Lifts to prioritize while learning to run

Training Q&A [Moderated]
1

I’m training to run a 10k in several weeks. My performance goal for the race is simply to finish without walking. My broader goal is to dramatically improve my GPP and reduce body fat over the next several months. I also want to keep lifting since I know that resistance training is beneficial to meet my broader fitness goal. However, I’m finding that being new at running is a major stress for me physically which has made time resistance training really unpleasant. I’m also having some major work-related stress that is going to continue for at least the next 4 weeks. Lifting 3 days per week does not seem sustainable right now, but I would like to keep lifting 2 days per week. What relative weight, RPE, and rep schemes would be recommended for someone in my position with my goals (mostly thinking low-volume-high-intensity vs high-volume-low-intensity)? Also, are there any specific barbell exercises that I should prioritize? Thanks,

2

UnPractical,

Thanks for the post and nice job on having a unique training goal :slight_smile: A few thoughts here:

  1. Relative weight will be determined by the RPE and rep schemes. I think the majority of your work should be done between RPE 7-9 and you should likely train with a variety of rep ranges, e.g. 3-5, 6-8, and 8-12 reps (or however you want to break them down).
  2. There are no barbell exercises that are specific enough to distance running for me to mandate them. I’d try to work all of the major muscle groups and by convention, would probably use squat, deadlift, press, and bench press variants to do so. That said, there’s likely no difference between a front squat and a low bar back squat and the effect it will have on your running.
  3. I think you may want to check out our endurance template: https://www.barbellmedicine.com/shop…ance-template/
3

Thanks for the reply. After I posted my question above, I was pointed to this post: https://www.barbellmedicine.com/blog…rance-athlete/

There’s a sample program toward the bottom that I started doing last week. The glaring omission I noticed is the lack of any upper body work, which makes sense if it was written with a competitive endurance athlete in mind. Two resistance training days per week is all I can really handle right now given my work situation and trying to get all my running-specific training in, so I may simply modify this to add upper body work. But I’ll check out the endurance template and look at running it this summer when I have more time.

Are Nordic Hamstring Curls still a strong recommendation for injury reduction, as per the article, or is that also geared more toward competitive endurance athletes?

Thanks,