Runners and people looking to drop some fat avoid strength training like the plague. It seems like the smart thing to do…cardio burns calories and helps you with running; so why not just do that? The bottom line is that lifting weights will benefit every aspect of youyr physical life and THERE IS NO DOWNSIDE. I will go through a few:
1) “I don’t want to get bulky/too big”
Putting on muscle is ungodly hard! You will not do it by accident…people trying to put on muscle will throw up and cough up blood trying to add 2-3lbs of muscle.
2) “It will slow me down”
This is wrong and will be proved wrong over and over. Getting stronger will benefit every aspect of your running.
3) “I’ll get hurt”
This is the MOST wrong thing ever! Running is the single most injurious thing we do. More people are injured running than almost anything else. Running is great but at high mileage you will get injured.
are great articles on resistance training for runners.
At an elite level and with youth on your side high volume running is fine. If you are over 25 and not getting paid to run mix it up.
Picture on top is 21 year old elite female runner. No children, trains full time and runs a 38:34 10K.
The second picture is a 37 year old mother of two who runs a few 5ks a year and lifts weights through the winter to stay fit. 1:48 at the Clearwater Half Marathon. She also benches 125lbs and can squat her body weight for her age!
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