General fitness routine
Discussion
Right everyone, over the last 5 years or so I have always been into running.
36 Y/O and fairly happy with my diet. Over the years I have run anywhere between 1 - 3 times per week and have previously managed times of around 24 min/5k, 52 min/10k, 2 hr 10 min/half marathon.
After recent holidays and lack of discipline with my diet, i want to get back to being at the top of my game. I have just booked a half marathon for early next year and am aiming to get as far under 2hr as i can.
My question is, what strength routine should i be doing. It's obvious that the more mileage i put in the better, but from previous experience, this eventually just leads to injury.
I have previously (and still do occasionally) suffer with IT band problem with my knee and lower back pain. I think the IT band is usually sorted by lots of stretching and my new running shoes which are more suited to me. The back is apparently down to my posture and I am working on this.
My aim is to obviously get as fit and as fast as I can without adding to, or making worse my injuries, while improving my naturl physique. At the moment, i feel like i have very little muscle mass, which i guess isn't a bad thing for ling distance running, but a little more upper body strength and toning would be good i feel.
I also keep hearing that i should strengthen my core, although no idea what is the best way to do this.
Based on all this, can anyone please recommend me a schedule?
I am looking to incorporate my outdoor running with weights at the gym (something I haven't really got into before, although i obviously done want to risk making my back worse), home strengthening (things like squats and lunges) and my current stretching routine.
Also, if i were to run 4 days a week say, how often should i do the strengthening? Every day? If so, before or after running?
Or should i just go and talk to a personal trainer?
36 Y/O and fairly happy with my diet. Over the years I have run anywhere between 1 - 3 times per week and have previously managed times of around 24 min/5k, 52 min/10k, 2 hr 10 min/half marathon.
After recent holidays and lack of discipline with my diet, i want to get back to being at the top of my game. I have just booked a half marathon for early next year and am aiming to get as far under 2hr as i can.
My question is, what strength routine should i be doing. It's obvious that the more mileage i put in the better, but from previous experience, this eventually just leads to injury.
I have previously (and still do occasionally) suffer with IT band problem with my knee and lower back pain. I think the IT band is usually sorted by lots of stretching and my new running shoes which are more suited to me. The back is apparently down to my posture and I am working on this.
My aim is to obviously get as fit and as fast as I can without adding to, or making worse my injuries, while improving my naturl physique. At the moment, i feel like i have very little muscle mass, which i guess isn't a bad thing for ling distance running, but a little more upper body strength and toning would be good i feel.
I also keep hearing that i should strengthen my core, although no idea what is the best way to do this.
Based on all this, can anyone please recommend me a schedule?
I am looking to incorporate my outdoor running with weights at the gym (something I haven't really got into before, although i obviously done want to risk making my back worse), home strengthening (things like squats and lunges) and my current stretching routine.
Also, if i were to run 4 days a week say, how often should i do the strengthening? Every day? If so, before or after running?
Or should i just go and talk to a personal trainer?
Edited by cholo on Monday 11th September 08:11
I'm in a sim ilar situ: late 30s, regular-ish runs (not as quick as thee though), back niggles. I've found that trying to do some planks, lunges and squats daily seems to keep me in balance more and keeps the back pains away.
Nothing too structured...I tend to lunge/squat round the kitchen when cooking dinner and plank when playing on the floor with ramblo jnr. sounds like you might be after something more structured but doing something similar as a start point can't do much harm.
Nothing too structured...I tend to lunge/squat round the kitchen when cooking dinner and plank when playing on the floor with ramblo jnr. sounds like you might be after something more structured but doing something similar as a start point can't do much harm.
Daily I do a mix of hip and quad stretches and bodyweight/air squats, followed by a mix of heel raises, calf stretches and eccentric side step downs.
Twice a week it's weighted squats, deadlifts, lunges and some kettlebell swings. That's also helped core strength. I'm running something like 3-5 times the amount I was before I started this routine, with injury previously restricting my mileage. That said I still get injured - but I'm a bugger for ignoring point 2. below.
Two things I'd keep in mind:
1. Keep most of your runs low intensity - both from a running/performance perspective and also an injury/overtraining perspective.
Worthwhile read.
2. Build up slowly and steadily. The figure of 10% increases is often bandied about - don't add more than 10% each week to your mileage or to the intensity.
Twice a week it's weighted squats, deadlifts, lunges and some kettlebell swings. That's also helped core strength. I'm running something like 3-5 times the amount I was before I started this routine, with injury previously restricting my mileage. That said I still get injured - but I'm a bugger for ignoring point 2. below.
Two things I'd keep in mind:
1. Keep most of your runs low intensity - both from a running/performance perspective and also an injury/overtraining perspective.
Worthwhile read.
2. Build up slowly and steadily. The figure of 10% increases is often bandied about - don't add more than 10% each week to your mileage or to the intensity.
Edited by tenohfive on Tuesday 12th September 15:06
Shall I be the first to suggest 5x5? 
3 time a week, before running (squats after running will make you cry), start light (very light) and progress steadily until you're a strong as you feel you need to be for your running.
It consists of the big compound lifts (squat deadlift, bench and shoulder press) and will put on a little muscle, but more importantly give you more overall strength than you have now.
