Optimal strength training for runners

Once again, I must offer the caveat that that's just my own thinking on the matter. I don't know if it's actually true. The power lifters all use belts, but they also tend to take steroids, so I don't think long-term consequences are a concern for them.

A belt is actually a very useful tool and not necessarily for the protective measures. Here you guys can read this he explains it pretty well, its a long read with all the parts

http://70sbig.com/?p=884?p=884
http://70sbig.com/?p=891?p=891
http://70sbig.com/blog/2010/04/more-reasons-for-wearing-a-belt/

I use a belt for squats and deadlifts once I get over body weight. It really helps you focus on creating a solid core, which leads to good form.
 
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A belt is actually a very useful tool and not necessarily for the protective measures. Here you guys can read this he explains it pretty well, its a long read with all the parts

http://70sbig.com/?p=884?p=884
http://70sbig.com/?p=891?p=891
http://70sbig.com/blog/2010/04/more-reasons-for-wearing-a-belt/

I use a belt for squats and deadlifts once I get over body weight. It really helps you focus on creating a solid core, which leads to good form.
20 years ago when I was training in karate, I always used a big, thick leather belt on my deadlifts and squats, and yes, they allow you to lift more, and you feel more supported and stable. What I question is the long term consequences of using a prosthesis like this. The author of that article says that using a belt will make your stronger even when you don't use a belt. That may be true. But I wonder if it isn't better to engage one's balance and stabilizing muscles without a belt, even if that means lifting less. One may gain better balance and stability, in other words, at the expense of some strength.

And here's where the barefoot running analogy may be valid. Everyone knows you can run faster and farther with shoes, but even with minimal shoes, you will lose some conditioning in your feet when you run shod, your balance won't be quite as good, and your proprioception with be muffed a bit. So I view it as a trade-off, and when these sorts of choices have to be made, I tend to come down on the 'natural' or unaided side. Just a personal preference, like my preference for free weights over machines. If it were feasible, I might even look to get more involved in MovNat type stuff.

But this should all be taken with a big chunk of salt. I'm just arguing from my own sense of things. I have no idea if this is really true, even for me, much less if it's applicable to everyone else, but I just prefer lifting without the gloves, straps, and belts.

Nice site by the way, will be checking it out more later.
 
Ahhh man don't get me started.

The big difference for me isn't weight, I can actually squat the same with or without a belt. It was more of a tool to get confident under weight and how to learn what real core tension is and learning how to stay tight for the entire squat. That's what makes you stronger not the belt. I don't equate a belt to shoes simply because with shoes I can run 2-3 minutes a mile faster than I can barefoot, but like I said the difference with a belt vs. without is miniscule. I treat it like the barbell, its artificial but immensely useful. I'm still on the fence about lifting shoes...
 
Ahhh man don't get me started.

The big difference for me isn't weight, I can actually squat the same with or without a belt. It was more of a tool to get confident under weight and how to learn what real core tension is and learning how to stay tight for the entire squat. That's what makes you stronger not the belt. I don't equate a belt to shoes simply because with shoes I can run 2-3 minutes a mile faster than I can barefoot, but like I said the difference with a belt vs. without is miniscule. I treat it like the barbell, its artificial but immensely useful. I'm still on the fence about lifting shoes...
Yah, that's what the author says, that once you get used to using the belt, it'll encourage habits that will make you stronger even if you stop using it. I was thinking more of deadlifts than squats (I've always favored the former for some reason), but my memory is that I could do more with a belt than without. I can't really compare then to now, 20 years later, because so much else has changed, but I do feel less confident now without a belt, and have to make extra careful that my form is good. Maybe as you and the author say, I should use a belt for a while and then see how I do without it, see if I've internalized the support. But that's not how I'm remembering it. Not trying to say more experienced lifters are wrong for using a belt, just saying it doesn't jibe with my half-remembered experiences. Squats I can't really say, as I'm doing full squats again now at your suggestion (albeit with very low weights until I have 100% confidence in my knees), whereas before I've tended to just do half squats.

Interesting discussion though, thanks for bringing up the counter arguments. Worth thinking about.
 
Yeah I would probably recommend to work your way back up as strong as you can without it. If you plateau you can always consider using it. However if you have any issues with your back from squatting or deadlifting start using one immediately, because your form isn't as tight as it should be. We are in this for longevity right?

