Another Benefit to Heavy Lifting!

MB2MN
MB2MN Posts: 334 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
*This is purely anecdotal and I do not have scientific proof to back it up. Just my experience*

So I've been running for a few years now, first with no lifting, then with high rep/low weight lifting (which is what I thought women were supposed to do) and now FINALLY I have seen the light and started heavy lifting 6-8 weeks ago...can't remember exactly. Anyways, I used to get really frustrated when I was doing high rep lifting because I couldn't seem to run as fast as I did when I wasn't lifting at all, so I assumed that it would be the same when I started heavy lifting. I hadn't been running outdoors at all the last 2 months or so because of cold weather so when I went out yesterday I expected to be really slow from my new lifting regime.

I got a 10k PR.

I have no idea if this is what is actually happening but I'm thinking that the high rep way of lifting was using more muscle endurance (similar to cardio) so that they were still fatigued when I went running, whereas the heavy lifting is actually increasing my strength and therefore stamina.

Anybody else have similar experiences?
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Replies

  • runnergrlfl
    runnergrlfl Posts: 82 Member
    Yes, you will be a more efficient runner if you lift weights.

    http://www.hokksund-rehab.no/filarkiv/File/Forskningsartikler/StoerenHelgerud_et_al_2008.pdf
    ETA: Article from the Official Journal of the American College of Sports Medicine
  • Mom_of_X
    Mom_of_X Posts: 85 Member
    YES! And it was beautiful!! Lifting max weight/low reps, and killing it on the trails. =]


    *Congrats on the PR!
  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
    ...heavy lifting is actually increasing my strength ...

    It's also going to significantly help with injury prevention.

    No-brainer really, that's essentially the function of cross training...
  • ahamm002
    ahamm002 Posts: 1,690 Member
    Yep, lifting heavy while also doing lots of running will cause you to gain strength without gaining much mass. So it will definitely improve your running. Here's a good article on why runners should lift:

    http://www.poliquingroup.com/ArticlesMultimedia/Articles/Article/806/Ten_Reasons_Why_Runners_Should_Include_Weight_Trai.aspx
  • Jenky85
    Jenky85 Posts: 190 Member
    Yep...since lifting I've found running distances much easier. Bionic legs!! :)
  • MB2MN
    MB2MN Posts: 334 Member
    I'm just surprised since I feel like high rep lifting did the opposite. Heavy lifting really does seem to be the answer for me...and I love it!
  • wcroston138
    wcroston138 Posts: 7 Member
    Yup. I also posted a 10K PR a few weeks ago after a year of Stonglifts 5x5 and without any training runs. Stronger legs and 15 pounds lighter.
  • dixiewhiskey
    dixiewhiskey Posts: 3,333 Member
    So much yes! Heavy weight / low rep is the way to go.
  • Flips37
    Flips37 Posts: 81 Member
    Bumping this!
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,951 Member
    Imagine what you're doing for your future too. No osteoporosis....
  • SnuggleSmacks
    SnuggleSmacks Posts: 3,732 Member
    If you're working your glutes, hammies and quads in your workouts, that can have a huge impact on running, particularly the glutes. They're the powerhouse of your leg pump, not to mention the largest muscles in your body. Strengthening glutes is something every runner should think about.
  • pepperpat64
    pepperpat64 Posts: 423 Member
    I'm not a runner, but since I restarted lifting a few months ago, both my walking and cycling times have improved.
  • Timshel_
    Timshel_ Posts: 22,841 Member
    If it works for you, that's fine.

    Interestingly there are also plenty of studies that show low weight/high rep is as effective for muscle building and endurance.

    To each their own is always best.
  • Sam_I_Am77
    Sam_I_Am77 Posts: 2,093 Member
    If you increase strength in your quads, hamstrings, hips, and glutes you will increase your ground force contact or GFC. Increasing your GFC is how you increase your running speed; it actually has little to do with how fast you move your legs. You can find studies related to GFC if you want more research behind it. That's why many track athletes do a combination of maximal strength (85% 1RM @ 1-5 reps) and strength endurance around 10-12 reps. Congrats on your PR!
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,482 Member
    ...heavy lifting is actually increasing my strength ...

    It's also going to significantly help with injury prevention.

    No-brainer really, that's essentially the function of cross training...
    There are people in the gym with "nagging" injuries over the years of lifting. Many of them chronic (tendinitis) etc. Just like stretching, exercise is exercise and sport specific for many for performance and/or body composition. It doesn't help to prevent injury.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
    ...heavy lifting is actually increasing my strength ...

    It's also going to significantly help with injury prevention.

    No-brainer really, that's essentially the function of cross training...
    There are people in the gym with "nagging" injuries over the years of lifting.

    In the context of the original post, a runner adding resistance training, it's going to help mitigate injury risk.

    As you point out, if someone concentrates on a single discipline at the expense of cross training, injury risk is increased.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,482 Member
    ...heavy lifting is actually increasing my strength ...

    It's also going to significantly help with injury prevention.

    No-brainer really, that's essentially the function of cross training...
    There are people in the gym with "nagging" injuries over the years of lifting.

    In the context of the original post, a runner adding resistance training, it's going to help mitigate injury risk.

    As you point out, if someone concentrates on a single discipline at the expense of cross training, injury risk is increased.
    Disagree. Training is training. Exercise is exercise. Cross training is more about "balancing" your workout. Doing it isn't going to reduce injury. Less soreness, more than likely. Better performance and strength overall, more than likely. Decreasing injury, unfounded.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,951 Member
    Excepting of course that training the whole body is going to reduce and prevent injury from being untrained and underutilized. Barring that though, yeah, it's not going to reduce injury, and possibly even exacerbate overuse issues.

    Unless being under the guidance of a properly trained coach, and then I think it's fairly reasonable to expect a significant decrease in performance related injuries, and quicker recovery periods when injured.
  • ErniesMom863
    ErniesMom863 Posts: 36 Member
    Congrats! I am so thankful that I know how to lift heavy as well. My weight loss experience would be totally different without it.

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