Which to cut?

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JenMc14
JenMc14 Posts: 2,389 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I am training for a 5k, then a 10K. I run 3 days a week. I usually follow that with a core workout and yoga/stretching. I also lift using Madcow's 5x5 3 days a week, followed by some HIIT or other brief cardio or some Pilates that has more of an upper body focus. My 5k training plan has me resting on Fridays, but I do my lifting instead and rest on Sundays, not going for the easy 1 mile run the plan suggests. Lately, my legs and back have been sore during my runs. So, I'm thinking of cutting a session of squats, and maybe the extra cardio. The training plan is this: Monday, 5x5 of squats, bench, rows (I do T bar style), in a weight progression. Tuesday is 4x5 of squats, military press and deadlifts, Friday is 4x5, squats, bench, rows, same first 4 lifts as Monday, then 1x3, going up from Monday's heaviest set, and 1x8, using the weight of set #3. My glutes were just so, so sore on my run this morning, and ive beena bit sore the last couple days. I'm thinking of cutting some lifting, particularly squats. i thought about dropping deads as well, but i only do them one ay. any advice is appreciated. id like my runs to be less painful, and id like to work on my endurance, which is hard with achey muscles. So, my questions are this:

1. Should I cut the extra cardio?
2. Should I cut a session of squats?
3. If I cut a session of squats, which one? (I can always move things around as well, say Do Friday's set on Wednesday and not do the 4x4, but then not squat on Fridays, etc.)

Replies

  • bpotts44
    bpotts44 Posts: 1,066 Member
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    You are squatting Monday and then Tuesday? If you squat at all you are going to have sore legs. I might just try cutting the Tuesday squats out and the extra cardio and refocus that energy into running. I'm currently running 4 times per week and do chest and back 3 times with no legs and I'm pretty happy with it.
  • JenMc14
    JenMc14 Posts: 2,389 Member
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    Not on Tuesday, on Wednesday! That was a typo! I lift M-W-F and run T-T-S.
  • Dgold13
    Dgold13 Posts: 14
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    I lift m, w, f, and run a long run sunday, med run tues, speed work thurs and a short recovery run on fri after I lift. Sat is a rest day, I find that my legs respond well to the rest day. Could you run Fri, after you lift?
  • edack72
    edack72 Posts: 173 Member
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    Sounds like you may even benefit from taking another rest day ...I have learned the hard way that rest days are just as important as workout days ...Good Luck!!
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
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    So you squat on Mondays (legs), run on Tuesday (legs), squat on wednesday (legs), run on thursday (legs), squat on fridays (legs), and run on saturday (legs)... is that right?

    Sounds like you need to pick a focus and cut back based on that focus. Focus on your lifting and cut back on the running, or focus on running and cut back on the lifting.

    So it really comes down to which is more important to you.
  • bpotts44
    bpotts44 Posts: 1,066 Member
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    ^^^ I agree with this advice which is why I'm only lifting upper body and running.
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
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    Wow. You need to drop everything. I'm dead serious. You're doing much too much and stacking exercise on top of exercise. If I put your various workouts into a calendar using different colors for each protocol I'd be making a rainbow on several days a week. Erase your entire plan and then build up from scratch.

    The running events are important to you so you have to keep your running volume up. Then add the lifting back, but reduce the squats to no more than twice per week. Personally, I only squat once per week if I have to do that much running but to reach their own. With all resistance and cardio covered, I'd drop the HIIT and with 3 days of lifting I'd drop the Pilates. Yoga would be good to do for the flexibility and isometric work, but be careful not to overdo it.

    If your non squat workout days end up being really short, choose between enjoying the additional rest or add in some additional upper body work to replace it.
  • LoraF83
    LoraF83 Posts: 15,694 Member
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    I'm in the same boat as you. I'm lifting 3x a week (Strong Lifts) and running 3x a week, along with spin class once a week. I take one full rest day per week (I will take an extra day if I'm feeling tired and sore).

    I love my lifting and I refuse to give it up, but running is important to me as well. I do at least one 5k every month and I'm signed up for a 10K in June, a duathlon in August, and a relay marathon next February.

