I think this is a super viable plan. I’m slightly biased though, as my training is very similar; 3 days of varied running, 1 bike day, and a grand total of 8-10 sets of various leg work (3 sets front squats, 3 sets back squats, 2-4 sets SLDL or RDL). My legs certainly haven’t gotten any smaller, and I’m still getting stronger.
Do you think you’ll be able to stick to it, though? I know that’s a little pointed, but you’ve avidly expressed how much you despise running.
That’s the problem. My availability is different now and I don’t currently have access to a track…
Those workouts were the kind that I like. I remember one day was tempo runs, accelerations, flys and bounds (flys were a set distance at full speed so I’d be moving when I hit the start). My favorite day was Wednesdays:
I think I got down to 14 sec 100s. Definitely 15s, maybe 14s. I would struggle with 18s now.
I might be able to use the track at a private school. I kind of run the group of officers who direct traffic every day so maybe that’ll buy me their blessing.
The downside of this approach is the time each session would take since I’d be driving to and from the track. I could pull it off without a track but I don’t want to run that much on concrete and asphalt.
am i reading this right. You want to run instead of train legs and you want to not be able to dunk anymore ?
That is a definite NO. I was just noting my results from my experiment. That’s also why I said this:
Why does it need to be one or the other?
You can always do some higher intensity / lower volume sprints followed by low volume lifting. If you can’t find a track nearby, a low incline grass hill works. Even running on concrete should be okay if you keep volume and distances lower and build up extra slow.
Sounds odd that your vertical got significantly worse while your speed increased.
Because I don’t have the desire to do long workouts - especially leg workouts. If I were to do one of those old running workouts then it would take 45 minutes to an hour. That’s the end of my training day right there. I’m not going to do another 30-45 minutes of lifting afterwards.
I’m at a point where my time commitment to the gym is minimal and I’m trying to find the most bang for my buck while enjoying my training. I’ve been doing this too long to stress about it or do something that eliminates my enjoyment. This is also why repeating that running program is unlikely - my life demands were way different back then. A compromise of running and lifting could be something like running two days a week and lifting legs on a third day. I’m currently just trying to get into two days of some sort of cardio/conditioning. I can do that on weekends but I think it’s better to have one weekend session and one mid-week session. I’m not sure how much progress one can make by training two days and then taking five off (from the running).
I got faster because I was just getting into better shape. I’ve never been in good enough running shape to run a 200m all out. I think my vertical dropped because my strength dropped. I did zero leg lifting during that experiment. As soon as I added it back to my training, my vertical was back and it was almost as good as it’s ever been.
Ya, I know what you mean.
Not only do warmups take longer for a proper sprint workout (at least they do for me) but to and from the track is also a time waster.
I guess it depends what your priorities are. Sounds like you enjoy running more but prefer the results you’ve had from lifting (legs). Do you workout at home or a gym? Even a small straight away could allow for 10m - 30m sprints. Some full recovery sprints, some jumps, 3 sets of cleans, single leg leg press, and hamstrings … that’s a pretty good workout and shouldn’t take very long.
Oh, no, I dislike running very much, but it’s a necessary evil. I don’t to lose the ability to run; therefore, I must run.
I train at home in my basement. I have a nice stretch of sidewalk across the street from my house that I can use for sprints. I can run up to 100m and it’s slightly uphill.
I can tell you haven’t read the past 2000 posts here (don’t blame you LOL) so I’ll give you the Cliff Notes version of my current training.
I came to the realization that I was giving my training too much priority in my life last year. Since then, I’ve tried to chill out a bit and not be so obsessive with things like food and my physique. I’ve made a lot of good progress and I’m pretty happy with the way things are going.
One of the big changes is trying to find the minimal dose needed. I’ve busted my tail over the years and I think I can get 85-90% of the results with about 70% of the effort. Back when I was doing those running workouts three times a week at a track, I worked eight hour days and had no kids. I now work 10 hour days and have two kids. I can’t go home and work out for two hours after work anymore.
I’ve been trying this minimum effective dose thing for a little over six months and I’d say things are going well. I know that it’s possible for me to continue adding muscle to my frame, but it’s going to be a very slow process. If I were to be successful at adding any muscle then I want it to be on my upper body. That’s great news because I don’t really enjoy crushing myself with leg sessions anymore and it means I’m doing very basic and short leg sessions.
I am sore AF from my pathetic leg day. I haven’t done leg curls in over a year and I can tell. The leg press also destroyed me.
I was hoping to lift this morning but work got in the way. I’m about to go take my test for my next job. I have to pass this to get a restricted teaching license… 
Awesome stuff Frank, you’ve got it in the bag already!
I passed! Now I just have to find a job.
Does this mean you’re leaving the police or will this be a training role you run alongside the police?
I’ll be leaving law enforcement altogether. I’m fine with where I’m at now, but I feel led to go into teaching. People ask if I can find a way to work with kids as an officer, but it’s not the same role. And to be quite honest, I want out of this job. The way things are going, there aren’t any positives left.
Could I find a role here and tolerate it and make a living? Absolutely. Do I want to do that? Heck no. I care for my country. I see a problem and I think I can have a small impact as a teacher so that’s what I’m hoping to do.
I knew you were looking to leave (with good cause!) Wasn’t sure if this was training alongside whilst getting it done, but that’s great you can jump ship now!
Well done for following your convictions and doing what you are called to in this season!
The program I’m going to use requires me to pass that test before I’m admitted. The other caveat is that I can’t start taking any classes until I land a teaching job. So even if it doesn’t happen this year, I can’t start chipping away at the classes.
I’m finishing up a couple online classes now. Those fulfill my prerequisites for the Transition to Teaching program. I’m pretty much done with getting ready; now I just have to find a job. Initially I was going for high school only, but I think I’ll look at junior high, too. Landing your first job in the school district is the toughest part. Once you’re in, it’s not too hard to move from school to school. It’s a massive school district. It has eight high schools and enough junior highs to feed those. Each high school has between 1000 and 2400 students.
BENCH
5 x 120, 170, 190, 215
SMITH CRUNCH
85 x 12 x 4
**INCLINE BBB*135 x 10 x 5
BAND PULL DOWN
5 x 10
100 PUSH PRESS (95 lbs)
Five 6 count burpees every break
25, 12, 10, 10, 10, 9, 11, 13 or something like that
Took 14:51 for that last part.
Well this looks awful.
My heart agrees. The push press starts at the blue line. I felt great doing it, though. Even tired, I liked the movement. At the end, I just got more explosive with my legs.
@bigdaddi, I think it was you who struggled with targeting the delts (sorry if I’m mistaken). The 100 push press workout can’t miss them! I don’t know why I picked burpees - I think I did pull ups last time.
Oh, my. I don’t know if it was the push presses or building an eight foot gate for my fence, but I’m hurting today. My lower back is smoked. My shoulders are obviously fatigued and just kind of ache in general. My neck even hurts to the point of giving me a small headache. I think I recruited all hands on deck including traps for the presses and if I hit them good enough then I’ll feel it at the base of my skull where the muscle kind of inserts.
Lucky me, I’m working on my day off. There will be no training today. I had time to be an over achiever and wake up early to run, but nope. Happy Saturday y’all!