How are the squats coming? I did a conditioning workout the other day with a family member and I was crushed, I'm thinking about adding in a day or two of conditioning a week, with a rower or body weight stuff. I am nervous though that it may be too much? What do you guys think?
 
Yeah I would probably recommend to work your way back up as strong as you can without it. If you plateau you can always consider using it. However if you have any issues with your back from squatting or deadlifting start using one immediately, because your form isn't as tight as it should be. We are in this for longevity right?

How are the squats coming? I did a conditioning workout the other day with a family member and I was crushed, I'm thinking about adding in a day or two of conditioning a week, with a rower or body weight stuff. I am nervous though that it may be too much? What do you guys think?
Yah, I'm taking it slow, with longevity in mind. I'm still a bit nervous about the MCL injury, so I've been keeping the squats at low weight, the two times I did them, last week, the first time, and yesterday--just 75 lbs at 8-10 reps, three sets. Next week when I do them again I'll try adding 10 pounds to both sides, to bring it up to 95 lbs, or maybe try 25 on a side for 125 total. I'll keep building up slow like that until I reach a reasonable weight and then see how to proceed from there. I did add 50 more pounds to the dead lifts yesterday, bringing it up to 225 lbs, and my knees seemed fine with that, so next week I'll probably try 275 and see how that feels. The last thing I want to do is re-injury my knee again, and I have no real investment in improving on the weights, so I'm taking it all very slow. My focus remains on becoming a better runner above all else.

As for conditioning, my current thinking, which may change tomorrow, is to go back to my program of doing aerobic conditioning 5-6 times a week. I had dropped the rowing late last summer once I could run for an hour or more, and expanded the strength-training days, as seen in that list I uploaded a month or so ago. However, I read (skimmed) the book, Run Less, Run Faster, which recommends a running program similar to the one I put together: run 3x per week--one day intervals, one day tempo run, one day long and steady run, and the authors did stress the importance of doing some kind of aerobic work at least two times a week on the non-running days. So I'm thinking of getting back to the rower some, although I find rowing extremely boring, so maybe I'll do slightly higher intensity rowing for 15-20 minutes instead of less intense for 30, which is what I had been doing for most of winter, spring, and summer.

What kind of body weight conditioning did you have in mind?

Also, if I were to get a belt, which make or model would you recommend?

If use the same BW standards for squats as we do for deadweights (2 x BW) and Bench press (1.5 x BW), what would you recommend as a good BW goal to shoot for?

Edit: Oh I see you gave these ratios on an earlier page.
"Bench = 1.5 x BW
Press = 1 x BW
Squat = 1.75 x BW
DL = 2 x BW"

Hmmn, I think I'll just try getting up to a 1 x BW squat for the time being.
 
What kind of body weight conditioning did you have in mind?

I'm not sure I was just thinking about simple stuff that busts your ass but is safe do to, like rowing, burpees (maybe), push ups, jump squats, sleds, rope climbs stuff like that. I'll try to find some more stuff that takes away some of the eccentric motion like tire flips. So basically crossfit without the barbell...

Also, if I were to get a belt, which make or model would you recommend?

I would honestly try this one its cheap. http://www.amazon.com/Valeo-Competi...F8&qid=1354229109&sr=8-7&keywords=weight+belt

I have a 4" leather power lifting belt and I feel like it is a bit overkill, if you have some money to blow these are really nice. http://www.bestbelts.net/Powerlifting-Belts/Athlete.aspx

If use the same BW standards for squats as we do for deadweights (2 x BW) and Bench press (1.5 x BW), what would you recommend as a good BW goal to shoot for?

Edit: Oh I see you gave these ratios on an earlier page.
"Bench = 1.5 x BW
Press = 1 x BW
Squat = 1.75 x BW
DL = 2 x BW"

Hmmn, I think I'll just try getting up to a 1 x BW squat for the time being.

I think it depends more on how much you weigh. I am hoping to get down to the 175-180 range which would be around a 305-315 squat, it seems pretty attainable even while running a lot. If you are 200 or above I think 1.75 might be tough unless you are naturally good at squatting.

I think if you can deadlift 275, then a bw squat is right around the corner. You are around 200lbs. right?
 
