For the next couple weeks or so, I'd like to switch my lifting routine up a bit and try to get my running better (both endurance and speed). I had been doing a 3 day split for the past couple months (Push/Pull/Legs)

Any recommend plans, obviously a bunch of core and leg exercises

1/29/2007 2:46:38 PM

Walking lunges with weights in each hand kick ass....but they are tough as hell....also squats with no more than moderate weight so you don't hurt your knees....that will strengthen your legs....also wind sprints and running down hills is a good additional way to build up strength and speed ....That should do er.....Good Luck !!

[Edited on January 29, 2007 at 3:12 PM. Reason : .]

1/29/2007 3:10:34 PM

What is your normal leg workout??

A couple speed exercises have already been mentioned (running up and down hills...which I highly recommend). I ran with a weight sled in high school...that sped me up a little. I also do a couple tough calf exercises that have increased my sprinting speed as well as my vertical jump.

And what exactly do you mean by endurance?? Common sense would tell you to run longer distances. But maybe you're talking about your legs wearing out. In that case, I would run after you do leg workouts. I do this now...I use to not be able to do this, but my conditioning has gotten a lot better. I do a killer lower body workout now and then go and run about 4 miles. My legs never get tired or cramp up when I run now.

1/29/2007 3:21:25 PM

^ I do plan on start running longer distances, but I also wanted to try weightlifting to improve as well

um, leg day would be something like this

Squat
Leg Press
Leg Curl
Leg Extension
Standing Calf Raises
Seated Calf Raises
Abs

I was thinking about trying Overhead Squats (Yes, I'll look like an idiot but I don't care), one legged leg presses and a couple other things

1/29/2007 3:25:14 PM

ditch the curls and extensions

Squat and do deadlifts and maybe even lunges

1/29/2007 3:28:20 PM

^ just curious, what is the reasoning behind that?

Also was thinking about a serious Core day, instead of just throwing in a couple ab exercises in on random days. Would prolly go something like

DeadLifts
Decline Situps
Twisting Situps
back Hyperextensions
Low row
Leg Raises

thoughts?


[Edited on January 29, 2007 at 3:34 PM. Reason : a]

1/29/2007 3:32:30 PM

^^^ Like PackMan## said, lose the curls and extensions, also dump the leg pess. Most trainers who work with distance runners avoid the machines in favor of free weight exercises.

Go with lunges, squats (moderate weight, 15-25 reps), step-ups, and deadlifts.

To the question

Quote :

"what's the reason behind that?"

The answer, so far as I've been told, is that you need exercises that mimic the stress of running. Most machines exercises don't do such a great job of that.

There are a bunch of ab routines for the core that you should do; some of the best use the Swiss ball for rollouts, pikes, leg tucks, and similar stuff.

And don't forget to run. The weight work won't do you much good if you don't build your distance by about 10% each week, with a long run that should be something on the order of 40-50% of the week's distance.

[Edited on January 29, 2007 at 3:36 PM. Reason : slow]

[Edited on January 29, 2007 at 3:51 PM. Reason : whatever]

1/29/2007 3:35:50 PM

squats and deadlifts are more effective than extensions and curls because they are compound movements

if done properly squats are also less stressful on your knees than extensions and leg press

just do higher rep squats and deadlifts to build the leg muscles for endurance

[Edited on January 29, 2007 at 3:49 PM. Reason : ]

1/29/2007 3:48:32 PM

any thoughts on a core workout day?

1/29/2007 4:04:13 PM

if you want a really good core workout try doing pilates on your off days

otherwise just do some weighted crunches, ball crunches, and/or maybe some bicycles

your core also gets worked on squats and deads, so don't worry about doing a whole lot on a separate day

1/29/2007 4:10:55 PM

I could give you tons of good core training exercises, dont know if they would be any good for running though

I also picked up this book at B&N recently: http://tinyurl.com/36fycb

1/29/2007 4:44:10 PM

Geiger uses curls to train the cross country team


i guess it helps with arm pump


but they do more lifting than i though they do

1/29/2007 4:47:18 PM

^That sounds more like Posterior Chain than Core.

1/29/2007 4:48:37 PM

http://www.gopack.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=9200&ATCLID=522763

This might give you a few ideas

1/29/2007 5:21:38 PM

do a couple sets of 20 rep squats if you want to see greater leg endurance. after a good warm-up of 3-4 sets of light weight starting with just the bar, load up the bar with what you can get 12 good reps with. after those 12 reps, take a few deep breaths and squeeze out 3-4 more reps. a few more deep breaths later, squeeze out 3-4 more reps, breath, and go for a last 1-2 reps before racking it. All of these should be deep reps, and DO NOT bounce on the bottom of the rep. that is what tears up your knees doing squats. If you can do two sets of this, you won't need to do anything else for legs. you'll be breathing so hard that you won't feel like doing more exercises anyway. throw in a couple sets of leg curls and calf raises using the same method and you'll be good to go.

no matter what method you go with, be sure to give your legs a full day's rest before and after training them. if you do three days of lifting a week and run the other 4, then do push/legs/pull.

1/29/2007 5:41:00 PM

Quote :

"and running down hills is a good additional way to build up strength and speed"

uuummm.... what?

1/29/2007 8:47:36 PM

^he's right about running downhill being good. There is a ton of new research coming out demonstrating how eccentric muscle contractions are what causes muscle growth, and running downhill is an eccentric movement. it turns out that there is a lot more to the old powerlifters' creed of emphasizing the slow and controlled descention on a lift - moreso than just for the sake of preserving joints and tendons.

[Edited on January 29, 2007 at 9:16 PM. Reason : clarity.]

1/29/2007 9:15:02 PM

ok, so getting good ideas here.

As far as squats are concerned and particular version? hack, front, over head, etc

1/29/2007 10:31:38 PM

^^fo rizzle?

i agree 100% with the weightlifting - i did the same bicep exercises for MONTHS until i switched it up and started doing negatives instead. all of a sudden BAM!!! finally they grow and i start improving. go figure.

what about really goofy, painful, yoga-kinda things? liiiiike putting your back against the wall with your knees bent 90 degrees and just holding it there? (like stopping half-way through a squat)

1/30/2007 12:20:39 AM

some of the research I've seen on eccentric muscle contractions and muscle hypertrophy involved rats on treadmills going downhill. they grew leg muscles at a faster rate than rats on flat treadmills. it's sounds really strange, but apparently it works. similar human studies have also been verified.

Quote :

"As far as squats are concerned and particular version? hack, front, over head, etc"

whatever you find that you can do with good form. honestly, I'd just stick with regular squats with a shoulder width stance until you get comfortable with the form. after you get comfortable with that and want to change things up, then you can switch to other variations.

1/30/2007 12:36:11 AM

I would assume that it's due to resistance. You do have to exert additional force to avoid going ass over elbows running down a slope.

1/30/2007 12:40:34 AM

so they mean run at pretty much your normal speed - not just let your legs go as fast as they can... that makes more sense.

i DID always find that running JUST hills were a good way to switch up my workout

1/30/2007 12:51:21 AM