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The best way for endurance runners to bring down their times is to run more. Weight and muscle mass is the enemy. The muscles you want strong are the exact ones that are exercised by running.
All the injuries you list are related to poor form and won't be prevented by cross training, only in the fact that cross training lessens the MPW.
Weight and muscle mass might be the enemy, however strength is not. It has been shown time and again more strength translates to a more powerful stride so you either cover more ground or use less energy to cover less ground. Also, strength training also makes the sodium/potassium pump in our cells more efficient, meaning less energy consumed over time. And yes, strength training will do quite a bit to help prevent overuse injuries since your helping your muscles take over their proper roles rather than forcing them to be relegated to something they're not supposed to do; IE why so many runner have pulled hamstrings, tight IT bands, etc. Focusing on form can and does help but you need strength training
Again, did you read my articles or are you just repeating conventional wisdom? I haven't come across articles that say "Research proves strength training is bad for endurance" yet.
I will like to know how much exercise time is needed and for how long before one gets really start to get into shape? I have a busy work schedule so I try to exercise in the gym at least 30-45 mins everyday and on weekends about 1.5 hrs to 2 hrs including lifting some weights. Is that enough? I have started exercising since beginning this year and couple with dieting, has brought my weight under control ( BMI from 30 to 24 ), but I also wish to have broader shoulders, biceps and a flatter stomach.
I have been trying to research about this on the internet but there seems to be 101 answers, all different.
It seems that you're getting 101 answers here as well. That's not necessarily a bad thing. It can be a problem, because sometimes you get contradictory information from people who don't know what they are talking about, but you can also get varying pieces of advice because different people have different goals, so they're giving you information based on what works for them as they work toward their particular goals.
So what are your goals? Saying you want to "get into shape" doesn't give people much to work with when offering information, because the term "in shape" has different meanings for different people. Are you interested mainly in looks or conditioning? If you want to develop your conditioning, are you looking for a basic level of fitness for health, or do you want something more intense, like a medium to high level of conditioning? Or are you training for a particular sport? And do you want to emphasize aerobic fitness (cardio), muscle development, or a balance between the two?
Also, what are you doing now? Just saying that you "exercise" in the gym, which includes "lifting some weights," doesn't give a good picture of how much and what kind of exercise you are doing. What specific exercises for cardio, for how long, at how much intensity? What exercises with weights, how many sets, and how many reps per set?
Without this info, people can't really give you much sound advice about how to achieve your particular goals.
Weight and muscle mass might be the enemy, however strength is not. It has been shown time and again more strength translates to a more powerful stride so you either cover more ground or use less energy to cover less ground. Also, strength training also makes the sodium/potassium pump in our cells more efficient, meaning less energy consumed over time. And yes, strength training will do quite a bit to help prevent overuse injuries since your helping your muscles take over their proper roles rather than forcing them to be relegated to something they're not supposed to do; IE why so many runner have pulled hamstrings, tight IT bands, etc. Focusing on form can and does help but you need strength training
Again, did you read my articles or are you just repeating conventional wisdom? I haven't come across articles that say "Research proves strength training is bad for endurance" yet.
I am happy that you are so fitness concerned. In my opinion the time you have scheduled for your fitness Regime, is correct. Excess of Anything is bad, this works for "Exercise" also. But yes doing exercise should be your every day task, so never stop doing it. Drink loads of Water to keep yourself hydrated. Eat Nutritious food and yes if you want to build your biceps and all, then you need to take more of proteins in your diet and other things recommended by your fitness instructor.
I will like to know how much exercise time is needed and for how long before one gets really start to get into shape? I have a busy work schedule so I try to exercise in the gym at least 30-45 mins everyday and on weekends about 1.5 hrs to 2 hrs including lifting some weights. Is that enough? I have started exercising since beginning this year and couple with dieting, has brought my weight under control ( BMI from 30 to 24 ), but I also wish to have broader shoulders, biceps and a flatter stomach.
I have been trying to research about this on the internet but there seems to be 101 answers, all different.
The key is exertion. You need to exert yourself every time you set foot in that gym. Work out hard and you will see results. I see multiple people at my gym who sit down on the recumbent bike, pull out a magazine, put the resistance on 3 (out of 20) and spin at about 30 RPM for an hour. I don't want to rag on them since they can exercise any way they want, but the point is that if you want to improve your physique you're going to need more than that.
If you want to improve your cardiovascular fitness, you better be sweating. If you want to bulk up, you better be lifting heavy. Exertion is the key that a lot of people miss. My workouts rarely exceed an hour. The way I see it, if I'm not tired at the end of an hour then I didn't train hard enough. My cardio days rarely exceed 45 minutes and always include intervals. Sometimes they are as short as 30 minutes. It's all about intensity.