    I'm about to transition out of Strong Lifts because my knees just cannot handle squatting 3 days a week, along with the running. I'm researching right now to find another program that will work better for me.

    It's tough to balance it all!! Hope you find a solution (and it looks like DavPul has some pretty good advice!).
  • JenMc14
    JenMc14 Posts: 2,389 Member
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    Thanks! I appreciate the comments. I will definitely drop the HIIT, I just feel a bit like I haven't done enough on my lifting days because I'm done in about 30 minutes. I like the Pilates so I get a bit of an extra upper body workout, but I can see where it might be too much. I have already decided to drop my squats on Friday and just squat Monday and Wednesday. I won't do the extra heavy set, just go up in weight as I can each week (which won't be for awhile, because I've maxed out my bar on squats and don't have more weight yet.) I'm also toying with the idea of dropping deadlifts as well. I just hate to give up my lifting. I want to re-lose the last 10 pounds plus 5, and I definitely don't want to be skinny fat, but I also don't want to give up the running, I promised a friend I'd race with her, and it's got me very motivated. So I'm thinking of something like this:

    M: Squat, bench, rows, yoga
    T: Run, core
    W: Squat, military press, light DL or SLDL, Pilates that is upper body focused
    Th: Run, core
    F: Bench, rows, yoga
    Sa (or Su): Run
    Su (or Sa): Rest
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
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    Thanks! I appreciate the comments. I will definitely drop the HIIT, I just feel a bit like I haven't done enough on my lifting days because I'm done in about 30 minutes. I like the Pilates so I get a bit of an extra upper body workout, but I can see where it might be too much. I have already decided to drop my squats on Friday and just squat Monday and Wednesday. I won't do the extra heavy set, just go up in weight as I can each week (which won't be for awhile, because I've maxed out my bar on squats and don't have more weight yet.) I'm also toying with the idea of dropping deadlifts as well. I just hate to give up my lifting. I want to re-lose the last 10 pounds plus 5, and I definitely don't want to be skinny fat, but I also don't want to give up the running, I promised a friend I'd race with her, and it's got me very motivated. So I'm thinking of something like this:

    M: Squat, bench, rows, yoga
    T: Run, core
    W: Squat, military press, light DL or SLDL, Pilates that is upper body focused
    Th: Run, core
    F: Bench, rows, yoga
    Sa (or Su): Run
    Su (or Sa): Rest

    You could try flip flopping your Wed and Fri lifts... legs would rest wed and sun rather than fri and sun as it is currently.
  • JenMc14
    JenMc14 Posts: 2,389 Member
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    I'd thought of that. I talked to my husband about it this morning as well, and we went back and forth, torn between having no legs the day before my long run and having more rest in between squats. Maybe I'll do one way this week and the other way the next and see which I like better. Resting legs Wednesday does make sense. Would you say drop deads altogether as well so lower body is completely rested on Wednesday?

    It's hard for me, because I've never considered myself a runner, but since I've signed up for races and have a goal, I definitely want to give it my all. Again, thanks for all the opinions. It helps to have some focus, I do sort of feel like I'm a bit all over the place, workout-wise sometimes.
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
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    I'd thought of that. I talked to my husband about it this morning as well, and we went back and forth, torn between having no legs the day before my long run and having more rest in between squats. Maybe I'll do one way this week and the other way the next and see which I like better. It's just so hard for me, because I've never considered myself a runner, but since I've signed up for races and have a goal, I definitely want to give it my all. Again, thanks for all the opinions. It helps to have some focus.

    I go back to what I said earlier... I really think you need to pick a priority. Doesn't mean you have to give up on the other stuff, but trying to excel in competing goals generally means slower progress for both. Not to mention increased risk related to over training.
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
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    I'll let you in on a secret if you promise not to tell anyone. I rarely deadlift. I do it for about 3 weeks a couple of times a year. They are hell on my recover for very little return. Plus I can't improve my squats if I'm deadlifting as part of the routine. So if that's something you're considering cutting, I wouldn't stop you.

    The deads and everything from pilates can easily be replicated with other lifts that won't drain you as much

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