Strength training

UK_Disney_Dopey_Hopeful

Earning My Ears
Joined
Jun 9, 2019
Hello everyone,

Im just looking for a little advice if anybody feels they can help id be very grateful to hear comments.

Id like to consider myself a "Sometimes runner" i go out 3 times a week and regularly hit 30-35km a week (Climbs to around 40-42km a week when training for a HM)

but apart from actually running i do nothing else to supplement my training. I read a lot about strength training but ive never "pumped iron" or lifted any types of weights ever! (closest i get to lifting weights i suppose is putting the shopping away in the cupboards every week!)

However, i would like to hear what other people do and if there are any suggestions from people where a complete novice can start.

Just to add.... i have no interest in trying to look like Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson (Or similar muscle built sports people). This is just purely to help support my running and hopefully gain a few seconds off each KM) Im planning on having a go at Dopey next year so would like to start any new trials sooner rather later (To avoid any potential new injuries)

Thanks for your time and i look forward to reading about peoples workouts and suggestions. :)
 
Hello everyone,

Im just looking for a little advice if anybody feels they can help id be very grateful to hear comments.

Id like to consider myself a "Sometimes runner" i go out 3 times a week and regularly hit 30-35km a week (Climbs to around 40-42km a week when training for a HM)

but apart from actually running i do nothing else to supplement my training. I read a lot about strength training but ive never "pumped iron" or lifted any types of weights ever! (closest i get to lifting weights i suppose is putting the shopping away in the cupboards every week!)

However, i would like to hear what other people do and if there are any suggestions from people where a complete novice can start.

Just to add.... i have no interest in trying to look like Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson (Or similar muscle built sports people). This is just purely to help support my running and hopefully gain a few seconds off each KM) Im planning on having a go at Dopey next year so would like to start any new trials sooner rather later (To avoid any potential new injuries)

Thanks for your time and i look forward to reading about peoples workouts and suggestions. :)

I strength train between long runs and on short run days. Core exercises are extremely good for running and I do a lot of them to support your posture while running. I also work upper body and lower body because running does not keep all your leg muscles balanced and I have had FAI in my hip from being out of balance with my muscles.

Muscles are what keep your metabolism cooking along as they burn calories 24/7 so for me they are important to maintain. You don’t have to be built like The Rock and it wouldn’t be good for running anyhow, but you should work to build and maintain a good foundation of muscle which will help running and other activities.
 
Even if you don’t run, strength training is important for everyone. I’ve had a trainer who makes me lift heavy things 1-2x/week for a couple of years now and I in no way look like The Rock. For that, you have to 1. Eat less Girl Scout Cookies 2. Lift every day
(Seriously, I would be a lean machine if I could just eat right.)
 
I've done several different strength routines over the years and I most definitely do not look like the Rock.

-I mostly recently did 80 Day Obsession (Beach Body) as a supplement to my cycling/running training. It only requires some dumbbells, resistance loops, and sliders. The loops and sliders were only $9 (link on amazon).

-I used to do 2 days per week of a Medicine Ball Routine (link). Then did the McMillan Core Rountine once in a while. But never kept either of them up for very long or did them much more than 2x per week (mostly because it was so repetitive).

But I was able to keep up 80DO for 1.25 years. It's 6 days per week and about 45-60 min per session (or about 4.5-5 hours per week). The nice part is it's really 78 unique workouts in that they switch up the rep count, weights used, order of workouts within days, workouts in a week, etc. So the program stays really fresh for the entire 13 weeks. And I can say unequivocally that the program does work. I am significantly stronger and can tell my body is adapting to the training. Whether that translates into faster running times is an unknown, but it is certainly making me a fitter human being. The bonus is my wife is doing it too and I'm really just there to be her motivator. When I started to pick my running and cycling up again, I dropped the 80DO from 6 days per week to 3 days per week. I focused on Arms/Abs/A$$, Total Body Core, and Cardio Flow.

I just started FIIT4 this week after doing 80DO for the last 1.25 years. I wanted to try something new.
 


To look like the Rock a person needs a fair bit of additional...additives.

I’ve been strength training for about to years now and have found it to helpful to my running. I strength training 3-4x/week. On e a week with a trainer and the others on my own.

I was also bran new to strength training when I started and I did find having a trainer extremely helpful. Besides strength training, I have also found yoga to be a great addition to my running. I’m more spot on actually fitting it into my schedule, but this year I have a goal to do it at least once a week.
 
I try to strength train 5-6 times a week using a combination of free weights, machines, resistance bands and bodyweight exercises. After seeing Alicia Vikander in Tomb Raider, I said I wanted arms like that. I’m still working on it. hahaha

Do you have access to a gym? I would suggest having a trainer show you some basic exercises or taking a group fitness class to make sure you are doing the exercises properly.


Pull ups and burpees. They both suck, at least for me, which means I should be doing them.
I don’t mind the pull ups but burpees are the worst!
 


I've been strength training weekly with a trainer for more than 10 years now and am far from buff! It takes a lot of work and a lot less body fat to get to that point. I just started running four years ago, so the trainer predates that, though we've adjusted what we do depending on how intense my running is at any given time. As a 49-year-old, 5-foot-1-inch woman, it's critical for me to keep my bones strong as I'm VERY high risk for osteoporosis and related conditions as I get older.
 
Are you looking to do weight training to augment your running or just as some cross training? Benching or curling sets of 15 aren't gong to help you with functional running strength but any balanced weight routing will be beneficial if you do it right.

If you are looking to do some lifting that will augment your running I would recommend eccentric single leg movements and low rep heavy weights. The Endurance Planet Ask the Coaches (ATC) shows often discuss good options as does the Primal Endurance book. For the ATC shows just read through the show notes and look for questions specifically about weights.

Heavy Dead Lifts, single leg presses, and split squats are my three go to movements to augment my running.
 
Ill be interested to follow along and see suggestions also. I recently made a decision to start taking my running more serious and have been trying to find a strength training plan thaat fits into my schedule.
 

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