Running and Squatting

jrt6

did you really push the race, or did you just run it to finish it? what was your time?

Two tips, that should help with potential knee problems. I don’t know what is your goal with squats but if you could change them (at least for periodized blocks) for one leg lifts (bulgarian split squats, step downs, one leg DL, etc.) that would help you a lot. Also it has better carry over to running than squats, IMO. The other thing: don’t be affraid of add some imbalance to training from time to time. For example I like to do barefoot step downs from a box with a thick foam put over it. That helps even more with building all the stabilizing muscles.

[quote]spk wrote:
jrt6

did you really push the race, or did you just run it to finish it? what was your time?[/quote]

Yeah I pushed it. My time was only 24:22 but I didn’t really train for it and there were issues with walkers who insisted on being on the starting line which really fucked up the start times. My average mile was about 7:44. Since I’m focusing on squatting 2-3 times a week I’m just trying to maintain on my runs.

I have an 8k in September that’s important to me so I’m going to increase my running to two days a week right (hard days) now and then in August I’ll take squatting down to one week and run 3-4 times a week (hard day and a few mileage days).

Personally I found my squat took a hit as I increased running. But I am by no means genetically gifted when it comes to either strenght or cardio.

I got my 5k down to 19.40, but lost about 10-15 kg on my squat. I was doing alot of cardio during that period, but was squatting regularly. I echo the sentiment in this thread that it is probably better to focus mostly on one at a time, and put the other in maintenance mode, ie if you squat hard 2-3 times a week, maybe one long run to maintain an aerobic base and some interval training to maintain speed and lactate tolerance. I found that when I was trying to squat hard 3 times a week and pushing the running hard my legs would be shot all the time.

I’ve found this to be a difficult pursuit (running and squatting well at the same time). I am a former semi-competitive elite triathlete. Once pulled out a 1hour 17minute half marathon, AFTER my 1.2 mile swim and 56mile bike (my only really great claim from those days, hah!) I have moved on from those days but i still like to run even though my focus is strength training now.

Basically i have found this to be true…if i run like i can, even if it is just 2-3 times a week, my squat goes no where. If i stop running squat immediately starts rising again. Strangely enough, the squatting doesn’t negatively effect my running but running definitely hurts my squatting. Everybody is unique though, so this is just how i have found i react to doing both.

I thought I was the only freak running and squatting but seeing the number of posts I guess I am not alone.
Jaice, to answer your question I have tried to combine both regularly for the past 3-4 years. I am 45 and 190lbs.
I find the key is to cycle the focus of my training depending on the short term goal. I run half marathons each spring and autumn and need a dedicated 8 - 10 week training plan to get my stamina and endurance in place (I average a 1hr 46min half). During this time strength training drops to twice a week with squats once a week. I find working sets of 8-10 reps with approx 60% max is sufficient to maintain a base strength foundation whilst running.

The rest of the year is focussed on strength and conditioning, and I base my routine on 5x5 or 5/3/1 (currently squatting 405lb for 3). I supplement this with a brief interval based run once a week and an easy 3-4 mile run at the weekend. For me this is sufficient to keep a running base throughout the year. Interestingly, I find that the switch in focus between the two helps maintain my enthusiasm for both activities.

I am just a recreational runner and lifter so this works for me, but I guess if you want to get really good at either you have to commit to one or the other and decide what it is your training for.

Interesting thread topic. I don’t know if it is just me but heavy squats actually improved my short burst sprint speed. Longger distances though were greatly affected. My PFT time in the 3 mile sucked when I lifted heavy on squats.

I found that a day or two after I do heavy squats (85% and up) there’s a negative effect on my running. My hamstrings and glutes are too tight and sore for me to get into a long stride. I guess that’s sort of an obvious cause-and-effect.

Yesterday I did KB squat thrusts and overhead plate lunges (front and back). I was going for high reps with light weight. Today I feel perfectly fine and plan on doing a 2 mile run at an 8-minute pace. But if I squat or deadlift heavy I know I need at least one day off before I can run.

I usually run twice a week at, or more than, the above-mentioed distance/pace. I weight train 3x a week, normally one heavy and the other two are CrossFit workouts.

