LEGS without deads, squats (endurance)

[royale13ii]

Anyone here train legs without doing squats or deads religiously? I started running after taking a nice 3 month hiatus, and my quads and hams are feeling it 3 days later. I'm going to focus on running more often, even if the distance isn't considerably great.

Anyone run alot (not on an elliptical) and squat and dead occasionally?

I've been cleaning up my diet too, so I don't run and feel like shit. ahha
I'm hoping to shed some el bee'z on my legs.

 

[RipStone]

Sounds like a good way to lose strength IMO. Subbing cardio for core lifts isnt the best idea. If you want to lose weight, great.....cardio is a good way of doing this. But still do squats and deads. Just structure your workout schedule around the squats and deads so you wont be sore from running when you go to squat/pull.

 

[musketeer]

The running killed your legs because you haven't done it for a while - not because running is a better leg exercise. ANYWAY, soreness is not an indicator of a great workout...

YOU can train your quads fairly well with full range leg press, lunges, hack squats, etc. But why not just do it properly and squat - I've never got bored of it!

 

[LiftingDukkha]

I'll try to give the most straightforward response I can. I happened to get into jogging more as a teen than into structured weightlifting. At one point in my early 20's I was much more focused on jogging & bicycling than on weightlifting. Eventually I got back into lifting & finally found good structure. But I've always felt a tension between the desire to lift weights & to run as well as I can.

So a few years ago I attempted to combine the 2 very directly. And by "running," I mean 3 miles to 10-k's.

But I found after a very short time that I simply could not do both distance jogging and low-body weightlifting. I sort of compromised by leaving in power cleans, and occasionally deadlifts, but serious squats (or any other leg lift) were completely out.

I finally realized that for me to be successful at both, I would truly have to become a perfect physical specimen, which is not bloody likely anytime soon.

To me, the plain fact is, it's practically impossible to combine the kind of serious running most "real Runners" perform, with "real lowerbody Weightlifting/Powerlifting." It's just impossible, at least for the vast majority of human beings, IMO.

For one thing, can anyone actually name anybody else who competes both in Marathons (or even 10-k's) AND 3-lift powerlifting meets, or bodybuilding contests?*

They simply are two completely different physical activities, each of which basically demands full devotion to themselves. IMO, you can either be a good distance runner, or a good weightlifter/powerlifter/bodybuilder, but you simply cannot be both!

However, I sincerely believe the health benefits of good regular running cannot be denied.

So, IMO, there's always an uneasy tension of how best to go about incorporating healthy cardio exercise (especially if you want to jog) with disciplined, useful weightlifting.



*I mean, have you heard of anyone who can do both heavy Squats AND long-distance running at the same time (within, say, a week of each other)? We've all heard of weightlifters who drop weight & get weaker to focus on training for marathons, but have you ever heard of anyone who can do both respectable weightlifting and respectable distance running at the same time, without taking months off from one or the other to re-condition their body?

 

[silver_shadow]

i have a very simple way of putting this. if running was the best (strength exercise)then marathon runners would be capable of squatting 1500lbs.... a marathon is ~ 26 miles. however most would probly struggle to squat 200.... QED

 

[rbtrout]

It all really depends upon what you want to train for. If you want to be a long distance runner that is skinny, then run. If you want to be a lifter with a good build that runs, then lift. If you're not wanting to gain any size in your legs, then squat with lighter weight and more reps. Keep up the running.
I play bball and have many times thought about dropping my weight down to 190 so I can be faster and run better. Then I get to the gym and think about not being able to bench 225 or squat 315 or dead 400......to me, it's worth being a bit heavier and slower. I'm not as quick playing bball as all the others, but no one (I mean NO ONE) moves me unless I want to be moved. Even the 'big guys' don't like me guarding them cause I'm so much stronger than they are. It's worth it.
I recently started doing HIIT on a stationary bike to increase my endurance. 15-20 minutes twice a week has helped immensley on the bball court and I'm still stronger than any one else out there.

 

[LiftingDukkha]

i have a very simple way of putting this. if running was the best (strength exercise)then marathon runners would be capable of squatting 1500lbs.... a marathon is ~ 26 miles. however most would probly struggle to squat 200.... QED

Well, that's not necessarily what the Original Post was asking about, at least it's not clear.

Obviously, if your goal is strictly "size of legs" then obviously running is not going to help.

However, if your goal is something else, like say leanness or cardio or even, hey, being able to run some distance before gassing, then running probably should be part of the plan.

Fact is, we human beings are hairless apes. Our ancestors originally developed more slow-twitch muscles and ran on the savannah sometimes for hours a day. Our genes predispose us more towards LSD (long slow distance) running, than to hardcore weightlifting, powerlifting, or bodybuilding.

 

[silver_shadow]

Well, that's not necessarily what the Original Post was asking about, at least it's not clear.

Obviously, if your goal is strictly "size of legs" then obviously running is not going to help.

However, if your goal is something else, like say leanness or cardio or even, hey, being able to run some distance before gassing, then running probably should be part of the plan.

Fact is, we human beings are hairless apes. Our ancestors originally developed more slow-twitch muscles and ran on the savannah sometimes for hours a day. Our genes predispose us more towards LSD (long slow distance) running, than to hardcore weightlifting, powerlifting, or bodybuilding.

my apologies.... i just noticed "(endurance)" in the subject line.... yes in that case deads/squats have little use.