Help with resources or advice on lifting weights

keepongoing? wrote:

Looking to add a weight routine to my week. 2-3 time a week. I have not lifted since college and have no clue what exercises are best. I have a gym membership and need help. What exercises, how many reps and how to decide appropriate weight.

What are you hoping to accomplish?

For running, these are my favorite lifts.

Goblet squat - @weight sustainable for 15-20 reps. I usually use 55-60 lbs

Calf raises -@weight sustainable for 25-30 reps

I carry 1 plate in each hand

Deadlift - @ weight sustainable for 8-12 reps. I go anywhere from 280-340 lbs depending on the day. Deadlifting can be a pretty decent injury risk but the gains in speed are worth it imo

Back squat- 10-12 reps. I usually do 2 plates. Back squats kinda mess up my back if I go too heavy.

Seated leg press- 8-15 reps. I do 350-360 for 8 reps and more like 280-290 for 15

Running arms- 25-30 per arm. Helps my running form when I get to the lactic stages in the 400-mile. I do 15 lb dumbbells in each arm.

Power cleans- 6-8 reps. I try to hit body weight with these.

Weighted lunges- 10-15 lunges per leg, I do 35-45 lbs in each arm

I will assume this is to supplement your running by improving running economy. If that's not the case let me know.

Lift 1-2x a week. 3x is too much for a serious runner. Lift on your hard run days, in the afternoon/evening after your running workout.

Trap Bar Deadlift: in a 6 week cycle build up to a max set of 5, max set of 3, max set of 1-2 spending 2 weeks at each rep goal then start over.

Front Squat: in a 6 week cycle build up to a max set of 5, max set of 3, max set of 1-2 spending 2 weeks at each rep goal then start over.

Don't know where to start? Perform a 3-5 rep max test for each. Lift for 3-5 reps, rest couple minutes, add weight, continue until you reach muscle failure at 3-5 reps. If you go past 6 sets you started too light and will have to try the test again.

Now use this formula to determine approx 1RM:

WT x Reps x .033 + WT = est.1RM.

Now take est.1RM x .9 = Training 1RM.

So now your workout weights above will be a % of this Training 1RM:

65% x 5, 75% x 5, 85% x 5+

70% x 3, 80% x 3, 90% x 3+

75% x 5, 85% x 3, 95% x 1+

The "+" means on the last set you continue to muscle failure. Because you are calculating based on 90% of your estimated 1RM the first cycle is gonna feel stupid easy. After each cycle add 5-10lbs.

For upper body pull-ups and dips will be fine. They are unimportant. Do 3 sets to failure.

Alan

That's a lot of volume for a runner and not really the best rep ranges suited for developing strength and power. Granted those are some decent weights, but with that kind of volume recovery becomes an issue with any amount of decent running mileage.

Alan

Do not, and I repeat, do not do weight training exercises that involve two feet planted on the ground. Running is an action where only one foot is on the ground at one time. If you perform two-feet-planted-on-the-ground exercises, the body develops collagen (adapts) in the wrong places. This leads to injuries.

I will not recommend programs because people will think I am giving this advice for monetary reasons. Just Google biomechanics of running and you will discover how the body really moves. Hint: It involves, horizontal movements, fascia and slings.

David45 is back.

weighty katie wrote:

keepongoing? wrote:

Looking to add a weight routine to my week. 2-3 time a week. I have not lifted since college and have no clue what exercises are best. I have a gym membership and need help. What exercises, how many reps and how to decide appropriate weight.

What are you hoping to accomplish?

We need an answer to this important question.

I both agree and disagree.

I only do 3-4 of these lifts per session, and I try to target both power and endurance.

Once you get into that 15+ rep per set weight range I find it very similarly simulates that high end lactic shutdown you feel in the last 100m of the 400/800, and I think it’s a good way to prepare the muscles to operate efficiently, and for you to mentally prepare to maintain near perfect form even when your muscles begin to fail.

I do absolutely agree with you on what you said about the lifting volume to running volume ratio. If I truly want to focus on building strength and lifting 3-4 times a week I have to drop my mileage to under 50 mpw.