I'm not sure I was just thinking about simple stuff that busts your ass but is safe do to, like rowing, burpees (maybe), push ups, jump squats, sleds, rope climbs stuff like that. I'll try to find some more stuff that takes away some of the eccentric motion like tire flips. So basically crossfit without the barbell...

Maybe check out Kemme Fitness http://kemmefitness.com/exercises/, http://kemmefitness.com/workouts/, he has a lot of 'functional fitness' routines worked out, and it's all free.

I would honestly try this one its cheap. http://www.amazon.com/Valeo-Competition-Classic-4-Inch-Lifting/dp/B00117YU6Q/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1354229109&sr=8-7&keywords=weight belt

I have a 4" leather power lifting belt and I feel like it is a bit overkill, if you have some money to blow these are really nice. http://www.bestbelts.net/Powerlifting-Belts/Athlete.aspx

Thanks, I'll bookmarked those and look them up if the need arises.

I think it depends more on how much you weigh. I am hoping to get down to the 175-180 range which would be around a 305-315 squat, it seems pretty attainable even while running a lot. If you are 200 or above I think 1.75 might be tough unless you are naturally good at squatting.

I think if you can deadlift 275, then a bw squat is right around the corner. You are around 200lbs. right?

I weigh about 205-210 after doing my business in the morning. I still have 15-20 pounds of blubber to get rid of, so my functional body weight is more like 190 (of course if the global economy finally collapses under the weight of all the funny money debt, that 15-20 lbs of fat could quickly become functional as a food reserve). Before my MCL I think I was doing 325-pound max deadlifts, no wait a minute, maybe it was 275 or 295, I can't remember, but that was after just a few months of getting back into it, so 2 x BW for deadlifts should be possible within a year or less, something like 375 or so.

For squats, I'll probably just shoot for functional body weight for the time being, something in the 175-225-lbs range, and see where I go from there. With squats in particular, form is everything, so I'm going to take this slowly. I would hate to blow out my back or knees over something stupid like an extra 25-50 pounds added prematurely. I feel much more in control with deadlifts. It's going to take me some time to get comfortable with heavy squats, especially since you've talked me into doing full squats. Still, everyone seems to agree that one of the best ways to prevent runner's injuries is to do squats and deadlifts, among other ST exercises, so after this recent bout of set-backs, I'm more than willing to get back to it. It would be great to go back to not knowing what injury-inspired initialisms like MCL or ITBS mean.

As always, thanks for the feedback. You've researched this stuff a lot more than I have, so I appreciate learning from you. Almost everything I know dates from the early 80s . . .
 
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I understand that intervals can also help increase pace. I'm going to give it a try after building up my running base.
Yah, while my 'research' into pro training protocols has been amateur at best, it seems like just about everyone has a mix of:

1.) fast intervals or hill repeats, for speed;
2.) tempo runs or cruise intervals, for stamina; and
3.) long steady runs, for endurance.

The first two require greater mental effort than the long, steady runs of standard recreational running, but the variety is fun, and it's nice to pick up the pace too, and get that feeling of smooth motion. The mix can be weekly or periodized, depends on the trainer and goal. Some start by building up a base, as you're doing, some start right out with fast runs and add distance later. I've been trying to start with the speed/stamina/endurance weekly mix after building up something of a base, with mixed results, as you know, due to my lack of patience, but I'm convinced it's the way to go in the long run, so to speak.

Two books you might want to look into are Run Faster: From the 5K to the Marathon, and Run Less, Run Faster. The both endorse the mixed approach, with variations on the theme of course.
 
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Some start by building up a base, as you're doing, some start right out with fast runs and add distance later. I've been trying to start with the speed/stamina/endurance weekly mix after building up something of a base, with mixed results, as you know, due to my lack of patience, but I'm convinced it's the way to go in the long run, so to speak.
Even though we don't have snow, I'm limited by the weather during the summer. The heat necessitates frequent hydration and electrolyte management, and even with that there's a risk of overheating due to high heat and humidity. So, I'm thinking that I should get the mileage up during the winter. Then when it's hotter, I can focus on shorter, quicker runs. We don't have hills here, but stairmaster seems to help with inclines. Disney is relatively flat except for some overpasses. Then when it's cooler again, I can get ready for the race in Jan 2014.
Two books you might want to look into are Run Faster: From the 5K to the Marathon, and Run Less, Run Faster. The both endorse the mixed approach, with variations on the theme of course.
Thanks for the suggestions! I was reading a bit about the FIRST method. I'll have to check out "Run Faster". The reviews indicates that it focuses on hills.


