Optimal strength training for runners
- Thread starter Abide
- Start date
It'd be nice to see a picture of your massage-sander. I know Sid uses a heat massage. Maybe I should look into something that vibrates and heats, although I've gotten pretty good with my fingers. My wife asks me where I learned to be such a good masseuse all of a sudden.
As for feeling gimpy after a run. I'm thinking of avoiding any kind of run that leaves me feeling that way. No more pushing it too much. I'll put in an effort, but I'm mostly going to let the paces and distances come to me, just like I do with weights and maxes.
I know I write a lot, but I took a typing class in high school, so I type pretty fast for a guy.
I don't know anything about laws, I used a fake chart and improvise.MY laws have worked for me for the last 4+ years
Anyway, here's my revised routine. My maxes haven't really improved since we last discussed this stuff. I'm focusing on stabilizing the running first.
Here is a link, don't put sand paper on it and go to work. I'd stay away from your neck and head. Best $25 bucks I have spent in a while. And you can use it to sand stuff too.
http://www.amazon.com/Black-Decker-...89992&sr=1-11&keywords=black+&+decker+orbital
http://www.amazon.com/Black-Decker-...89992&sr=1-11&keywords=black+&+decker+orbital
I forgot to mention too it has been really helpful with my IT issues, you can let it sit on the tendons around the knee and it feels great. I think the vibration helps increase the blood flow into the tendons and joints and that is why you feel better.
and this makes me really miss the gym....got spoiled always having free access to nice equipment that I am having a hard time justifying a gym fee.....not to mention find the time along with running
I'll go down into the garage later and give it a try!
Have you thought about investing in a home gym? Keep your eye on craigslist for good deals and build it up slowly.
Advantages:
1) No commute,
2) you can work out anytime, for however long you want or have time for (2 minutes or 2 hours),
3) you never have to wait for someone to finish,
4) you don't have to worry about other people's sweat and odors (not that I'm particularly squeamish, but it's nice not to have to deal with it), and
5) no self-consciousness about, for example, trying a new, awkward exercise on a stability ball.
Disadvantages:
1) no spotters,
2) no gym rat camaraderie, and
3) no eye candy
Start out with a bench, a barbell, and dumbbell, and a bunch of plates, and build up from there as money and opportunity permit. If possible, get an adjustable bench that allows you to do squats, dips, and inclines and or declines, and, if possible has places to attach things like a leg extension/curl dealy.
once we're in a place that we have space for this it will be a must have for sure.
Im a big fan of free weights
And don't forget you can leave the weights on the bar when you are done.
Listen to whatever music you feel like.
While you are lifting you can drink coffee from a mug, or a beer.
Use the outdoor bathroom real quick
chalk
I don't have a lot of experience with kettlebells yet, but I'll give my initial thoughts, as Dick's Sporting Good's has a nice deal with buy one, get the second one 50% off this week. I bought a 25lb and a 35lb kettlebell. Lee is right. There are many exercises which can be done just as easily with dumbbells or a DIY T-bell swinger. Though some exercises really are designed specifically for kettlebells.
The Skogg DVDs are solid. They utilize the six foundational exercises: swing, clean, clean and press, squat, high pull, snatch. All of these exercises except the squat, benefit from using a kettlebell. On the DVD, they use the same weight kettlebell for all exercises, because in some videos they are doing 1-2 reps of each exercise then moving on, for a circuit training effect. However, one can probably use more weight with squats, swings, and high pulls. I think that one would have a better work by isolating each exercise and doing the appropriate weight, and he has one DVD that does just that. There's not a lot of variety though with only six exercises. Is the set worth $74? Sure if one is going to do the circuit training as well. In addition to the one DVD goes straight through the exercises one by one, the other 3 DVDs mix it up, and there's an intro DVD to demonstrate proper form.
I have the Skogg Phase 1 and Phase 2 DVDs on order, so perhaps those will offer more variety, than the basic six exercises.
I should also mention that Skogg only utilizes single arm exercises in his 5 DVD set. I just tried some two arm swings with the Kettleblock handle for my Powerblocks, and swinging around all that weight can get out of control pretty quickly, by putting one at risk of being off balance and injury. I can see why Skogg sticks to one arm exercises.
