starting strength gym
Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 18

Thread: Why You Should Not Be Running

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Location
    Texas
    Posts
    3,112

    Default Why You Should Not Be Running

    • starting strength seminar april 2024
    • starting strength seminar jume 2024
    • starting strength seminar august 2024
    by Mark Rippetoe

    If you are a competitive distance runner or cyclist who is serious about your sport, this article has not been written for you. This highly informative discussion is intended for those people who have taken seriously the advice of doctors, Physical Therapists, exercise physiologists, and the popular media's dutiful reporting on these sources of common misinformation about what kind of physical activity is best for your long-term health and continued ability to participate in the business of living well.

    Read article

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Sep 2016
    Posts
    17

    Default

    So does the SS orthodoxy believe that there is no "conditioning" benefit to aerobic endurance training? I've read articles on here critical of the us military focus on running, but what else would get a person ready for having to grab their toddler and run for ten miles, if need be? I'm asking as someone who would dearly love to minimize "cardio".
    Thanks!

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jan 2017
    Posts
    197

    Default

    Its hard arguing with the stated facts. Im not even at liberty to say that i agree because there really isn't much to agree or disagree about. The stronger you are, the better quality of life, period.

    But (there's always a but), if i take my dad as an example. 67 y/o, been racing a bike or mountainbike sinds the age of 16, no less then 3 times a week and never went longer then a week without cycling. He's a farmers son so he had his share of work done in his early days.

    Now don't get me wrong, he definitely needs to start lifting, father time will catch up eventually, but I can't help but notice he indeed is fit AF. People judge him no older then 50-55, last fall he did an 200k mountainbike ride, averaged at 22.5k an hour, in winter knotted 2 sleds behind his bike and raced his grandchildren across the street. Now getting of the toilet on your own s pretty important yes, but which nearly 70 year old has the stamina do stuff like that with kids.

    Sooo, in short, he needs to start training, definitely. If he doesn't, decline in general health and ability will probably drop exponentially, but I just can't get my head around this idea of cardio being this boogeyman. Yess you need to train, but would supplemental cardio be that bad? Aside from the competing resources. Because the other side of the coin is just sitting on one's arse (and squat 2 times a week). Next to that cycling is indeed low stress, easy on the joints etc. And what i recall from my sports psychology classes, aerobic exercise is pretty good in in lowering stress levels, increasing endorphins lowering symptoms of depression etc. Quality and longevity are not just based on a muscles ability to contract and produce force no?

    I want to state that this should not be seen as an attack on strength training. I whole Hartedly agree with the lack of knowledge in pt's and home physicians. Its excruciating to see my local gym/pt house have 80 y/o do machines ab crunches for sets of 12 after riding a bike for 5m..... Then looking disgusted at me when my 150kg deadlift makes noise coming down.

    Thnxx

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Mar 2017
    Posts
    1

    Default

    I am military and have to perform a 1.5 mile run for pt test every 6 months to a year. I cut my running to once a week for 20 mins. I also do interval training 2 times a week doing jump rope, burpes, step ups, and agility drills to help with cardio and athletic ability. Supposedly interval traing is better than running for preventing muscle loss.

    My question is this ok with strength training given I have to pass a waist measure and run test. I am currently doing BLS program by Mike Matthews. I am getting stronger slowly but am trying to reduce my waist. Get about 2300 cal a day, 250 protein, 210 carbs, 40 fat. I weigh 205, down from 235 at beginning of Oct16.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Nov 2015
    Posts
    52

    Default

    Hi all!

    I'm an avid fan of the Starting Strength program but I also love mountaineering. Long trips in the wilderness are quite endurance specific, f.ex this Easter I'm planning to do a four day flat-ground ski-trip pulling a sleigh behind me and possibly hit some peaks on the side, 65km+. I'd like some views from the SS-community on how to prepare for such a trip? Obviously I can't just hit squats 3 days a week and not wear my skiboots at all before the trip.. I actually stopped most of my mountaineering activities for a period of time and just did Starting Strength quite obidiently (only skipped if I was sick, 3 weeks skipped total during the 9 month period) and that helped with my endurance in the sport tremendously.

    http://startingstrength.com/resource...p/t-23687.html I found this archived thread to be of specific interest, and the reason I hopped on this thread of the article is the question: What if my goal is to do a run, to do it in the shortest time I am able to, given some arbitrary time-constraint on when said run is to be ran - what should my training look like then leading up to the event?

    Please discuss, pitch in ideas and thoughts - and sorry if this has been discussed to death in some thread or other, pointers to those threads would be appreciated :-) I did do a bit of searching, on google and on the forums. There's wealth of discussion on the internet at large, I'd love some Starting Strength specific views on this!

