Can I Run and Lift on the Same Day? Finding the Balance for Optimal Fitness

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March 14

Most fitness enthusiasts have two simple goals in mind: building muscle and losing fat. Lifting stimulates muscle growth while running (or any other type of cardio) can accelerate fat loss.

It's essential to find the right balance between the two based on your fitness priorities. This article goes over technical considerations and the science behind combining lifting and running to garner optimal fitness benefits. Read it till the end to find the perfect blend for your personal goals. Let's begin!

Understanding the Dilemma — the Science behind Lifting and Running

Lifting weights and running, while both exceptionally beneficial for your overall fitness, serve two separate purposes. Weightlifting primarily helps to provide a stimulus to trigger hypertrophy, which in simpler words means it helps you pack on muscle mass, toning your physique and making you stronger. It also enhances bone density and reduces osteoporosis risks.

Running, like any other cardio exercise, primarily serves the purpose of burning calories and enhancing your cardiovascular health. It primarily helps with weight loss while also doing wonders for boosting heart health and stamina.

photo of woman listening to music on earphones running down a sidewalk

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio

Great, Can't I Just Do Both?

Now, both offer excellent health benefits, so why is this even a debate? Why can't we just do both? Well, you can certainly do both to leverage all their remarkable health benefits. In fact, trainers, including the authors of the Warm Body Cold Mind recommend combining these two types for a more dynamic fitness. However, it is worth noting that this combination should be beneficial and safe for health. That is why we recommend that you engage a trainer for counseling and training, who will give you effective advice and adjust the load and frequency of exercises.

But, the devil is in the details.

You see, it isn't quite that simple. If your goal is to build muscle, you need to lift, eat well, and recover. Now, running extensively on the same day can arguably hinder your progress. Why's that?

For maximized muscle-building results, you ideally need to maintain a caloric surplus. Your body needs protein, water, and lots of energy to build muscle. It also needs rest and time to recover since your muscles take quite a beating in an average weightlifting session.

Now, running too much on the same day can burn a lot of calories on top of the hundreds you've already burned while lifting weights. This makes it significantly harder to achieve a caloric surplus, hence resulting in compromised muscle gains. This, of course, would not be a major concern if your primary goal is to lose fat and not build muscle.

Similarly, leg days are known to be brutal. Your entire lower body needs time to rest and recover from it. Running on the same day would put you at risk of overtraining and sustaining an injury. Besides the small dilemma mentioned above, running and lifting complement rather complement one another, and don't interfere with each other. That's because weightlifting engages your anaerobic energy systems while running (like other types of cardio) is mostly powered by your aerobic energy systems.

So, while it's generally a good idea to combine both lifting and running, you've got to listen to your body to avoid overtraining. While you can certainly leverage both of these highly beneficial activities, it's important to space them out as per your fitness goals and conditioning.

Here's What You Can Do

If you're looking to build muscle and enhance your cardiovascular health, but don't want to compromise your gains by running on the same day as you lift, here's a balanced weekly plan you can follow:

Monday	Running
Tuesday	Rest or Active Recovery
Wednesday	Lifting
Thursday	Running
Friday	Rest or Active Recovery
Saturday	Lifting
Sunday	Rest or Active Recovery

With such a plan, you won't run the risk of overtraining and can push hard on each activity on its dedicated day. For instance, pushing your PRs on a lifting day, or completing longer distances on a running day.

Advanced runners wear vests to add even more resistance to their runs to add intensity and improve their endurance. With a balanced workout plan that has spaced-out workouts and sufficient rest days, you can try it out as well.

man and woman exercise together with weights

Photo by Ketut Subiyanto

Finding the Balance — Factors to Consider

As we've learned above, combining running and lifting in the right balance with an appropriately managed routine can work wonders for your fitness routine. But, there's no one-size-fits-all solution here that applies to everyone. Finding the correct mix depends on many factors, some of which are:

Fitness Goals

Understanding your fitness objectives is crucial. If your goal is to improve cardiovascular health and endurance, incorporating running into your routine is essential. Conversely, if muscle gain and strength development are your primary objectives, weightlifting takes precedence.

Training Intensity

Balancing the intensity of both running and weightlifting sessions is key. High-intensity running sessions followed by intense weightlifting can lead to fatigue, compromising form, and increasing the risk of injury. Alternating between moderate to high-intensity workouts for each activity can help prevent overexertion.

Nutrition and Recovery

Adequate nutrition and recovery play vital roles in optimizing performance and preventing injury. Ensure you're consuming a balanced diet that supports both endurance and muscle recovery. Additionally, prioritize rest days and sufficient sleep to allow your body to repair and adapt to the demands of exercise.

Time Management

Efficient time management is essential when planning combined running and lifting workouts. Consider staggering your workouts, performing one activity in the morning and the other in the evening, or scheduling them on alternate days to avoid overtraining and exhaustion.

Final Takeaway

Incorporating both running and weightlifting into your fitness routine can yield numerous benefits for overall health and performance. However, appropriately managing the load from both is crucial to avoid overtraining, injury, and performance decline. By considering factors such as fitness goals, training intensity, nutrition, and recovery, you can optimize the integration of running and lifting to achieve your desired fitness outcomes.

Whether you're running and lifting on the same day or alternating between the two, just make sure to prioritize consistency, safety, and enjoyment to sustain long-term fitness success. Remember, the key to a successful fitness regimen is finding what works best for you and staying committed to your goals. All the best!