JP Fitness Forums - View Single Post - How to structure cardio with 3 day full body

Spartan300Man · 06-10-2009, 11:54 PM

I also like to run and have been doing it off and on for a few years, but a little more seriously for about a year now. I came to the point where I had to decide if I wanted to train for and run a marathon, or concentrate on faster shorter runs like 5K and 10K and keep my weight training. I didn't think I could become really good at both, I had to choose one or the other. I have chosen the weights and shorter distance running. As far as lifting, I was doing body part split routines, but never did a lot of legs because I fell for that same myth about running being a replacement for weight training on the legs. So it wasn't until I started with the total-body weight lifting, 3x per week, sometimes 4, and I can tell you that my supposedly "strong runners legs" couldn't keep up at first. The kind of workout you get running versus the kind your whole lower body gets with 'proper' weight training is totally different. I was doing the NRoL programs, and have also started some Huge-I-A-Hurry too. The squats, deadlifts, lunges were all tough. I would NOT recommend skipping legs or only doing them 1 time per week. Several things to consider: The total body workouts use those exercises like dead and squats because they work not just the front of your legs, they work hamstrings, calves, core, lower back, abs, obliques, glutes, etc like no running will do. Running is an endurance exercise, whereas weightlifting is a strength exercise. It would be like doing 300 curls with a 5lb barbell compared to doing sets of 5x5 or 25 total reps going 'heavy'. Totally different. Also, the total body routines like NRoL work that core/legs because those are some of the largest muscle areas on your body, and working them triggers your body to adapt and react, i.e. weight loss, muscle gain, metabolism, etc. I have moved away from back/biceps day and "tris and delts day" and instead use the total body workouts and have seen much better results as far as my strength, fat loss, muscle gain. I am also seeing my times on everything from 1-mile runs up to 4 miles runs getting faster as my legs get stronger.
fwiw, I usually run intervals, or fartleks, sprints, etc. I do one 'long' day per week, as much as 5-6 miles, sometimes just 4-5.

06-10-2009, 11:54 PM	#4 (permalink)
Spartan300Man Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: illinois Posts: 36	I also like to run and have been doing it off and on for a few years, but a little more seriously for about a year now. I came to the point where I had to decide if I wanted to train for and run a marathon, or concentrate on faster shorter runs like 5K and 10K and keep my weight training. I didn't think I could become really good at both, I had to choose one or the other. I have chosen the weights and shorter distance running. As far as lifting, I was doing body part split routines, but never did a lot of legs because I fell for that same myth about running being a replacement for weight training on the legs. So it wasn't until I started with the total-body weight lifting, 3x per week, sometimes 4, and I can tell you that my supposedly "strong runners legs" couldn't keep up at first. The kind of workout you get running versus the kind your whole lower body gets with 'proper' weight training is totally different. I was doing the NRoL programs, and have also started some Huge-I-A-Hurry too. The squats, deadlifts, lunges were all tough. I would NOT recommend skipping legs or only doing them 1 time per week. Several things to consider: The total body workouts use those exercises like dead and squats because they work not just the front of your legs, they work hamstrings, calves, core, lower back, abs, obliques, glutes, etc like no running will do. Running is an endurance exercise, whereas weightlifting is a strength exercise. It would be like doing 300 curls with a 5lb barbell compared to doing sets of 5x5 or 25 total reps going 'heavy'. Totally different. Also, the total body routines like NRoL work that core/legs because those are some of the largest muscle areas on your body, and working them triggers your body to adapt and react, i.e. weight loss, muscle gain, metabolism, etc. I have moved away from back/biceps day and "tris and delts day" and instead use the total body workouts and have seen much better results as far as my strength, fat loss, muscle gain. I am also seeing my times on everything from 1-mile runs up to 4 miles runs getting faster as my legs get stronger. fwiw, I usually run intervals, or fartleks, sprints, etc. I do one 'long' day per week, as much as 5-6 miles, sometimes just 4-5.