Leg Muscles Weight Training and Running in Same Workout - Pros and Cons

What are your goals?  What are you trying to achieve with the weight training?  What are you trying to achieve with the running?

Ok,

Thanks for the replies and advice - let me see if I can address these and expound.

As fas as lifting first then run, or run then lift - In the past I've always tried to do strength training first and then cardio.  I come from more of a weight-lifting backgroup (football, wrestling, weightlifting in general) and Aug07 decided to focus more on cardio and make Tri my main sport/reason for exercise ... so with all that said I've read lots about weight training, bought M&F mags, etc ... and read several articles on studies or tests that were done  ... where 2 identical test groups were studied, one group lifted first then did cardio, the other cardio first then weights.

The group that did weights first then cardio lost a higher percentage of fat in their weight loss ... the studies said that lifting weights (strength training) elevated the IGH-1 hormone in your bloodstream (for some amount of time) and that following that with cardio ... the elevated levels of IGH-1 hormone ate thru fat more or burned more calories ... vs. doing cardio first then weights.

So, for past 2 years I've been tri training I'd always get in weights first (whether it be arms, or chest, or legs) and then cardio (whether it be run, swim, bike, elliptical, etc...)

Never saw an orthopaedic (did see my family doc) about the left foot, thought it was stress fractures, pain on top of foot, but a massage therapist worked me some and talked to couple others with same symptoms, and all think it was coming from strained or injured ligaments (tendons??) at the ankle ... and the pain radiates out across the top of the foot.

So, probably from going too long on worn out shoes and also over-pronating (orthodics were suggested) ... so the injury was not directly related to weights or like too much running, or stepping into a pothole or whatever ... I naturally pronate and with not having that fully corrected (my "stability" shoes can only do so much) and then running on the worn out shoes caused too much of a "rolling" motion the last couple months leading up to my HIM last year.

So, I laid off a while and now starting back ... and using the same protocol ... weight or strength training first ... then cardio ... but now that I've had my first setback because of injury ... I want to come back to training but do it right ... or more safely, correctly, intelligently, ... whatever ...

My goals are to increase leg strength - not neccessarily size, they are already like tree trunks.  Want to lose more fat/weight ... and get more definition ... but also want to retain or gain strength  ... to help with longer runs/bike rides.

Also, and even more importantly ...to increase cardio fitness and endurance and be able to "run long time ..."

So, is the weights first then cardio same day ... burns more calories or fat a real fact?  If not I'll do cardio then weights.  Or if doing both on same day is not smart I'll break it up and do leg weights on a Swim day for example ...

As far as how hard are my runs ... ALL my runs are hard .... j/k .... really though ... ALL my runs are SLOW runs ... the past 2 nights on the treadmill were set at a 13 min/mile pace.

If I can someday run 13.1 or 26.2 miles continuous at a 12 minute pace ... I'd be ecstatic!!! ... so speed is of no importance to me ...

Also, I too used to net be able to walk the next day or two after a leg workout ... but trying to not do that anymore ... would go as high as 545 lbs or so on the leg press machine for 8-12 reps in my final set ... then do calf presses, calf raise, leg extensions, sqats sometimes, hamstring curls, etc ... to total failure ... the next day or two I could not walk up or down stairs without holding onto the rails .... trying to be smarter and go lighter weight, more reps, try to work some fast-twitch as well.

Currently will do 335 lbs on the leg press, do 8-10 medium-speed reps (deep reps - knees almost touching chest), followed immediately by 15-20 fast calf presses, immediately followed by 6-8 negative calf presses,  immediately followed by 4-5 SLOW leg presses and really go till my knees touch my chest ... then I'll rack the weights ... rest and stretch 30-45 seconds ... then do 3 to 4 more sets.  Then I'll do 4-5 sets of leg extensions on a Natilus machine, 8-10 reps around 80-90 lbs ... but I do them in a unique way ... lift up or extend the legs at a moderate pace, but then let it back down SLOWLY  .. at about an 8 second count ... the last set I'll lift the weight and hold for as long as possible, then lower slowly ... only get about 6 reps this way ... and my legs are twitching and jumping ... quads look like they are convulsing or having spasms ... then finally 3 sets of 10-12 reps of calf raises.

I'm curious to the poster who said working fast-twitch with weights is negated my slow-twitch running ... really?  I thought this made for a balanced workout ... getting both the fast and slow twitch ... not disputing you ... just never heard it before and curious.

Thanks again everyone.

I don't know about the weight loss effects or whatever in what you mentioned.

I do know that if you want to get better at running, then you should run.  A lot.  If you want stronger legs for running, then you should run hills.  A lot.  Yes, there are other things you can do, likes strides and whatnot.

In regards to losing weight, I have found that diet plays a bigger role than what exercises you.  I have also found that running a LOT of miles at an easy pace tends to burn off more weight than a moderate amount of miles at a moderate pace.  Considering the general formula used to determine calories burned is based on distance and your weight, not time or effort, that makes sense.  If you want to focus on burning more fat, run at an easy pace.

That's all I got.

I think the big issue with weights is the mass.  If you're already a big guy, with lots of muscle, yeah endurance running is gonna be more of a struggle.  Those muscles burn a lot of fuel, and require even more to move the extra bulk.  But that's just assumption on my part.

As for the hill running, I would look here.  Read the Hill Resistance section specifically, but the whole thing is worthwhile.

I never run fresh!   I always make sure I train my legs (as well as my whole body) with kettlebells, TRX, free weights, pistol squats etc. and then run!  If you are never going to run fresh in a race, why train that way?

Yesterday I did three 1350 meter sets on the C2 rower (5 minutes each with 1 minute rest in between sets) immediatly followed by hill repeats on the treadmill for 30 minutes.  My legs were shot before I jumped on the treadmill, but after a minute at 6.5, I was in my grove :-) 

I really don't see any con's to running after training the legs, only benefits.

Technically, you're probably never going to race after doing a session of weights, so why train that way?  If you want to be realistic, always bike then run.