I also ordered the Katami DVDs from Amazon, but cancelled the order. I saw some demo videos on YouTube, and Katami focuses more on cardio with kettlebells. It looks nice, but isn't what I'm looking for.
One more thing, if one uses improper form or kettlebells that are too heavy, one can whack the heck out of one's wrists and shoulders. I'm going back and buying an additional 15lb kettlebell, until I get my cleans and snatches down properly. I think that the 15lb, 25lb, 35lb bells will be enough for me. Any heavier and I wouldn't be able to properly swing them at this time. Other exercises which don't involve swinging and utilize heavier weights, I could probably just use dumbbells.
If one already has plates, then DSG also has this adjustable kettlebell, which can loaded up for the heavier exercises such as the one and two arm swings and high pull. The heavy bells get expensive really quickly. Actually, now that I think of it, I might just return my 25lb and 35lb bells and get a 15-20lb bell for the clean and snatch, as I can pretty much do everything else with the adjustable Kettleblock.
The Skogg DVDs are solid. They utilize the six foundational exercises: swing, clean, clean and press, squat, high pull, snatch. All of these exercises except the squat, benefit from using a kettlebell. On the DVD, they use the same weight kettlebell for all exercises, because in some videos they are doing 1-2 reps of each exercise then moving on, for a circuit training effect. However, one can probably use more weight with squats, swings, and high pulls. I think that one would have a better work by isolating each exercise and doing the appropriate weight, and he has one DVD that does just that. There's not a lot of variety though with only six exercises. Is the set worth $74? Sure if one is going to do the circuit training as well. In addition to the one DVD goes straight through the exercises one by one, the other 3 DVDs mix it up, and there's an intro DVD to demonstrate proper form.
I have the Skogg Phase 1 and Phase 2 DVDs on order, so perhaps those will offer more variety, than the basic six exercises.
I should also mention that Skogg only utilizes single arm exercises in his 5 DVD set. I just tried some two arm swings with the Kettleblock handle for my Powerblocks, and swinging around all that weight can get out of control pretty quickly, by putting one at risk of being off balance and injury. I can see why Skogg sticks to one arm exercises.
I also ordered the Katami DVDs from Amazon, but cancelled the order. I saw some demo videos on YouTube, and Katami focuses more on cardio with kettlebells. It looks nice, but isn't what I'm looking for.
One more thing, if one uses improper form or kettlebells that are too heavy, one can whack the heck out of one's wrists and shoulders. I'm going back and buying an additional 15lb kettlebell, until I get my cleans and snatches down properly. I think that the 15lb, 25lb, 35lb bells will be enough for me. Any heavier and I wouldn't be able to properly swing them at this time. Other exercises which don't involve swinging and utilize heavier weights, I could probably just use dumbbells.
If one already has plates, then DSG also has this adjustable kettlebell, which can loaded up for the heavier exercises such as the one and two arm swings and high pull. The heavy bells get expensive really quickly. Actually, now that I think of it, I might just return my 25lb and 35lb bells and get a 15-20lb bell for the clean and snatch, as I can pretty much do everything else with the adjustable Kettleblock.
Since I'm returning the 25 and 35lb kettlebells, I ordered an 18lb from Amazon. I saw that it's what Skogg lists as beginner for men. Then I did a morning workout, focusing more on form. It looks like whatever exercise one does, it's always about form. I was able to manage with the Kettleblock to get some good swings even with the clean and the snatch without whacking myself too bad, so it looks like a real kettlebell isn't necessary, but rather just something to swing. So, I cancelled the 18lb from Amazon as well.
Not trying to start an argument, but here's an counterargument to kettlebells that may be of interest to you.
Edit: http://skinnybulkup.com/kettlebells-are-inferior-to-dumbbells/
I don't think that the link is working? No worries, it's not like I'm working on becoming a kettlebell trainer or anything. It's just another option in the toolbox.
Yah, I understand, but I think it's good to be aware of the critique: http://skinnybulkup.com/kettlebells-are-inferior-to-dumbbells/
This guy kind of confirms my suspicions, and knows the history of it too it seems.
