Core / General Strength Training?

60% 1RM bar squats ass to grass.

Sounds good besides that.

peyto wrote:

Hello,

I'm looking to find out what you do for core and general strength. I know there is a lot of advice here to just use the extra time to run more, but for me, I have some pockets of time where I may not be able to go on a run but could do a set of some strength work. I'm pretty weak so I think this will help my form and injury prevention.

Currently, I am doing pushups(5 sets of 20), pullups (5 sets of 5-10), squats (100), calf raises (100) a day, core twice a week (planks, russian twists, side crunches, suitcases, whatever else I decide to throw in), and I try to get in myrtle (hip strength stuff) at least once a week.

What would you guys add to this or change?

- handstand pushups 5x20

- planche pushups 4x15

- 3x30sec Iron Cross

- one-armed pullups 4x15

- muscle-ups 5x25

- 10x100m@11sec and 15 sec rest between every rep

What you're doing is fine. I would throw in some lunge matrix to help with injury prevention on your runs.

Google: boo schexnayder circuit training

He has some really good body-weight training articles online.

what about flipping tires? How many reps/set?

Good idea. It takes only a small time investment to become much stronger and more resistant to injury when you are starting from nothing.

I like your program. Pushups, pullups, squats and some mobility work will increase your general strength and flexibility. But, consider this: how will you progress the program as, for example, 5*20 pushups becomes easy? Do 5*30? What about when that gets easy? Move to 5*40? That is all well and good, but are you really improving strength at that point or are you improving your endurance to do pushups? Improving your endurance is a fine goal, but your stated intent is to get stronger, so your training should to set up to do that!

My point is that your strength (maximal display of force against an external resistance i.e. pushing against your body weight in a pushup) gains will plateau relatively quickly unless you manipulate the external resistance. That could mean moving through a progression of incrementally harder pushups variations ( this site has good resources for a body-weight training routine startbodyweight.com) or replacing pushups with benchpress and slowly moving up the weight over time.

It looks good, I might start doing this kind of thing as well. I would suggest trying different types of push-ups (wide, diamond) as well or bench pressing as recommended to scale up easier. I legged dead-lifts are really good as well and things like hip dips and pretty good in addition to Myrtle. If you're not already doing them, some form drills are useful too.

Look up RunningArt on LRC. He's pretty smart in the weight room.

I would also google Vern Gambetta. Brilliant stuff!

Finally, check out Jay Johnson's website too.

Two days per week.

Six lifts.

Three sets.

Ten reps (lifting to failure).

Day A:

-squat

-bench press

-bent-over row

Day B:

-stiff-leg deadlift

-overhead press

-lat pull-down (or pull-ups)

sprinthard wrote:

What you're doing is fine. I would throw in some lunge matrix to help with injury prevention on your runs.

Google: boo schexnayder circuit training

He has some really good body-weight training articles online.

Gambetta Leg Circuit!!!

If you want to be a great runner and avoid injury: Do what the elites do. Pay little attention to cross fit warriors. Follow Jordan Hasay and Galen Rupp with the NOP. They have videos out of their strength work.

I asked my coach about core work and he says that abs are great for making you look good, but it's actually your core in terms of stability that will make you faster. He recommends doing lots of one-legged stuff-- squats, hops, just standing on one leg with your eyes closed--and planks or similar ab workouts while pulsing one leg up and down or side to side. All of this forces your hips to counteract your movement and keep you balanced. While running this work translates into less energy lost moving side to side and all that energy is transferred into making you move forward.

peyto wrote:

Hello,

I'm looking to find out what you do for core and general strength. I know there is a lot of advice here to just use the extra time to run more, but for me, I have some pockets of time where I may not be able to go on a run but could do a set of some strength work. I'm pretty weak so I think this will help my form and injury prevention.

Currently, I am doing pushups(5 sets of 20), pullups (5 sets of 5-10), squats (100), calf raises (100) a day, core twice a week (planks, russian twists, side crunches, suitcases, whatever else I decide to throw in), and I try to get in myrtle (hip strength stuff) at least once a week.

What would you guys add to this or change?