The beauty of fitness is that there is no one magic formula. We are all different and there are a lot of variables. Age, sex,
current health, fitness goals, available time and so on. There are 101 answers because, quite frankly, there are 101 ways to achieve results. Just be patient and try not to get so caught up in trying to have the "perfect" workout. It's ok to take all the information in and piece together something that works based on what your current goals and time constraints are. I think going to the same place (gym) and doing the same routine over and over would certainly kill it for me. Incorporate your own ideas as well others ideas. Try to make it fun and entertaining. Change up the scenery where you workout to keep it interesting. Supplement you workout with a new hobby or sport that helps motivate you to stay fit.
Eat healthy, let your body rest and for goodness sakes don't forget to indulge every now and then. Yes, eat a large bowl of
ice cream or have a few slices of pizza. Just workout a little harder the next day Good luck!
It seems that you're getting 101 answers here as well. That's not necessarily a bad thing. It can be a problem, because sometimes you get contradictory information from people who don't know what they are talking about, but you can also get varying pieces of advice because different people have different goals, so they're giving you information based on what works for them as they work toward their particular goals.
So what are your goals? Saying you want to "get into shape" doesn't give people much to work with when offering information, because the term "in shape" has different meanings for different people. Are you interested mainly in looks or conditioning? If you want to develop your conditioning, are you looking for a basic level of fitness for health, or do you want something more intense, like a medium to high level of conditioning? Or are you training for a particular sport? And do you want to emphasize aerobic fitness (cardio), muscle development, or a balance between the two?
Also, what are you doing now? Just saying that you "exercise" in the gym, which includes "lifting some weights," doesn't give a good picture of how much and what kind of exercise you are doing. What specific exercises for cardio, for how long, at how much intensity? What exercises with weights, how many sets, and how many reps per set?
Without this info, people can't really give you much sound advice about how to achieve your particular goals.
Thanks for all the inputs from the folks here! I will try to answer as best I could.
About a years ago, I was really overweight, about 20kgs or 40lb overweight, and "chubby", with a big stomach because I like to eat. My doctor says I need to go on diet and exercise more otherwise I am exposing myself to all sorts of potential health problems. I also got high cholesterol. So I go on a strict diet, cutting down my portions and begin my current exercise regime. Now my BMI is basically already OK which I suppose means I am not overweight?
I now look and feel much better about myself and since I have lost weight, now my goals are to add more muscles to my body, ie get into shape. I have what I feel are skinny arms and small biceps, and my chest isn't much of a looker either. So I want bigger arms and biceps, but definitely not to the size of professional bodybuilder, that will be too much, but maybe just more well build and muscular. Basically I want to look better and also more healthy.
My exercise routine involves cardio where I exercise on a thread mill elevated at 15 Deg angle and runs for about 30 mins ( at least an hour if weekend ) at the speed of 6.0 km/hr. My heart rate reaches around 160 during this exercise. Afterwards, I will do some weight lifting with the weight set at 40 ( I am not sure if that means it is 40kgs but the weight shows "40" ), lift up and down about 30 times. Then the step machine ( which use my legs to push against the plate ) for about 30 times at 50. Sorry, I am not familiar with the specific names of the gym equipment so maybe a picture is better, the two weight equipment I am talking about look something like this :
I am always tired after exercise so I think I have exerted myself, especially during weekends when I exercise much longer. I am in currently in my late 30s. Hope this helps to clarify. Appreciate all your advice!
Eat healthy, let your body rest and for goodness sakes don't forget to indulge every now and then. Yes, eat a large bowl of
ice cream or have a few slices of pizza. Just workout a little harder the next day Good luck!
OH... I wish! But I can't indulge like that! I have low metabolism and I put on weight easily. My diet nowadays is a light breakfast ( bread and eggs ) and lunch ( rice ), skip dinner but snacks when I am really hungry, like cookies, chocolates and milk. Yeah... still not healthy..
Weight training won't help you in completing a marathon
I stand by what I said. There is no one here (or anywhere) who is completing a marathon in a reasonable time (let's say sub-4:30) by NOT doing cardio. There's no one who lifts weights and does NOT run that will complete a marathon in a reasonable time. If you're running 50-60 miles a week and supplement your exercise with lifting, great. But weight lifting alone is not achieving that goal.
The amount of anti-cardio bias here is hilarious: "cardio does nothing for achieving any physical appearance goals."
!???? So Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Djokovic don't have great bodies? They do 95% cardio, none lift weights except marginally. People who hike 140 miles a week and don't lift weights can't have great bodies?
That's simply absurd.
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Good luck!
