Beginners advice please

Breathless in Barrow

30/12/2006 at 19:55

Hi

I am about to re-embark on a weight loss(primarily)running plan. I have read in many articles that cross training and core exercises should or could be added after a run.
My problem is(and always has been) is that after a run I have no energy to do extra work. I feel thta if I am not shattered then my run has not been given 100%. Am I using the wrong mindset and is it ok to leave surplus energy to perform core exercises etc?

Any advice gratefully accepted.

Thanks B-I-B.

PS Due to a health problem I only use a treadmill at home for the moment.

PSC

pirate

30/12/2006 at 19:59

the first thing you should do after a run is stretch and re-hydrate... you can combine stretching with core exercises on an exercise ball. I got one for Chrimbo and they are brilliant. If all else fails, they are comfy to sit on when watching TV!

I would say that if you are that pooped from the run you are probably over-doing it. Train carefully and slowly and then build the intensity/speed/distance gradually - that way you will avoid injury and stay motivated.

enjoy and take care!! Let us know how you are getting on!

Silver shadow

01/01/2007 at 13:57

If your aim is to lose weight, you shouldn't be giving 100% in your workouts!!! The point is to spend as much time as possible running rather than running at high intensity. If you always give 100% effort I suggest you buy a heart-rate monitor, which can tell you when you are going too hard. At this stage it's the time spent running not the distance covered that really counts.

Breathless in Barrow

02/01/2007 at 12:27

I think it is maybe because I am out of shape so much that I end up tired. I managed to do 30 mins on the treadmill yesterday, all running and even some core exercises afterwards.

Thanks for all your help and all the best to everyone.

Breathless in Barrow

02/01/2007 at 12:40

One tip I would like to offer for the more portly among us, especially in the front area. I found that my stomach bounced considerably when I ran, causing problems from stitches to nausea to just being plain uncomfortable.

I have found that wearing a belt that carries a water bottle tends to give my stomach some stability and is a great help.

Hope this is of some use to somebody.

SuperCaz

03/01/2007 at 11:09

I know what you mean about the bouncing belly - can get quite painful. Lycra shorts or leggings help to hold things in place but if you are self-conscious then you might want to wear them under less tight fitting garments.

I started running to help me lose weight (amongst other things)and found that I couldn't do much to start with because I was so unfit.

I started at the gym and alternated between CV and weights/floor work. That way I could do my 10 minutes of running then use the time spent on the weights to recover before doing another 10 minutes on the bike or crosstrainer. I found this a better way of burning calories than to do one hard slog and end up exausted.

Siance

03/01/2007 at 12:10

BIB, I'd do your core exercises as a seperate session and not straight after you've run. Stretch though. Working the core when you're already fatigued will not be as effective because the muscles that act as stabilisers are already tired from your run. Also you'll find more challenging core work such as the plank etc much easier when you start to lose weight and are more conditioned ;o)

SuperCaz

04/01/2007 at 09:49

I agree with Siance. My problem with doing longer sessions of exercise was that I got out of breath long before my muscles got tired so I still had enough energy to do the weights and floorwork correctly.

There is no point doing exercises when shattered as you will not be able to concentrate on doing them properly and could injure yourself, as well as get little gain from them.

Now that I am fitter I tend to split my CV from my conditioning work and do them on alternate days.

e17 pixie

07/01/2007 at 20:51

Hi Breathless,

I share your problem - I tend to run until I'm worn out or have to get back to work, so I leave myself with no time or energy to do any stretching/strength exercise etc. In my case it's also about laziness. I can't count the number of times I've been running around outdoors, resolving to do some press-ups or crunches after my run, but it hardly ever happens.

So I think it's a great question, and I'm using it for this week's new Reader To Reader article. Excellent first responses from Pit Stop, SuperCaz and Siance, but let's get loads more rolling in. I'd interested to find out if this is a common problem.

Best wishes,

Jane H

Craig Llewellyn 2

07/01/2007 at 21:59

I agree with Pit Stop and Silver Shadow. If you're trying to lose weight then you ought to lower the intensity of the CV stuff in order to increase the duration. If you haven't got a heart rate monitor then a good rule of thumb is if you can't chat then you're probably over doing it. Perhaps you ought to think about a phased approach. As Siance says maybe split your running and core workouts into different sessions then when your fitness is up try combining them if you need to. It might be that you can only train a few times per week so combining CV and weights might be right for you.

Aidan Naughton

08/01/2007 at 11:37

From experience, I'd suggest the following

a) At this early stage focus on doing a moderate amount of excercise every day or as often as your schedule allows.

b) I'd recommend speaking to your local sports centre. Explain your objectives and they can help assess your current position, provide a training plan and support you to reach your goals.

c) Mix your training. Spin and cross training classes will be an excellent way of improving your stamina in a controled manner. Run, cross train or do other excercises on different days to begin with.

d) Eat a balanced diet. Many people find keeping a food diary helps.

e) Plan to lose weight in a controlled manner. Objective goal setting is important.