I do my training in 5 week cycles and it has seemed to work really well for me. Keep in mind that I’m Mid-tier D1 competitive at 800m-3k and almost 400m, and I’m training as an 800-1500 guy atm.

Week 1: 65-75 miles of mostly all aerobic work, 1-2 tempo runs and 1-2 stride days. No lifting

Week 2: 55-65. 1 tempo, 1 1600-3k pace workout, and 2 stride days. 1-2 lifts

Week 3: 45-55. 1 tempo, 1 600-1600 pace workout, 2 stride days, 2 lifts.

Week 4: 45-55. 1 3k-5k pace workout, 1 400-800 pace workout, 1 stride day, 2 lifts.

Week 5: 25-35. 1 all out speed workout, 1 light tempo, 2 stride days, 3-4 lifts.

This structure mixing these lifts has worked very well for me, and I think the lifting has been a huge factor, as my top end speed has increased dramatically over the last few months using this training method.

I guess it also depends what you're training for? I've worked with a personal trainer for this. Google "podiumrunner Best Ways to Strength Train for Your Next Marathon". We've been doing the exercises mentioned in that article: back squats, split squats and walking lunges, in addition to some core strength and flexibility. (The article links to a scientific paper). We've mostly avoided plyometrics because the additional injury risk, but I do plan on slowly adding in some of that as well.

The personal trainer helped me build a good program, corrects my form, and the weekly appointment makes sure I actually do it. Due to COVID I've been doing everything at home myself and it's been much harder to keep doing it (but that might just be me).

I've been doing strength training for a few years now and haven't been out for more than a few days due to injury, despite greatly increasing my mileage (have been running somewhere between 80-110 miles/week for the last two years).

Search for a poster named Dimitry

Alan - he wants a supplemental weightlifting program.

70% x 3, 80% x 3, 90% x 3+ - Really this? He needs to get started with a basic program and learn what he likes and dislikes and go from there. What you wrote is good for a book but silly for real life. I agree his upper body regimen should come after a lower body workout Weighted lunges, deadlifts, quad exercises should be the bulk of his exercises.

Yep because training should always be about what the athlete likes not what is most effective.....

He already said he has some training history.

I provided the %s as a means to be more precise. Use it as a tool. It gives you numbers to shoot for.

As far as lifting on two feet vs one foot.....do general strength before specific. Too many "trainers" get geeked out on being so "functional" that they lose sight of the forest through the trees.

You can do single leg focused stuff in the form of plyometrics.

So add single leg hops or split jumps on a box, 3-5 sets x 3-5 reps for power and explosiveness.

Or maybe do single leg squats with acable running arms on a bosu ball....surely that is more functional.....

Alan

I understand what you're trying to do but I think you're chasing the wrong goal. Don't use running to simulate the fatigue of the end of a race.....you have running for that. Use lifting to do what Running cannot.....increasing muscular strength and power.

Improve running economy by training at 85% 1RM or higher.

Alan

He's too busy trying to evade an apparent ongoing investigation about his pedophilia and domestic abuse issues, which he triggered by spamming law enforcement subreddits. He's probably too afraid to go outside and run or go to the gym.

Biomechanics guy here wrote:

Do not, and I repeat, do not do weight training exercises that involve two feet planted on the ground. Running is an action where only one foot is on the ground at one time. If you perform two-feet-planted-on-the-ground exercises, the body develops collagen (adapts) in the wrong places. This leads to injuries.

I will not recommend programs because people will think I am giving this advice for monetary reasons. Just Google biomechanics of running and you will discover how the body really moves. Hint: It involves, horizontal movements, fascia and slings.

Can you be more specific with the resources elaborating your claim? Books, websites, etc.?

Runningart2004 wrote:

I understand what you're trying to do but I think you're chasing the wrong goal. Don't use running to simulate the fatigue of the end of a race.....you have running for that. Use lifting to do what Running cannot.....increasing muscular strength and power.

Improve running economy by training at 85% 1RM or higher.

Alan

this advice is golden