Re: Is it pointless to try and bulk up if you are a runner?
 

Some people just like to go out and run 5, 10, 20 miles. It feels amazing when you get in a rhythm and don't even feel your feet hitting the trail.

And despite the current popular opinion (ZOMG HIIT IS THE ONLY WAY TO RUN OR YOU'RE AN IDIOT!!1!) it is in no way shape or form unhealthy to do long runs. They can in fact be quite beneficial to your health - both physical and mental.

Re: Is it pointless to try and bulk up if you are a runner?
 

yea I enjoy running and I can't say I agree with you that running sprints is better than cardiovascular exercise for your health. Plus I'm not 45, I feel no pain in my joints.

Re: Is it pointless to try and bulk up if you are a runner?
 

He's not saying that sprints/HIIT is necessarily better - he's defending long distance running. For what it's worth, I think long distance running is very good. I do both.

Re: Is it pointless to try and bulk up if you are a runner?
 

oops I meant to be responding to Slick Poppa's post.

But upon further reflection of my caloric intake I get the feeling like it won't work out. Going out 6 nights a week and sleeping in till 1:00 and only eating 2 meals a day is not gonna cut it calorie wise. Oh well I'm not gonna change that, so I guess I'll add the protein supplement and see if anything happens.

Re: Is it pointless to try and bulk up if you are a runner?
 

[ QUOTE ]
Some people just like to go out and run 5, 10, 20 miles. It feels amazing when you get in a rhythm and don't even feel your feet hitting the trail.

And despite the current popular opinion (ZOMG HIIT IS THE ONLY WAY TO RUN OR YOU'RE AN IDIOT!!1!) it is in no way shape or form unhealthy to do long runs. They can in fact be quite beneficial to your health - both physical and mental.

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I agree that running long distances is a net positive health wise. But I still maintain that sprints are *better* for achieving the fitness goals of most men. It is my understanding that most men would like to increase their muscle mass while decreasing their body fat percentage. (And let's not forget that the title of the post I responded to mentioned bulking up) The best evidence that we have available today suggests that HIIT is better for achieving those two goals simultaneously than running long distances. Even anecdotally, compare the bodies of elite sprinters with those of elite distance runners (even guys who run much shorter distances than marathon runners)

Even aside from the superficial benefits, I think HIIT is better training for the weekend athletic activities that most people engage in. Most of popular pickup sports such basketball, football, baseball, tennis, etc. require periods of maximal effort sandwiched with brief periods of rest or little effort. There are very few sports that people regularly engage in that mirror running 5-7 miles at the exact same pace. Only soccer comes close in my opinion, but in the way that most pickup games are played there is a lot more sprinting mixed with walking than constant running.

Again, I agree that running long distances is better than nothing. But I just think that HIIT is much better for the fitness goals of most people. FWIW, my ideal routine includes one ~4 mile run per week.

Re: Is it pointless to try and bulk up if you are a runner?
 

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I run about 3 or 4 days a week, usually 4 to 7 miles at a fairly high intensity and do some free weights usually 3 days a week. I've decided I want to try and step up my workouts and put on some muscle mass, but is there any way to do this without cutting back on the running? When I talked to the guy at GNC he made it sound like running longer distances and getting bigger were mutually exclusive. What do you guys think?

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The GNC guy is correct in that endurance training and getting bigger do oppose eachother. However, it sounds like you're running about 15-24 miles a week, and just looking to increase strength and bulk while maintaining a good level of overall fitness. You're not doing serious endurance training by any measure, just a healthy level of cardio. I don't think there's any reason to worry about cutting back on your running volume based on your goals. Be prepared for your running performance to take a dip though.

Re: Is it pointless to try and bulk up if you are a runner?
 

[ QUOTE ]
oops I meant to be responding to Slick Poppa's post.

But upon further reflection of my caloric intake I get the feeling like it won't work out. Going out 6 nights a week and sleeping in till 1:00 and only eating 2 meals a day is not gonna cut it calorie wise. Oh well I'm not gonna change that, so I guess I'll add the protein supplement and see if anything happens.

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Uh oh. Yeah, having multiple goals while taking poor care of yourself is not good.

I came into this thread to post that probably one of the best ways to make this come close to working out is to be sure you get a ton of sleep every single day. Then I saw your post above and though, wuh-oh, this is bad.

Re: Is it pointless to try and bulk up if you are a runner?
 

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You might not be able to "bulk up," but you can definitely get stronger. The perception that the only way to get stronger is to build tons of muscle mass is quite wrong.

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Very true. You can get much, much stronger without putting on much muscle. This is one reason why I think getting stronger is part of a good set of goals for pretty much everyone, no matter what their other goals.

Re: Is it pointless to try and bulk up if you are a runner?
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
oops I meant to be responding to Slick Poppa's post.

But upon further reflection of my caloric intake I get the feeling like it won't work out. Going out 6 nights a week and sleeping in till 1:00 and only eating 2 meals a day is not gonna cut it calorie wise. Oh well I'm not gonna change that, so I guess I'll add the protein supplement and see if anything happens.

[/ QUOTE ]

Uh oh. Yeah, having multiple goals while taking poor care of yourself is not good.

I came into this thread to post that probably one of the best ways to make this come close to working out is to be sure you get a ton of sleep every single day. Then I saw your post above and though, wuh-oh, this is bad.

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Oh I definitely get enough sleep and I eat pretty healthy, but I just don't consume enough "good" calories because way too high of a percentage of my calories are from beer. I don't feel like changing that part of my lifestyle just yet.

Re: Is it pointless to try and bulk up if you are a runner?
 

There aren't that many things that don't come at some sacrifice.

Booze has a big effect on the quality of your sleep. It is also common among alcoholics to be malnourished because they don't eat enough(booze makes them not want to eat or full, I guess). You're working against yourself here.