I am confused about whether to weight train or not. What exercises to do to aid my running.
How often and what reps to do in weight/strength training.
I am happy with my weight and size. I don't need to lose weight really, just tone up a bit more and that's it.
I used to weight train up until a few months ago and I started bulking up, but that was before I got 'into' running.
I then dropped the weights for a while because I was on holiday and just ran outside. I liked it.
I came back home and didn't pick up the weights again. I now do press ups and ab work 2 x per week for about 20 minutes or so.
Is this enough or should I be doing weights as well?
Whenever I am in the weights room all I want to do is go next door and run on the treadmill. Motivation please!
Ta.
Beth
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So I'm going back in - lighter weights, more reps to try to avoid the bulk and the muscle tear which stopped me before. Twice a week including abs work and some cross training to keep my pulse up around the 60 - 65% mark, about 1hr each time.
Good luck with your efforts and remember that the weights will help you avoid injury. And thus run more consistently.
You could get away with doing just 3 key, compound weights exercises, of about 3 sets of 10reps each. Try doing half squats, bench presses and 1-arm rows or assissted pull-ups.
Good luck, Mowgli.
I enjoy doing weights. I like having visible muscles in my arms and calves, and abs the my son bounces off when he headbutts me (it doesn't half hurt when his shorter sister copies him, though!), and like Mij I do lots of light reps rather than the stuff where you need a spotter to lift the barbell up and put it down for you. My programme is simple - I do one or two Bodypump classes a week, and sometimes a few press-ups and crunches and calf raises between times. The exercises are of the low-weight, high-rep endurance type, which is what we runners need. And I am not one bit bulky!
Remember that even though you don't run on your arms, muscle is metabolically greedy stuff and eats its way through 30-50 calories per pound per day just ticking over. So the more, the better, if you like a full plate but don't want to gain weight.
Give it a whirl. You can always stop if you don't enjoy it.
Cheers, V-rap.
After thinking about my thread and about being stronger and metabolism etc etc (V-rap: I do like a full plate!) I actually went into the weights room this morning and spent 25 minutes using 5/10lbs weights depending on the exercise.
I worked the triceps, biceps, back, shoulders with free weights (3 x 10 reps for each)and the chest by doing push ups. For abs I did crunches & reverse crunches.
What do you reckon?
after going round the machines, i do sit ups and crunches for the stomach, then have a really good stretching session that lasts about 20-25 minutes (and makes up for the 10 minute after run stretch sessions i usually do.)
cheers scunner
An interesting and very important point for all runners who tend to neglect their overall strength. If you are starting out I would suggest investing in a Gym Ball and progressing to Circuits later. By all means Sit-Ups/Press Ups are one of the best Circuit Training methods(Dont forget Dorsal Raises for stability) No more than three times a week is my motto. Good luck with your running
thanks very much for your help as i have been away from running for 2years now and . i ran marathons for 10years and stoped two years and now trying hard to make a come back.
cheers scunner
I work the chest, shoulders, biceps, top/middle and lower back, triceps and abs doing one exercise on each body part.
I don't train the legs, I leave that to the running.
Takes about 25 minutes in all plus a 10 minutes warm up on the treadmill and 10 minutes of stretching afterwards.
The following is only an example and should be adapted to what works for you
The circuit training routine I follow is base around 16 exercises:
Bent knee sit ups – Hyperextensions – Leg Curls – Leg Extensions –
Shoulder Press – Wide Grip Pull Downs – Close Grip Pull Downs – Chest Press -
Chin Ups – Dips – Lunges – Peck Deck –
Seated Row – Dumbbell Curls – Triceps Press – Side Lateral Raises
I use the 60 second approach where:
WEEKS 1-3 = 20 second exercise 40 seconds recover
WEEKS 4-6 = 30 second exercise 30 seconds recover
WEEKS 7-10 = 40 second exercise 40 seconds recover
Use controlled deliberate movements during the exercise
Use the Recovery period to move from one piece of equipment to the next
If the next piece of kit you want is in use just move on to another exercise in your list – Order is un-important
Start by doing each exercise twice (total time 32 mins)
Second time through the 10 week = 3 times
3rd time = 4 time
Aim to circuit train twice per week
Will
I don't know if it makes any difference, but I try to do 20-30 minutes of something aerobic (usually swimming or the stepper) at the end of each Bodypump class to remind my muscles that I'm a wannabe endurance athlete, not a bodybuilder.
You've just given me a good laugh - The image of a hard core bodybuilder in a Bodypump class - I can just see it now :-))