Run-Down Forums

[Anselm Murphy]

I've heard some people say that boxers don't use weights in their training because it slows them down - is this true and will me doing weights therefore make my running worse?

right now i do 10 x as many press ups as i can (30)
5 x as many pull ups as i can (18-20)
each day

and i go the gym once a week.

also, when at the gym if i do things like the leg extension, it feels like my muscles are being stretched too far - should I not do these kind of exercises?
*not running but someone might know:
whats the best way to improve the amount of weight you can bench press? right now all i do is press ups but there must be a better way of doing it. I used to be able to bench press 45kg, but then i started doing the press ups about 6 months ago and now i can do 75kg, but i dont seem to improve anymore - how can i get better?

[Dan]

I can't speak for boxers, but weight/strength work will most definitely make you a faster runner. Now, if you're talking about speed for a distance runner, then too much weight work generally means unnecessary weight, which would make you slower.

If you feel like an exercise is stretching you out too much, then go with your gut feeling. Common sense is usually right.

As far as improving your bench press, I believe the problem you're running into is that most of your strength work is based on your body weight (push ups and pull ups), so there is never an increase in resistance, only an increase in the number of reps. If you want to be able to lift a larger amount, then you need to practice with larger amounts of resistance, otherwise you just build endurance which might help the amount you can lift for 10 reps, but not much change for 1 rep max efforts.

Dan

[mjsbossman]

Hey Dan, I am going to start going to the gym a few times a week. I plan on working out my legs for the first time. I want to do squats/legpress, calf raises, leg extensions, and hamstring curls. I just have a few questions you might be able to help on. Should I go fast or slow? I see people do leg extensions very fast. I know slow is better for getting stronger, but when you run it isn't slow. Also, should I lift on easy or hard running days? On Sunday I go for a long run, but I want to lift on Monday/Wednesday/Friday. Im thinking that on Monday my muscles won't be recovered yet.

[Dan]

My feeling is that any weight work that involves joints handling much of the pressure (i.e. your knees) should be done slow and with controlled motions, and anything that is mostly just muscle (i.e. calf raises, biceps, situps, etc.) can be done quicker, so long as the form remains good. Of course, if you're training for explosive jumping, then that should be done quickly, but then the weight would probably be low enough to make that less of a factor on the knees and back.

I feel you should always lift on your easy days, preferably in the morning before the workout. Lifting before a hard workout runs the risk of injury, and lifting after the workout places so much fatigue on the muscles (low energy) that there is almost no benefit to lifting at all.

Dan

[training2run]

I am a firm believer in weight training for runners. In fact I was a writer, for many years, for Sports Fitness and Men's Fitness Magazines and their Editorial Consultant on Endurance. I was also vice-president of Super Nautilus Sports Training Centers of Houston.

While full-body conditioning is extremely important, the legs are especially important - distance running tends to develop short, relatively weak hamstings (in spite of what Runner's World might say).

I suggest doing slow, smooth workouts on the leg curl/leg extension machine, using given weight for the curls, and twice as much for the extensions.

While you should certainly begin with only six or eight reps and two or three sets, I generally do 15 reps, and sets enough to fill a continuous half hour....right after my long run (no rest, no mercy, no prisoners). I guess that's why they call me "Mad Dog." Mike www.training2run.com