Lifting/Cardio balance??

kshadows
kshadows Posts: 1,315 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I've read SO much that heavy lifting is the way to go (and I agree, I LOVE doing SL). BUT most also recommend limiting cardio to 2 days a week or so. My problem is, I don't run for cardio...I run because I love it. I run because I want to be conditioned to run a HM in the fall. When I was lifting 3x a week and running 3x a week, I injured my knee so I backed off. My HM training recommends running 3-4x a week. So how do you work in weight training without overdoing it? I don't want to cut back on my running but I am trying to get the "toning" affect that resistance training gives (I lost 20 pounds barely losing an inch, and lost 3 inches within 6 weeks once I started lifting).

Any suggestions/help is appreciated :)

Replies

  • jagi410
    jagi410 Posts: 97 Member
    Run in the morning and lift at night? Or lift one day, run the next? Alternate the two so you don't overdo it and allow some rest/recovery time in between. Figure out what works for your body, don't ignore any signs of overuse or pain, and keep at it. As long as you're seeing the results you seek and your body doesn't hate you, I would think it's just fine.
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
    I run because I want to be conditioned to run a HM in the fall.
    So you have a training goal, follow the appropriate training for the goal. In this case, run. Add the lifting in, and realize you can drop it if it is impacting the training for the goal event.
    When I was lifting 3x a week and running 3x a week, I injured my knee so I backed off.
    Correlation is not causation
  • kshadows
    kshadows Posts: 1,315 Member
    [/quote]
    Correlation is not causation
    [/quote]

    It is of the opinion of my doctor that the injury was from over use.
  • alydanbeads
    alydanbeads Posts: 120 Member
    I've dealt with the same thing. I would either run 3 days a week and lift 3 days a week with 1 rest day OR if you need to run 4 days a week, then go ahead and lift 3 days with one being in conjunction with one of your shorter run days but still take a day of rest. Your body needs recovery time. Good luck with your HM!! :)
  • CupcakeCrusoe
    CupcakeCrusoe Posts: 1,408 Member
    In for answers. I'm in almost exactly your boat.
  • ironmonkeystyle
    ironmonkeystyle Posts: 834 Member
    do what you WANT to do first and foremost. If you love running. run. Maybe try working in some HIIT routines?
  • asdelmonte
    asdelmonte Posts: 171 Member
    I also run because I love it and am training for a half in October. Here is my schedule:

    M - Weights
    T - Run
    W - Run (short) or Cycle (whichever I feel like doing, usually cycling if the weather cooperates)
    T - Weights AM, Run PM
    F - Rest
    S - Cycle
    S - Long Run

    You could run on Wed and/or Sat, but my body prefers it when I cross train.

    eta - Once racing season is over I will be back to lifting 3x a week.
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
    Correlation is not causation
    [/quote]

    It is of the opinion of my doctor that the injury was from over use.
    [/quote]

    Personally, if there weren't other signs of overtraining, or over use, I'd challenge my doctor on it. Then again, I made sure to have a sports doctor, and he knows his game. So we'd make sure that opinion was correct. If you did the same, great. Now you have a guideline, if there was less rigor in the opinion, then you may or may not have a reliable guideline.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    I train six days a week - 3 strength and 3 cardio (majority cycling), mostly on alternate days. One day rest.
    (I'm really not a fan of mixing cardio and strength training in the same session BTW.)

    The biggest problem is finding the time, sometimes I have to compromise training based on prioritities but it's not a huge problem. I don't have too many recovery issues either and I'm old enough to be your Dad!

    Eating the calories needed to sustain a high level of activity is a pleasure rather than a problem - don't try and run a massive deficit when you are exercising really hard. To me that's where the compromise mostly comes from, do you want to lose weight quickly or do you want to have good sports performance and recovery?
  • acampbe2umd
    acampbe2umd Posts: 145 Member
    I'm also a runner and I lift heavy, but I had to switch to a lifting split of upper/lower to accommodate my running. I don't follow a standard lifting program; however I have in the past. I just back off if need be to stick with my training plan. Also while I know a lot of people don't do cardio on lifting days, there are a lot of days, I need the additional movement when my muscles are warmed up from lifting, so I do the cardio (this is becoming more apparent the older I get).

    M- lift upper/ 3-4 mile tempo run
    T - lift lower/easy bike ride
    W - long run
    Th - lift upper/stair master
    F - Lift lower/3-4 mile tempo run
    Sa - cycling/swimming/misc cardio

    Depending on my length of long run determines if I push Th/F workouts to F/Sa and make Thursday a rest day and Sunday is always a rest day.