I came across this and thought that you might find it interesting. I'm not exactly sure what to do with it, but it looks cool!
fellrnr.com/wiki/VDOT_Calculator
 
Even though we don't have snow, I'm limited by the weather during the summer. The heat necessitates frequent hydration and electrolyte management, and even with that there's a risk of overheating due to high heat and humidity. So, I'm thinking that I should get the mileage up during the winter. Then when it's hotter, I can focus on shorter, quicker runs. We don't have hills here, but stairmaster seems to help with inclines. Disney is relatively flat except for some overpasses. Then when it's cooler again, I can get ready for the race in Jan 2014.
Yah, southern heat and humidity is the equivalent of a northern winter.
Thanks for the suggestions! I was reading a bit about the FIRST method. I'll have to check out "Run Faster". The reviews indicates that it focuses on hills.
Yah, the guy recommends hills over strength training, which I ignore. He seems to writing for competitive runners, not fitness runners like us. But I will be getting back to hills after I've been clear of the ITBS for a few weeks.
I came across this and thought that you might find it interesting. I'm not exactly sure what to do with it, but it looks cool!
fellrnr.com/wiki/VDOT_Calculator
Nice find!
 
I know Lee you have been rekindling the Maff argument, but after some reading over the weekend I am starting to think that junk miles play an important role. From our standpoint they seem important at least, as we are running for longevity not necessarily performance. Here is an article where a guy recommends 90-95% of training should be in a low hr zone.

http://www.cbass.com/BarbellAerobics.htm

Here is another interesting read, specifically about circuit training and endurance training.

When it comes to endurance training, my recommendations are pretty specific (one high-intensity short interval session, one long interval session, and multiple LSD sessions per week for running and swimming

Circuit Training: It is a current trend in fitness to blend strength and endurance components during training (i.e., circuit training), alternating weight stations with cardio stations (exercise bike, treadmill, rowing machine). This can be a fun and challenging format, and can provide many strength and endurance adaptations in a limited amount of time. However, it is not the optimal format for best overall performance. By mixing the strength and endurance stimuli, both are diluted; you aren’t able to lift as much weight or run as fast as if you focused on strength or endurance separately. This is not to say that you should never do circuit training. You can occasionally come up with a circuit for a new challenge and to add some variety to your routine. But most of the time, I encourage you to keep your strength and endurance sessions separate. Some argue that “real life” doesn’t always make a distinction between the need for strength or endurance and training shouldn’t make that distinction either. But the essence of training is that we isolate key components and maximize their improvement so that when we get in “the game” we can combine those individual components more effectively to do whatever is demanded of us.

https://www.sealswcc.com/forums/showthread.php?38-Strength-training-Start-here
 
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I've often been struck by how buff sprinters appear compared to other runners. Then I read somewhere that sprinting is anabolic and found these articles. I understand that intervals can also help to increase pace. I'm going to give it a try after building up my running base.

I looked up a few training plans for sprinters of all levels and I wonder if the actual training plan leads to more of a built look or the actual sprinting, I suspect it is the former, possibly even a combination of both. All of the plans running volume is low and they all incorporate strength training. Both help a muscular physique. So who knows...

If you do start sprinting remember to gradually build and keep the volume low.
 
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bike cut.jpg
I know Lee you have been rekindling the Maff argument, but after some reading over the weekend I am starting to think that junk miles play an important role. From our standpoint they seem important at least, as we are running for longevity not necessarily performance. Here is an article where a guy recommends 90-95% of training should be in a low hr zone.
Actually, I had no intention of rekindling an argument, for or against, but Clawhammer had included me on the against side, so I felt I had to clarify. Which I will do again: I am definitely not against low heart rate training. Mostly, I just wonder at the folks who are miserable doing it but stick with it anyway because, after what seems like must be very minimal investigation, they commit to it with a kind of religious faith, ignoring all other types of training protocols, or referring to them misunderstandingly.

And, for someone with limited time, I question it's efficacy. I know it works well for high mileage folks like Chris.

