Bench Press vs. Push ups

Definitely have all distance runners that will play on the line in football do the bench press, the rest should be fine or better off with pushups. Try and lift after your run and don't worry about how much you can or can't lift for the max effort lift - it's just a gauge and starting point.

Be sure to post your numbers so we can see how strong you are.

Lift after your LR, if before then you will feel like sh!t the whole run.

IllinoisMaster wrote:

Be sure to post your numbers so we can see how strong you are.

Strong enough to slap you around, pop.

Everybody on Letsrun.com can bench press at least 2x their bodyweight. I know, people self-reported.

Mr. Obvious wrote:

Everybody on Letsrun.com can bench press at least 2x their bodyweight. I know, people self-reported.

Seriously, I wonder how many of you girly mans can even do a good push up, so soft and sorry.

New Lifter wrote:

IllinoisMaster wrote:

Be sure to post your numbers so we can see how strong you are.

Strong enough to slap you around, pop.

Sure about that? I was a competitive powerlifter before I started running seriously, and could DL almost triple BW.

Does the new coach make you suck his rod before or after you do the bench press?

IllinoisMaster wrote:

Sure about that? I was a competitive powerlifter before I started running seriously, and could DL almost triple BW.

Cool story gramps but too bad your decrepid body can hardly manage a 19min 5k.

Ralphy wrote:

IllinoisMaster wrote:

Sure about that? I was a competitive powerlifter before I started running seriously, and could DL almost triple BW.

Cool story gramps but too bad your decrepid body can hardly manage a 19min 5k.

Let me know when you've been running for 40 years.

Oh yeah, I also was the main shot/discus guy on the track team in HS, and #3-5 guy on the Varsity CC team in the fall. Can your body handle that?

just another guy wrote:

Does the new coach make you suck his rod before or after you do the bench press?

Hopefully neither - but that may be a good way to get rid of him!

IllinoisMaster wrote:

Oh yeah, I also was the main shot/discus guy on the track team in HS, and #3-5 guy on the Varsity CC team in the fall. Can your body handle that?

That doesn't mean you were any good. Probably went to one of those HS where you had to walk uphill both ways, huh old-timer? I'll let you in on a secret, only like 5 other kids went to one of those and they were all special-ed students. So congratulations for being the fastest, strongest kid on the short bus, you geezer.

P.S. Did you also play QB for your HS team and walk around in a LetterMan's jacket and run a 4:40 mile? I guess I shouldn't be too harsh; old people have terrible memories.

Ralphy wrote:

IllinoisMaster wrote:

Oh yeah, I also was the main shot/discus guy on the track team in HS, and #3-5 guy on the Varsity CC team in the fall. Can your body handle that?

That doesn't mean you were any good. Probably went to one of those HS where you had to walk uphill both ways, huh old-timer? I'll let you in on a secret, only like 5 other kids went to one of those and they were all special-ed students. So congratulations for being the fastest, strongest kid on the short bus, you geezer.

P.S. Did you also play QB for your HS team and walk around in a LetterMan's jacket and run a 4:40 mile? I guess I shouldn't be too harsh; old people have terrible memories.

You are a prick.

Push ups involve more muscles at one time than bench press and therefore are a better exercise for runners (or maybe even football players for that matter)

I've seen plenty of linemen on our HS team that can't do one proper push up (they were 1-9 this year), but have no problem putting up 225 (less than their BW). They don't realize that benching 225 or 250 isn't really impressive when you have to try to move a guy around who is 250 also.

Pushups promote core stability. More valuable to distance runners.

If you are a 400m or an 800m guy, go ahead with the lifting program. (Just make sure he's not making you do sets of 7 or more reps) If you are a miler or above, lifting mostly heavy weights on a regular basis (especially this early) will probably hurt you more than it helps. Unfortunately, I'm not sure how much you can do about it. But you should be able to do a good 50 pushups throughout the year. And if you only lift a little before a LR, it will probably put some pop in your stride. If it's supposed to be a longer session, do the run first.

This is going to sound funny, but I try to avoid strength training that is going to tire me out. My running schedule is already planned strategically with my workouts, medium days, and recovery days planned in such a way that there is an intentional stress and recovery cycle, the last thing I need is to kill myself in the weight room and have it affect my running.

