Deadlift and running

You can deadlift and run. They will distract from each other if you want to be successful in endurance or strength. If you want to get ripped focus on diet. If you want to avoid injuries in running and have the time, lift to lower the likelihood of injury.

What are your goals

So why are you looking into combining running with deadlifting? Do you want to get more explosive? Do you want to run for longer? Do you want to decrease your injury risk? Whatever it is it is important that you know your goals and makes a plan towards them. The main goals I see in fitness are:

Looks
Health

Looks are mainly about an ideal. This ideal must likely have been shaped by Adobe Photoshop, pills and a bit of extra testosterone. If your goal is to get ripped like Thor or the Rock be prepared to embark on a hard journey. Some are genetically gifted, others are not. You will have to say no to many foods. Minimise sugar intake. Stay away from bread and pasta. Diet will be one of your main concerns to get ripped. The intensity in the gym will also play a role but not as big as supplements and calorie tracking. The choices might not always be the best for health or performance on the pitch.

If you are all about performance your choices will be different. Your main concern will be that your programming is relevant to your sport. Exercises which make you look good but have no transfer to competition are a waste of time. Diet will be the fuel for your ambition, not the main driver. You will push to the limit. Your choices might not be healthy as tendons rip or bones break. What you do won’t be pretty but savage.

The last group is the health bracket. If you fall into this group you mainly care about balance. You want to minimize stress. Workouts are mainly a stress relief. Your main interest will be to detox and look presentable. You will stay clear of extremes to avoid injury. Diet will be a source of experimentation and fun. You will like Yoga and Pilates for their non-competitive nature.

As you try to combine deadlifting and running you could be in any of these groups. It is up to you to narrow your focus to be happier and get better results.

The barbell deadlift

Most people think of the conventional barbell deadlift when you mention the word deadlift. Other variations are the trap bar deadlift and the sumo deadlift.

The deadlift begins with the barbell on the ground. Place your mid feet under the bar. Grip the bar with both hands. Get tight and out the bar into you. Initiate the ou by pushing both your feet into the ground. Keep your arms straight while pulling up. The movement is complete when the barbell has reached your hips and they are at full extension. There is more to it than this, but this is the basic movement. You can follow this blog for more details.

The biggest advantages of the deadlift are its comprehensiveness and manliness. The deadlift makes sure that you activate a lot of muscles in a very short time. You will also do this under heavy load. There are not many movements like it to address strength and power as complete as the deadlift. There is also something primal about picking up heavy stuff. I just find it to be highly addictive and satisfying.

The biggest disadvantages of the deadlift are its risk of injury and the lack of explosiveness. The deadlift might not be the ideal pick for athletes. The clean, snatch and clean and jerk might the better picks. They are also harder to learn. A poorly executed deadlift can leave bad injuries to your back.

Running

There are many forms of running. It all depends on your fitness level and goals. Some of them are:

Short distance sprints
Long distance runs
Triathlons
Walking
Jogging
Interval runs
Fartlek runs

Whatever you fancy you might need different skills. While shorter distances are more about explosiveness the main skill for longer distances is consistency.

If you are just starting out with running try to be active for at least twenty minutes. That is the sweet spot between effort and reward. Anything that takes more than an hour goes into long distance training and should be avoided for newbies. Learn how to pace yourself first and how to stay hydrated.

The biggest advantages of running are that it's cheap and effective for weight loss. I have never done other exercises which have been cheaper and more effective for losing weight. On top of that, you can do it outside.

The biggest disadvantages of running or that it is hard and boring. If you just start out with fitness it can be hard to start with running. You feel slow and the results only show slowly. Working through clear and easy repetitions in the gym is easier and more rewarding. Also running is very repetitive. It’s not for everyone, especially when you always have to do the next new thing to keep you motivated.

Which is better the deadlift or running

Beginners should ask themselves whether they want to be strong, explosive or enduring. Based on that you can already decide whether the deadlift, sprints or long distance running are the better choices for you. Focus on your main interest first and build a routine. Make further decisions from there when you reach your first goals.

If you are fit in one of the areas and want to enter running or deadlifting ask yourself why you want to add this skill set. CrossFit’s might realize that they lack endurance. Build yourself up into a 10k race. Powerlifters might notice a lack of steam for their hypertrophy sets. Go for the 20 minutes of continuous movement. This can be done by running, rowing or cycling.

If you are looking for the secret sauce to get ripped focus on your diet. If you are super disciplined about your diet you will get that six pack whether you run or lift.

Where it makes the most sense to combine the two is to be down injury risk for long distance runners. Packing on a bit of muscle makes you less brittle when you take a wrong step.