I started lifting and am gaining weight - should I quit?

As you get older having some additional muscle mass is good as you will start losing it.

No offense, but its not like you are running that fast. Having some extra muscle seems like a worthwhile tradeoff.

Brah you are DONE. That 3 pounds is like HUGE. Stop worrying about running and go to a box and become a REAL man

xfit bros have teeny heart and teeny weiney.

No, brah don't be quittin the liftin. Ya gotta double down in the box. Running is for pansy asses. Don't get fit, get fat in the box. In x-fit you need the pounds. You know what they say, 'more cushion for the pushin'. You are still kinda small to be calling yourself an athlete. Don't get fit get fat, do the x-fit.

I have also started lifting about 6 months ago, and have gained about 5 lbs of muscle in my upper body. It's fun to see progress in the gym, but it's enough weight that I've definitely started to notice it slowing down my running.

I probably won't stop lifting altogether, but I might scale back. And I definitely need to look into ways to limit how much muscle I'm growing as I gain strength. I like getting stronger, I just don't like getting bigger and heavier.

Worth asking: what TYPE of lifting are you doing? If you are getting full recovery btwn sets or after a workout, you are able to repair too much muscle. Experiment with less recovery during your workout, or even doing a hard run after (or even before) your workout. The Science of Running by Steve Something has some interesting data on this...

rocker spaniel wrote:

Background - age 48, running for 30+ years. 1:20 for HM.

For the last 8 years I weighed 135 - I'm 5'11".

Six months ago I started lifting - pushups, planking, squats. I now never weigh 135 - more like 137-138. Same mileage, same eating.

Should I quit the lifting? I haven't slowed down from the extra weight and I feel pretty good running.

I just don't want to keep gaining weight -

A thread of people worried that 3 lbs of muse mass will ruin you. Stop!!! Unless running is your career, why do you want to look like a pre-teen boy? Good lord, if you're lucky enough to be able to pack on muscle just do it. Nobody gives a damn how fast you run, and the extra muscle provides many benefits. First and foremost you're healthier. Emaciated runners may be the most unhealthy looking people in the world. You'll look better in clothes, instead of a coat hanger with a sheet hanging off. You'll gain confidence and be more comfortable in all facets of life.

Stop the Insanity!!! wrote:

A thread of people worried that 3 lbs of muse mass will ruin you. Stop!!! Unless running is your career, why do you want to look like a pre-teen boy? Good lord, if you're lucky enough to be able to pack on muscle just do it. Nobody gives a damn how fast you run, and the extra muscle provides many benefits. First and foremost you're healthier. Emaciated runners may be the most unhealthy looking people in the world. You'll look better in clothes, instead of a coat hanger with a sheet hanging off. You'll gain confidence and be more comfortable in all facets of life.

um right.

I am 48, look 38, healthy, successful at work and life, have been happily married 20 years, dress well and feel great. Running is my passion.

you say that I should sacrifice my passion in life in order to be more physically attractive. As if 5 pounds would change my appearance anyway.

Yours is some of the worst advice I've ever been given.

If you were a competitive athlete on any level (HS, College, Pro), I would tell you to back off on the weights, but you aren't, so do whatever you want to do with regard to that.

thejeff wrote:

Worth asking: what TYPE of lifting are you doing? If you are getting full recovery btwn sets or after a workout, you are able to repair too much muscle. Experiment with less recovery during your workout, or even doing a hard run after (or even before) your workout.

No to all of this. Typically, weight lifting adds some bulk, but then stops IF you do not lift to failure. I am guessing you are lifting to near failure. Don't do that. Stop when the form breaks down.

The MOST important part of this is your times haven't changed. If you have longer blocks where you increase/decrease your time in the gym, you should see some improvements in running times.

No one is telling you that you need to quit running.

pop_pop!_2.1.1 wrote:

thejeff wrote:

Worth asking: what TYPE of lifting are you doing? If you are getting full recovery btwn sets or after a workout, you are able to repair too much muscle. Experiment with less recovery during your workout, or even doing a hard run after (or even before) your workout.

No to all of this. Typically, weight lifting adds some bulk, but then stops IF you do not lift to failure. I am guessing you are lifting to near failure. Don't do that. Stop when the form breaks down.

The MOST important part of this is your times haven't changed. If you have longer blocks where you increase/decrease your time in the gym, you should see some improvements in running times.

I'm actually not lifting to failure - just sets of 20-25 body weight.

I think the answer is the clock - if I start slowing down then I should rethink.

But that's a problem with being 48 - I'm supposed to be slowing down so hard to isolate the lifting piece from the aging piece.

You're delusional.

Stop asking stupid questions. You're worried about 3 pounds as if you're suddenly massive. How can you conclusively attribute anything that "detracts" from your running at age 48..?

5'-11" and 135 as a grown man is scrawny, not to xfit bro out.

This sounds like a normal build up of muscle mass when starting a weight-lifting routine. Considering 5'11' height (for a man), that's a nominal increase. Don't stop without a more compelling reason.

not it isn't wrote:

rocker spaniel wrote:

um right.

I am 48, look 38, healthy, successful at work and life, have been happily married 20 years, dress well and feel great. Running is my passion.

you say that I should sacrifice my passion in life in order to be more physically attractive. As if 5 pounds would change my appearance anyway.

Yours is some of the worst advice I've ever been given.

You're delusional.

Stop asking stupid questions. You're worried about 3 pounds as if you're suddenly massive. How can you conclusively attribute anything that "detracts" from your running at age 48..?

5'-11" and 135 as a grown man is scrawny, not to xfit bro out.

I'm not saying I'm suddenly massive.

I am concerned about the trend - if I gain 3 pounds in 6 months where is this going? I don't mind 3 pounds but 10 pounds would certainly slow me down.

Surely you can understand my issues here - I haven't gained a pound my entire life but i just gained 3 in 6 months because of a change in my training. Shouldn't I be concerned? Why would you NOT be concerned?

Because you aren't good enough at running to be concerned.

mellow seeds wrote:

Because you aren't good enough at running to be concerned.

that's a jerk response, as you know.

First off, it doesn't matter how fast I am. If you don't want to advise on this back away. You are a waste of global digital memory.

Second, a 48 who can run 1:20 for a HM, 10:40 for two miles and 17:20 for 5k is actually fairly fast unless you totally disregard age group racing. Which would be lame to do, but you might take that view.

I wouldn't sweat the 3 pounds. I would look at 2 things to decide whether or not to scale back on lifting.

Are you getting faster or slower in races?. Don't care about your daily training pace or workouts just races.

Do you feel more or less little injuries?

Also, if you have access to a gym try lifting heavy. Squat, deadlift or lunge and workup to most weight you can do with good form for 5 reps.

Lifting sets of 1-5 reps will cause much less muscle gain than training 8-12 reps.

Also, doing 20+ reps on squats isn't training for strength or Power but strength endurance.

Stop the Insanity!!! wrote:

A thread of people worried that 3 lbs of muse mass will ruin you. Stop!!! Unless running is your career, why do you want to look like a pre-teen boy? Good lord, if you're lucky enough to be able to pack on muscle just do it. Nobody gives a damn how fast you run, and the extra muscle provides many benefits. First and foremost you're healthier. Emaciated runners may be the most unhealthy looking people in the world. You'll look better in clothes, instead of a coat hanger with a sheet hanging off. You'll gain confidence and be more comfortable in all facets of life.

You have one part wrong somebody gives a damn how fast I run - ME.