    I know not everyone agrees with my style, but it works for me and I get the results I want. I've been doing this rotation since 2004 with variations to have 3 babies in that time frame.
  • kshadows
    kshadows Posts: 1,315 Member
    I train six days a week - 3 strength and 3 cardio (majority cycling), mostly on alternate days. One day rest.
    (I'm really not a fan of mixing cardio and strength training in the same session BTW.)

    The biggest problem is finding the time, sometimes I have to compromise training based on prioritities but it's not a huge problem. I don't have too many recovery issues either and I'm old enough to be your Dad!

    Eating the calories needed to sustain a high level of activity is a pleasure rather than a problem - don't try and run a massive deficit when you are exercising really hard. To me that's where the compromise mostly comes from, do you want to lose weight quickly or do you want to have good sports performance and recovery?

    At the moment, I'm looking to lose the weight. Once I reach that goal, I will change my focus to my performance.
  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
    At the moment, I'm looking to lose the weight. Once I reach that goal, I will change my focus to my performance.

    It's a pretty challenging triad; run HM, lifting programme and losing weight.

    In terms of your expectation, are you aiming for HM completion, or for a target time? If the former then it's easier, if the latter then you'll need to prioritise.

    Given the knee injury, and the HM objective, it's worth concentrating on what caused it, and how to rectify that. Cutting back your running isn't going to help your objective, so concentrate lifting on what you need to support and improve the knee.

    My inclination at the moment is that the weight loss portion should be the least important of your objectives, the running and resistance are to an extent complementary, although if your resistance training is harming your running progress then you need to ease back on it.
  • tjmiller83
    tjmiller83 Posts: 3
    Mix up your cardio, bottom line!

    I am down over 60lb since March and have created a strong balance of cardio and strength.

    Cardio- Some things I try to do weekly

    1. Elliptical at highes intensity/incline (30-45 minutes)
    2. Run/Jog Walk uphill 3/4 Miles then Run Down
    3. 30 minutes of 10 second sprints followed by 1 minute of rest in between.

    Strength-

    1. Free Weights- utilize Fitness apps to track 4-6 different exercises you like to build from. For example, I do bench press, squats, barbell curls, dumbell curls, Tricep standing extensions, and shoulder shrugs
    2. Resistance Bands- there are a ton of execises you can do and depending on the weight band, you can do bulk muscle building or toning.
    3. Bosu Integration- I try to do some of my free weight and resistance band strength training on the bosu to work on core at the same time.

    I use MapMyFitness which integrates with MFP.

    -Travis
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,268 Member
    I agree with the prioritize.

    Lifting helps with the running in the long run.
    Losing weight by calorie deficit can hamper training for running and lifting
    Running before lifting causes issues with lifting

    Pick which is most important at this time...

    if it's weight loss accept you have to take a kick in the butt when lifting/running and you might not reach those goals...which is fine.
    if you want to train for the HM...then back off on the lifting a bit..maybe switch to 3x5 or 3x3 and lower your weights.
    if you want to lift heavy weights...accept that your intake will have to go up a bit and you can only run after lifting or on off days.

    I don't run...but I do cardio...walking normally 4.5mph, HIIT and biking...I always do it on my off days or after I lift.
  • stealthq
    stealthq Posts: 4,298 Member
    I end up intermingling running with lifting, but I'm doing a 4 day split on the lifts and every other day runs. I'm also not training for a half-marathon.

    My week looks like (alternate week has running on T, R, Sat and low intensity cardio on off days and rest on Sun):

    M - squat day followed by 40-50min running
    T - bench day followed by 30min low intensity cardio
    W - 40-50min running
    R - deadlift day followed by 30min low intensity cardio
    F - OHP day followed by 40-50min running
    S - rest
    S - 40-50min running

    I'm not having a problem with it at all unless I don't sleep well the night before, and yes, I am cutting. Personally, I like doing the running after a weight session - it seems to help my legs recover on squat/deadlift days and there's not much effect otherwise.

    Just a suggestion - double check your form doing squats or whatever leg exercise you're doing if you're suddenly having knee issues. Those exercises are great for knees when done right, but done wrong they'll screw you up in a hurry.
  • SeptemberLondon
    SeptemberLondon Posts: 151 Member
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