That's a solid link. Thanks!
Silly me, I didn't realize that one could do dumbbell swings! However, I do think dumbbells can enable one to use too much weight and lead to injury. They are so well-balanced and easy to use that beginners can toss them around using bad form. Kettlebells really discourage bad form, which I found out pretty quickly. I think that using the kettlebells has made me realize that strength training can be more dynamic.
The author has a good point that the kettlebells can place significant stress on the wrists and that heavy weight can tear up the shoulders. Skogg advocates doing the exercises with a straight wrist, not a flexed wrist, and this limits the amount of weight one can use, which reduces the chance of injury. Most of the kettlebell DVDs seem to be cardio focused, using lower weights, which probably also reduces the risk of injury.
I also think that for cardio with weights, that most movements are clumsy and unnatural, whereas when done with a kettlebell requires more coordination. However, that's probably more due to the exercises that instructors choose rather than the equipment, and they probably choose those exercises because they're easy for beginners.
The article talks about high-level athletes, which certainly is not me. Being sedentary all these decades, using the kettlebells have helped loosen me up a bit, which I wasn't getting with traditional dumbbell exercises. Kettlebells certainly serve a purpose, much in the way that medicine balls and rubber bands do, too. I think that I'll likely transition back to dumbbells at some point, then sign up with a trainer at the gym to learn some Olympic lifts in the distant future.
I'm going to try the Skogg DVDs with my dumbbells and see how it feels.
I didn't realize that one could do dumbbell swings!
That's what I meant by old wine, new bottle.
However, I do think dumbbells can enable one to use too much weight and can lead to injury.
Weight and reps are independent of the equipment used, it seems to me, and I think with dumbbells you're more likely to adopt a neutral grip and there's far less movement to the wrist.
Kettlebells really discourage bad form, because one just clobbers oneself pretty quickly.
Interesting; you're probably right, with all the flipping involved in kettlebells, it's easier to bang yourself up. I would suggest, however, that that just means it's easier to have good form with dumbbells.
I think that using the kettlebells has made me realize that strength training can be more dynamic.
That's a definite plus, but probably because there are a lot of misconceptions about what can and cannot be done with barbells and dumbbells. There have been dumbbell snatches, for example, along with regular barbell snatches, for at least as long as I've been involved with this stuff. The problem is a lot of gyms just don't have a serious free weights section. The advent of Nautilus machines kind of ruined the free weights culture so a lot of gym novices aren't really aware of them.
The article talks about high levels athletes, which certainly is not me.
I think the point is, as I've stated in other places, that pros are a good bs barometer for reading the latest trends, and also a ready-made, large sample size for ongoing, practical testing of theories and protocols, with a fair amount of pressure to get things right as quickly as possible. That's just not true in the fitness industry, where newness is all-important, due to the competition of the marketplace rather than that of the track or field or court.
Being sedentary all these decades, using the kettlebells have helped loosen me up a bit, which I wasn't getting with traditional dumbbell exercises. Kettlebells certainly serve a purpose, much in the way that medicine balls and rubber bands do, too.
I agree, it's great that they've opened you up to dynamic exercises, which you've found you enjoy. Now try the same sorts of exercises with dumbbells and see which you like best. I'm going to do the same. This discussion has also opened up me to working in more dynamic exercises towards the end of my workouts. I'm going to try to go to Dick's or Sports Authority and try some of the exercises with proper kettlebells, and then compare the feel of those with equivalent dumbbell exercises, and see what will work best for me.
I also think that for cardio with weights, that most movements are unnatural and jarring whereas, when done with a kettlebell requires more coordination. However, that's probably more due to the exercises that instructors choose rather than the equipment, and they probably choose those exercises because they're easy for beginners.
I would tend to agree with that. There really is nothing new under the sun, just variations on the same basic themes. The human body is only capable of so many movements, in three planes, so there's always going to be a limited amount of ways for developing those movements in terms of strength, or agility, or mobility, or whatever.
Anyway, thanks for entertaining my devil's advocate stance. This discussion has been fruitful for me, and I always appreciate your thoughtful comments.
P.S., thanks for the massager rec, it's on its way.
