Skip navigation
Community: Exchange advice in the forums and read running commentary Resources: Personal running log, calculators, links and other tools for runners News: Running news from around the world Training: Articles and advice about fitness, race training and injury prevention Races/Results: Find upcoming races and past results Home: The Cool Running homepage
Cool Running homepage  Search Cool Running Community

Up to Threads in General Running Discussion
376 Views 2 Replies Latest reply: Dec 11, 2012 12:26 PM by Jasko123 RSS
tanyinlin Rookie
tanyinlin
1 posts since
Dec 11, 2012
Currently Being Moderated

Dec 11, 2012 5:55 AM

Strength training - doing too much, too often?

Hi guys,

 

I'm a 16-year old female runner trying to lower my 5K PR from 20:15 to sub-20:00 and 10K PR from 41:31 to sub-40:00. Right now my schedule looks like this:

 

  • Monday: AM tempo, PM bodyweight strength
  • Tuesday: AM easy, PM track workout
  • Wednesday: AM easy, PM gym strength
  • Thursday: AM fartlek/tempo, PM bodyweight strength
  • Friday: AM easy, PM gym strength
  • Saturday: AM 90min long run
  • Sunday: AM easy, PM gym strength

 

I'm doing about 40-50 miles a week. As you can see I have some strength work basically everyday. I'm not too concerned about the bodyweight strength exercises, more so about the gym ones.

 

When I go to the gym I usually do 5 sets of 5 40kg squats and on Wednesdays and Sundays I do 47.5kg deadlifts and 15kg lunges and other core exercises. Upper body (bench press, rows etc.) on Fridays.

 

Is it too much? I don't have a coach and don't run for my school team so I don't really have anyone to ask for advice. I've been squatting around 3x a week for the past couple of months and managed to lower my 10K pr by a minute but I'm starting to think perhaps I should back off a bit on the weights and do some faster running.

Tags: 10k, 5k, advice, weights, running_advice
  • BOSNPM We're Not Worthy
    BOSNPM
    2,381 posts since
    Nov 20, 2007
    Currently Being Moderated
    1. Dec 11, 2012 11:13 AM (in response to tanyinlin)
    Strength training - doing too much, too often?

    I think one day of rest would be wise!  Hill repeats will also help!  Light weights not heavy.

  • Jasko123 Legend
    Jasko123
    461 posts since
    Apr 18, 2011
    Currently Being Moderated
    2. Dec 11, 2012 12:26 PM (in response to tanyinlin)
    Strength training - doing too much, too often?

    You may want to talk with a personal trainer to structure a more specific plan so that your weight lifting is best targeting those areas most beneficial to running.  In most cases, three days of quality strength work would be enough, so might also want to consider some other cross-training (swimming, cycling, a variety of other gym machines and so on).  Too much "muscle bulk" will actually slow you down, and you also do not want to over-strain areas important to running performance. 

     

    I think you have a good plan to focus on intervals and tempo runs, since increasing speed is the goal.  You would also be okay adding another LR to your weekly schedule to replace some of the gym sessions and better prepare for 10k events. 

     

    Wishing you all the best.

More Like This

  • Retrieving data ...

Legend

  • Correct Answers - 10 points
  • Helpful Answers - 7 points