How much does an xtra 10lbs of muscle slow you down?

Why don't you answer the question? You used to run when you weighed 10 lbs less, right? How does it compare?

Probably no more than typing "extra" instead of "xtra".

Well it sounds like you haven't run much for 5 months. I am guessing the layoff is more likely to slow you in the interim than the 10 lbs of muscle.

one minute to your 5k per 10lb added, this is from my personal experience going from 130-170lb by lifting weights and running like twice a week for a couple years after college.

With similar (hard) training between my 143-lb self (Phase I) and 157-63 lbs (Phase II):

400 two seconds faster

800 three seconds faster

1500 about the same, but better kick

3000 10-15 seconds slower

5000 30 seconds

10K minute+ (haven't raced this as much)

Also: Cross (hills, soft terrain) really sucked with extra weight.

So generally about 5 seconds/mile/10lbs for longer stuff, but my training was overall probably better in Phase II. Also I was early 20's for Phase I and mid-forties for PhaseII.

It depends. Did you get swole in the biceps? Are your calves now 10 inches greater in diameter? Is the weight evenly distributed. Many people, who are way too light, improve when they put mass on. However, if you are adding unnecessary mass, it will start to slow you down. There is always a sweet spot, but, without know what that it is, it's hard to say if you'll slow down or speed up with more muscle. I actually ran faster at 165 than 155, but, I also had more years, better training and signficantly smarter workouts under my belt at the higher weight. It's not just about the numbers sometimes.

I definitely got swole in the biceps, shoulders, and chest. I didn't get obsessive about the whole bodybuilding thing so I never took measurements, but there's a pretty huge difference in the way I fill out my shirts, especially in the shoulders.

A lot if you carry your muscle here:

http://l.yimg.com/a/p/sp/editorial_image/1e/1ef8aedf123eeae8db42440324e8308a/photos_serena_williams_plunging_minidress_steals_show_at_espys.jpg

Retardo Montalban wrote:

A lot if you carry your muscle here:

http://l.yimg.com/a/p/sp/editorial_image/1e/1ef8aedf123eeae8db42440324e8308a/photos_serena_williams_plunging_minidress_steals_show_at_espys.jpg

Wow, that is one hell of an as$!

Festizio wrote:

one minute to your 5k per 10lb added, this is from my personal experience going from 130-170lb by lifting weights and running like twice a week for a couple years after college.

No way, your fitness was just a lot worse. Maybe 20 seconds with the same fitness tops...I'm 30 pounds heavier than I was in college, run about 20 mpw, and can run low-mid 16's vs. high 14's.

Since it is actually 2 lbs of muscle and 8 lbs of fat, I would say 16 seconds/mile slower.

I agree besides didn't rupp gain a few pounds wasn't it stated in an article early in the year rupp had to get stronger and thus went to the gym 3 times a week instead of 2. And that he had gained a few pounds as well as increasing mileage to 110 miles per week.

Myself i also gained like 8 pounds and my Cardiovascular conditioning is better now then it was before given i workout harder then i used to now.

if by "fitness" you mean running, then yes. i doubled my bench press when i went up in weight, which was my goal at the time. for running i peaked at low-mid 16's, so you obviously have more running talent, dickface.

the question is usually of how much quicker will you get if you lose blubber rather than than adding propulsive muscle

the former question is answerable, latter likely undefinable

as for blubber question, the best answer i can find/deduce is to reduce your time by cubic root of weights

i e

if you are 170 & can go 20'00 for 5k, if you lose 20 pounds of blubber, your expected time can in the limit be :

20'00 * (150/170)^1/3 = 19'10.97

you obviously stop this method when the blubber is down to the bone

Well, using a formula from Without Limits, if we assume a two-yard stride, that's 880 steps in a mile. With 10 pounds extra weight, that means with every step you are moving 10 pounds extra mass forward. This comes to 8,800 pounds of extra mass to shift over just one mile.

SwRnR wrote:

wasn't it stated in an article early in the year rupp had to get stronger and thus went to the gym 3 times a week instead of 2. And that he had gained a few pounds as well as increasing mileage to 110 miles per week.

Yeah, he went from like 135 to 145 from college to the pros.

There was a calculator I used to use to approximate time conversions at different weights based on changes in VO2max, but the link no longer works. Anyway, the physiological changes from lifting are likely to slow you down more than the added weight. It will take a while to get your muscles aerobically fit again. Trust me, I had to take off two months last year due to injury and my job required a lot of upper body lifting. I ran a 10k after two months of training and though I ran well given the amount of training I'd done, it felt like I was literally carrying 5lb dumbbells in each hand the last 2 miles. Beyond this, I typically gain weight in my chest and shoulders if I ever have to take time off from high mileage, and when I come back, my armswing just feels really awkward and sluggish.

Can't really say how much the 10lbs will slow you down. Upper body muscle is going to slow you down more than lower body muscle. As for losing it, 10lbs in one month is a LOT even if it was pure fat and you were 30lbs overweight. Two pounds per week is the max you should ever lose (after the first week), and even that would require 1000 Calorie defecit per day every day. Muscle takes longer to lose than fat, especially if you're not running a ton of miles. I would aim for two months, focusing more on gradually building up your miles than on actual weight loss. When I'm running a lot, I don't even have to try to lose weight. My chest shrinks naturally and I get a more streamlined physique. Just go out and run, avoid junk food, don't go crazy with the protein intake (1.8g or protein per kg of bodyweight is plenty). You'll get back if you want. Just be patient.