Breathless in Barrow

08/01/2007 at 12:04

Thanks for all your replies.

I have recently read that increasing the intensity will burn more fat calories than low intensity. The percntage may be higher for low intensity work but overall the number of fat cals burnt at a higher intensity is greater.

Jane H- I understand the laziness concept but from a slightly different angle. I feel lazy if I have done a workout and still ahve the eneergy to do something extra. If I am not pooped after a run then it was not a successful workout and I have been lazy. Can you understand that? I realise I have to adjust my thinking in that area.

Paul

Tandemtoo

08/01/2007 at 13:00

I lost 4 stone last year, a large part of this was down to running (I trained and ran the Great North Run). As well as running, I maintained a calorie controlled diet - 1450 calories a day plus at least half of any calories consumed from exercise (needs to be lower for girlie types though)

With regards to the running, I found that slow and steady, focussing on distance rather than intensity worked and lots of the research backs that up too. Between 60-70% of Max HR is the best Zone to burn fat - although there are variations and contradictions to that.

All I can say is it worked for me. I suspect though, it is because I did something rather than nothing (which is what I did before).

Breathless in Barrow

08/01/2007 at 13:20

Well done Tandemtoo. It is always inspiring to hear a success story.

Velociraptor

08/01/2007 at 20:41

I agree absolutely with Siance and SuperCaz. When you're tired, or even just half-tired, after a run, you aren't going to get the best out of a strength-training exercise, and mental and physical fatigue may well interfere with your posture to the extent that you end up doing the exercises with poor form and getting injured.

The "fat-burning" low-intensity zone is a myth and, as you say, BiB, high-intensity exercise burns more total calories, and more fat, per unit of time. The most important factor is the distance you run. However, running at around 70% of MHR, or a perceived effort of "able to talk in short sentences", is easier to sustain, and less likely to lead to you becoming injured or stopping enjoying your runs, than belting out every session trying to cover the biggest distance in the time available.

How many times a week do you run?

Breathless in Barrow

08/01/2007 at 21:42

I have only just started in the New Year. I ran three times last week and plan on upping it to four maybe five times this week.

I run for 30-35 mins and my heart rate averaged 171 which is just under 90% of my MHR. This is only at 7.4Km\h.
I am 5' 11'' and weigh nearly 17st.

Having just looked at this I have surprised myself that my exertion was so high. My legs tend to get heavy and tired before I become breathless.
Maybe I need to work at a slightly lower heart rate but for longer. Any thoughts on this?

Thanks in Advance

BIB

Red Haired Girl Down Under

08/01/2007 at 22:14

BiB

Couple of things,

-Your MHR - did you calculate it based on a formula? If so it may be that you don't fit the usual HR formula, my max is around 208, but according to the formula it should be 195 or something like that. There are various ways to get a more accurate HR Max, but it's best to wait until you are reasonably fit to try them out, so stick with the one you have for now.

-The Plan - have you had a chance to have a look at the beginner training plans on this site (the grey training tab at the top)? Going straight in to 3 30 min sessiosn is quite a strong start and it's important not to get injured at this stage. There are a number of simple rules to follow for beginner runners.

1) Good Shoes - properly fitted by a running specialist
2) Run slowly - slower than you think you need (hence the 70% max HR target)
3) Don't increase by more than 10% each week
4) Don't increase both distance and intensity in the same week

http://www.smartersport.com/ss/documents/22.htm

sounds like you are already beyond a normal run/walk program, but be careful... and enjoy running.

www.smartersport.com also has a training log

Hot and pink!

10/01/2007 at 16:03

BiB
I've found a training pattern that works for me that might work for you too. I run 3 days a week and do other cardio things the other 3 days (bike, arc, stair-climber)- with one rest day (although I usually cycle to work and do abs on my rest day!). Apart from very busy days I do the cardio stuff after work and I always stretch after training.

For resistance work I do it in the mornings before breakfast, approximately half an hour, usually on the days I'm not running.

Might be worth a bash?

Breathless in Barrow

10/01/2007 at 16:10

H & P

Yes I shall certainly look into that. However training before breakfast is not me. I am not a morning person, so I could adjust it for some time later in the day.

Thanks a lot

Paul

Charmaine Toy

10/01/2007 at 17:25

BIB... I understand what you mean about feeling lazy if you still have energy left!! After a good session I tend to have a good stretch and save the core stuff (when I can be bothered with it) for a seperate session.

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