I got a race that I really train for coming up in September and I have a goal of repping 400lb on the Olympic squat by the fall too (I’m 80lbs away but I can regular squat that weight pretty easily) so lets see what I can pull off.

My max squat went up a couple kgs when my running fitness increased. Once I stopped squatting and did nothing but running for 2 weeks, it dropped.

Thought Id like to mention that chinese olympic weightlifters go for morning runs everyday followed by gpp sessions. They can squat 3x their bodyweight and are most likely the strongest oly team.

I’m in the US Army, weight 198 and can squat right below a 400 and run a 12:45 two mile. Not that impressive, but a year ago I was running a 14:00 two mile and squatting around 300 flat. Yes you can improve, it just takes a lot of work. I’m in Korea currently and all we do is run most mornings, and then in the evenings I lift. Running isn’t too harsh after squat day, I tend to find it sucks more when your lower back is destroyed from heavy dead’s and it hurts to breath. Still, it is possible to make progress on both. Good luck

I recently cranked up my mileage and speed work because I have two important cancer races coming up in the early fall and my squat has taken a nose dive. However now that I reset the weight my first goal is to get back to where I was when I was just running maintenance and then a little higher. Starting in Nov I’ll take the running back down and focus on the squat through the winter and early spring.

I’ve gone back and forth with running and heavy lifting. I’ve always run into problems doing both at a high level. Easing up on one while focusing on the other is the way to go. You can alternate your focus a few times then try cranking it up on both fronts. I’ve yet to be successful at this but will be trying it again soon. I noticed a drop in endurance during running when I last tried to lift heavy and run long distance. Speed didn’t suffer as much as endurance with heavy squatting. I’m an ultrarunner and became more of an ultrawalker when I squatted heavy. It’ll be a challenge to excel on both fronts…but I don’t believe it’s impossible.

I’m doing good still although my legs are always tired and sore.

There was an article on starting strength a while back by some army guy who’d actually ran a strength-based program with a bunch of young soldiers.
I can’t find it right now as the site isn’t cooperating with my browser, but I seem to remember their mile time actually went DOWN when he stuck them on the strength-based program. To be fair, they were also running once a week on distances up to a mile.

They certainly weren’t going for three miles at a time though.
To be fair again, when they were put back on training specific for the APFT, their mile time went down further, but months of normal PT hadn’t produced that effect.
Wasn’t there a greek temple with the words “Nothing in excess” etched on it?

OP here’s how you will achieve your goals.
First you will drop your body weight to 60kg, then you will run a killer 3 mile if you train right and you will only have to squat 120kg to have your 2X body weight squat.
Easy!

I had a very slight hip flexor strain last week when I was warming up with a 230lb squat a few days after I did a 5k. I would definitely recommend paying particular attention to those muscles when stretching and warming up.
In the past however, combining deadlifting and running has worked very well for me.

Jim schmitz on iron mind has a nice article addressing this - called ‘running and weightlifting’

any time you try to combine 2 diciplines, you’ll be average at best on both… its great doing both, but you are always going to stay average at both…

Haven’t bothered reading all the replies to this but think it’s a load of bollocks that you can only be average at both.

My squatting and running is by no means advanced but at the same time it’s not average. I am 77kg and squat 160kg at the minute, run a 1:39 half marathon, have completed weighted 30 mile run/rucks, 12 hour rucks on the hills, a 19.50 5K, 8.40 1.5 miler.

Not usually a fan of posting times and weights, take them or leave them but it’s possible, you just have to be sensible about training. That being said, if you dedicate yourself to one discipline more than the other, you will improve more in that particular field. However, you CAN progress in both.

At the minute I’m dedicating myself to squatting, and my running isn’t suffering. What I do find though is running higher mileage runs usually impedes squatting the next day, or later in the day. Think the original OP was actually interested in the Royal Marines - you will find a lot of people within that organisation who put up respectable numbers in the weight room, on the track, and in longer races, myself included.

I squat most days, run low mileage - up to 10 per week. I sprint a lot, run hills when I’m out on longer runs, and I do a fair bit of rowing. My volume is high given the nature of the job.

Keep pushing hard. It hurts, some days it will be grim, but keep pushing. People underestimate just how hard, physically and mentally you have to push yourself to get better.