I am currently training for my upcoming xc season and I am also hitting the gym along with it. I was just wondering what equate and power cleans do for a distance runner. Does it help them or negatively impact them? I am doing high amount of reps (8-10) with lighter weight and a small amount of break time in between sets.
I meant squates not square.. Sorry stupid auto correction
My experience was that squats hurt my running. Too much muscle soreness and a decreased knee lift.
Power cleans seemed to help my running at shorter distances and didn't interfere much with my regular training like squats did.
As with any training, ask yourself, "why am I doing this workout?"
8-10 reps with low weight and low rest will have an effect, but not a strong one.
There are different types of lifting workouts, based on combinations of number of reps, number of sets, and percentage of maximum weight.
2-4 sets, 1-5 reps, 100% maximum weight --> this will increase strength, the maximum power output
3-5 sets, 5-8 reps, 90% maximum weight --> executed quickly, this will create power, the combination of force output and speed at which that output is executed
3-5 sets, 8-12 reps, 80% maximum weight --> this combination will best facilitate mass; in terms of sports performance, you will get a low-level combination of power and endurance here
3-5 sets, 12-20 reps, less than 80% maximum weight --> endurance training, increasing the number of reps you can do at any given weight before you fatigue; if you're not getting this stimulus from your running, you're doing it wrong.
These workouts are based on extensive exercise physiology research performed by the USSR during the height of their sports mania. They put a lot of research dollars and a lot of man hours into this model, and it's still in use all over the world today. It's a rough model, advanced lifting obviously gets much more fine tuned. In this regard, it is not unlike running, where you have a rough idea of something called distance runs, tempo runs, intervals, and speed work. It's more complex than that, but as a rough model, it works.
So I will ask; what are you trying to accomplish with your lifting, specifically?
Develop better leg power and stamina. This is what I seem to lack in XC. But I was also wondering I f i should just do hill sprints instead of squats. is that better for a distance runner?
Squats and cleans are great lifts and give you some of the best bang for your buck of any exercises. However, if your main concern is distance running, I would avoid them in favor of running hills.