I agree with others that you may plateau on the push-ups just doing 5x20. I'd suggest working up to sets of 50-100. I'd suggest sit-ups but I think planks maybe better. Bridges and single leg bridges would be very good to add in your routine.

Good luck. Most of my friends have commented about they improved the most after getting stronger. I'm sure you'll be the same.

I would say there is a natural progression in the three suggestions. Remember, the progression of strength is: body weight -> light external load -> heavy external load. You can't go from algebra to calculus, so don't try to back squat 1.5 x body weight as step one.

Lunge Matrix and Leg Swings - LMLS - before each run. Then Strength and Mobility, SAM - Leg Strength, Hip Strength, Core Strength and Hip Mobility - after each run. SAM is broken into Hard and Easy days; you do SAM Hard after a workout and long run, SAM Easy on the other days.

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLUzqPLVEQwhfDFhae0qeR5IxAbddi_nmL&disable_polymer=true

SAM Phase 4 and 5 posted soon.

Gambetta Leg Circuit after you've comfortably done SAM Phase 2 -

http://www.functionalpathtrainingblog.com/2010/12/the-gambetta-leg-circuit.html

Then look up the RunningArt posts.

And if you are serious, you'll do what Meb does and rope stretch a couple of times a day. You'll find it tedious for the first couple of weeks, then you'll come to love it.

https://www.whartonhealth.com/whartonsdigitaldownloads/

Hurdle Mobility is underrated as core strengthening, if you view the core as anterior and posterior, and including your butt and hips. There is some HM as part of the document above.

Done really well with this:

https://www.facebook.com/paul.howell.3597/videos/o.183241708553138/10154740414981761/?type=2&theater

peyto wrote:

Hello,

I'm looking to find out what you do for core and general strength. I know there is a lot of advice here to just use the extra time to run more, but for me, I have some pockets of time where I may not be able to go on a run but could do a set of some strength work. I'm pretty weak so I think this will help my form and injury prevention.

Currently, I am doing pushups(5 sets of 20), pullups (5 sets of 5-10), squats (100), calf raises (100) a day, core twice a week (planks, russian twists, side crunches, suitcases, whatever else I decide to throw in), and I try to get in myrtle (hip strength stuff) at least once a week.

What would you guys add to this or change?

keep the core , replace all above with

5 sets of 12 burpees . 1 minute rest between.

myrtle every day /

Oregonborn wrote:

If you want to be a great runner and avoid injury: Do what the elites do. Pay little attention to cross fit warriors. Follow Jordan Hasay and Galen Rupp with the NOP. They have videos out of their strength work.

10/10

peyto wrote:

Hello,

I'm looking to find out what you do for core and general strength. I know there is a lot of advice here to just use the extra time to run more, but for me, I have some pockets of time where I may not be able to go on a run but could do a set of some strength work. I'm pretty weak so I think this will help my form and injury prevention.

Currently, I am doing pushups(5 sets of 20), pullups (5 sets of 5-10), squats (100), calf raises (100) a day, core twice a week (planks, russian twists, side crunches, suitcases, whatever else I decide to throw in), and I try to get in myrtle (hip strength stuff) at least once a week.

What would you guys add to this or change?

A pocket of time is best filled with running. How long would a strength workout take?

peyto wrote:

Currently, I am doing pushups(5 sets of 20), pullups (5 sets of 5-10), squats (100), calf raises (100) a day, core twice a week (planks, russian twists, side crunches, suitcases, whatever else I decide to throw in), and I try to get in myrtle (hip strength stuff) at least once a week.

What would you guys add to this or change?

Hill sprints, one-legged movements like step-ups, pistol squats (1/2 or so at first). Just create a routine that you do at least 3 times per week, when speaking about core work. There's a lot of other movements that I could suggest but I don't know the official terms of these movements. And don't do planks more than a minute at a time. There are better "planks" that includes movements, instead of staying in a static position. By overdoing planks you can mess up your rotator cuffs and hurt your back, and like I said traditional planks aren't as good as the ones that includes movements (up and down). You're also doing a lot of push-ups and pull-ups (excessively for a runner). If someone doesn't sprint, then trying it and he / she might notice how sore the lower biceps are the day after. But since you're doing a lot of pull-ups your arms are already stronger, so you might not get that feeling.