In fact, I've had a similar experience cycling. As I've mentioned before on this site, I used to ride a bike eight hours a day, which was essentially low heart rate training. After two years of traveling through Africa, the Middle East, and Europe, logging some 24,000 miles, I became very fit aerobically. I could go up and down 2-4 mountain passes in a day, no problem, and I carried up to 100 lbs of gear, spare parts, water, and food on my mountain bike. I think I averaged 30 km per hour towards the end. See attached photo.

One time in South Africa I met up with an American grad student in History who was doing archival research in Cape Town. He was part of Harvard or Yale's cycling club or team and was out for a long weekend or something with some buddies training along the Garden Route. He invited me to hang out with his crew that evening, at their rented cottages. Great! So we rode along, conversing, and once we arrived at his camp, I asked him, hey, how was my pace? He said he could've gone twice as fast. Then I asked him if he thought he could keep up with me if I had a nice racer like him. So one of his friends lent me his bike, one of those you can pick up with your pinky finger, and I managed to out-ride him, at the end of full day of touring no less. The point is, just doing high mileage, Maffetone-style riding got me in better condition than a guy who was training for performance. But of course, he didn't need to ride eight hours a day to come close to my conditioning. He probably did a lot of threshold stuff. And of course, he wasn't a pro, he was an amateur, a full-time grad student.

OK, here's me now, 20 years later, a midddle-aged guy who has an hour a day to exercise. What to do? There are so many different options. I like weights and running, and it's easy to fit into my schedule, is extremely convenient, and doesn't cost much. OK, what kind of running? In Chicago, 10 years ago, I used to run around Washington Park’s 1.5-mile dirt track, three times, five miles total with a half-mile run there. I did that three times a week, always at the same pace, and gradually improved over two and a half years’ time.

But now, 10 years later and after reading up on running for the first time in my life and interacting with you folks here on BRS for 6-9 months, I like the idea of doing several longer runs a week, to get into that profoundly meditative state, and have my little journeys. Unfortunately, I can't afford to go out several hours at a time every time I run. I can do maybe one 90-120 minute run per week. And it's not currently feasible for me to run-commute as Chris does. So I looked into what pro endurance runners/trainers/theorists do, and they do indeed do a lot of long, easy runs, but the trend, even for someone like Ryan Hall, is to reduce total mpw somewhat (for him, from 120 to 100 mpw) and get in 2-3 'quality runs' per week. I read somewhere else that the Kenyans, the guys who win all the time, typically do about 35-40 percent of their training at or close to threshold.

OK, so in addition to my one long, easy run, I penciled in one tempo run. It’s greater mental effort, but the exertion feels quite good when it’s done. Like a real workout.

Then I read others say that it's also important to run fast once in a while, to improve running economy, and recruit more muscle fiber. OK, I like to run fast, and so far it's been fun running intervals, something I never used to do when I first took up recreational running on a consistent basis in Chicago. I really look forward to my intervals day now.

Also, the problem with high volume running, for my situation, besides not being as efficient, is injuries. I read somewhere that volume is the best predictor of injury rates. So that would be an argument against ‘junk miles’ unless we’re talking about walking. I like walking, but it’s not as efficient as running, and running long and slow all the time isn’t as efficient as mixing up paces and distances. Plus, with such a repetitive activity like running, I think it’s good to try a bunch of different ranges of motion, especially when you’re stuck with mostly flat, road running in a city like me.

So I come pretty close to that guy's recommendation of
When it comes to endurance training, my recommendations are pretty specific (
one high-intensity short interval session,
one long interval session,
and multiple LSD sessions per week for running and swimming
Just translate that as my intervals/speed day, my tempo/stamina day, and my long-n-steady endurance day. I guess I should be getting in another long-n-steady day, according to this recommendation, but for the time being I don’t think that’s possible. I don’t have the time and even if I did, I would wait at least six months before adding one in, to make sure I’m clear of my recent ITBS and knee problems. I am considering working in one cycling day though, just not sure how to fit it in. It would be nice to ride down and along the river on Sundays or something.

