Every minute of your training counts and every minute of that training
should be spent on your primary sport and other exercises which support your
primary sport.
If you’re a runner, cyclist, swimmer etc. then every other exercise
which you undertake (other than your primary sport) should increase your speed,
strength and endurance in the least time possible and to the maximum extent
possible
Such exercises which are not your primary sport should enhance and not
detract your athleticism.
A marathoner typically trains for 6-10 hours per week. A triathlete who
is preparing for Ironman will spend 10-15 hours per week on training. And then
you have to drop your kids off to school, go to work, drive back home, buy
groceries, answer work calls and call it a day. So you have to ensure that
every minute of your total weekly training hours makes a difference and
provides maximum returns.
When you aren't running or cycling or swimming, you should be lifting
weights and that too heavy ass weights. High weights-low repetitions for
maximum strength, explosive power and most important of all, building
resilience.
Resilience is the ability of your body to withstand the demands of
endurance sports such as running, cycling, swimming etc. and allow you to
progressively increase the training load.
You need strong muscles and joints to support your skeletal system when
you train for endurance sports.
Heavy weight training will lead to increases in bone density and
increase in soft tissue which surrounds the bones, thereby reducing the impact
to your skeletal system when you engage in sports such as running, which in
turn will allow you to efficiently absorb the high training loads without
getting injured.
Heavy weights will create more muscle; muscles increase metabolism (even
at rest); higher metabolism will decrease body fat; and a lower body fat will
mean that pound for pound your body has started producing more power. In essence
you’ve turbocharged your engine. The Prius became a Mustang.
Activities (not sports) like yoga and pilates will be a waste of time
for you since the time spent engaged in them will not be commensurate with the
returns. These activities will not supplement your primary sport in the manner
which heavy lifting can since they do not have the ability to stress your body
in the specific way which heavy lifting can. Compared to lifting
weights, these activities cannot increase you muscle and bone mass and they
burn way less calories minute for minute.
We’re talking about time management here; considering that your exercise
schedule in terms of number of hours is already at its peak, and now you have
to decide how to derive maximum benefits out of the time spent in exercising.
Every minute out of your total weekly workout schedule in which you are
not training for your primary sport should be spent in increasing your
strength.
I can understand the allure of yoga, it’s easy, lifting is hard and it
leaves you sore for multiple days. Good things in life are hard. I don’t walk
straight for three days after leg day and my back hurts after deadlifts but the
strength gains are apparent when the tissue heals and I also get injured less
while running or cycling.
If we think in terms of calories burnt vis-à-vis the time spent, then
for allegedly the toughest form of yoga (Bikram Yoga), it was found that there
is no evidence to suggest that it burns more calories than other exercise. Men
burn around 460 calories during a Bikram yoga class and women burn around 330
calories. However, in lieu of a 90 minute session in a nauseatingly hot room
with other naked smelly people, you can burn the same number of calories in a
half an hour slow (like really slow) run (https://www.theguardian.com/science/2014/jan/13/no-pain-no-gain-exercise-heart-health-dementia-cancer)
and then lift weights for 30 minutes and still be left with 30 minutes to sip a
coffee.
Study title- Mixed maximal and explosive strength training in
recreational endurance runners
Mixed strength training combined with endurance
training may be more effective than circuit training in recreational endurance
runners to benefit overall fitness that may be important for other adaptive
processes and larger training loads associated with, e.g., marathon training (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23860287).
Study title- The effect of strength training on performance in endurance
athletes
Study title- Maximal strength training improves running economy in
distance runners
Maximal strength training for 8 weeks improved running economy and
increased time to exhaustion at maximal aerobic speed among well-trained,
long-distance runners, without change in maximal oxygen uptake or body weight (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18460997).
Study title- Effects of strength training on running economy
A short period of traditional strength training can improve running
economy in well-trained runners, but this improvement can be dependent on the
strength training characteristics. When comparing to explosive training
performed in the same equipment, heavy weight training seems to be more
efficient for the improvement of running economy (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18975259)
Study title- the effects of resistance training on endurance distance
running performance among highly trained runners: a systematic review
Four of the five studies employed sport-specific, explosive resistance
training, whereas one study used traditional heavy weight resistance training.
Two of the five studies measured 2.9% improved performance (3K and 5K), and all
five studies measured 4.6% improved running economy (RE; range = 3-8.1%). After
critically reviewing the literature for the impact of CT on high-level runners,
we conclude that resistance training likely has a positive effect on endurance
running performance or RE. The short duration and wide range of exercises
implemented are of concern, but coaches should not hesitate to implement a
well-planned, periodized CT program for their endurance runners (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18978605)
 |
| Charles Atlas from the 1940's- Mahatma Gandhi sent a mail to get his program! No joke. |
A question now is what are the exercises required for generating the
power and strength which will support your primary sport? The legend Mark
Rippletoe, has very succinctly said:
“If I’m a yoga instructor, I’ll tell you the most important thing about
fitness is flexibility,” Rippetoe says. “If I’m an aerobics instructor, I’ll
say it’s cardio. And if I’m CrossFit, I’ll say it’s everything. My position is
strength is the basis for all physical interaction in the environment. If
you’re not strong, it doesn’t matter how conditioned your heart and lungs are
if you can’t get up off the pot.”
The way to get strong is simple, Rippetoe says. All it takes is
five barbell moves and progressive loading of weight over time. The moves:
squats, presses, dead lifts, bench presses, and power cleans. Those exercises
will allow the body to move anatomically while making every muscle stronger,
even if they’re the only moves you ever do. “One of my pet peeves with the
modern approaches to fitness is they vary exercises,” Rippetoe says. “They
confuse the whole concept of training and exercise.”
“For most people, exercise is just fine,” Rippetoe says. “But when you
decide you want more out of the process, the process must be planned. Each
workout becomes important because it fits into the process.”
“Rise above the platitudes of the fitness industry,” Rippetoe says.
“Think about what you want and plan to acquire what you want so you can spend
your time and money more efficiently.
Older athletes in fact need more strength training since after the age
of 30, muscle mass and bone density keep decreasing every year. Recently a study came out which said that mortality rates were significantly
lower in people who lift weights rather than people who engage in cardio.
Another question is how long should you lift weights to become better at
your primary sport? The ideal duration is minimum 90 minutes per week, which
can be clubbed into one hard long session or three 30 minute sessions. Stick to
the basics (squats, presses, dead lifts, bench presses, and power cleans) like
Mark said and you’re turbocharging your primary sport.
Remember, strength is the backbone of every sport. Lift heavy to become
a faster, stronger and most importantly, a resilient athlete. Spend time on
yoga and other activities like pilates only if you have extra time and money.