What does this mean? It means I avoid pushups or any other high rep exercise where if I go to failure I'm going to be significantly winded at the end of it. A set of all out pushups is going to be like 40-50 reps. Conversely I could do a set of bench press in the 6-10 range and actually improve my strength more, and by the end of the set I won't be as "dead".

You would think that all sets to failure are equal. I don't think they are. A set of 8 squats to failure with a heavier weight is not going to tire you out as much as 15 squats to failure with a lighter weight.

If I ever find I can't catch my breath in the weight room, I change something. I'm there to employ muscular and neuromuscular stress to my body, but NOT cardiovascular stress - I already get that from my running. Just my philosophy.

I think the best thing to do is not worry about what mo

st other distance runners do, only because you are in HS and cannot really argue with your coach. I can understand your concerns as an athlete though. Before I give you a few answers, you should know that you also need to go back to your coach and ask him/her all of these questions. They should be able to give you valid answers for their own training they are prescribing. It's perfectly ok to question a coach in terms of learning about the benefits and expectations from your workout. You aren't challenging his authority that way, you are simply trying to educate yourself on what you are doing. Quite frankly, he should be explaining this to your entire team. They will be more likely to be motivated and adhere to the lifting that way.

To answer some of your questions, no not all runners lift heavy weights. He is most likely having your find your 1RM in order to prescribe what weight you should be lifting for each lift. You shouldn't be doing RM lifting on a regular basis.

Also, every runner is going to give you a different opinion. Some are advocates of lifting and some are not. Many distance runners believe it makes them too tired for their runs and workouts. Others love it and believe it makes them stronger and prevent injuries. I happen to love lifting as a supplement for my running; however, I wouldn't prescribe it to everyone. It's not FOR everyone. Every individual is different. One of the biggest challenges a HS coach faces is being able to treat athletes on an individual basis; it just doesn't happen. You are going to be treated as a unit because most HS coaches do not have the time or resources to devote that much attention. Also, most coaches do not have degrees in physiology or kinesiolgy; they aren't always going to know the BEST thing in terms of training. This isn't to knock your coach or anyone else's.

Anyways, to makes the most of your coach's training..

One suggestion would be to lift after an aerobic run. If it's your long run that is ok but you will obviously feel more tired than if it was a normal run of say 45-60 mins. However, the main focus of your training is running so if you cannot always feel good during your lifts that is ok. You are still receiving benefit.

Secondly, lifting burns a LOT of calories. If you are lifting directly after a run EAT before you lift. It doesn't mean you need an extra 2,000 calories a day. But you should be properly fueling yourself so your body can handle the work and recovery. What I would do is buy a chocolate milk to have after your run. It's a great ration of protein:carbs:sugar and will help your muscles recover from the run and also give you energy for the lift. Also, eat something again after the lift. I always bring a small yogurt and a banana. It's healthy carbs and a small amount of protein. Trust me, modest but proper fueling is going to make a world of difference.

IllinoisMaster wrote:

Ralphy wrote:

Cool story gramps but too bad your decrepid body can hardly manage a 19min 5k.

Let me know when you've been running for 40 years.

Oh yeah, I also was the main shot/discus guy on the track team in HS, and #3-5 guy on the Varsity CC team in the fall. Can your body handle that?

So, you were home-schooled on lil' house on the Prarie .

New Lifter wrote:

What I don't understand is the benefit of the bench press vs just standard push ups like our past coach had us do? Do most distance runners lift weights in season including the bench press? Not sure what lift we will do today, but he said it will be a leg lift. Should we lift before or after our long run today? Can we get a fair estimate of our max if he has us do it after the LR?

1) Allows for progression within a rep range conducive to increasing strength and lean body mass (muscle). For most people this = 6-12 reps. Most reasonably fit people can do more than 12 pushups to begin with.

2) I have no idea, but I would recommend it until about 10 days away from your "big race."

3) After your hard running sessions (intervals, long run, etc.).

4) Probably not, but he may be working under less than ideal circumstances and so long as you have a starting point and are progressive you will get stronger.