Fitness and Nutrition Q & A
Replies
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MeanderingMammal wrote: »What's an appropriate training plan structure for a 50km trail race with a marathon the following morning?
If you are doing some back-to-back long runs on the weekends (30+ miles over 2 days, which is typical 50 mile plus training) you'll find this race double to be pretty manageable, even fun in a twisted way.
Controlling the pace will be key to success. You'll feel terrible at the start of the second day, but after a few miles it will be alright. I've never "raced" a back to back, but I have certainly run this distance in building up for a 100 mile trail run. (The classic is 70 to 80 miles over a three day weekend. )2 -
I want to lose 5 pounds of fat and gain 5 pounds of muscle in 6 months. So at the end of 6 months, I want to weigh exactly what I do now but with improved body composition.
1. Is this possible with just a 125 calorie surplus and bodyweight training?
2. If I eat in a 125 calorie surplus, won't I also gain fat along with muscle and then have to cut?
3. I don't weigh my food at all; do you think this will be a hindrance to my success?
4. What is the best way to measure my results?0 -
I have tight hamstrings. What is the best way to stretch before a run? I have been reading conflicting advice about how important it is to stretch before you run and others that say you shouldn't over stretch? I am pretty new to running and usually just walk briskly for 5 minutes before I run.0
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Vladimirnapkin wrote: »MeanderingMammal wrote: »What's an appropriate training plan structure for a 50km trail race with a marathon the following morning?
If you are doing some back-to-back long runs on the weekends (30+ miles over 2 days, which is typical 50 mile plus training) you'll find this race double to be pretty manageable, even fun in a twisted way.
Controlling the pace will be key to success. You'll feel terrible at the start of the second day, but after a few miles it will be alright. I've never "raced" a back to back, but I have certainly run this distance in building up for a 100 mile trail run. (The classic is 70 to 80 miles over a three day weekend. )
Thanks for chiming in with your expertise.1 -
I have tight hamstrings. What is the best way to stretch before a run? I have been reading conflicting advice about how important it is to stretch before you run and others that say you shouldn't over stretch? I am pretty new to running and usually just walk briskly for 5 minutes before I run.
I never stretch before running, I walk as my warm up and then do a tonne of stretching afterwards.2 -
I want to lose 5 pounds of fat and gain 5 pounds of muscle in 6 months. So at the end of 6 months, I want to weigh exactly what I do now but with improved body composition.
1. Is this possible with just a 125 calorie surplus and bodyweight training?
2. If I eat in a 125 calorie surplus, won't I also gain fat along with muscle and then have to cut?
3. I don't weigh my food at all; do you think this will be a hindrance to my success?
4. What is the best way to measure my results?
1 & 2. Well, theoretically, if you lose 5lb of fat and gain 5lb of muscle your body should burn more calories to support your increase consumption - not sure exactly what that number would be, but it could be around 125. In practice, 125 is such a small number that it would be impossible to be that accurate with your calories. For various reasons, you will never know exactly how many calories you are above your TDEE. Hopefully, you will be close and then use the mirror, measurements, and the scale to judge progress.
3. Yes, but most people don't. I don't see the use for a scale unless you need to be really precise for your sport or you have a really tough time estimating quantities.
4. Honestly, the mirror + tape measure. If you look better in the mirror, your measurements have improved, and you weigh what you want; you've won.2 -
I have tight hamstrings. What is the best way to stretch before a run? I have been reading conflicting advice about how important it is to stretch before you run and others that say you shouldn't over stretch? I am pretty new to running and usually just walk briskly for 5 minutes before I run.
From my experience, only 1-5% of my adults have any actually shortness in their muscles, and none of them are female. Even if you do have some tightness, your hamstring crosses both your hip and knee joint, so there is very little actual lengthening that it goes through in normal movement.
My guess is your tightness is caused from weakness/lack of activation in one or more other muscle groups. Usually these are your glutes and core. I could go into more detail on this, but for the sake of brevity I will leave that out.
Before a run I would loosen the hamstrings with a foam roller. Then I would perform glute and core activation exercises. After your run, if you want, you can perform some static stretching of the muscle.
In the rare case you do have actual shortness of your hamstrings, I would still foam roll, but then follow it with a light warm up (could be as simple as a few jumping jacks), and then some static stretching for 1-2 minutes per leg.0 -
I have tight hamstrings. What is the best way to stretch before a run? I have been reading conflicting advice about how important it is to stretch before you run and others that say you shouldn't over stretch? I am pretty new to running and usually just walk briskly for 5 minutes before I run.
From my experience, only 1-5% of my adults have any actually shortness in their muscles, and none of them are female. Even if you do have some tightness, your hamstring crosses both your hip and knee joint, so there is very little actual lengthening that it goes through in normal movement.
My guess is your tightness is caused from weakness/lack of activation in one or more other muscle groups. Usually these are your glutes and core. I could go into more detail on this, but for the sake of brevity I will leave that out.
Before a run I would loosen the hamstrings with a foam roller. Then I would perform glute and core activation exercises. After your run, if you want, you can perform some static stretching of the muscle.
In the rare case you do have actual shortness of your hamstrings, I would still foam roll, but then follow it with a light warm up (could be as simple as a few jumping jacks), and then some static stretching for 1-2 minutes per leg.
Thanks. That is very helpful.0 -
I have tight hamstrings. What is the best way to stretch before a run? I have been reading conflicting advice about how important it is to stretch before you run and others that say you shouldn't over stretch? I am pretty new to running and usually just walk briskly for 5 minutes before I run.
From my experience, only 1-5% of my adults have any actually shortness in their muscles, and none of them are female. Even if you do have some tightness, your hamstring crosses both your hip and knee joint, so there is very little actual lengthening that it goes through in normal movement.
My guess is your tightness is caused from weakness/lack of activation in one or more other muscle groups. Usually these are your glutes and core. I could go into more detail on this, but for the sake of brevity I will leave that out.
Before a run I would loosen the hamstrings with a foam roller. Then I would perform glute and core activation exercises. After your run, if you want, you can perform some static stretching of the muscle.
In the rare case you do have actual shortness of your hamstrings, I would still foam roll, but then follow it with a light warm up (could be as simple as a few jumping jacks), and then some static stretching for 1-2 minutes per leg.
Thanks. That is very helpful.
Welcome! Let me know if you have any other questions.1 -
I don't like that your avatar is a different person everyday. Seems kind of shady2
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Slow day, so I figured I'd resurrection this thread for anyone that hasn't checked it out yet.0
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So now that I have some muscle. My fat seems to hang off my muscle. Will loose fat ever tighten?0
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fredgonzini wrote: »So now that I have some muscle. My fat seems to hang off my muscle. Will loose fat ever tighten?
Loose fat wont tighten, but when you've lost the fat skin can take up to a year to regain elasticity so you'll need to be patient.1 -
TavistockToad wrote: »I have tight hamstrings. What is the best way to stretch before a run? I have been reading conflicting advice about how important it is to stretch before you run and others that say you shouldn't over stretch? I am pretty new to running and usually just walk briskly for 5 minutes before I run.
I never stretch before running, I walk as my warm up and then do a tonne of stretching afterwards.
This is what I do as well.
Yoga for runners and a foam roll when I get back.0 -
fredgonzini wrote: »So now that I have some muscle. My fat seems to hang off my muscle. Will loose fat ever tighten?
Good work. Loose skin should tighten some, but it's a long process.1
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