Starting Strength Channel: Podcast 3

[wal]

Hurling, I know that Starting Strength will not hand out training certification willy nilly, they have a reputation to maintain, and a responsibly to those they coach. Anyway honorary degrees are only a recognition of a persons contribution to a particular field of endeavor. It is not a license to practice, but you are a suitable mentor. You don't need a certificate for that.

Motivation, straining to get to that goal post, that is what gets you over the last 10 yards, no matter how good the coach is and how well you have your technique sorted, three things are needful, drive, faith and adherence.

1Co 9:24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it.
1Co 9:25 Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable.
1Co 9:26 So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air.
1Co 9:27 But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.

This is a life long training run down here, and there are a lot of parallels in strength training, we may not have the official certification, but we can use the discipline they offer by God.

[RandallEW]

Review this thread to learn of one man's experience with SS and Parkinson's: http://startingstrength.com/resource...ad.php?t=36377. Awesome stuff.

[mikeinmadrid]

I personally didn't find that strength training helped my running. My 10k time got a little slower when I became stronger. I don't think it was due to extra body weight, but because I was doing less running. I think the limiting factor for endurance is cardiovascular fitness rather than leg strength. OK, basic conditioning can return quickly, but from there you have to run regularly to improve cardiovascular performance. Running, say, 4-5 times per week doesn't mix very well with strength training - particularly with the squat.

[hreed]

I was speaking with someone at work today about this podcast and how you talked about strength stopping older people from falling. A lady I work with asked what the heck I was talking about and that strength doesn't stop old people falling over because old people fall over because they have things wrong with them, like Parkinson's.

Falling isn't the issue, the landing is. Lifting helps bone density. More bone density lessens the chance of fracture during the collision (hip with floor, for example).

[Culican]

A few years ago I saw something on TV about one's "real age." One of the tests was closing your eyes and standing on one leg. Supposedly the length of time one can maintain balance on one leg correlates with age.

For my age of 55 at the time I should be able stand on one leg for about 8 seconds. I tried it and made 25 seconds, which put me at a "real age" (balance wise) of 30 years. I attribute that to having done squats regularly since I was (coincidentally) 30 years old.

[hollismb]

I personally didn't find that strength training helped my running. My 10k time got a little slower when I became stronger. I don't think it was due to extra body weight, but because I was doing less running. I think the limiting factor for endurance is cardiovascular fitness rather than leg strength. OK, basic conditioning can return quickly, but from there you have to run regularly to improve cardiovascular performance. Running, say, 4-5 times per week doesn't mix very well with strength training - particularly with the squat.

Indeed, the two don't mix very well if you're training them both at the same time. But if you get strong first, then cut your strength training back to a maintenance level while you train the run again (probably while losing some weight depending on how much you gained), the leg strength you keep over your original amount would carry over into the run, just like the example of the cyclist. I don't think anybody expects you to get faster while you're training the squat three days a week. You don't find powering up hills easier now with improved an improved hip drive?

There's also a very solid argument to be had that even if your added strength didn't carry over into the run, you're still less likely to get injured, which is why you're starting to see more and more articles encouraging runners to strength train, even if only in the off season (even if the recommended exercises aren't very good ones). A step in the right direction at least. Knowing what you know now, you can't say that squats aren't better than clamshells, hip hikes, leg raises, and bosu-ball balancing for injury prevention while keeping a straight face.