Does running with weights help?

[scooterscot]

run faster or up a hill.

+1, and even try running downhill.

[minestrone]

Not done it for a while but I have in the past used 1kg arm weights over a few weeks in my run training, keeping them moving takes a good bit of oxygenated blood away from the lower half and it makes for a tougher run on the legs. It also gets the arms more involved in the stride which can add speed.

Would never do it on the legs.

[d000hg]

That kind of thing - very small weights tactically placed to target individual muscles - sounds like it should be fine. As opposed to the "sling a couple of bricks in a rucksack" approach

[mudskipper]

My shiny new HR monitor arrived this morning - haven't used one before. Did my normal plod round the pond (about 40 minutes), and according to my gadget my average HR is 94% of my max (and if you take out the first .5k, it's around 99% for the rest)

So reading stuff, I should be aiming for a lower intensity, but any slower and I'd be walking. It's a bit depressing - I've been doing the running for over a year now with very little real improvement. Over the last few months I've been running 3x a week, cycling a couple of times and chucking in the odd swim for good measure, yet don't seem to be getting any fitter.

Any hints on how I can get fitter? Would love to get to < 30mins for my 5K which doesn't seem an overly ambitious target, but not getting any closer to it.

[Spacecadet]

Any hints on how I can get fitter? Would love to get to < 30mins for my 5K which doesn't seem an overly ambitious target, but not getting any closer to it.

Sprints and strength training with weights

The sprints will increase your lung capacity and general cardio strength
The strength training i.e. weighted squats will just make the running easier

If you are a member of a gym then have a couple of sessions with a trainer to make sure you're doing it right

It took me less than 6 months to go from barely able to run 1k without stopping to running 5k in under 25 minutes (according to endomondo and parkrun)

[mudskipper]

Sprints and strength training with weights

The sprints will increase your lung capacity and general cardio strength
The strength training i.e. weighted squats will just make the running easier

If you are a member of a gym then have a couple of sessions with a trainer to make sure you're doing it right

It took me less than 6 months to go from barely able to run 1k without stopping to running 5k in under 25 minutes (according to endomondo and parkrun)

Not a member of a gym - never really appealed. But will give the sprints thing a go and might sign up for my free BMF session now the weather's improved. There's a parkrun a bit further away that's got some mean hills - done it once, but might have a few more goes at that to improve the general fitness.

[d000hg]

It's a bit depressing - I've been doing the running for over a year now with very little real improvement. Over the last few months I've been running 3x a week, cycling a couple of times and chucking in the odd swim for good measure, yet don't seem to be getting any fitter.

In a similar boat; bought a cycling machine purely to lose weight. Despite the fact my weight was only climbing veeeeeery slowly before that, and that I use it 3-4 times a week for 30-45 minutes each time, it has made no difference at all to the tummy. Although it has made my legs visibly more shapely, that's not really helpful when I generally have a good figure with a belly stuck on!

[mudskipper]

In a similar boat; bought a cycling machine purely to lose weight. Despite the fact my weight was only climbing veeeeeery slowly before that, and that I use it 3-4 times a week for 30-45 minutes each time, it has made no difference at all to the tummy. Although it has made my legs visibly more shapely, that's not really helpful when I generally have a good figure with a belly stuck on!

When I first ran, I was pleasantly surprised to find how much my tummy muscles ached - so worth a try. No-one's asked me "when is it due?" for over a year, so its working. (Or I look too old...)

[d000hg]

I seem to be getting fitter but no less fat. I'd really hoped the opposite would happen!

[mudskipper]

I seem to be getting fitter but no less fat. I'd really hoped the opposite would happen!

Eat/drink less? Exercise make me hungry - I'm sure I consume more calories than I burn.