Can someone explain why I struggle with one type of exercise but not the other?

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KrazyKrissyy
KrazyKrissyy Posts: 322 Member
edited September 2016 in Fitness and Exercise
I'm trying to figure it out but can't. Basically, I can do weight lifting for an hour or more without burning out completely. I can also sprint or do HIIT without struggle. But when it comes to long distance running, I'm completely burnt out within 10-20 minutes; sometimes less (which is why I switched to HIIT in the first place). By the way, my mom is medium, my sister is overweight, and my brother is skinny-fat (just saying) yet they can all run 5Ks and long distance no problem. They cannot lift or sprint like me, however, so this probably doesn't have anything to do with how fit/unfit a person is otherwise I would be able to run like them. What's the reason I'm having so much difficulty? I've tried endurance running multiple times and still do every once in a while but I burn out fairly quick. Resistance training on the other hand is a piece of cake for me, as well as sprinting. Can someone explain? Is there any hope?
Ps- Have you ever watched that Tortoise vs Hare animation movie? If we were to all run a marathon together, they would be the tortoise, going slow and steady, while I'm the hare who starts out fast then ends up taking naps and using candy bars to boost my energy back, lol.
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Replies

  • a45cal
    a45cal Posts: 85 Member
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    I'm not an expert on anything to do with cardio, but at a guess I'd say it's because the things you normally train (weightlifting and HIIT) build strong, but fairly quickly exhausted muscles. Even a sprint is a short, explosive burst of energy that ends quickly. So your body's been conditioned to do hard work for a short amount of time and then rest. Where your less muscular family members don't have the extra heavy muscle to have to lug around during all that steady state cardio.
  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,099 Member
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    It is most likely that it is because those types of exercise are quite different in their muscle fiber use and energy pathways.
  • Cahgetsfit
    Cahgetsfit Posts: 1,912 Member
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    I can't run for *kitten* either. But I don't want to run anyway so......

    I can walk for days on end, or lift, or HIIT, or do martial arts - but try to get me to "jog" or "run" BLEEEEEEHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.

    Do you even WANT to run? If so, why? And if so, you start slow and eventually will enjoy it I suppose...
  • singletrackmtbr
    singletrackmtbr Posts: 644 Member
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    Try active recovery. When you're cooked slow it way down but keep moving. As you get your wind back, kick the intensity back up. Eventually you'll be able to recover at faster speeds. This is the way to increase endurance in my opinion and experience. Good luck!
  • MoonKat7
    MoonKat7 Posts: 358 Member
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    Why are you comparing yourself to others? Listen to your body, it knows what best for you depending on your bone structure and all, for example if I do machine pec flyes my shoulders clicks while other people don't have that problem so I switched to dumbbell pec flyes and nothing clicks

    so I guess your body is telling you long distance running isn't for you.
  • fleur23xx
    fleur23xx Posts: 37 Member
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    DavPul wrote: »
    You're running too fast

    Agree with this. I've been running long distance off and on for years (right now I'm off and don't think I'll go back) and when I would be off, I'd concentrate on HIITs/interval training and then would try to go back to running. I would get burnt out really fast and would feel so defeated. I realized I was used to the high intensity and was running too fast, even though I felt like I wasn't.
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,464 Member
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    How have you trained for running? Look into couch to 10k. The first few weeks might be too easy for you, but it will gradually build you up over 15 weeks or so.
  • MsMaeFlowers
    MsMaeFlowers Posts: 261 Member
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    My mother, who used to run a lot, told me that if you can't hold a conversation with someone while you run, you're running too fast. Slow it down. Try running for a minute and walking for a minute until you can run more and walk less, but keep the speed slow. You want to run distances, not sprint.
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
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    You've also trained your body for one main energy supply - glucose for those hard efforts.

    Goes along with going too fast - that's your main fuel - and it can't last long with that type of effort.

    Need to slow down to train fat-burning system better. Your body for awhile is still going to ramp up even if you go slow, burning glucose at higher rate than really needed, it thinks that's the type of workout being done.
    Just keep at it - it'll change.

