Stamina or Strength.... but not both.

[Sid]

I've done a 7 day routine before, where I seem to have enough energy and rest to put in 3 decent runs.
Back, Run, Chest, Run, Shoulders, Run, Legs, repeat.

I'm currently trying out a 3 day routine to burn off some flab.
Run, Run, Back
Run, Run, Chest
Run, Run, Shoulders

 

[Bare Lee]

I've done a 7 day routine before, where I seem to have enough energy and rest to put in 3 decent runs.
Back, Run, Chest, Run, Shoulders, Run, Legs, repeat.

I'm currently trying out a 3 day routine to burn off some flab.
Run, Run, Back
Run, Run, Chest
Run, Run, Shoulders

You know it's funny Sid, after today's thread discussion, I moved some stuff around and came up with a plan very much like your old routine:

M: ST: Front (chest and arms)
Tu: Run: Tempo
W: ST: Back
Th: Run: Interval/Bounding/Hill
F: ST: Top (shoulders & forearms)
Sa: Run: LSD
Su: Rest/ST: Bottom (legs)

The Bottom/legs routine would be something like this:

1. Jog to H.S. track (.6 miles)
2. Bounding
3. Skipping
4. Run backwards
5. Jog home
6. Plyo box: front, side, step
7. Plyo box: hip hike
8. Plyometrics bench hop
9. Broad Jump
10. Vertical Jump variations
11. Leg extensions & curls

We'll see if I follow through on it.

 

[Sid]

Wow, quite an impressive workout, Lee!

I'll share what I do, in case people are intimidated by putting together their own strength training regimen. I like to keep things simple. The one hour exercise videos by Beachbody move along quickly and keep me on track. P90X is a nice intro, but is mostly cardio conditioning with some strength doing pushups and pullups, with a few dumbbell exercises. It's pretty straightforward. I didn't do the entire schedule, since I run. Rather, I just did a video here and there when I wanted a bit of strength training.

I also tried P90X2, which is similar to P90X, but with balance and core thrown in. So push-ups on medicine balls and Yoga balls, and some dumbbells. It's a bit tricky, but after a month, it really does improve core and balance.

As for legs, there's a video called One On One w/Tony Horton: 4 Legs. It has a mix of strength and balance, using only body weight, one leg at a time. It does help with balance, and I'll probably get back to it, after I burn off some flab.

Beachbody has a new series called Body Beast. The guy is huge. Sagi Kalev was Mr. Israel. Don't worry about getting too freakish, since getting that big takes lots of time and involves more than doing 1 hr exercise videos. This is pure strength training, and I've made some decent progress with it, so I'm going to stick with it. I've modified the reps slightly to focus on strength rather than bulk, and do 8-6-4 reps, rather than the 15-12-8 that they do when pyramiding up. They have a legs workout, but I haven't tried it yet, since I'm still working on balance with 4 Legs.

I was lucky to find some Powerblock dumbbells on Craigslist along with a bench and weight stand. The Powerblocks are great, since it's really fast to add and drop weight, and they move along pretty quickly in these videos. I also have an old Bowflex that I use for lat pull-down exercises. (I'm still building up the strength for unassisted wide-grip pull-ups.)

Quick and "easy"!

 

[Neil_D]

Wow, quite a response there.
I'm just wondering if it if, as somebody mentioned it is an age thing. At one time I could run 70 miles a week (in my 20's) and do some gym work as well but now it seems as I approach a significant age, it takes longer to recover.
I must admit though the calf drops are quite tough on the muscle. I had a run tonight, 4 days after my calf workout (I did actually do some lunges yesterday with 30kg weight and that didn't seem to affect me) and I was zipping along.
I was a little disappointed to be out kicked in a bit of a race I got into while running a last 2km along the beach. A younger guy passed me but I clung on and I thought I could wear him down after a few km, it seemed to be working I started to pull past about 100m from the jetty, then, bugger it, he just took off and I had no gas left in the tank. I need to sharpen up.

Neil

 

[Bare Lee]

Quick and "easy"!

That's key, I agree. I invested in a whole set of rubber hex dumbbells (.75 cents a pound from a wholesaler) last year so I don't have to mess around in between exercises. I don't like to spend much time setting up the next exercise--it dams the flow. Good luck on getting rid of the flab. I've got another 10-20 pounds to go myself, but I've gotten rid of the essential 30-35 pounds, and it feels great. I've attached my revised workout just in case it's interesting to someone.

Neil,
I found things decline with age in this order: speed/quickness, then stamina, then strength. Loss of stamina affects recovery time too, I think.

 

[barefootandagile]

I am 5weeks on to this muscle fitness routine: http://www.muscleandfitness.com/rhc2012/program/month-2-workout , It is a fairly tiring routine but managing to run also despite. Yesterday was shoulders, biceps , triceps, forearms followed by evening run of 4 x1200m intervals @5:35mm pace with 3min rest. Good times

 

[Bare Lee]

Hey I was wondering about you guys who do calf exercises in your strength training. I've avoided them because my calves seem to get such a good workout from running, and are usually sore to some extent between runs. But if they may help improve my running I could incorporate them into my 'bottom'/legs day easily enough, and still have two days to recover before my next run, as the following day is my chest and arms day. Whadaya think?

 

[NickW]

Hey I was wondering about you guys who do calf exercises in your strength training. I've avoided them because my calves seem to get such a good workout from running, and are usually sore to some extent between runs. But if they may help improve my running I could incorporate them into my 'bottom'/legs day easily enough, and still have two days to recover before my next run, as the following day is my chest and arms day. Whadaya think?

I do the calf and foot exercises because of my PF. I never used to do calf specific leg exercises prior to. I'm not sure, but I do seem to think my speed is getting faster and I am not tiring as fast and able to keep my form longer and better during the landing phase of running.

 

[Bare Lee]

I do the calf and foot exercises because of my PF. I never used to do calf specific leg exercises prior to. I'm not sure, but I do seem to think my speed is getting faster and I am not tiring as fast and able to keep my form longer and better during the landing phase of running.

Thanks for the reply Nick. I'll check them out. Go Hawks!

 

[barefootandagile]

Hey I was wondering about you guys who do calf exercises in your strength training. I've avoided them because my calves seem to get such a good workout from running, and are usually sore to some extent between runs. But if they may help improve my running I could incorporate them into my 'bottom'/legs day easily enough, and still have two days to recover before my next run, as the following day is my chest and arms day. Whadaya think?

No guarantee that it will prevent calve soreness from running but they will strengthen your calves and teach you what NOT to do as you run(active pushoff )