Fitness Schedule

[Jock]

I've been having a look around on this forum in both the RM section AND the Para section for tips on figuring out a schedule for training. (Hoping to get into the RM)

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Heres what I have so far:
Monday: Gym work - low weights with high reps (3 sets, 3 exercises within a set - 1) chest+back, 2) biceps, 3) triceps)

Tuesday: Run (5 mile on multi terrain)

Wednesday: Gym Work

Thursday: Run (5 Miles again on a different route)

Friday: Gym Work

Saturday: Cycle, Run or Swim (what ever one I feel like doing)

Sunday: Rest.
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Should probably start doing sit ups and press ups (safe to say im shit at them ) so Ill start doing them daily, a set in the morning and a set at night.

Any advice on how to better that or does that seem ok?

Cheers,
Jock.

[jonno2006]

doesnt look to bad at all jock, although id change your wednesdays gym work to a swim and combine mondays and fridays gym work with press ups, sit ups and pull ups as well as doing them in the mornings and evenings. after a few weeks of this routine, id begin to throw in some sprinting sessions if possible and start generally mixing things up abit (getting your body used to different exercises at different times of the day/week).
all the best and welcome to the forums.

jonno

[Richie6899]

Welcome to the forum Jock..

I'm no fitness expert, i'd put another rest day in that schedule first off. I like the idea of cross training, so throwing a swim or cycle or both seems a good idea.
A few people on here might say 'shelf the weights' and just do bodyweight circuits, or you could do circuit training in the gym.
Mixing it up every so often aswell, if you can put in a double session like, am-bodyweight circuit, pm- CV.

I don't how fit you are, if your just starting say running i wouldn't of thought running 5 miles straight of was a good idea, i'd build up to that, but that's just my opinion.

You'll get some good advice on here, you'll get some bad advice, take it with a pinch of salt, and do what you think is best for you, only you know what's good for you.

Good luck with your RM application.

Richie

[Jack1988]

I'd definitly add some sprints int there somewhere, the usual press ups, sit ups and pull ups should be there 4/5 times a week.

I'd keep the gym work but focus on your legs and back, weighted squats etc. Especially if you're micro sized like me, bergen carrying could be made easier!

[_chris]

I wouldn't just run 5 miles for all of your runs, like others have said put some speed work in there. If you make either your Tuesday or Thursday speed then could put a long run in on Saturday (or long cycle etc.) and keep the remaining session as a mid length. If you just run out for a set distance at a set speed over and over you'll find you won't be improving as fast as you good be.

I wouldn't neccesarily put another rest day in, I do 6 on 1 off, but obviously that depends on your current level of fitness.

I tend to run on times aswell instead of distance, I find if your always to do 5 miles in the future that obviously won't be as much of a workout as it is when you first start. Where as if you said 1 hour run then your run will always be challenging yoursef as the distance will change with your fitness. As long as you always try to run further in that time than the time before. I know some people don't like training with time though and prefer distance.

[Jock]

Thanks for the reply, kind of looks like this now after a bit of changing:

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Monday: Gym work + press ups, sit ups etc

Tuesday: Hill Sprints + press ups, sit ups etc

Wednesday: Swim + press ups, sit ups etc

Thursday: Hill Sprints + press ups, sit ups etc

Friday: Gym Work + press ups, sit ups etc

Saturday: Cycle or Run

Sunday: Rest.
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[Jock]

You guys got any tips on training to raise the number of press ups I can do?

- Should I do them in sets?
- Should I do them until I cant to anymore, or start low and build up?

[lodgi]

Jock, Ive found the most convenient and efficient way to build up press ups max number is do them in random sets. Do 10 or however many you can do comfortably and keep doing them throughout the day. Do them whenever you walk into a room or whenever the adverts comeon. By the end of the day you should have done a LOT of pressups. This is the main thing i've done to get my press ups up to 54 from 25 or so.

[chris_]

jock, if i were you, i would cut out some of those press ups and sit ups.

you say your poor at them, and increasing the load on those muscles so quickly will probably end up with an injury.

i pulled my pec, and its a bastard if you pull it quite badly, i tell you. there are few exercises save running that you do without involving your chest, so you have to cut them all out, or you will never heal.

phase them in, as you would with any new exercise.

also, for me, when i first started running a lot i did this sort of set up:

1 mile SPRINT in the morning
4 mile run in the evening

this has my adding on miles vurtually every session. again, you need to make sure your body is ready for it.

for me, i find that running at speed is a CV battle more then anything. iv been quite sporty for a long time, and when i do a fast run (1.5 miles for example) my heart pounding out my chest and causing me to chuck is what slows me, rather then my legs tiring.

so for me, an ideal training method is to concentrate on CV over sprints.
find out how you are when you run, and you'll know what to focus on.

also, doing things like calf raises will help with running. if you can go on a X-trainer do. they are low impact, so can be used everyday almost. if you crank the resistance right up, it will help build strength in your legs. muscular strength is a large factor in running at speed, and so plain running is not always the best method to actually speed up running.

