Anyone find benefit lifting weights for running?
Anyone find benefit lifting weights for running?
All depends on how you do it. If you do general machine-weight exercises for 3 sets of 10-15 reps like most fitness-centre trained staff will recommend then you'll just work muscles that do nothing to help with running and probably gain weight via increased muscle that only serves to make you slower.
Find free-weight and/or bodyweight exercises that specifically use running muscles and strengthen the movements involved in running, eg 1-leg squats, step ups, standing calf raises etc and core stability work is important. Also if you have any weak injury prone spots then maybe a couple of extra exercises for those muscle groups to help prevent injuries.
When it comes down to it though you get better at running by running, especially as distances get longer. Gym work should only be done once or twice a week. Hill reps - both short sprints and longer efforts - are great for building specific strength and have the advantage of simultaneously developing cardiovascular ability.
If you are a sprinter then the above wouldn't apply, and you'd need a reasonable amount of powerful & explosive gym work to help maximise speed potential.
This is just my beliefs from my training. There will be other views out there on strength training for running but basically it is an additional extra on top of the running training that primarily gets you into good racing shape.
It is not axiomatic that weight training is uneccessary for distance runners. For the majority it is not helpful, but for many (myself included) it is. Prefontaine was known to do numerous sets of pullups. The great russion marathoner leonid moiseyev was a serious weight trainer.
However, anther importnt consideration is the following: past the age of 40, men and woman begin to lose muscle mass. part of it is associated with a overall decrease in activity, but generally it is age related. Running is an excellent activity for persons over 40, but it does nothing to replace muscle mass. Many of the over 40 runners I work with improve race times significantly after addng weight training to their programs. The weight gain as a result of the added muscle mass is minimal, the danger in ths area usually comes if the novice weight trainer starts to use ill advised protein supplements in dditon to their regular diet which add a large number of uneeded calories. Obviously if the athlete weightrains to the point of bulky hypertrophy it will interfere. However i think that masters runners and up would benefit their running (as well as their general health) from a judicious weight training program
no benefit for running, but nobody talks shit when im out running anymore
I'm going out to lift weights right now. I wouldn't say that all and every runners needs to, but guys like myself do. I'm the smallest and weakest member of the team and usually am in every race. I just simply need more strength, I train as much and as hard as my other teammates. So I agree with the first replier, not for everyone. But you should be able to look in the mirror and look on how you run and be able to tell if you need more strength
I've been lifting a lot more since January and already I am looking much better. I've been running a lot faster as well. The main reason I do any weights is to look good for the ladies, I mean, how many skinny twigs do you see going out with hot girls?
Certainly, free weight exercises are preferable, but I would not scoff at a consistent (2-3X/week) program of machine-based weight training IF exercises are specific to muscle groups used in running. When younger, I personally went from 1:52 to 1:49 in 800m over a three month training period of dedicated weight training on machines as a supplement to my running. Also, during this time period, I did not gain an ounce in body weight, so as long as the weight used allows for a comfortable 12-15 reps, I think that weight gain is not a serious factor.
I certainly agree that the running program is the single-most important factor, but benefits can be made from some ancillary regime of weight training. I would hate to see someone not follow this because they didn't have access to free weights or a training partner/spotter, who is necessary when using the free weight program.
one more vote for weight lifting. helped me a lot, even at the 5k distance. of course, i was running a shitload too. unless you go in there doing squats and benchpress till you drop then chugging protein shakes, don't worry too much about gaining weight if you're running enough.
Practice wrote:
Anyone find benefit lifting weights for running?
YES
Seems that team USA CA has really done well since starting the lifting thing. Deena and Jen looked very skinny but strong and Hall looks alot leaner than his college days.