Run more and do less or run less and do more.

[kmelloh]

Currently I run 1-2 miles a day every day of the week. I’m wondering if this is not as good as running say maybe 4 days with like more mileage per time?

I do amateur kickboxing and boxing and run for conditioning.

 

[beat...people...up?]

Yes, you should run less often but slightly more at a time. You'll be surprised how good you feel on runs with a bit of recovery. Maybe do like a half mile each super easy warmup and cooldown to help with recovery.

I'm guessing here that you run all of your runs at push pace, as well? Like just about as fast as you can? Maybe switch that up, do some intervals and cruise or some sprints or even throw a pure easy run day in there.

/former track runner talking here.

 

[aus101]

If the athletic activity you are pursuing doesn’t involve running I’d say run less.

Skipping is probably the best form of conditioning for boxing/kickboxing. Similar energy system, helps with coordination while being easier on the joints than running.

For liss (low intensity steady state) cardio, walking, with hill walking for those who need something a little more intense, is also easier on both the joints and CNS (central nervous system) than running (jogging).

For speed/power training obviously sprinting has its place, but again, it’s high intensity thus highly CNS fatiguing (which is what you don’t want when this is all just supplementary endurance training for a sport).

Do your boxing skill/sparring sessions and mix in LISS with skipping (which can be a warm up for other activities). Add in periods of speed/power training (sprints, airodyne bike, ergs etc )or even strength ones, as recovery capacity and needs demand.

 

[NurseKnuckles]

I would say do more with less and less often more with more or less, less effort.

 

[beat...people...up?]

If the athletic activity you are pursuing doesn’t involve running I’d say run less.

Skipping is probably the best form of conditioning for boxing/kickboxing. Similar energy system, helps with coordination while being easier on the joints than running.

For liss (low intensity steady state) cardio, walking, with hill walking for those who need something a little more intense, is also easier on both the joints and CNS (central nervous system) than running (jogging).

For speed/power training obviously sprinting has its place, but again, it’s high intensity thus highly CNS fatiguing (which is what you don’t want when this is all just supplementary endurance training for a sport).

Do your boxing skill/sparring sessions and mix in LISS with skipping (which can be a warm up for other activities). Add in periods of speed/power training (sprints, airodyne bike, ergs etc )or even strength ones, as recovery capacity and needs demand.

I fully admit I know nothing about boxing but lots about running, so this may be a case of "to a man with a hammer every problem looks like a nail"--or in this case a running shoe.

That said, I don't know of many fighters who don't run. It seems to me to be the most "honest" cardio... you either cover a certain distance at a certain pace or you don't. There's no wooliness.

 

[Sano]

If the athletic activity you are pursuing doesn’t involve running I’d say run less.

Skipping is probably the best form of conditioning for boxing/kickboxing. Similar energy system, helps with coordination while being easier on the joints than running.

For liss (low intensity steady state) cardio, walking, with hill walking for those who need something a little more intense, is also easier on both the joints and CNS (central nervous system) than running (jogging).

For speed/power training obviously sprinting has its place, but again, it’s high intensity thus highly CNS fatiguing (which is what you don’t want when this is all just supplementary endurance training for a sport).

Do your boxing skill/sparring sessions and mix in LISS with skipping (which can be a warm up for other activities). Add in periods of speed/power training (sprints, airodyne bike, ergs etc )or even strength ones, as recovery capacity and needs demand.

How would LISS running effect your CNS compared to skipping?

Skipping is great, but honestly if your joints can take it (has a lot to do with running economy, running volume and joint strength level) you should run too. Running goes really well with boxing.

 

[aus101]

How would LISS running effect your CNS compared to skipping?

Skipping is great, but honestly if your joints can take it (has a lot to do with running economy, running volume and joint strength level) you should run too. Running goes really well with boxing.

Skipping in my protocol is being used more as high intensity cardio training or as a warm up (most skipping sessions won’t go longer than 5-10 minutes).
HIT exercises as a rule can be more joint/cns intensive compared to liss as the overall volume will be much lower (and therefore the damage to the body, joint wise, inflammation wise and recovery capacity wise, will be much lower).

For low intensity steady state training you want the focus to be entirely on the heart and lungs. That’s why I recommend walking. It’s a lot more biomechanically inefficient compared to running, the muscles take more of the load, the joints less. This is good for training though as you want to work the muscles within comfortable ROM while working the heart and lungs, not try to get as far as you can, as quick as you can, as energy efficiently as you can, joint and recovery capacity be damned (which is what running allows).

Basically with endurance training for a non running sport you are just trying to fill your lungs and pump the heart, the rest of the movement (walking) is so easy/soft on the joints that you can aid recovery and promote anti aging hormonal responses (shunting blood around the body) while working/maintaining your V02 max.