[Jack1988]

For press ups i've been trying this out, doing 10 press ups, then resting on my knees for 5 sec then another 10, do about 10 sets so getting about 100 press ups out in a couple of mins, give it a go. For PRMC i used just do 3 sets of something then build it up, then did later on would do a set of 60, 30 secs rest then try and do another 60.

[_chris]

1 miles not a sprint, it may be a fast run but not sprinting, unless its broken up in a way you've not said.

What do you mean concentrating on CV over sprints, sprints help build CV aswell, they decrease recovery time etc. aswell.

Any decent training problem will include a balance of speed training (speed and recovery), mid length runs, and long runs (CV and muscular endurance). Also speed training should be less than 1/6 of your total training idealy, and endurance no more than 1/3.

Calf raises, squats etc. will all help running, but nothing beats running, so it shouldn't be neglegted for time in the gym.

[Polynikes]

_chris wrote - "Calf raises, squats etc. will all help running, but nothing beats running, so it shouldn't be neglegted for time in the gym"

Agreed.

You are always running for PRMC, and I'd imagine in RT aswell. You run on the assault course, the three miler, the determination tests, the bleep test, gym test 2 blah blah blah...

You should get used to running all the time... Weights aren't as important IMO.

[chris_]

im not saying dont run. however, most experienced trainers, runners etc will tell you a critical factor in speed is strength and power.
the further you travel per natural stride, the longer you will be able to run, and the faster.

high weight low reps is the faster way to increase brute strength. running with a weight bag, with ankle weights etc will all increase strength, but a session of weight training can serve just as well, and is less likely to cause injury.

so many factors are involved in running performance. for most people they reach there limit when only one of these maxs out. ie your legs ache so bad, you just run out of energy etc.

if running is pretty much all you do, then this weaker area will be worked hard. your other areas do not get the same intesity level. if your legs give up, you stop, but your heart and CV system could keep going for longer, and only gets a smaller relative workout.
if you train seperate areas at a time, you can in theory get all your running factors near equal, so that your CV starts to have a hard time at about the same time as your legs start to turn to jelly. that way your training will be more efficient.
the phrase that is banded around a lot on here to do with PRMC:
"one good repition is better then 5 bad ones"
same goes for running training.

if you care to read:
http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_1 ... engt.shtml

almost every compound exercise can be improved by adding isolation exercises into training, and running is just that, a compound exercise. many areas work together, so yes you should practice running as a whole, but do not neglect the fact that each part is different, and are rarely all equal in performance.

[_chris]

I obviously incorrectly thought this was a thread about a fitness schedule for a guy looking to become a RM, obviously hes training for a sub 3 marathon

As I said and Polynikes agreed, weights and isolation will aid your running, but not essential, just ass much gains will be seen when running. When looking to be able to run reasonably well all you need to do is concentrate on running. Remember time also has to be dedicated to training for pull-ups, push-ups etc.

Top Runners as you point at will use weight training, as do many recreational ones looking for improved performance, however its not essential. Top runners use techniques to improve their times by around <1% having already used all the basic techniques to get down as far as possible, for most people just needing to run decently its not neccesary to concentrate on all their techniques. Basic decent running involves nothing more than going out running.

No-ones denying that weights will improve your performance, but unless your getting up near your max its not neccesary to try and fit in weight training into a program aswell. If your in the gym then by all means yes work the legs, but don't go to the gym just to do it.

Yes different parts of your system will tire at different rates depending on their fitness. But this is actually an argument for concentrating on running. You can strengthen some muscle groups, but unless your sure what your doing and work each group needed to the same level you will always end up with one weaker. Your body will only be able work to the pace of the weakest componant therefor the additional training you've put in on the others will have no benifit. If you neglect one area then you may aswell not have bothered with the weight training.

Your body will naturally reach a level, if your CV is much better than your leg muscles and you only work to your legs level, then your CV will drop to that level. Then as your leg strength improves and you work harder your CV will improve at the same rate.

[maritime_marine]

When you say that strength training will help running do you mean:

- 3 sets of 3-6 reps?

Also what exercises would you recommend?