Thread: Possible to do strength training while doing a lot of cardio?

I'm in a similar situation so I'd like to know this too.
I wish there was more hours in the day

Originally Posted by gtbmed

I've been doing a lot of cardio lately (running every day of the week, 20+ miles a week along with some swimming) to train for some races I'll be doing this summer and next fall.

Still, I want to continue to strength train. I've been lifting for about 3 years now and have done a bunch of different programs (P/RR/S, 5x5). I'd like to build a good strength training program that will allow me to build strength and continue with my cardio workouts (ideally one that would help my running/swimming) and not put a lot of weight on my frame. That said, I don't have many ideas on how to do this. Is there a good way to build a strength training program around a lot of cardio?

Gtbmed, Patrick Ward (P-funk) has some stuff on this on his blog. Drop him a PM if you can't find it here.

If you don't want to put a lot of weight on your frame, don't eat enough to gain weight. That part's not your routine - it's diet.

OK, so diet is a big factor.

Still, I guess I'll have to read P-funk's blog. It just seems to wear my body down doing strength training along with the cardio I need to do. Maybe I need to decrease volume somewhere, but I'm not sure where.

If your goal is to run distance, then you have to lower the strength training volume (the amount you lower it will depend on how much running you are doing and where you are in your preparation for races).

If you want to be strong, then you obviously need to raise the lifting volume and decrease the running volume.

Can't do both at the same time if you want to excel.

Patrick

Well the main race I want to build for is in November, but I'll be racing plenty during the summer/fall.

I guess I'll say my race is in November, since that's when I'm going to taper.

I'm running around 25 miles a week, but I want to increase that steadily to about 40 miles a week (probably add around 10% per week).

How serious are you taking this race? Are you going for a certain time, or are you just trying to make sure you can finish?

Decide which one is more important, and emphasize that one in your training. Either way, doing some strength training with a shit-ton of cardio is a good idea to maximize running economy. This is especially true this far out from your race.

Finishing? No, I'm not worried about that at all. I could run it tomorrow and finish.

Time is the goal, but I'm not really sure what time I'm going for because I've never run a race this distance before. After I run a few races this summer and see where I'm at I'll know more about what time I want to shoot for. But yeah, the goal of my training right now is to get faster to race for a better time.

Originally Posted by gtbmed

Finishing? No, I'm not worried about that at all. I could run it tomorrow and finish.

Time is the goal, but I'm not really sure what time I'm going for because I've never run a race this distance before. After I run a few races this summer and see where I'm at I'll know more about what time I want to shoot for. But yeah, the goal of my training right now is to get faster to race for a better time.

I guess what I was getting at was the seriousness with which you are training. So, you are looking to maximize performance in this event vs. just doing it to do it, if you catch my drift.

I'll be honest I know little about designing a running program. However, I will tell you that you will for sure have to limit your resistance training volume. I believe in the studies I've seen people have improved their times by implementing 2 days per week of resistance training and cutting back the endurance training volume a bit to compensate, so start from there. You may want to search around to verify this, because it's been a while since I've seen one of these studies.

OK, so lower volume it is. My question is really about how low. Will it just depend on how I'm feeling from week to week?

I'm thinking of maybe a 3 day/week full body workout. Maybe something like this:

Day 1:
2x5 Split squat
3x5 Single leg RDL
3x5 DB Bench press/DB Military press

Day 2:
2x5 Step up
2x5 DB Bench press/DB Military press
2x5 DB Row

Day 3:
2x5 Split squat
3x5 Single leg RDL
3x5 DB Row

Plus add some plyometric exercises to help with landing and injury prevention? I'm not sure what that would entail exactly. Could I incorporate that into my track work?

How much running volume are you doing?

Running about 25-30 miles a week for a while. I'll probably have a few days (maybe 2-3) of speed work included in those miles.