Weight Training

[Al Fowler]

In a short fell race, however the stronger you are the better you fare. Obviously I'm not talking about anything over, say, 4 miles as then you are into massive aerobic territory. Big lads/ladies can fare well in short races if they are muscled up. That's where the creatine/protein/steroids come in not that any of the latter are used.

Then you can kick ass big style. Massive strength up hill + Massive momentum down = Race win for the big lad.

I disagree. If your 'theory' was correct, you'd have body builders doing races such as rivington pike and stick-like runners such as me would be at the back struggling to gain positions.

But then again, sprinters are toned up to hell, and that is all about power, but i dont think it will help on the fells!

[#bob#]

I disagree. If your 'theory' was correct, you'd have body builders doing races such as rivington pike and stick-like runners such as me would be at the back struggling to gain positions.

But then again, sprinters are toned up to hell, and that is all about power, but i dont think it will help on the fells!

Bodybuilders wouldn't do Rivington pike, because they're bodybuilders. It's not right for their image. If they wanted to do it they could.

[Al Fowler]

Bodybuilders wouldn't do Rivington pike, because they're bodybuilders. It's not right for their image. If they wanted to do it they could.

Nonsense!
They'd blow up after a first 100 meters.
My cousin is into weights and all that and cannot run to save his life, he used to be fairly at and sprinting and cross country but since starting the weights, he finds cardio impossible.

[#bob#]

Nonsense!
They'd blow up after a first 100 meters.
My cousin is into weights and all that and cannot run to save his life, he used to be fairly at and sprinting and cross country but since starting the weights, he finds cardio impossible.

Thats one guy though, on the whole they are pretty good. It stands to reason that more strength would mean more power so more speed.

[Al Fowler]

Thats one guy though, on the whole they are pretty good. It stands to reason that more strength would mean more power so more speed.

Yeah very true that is one example and im sure there are some gym-monkeys who can leg it up and down a mountain fairly well, but i believe the slim runners are better than the beefed up guys.

[southernsoftie]

Isn't it to do with the type of muscle you build as well: fast-twitch, and I guess what must be slow-twitch??

Weight - or specifically strength training that we're on about - develops the ability to deliver power in short sharp bursts, i.e. fast-twitch fibres.

Fell running, on the whole, apart from the straight up straight down races, is an endurance sport requiring the ability for muscles to perform over a long period of time. This requires slow-twitch fibres that can process oxygen effectively and not succumb so quickly to lactic acid.

To illustrate this difference, look at the winners of this year's Olympic champions in the 100m and 10k races. And every other winner of these or comparable races.

Generally speaking - there will always be exceptions - the lean mean running machines will always outpace the beefcakes out there over a long distance.

Part of this will be the muscle difference above, the other part will also be where time is spent training. If someone truly is a Musclebob Buffpants, that takes time, dedication and effort. How much running can they possibly do whilst developing a body like that? And vice versa.

If you had the time, you could train effectively for both, and therefore improve both endurance and upper body strength.

Going back to when I was 13st and quicker than I am now, I was going for a 4mi run before breakfast, then a 3.5mi run to work, taking a 2hr lunchbreak, going for another 4.5mi X-country run, before coming back and hitting the weights. Then running home again. all done carrying weight on my back.

Nowadays, if I wanted to increase the beef, it would mean a sacrificing the amount of time I spend running. Which I don't want to do. So I still get the odd weight sessions in, but not to the extent where I'm going to be significantly bigger than I am now.

Ultimately, the only thing that matters in the Momentum = Mass x Velocity equation in a race is the Velocity part. As I said before, if all you do is increase the mass, it'll only impact your stopping distance!!

[lilactime]

dont agree with this bodybuilding bit , sure do a few weights , rowing ect , to tone up , but to help running ?

[A.G]

Weight - or specifically strength training that we're on about - develops the ability to deliver power in short sharp bursts, i.e. fast-twitch fibres.

I think we need to make the distinction between strength and power.

Strength relates to the maximum force your muscles will exert.

Power involves a trade off between the force you can exert and the time it takes to exert it.

Body builders will often have a lot of bulk and therefore to a certain extent strength, as that bulk came through training with weights. However they don’t necessarily have much power – in fact probably don’t.

Guys like Jonathan Edwards and Christian Malcom have a lot more power, yet aren’t particularly big.

I’m not a sports scientist, but I think there are broadly speaking, three categories of reps when it comes to lifting weights:

1-6 reps develops explosive power

8-12 reps develops brute strength and bulk

15 plus develops endurance

I’m only guessing to a certain extend with the rep numbers so I’m sure somebody can correct me.

[CL]

Another Bob wind-up.

[CL]

I think we need to make the distinction between strength and power.

Strength relates to the maximum force your muscles will exert.

Power involves a trade off between the force you can exert and the time it takes to exert it.

Body builders will often have a lot of bulk and therefore to a certain extent strength, as that bulk came through training with weights. However they don’t necessarily have much power – in fact probably don’t.

Guys like Jonathan Edwards and Christian Malcom have a lot more power, yet aren’t particularly big.

I’m not a sports scientist, but I think there are broadly speaking, three categories of reps when it comes to lifting weights:

1-6 reps develops explosive power

8-12 reps develops brute strength and bulk

15 plus develops endurance

I’m only guessing to a certain extend with the rep numbers so I’m sure somebody can correct me.

A.G is it your opinion that Jonathon Edwards and Christian Malcome are more powerful than a bodybuilding type athlete, like Geoff Capes?