3 time a week, before running (squats after running will make you cry), start light (very light) and progress steadily until you're a strong as you feel you need to be for your running.
It consists of the big compound lifts (squat deadlift, bench and shoulder press) and will put on a little muscle, but more importantly give you more overall strength than you have now.
RTB said:
Shall I be the first to suggest 5x5?
3 time a week, before running (squats after running will make you cry)
It might make you cry but there's a strong argument for doing squats after anyway. My weighted squats (as opposed to air squats, which I treat as a stretch as much as anything) are all done after a long run or an effort session based upon an argument made by Dr Jeff Messer that it's the best time for mitochondrial recruitment. The idea of concurrent training ties into the idea of making your hard days hard and your easy days easy; it makes sense to me anyway.3 time a week, before running (squats after running will make you cry)
cholo said:
Thanks all, some good reading for me later.
Just out of interest, what is 5x5? I've never really been into weights before, so all new to me..
5 sets of 5 reps on each of the major compound lifts (bench, squat, deadlift shoulder press and barbell row). A simple scheme would look like this:Just out of interest, what is 5x5? I've never really been into weights before, so all new to me..
Monday: Squat 5x5
Bench 5x5
Barbell Row 5x5
Wednesday: Squat 5x5
Shoulder Press 5x5
Deadlift 1x5
Friday: Squat 5x5
Bench press 5x5
Barbell Row 5x5
You start light and increase the weight each time. There are loads of spreadsheets out there to track your progress. You can add some extras in like pull ups, dips etc but the basic scheme will give you good overall strength gains of the space of a few months if you're a beginner.
I did a little routine for my step son, after he complained the standard 5x5 was too short, and he made good progress with this:
Week 1: (Start with bar and work up 2.5kg every session – First two sets are warm ups with lower weight followed by 3 working sets).
When Deadlifts start to get heavy, do them only once per week for 1x5 or 5x1 rep.
Monday:
Squats – 5x5
Bench Press – 5x5
Incline Bench Press – 4x12-8 reps
BB BOR – 5x5
Deadlift – 5x5
Reverse grip Pull Ups – 20 reps However many sets it takes to get to 20 reps) - These are only if you feel up to it and feel you 'need' to work on biceps..
Wednesday:
Leg Press (Or Front Squats) – 5x5
BB OH Press – 5x5 (Or Clean and Press - harder, but probably more beneficial)
BB BOR – 5x5
T-Bar Row – 4x12-8 reps
Deadlift – 5x5
Overhand grip pull ups – 20 reps
Friday:
Squats – 5x5
Bench Press – 5x5
Incline Bench Press – 5x5
BB BOR – 5x5
Deadlift – 5x5
Reverse grip Pull Ups – 20 reps
Week 2:
Monday:
Leg Press – 5x5
BB OH Press – 5x5 (Or Clean and Press)
BB BOR – 5x5
Seated Pulley Row – 5x5
Deadlift – 5x5
Overhand grip pull ups – 20 reps
Wednesday:
Squats – 5x5
Bench Press – 5x5
Incline Bench Press – 4x12-8 reps
BB BOR – 5x5
Deadlift – 5x5
Reverse grip Pull Ups – 20 reps
Friday:
Leg press – 5x5
BB OH Press – 5x5 (Or Clean and Press)
BB BOR – 5x5
Seated Pulley Row – 5x5
Deadlift – 5x5
Overhand grip pull ups – 20 reps
Week 1: (Start with bar and work up 2.5kg every session – First two sets are warm ups with lower weight followed by 3 working sets).
When Deadlifts start to get heavy, do them only once per week for 1x5 or 5x1 rep.
Monday:
Squats – 5x5
Bench Press – 5x5
Incline Bench Press – 4x12-8 reps
BB BOR – 5x5
Deadlift – 5x5
Reverse grip Pull Ups – 20 reps However many sets it takes to get to 20 reps) - These are only if you feel up to it and feel you 'need' to work on biceps..
Wednesday:
Leg Press (Or Front Squats) – 5x5
BB OH Press – 5x5 (Or Clean and Press - harder, but probably more beneficial)
BB BOR – 5x5
T-Bar Row – 4x12-8 reps
Deadlift – 5x5
Overhand grip pull ups – 20 reps
Friday:
Squats – 5x5
Bench Press – 5x5
Incline Bench Press – 5x5
BB BOR – 5x5
Deadlift – 5x5
Reverse grip Pull Ups – 20 reps
Week 2:
Monday:
Leg Press – 5x5
BB OH Press – 5x5 (Or Clean and Press)
BB BOR – 5x5
Seated Pulley Row – 5x5
Deadlift – 5x5
Overhand grip pull ups – 20 reps
Wednesday:
Squats – 5x5
Bench Press – 5x5
Incline Bench Press – 4x12-8 reps
BB BOR – 5x5
Deadlift – 5x5
Reverse grip Pull Ups – 20 reps
Friday:
Leg press – 5x5
BB OH Press – 5x5 (Or Clean and Press)
BB BOR – 5x5
Seated Pulley Row – 5x5
Deadlift – 5x5
Overhand grip pull ups – 20 reps
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