Strength Train To Improve Your Sport

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

The present research available supports the addition of strength training in an endurance athlete's programme for improved economy, muscle power and performance (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24532151)

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.

Mark’s full article is here- https://www.outsideonline.com/1926951/get-fit-you-need-get-strong

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.