, age 7
I prefer them on hard days but immediately after the run.
It is really a matter of personal preference. I have seen the argument for both ways. Try it for yourself and see which one works best for you. I've done both, I prefer them on hard days but after the run.
I guess my problem is making time after the run. I already get up at 0330 to get run in before work. (have to leave house for work by 0530) So usually I do strength at night after work. I guess I could get up earlier, but lord that would have me going to be bed before dark. Ugh. Does make sense to try to fit it in right after hard run. I guess kinda making it one big long workout.
Thanks for your help!
I don't run on Monday so I weight train. I do a total body workout in 30 minute. I use to work each muscle group once a week when I was body building so I don't see a reason to strength train more than once a week to maintain strength for running. However, I do some abs workouts throughout the week just for looks. My 30 minute workout also includes several exercises that hit the core while i'm on my feet (squats, snatches, bulgarian squats, tricep pulldowns...) I supersets with very little rest to keep my heart going and not too light for running standards. I don't think it matters when you strength train. My friends think I'm crazy doing squats the day after a long run. I had an 18 miler today and I will have no problem with the squats tomorrow. My body is use to it. Your body will adapt to strength training on easy or hard day once it gets use to the routine. Also, recovery days does not mean to not use your running muscles in a different way. Some bike, climb stairs and people like me lift weights.
I dont do mine IMMEDIATELY after. I wouldnt have time either.
I do mine several hours after. I almost always at the very least eat between running and lifting especially since most of my hard running sessions were in the longer time frame.
But taking your schedule into account is important as well. If you have to lift at night, then doing a hard lifting workout the evening before your interval session could be detrimental. Lets not forget that running is the goal and the weights are to support the running. Work in the weights to optimize your running, not the other way around.
If your running makes you tired for your weights, that is ok, if your weights make you tired for your running that isnt. If the weight session really wipes you out, then you may want to have ample recovery time after one before asking much from your running. That might be your weakness. It may NOT be your husbands so you may not always want to do all the training on the same days. Some people get very sore very easily, some do not. Some get sore after 12-24 hours, others get sore after 24-36 and that also may determine how to group hard workouts.
If schedule wise you can lift on the days you dont run or run shorter and get better sleep because of it, that is something to consider as well.
Bottom line is there is not a generic right answer when you have to fit it around your life and your fitness and your strengths and weaknesses.
It depends on your schedule, but personally I prefer to strength train on my easy days. I don't do enough to really wear me out, if fact I don't do anything for my legs at all, I figure running takes care of that. I don't find that recovery for my hard days is a problem.
Full Stride Running
Hehe.. Having work at 5:30 would indeed be a problem. I currently only have about one class a day in grad school (more than I had super senior year... actually driving me nutz..). Do what you have time for, but as already suggested ab work is most important. Strength training your legs will indeed help (with heavy weight or the explosive stuff).
Most important tho, do what works for you! And set priorities so that if it isn't working out or the added lifting is making you feel sour, back off.
It depends on your schedule, but personally I prefer to strength train on my easy days.
Me, too. Plus, from a time-management perspective, if you're easy runs are a bit shorter, it's that much easier to get the strength work in.
"If you have the fire, run..." -John Climacus
For me, it's both. I strength train two days a week.
One is a rest / Xtrain day
One is intregal to the work out and it is hard
"Famous last words" ~Bhearn
I guess my problem is making time after the run. I already get up at 0330 to get run in before work. (have to leave house for work by 0530) So usually I do strength at night after work. I guess I could get up earlier, but lord that would have me going to be bed before dark. Ugh. Does make sense to try to fit it in right after hard run. I guess kinda making it one big long workout. Thanks for your help!
I wouldn't do it right after the run since you will have depleted some glycogen. If you are running in the morning and strength training in the evening that should work. I like to do the same thing. Just make sure you have a post run recovery meal and eat a good to replenish those glycogen stores to get the most from you evening workout. Some caffeine in the afternoon helps too!
"Any idiot can run a marathon. It takes a special kind of idiot to run an ultramarathon." - Alan Cabelly
Thank You!! Think I am going to stick with this. I appreciate the feedback from everyone though, it's nice to have several different theories to chew on.
This has worked very well for me! I do hate not being able to get my weight workout in until the evening time but with kids and all I have to do what I gotta do. Anyway I seem to be able to get my workouts in and all my running in doing it this way.
Your toughness is made up of equal parts persistence and experience. You don't so much outrun your opponents as outlast and outsmart them, and the toughest opponent of all is the one inside your head." - Joe Henderson