That's what I meant by old wine, new bottle.
However, I do think dumbbells can enable one to use too much weight and can lead to injury.
Weight and reps are independent of the equipment used, it seems to me, and I think with dumbbells you're more likely to adopt a neutral grip and there's far less movement to the wrist.
Kettlebells really discourage bad form, because one just clobbers oneself pretty quickly.
Interesting; you're probably right, with all the flipping involved in kettlebells, it's easier to bang yourself up. I would suggest, however, that that just means it's easier to have good form with dumbbells.
I think that using the kettlebells has made me realize that strength training can be more dynamic.
That's a definite plus, but probably because there are a lot of misconceptions about what can and cannot be done with barbells and dumbbells. There have been dumbbell snatches, for example, along with regular barbell snatches, for at least as long as I've been involved with this stuff. The problem is a lot of gyms just don't have a serious free weights section. The advent of Nautilus machines kind of ruined the free weights culture so a lot of gym novices aren't really aware of them.
The article talks about high levels athletes, which certainly is not me.
I think the point is, as I've stated in other places, that pros are a good bs barometer for reading the latest trends, and also a ready-made, large sample size for ongoing, practical testing of theories and protocols, with a fair amount of pressure to get things right as quickly as possible. That's just not true in the fitness industry, where newness is all-important, due to the competition of the marketplace rather than that of the track or field or court.
Being sedentary all these decades, using the kettlebells have helped loosen me up a bit, which I wasn't getting with traditional dumbbell exercises. Kettlebells certainly serve a purpose, much in the way that medicine balls and rubber bands do, too.
I agree, it's great that they've opened you up to dynamic exercises, which you've found you enjoy. Now try the same sorts of exercises with dumbbells and see which you like best. I'm going to do the same. This discussion has also opened up me to working in more dynamic exercises towards the end of my workouts. I'm going to try to go to Dick's or Sports Authority and try some of the exercises with proper kettlebells, and then compare the feel of those with equivalent dumbbell exercises, and see what will work best for me.
I also think that for cardio with weights, that most movements are unnatural and jarring whereas, when done with a kettlebell requires more coordination. However, that's probably more due to the exercises that instructors choose rather than the equipment, and they probably choose those exercises because they're easy for beginners.
I would tend to agree with that. There really is nothing new under the sun, just variations on the same basic themes. The human body is only capable of so many movements, in three planes, so there's always going to be a limited amount of ways for developing those movements in terms of strength, or agility, or mobility, or whatever.
Anyway, thanks for entertaining my devil's advocate stance. This discussion has been fruitful for me, and I always appreciate your thoughtful comments.
P.S., thanks for the massager rec, it's on its way.
Sorry, I was editing my post while you were typing yours. I added a few things, which actually ties into what you're saying.
I don't know that the heavier kettlebells are worth the money, as they are quite expensive and unwieldy. You already have the T-handle, too. Though, maybe take a look at the adjustable kettlebell that DSG has, as that might be easier with one arm exercises, since you already have plates.
I agree that it should be easier to use proper form with dumbbells, however the ease of use might be deceptive and could lead one to overdo it. Perhaps, it might be analogous to circular saws, which are easy to use, but lead to far more amputations than hand saws. Most people swing around the kettlebell, bang themselves up, curse a bit, then walk away. Hard to overdo that.
I don't know that the heavier kettlebells are worth the money, as they are quite expensive and unwieldy. You already have the T-handle, too. Though, maybe take a look at the adjustable kettlebell that DSG has, as that might be easier with one arm exercises, since you already have plates.
I agree that it should be easier to use proper form with dumbbells, however the ease of use might be deceptive and could lead one to overdo it. Perhaps, it might be analogous to circular saws, which are easy to use, but lead to far more amputations than hand saws. Most people swing around the kettlebell, bang themselves up, curse a bit, then walk away. Hard to overdo that.
According to tradition, I should've had to have worked seven years for my in-laws (brideprice).MY laws have worked for me for the last 4+ years
Yah, if I end up getting a kettlebell, it'll be that adjustable one at DSG.
Not sure about the circular saw analogy, but the general principle does apply in other areas, for sure: Easy isn't always better.
