What is a good way to start strength/lifting?

Karmarie24

I am a distance runner, currently training for my 4th marathon. I've been doing my own strength training in my basement, but I'm not seeing a lot of results. I'm still not close to being able to do "real pushups", and I haven't really been able to increase weight too much with correct form. I also have a bad lower back, which I know could get better with strength, but all I seem to do is hurt it over and over.

I did a trial CrossFit class which I LOVED, but it's just too expensive to be able to pull off right now. I think I need to take it back to the basics, to try to increase whole body strength. I've looked at P90x and the other Beachbody brands because their claims are to increase strength, but looking at them it looks like a lot of cardio too.

I need to run 5 times per week to be able to pull off my marathon, so the P90x type of programs may not be great because doing that in addition to running 30-50 miles per week is a lot of working out.

While my cardio is great, I just need a good way to get some good overall strength, so that once I'm in better shape overall I can progess onto the heavier lifting.

Thanks in advance for your help!

AJ_G

To be honest, if running marathons is your main goal, strength training isn't really conducive to that. You'll kind of be working against yourself, because the goal in strength training is to build muscle and strength with high intensity exercise that will stimulate fast twitch muscle fibers, and the goal for marathon running is to be light, lean, and have endurance which mainly involves slow twitch muscle fibers, they are basically opposite goals.

There's nothing wrong with running marathons and doing strength training, but understand that your progress will most likely be slow. Best thing for someone new at strength training is to get on a starting strength or stronglifts program. Good luck

scottb81

Stronglifts 5x5: http://stronglifts.com/

or

Starting Strength: http://startingstrength.com/

Whatever you do, an excellent resource for gettign strong is the Starting Strength book: http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-3rd-Mark-Rippetoe/dp/0982522738

ElliottTN

Running marathons and also lifting/strength training is basically telling your body to adapt two complete opposite ways at the sane time unfortunely. I wouldn't want to discourage you though because its very possible you can do some types of strength training to help your marathon training but I'm not very knowledgable there.

Regardless, if its your first time really darting serious about strength training then I would really encourage you to find a good personal trainer for the first couple of times if for nothing else other than to do form checks for your lifting. It would be a horrible thing to do certain lifts the wrong form and screw your back up and possibly lose months of hard work. Just a suggestion.

mwiechel

I really like ChaLEAN Extreme, yes it is a Beach body product, but I think it is great! It is a 5 day a week program, with 3 days of lifting and 2 days of cardio. However one of those 2 days still involves lifting. I think it is good to still have a mix of lifting and cardio. Even with only 3 days a week of lifting I know I am a lot stronger!