FW: Why Weightlifting Bad for Runners

On Fri, 4 Feb 2005 15:57:52 -0800, "Tom C." <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

Received this e-mail from Jerry at RunningTough.com and I'd like to know
what the group thinks of his opinion. I personally think, to some extent,
he's wrong.

i didn't look at runningtough, but this clearly is just
one long bad joke.
,,,thehick

He's wrong, and he's an idiot.

"Tom C." <[email hidden]> wrote

Quoted message said:

Received this e-mail from Jerry at RunningTough.com and I'd like to know
what the group thinks of his opinion. I personally think, to some extent,
he's wrong. (opinion is that weight lifting is not beneficial and may be
harmful to runners)

Maybe it's because I've never hit the weights, and many accomplished runners
I know don't either, but Jerry may have something there, at least for
non-strength (distance) runners.

Football players and sprinters who live off of explosive power probably need
it -- I wonder if Sam (our resident sprinter) has a take on this...

I mean if you want to run fast, you do speedwork. If you want to be tough
on hills, you do hill workouts. I don't see that lifting will make you a
better distance runner.

I don't *want* any more muscle--the lighter I am, the better I run.

It may be good if:

1. One needs to over-strengthen some muscles, say, after knee surgery or
other serious problem.
2. You don't have any hills, so you hit the stairmaster or do high-rep half
squats to strengthen your quads.

-- Dan

Tom C. said:

Received this e-mail from Jerry at RunningTough.com and I'd like to know
what the group thinks of his opinion. I personally think, to some extent,
he's wrong.
Read below:

He's wrong period with no clue what he's talking
about. First, there are all kinds of weight lifting
exercises and methods; you can incorporate weights
into any exercise regime. Body building is a _sport_;
it's not a weight training exercise regime. That
shoots this nonsense down right there. Second,
anything you can do to strengthen your muscles for
other activities is good -- it helps protect joints
(body builders are often on steriods as well, which
is how they get that oversized bulk.) I've been
lifting weights for years. My joints are fine and
stronger for it.

Weights don't have to be used to increase bulk (more
weight, less reps); they can be used aerobically and
for endurance training (less weight more reps.) The
fact you can isolate individual muscles and muscle
groups is good, since it allows you to target weakers
areas and correct strength imbalances. Only a complete
exercise illiterate doesn't know this...

BTW, women don't "bulk up" by lifting weights. Not
unless they're also taking steriods, in whihc case
they can end up shaving and talking like Arnold.

Quoted message said:

Subject: Why Weightlifting Bad for Runners

Dear Tom,

Hi, Jerry Hopkins here from RunningTough.com.

Strengthening the muscles is becoming more and more
popular among runners.
Several training programs for runners now include some
form of weight lifting.
Weight lifting is good. But, it really isn't for runners.

First of all, a lot of runners don't like weight lifting.
And, for good reason.
The weight lifting exercises they are doing, make them
feel tired, and their
muscles feel like they tighten up.

Several women runners that I have talked to in the past,
don't want to lift
weights for fear of "bulking up". A lot of women don't
want bulging leg muscles.

Most of the weight training exercises come from the world
of body building, and
are isolation type weight training exercises. There are
several problems with
this.

Isolation type weight lifting exercises don't strengthen
the joints. The reason
is that since isolation exercises isolate a muscle, it
also isolates the
connective tissues from the exercise. Hence, your
connective tissues become weak,
while your muscle becomes stronger. This creates an
imbalance, where the muscle
can and will move more weight than the connective tissue
can handle, and this can
create an injury to the connective tissue.

This is one reason why some weight lifters bandage their
joints, to protect them.
This is a bad thing to do because it is not strengthening
the joint. Weight
lifting can lead to your joints hurting. Ask some guys
around the gym who have
been weight lifting for a number of years and ask them if
their joints hurt. You
might be surprised by how many people say yes.

Body builders want to build size for individual muscles.
Isolation exercises are
used by body builders who are concerned with muscle size.
The exercises are
designed for them. This is so that they can stand in front
of judges who judge
them on muscle size, shape, and looks. This is fine for a
body builder, or people
who want to improve their looks. However, for an athlete,
like a runner,
isolation weight lifting isn't an ideal exercise.
Isolation exercises don't teach
your muscle groups to work together. And, they don't
involve connective tissue.
This is how the human body is designed to work, your
muscles working together.
You run with your whole body, not individual parts.

I hope this email has been informative for you! Don't
forget, more emails are on
their way. In fact, you should be receiving your next
email on "Properly
Preparing to Run Outside (Winter, Part I)" shortly.

