Starting Strength & running/cycling

[nooob]

New guy here, apologies if this has been asked before...

I just got the books in and I'm getting ready to start the novice program. My question is, how do you try and work in a little aerobic exercise? I'm not looking to do much, maybe the equivalent of running 2-3 miles twice a week. Do you do it after the weight training, or on off days? Obviously the legs will be tired after squatting, but doing it on off days makes me wonder about recovery time. I'm 43, so recovery is probably more important for me than for the younger guys.

All advice appreciated & thanks.

[tescott]

Why do you want to do the aerobic work?

If it's just because you like it, or if you need to maintain a level of aerobic fitness for your job/lifestyle, then do it on saturday only. Make sure you eat and sleep enough to recover.

[Domjo54]

you might be able to do some at the beginning (and if you're doing m/w/f, prob on sundays b/c then you'll already have had a day off), but as the squats and the rest of your lifts get heavier, you'll really struggle to do cardio, unless you're willing to do so at the expense of your actual weight lifting results. i tried to, and wound up stopping, b/c i would be too sore and stuff. but, if it's really important to you (like i thought it was at the beginning for me), then go for it! (and assess the situation after 2 months on SS)

[IWillLiveFreeOrDie]

Last Spring and Summer when I started mountain biking it killed my progress. I just couldn't recover from both the workouts and the biking. I was doing the biking for fun, and since life is about having fun, I was ok with not making progress last Summer.

This Spring I want to break a 6 minute mile. I know my progress will decline while I try and do this, but I'm ok with that. I will also do some mountain biking again.

It comes down to your priorities and how committed you are to the program. If you are just starting out I would spend a minimum of 3 months just focusing on Starting Strength.

You have to give this program your all at least once, or you will never appreciate how great it is! :D

[jameson]

Most here will probably tell you not to mess with the program (i.e. adding accessory exercises or conditioning).

A little further information would be appreciated. Do you have any experience with barbell training? With the amount of running/cycling that you do, would you consider those amounts taxing on your body? Why is it that you want to do this? For fun? -not a loaded question

Now I will say that lifting heavy weights is a big stessor to your body. You may not feel the need for aerobic exercise once you begin the program. The benefits of heavy barbell training often outweigh those of aerobic exercise - anywhere from cardivascular to bone/joint health.

[nooob]

Thanks for the replies -

The Why - just for general health. I'm not a big fan of either really. I like to hike but I figured tramping for miles while squatting 3x per week wouldn't really fly.

Experience with barbells (yes but)... I lifted back when I was in school, but like a lot of young guys all we really thought about was bench and curls, so really I'm a rookie to a real program. I wish SS had existed back then... BTW I read the thread in Ends n Pieces with all the stupid gym tricks and I have to admit I've done some of those :D No color-coordinated outfits or flexing the "gunz" in the mirrors though, so maybe there's hope for me yet.

I like the idea of setting aside other stuff and just doing SS until I stall. I won't gain like a young buck but hopefully I can make some nice gains.

[Trolllund]

Think of it as a transition phase. In the beginning while you are learning good technique but not pushing heavy iron, the extra cardio is probably fine. As your weights go up, you may find that you need to cut back on the cardio to maintain recovery. Listen to your body and be aware of how you feel. Trust me, 3 sets of five under bone crushing weight in the squat, your heart will be pounding!

[mcsquared]

Test it out. See how you feel aerobic sessions on your off days. I'd recommend 'scaling' these workouts as well. Start low and work your way up.

In my opinion, short-distance, high intensity is the way to go. Since I'm in the military, I'm forced to do some degree of running in conjunction with my strength training. Give your body time to adapt to whatever new stressors you're placing on it. Also, identifying your goals aerobically might be the way to go. If you're looking for general fitness, metcons might be a good fit. Check out crossfitendurance.com, and try doing one of those workouts on your off-days. I like the stuff I see over there.

[Jamie J. Skibicki]

WHat are your goals?

[jameson]

Thanks for the replies -

The Why - just for general health. I'm not a big fan of either really. I like to hike but I figured tramping for miles while squatting 3x per week wouldn't really fly.

Experience with barbells (yes but)... I lifted back when I was in school, but like a lot of young guys all we really thought about was bench and curls, so really I'm a rookie to a real program. I wish SS had existed back then... BTW I read the thread in Ends n Pieces with all the stupid gym tricks and I have to admit I've done some of those :D No color-coordinated outfits or flexing the "gunz" in the mirrors though, so maybe there's hope for me yet.

I like the idea of setting aside other stuff and just doing SS until I stall. I won't gain like a young buck but hopefully I can make some nice gains.

If it's for "general health," then I wouldn't do it. Not yet anyways. Your novice progression won't last very long (a few weeks to a few months at best). Just make sure you're eating enough to recover (as this will be very, very important) and scale your workouts so that you can make successive gains as long as possible. I'm glad you like the idea because, for many, this program can be boring (as evidenced by so many trying to change it up). For the best results, do the program as specified in the book.

[drlvegas]

As a fellow 43-year-old, I can tell you that it will work for you. The first time I did SS, I got about 7 months out of it. After getting lazy the last couple of months of 2009, I'm re-starting. Getting strong is much more fun that running.

My advice would be to do only SS for the first month or two, and then add 15 min's of met-con once a week, then twice a week. This is what Rip has suggested many times on this forum, and it works.

Be prepared to eat.

[greenlantern]

I am not very far into the program at all (I am no young buck at 35 and am not in a rush to add 30 lbs of muscle overnight), but I am serious about challenging my body into getting stronger. In just a few weeks I have realized that I had to reset my expectations about cardio. No more 6 mile runs. No 50 mile bike rides. No two-mile swims, followed by a 6 mile run and a 50 mile bike ride.

[timt]

Like a lot of the guys said here, do SS for a few months then start up running. This will give your body time to adapt to the program (you won't feel as sore the next day any more). I would then do the running on either tues/thurs and on sat (so you got sun where your fully resting ready for a new week). Increasing your fitness level and overall conditioning will help your weightlifting (you'll be able to last longer, you won't be as tired after a set, your workout won't drag out, you'll need less rest time between sets) and is a great idea once your body has adapted to the original stress of starting a program like SS.

[nooob]

Thanks for all the advice - I'm going to give it a whirl for a few months as described and think about the other stuff afterwards.