But the essence of training is that we isolate key components and maximize their improvement so that when we get in “the game” we can combine those individual components more effectively to do whatever is demanded of us.
Couldn’t agree more. I recently debated this very point a bit with Pete Kemme, when he said there’s no point in doing free weights unless you want to be a bodybuilder. Now, I think his functional fitness workouts are a great way to get a little bit of everything in in a short amount of time, but Pete doesn’t always recognize that a trade-off in quality for each fitness component is involved. If you want great agility, do agility work, if you want greater strength, do strength training. If you just want to be reasonably fit and don’t have a whole lot of time, yeah, OK, maybe do functional fitness, but I think I’d prefer tennis or basketball or soccer. There’s no perfect approach, there’s always a trade-off. Most important is to do what you enjoy, because that will keep you coming back for more, and consistency is more important than any other factor in attaining fitness.

Speaking of circuit training, in my own ST workouts, I kinda come close to a quasi circuit-training style towards the end of the workout, when I’m mainly doing core/mobility/lower weight/floor stuff with no or short breaks between sets and exercises. In the beginning of my ST workouts, I’m doing heavier weights, nice and controlled, even somewhat leisurely, but in the end I’m going through stuff pretty quickly.

Anyway, thanks as always for the links.
 
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Also, the problem with high volume running, for my situation, besides not being as efficient, is injuries. I read somewhere that volume is the best predictor of injury rates. So that would be an argument against ‘junk miles’ unless we’re talking about walking. I like walking, but it’s not as efficient as running, and running long and slow all the time isn’t as efficient as mixing up paces and distances. Plus, with such a repetitive activity like running, I think it’s good to try a bunch of different ranges of motion, especially when you’re stuck with mostly flat, road running in a city like me.

When I talk about junk miles I mean an easy 20-30 minute slow run, and treat them more of getting the body moving and blood flowing to the muscles and joints. Very similar to active recovery, but doing strides and sprint starts would probably be a good idea to mix in for the ROMs. I'm going to break up my posts some, I have a TL;DR symptom when I write more than two sentences.
 
Then I asked him if he thought he could keep up with me if I had a nice racer like him. So one of his friends lent me his bike, one of those you can pick up with your pinky finger, and I managed to out-ride him, at the end of full day of touring no less.
Wow, that's a solid bike! Looks classic and sturdy, like it's built well, not that carbon fiber stuff. Is it cast iron or wood?
 
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Wow, that's a solid bike! Looks classic and sturdy, like it's built well, not that carbon fiber stuff. Is it cast iron or wood?
Ha! It's an early 90s Marin. If memory serves, the tubing is chrome moly, which is very weldable, which is very important when traveling in out-of-the-way places. It was heavier than an aluminum frame, but only airports in Africa would be able to weld that. And who cares about weight when you're basically hauling a extra bike in spare parts, minus the frame? I still have the bike, it still runs well.
 
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When I talk about junk miles I mean an easy 20-30 minute slow run, and treat them more of getting the body moving and blood flowing to the muscles and joints. Very similar to active recovery, but doing strides and sprint starts would probably be a good idea to mix in for the ROMs.
OK, I guess I was thinking of those as 'recovery runs.' As you know, the one time I tried that, after running 9.4 miles the day before, I got ITBS, so no recovery runs or junk miles for me for at least a while. I think aerobic cross training would be the way for me to go, if I were to add in more aerobic work. I used to row on a Concept II erg on my non-running days, but it's too damn boring.
I'm going to break up my posts some, I have a TL;DR symptom when I write more than two sentences.
I've been trying to stop posting altogether, but it never seems to work. And now you and Sid got me looking up ST stuff, just when my thirst for info on running had been slaked. I really do not want to discuss running training protocols for a while, but it was good for me to have clarified my thoughts about MAF a bit. I think people feel like I'm somehow irrationally hostile to that approach, or have an investment in getting them to stop, and it's just not that at all.
 
After, a few months with weights and overdoing it a couple of weeks ago, I'm going back to P90X2 for while. After working on endurance and strength, the core work and functional fitness should help tie it together. I think it helps me to rotate actvities every so often. Sometimes, I reach a plateau in one area, and switching to something else allows me to make progress in another area. I did my one leg bodyweight workout this morning for the first time in 3 weeks. All the running seemed to have helped with balance and definition.
All of the plans running volume is low and they all incorporate strength training. Both help a muscular physique.
I saw some training plans like that, too. I also came across some bodybuilding articles that said back in the day, they'd do a bit of sprinting.

If you do start sprinting remember to gradually build and keep the volume low.
Definitely. I saw an article by a trained, powerful sprinter who had to dial it back as he got older to reduce the risk of injury. Fortunately, I am not that powerful!
 
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