As mentioned saving the rest of your recovery capacity for the sport you are trying to increase endurance for (boxing).

 

[Kirks]

There wouldn’t be a pro fighter in the world that doesn’t run.

Try just getting for 2-3 runs a week and try and run for 20-30 mins. It’s a great way to build a great aerobic foundation. I would do a mixture of sprints and steady state. But always try and hit 20 mins.

I used to do about s 25 min overall run, with the middle 10 mins being sprints. Usually about 20-30 seconds of work with the rest of the minute recovery. Then maybe on the third day just do a 30 min steady state run.

What will fuck you even more, is if you also go for a light 10-20 min warm up jog before you start training. Then train as per normal (including the skipping warm up). Your first week or so you’ll gas so quickly at boxing/kickboxing but once you’re body adjusts you get SO fit.

 

[Sano]

Skipping in my protocol is being used more as high intensity cardio training or as a warm up (most skipping sessions won’t go longer than 5-10 minutes).
HIT exercises as a rule can be more joint/cns intensive compared to liss as the overall volume will be much lower (and therefore the damage to the body, joint wise, inflammation wise and recovery capacity wise, will be much lower).

For low intensity steady state training you want the focus to be entirely on the heart and lungs. That’s why I recommend walking. It’s a lot more biomechanically inefficient compared to running, the muscles take more of the load, the joints less. This is good for training though as you want to work the muscles within comfortable ROM while working the heart and lungs, not try to get as far as you can, as quick as you can, as energy efficiently as you can, joint and recovery capacity be damned (which is what running allows).

Basically with endurance training for a non running sport you are just trying to fill your lungs and pump the heart, the rest of the movement (walking) is so easy/soft on the joints that you can aid recovery and promote anti aging hormonal responses (shunting blood around the body) while working/maintaining your V02 max.

As mentioned saving the rest of your recovery capacity for the sport you are trying to increase endurance for (boxing).

I'm just not getting which principles you are applying to say that LISS running taxes your "CNS" (which is a very vague term) more than skipping. Fatigue in general is a matter of managing volume and intensity. While HIT is a lot less volume, the intensity demands often makes recovery much harder than any LISS training would.

There's no doubt that walking is easier on the joints than LISS running, given less impact force, but walking is too low intensity to impose a meaningful adaption. Your VO2max wont improve noticebly from walking if you're not in terrible shape. It's a very healthy activity though, and definitely something that can be done for active recovery, or just relaxing.

I have to say I don't agree that all LISS training has to only focus on central adaptions. In that case you might as well bike instead of walking. Remove the weight-bearing component completely. The reason why running is as good as it is, is because while the central adaptions of the cardiovascular system will improve, the relevant peripheral ones will too. Another thing that running has over skipping is horizontal force vectors. The ability to push off with your feet in a forward direction carries over to boxing and martial arts very well.

I agree that is has to be sensible though. Manage volume, manage intensity, do GPP, improve efficiency of technique and don't overdo it. If you just can't run, then walking and/or biking are decent options.

 

[beat...people...up?]

So is swimming if that's practical and impact is a concern.

It's great cardio. I do it when I'm injured and can't run.

 

[Noodles03]

@Sano I have a question for you. Is it possible to maintain fast twitch fibers in your legs by incorporating 1 HIIT sprinting along with 2 longer LISS running secession per week? Thank you.

 

[Literally Bricked]

If you are not running for at least 20 minutes you really are not working your aerobic system. Considering you are only running 2 miles, you are better off for cardio just trying to get there and keeping your ethic the same otherwise. 20-30 minutes is not a long time.

 

[Sano]

@Sano I have a question for you. Is it possible to maintain fast twitch fibers in your legs by incorporating 1 HIIT sprinting along with 2 longer LISS running secession per week? Thank you.

I'd say don't worry about it. Running a low/moderate distance twice a week wont make you some ST weakling. Just like taking your bike to work or whatever wont.

2x LISS and 1x sprints sounds fine.

 

[nhbfan8080]

Currently I run 1-2 miles a day every day of the week. I’m wondering if this is not as good as running say maybe 4 days with like more mileage per time?

I do amateur kickboxing and boxing and run for conditioning.

Running 7 miles 2x/wk is more of a test of cardio than running 2x/day. But getting to that point needs more work and time. And since you're not just a runner but doing that on the side, it takes longer than someone who is only running.

When I started out running, my 5k pace was about the same as my marathon pace. Now after being able to run in the double digit mile range, I can feel and understand the difference in 5k, tempo, 10k, marathon pace.