Strength training during marathon training

Outside

Hi all,

I am booked into Dublin City Marathon (2nd marathon) and training is going pretty well. I've recently read a few articles on how cross-training training and strength training are very beneficial to marathon training. I currently cycle to work (25mins each way every day so I'm sure that counts towards some sort of cross training? I'm wondering would I benefit much from doing some strength training or would it hinder my ability to concentrate fully on getting "quality" runs done?

What is the general consensus towards strength training for distance running? Types of exercises, strength training done as in old school weights in a gym? Can I get much benefit from avoiding going to a gym and doing exercises at home?

Do people feel they have benefited much from strength training from their experiences?

Outside

Also, would something like this be a good start? - http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-238-263-266-7522-0,00.html

RacoonQueen

It all depends on each persons specific needs really, some people have weaknesses where others don't. There are a lot of exercises on that runnersworld program which would be overkill for most but it seems alright.

Areas runners tend to neglect, or, where runners tend to be weak are glutes, hips and lower back. Squats, lunges, plank, bridging and variants work really well for those areas. Overall body conditioning never hurts and it's something you can definitely benefit from as shoulders do fatigue in long distance running. Please don't do any sort of crunches.

PaulieC

RacoonQueen wrote: »

Please don't do any sort of crunches.

why not ? Do explain

nerraw1111

These are excellent exercises

http://runningtimes.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=16625

Discussed here: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056380672

BenMicheal

cambo_gueno wrote: »

why not ? Do explain

Have to agree albeit on a general level. All crunches do is hurt your back and do little for muscles! Planks and squats (squats are great for building muscles that suport ligaments) are most deffo the way to go!

gnu

Hmmm, a thought just occurred to me that you would get all those exercises mentioned in a yoga class and you'd also be working on your flexibility.

I've had to take a break from running while a hamstring heals:( and I've been doing a lot more yoga (plus a weekly Pilates class) since I've all that free time. I can't believe how much stronger I am because of it - legs, arms, back,neck, shoulders, core - even my feet. I hope it'll benefit me when I get back to running (soon I hope!).

RacoonQueen

cambo_gueno wrote: »

why not ? Do explain

They're very controversial at the moment and they're not really promoted by the fitness industry anymore and haven't really for a long time. They're bad for your spine and the fact most people don't do them properly increases the risk of injury.

There are a tonne of more effective, less risky exercises to do for your core. Crunches are a waste of time. Noticed the army still use them as a physical fitness test which is quite surprising.

az2wp0sye65487

I'm training for marathon No. 3 at the moment (DCM) and I'm also going to TRX sessions 3 times a week (1 hour per session).

I know there's a lot of talk over on the Health & Fitness forum about whether or not TRX is actually any good. I've found that simply adding this to my running training has given me a lot more core stability.

I'm overweight... I've always been overweight, and no matter how much exercise I do I tend to level out at a weight slightly more than I'd like. Even when sticking to a healthy balanced diet. My point is that after a couple of months of the TRX, my weight has increased slightly, however clothes are a little looser than before... So it's helping with 'toning up' too.

Anyway, the TRX training incorporates lunges, squats, jumping squats, planks, burpees, leg raises etc. into the routine so these have all helped me out.

Outside

Thanks for the info everyone! I'm going to give a strength session a go once a week and see how it goes.

I don't have a thank-you button yet because of my number of posts but if I did I would!

Laois_Man

nerraw1111 wrote: »

These are excellent exercises

http://runningtimes.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=16625

Discussed here: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056380672

Been trying to find good cross training routines recently. I'm a relatively new runner and found some workout videos around the tinterweb and trying to do them has really hit home to me how much my upper body and core badly needs strengthening - I've struggled a lot - and I've also struggeled a lot with trying to find video's that are at the right starting point for me and which help me progress and which I can do maybe 2 days a week and which won't make me so sore that I can't run even after a rest day. The amount of video's around the web is very overwhelming and they often give conflicting advice.