    All the best,
    Pekka.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Mar 2017
    Posts
    2

    Default

    While I agree with you in general that "excessive" cardio will interfere with recovering from strength workouts, I do not think light cardio will significantly impact. A good walk, riding your bike with the family or even jogging for 2 -3 miles a couple to a few times a week is not going to "significantly" interfere with recovery abilities, even for an old guy like me at 58. Folks should not live in fear, that going out for an easy run is going to totally destroy their strength program. Additionally there are a lot of professions, military, first responders, etc. that requires some amount of cardio/running. These folks can still make significant strength gains on your programs, as I have while still having to meet physical fitness requirements from my 30 yr military career. A more interesting question is what is the point that a cardio exercise starts to interfere?

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Location
    North Texas
    Posts
    53,559

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Sherm Churlish View Post
    So does the SS orthodoxy believe that there is no "conditioning" benefit to aerobic endurance training? I've read articles on here critical of the us military focus on running, but what else would get a person ready for having to grab their toddler and run for ten miles, if need be?
    1. Has the need been? How many times this year?
    2. The SS Orthodoxy realizes that getting your squat up to 385 also prepares you to run, while running doesn't prepare you to squat 385. I believe this is in the article.

    Quote Originally Posted by Maties Hofstede View Post
    but I just can't get my head around this idea of cardio being this boogeyman. Yess you need to train, but would supplemental cardio be that bad? Aside from the competing resources. Because the other side of the coin is just sitting on one's arse (and squat 2 times a week). Next to that cycling is indeed low stress, easy on the joints etc. And what i recall from my sports psychology classes, aerobic exercise is pretty good in in lowering stress levels, increasing endorphins lowering symptoms of depression etc. Quality and longevity are not just based on a muscles ability to contract and produce force no?
    Cardio is not the "boogieman" -- not being strong is the boogieman. And cardio interferes with strength acquisition. Sorry, it just does. Your dad certainly as hell can afford to give up 2 days a week to barbell training, since he's obviously cardio-fit already, and he's adapted to the work. The article was written for people on the couch, as the article states. All the shit that cardio is good for, strength training is better for. The strength/longevity data are in the links.

    Quote Originally Posted by csreal View Post
    While I agree with you in general that "excessive" cardio will interfere with recovering from strength workouts, I do not think light cardio will significantly impact. A good walk, riding your bike with the family or even jogging for 2 -3 miles a couple to a few times a week is not going to "significantly" interfere with recovery abilities, even for an old guy like me at 58.
    Depends on what the old guy has already been doing.

    So, the standards here have become the same as on FB? Read the title, start typing?

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jan 2017
    Location
    Southeast
    Posts
    190

    Default

    I can only speak for myself, but I've started a jogging regiment a number of times over the years (I'm 45 years old now, and have only recently started SS...7 weeks in). I've never been horribly out of shape from a perspective of being overweight, but obviously have been out of shape having a desk job and going long periods of time with little or no exercise to speak of.

    Started a jogging routine, like the typical Couch to 5k thing, always had me limping a little after a couple months. My respiratory system certainly got better pretty quickly from that, meaning I was less winded on average day-to-day stuff like walking up a flight of stairs, but I had no real noticeable health benefits other than being able to run a 5k at a horribly slow clip. I always felt like I was on the verge of a serious foot issue, and my knees ached, along with nagging issues in the hip flexors. I'd lose weight and look more like an old man than a fit person. The pains and aches always forced me to slow down, which meant I'd wind up quitting due to the lack of frequency at which I could keep running.

    My 7 week SS LP has been vastly different. All my working poundings have doubled in 7 weeks for the 5 sets across. I don't have nagging pains at all, though I might be a little stiff in the morning after a workout. I know i couldn't jog a 5k right now, but I don't need to. I do feel about as fit in a general, walking around day-to-day kind of sense, meaning the typical walk up a flight of stairs or two feels pretty darn easy and doesn't have me panting for breath. I feel pretty sure I could add in some HIIT once or twice a week and get in much better conditioning shape if I wanted to, but I'm following the recommendation and focussing on LP solely until I make it to some kind of intermediate training later this year.

    So yeah, I feel like the article is right. I shouldn't be running. Been there done that and I got me nowhere.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Mar 2017
    Posts
    1

    Default

    I have taken this position before and have been told that LSD/aerobics done correctly is not the problem. I am then given the Dr. Phil Maffetone speak about performing my aerobics at 70% of max heart rate.

    Is this no different than HIIT, crossfit, what have you. If for instance your aerobic training is done in a Maffetone type style, heart rate 18-age*, then the intensity is such that many of the problems many experience with adding aerobics to strength training are eliminated. The problem begins when we think we must for instance run at a certain pace to reap any benefit. This is completely incorrect. If you run every day at 80-90% of your max heart rate (HR) then for most, eventually you will experience metabolic problems. It is no different than HIIT or crossfit done every day. Eventually the body says enough is enough. Thoughts?

    * 180-age but - 10 more if you are new to training, recovering from injury, or taking medication.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Sep 2016
    Posts
    17

    Default

    starting strength coach development program
    I recently became a mailman and am walking 25-50 miles a week. The combination of SS strength training and the job has been amazing. Very little aches and pain, and I feel like I'm de-aging. (43 years old) It's like my body is meant to be used or something!

Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •