I have gotten to a point in my routine where I can manage 30 minutes jogging (it’s a start). I have read that you can increase running distance by 10% a week, which I will try to do on my Sunday session. The problem is on Mon, Thu & Fri I go to the gym in my lunch hour, so my routine is time inflexible. I was thinking of pushing the speed up for those sessions. Does the same 10% idea apply? My current jog is done 3 minutes @ 8K then 3 minutes @ 10K rinse and repeat.
Why are you running?
Running the same routine each day is not best for improving or avoiding injuries. You want to alternate days of stress and recovery. So you may want to use these restricted days as your recovery, and use the free days to do more meaningful workouts.
So for you that might mean doing 30 minutes at your challenging pace on a hard day, and then 20-25 minutes at a pace where you are not having any noteworthy difficulty.
You don’t say what your training goals are. I assume you’re running to improve fitness. Think about what your running speed does to your heart rate to eqaute this to your training.
Here is an article which discusses the different trainging zones and their effect on cardiovascular fitness:
http://www.primusweb.com/fitnesspartner/library/activity/gf_guide1.htm
Have fun!
my goal is increased fitness and reduced flab.
interesting article. I think I am going to have to pony up and buy a new heart rate monitor (my existing one has gone very erratic on me)
FYI: Polar makes an excellent HRM. Many of their models have diary and connectivity capabilities so that you can make goals, set up fitness programs and keep a computer journal. I use the F55.
This is simply anecdotal, but I have found that my capacity for running has increased exponentially since I incorporated weight training into my routine. Last summer, I was running 3 miles every M,W & F, timed. I hit a wall, got burned out and looked into HRM as a training aid. Now I run ~25 miles per week.
My suggestions would be to get a doctor’s advice, substitute a weight-training day for one of your running days, and use HRM, O2sat and Bodyfat% as your training guides.
my full routine is
Mon Thu & Fri
5 minutes rowing at approx 2 min/500m pace
30 minutes jogging alternating 3 mins @8k/h and 3 mins at 10k/h
3 sets of 15 reps chest press 30 kilos
3 sets of 15 reps leg press 80 kilos
3 sets of 15 reps pull down 35 kilos
Sun
10 minutes rowing at approx 2 min/500m pace
10 minutes stair machine fat burner program level 8
10 minutes cross trainer target heart rate = 145.
30 minutes jogging alternating 3 mins @8k/h and 3 mins at 10k/h
3 sets of 15 reps chest press 30 kilos
3 sets of 15 reps leg press 80 kilos
3 sets of 15 reps pull down 35 kilos
Im 31 on Saturday, 5’ 10.5" and weigh 230 lbs
I’m not a huge fan of heart rate monitors. Although the fitness community has published a great volume of material discussing the benefits of training at various target heart rates, my understanding is that there is very little science behind these recommendations.
I’m not saying there is anything necessarily “bad” about using a HRM in conjunction with your training - especially if you are a “numbers” kind of person who would like to incorporate this into your exercise. But AFAIK there is nothing “magic” about them either. I feel for most average people the basic goal ought to be to “get the carcass moving,” and you can do almost if not as well simply by getting out there on a regular basis and exerting yourself for at least 20-30 minutes.
That’s pretty sound, IMHO. You make good use of your time.
A few things you might consider, gym-goer to gym-goer: First, along the lines of what iano said, I recommend changing your weight-training schedule so that you’re not pumping iron (or jogging the same routine) two days in a row. Second, it might be beneficial to increase the weight you use so that you can only get between 8-12 reps per set. (If I were your gym partner, I’d encourage you to bench press 55 kilos, pull down 50 kilos and try a 45-kilo squat instead of the leg press. :)) Third, you could reduce your sets to two of each exercise and maybe add one or two additional exercises, like lunges or dumbbell curls.
As for your run, I like the “heart rate stepping” that you do, only I have never tried it in 3-minute increments. When I’m varying my HR during a run I like to stay at a cruising heart rate for five minutes at a time before lowering it. I think that’s IMHO territory as well.
My final suggestion would be to (if you can change your weight schedule) once a week take a longer run, maybe approaching 50 minutes, but keep your heart within one zone for the entire time. Try to keep your speed constant.
I’m 36, 6’5", 194 lbs, 14% body fat, O2sat 52.
One of my friends is an ultra runner (100 mile races and such). He came in fourth in last year’s Leadville 100 doing a variation of your workout. He’ll run long enough to warm up. Then alternate running and lifting on “easy” run days - on a treadmill. Sometimes, he’ll work the bike in. He’ll just run on hard, or speed, run days. It works for him.
If I were you, I’d change your lifting routine more than your running routine. Lift weights three days a week like you are, but one day concentrate on chest and back; one day biceps, triceps and shoulders one day; legs another. It is ok to do high reps with low weights, particularly on leg day. It depends on what you are going for. If you want some muscle mass, do fewer reps with more weight. At least, that’s what everyone tells me. Swimming has put more weight on me than lifting.
Never run hard two days in a row. If you want more time running, perhaps cut back on the other cardio. Or, run hard one day, and row the next or something. Running on weekends helps, but never run more in one day then you do the rest of the week. My schedule varies more than yours, but I will swim 4-5 days this week, run 4 days, and lift 3. When I didn’t swim, I ran 6 days a week and lifted 3 - always taking Friday off. I’m 45, 6’ 2", 175 lbs, 12% body fat (which is the highest it has ever been, I’m actually going have to start eating less than my teenage boy).
Thanks for the advice guys