I'll definately give this a close look.

myflipflops

RacoonQueen wrote: »

Areas runners tend to neglect, or, where runners tend to be weak are glutes, hips and lower back. Squats, lunges, plank, bridging and variants work really well for those areas.

This. Everyone should be doing at least this.

If you don't you will get injured. Like me.

rom

Having always neglected this I have recently started a 6 week 2 times a week program on strength and conditioning. I wouldn't drop a run to do this type of work but a day where I have a session rather than doing a double I can do 40 mins of this. I find that I am much stronger and hold a much better posture towards the end of a recent 10 miler. When people started to get tired I was able to push on. Also the better range of motion I feel that I have another gear. I am doing a program based on where I have problems. It is hard going but it is making an impact. We will see how much it does in Ballycotton.

nerraw1111

myflipflops wrote: »

This. Everyone should be doing at least this.

If you don't you will get injured. Like me.

Completely agree. Glutes are always the source of my injuries (which manifests in calf pain) and I am constantly advised to do planks, lunges and bridges, really working the glutes, to keep injury free.

As soon as I start doing them, injury clears up. Making a real effort this year to do them three times a week. Only takes 15 mins and can squeeze them in while making dinner etc.

SWL

Interesting stuff, however I have been doing strengthtraining fro a while but stopped because my body always felt like it was “blocked”while running as if I was carrying extra weight. My training consisted of corework and strength endurance training reps up to 12. I reduced the weight I waslifting to see if that changed anything but it didn’t.



I bulk up very easily when I hit the gym which is not the outcome I want, so I reduced the circuit to core work using my body weight asresistance.

TFBubendorfer

myflipflops wrote: »

This. Everyone should be doing at least this.

If you don't you will get injured. Like me.

Not necessarily. I haven't been doing any of them and I haven't got injured in years.

I attended a strength and conditioning workshop a couple of weeks ago, and the instructor very much warned against doing squats. Not because they are ineffective - quite the opposite - but the injury risk is quite high. He himself would only let people do lunges until they got the movement perfectly right and only then move on to squats - and that would take a minimum of one year, usually a lot more.

Ososlo

TFBubendorfer wrote: »

Not necessarily. I haven't been doing any of them and I haven't got injured in years.

I attended a strength and conditioning workshop a couple of weeks ago, and the instructor very much warned against doing squats. Not because they are ineffective - quite the opposite - but the injury risk is quite high. He himself would only let people do lunges until they got the movement perfectly right and only then move on to squats - and that would take a minimum of one year, usually a lot more.

I'd be interested to know Tfb, what do you think is the reason behind your injury free status? Besides running, (which i know you do an awful lot of!!) do you do anything else that you feel keeps you injury free? Let us in on your secret! Prevention is better...

TFBubendorfer

Ososlo wrote: »

I'd be interested to know Tfb, what do you think is the reason behind your injury free status? Besides running, (which i know you do an awful lot of!!) do you do anything else that you feel keeps you injury free? Let us in on your secret! Prevention is better...

If I knew I'd sell the secret sauce!

I got injured a fair amount of times during my first 2-3 years as a runner but then I guess my body got used to the effort. I think there are a few contributing factors like:

- running very consistently, almost every day
- little speedwork
- a (mostly) healthy diet
- I guess I must have an efficient gait
- I don't injure myself by doing the wrong kind of stretches or strengthening programs

Pisco Sour

TFBubendorfer wrote: »

He himself would only let people do lunges until they got the movement perfectly right and only then move on to squats - and that would take a minimum of one year, usually a lot more.

Sounds like a lot of BS to me. 1 year?? I started both lunges and squats together and I was fine. Just take it slow with the squats and use a box to help with technique.

Laois_Man

Outside wrote: »

Thanks for the info everyone! I'm going to give a strength session a go once a week and see how it goes.

I don't have a thank-you button yet because of my number of posts but if I did I would!

So it's now 6 months since you said this. Can I ask;

Did you do a strength training program once a week. If so, was it what's recommended in this thread or did you do something else? Are you still doing it? Do you think it's done much for you in terms of your running? How much did your 2012 DCM improve over your first marathon - assuming you did it and you did improve?