Running/cross training

lucylou1977

I'm a 39-year-old mum of two young children (2.5 and 6 years). I weigh 155lbs and I'm 5 ft 4.

I'd really let my fitness levels drop since having my second child, but I gradually started walking more and then 6 months ago I started running again (something I used to do before having my kids). I'm now running 3 times a week, doing between 5k and 8.5k each time. I'm really enjoying running - it has taken some time but it's beginning to feel easier and my time has improved massively (I can now do 5k in 30 minutes, from 35+ minutes when I started out).

A couple of months back, I also started doing a 45-minute yoga class once a week because I wanted to improve my flexibility and core strength. I'm enjoying this too, although it's probably too soon to see results.

I haven't lost any weight during the past 6 months (I fully admit that my diet isn't great) but it hasn't increased either so I'm happy with that. My focus really is improving my strength and gaining muscle, although it would be great if I could get down to, say, 140lbs in the process!

Yesterday, I tried a bootcamp class for the first time. It was basically a circuits class but outdoors - we did 40-second bursts of various exercises (squats, lunges, burpees, kettlebells etc) before moving onto the next station - 28 sets altogether. I couldn't do half the moves and I'm really feeling it today. It made me realise that, despite all the running I've been doing, I'm actually rather unfit and my upper body strength is shockingly bad.

I was hoping for some advice on how to improve my strength, preferably without heading to the gym. I'm concerned that the bootcamp class is too advanced for me. Or should I just stick with it? Everyone has to start somewhere, right?

Thanks for reading :-)

TavistockToad

Why not keep doing the class? If it was easy from the start there would be no point going.

Nate1619

Tavistock Toad makes sense. Finding something challenging means you have a new workout that will help you get better, as long as you like it.

Maybe you can't do it all now. Try this week to do half? Then the next week, try 3/4?

With that said, don't push yourself to the point of hurt. Hope you find what works for you!

lucylou1977

You're absolutely right - I haven't given it a chance, have I? I'm just not used to feeling this sore after a workout!

I guess what I'm looking for is some general advice on combining running with strength training for all-over fitness. My running has improved the strength of my legs (well, specific muscles anyway) and my cardiovascular fitness but there are obviously still areas that need considerable work.

Nate1619

I know what you mean. Running is one of my favorites, but it does little to tone the upper body, for example.

Runner's World has some great articles on incorporating strength into your training. Might be a good place to start.

lucylou1977

Thank you - I'll check out Runner's World.

Nate1619

lucylou1977 wrote: »

Thank you - I'll check out Runner's World.

I'd be happy to know how things go for you!

pondee629

As a suggestion:
http://www.furman.edu/sites/first/Documents/16_oct2324.pdf

firef1y72

Did the instructor give you modifications for the moves you found hardest? When I started going to boxercise/circuits/insanity I could barely do anything without modifications. For burpees I started with a bench and walking my feet out and back in again. Then I used a bench and walked my feet out and jumped them back in, then jumped both in and out. Then progressed to a step. Now I can do full burpees including the push up. A good instructor should be able to suggest progressive modifications for each move, including making them harder once you've reached a level where you breeze through.

ronocnikral

lucylou1977 wrote: »

It made me realise that, despite all the running I've been doing, I'm actually rather unfit and my upper body strength is shockingly bad.

You're only "unfit" if you deem yourself to be. You should train the muscles you need/want to use. Or if there is a certain appearance you're after, do what you need to do. If you want to just be really good at exercise, maybe crossfit is your thing. If you want to be really good at running, you should run lots and train the muscles you need to train. So on and so forth. But just because someone setup X number of "stations" and you had a hard time with some of them and are sore doesn't make you "unfit" unless you need/want to train those muscles.

Put another way, growth for growth's sake is the ideology of cancer.

Jen2133

I totally agree with Nate1619 and Travistock Toad – keep going to the bootcamp class AND running. They work different systems and muscles and the bootcamp class is what is going to add strength, muscle and balance to your body.

I don't know if it's just my experience, but I couldn't lose weight from just running. I have a long history in running and triathlon (Iron distance) so perhaps I am just overly adapted to those activities. I only saw results when I changed-up my exercise program to strength training and high intensity intervals.

Part of it was that hours of aerobic activity make you hungry and I found it easier to change my diet when not doing so many swim, bike, run hours.

deannalfisher

I second the take classes - I love to add a TRX class to my workout schedule - suspension/core work with cardio - it kicks my *kitten* - stick with the yoga

you could also add swimming for a more whole body cardio

ValeriePlz

Agreed on the swimming! I love what it does for my arms, shoulders, and back.

lucylou1977

Thank you for all your replies. I'm feeling much better now, physically and mentally, and am going to give bootcamp another shot.

I've realised that I was being impatient and unrealistic. It's taken me half a year to get where I currently am with my running and, obviously, it's an entirely different discipline to bootcamp so it should've been no surprise that I found bootcamp tough. I think I was just shocked by just HOW tough I found it lol!

Thanks for the other suggestions too - I'll definitely check out the options. I love the idea of going swimming - I used to swim a lot actually, just haven't had time to fit it in recently. I go with my kids but you can't call exactly that swimming. More like acting as a lifeguard/buoyancy aid!

MeanderingMammal

lucylou1977 wrote: »

I was hoping for some advice on how to improve my strength, preferably without heading to the gym. I'm concerned that the bootcamp class is too advanced for me. Or should I just stick with it? Everyone has to start somewhere, right?

A lot of the approach to how best to train depends on your objectives and outcomes. If you see running as your main sport then it's a question of finding something that supports that. If it's more about functional fitness then you find something appropriate.

Personally I'm not a fan of classes, and would generally veer away from a circuits type session as the purpose of strength training is to improve strength, rather than get more CV work in. That said I do tend to use plyometrics to compliment my running. From the perspective of an ultrarunner key strength aspects are core and back, as when those fatigue in a long race your form suffers and any pain is exacerbated.

With that in mind I'd suggest something like a TRX arrangement, or bodyweight work. Either one of those is easy to integrate into a run. I can run 5km to my local park and do some plyo work, or rig my trainer to the frames and do a session with that, then run home again. It's quite a good way to integrate both activities, and get some balance.

Soccermavrick

You ask hard questions. I started as Weights and No Cardio. Though being over 30, (ok over 40 too,) I quickly figured out that Cardio was badly needed so I added running, though running can get boring to me. So to me it was a matter of looking around and seeing what was offered.

I mean Yoga and Pilaties might be great for me flexibility wise, but neither can keep my attention, hence it is a matter of finding out what you like. And if it were easy, would it really being giving you what you wanted as far as helping to get you fitter?

dmkoenig

The latest science on staying fit as you age points to incorporating higher intensity workouts into your regimen to be the most beneficial thing that you can do to retain or improve fitness, more so than long and slow training. That doesn't mean giving up all the aerobic stuff but that over time running just on its own is not going to slow the eventual fitness decline that we all have to deal with as we age. That is also not to say that you shouldn't pay attention to sport-specific training requirements. If you are training for a half marathon you need to develop your aerobic system and there is no way to avoid slogging through the training miles. But adding in interval training or a boot camp class is really valuable for you.

The other thing is to be patient. Kudos to you for trying out something new; don't let a tough first outing discourage you.

Yoga is another piece of the puzzle to stick with as flexibility is the other thing that starts to go. So it sounds like you have a lot of good pieces in place already!