Thanks,

Jerry Hopkins
Author of "How to Run Like a Deer Forever"
[email hidden]
http://www.runningtough.com

Quoted message said:

He's wrong period with no clue what he's talking about.

Especially when you consider a guy my size (approx 190) that would have no
upper body at all if not for weights. Running would almost be out of the
question. My normal arm size without weights, as measured just between the
shoulder and elbow, is so small without weights, that I could put my two
fingers around it and almost touch my fingertips. With weights it's easily
double to triple that size.Yes I have extra pounds to carry because of weight
training, but without the support it ads to my musco-skeletal structure I'd be
unable to run, or it would just be so painful I'd quit.
You are quite right when you say there are many different weight programs
targeted for your specific sport or goal. It sounds like the numbnutz was
talking about body building type of progs, which would almost certainly be
detrimental to running.
Damn, all those big words tired my brain out so early in the day. I'll just be
hurling mindless insults from this point on, or until my gourd regenerates.

I think it depends on your training goals. If you're out to 'bulk up' into
some sort of bodybuilder physique, I think the potential for imbalance-
related injuries may be correctly stated. But I don't think there's
anything wrong with using weight training -- the kind of average guy weight
training many of us use -- to strengthen parts of our bodies.

I, for one, happen to think that some of the focus I put into corem and
upper body strengthening makes it a lot easier for me to run because I
don't tend to get the tired back and shoulders that some of my other
running friends complain about sometimes.

Leafing through rec.running, I read a message from ignoramus18142
@NOSPAM.18142.invalid of 05 Feb 2005:

Quoted message said:

I cannot see how being moderately strong can be hurtful to any human
being

Not hurtful in a physical sense. However, if your profession is distance
running, then it would be hurtful in a monetary sense. Of course most of us
don't depend on our marathon speed to earn a living.

Phil M.

Theres many different kinds of weight training.
As some of us geezer know,
some resistance is recommended to reduce knee
and other leg injury. And it really helps.

Sounds like a rant.

FWIW: On a personal note, when I was a young little-leaguer, I took up
weights for a while to improve my arm strength. I came away with the
distinct impression that, despite making me stronger, the training
negatively impacted both my leg and arm speed.

For all I know, I may have been doing inappropriate exercises given
that I was playing baseball, but the take home message for me was to
know what you're doing when adding weight training to another exercise
program. It's definitely possible for such training to be
counterproductive. If you're a competitive runner, I'd recommend
keeping the weight training to the off-season, or get advice from a
coach who is faimilar with weight training as part of a running program.

"Helix" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Sounds like a rant.

FWIW: On a personal note, when I was a young little-leaguer, I took up
weights for a while to improve my arm strength. I came away with the
distinct impression that, despite making me stronger, the training
negatively impacted both my leg and arm speed.

For all I know, I may have been doing inappropriate exercises given
that I was playing baseball, but the take home message for me was to
know what you're doing when adding weight training to another exercise
program. It's definitely possible for such training to be
counterproductive. If you're a competitive runner, I'd recommend
keeping the weight training to the off-season, or get advice from a
coach who is faimilar with weight training as part of a running program.

i do some small amount of weight training at my current mileage (~25 to 35
mpw) and i feel it helps me a bit....especially with the ladies (wink, wink)
but i cant imagine continuing weights when running the amount a competetive
runner does! of course they are in much better shape than i am but i would
think the amount of time required would be prohibitive! i would love to hear
someone's view on this who is running 80+ mpw and works a full time job.

Quoted message said:

TheLongestYard said:

i do some small amount of weight training at my current mileage (~25 to 35
mpw) and i feel it helps me a bit....especially with the ladies (wink, wink)
but i cant imagine continuing weights when running the amount a competetive
runner does! of course they are in much better shape than i am but i would
think the amount of time required would be prohibitive! i would love to hear
someone's view on this who is running 80+ mpw and works a full time job.

I averaged 60 last year (got up to 80). Had to stop doing weights, as you say,
just didn't have enough time for it, and given my time constraints, figured
just running was the best strategy.

Cheers,
--
Donovan Rebbechi
http://pegasus.rutgers.edu/~elflord/

Quoted message said:

especially with the ladies (wink, wink)

Ahh, it gives you enough of a chest to be "passable"?

Quoted message said:

of course they are in much better shape than i am

Yes, I, we, them, are in better shape than you. What's your point Porky?

Quoted message said:

i would love to hear
someone's view on this who is running 80+ mpw

Yes...

Quoted message said:

and works a full time job.

Oops, you lost me. Running IS my full time job, and free weights are my PT
hobby.