Running and lifting same day

[USFbuckeye]

I have always presumed that running a few hours prior to hitting the weights will negatively affect your workout.. how accurate is this assumption?? mayb its a mental thing since i herad it once. Your opinions r greatly appreciated.... bring em on!!!

[Andrew.Cook]

Yeah, if you have to run on leg days at all, do it afterwards. Follow your gut on this one.

[Bu11Shark]

Yeah...I'd like to know the answer to that one as well. I've been running 2 miles and walking 3 miles, twice a week.
This week, I started my building program, and it just so happens that today is a light lift load, and tonight I do
my 2m run/3m walk tonight. Except this week, I'll be doing my cardio three times a week...with only one day falling
on a lift day.

I'm sticking with running the 2 miles to keep my heart rate and stamina up, but I've been speed walking the last 3
miles, thinking that will burn fat and not muscle. But then, I really have no clue, either, since this is new to me.
Sometimes what I THINK is right, is actually WRONG altogether...

Bu11Shark

[Rachel_n_SD]

Yeah, if you have to run on leg days at all, do it afterwards. Follow your gut on this one.

agreed- 2 hours after I run, i feel like taking a nap, there's no way i could lift. if you have to, run after your workout, not before.

[Andrew.Cook]

agreed- 2 hours after I run, i feel like taking a nap, there's no way i could lift. if you have to, run after your workout, not before.

Ha... when I finish a long street run I go right into my apartment, hang up my sweaty clothes and pass out on my bed in front of a fan, lol! Medically speaking, I'm anemic and hard exercise takes it out of me.

So, Rachel, you've been feeling your oats lately. Seen you in all kinds of threads mixing it up with the boys.

[adnihilum]

Running depletes your glycogen reserves. If you go for a run and then attempt to train with weights too soon, you'll have no energy. Personally, I find it's best to wait 4 hours after finishing a run until hitting the iron. A few weeks ago I was rushed for time: I ran for 30 minutes and then 45 minutes later attempted to lift weights. The result was predicatable: I couldn't even do 1 rep with my usual weight on the first set. No energy.

Further, it's a bad idea to run immediately after you weight train. It's best to wait 4 or 6 hours. The reason is that right after weight training, you ingest protein, creatine, etc and try to rest to keep your body anabolic. Going running forces your body to devote its resources to running, not building muscle. At best, you are not anabolic; at worst, you're catabolic.

I agree that it's a lot more convenient to combine weight training and running into a single workout. But it's not the best way to build muscle.

[paycheck]

I dont think its wise. Ive been there and its not great. What ended up happening for me is that my strength went down, but more importantly its an energy thing. Your zapped. And my knees were starting to get a bit weak. But I was also doing my runs on a treadmill,maybe be different on grass.

What I do know is 30 mins cardio everyday or alteast 4 times a week, but I alternate between incline walking, bike, elliptical, and runs.

Save runs for 2x week on off days.

for example heres what I do when I run


4 day split example
mon weights cardio on bike
tues weights cardio on elliptical
wed run/jog
thurs weights cardio on incline
fri weights cardio on elliptical
sat/sun rest

3 day split example
mon weights cardio on bike
tues run
weds weights cardio on ellipitcal
thurs rest
fri weights cardio on treadmil incline walking
sat run

Some things Ive learnt are if your doing heavy squats (6-8 rep range) then avoid running the day before, do some other light cardio. Some times it also helps to avoid running the day after, so choose another form of cardio the next day. Incline walking is probably better since it loosens up the muscles and gets blood flowing.

[Rachel_n_SD]

Ha... when I finish a long street run I go right into my apartment, hang up my sweaty clothes and pass out on my bed in front of a fan, lol! Medically speaking, I'm anemic and hard exercise takes it out of me.

So, Rachel, you've been feeling your oats lately. Seen you in all kinds of threads mixing it up with the boys.

yeah, i know. i miss it-since i don't live with my 8 male roommates anymore!

[RavensFan2k3]

Running depletes your glycogen reserves. If you go for a run and then attempt to train with weights too soon, you'll have no energy. Personally, I find it's best to wait 4 hours after finishing a run until hitting the iron. A few weeks ago I was rushed for time: I ran for 30 minutes and then 45 minutes later attempted to lift weights. The result was predicatable: I couldn't even do 1 rep with my usual weight on the first set. No energy.

Further, it's a bad idea to run immediately after you weight train. It's best to wait 4 or 6 hours. The reason is that right after weight training, you ingest protein, creatine, etc and try to rest to keep your body anabolic. Going running forces your body to devote its resources to running, not building muscle. At best, you are not anabolic; at worst, you're catabolic.

I agree that it's a lot more convenient to combine weight training and running into a single workout. But it's not the best way to build muscle.

I'm not doing your regular running at a steady pace. I'm doing speed training for football. So that means I'm doing alot of sprinting and fast moving activities. I've originally planned on lifting in the late morning/early afternoon and then speed training late evening. Some days I'm going to have to do speed training in the morning and the weights in the evening. Which would you guys recommend? Lifting in the AM/running in the PM or running in the AM/lifting in the PM?

[heftizzle]

It is okay to run after you lift. It also depends on what you want out of lifting. If you want a pump how are you going to do that when you have spent all of your carbs (they give you great pump) running. Everybody I know that is good at either will do the best they can to space them out or get the heavy lifting in first take down a protien shake and then run. When you space them out give it a few hours and a couple quick meals with some oat or rice and a of piece or meat or two.

[adnihilum]

"Which would you guys recommend? Lifting in the AM/running in the PM or running in the AM/lifting in the PM?"

