? for runners.. How do you work in Leg Strength Training

[Lynn M.]

Hi everybody and fellow runners!!

I am in process of training for a 1/2 marathon that is coming up on April 2nd. The training for it is going really well, but I am trying to figure what day do put in leg strength training.

Running is not my first love, strength training is..so, I am also trying to get that to fit in to my program as well.

Right now my rotation looks like this, but am not sure where exactly to put my leg strength training day.. what do you other runners do?

Mon. Chest/Abs + 1/2 hr moderate cardio (step or kickbox)
Tues: Legs Workout + Interval run 3-4 miles
Wed: Back/Bis/Abs + 1/2 hour moderate cardio
Thur: Long Run 8-10 miles + Nap
Fri: Shoulders/Abs + 1/2 hour swimming of laps ( if not too tired)
Sat: Tris/Stretch + 4 miles steady run
Sun: REST

I will be using the Hardcore Gym series for strength training.

Any suggestions or modifications from anybody would be most appreciated.

Thanks in advance, Lynn M.

 

[Mckmain]

Hi Lynn...I am one those unusual runners that has more benefits training my legs 3 times a week. Right now I am running about 45-50 miles a week training so I am not doing much other cardio. I have found kickboxing though to be helpful and non-impact. Last yr after doing a P90X rotation I feel I lost leg strength as you didn't do much leg weight work in that rotation. So a typical week looks like this for me:

Mon: Back,shoulders& biceps...3-5 mile run
Tues: Endurance leg work, core or ab work and a 6-8 mile run
Wed: Chest,& triceps, 8-11 mile run
Thurs: strength leg work, core or abs, 6-8 mile run
Fri: Back, shoulders and biceps, 3-5 mile run
Sat: Chest and triceps, strength Leg work, abs, maybe..kickbox
Sun: Stretch and long run 18-20 miles

I do sometimes work my shoulders, biceps and tris another day if I can.I have found that leg work does for sure help prevent injuries as a runner. You do have too find the right mix though and I know other runners will post also! I am loving the Hardcore Gym Styles and have gotten some more dyna bands...good luck in your half marathon......Carole

 

[AndreaL]

I struggle with getting leg work in when I'm training for a long event (1/2 marathon or higher) because my legs are so tired.

I am doing this right now and hope it will work when my runs become longer. I also hope to add some leg strength time. I've been doing yoga most days as well.

Sun. Long run

Mon. Upper body and abs

Tue. Interval/hill run and 15 min. of legs (today was the first 15 min. of Gym Style. I stopped after the plies and it was still a great little workout).

Wed. Upper body and abs

Thu. Spin

Fri. Medium run and abs

Sat. Low intensity bike outside or rest

Have fun training and enjoy the race!

Andrea

 

[Lynn M.]

Hi Girls-

Thanks so much for the replies!

Carole, I remember some of your posts in re to P90x last summer! You always are so helpful and you look AMAZING in your pic! I agree with you on the lack of strength work for legs in P90X, I lost some there too.
In regard to your leg strength work while training, do you try to do really heavy or do you go more endurance focused or a mix? Also, do you focus on a particular part of your leg, ie more hamstring, or just try to hit everything?

This running thing is fun, but to honest, I will look forward to it being done so I can do more of the cardio workouts from the Hardcore series which I haven't even had a chance to dig into yet!

Take care, Lynn M.

 

[Mckmain]

Thanks Lynn for the nice compliments....... You have a great pic yourself! My heavy workouts twice a week are from PLB,S&H and PS. Right now the heaviest I lift is about 60lbs. The endurance workouts once a week are from either L&G and TS5 or Gym Style Legs. My quads need the most work so I do leg extensions on a weight bench on my heavy days. I also do calves with weights on those days.

My first love is running followed by weights. I do more of Cathes cardio when I am not training for any runs......Carole

 

[Dutchie42]

Hi Lynn,

I have a knee problem, so LB w/o are extremely important to my running. I do my leg work on days I don't run as it otherwise might aggrevate my knee. And I do UB strength work on days I run. I run every other day at the moment.

My current 2 week schedule looks something like this:
Mon: 6K fartlek + an UB w/o + abs
Tue: L&G + endurance leg w/o like ME or Power Hour
Wed: 7K temporun + an UB w/o + abs
Thu: S&H legs and PLB standing only
Fri: 6K easy run + an UB w/o +abs
Sat: Imax2 + PlyoX
Sun: 10 mile long run + I try to add a yoga w/o

Mon: L&G +endurance leg w/o
Tue: 6K fartlek run + UB w/o + abs
Wed: S&H legs + PLB standing only
Thu: 7K temporun + UB w/o + abs
Fri: Imax2+PlyoX
Sat: 10 mile long run + I try to add a yoga w/o
Sun: total body workout like all of ME, MIS or Power Hour or I take the day off.

I run with my son and either my life or his life gets in the way of my w/o's sometimes and I have to move things around. If I can't do a weekday run for some reason, I do 45min on the elliptical. I also sometimes use the elliptical on days I don't run for an added cardio w/o.

Enjoy the race Lynn,

Dutchie

ETA: typo's