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Ray E.
Ray E. Sendmail

Weights & Running?

posted over 3 years ago | Report

What weight training exercises do you do as a runner?

Let me submit something for your discussion.
I attended the University of Arkansas. If you know about the U of A, skip the next part, but if you aren't familiar with the U of A's track program, here is a little blurb:
"The most successful program in NCAA history... The program has won 40 national titles in cross country and track & field as well as 84 conference titles, including 33 straight cross country titles in the Southwest and Southeastern Conferences. Former members of the team represent a number of countries internationally and have won several Olympic and World Championships medals. The team has a home indoor track at the Randal Tyson Track Center and outdoor field at John McDonnell Field.
* 20 conference triple crowns since 1982, including eight straight between 1987 and 1995
* 25 consecutive conference titles in cross country with indoor track and outdoor track combined from 1987 to 1995
* 73 conference championships in the last 77 events Arkansas has entered since 1981-1982
* 84 conference championships overall since 1974 including 38 in the SWC and 46 in the SEC (out of a possible 50, or 90 percent)
* 12 consecutive NCAA indoor track championships (1984-1995)
* 185 track All-Americans, earning 652 separate All-America honors
* 34 consecutive league cross country championships, including 17 straight in the SEC (1974-2007)
* 54 individual national champions
* 1994 indoor track squad won the national championship by the widest margins in the history of the sport as well as scored the most points (94) in the history of the NCAA event
* 1994 squad scored a meet record 223 points at the SEC Outdoor Championships
* National, regional or conference coach of the year a total of 140 times
* 23 Olympians spanning three decades and six different Olympic Games including gold, silver and bronze medalists, 105 NCAA individual event champions and 331 individual event conference champions.

So, they're pretty good. I wasn't a runner at the time, but I spent a lot of time in the gym. One of the things I noticed while I was in the gym: those track athletes were in there with me doing a host of strength training exercises with weights!! Some were even using HEAVY weight (sprinters)! So, we know that lifting weights can help prevent injury, and build speed & improve endurance.

What exercises help you with running?

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4 posts

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  • Tom M.
    Tom M. Sendmail

    I am big into rubber band training.. Running and jumping exercises that work the dynamic side of running. I am also into a great deal of total body lifts (cleans, cleans and presses, body weight exercises)

    posted over 3 years ago | Report

  • Gehr 1.
    Gehr 1. Sendmail

    A thing to keep in mind is specificity of sport and the only way to be better at a sport is to do that sport! Strength training is very important to help with imbalances and prevent injury and to generally get stronger.

    The myth that an endurance athlete should do a whole bunch of reps and a sprinter type athlete should lift heavy weights is silly because they should both lift heavy weights (less than 15 reps). Since the endurance athlete probably isn't an "endurance weight lifter" it would be a waste of time to go and do a bunch of sets with a lots of reps, that will not cross over to their sport anyway!

    posted over 3 years ago | Report

  • Jessica T.
    Jessica T. Sendmail

    Anyone ever heard of Matt Furey and his combat conditioning excercises?? I have a couple of his books, and he uses the principle that you should use your own body weight to get stronger.

    I found his books to be pretty interesting!!!

    posted over 3 years ago | Report

  • Gehr 1.
    Gehr 1. Sendmail

    I have heard of him and in theory it sounds good but he's also been shown to be a bit of a charlatan, he was an avid weight lifter, so his pics are a bit miss leading etc.... Obviously any exercise will make you stronger and fitter however you lose out on the over load principal of weight training with only doing "your own body weight"! And unless you're training to do combat sports, there isn't much purpose to train for combat strength. ie. the bridge maneuver will strengthen your neck........a runner doesn't need a super strong neck!

    posted over 3 years ago | edited over 3 years ago | Report

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