Running and Weight Training.

N00b2fitness

Hi folks,

I have been doing some training for the past 3/4 weeks in addition to cleaning up my diet. My general training consists of Squats, Deadlifts and some free weight upper body work along with some low intensity cardio work> I posted my routine here a while ago and it seems to be generally in order.

I'm not lifting huge weights - on a weights day I'll usually do about 3 sets of 10 reps failing on about 8 for most of the lifts consisting of the following, usually 35kg front squats (picking bar up from ground and hoisting above my head), 80kg deadlifts, 35kg barbell bench presses, bent over rows, 20kg dumbell fly's - Tricep pushdowns, shrugs and pullups etc.

My main goal was fat loss and I'm doing pretty well. I can feel my upper body muscle tightening up and getting slightly bigger also which is a bonus. For cardio, I was typically doing a mixture of rowing (2km in about 8/9 mins to warm up), Treadmill (5km in about 28/29 mins) and sometimes some cross trainer for about 20 mins.

Lately, I have taken to going out running out-doors as I want to see if my joints are able to take the punishment. I have an outside ambition to run the marathon next year. Anyway, the running is going great and I've surprised myself at how into it I am getting and what I am achieving in terms of distance and times. I can run 7/8 mies in just about an hour and am looking to increase the distance slowly as I progress.

My question is, is running longish distances like this the day after (or shortly after) doing weight work less than optimal or is it ok? Obviously the more you do the better but I'm just wondering if doing lots of weight work and extended, low intesity cardio are at odds with each other in any way?

I am guessing not, as the weights I am doing might be classed more resistance training than weight lifting so I am probably not going to put on much muscle mass in any case but just want to be sure. Would be interested to hear your thoughts.

Thanks in advance, again, to all, this forum has turned around my life completely in the past month and I have gone from a 14.5 stone layabout who wouldn't walk to the shop to a 13.4 stone semi fit person in 3 weeks who can run 8 miles... and I'm only getting started!

bob04

I cannot see any issues with running after weight training, or the day after so long as you have the right foods to fuel your workout

Its all about diet in my opinion, if you do weights, then go running you will need to have enough carbs to sustain both workouts

Unfortunatly im not a dietician, but i would suggest doing some running maybe in the am, then weights that evening, or just have one day weights, next day running, so long as your diet is nailed

N00b2fitness

bob04 wrote: »

I cannot see any issues with running after weight training, or the day after so long as you have the right foods to fuel your workout

Unfortunatly im not a dietician, but i would suggest doing some running maybe in the am, then weights that evening, or just have one day weights, next day running, so long as your diet is nailed

Sound advice. On the fuel piece, it's amazing how much faster, longer and better you can run 45 minutes after a bowl of pasta. I've ran both with and without and you can almost sense the extra fuel in your system. It's easy to be totally terrified of carbs these days but I'm going to be making sure I get all carbed up before any long runs in future to ensure I get the most out of my body.

I'm definitely splitting up the weights and running between days... I'll continue to do some light cardio in the gym but the outdoor runs will be for the DOM days only. This running lark is great... can see it becoming addictive.

another world

[HTML]Sound advice. On the fuel piece, it's amazing how much faster, longer and better you can run 45 minutes after a bowl of pasta. I've ran both with and without and you can almost sense the extra fuel in your system. It's easy to be totally terrified of carbs these days but I'm going to be making sure I get all carbed up before any long runs in future to ensure I get the most out of my body.[/HTML]

I was always told that you should get the carbs in after a workout. Interesting although. How much time do you leave between the pasta and the run?

bob04

another world wrote: »

[HTML]Sound advice. On the fuel piece, it's amazing how much faster, longer and better you can run 45 minutes after a bowl of pasta. I've ran both with and without and you can almost sense the extra fuel in your system. It's easy to be totally terrified of carbs these days but I'm going to be making sure I get all carbed up before any long runs in future to ensure I get the most out of my body.[/HTML]

I was always told that you should get the carbs in after a workout. Interesting although. How much time do you leave between the pasta and the run?

Yes, get carbs in before AND after exercise

Timing, depends on the person i think???

For me, 45 mins is sufficient, but for cycling, i believe you can eat plenty of carbs before hand and then get on a bike straight away (talking to a triathlon athlete?) not from experience

N00b2fitness

another world wrote: »

I was always told that you should get the carbs in after a workout. Interesting although. How much time do you leave between the pasta and the run?

Talking a small bowl of pasta here - but generally speaking about 35-40 minutes tops.

another world

I´ll definitely give that a try. Seems logical!

conceited

Eat 2 hours min before your run .

Brian?

bob04 wrote: »

Yes, get carbs in before AND after exercise

Timing, depends on the person i think???

For me, 45 mins is sufficient, but for cycling, i believe you can eat plenty of carbs before hand and then get on a bike straight away (talking to a triathlon athlete?) not from experience

For cycling I always found it best to have some simple carbs, glucose powder in water, immediatly before starting. I have tried the same the same thing with running and swimming and it seems to work fine.

I don't think running on a full stomach is a good idea, thats just a personal thing though, as it leads to cramping for me.

Straight after your cardio is the best time for the bowl of pasta I think. I think there is something in the stickies about this.

Roper

You can't do endurance and strength in the same session. Your body doesn't work that way. However it only takes a few hours seperation to get benefit from them both.

It won't do you any harm, doing both together, it's just that you won't get maximum benefit from either.

35kg front squats (picking bar up from ground and hoisting above my head)

That's not a front squat by the by, sounds like you're either snatching or overhead squatting.

N00b2fitness

Roper wrote: »

You can't do endurance and strength in the same session. Your body doesn't work that way. However it only takes a few hours seperation to get benefit from them both.

The strength training would be done one day and the running the following day, or one am and the other pm at the very closest. So I am assuming this is fine.

Roper wrote: »

That's not a front squat by the by, sounds like you're either snatching or overhead squatting.

Yes and no (I think...), I am snatching at first then lowering the bar either behind my head and squatting from there (Standard Squat?) or otherwise lowering the bar in front of my head, by my collarbone and squatting from there (Front Squat?). When they are completed I then have to raise above my head and lower the bar down to the floor again.

It's only a light weight but I wonder in the absence of a squat rack would using Dumbells be more effective than the mish-mash I am trying at the moment?