If I am training for a long distance run and/or a triathlon, is lifting 3 times per week too much? (as if I’m lifting 3 times per week now anyway)
Getting a word in edgewise
If I am training for a long distance run and/or a triathlon, is lifting 3 times per week too much? (as if I’m lifting 3 times per week now anyway)
I’ve run 14 marathons (though sadly, not recently). My best times were when I accompanied my running with a weight training program, and I usually lifted 3 times per week. As long as you’re taking off one day a week to let your body recover, the weight training won’t hurt you and in fact should help your running. It did for me.
Agreed. As long as you get the running in, the lifting can only really help. (And I agree on the rest day part.) There are actually several marathon training programs that have weight training and/or cross training days built in.
Sadly, my training didn’t go nearly so well, stupid knee. A 10 miler is a pretty achievable goal, though. (I ran a 10 miler and a 20k before deciding that my knee needed rest).
when I was in long distance running in high school we did weights at most twice a week, and that near the beginning of the season and less later in the season (so that we weren’t bulky for the big race, I guess).
3 times a week is too few. You should be at 6-7 times a week. At least 15 minutes a day.
This isn’t like your usual hour to hour and a half at the gym. It’s much smaller areas for shorter times. But it builds your endurance and stuffs.
What everyone else said, but also make sure it’s mainly the right sort of lifting – high rep med weight for muscle endurance and tone, with the occasional high weight low rep for building.
Why do you want to lift so often? You can get by with once per week if you plan it correctly.
If you’re training seriously for a long distance run, three times is about right. If you’re training for a triathlon, unless you’re training twice a day to get in all the running, swimming, and biking, you may have to cut that back to fit in the sport-specific training.
Back when I did marathons and triathlons, the conventional wisdom was ‘specificity’; I never lifted at all. I was quite competitive, but I actually think I would have done better if I had included some weight training in my program. It would have made my body look better, in any case.