Leg Weights/Longer/Faster Runs/Core/Upper Body Weights

Thanks. I still have to look up several of the exercises in Alan's posts, but I'm excited to try them. Right now I'm doing so many leg exercises per the PT--3 days per week--that I think I should probably wait until I finish with her. I've really been so far down with what I think is turning out to be a simple injury--that I honestly thought I would never run again. I'm absolutely thrilled that I have had several break-throughs in PT recently, so that I am running again--anyway my injury was SI joint laxity (even though I didn't have low back pain), so the low back is definitely more on my mind these days. Anyway, I'll try some of the exercises that you mentioned also, once I finish with the PT.

Also interesting she has me doing the one-legged hip flexor with cable (also adductor/abductor). In addition--she has me doing leg press and leg extension.

I was wondering about calves because my previous PT told me that doing calves will screw up your knees as a runner. Actually he was an athletic trainer and some of what he said I've discovered wasn't actually true, per my new and (I think) better PT. So now I'm wondering if he was correct about the calves.

I'll have to look up RDLs and the other anacronyms mentioned on this thread...but again waiting until I finish PT b/c I'm doing her routine 3 days per week.

Right now I'm just trying to add some core and doing upper body on the offdays.

Pluto--just writing my cats name so I can find this thread in a search later. :)

Unless you have achilles issues I see no reason in doing calf work. You don't actually forcefully contract your calves during running. The calves contracting is more like a spring loading effect. Making them strong won't help much. Making your hips and glutes stronger will.

Alan

Art,

I am in base phase now and some friends signed me up to play one day in a basketball league per week. I was wondering if this is going to set me back at all with my running? I was planning on still running my normal workouts except the day of the games just doing an easy run in the morning of those.

Thanks in advance Art.

Re calves: I always do 2-3 sets of one-legged calf raises but it's more as a warmup and to help take out the kinks from running. I have not progressed in ten years - ten reps one-legged is my standard. There is nothing wrong with having a bunch of exercises you just maintain - they are a very good early warning system and warmup. But I agree with Alan, the actual calf gains will come from the explosive nature of any running on your toes (strides/hills etc), jumping, or just plain assisting with heavy leg exercises.

RDL = Romanian Deadlift = Stiff Legged Deadlift. Plenty of examples on ExRx or Youtube.

captainrobbo wrote:

RDL = Romanian Deadlift = Stiff Legged Deadlift. Plenty of examples on ExRx or Youtube.

\

Thanks!! I have tried deadlifts many times but never sure that I've done them correctly.

Alan, is it specifically BAD to do upper body weights on alternating days? In other words, is the 2-3 days a week of total body just for convenience or really a purpose in running? The reason I'm asking is that at the moment I'm doing my PT recommended leg strengthening while building up my mileage (still seeing PT 2 X week). I'd like to do upper body and core on my "recovery" days (b/c her leg strengthening workout already takes 45 min)...will this have any adverse effect?

So this would mean 4-5 days of strengthening...

You know, FWIW, even though I haven't run in forever, I'm running noticeably faster already, despite feeling completelely not in shape from running. I think it's from the strengthening that I've been doing for months in PT, maybe also cross training (elliptical and swimming mainly). So I'm really excited to see what your strengthening program can do for my running!

When I started running in high school I had some acute achilles tendonitis which I stubbornly ran through. This cause it to become a slightly chronic deal where I would get achilles issues once or twice every 6 months or so. I hve been wondering if this keeps happening due to muscle imbalances like weak calves. Are there any recommended exercises that could help aid this?

Doubter wrote:

You know, FWIW, even though I haven't run in forever, I'm running noticeably faster already, despite feeling completelely not in shape from running. I think it's from the strengthening that I've been doing for months in PT, maybe also cross training (elliptical and swimming mainly). So I'm really excited to see what your strengthening program can do for my running!

This happens. I think that coaches like Schumacher can be so successful without emphasizing supplementary work because his athletes, as elites, are already so efficient. But from personal experience, I've noticed correcting bad biomechanical deficiencies through strength work can lead to huge running gains despite a loss in aerobic fitness. Hope that you continue to reap the benefits.

The answers to the questions asked here boil down to the following answer:

What is your goal?

There is absolutely nothing wrong with running 5-7 days a week and lifting 4-5 days a week or whatever all-purpose schedule you want to put together. It all depends on what your goal is. If your goal is to be the best runner you can be then lifting 4-5 days a week using a split up routine (IE: upper body one day, lower body the next) really serves no purpose.

Choose your goal. You want to be relatively strong, have endurance, etc....you want to be fit across all spectrums? Then I'd suggest running 4-6 days a week and lifting 4-5 days a week. Basically an upper/lower routine in which you run very lightly on your lifting days (2-3 miles) and run more on your non-lifting days (30-45 min, an hour + one a week). But again...what's YOUR goal.

You want to be a runner, then RUN. Lifting should come secondary, 1-3x a week.

Alan

hl wrote:

This happens. I think that coaches like Schumacher can be so successful without emphasizing supplementary work because his athletes, as elites, are already so efficient. But from personal experience, I've noticed correcting bad biomechanical deficiencies through strength work can lead to huge running gains despite a loss in aerobic fitness. Hope that you continue to reap the benefits.

Thanks. It has actually been astonishing--I feel like I'm aerobically unfit, but then I finish all of my easy training runs 30 seconds to one minute faster than before. I'm still slow but it's just amazing. I can't imagine if I were also aerobically fit--so just hopeful that's all.

Alan, the #1 goal is running faster. Secondary is avoiding injury/staying strong while getting older. This first-time-ever long-time injury has really revved my engine for running--basically a masters runner learning that this running thing may not last forever, so just trying to give it my all while I still can (and for the first time). I've run for years but never really tried running faster. I hope to start your plan soon. Maybe I will just add either a bench or pullups or rows to the routine that she has given me for now.

What about core? How often? When? Is it okay just to do planks/side planks 3 days per week?

Vibrams

Depending on exercise selection and intensity you could do core work everyday.

Alan

RunningArt,

Hate to bug you but could you help me out on the basketball question.

Use basketball as a sprint workout....You should be fine. Just know you'll probably be sore like a sprint workout if you do it right.

My Frosh year in HS I used to play ball for a good 1-2 hours after our runs were done.

Alan

Thanks. I'll do that.