    As above - broken conversation right pace, able to sing is too slow unless you are purposely doing active recovery.
    Gasping for air for a few word comments is too fast. Likely where you are right now.
  • KrazyKrissyy
    KrazyKrissyy Posts: 322 Member
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    MoonKat7 wrote: »
    Why are you comparing yourself to others? Listen to your body, it knows what best for you depending on your bone structure and all, for example if I do machine pec flyes my shoulders clicks while other people don't have that problem so I switched to dumbbell pec flyes and nothing clicks

    so I guess your body is telling you long distance running isn't for you.

    I'm comparing because I needed to identify if this struggle was personally me or a general thing. Not trying to ignore my body. I just thought of adding more variety, as well trying out what I saw my family members do. I was even hoping one day I could join them in a 5k. My mom has brought it up before.
  • singingflutelady
    singingflutelady Posts: 8,736 Member
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    You can do a 5k! Try a program like couch to 5k and run slowly while doing it. Most people try to run too fast which a recipe for failure.
  • KrazyKrissyy
    KrazyKrissyy Posts: 322 Member
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    lorrpb wrote: »
    How have you trained for running? Look into couch to 10k. The first few weeks might be too easy for you, but it will gradually build you up over 15 weeks or so.

    I'm not sure what defines as training for running but as I stated before, I have tried pacing myself with runs, including on the elliptical but I still get burnt out quick. I need a better approach. What's couch to 10k?
  • singingflutelady
    singingflutelady Posts: 8,736 Member
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    Couch to 5k is interval training and has you running more and more til you can run 30 minutes straight. It starts with run 1 minute, walk 2 minutes several times. You can find it free online.
  • rainbowbow
    rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
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    I don't know if this helps, but i'm the same way.


    I have trained specifically for running, i have trained for endurance, and YES i have made improvements... but it is still very clear that i'm best at high-powered and quick exercises. I am best at weight lifting, intervals, etc.


    Even in the peak of my physical fitness, where i was a competitive gymnast training 20+ hours a week, I sucked at running or performing long low intensity exercise. Vault? no big deal. Floor? No big deal. Running 3 miles? I was dying.
  • rybo
    rybo Posts: 5,424 Member
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    Some people are genetically predisposed to be better at shorter more explosive movements, others at endurance type events. Not a big deal, you just need to understand where you are starting from so that you can improve. Your long runs should all be pretty slow & easy. I would still do a tempo run here an there,(1/week) but if you want to get better at distance running, keep it slower so you can go longer. I was a sprinter/jumper in track that trained and did marathons later in life. You have to accept your weaknesses and work on them.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,503 Member
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    The INTENSITY you're doing for running is higher than you do for lifting or HIIT. Try running slower till you build up enough endurance to do it longer.
    And as mentioned, you're working different muscle fibers for endurance vs. strength (which HIIT really is).

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  • Sloth2016
    Sloth2016 Posts: 846 Member
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    The different pathways used by the body's muscle tissue to derive energy vary in the duration and peak energy output. This might be interesting reading for you: http://breakingmuscle.com/health-medicine/understanding-energy-systems-atp-pc-glycolytic-and-oxidative-oh-my
  • robertw486
    robertw486 Posts: 2,388 Member
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    Fast twitch vs slow twitch and cardio base. Between the two it's very possible to be good at lifting and explosive type things, but not good at endurance type things.

    It takes time to build to endurance work, and I don't think many people do very well at it without some training time unless they do circuit or other workout types that build cardio base with strength biased training.
  • STEVE142142
    STEVE142142 Posts: 867 Member
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    Blame mom and dad. In all seriousness it's your genetics and everybody's body is different.

    To put things in perspective and based on my own personal experience I could swim 1 to 2 miles two to three times a week and yet I was sucking wind after a mile jog and my legs would kill me.

    When I was lifting I couldn't bench press my own weight but I could do lat pull-downs with more than I weighed. Also I could squat 2 times my own weight like it was no big deal.

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