Need a little help

[mrsyancy]

I would like opinions about if u think i may be doing too much. I am going to begin running 5-6 days per week with one rest day and i also want to incorporate high rep dvds with my running. I was going to do at least 3-4 days of 2 full body total body dvds, and one or two lower body workouts and one day of stretching or yoga. I lost a good amount of weight last time i incorporated running so i want to do it again and see if it helps (and plus i love to run) but this time i want to add in weight lifting to see if i can get some nice definition also. I know i must eat right also, but just want to know what u guys think.

Thank u

 

[tralaiven]

Hi mrsyancey....well, since you asked....

I think that training schedule sounds a little steep. Now, I only say that because I had a training schedule like that last year and not only did I NOT lose weight, but I got seriously injured because I was doing too much. Because of my injury, I ended up having to sit on my butt for 2 months...not even allowed to walk....I shattered the ball of my humerus and had to keep it still so it would heal. In retrospect, I think I did not lose weight because I was training too hard and I think my body went into protective mode or something, or maybe I was just so famished I ate too much. Anyway, as I had to sit...then I lost weight and have kept it off for months now with a less rigorous exercise schedule.

If it were me...I would only run 3 times per week and do 2 total body weight lifting days.

But I certainly wish you the best and just ask you to please, please be careful and don't push your body beyond safety!

best wishes.

 

[mini-natty]

Hello there,

Obviously I'm not a fitness expert, but I would have to agree with Tracy on this one. Let me clarify, you want to run 5-6 days/week + 4 weight training w/o's in addition? I think you may be doing a little too much, but only you can determine that. There are people here that probably have a similar schedule and thrive on it. You know your body and it's limitations the best. Have you tried asking Cathe if she could possible set up a running rotation for you with weight training incorporated? You would not want to set yourself up for over-training and injury, like Tracy mentioned.

Take care,

Natasha

 

[nkhansen1]

As a runner, I think 5-6 days of running is too much. Even when training for a marathon you only run three days a week with other cardio training in between runs. When I get crazy with too many running days, my knees, hips and IT bands get sad...soooo sad!

Other than that, I think your plan looks good! I do cardio 5-6 days a week and lift 3-4 days a week. I only run two or three times during the week, and use HiiT, step, Insanity or my elliptical machine for the other days, or whatever the cardio happens to be on the rotation. My weight days I like to do split style for sure three days a week, and one total body workout if I can get it in.

Factor in some extra calories for sure! You will need them!

 

[MelanieC]

This is such a helpful topic - I'm going to start up running again and train for a half-marathon in September. I was wondering how often I need to run per week, and I really appreciate knowing that I only need to run 3x per week. Good to know! I was thinking that I have to run every day.

I don't want to overtrain either and burn myself out. So this is a good reminder.

 

[nkhansen1]

This is such a helpful topic - I'm going to start up running again and train for a half-marathon in September. I was wondering how often I need to run per week, and I really appreciate knowing that I only need to run 3x per week. Good to know! I was thinking that I have to run every day.

I don't want to overtrain either and burn myself out. So this is a good reminder.

MelanieC, go to Runner'sWorld.com and you can download free training schedules for whatever distance you're wanting to run. It's such a great tool!

Also, keep in mind that you want to do things like interval runs and hills when you train, not just steady state runs all the time. There's a lot of that incorporated in the RW training schedules.

 

[mini-natty]

Sorry to hijack this thread....

Natalie or Mrsyancy
Which Cathe w/or is similar to a 45min interval treadmill run?? Also a 45min steady state treadmill run? It's on March's rotation. I don't plan on running and I don't have a treadmill. Would an Imax be comparable??

Thanks!
Natasha

 

[nkhansen1]

Sorry to hijack this thread....

Natalie or Mrsyancy
Which Cathe w/or is similar to a 45min interval treadmill run?? Also a 45min steady state treadmill run? It's on March's rotation. I don't plan on running and I don't have a treadmill. Would an Imax be comparable??

Thanks!
Natasha

An interval run is kind of like HiiT training, alternating high intensity with a low intensity or a short recovery. A good sub for an interval run would be CCC, any of the HiiTs, any of the Imaxes (with the step segment and then the blast).

Any straight stepping or bootcamp cardio workout would sub for a steady state run. So Athletic Step, Step Moves, Cardio Fusion, the cardios from 4DS, the step portions of LIC and LIS.

 

[TRSTACIE]

Running

I was thinking about running as well with weight training. I was thinking of a 6 day a week plan alternating between STS and running with one day of rest. With the warmer months coming up, it seemed like a good idea but I wondered if that combo would be too much so I would have to agree that 6 days a week sounds like a lot. I suppose it depends too on how much....I would assume you were planning on more than a mile or two. You know your body and your limitations best though.

Nat - I would think a boot camp DVD is the closest to running. Some of them even have the sprints in them. 4DS has a good bootcamp workout.

 

[jdimascio]

As a runner, I think 5-6 days of running is too much. Even when training for a marathon you only run three days a week with other cardio training in between runs. When I get crazy with too many running days, my knees, hips and IT bands get sad...soooo sad!

Other than that, I think your plan looks good! I do cardio 5-6 days a week and lift 3-4 days a week. I only run two or three times during the week, and use HiiT, step, Insanity or my elliptical machine for the other days, or whatever the cardio happens to be on the rotation. My weight days I like to do split style for sure three days a week, and one total body workout if I can get it in.

Factor in some extra calories for sure! You will need them!

I agree with nkhansen. You really don't need to run that much...also, what are these runs running consisting of? Are they all steady state, are they long runs, are the a mix of everything?

I have been running for years and found that running less works better for me. Less chances of injury, overuse, faster times...too much of one thing is never a good thing. Variety is the key!!

 

[jdimascio]

Sorry to hijack this thread....

Natalie or Mrsyancy
Which Cathe w/or is similar to a 45min interval treadmill run?? Also a 45min steady state treadmill run? It's on March's rotation. I don't plan on running and I don't have a treadmill. Would an Imax be comparable??

Thanks!
Natasha

Running involves only moving forward, right? However, to add variety, runners will change things up...hills, sprints, intervals, steady state, repeats, etc...

Anyway, if something calls for running on a rotation, interval would be similar to any of the Imaxes. Steady state could be a step workout like rhythmic step...something that doesn't involve changing your speed. Obviously you are getting lateral moves in these wokrouts and it just not the same as running..but you can absolutely substitute running with any of Cathe's workouts. It's all about variety, especially when it comes to cardio.

 

[mrsyancy]

Thank you all for your responses....that's y i wanted to ask.....b/c i use to run in college and have been running on and off since, but in college i didn't lift any weights and was just running 4 miles 6 days per week with no problems at that time ( i was younger too....lol)...so that's y i was wondering if that would be much with incorporating weight lifting....i also failed to mention that i am training for a 1/2 marathon with a few friends in october so thank u melanie for mentioning that and i will also check out the runner's world site that u mentioned nkhansen.....so again i thank u all so much for ur input....u guys are all so awesome