Importance of Pull-Ups for distance runners

Yeah - and this girl strength-trains and I hear she holds the marathon WR...

*hopes they appear*

well the links are there.........

My $.02...I'm in my 50's and did no strength training until about 3 years ago. Running is so specific for certain muscle groups and other tissues, but does not lend overall fitness to the whole body. Maybe my times didn't improve, but I felt generally better after getting into the program. My weight went up a little, but my waist size went down - a good sign. I don't go to the gym, just push-ups, ab crunches, some pilates, squats, step-dowms, toe raises, hamstring pulls (w/resistance band) and a couple of other ankle and foot exercises. All in the comfort of my home during the local news. I think it helps, if only to stave off injury.

and Deena spent hours a day in the gym preparing for the Olympics

http://www.peakrunningperformance.com/docs/14_4_JULY_AUG_PEAK_RUNNING.pdf

you can have a strong upper body without adding un-needed mass.

and it will help your running.

Pullups don't do much for you. I used to do a ton when I was in the Marines, 24 full pullups and I was 6' 155lbs. Now that I'm out I don't do any and have lost 5 pounds. No differnece.

don't you just get stronger by running more?

if you wanted to strengthen the muscles used during running why don't you just run? then run some more? if you stressed your upper body while you didn't work your lower body wouldn't you lose balance?

I admit to lifting a little when I was a MID-distance runner. I don't think they are that helpful to distance runners, if you have more time and energy why not go for a run?

Do you guys think weight training helps a runner muscle through arm fatigue at the end of a middle distance race? Isn't tying up more a question of oxygen depletion?

I think that it helps you generate more speed - like thats why sprinters lift a lot.

I think it also improves you anaerobic capacity because you are going lactic when you lift like at the end of a MD race.

[quote]NY runner wrote:

don't you just get stronger by running more?

quote]

Weight training isn't supposed to be a substitute for running, it is a SUPPLEMENT to running. You are supposed to run enough, but just running doesn't cut it if you want to be the most efficient runner you can be. Read my previous post, weight training isn't supposed to be overworked either, if you do it CORRECTLY you will add lean body mass and not bulk up. It's ok to add some muscle, its a fear so many long distance runners have, and the reality is, you don't really add that much if done correctly, you just get lean muscle to replace weakened areas in your body to make you a stronger overall runner. It especially helps for hills, and later in a tough long distance run or interval workout, your body's form deteriates and the fatigue goes to the weakened areas of your body, which need to be strong to resist it and keep yourself going and in good form even when you are tired.

I do 1x gym circuit training a week of 2 hours, coach also tells us to do 5x20 pushups with 1 min rest every day for upper strength and power. Do mine either early morning or just before bedtime. Must say my times have improved over country in past year.

The main importance I believe besides stretching the muscles and overall strength is what it does for your posture and running economy. By being strong up top you have better posture and are able to bring in more oxygen than a a weak runner who may tend to slump when tired. Don't overlook the benefit of strength to help with your breathing, it is one key that many runners don't get.

athleticsfreak wrote:

I do 1x gym circuit training a week of 2 hours, coach also tells us to do 5x20 pushups with 1 min rest every day for upper strength and power. Do mine either early morning or just before bedtime. Must say my times have improved over country in past year.

Sure, your times have improved but is it BECAUSE of the pushups? Maybe, maybe not.

From my view, almost every distance runner whose main goal is to run faster, should run more and forget the lifting. Sure lifting may help Paula, but she has already maxed out her running. If you've maxed out your running and still have time and energy than go ahead and lift but most people don't really do 100 mile weeks or the like. From personal experience, I'd say it's easier to lift for 15 minutes than to run an extra 15 minutes if you've already done 10 miles so lazyness as someone mentioned really isn't accurate.

I have heard that as you get older, there are certain health benefits from lifting that can be very beneficial so lifting may be a good idea but still probably won't make you run any faster.

Pullups are so insignificant in terms to distance running performance that you should only do them if you are:

Running as many miles and doing as much intensity as your body can handle with injury.

Getting adequate rest and recovery.

Eating nutritiously and hydrating appropriately.

Stretching.

Doing core strengthening exercises. (Pullups would be a bit of stretch to include in core strengthening.)

Specific leg strengthening exercises.

Additional cross training to improve aerobic fitness.

Giving enough attention to things outside of running...work, family, friends. (This is important because you will run better when you are not stressed out about your job and your personal relationships, and you have the support of the people around you).

Well, I guess that's it. If you're doing all of those things, then it's probably time to start adding some pullups to the routine.

But instead of spending that time doing pullups, you might want to flip through some physiology journals, like Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, and see if there is any new research that might help you more. Or read a book on training, to accumulate more knowledge. Or spend more time in your running log, understanding your own responses to your training, so you can improve your plans in the future.

The point is, pullups are WAY down the fuggin list of things you should be doing if you want to improve your distance running.

exactly

curioso wrote:

From my view, almost every distance runner whose main goal is to run faster, should run more and forget the lifting. Sure lifting may help Paula, but she has already maxed out her running. If you've maxed out your running and still have time and energy than go ahead and lift but most people don't really do 100 mile weeks or the like. From personal experience, I'd say it's easier to lift for 15 minutes than to run an extra 15 minutes if you've already done 10 miles so lazyness as someone mentioned really isn't accurate.

I have heard that as you get older, there are certain health benefits from lifting that can be very beneficial so lifting may be a good idea but still probably won't make you run any faster.

Didn't Seb Coe spend a lot of time in the gym; not all of it lifting tho. Didn't Peter say it was a key to his running?

Coe certainly may have done circuits and plyos or lifting but I'd think he maximized his running first.

People should look to a great like Coe for his determination, dedication and hard work, but not really for the specifics that he did. Now if you're a 1:45 guy you can probably learn a lot from Coe, if you're a 2minute guy, you'll learn a lot more by learning from the guys who went from 2minutes down to 1:55. Coe is on a whole different level.

I've gotten a lot faster this season and have also gotten much better at pull-ups from doing 3-4 sets several times a week. I feel like they work my abs, back, and arms, all places where added strength can definitely help your running (especially mid-distance).

FWIW, I've read many stories about Europeans visiting training camps in Kenya, and one common theme is that the Kenyans have very little upper body strength. And I mean *very* little. Many of the Kenyans could not do a single pull-up and would struggle to complete even 10 push-ups.

Coe was miler = Mid distance.

Lift for MD, not neccesary for D.