Crosstraining?

[Texa]

Which is a better crosstraining to support marathon training - pilates or weightlifting? Or do you need some of both?

Can't make up my mind! Thanks!

 

[princessrunner]

Both are a great idea. The pilates will build your core and the weight training will build your intrinsic muscles that you use during the marathon. If I were to chose one, it would be the Pilates. A good routine will balance you out and work all your muscles including your core. Check out a class today!!

 

[Texa]

Is there a better choice if you want to lose a few pounds. I love the Pilates but heard weight lifting was necessary for weight loss. I read an article ont he figure athlete website that was kind of discouraging. The author of the article stated that when she was training for a triathlon and doing a lot (LOT) of steady state cardio she lost definition and gained weight. It wasn't until she added weights back into her routine that she became lean again.

I know every body is different. Maybe I'll try to incorporate both....

 

[AmyBeth68]

If you can do both, I think it as Lisa states, it makes for the ideal combination. I happen to be a pilates instructor and incorporate strength training in every class. I feel that weights are great, but you can get similar benefits by doing exercises that incorporate your own body weight such as push-ups, squats, lunges, tricep dips, planks, etc. The best benefit of Pilates for runners is strengthening the core so that when you get to that point in the race when everything is fatigued, you can still call upon your core muscle group to help keep your back straight, shoulders relaxed etc. At the end of a marathon, you'll see folks hunched over as they cross that 26 mile mark which is brutal on the body and makes the running so much more difficult. With a strong core, you won't get to that point which helps your running form immensely. So if you have to choose one form of exercise, I too would choose pilates and incorporate a simple weight routine at the end of your pilates session . Doing this two to four times per week would be ideal.

 

[Tiger Lily 03]

I definitely agree with the advice already given.

I love doing whatever Pilates I can get in and even if it is not hardcore I still have noticed a huge difference from when I did none. I'm for doing both as XT if you can fit it in. I've also at times used swimming as XT and that is good for stretching and increasing muscle strength too. Mix it up if you can, but if you must pick one I'd go with Pilates right now.

 

[Texa]

Thanks so much everyone!

 

[FireDancer]

I can’t say I do Pilates but I do core training and strength training. One advantage of strength training is something called excess post-exercise oxygen consumption. I am not a doctor or exercise physiologist so this might be a bit non-scientific but I do read a lot so here goes.

When you lift weights you raiser your heart rate, elevate your caloric expenditure, and damage muscle fibers. Your body needs to then repair those muscle fibers (making you stronger and the muscles grow) which uses energy in the forms of calories.

Also keep in mind the metabolic benefit of losing fat and gaining lean muscle. It takes more calories to support one pound of muscle than it does one pound of fat. The actual number vary a lot but even the lowest case scenario I have seen states it takes approximately 3 times the calories to support a pound of muscle than a pound of fat.

One more thing to think about if you are dieting is that all the weight you lose won’t be fat. In fact it is easier for the body to shed muscle than fat. This is an evolutionary problem that comes from when we used to hunt and gather instead of head to the supermarket. If you only diet and don’t do any sort of muscle building activity you may be losing muscle along with fat and that isn’t good.

I recommend doing as many different kinds of cross training as you can. This could be Pilates, weight training, biking, kayaking, climbing, snow-shoeing, and of course walking/jogging/running. I wouldn’t look at it in an either-or scenario, the more varied the better.