Running and strength/weight training: how to combine without negative impact

[Stumpedasatree]

I used to be a 100% runner, and for the last year, have now been alternating running with weight training (Caroline Girvan or Peloton) and spinning (running 3x a week, weights 3x, spin 4x or thereabouts). Went for a short run this morning and legs just feel so dead and heavy. I last did a weights session 2 days ago, but seem to have a lot of residual muscle soreness or heaviness that seems to be really affecting my pace and usual running fitness. I have seen benefits to hill running though! Any thoughts on how to best manage this?

I weight train 3 xs a week and run 3 xs a week. I make sure to never run after leg days. I've don't often get doms now tbh but my legs do sometimes feel heavy. It could be if your doing spin as well that it's all too much. Apart from your legs do you feel you are recovering well? Also it doesn't look like your having any rest days?

I’m not very good at taking rest days and think that’s possibly some of the problem. That and maybe my age, perimeno?

Depending on the nature of your spin sessions, they might essentially be another leg day. Can you adjust the resistance so you feel it less in your quads and more aerobically?

That’s quite a lot with the spin as well so you may be struggling to recover. Like pp I do 3 x weights and 3 x run a week. I do the same 3 workouts, push, pull, legs every week. If you do the same weight sessions every week you shouldn't get doms after a few weeks. Your body will adapt. Same again as pp, I just sometimes get heavy legs. If you change the exercises you will get sore. I also try to avoid running after a leg day if pos.

Make sure you’re getting plenty of sleep and protein in for recovery too.

What stretches do you do after a weights session or run, and what mobility movements do you do to warm up for each session? Legs feeling sore suggests you need to stretch out more, and maybe roll quads and IT band. And a lot of running but no proper mobility work will also lead to soreness and tightness.

If you do the same weight sessions every week you shouldn't get doms after a few weeks. Your body will adapt. Same again as pp, I just sometimes get heavy legs. If you change the exercises you will get sore

But if you don't change your routine after, say 6-10 weeks, you won't make gains, unless you're in a linear progression f overload (weights). Once your body is used to a set pattern of movement, it won't stress it enough to get muscle growth.

It's the same with cardio fitness - steady state cardio is less & less effective to gain fitness, because your body adapts & adjusts.

DOMS means you've worked in ways your body has to adjust to - and that leads to muscle and/or cardio gains.

I now add a Pilates session a couple of times a week to help with flexibility and stretching,

Thank all, some things to think about. I vary the weight sessions, and mostly warm up and cool down although could improve! My HR gets higher more easily with running versus spinning, interestingly. I just feel different to a few years ago when I felt bursting with energy and speed - all light footed etc! Now it is much more of a sluggish and painful plod.

This is a myth. As long as you’re training to failure, consuming protein correctly and eating the right amount of calories you will make gains. No need to change exercises unless you get bored. Split squats don’t become less effective just because you get used to them! It’s all still progressive overload IF done correctly and would make much more sense to stick to a consistent routine if you’re running as well and want to avoid doms.

Progressive overload with running is just done differently, ie steady run, long easy run, intervals, progressive run etc. Consistently sticking to a regular training plan doing the same mix of sessions every week is better than doing entirely different things every week. You’ll just eventually get faster for the same amount of effort. Push yourself hard in the sessions and you’ll progressively get faster over time. The same way you would start to lift heavier, get stronger and build muscle doing the same exercises in the gym.

You need rest days. I now have a routine where I run and weight train the same day on 3 days. So Caroline girvan followed by a 3-4 mile run, then on one day I do a long run. This gives me 3 recovery days a week. Mostly I find my legs are fine for running.

I am a runner. During lockdown I did a lot more cycling because I needed to exercise with my young son. I ended up with cyclist legs rather than runner legs. Cleats helped with this.
I don't cycle as much now. I swim and do (not enough) weight work. It's a circuits class rather than the gym and I am not working my legs with heavy weights, more my upper body and lots of core.
I reached menopause earlier this year and have felt a return of my running form, where I feel like a runner rather than someone running a race who doesn't like running!

I tend to run 3 times a week (intervals, medium and long run), swim once a week and strength once a week. The swim is the day after my long run day.