I think either is OK. Like everything else about weight training, you'll have to experiment and figure out what works best.

[Bu11Shark]

I agree.

What works for me is, I've been hitting the gym around 10AM for an hour.
My 5 mile run/walk is done three times a week in the early evening between 6-7PM.
That's a good 7 - 8 hour break, so I get my max energy early on for the gym. Then my body has PLENTY of time to recharge before I knock out my cardio. Walking is my main method of cardio, but I do break out in sprint spurts during the 5 mile, making up about 2 miles of running.

Bu11Shark

[RavensFan2k3]

"Which would you guys recommend? Lifting in the AM/running in the PM or running in the AM/lifting in the PM?"

I think either is OK. Like everything else about weight training, you'll have to experiment and figure out what works best.

Oh ok...so there isnt a difference?

[Rachel_n_SD]

Oh ok...so there isnt a difference?

theres a big difference IMO. if you run before weights, you are using up your glycogen stores to power you through the run, so then you arrive at the lifting workout with no energy and have a crappy workout. also, since you are burning mostly glucose for the run, you dont get as much fat burning effect because you have to get through all that before you begin burning fat.

on the other hand, if you run afterwards, you already used up your G stores for the lifting workout, and had a great workout, now you can begin doing cardio and cut into fat stores more readily because you already used up much of your body's stored sugars.

[Andrew.Cook]

What is more important? The running or the lifting? Whatever you do second will suffer from the energy expenditure of the first.

[RavensFan2k3]

theres a big difference IMO. if you run before weights, you are using up your glycogen stores to power you through the run, so then you arrive at the lifting workout with no energy and have a crappy workout. also, since you are burning mostly glucose for the run, you dont get as much fat burning effect because you have to get through all that before you begin burning fat.

on the other hand, if you run afterwards, you already used up your G stores for the lifting workout, and had a great workout, now you can begin doing cardio and cut into fat stores more readily because you already used up much of your body's stored sugars.

I'm assuming you are talking about doing them back to back? I'm talking about doing one in the morning and the other in the evening. And I'm also not talking about cardio in terms of fat burning. I'm talking about speed training for football, so alot of sprinting and plyometrics.

[Rachel_n_SD]

I'm assuming you are talking about doing them back to back? I'm talking about doing one in the morning and the other in the evening. And I'm also not talking about cardio in terms of fat burning. I'm talking about speed training for football, so alot of sprinting and plyometrics.

i was talking about back to back, or within a couple hours of each other, cause that's what the OP mentioned.

so say you did cardio in the morning, then weights at night, in that case i think it wouldnt matter so much b/c you'd have several meals in you at that point.

[RavensFan2k3]

i was talking about back to back, or within a couple hours of each other, cause that's what the OP mentioned.

so say you did cardio in the morning, then weights at night, in that case i think it wouldnt matter so much b/c you'd have several meals in you at that point.

so if I'm doing one in the morning and the other in the evening, it doesnt matter which I one I do first because since they are so far apart?

[Rachel_n_SD]

so if I'm doing one in the morning and the other in the evening, it doesnt matter which I one I do first because since they are so far apart?

i wouldnt think so, so long as you are getting plenty of food in during the between-time.

ideally though, i still think they should be on different days just to get the most out of the workout

what you are talking about is basically you have football practice in the morning, then lift at night, right?
it depends on the difficulty of the drills you are doing-listen to your body, if you feel weak and crappy when it comes time to work out, then it would be counterproductive to work out at that point.

[RavensFan2k3]

i wouldnt think so, so long as you are getting plenty of food in during the between-time.

ideally though, i still think they should be on different days just to get the most out of the workout

what you are talking about is basically you have football practice in the morning, then lift at night, right?
it depends on the difficulty of the drills you are doing-listen to your body, if you feel weak and crappy when it comes time to work out, then it would be counterproductive to work out at that point.

No, I'm doint it the other way around. I'm doing weight lifting in the morning, and I'm doing speed training/agility drills in evening/night.

[Rachel_n_SD]

No, I'm doint it the other way around. I'm doing weight lifting in the morning, and I'm doing speed training/agility drills in evening/night.

yeah, that would be fine. your getting the weights in when you have plenty of energy, and the cardio later, so you'll be fine doing what you are doing. damn, i'd be pretty tired doing that every day though.

[RavensFan2k3]

yeah, that would be fine. your getting the weights in when you have plenty of energy, and the cardio later, so you'll be fine doing what you are doing. damn, i'd be pretty tired doing that every day though.

i'm only doing it 3 days a week. I'm doing a full body routine(Bill Starr's 5x5) in the morning, then in the evening I'll do speed training.

Do you think it's important to do to keep which ever I pick consistant? I mean because I'm going to be doing weights in the AM and speed training in the PM, but some days I'm going to have to do it the other way for conveinence. Do you think that will bring about a problem with my switching like that?

[Rachel_n_SD]

i'm only doing it 3 days a week. I'm doing a full body routine(Bill Starr's 5x5) in the morning, then in the evening I'll do speed training.

Do you think it's important to do to keep which ever I pick consistant? I mean because I'm going to be doing weights in the AM and speed training in the PM, but some days I'm going to have to do it the other way for conveinence. Do you think that will bring about a problem with my switching like that?

consistency is always important, plus a set routine makes it easier to stick to, but what you are talking about wouldnt post a significant problem.

just make sure your nutrition is on point, and also that you do not miss a workout.
IMO-what times you do a workout doesn't matter that much, just as long as you get it done.