Your strength training wrong, let's fix that.

Read time: 3 minutes 34 seconds

If you are looking to incorporate strength training into your endurance program, then you should be aware of something called the interference effect.

Earlier this week, I posted a video on Instagram (watch it below) discussing best practices for implementing strength training.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DFdg7kQOMf7/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

However, I want to go into more detail, as there’s a good chance you’re not getting the most out of your strength sessions. 

In the video, I said it's best to complete your endurance training (running, cycling, etc.) first, followed by your strength work.

Additionally, you should leave a three-hour gap between the endurance and strength sessions.

Why is that?

When we complete endurance training, our bodies activate certain signaling pathways to ensure adaptations occur. The body undergoes a similar process with strength training.

The key signalling molecule responsible for exercise-induced muscle hypertrophy(increased muscle size from strength training) is called the mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR).

mTOR is a protein kinase that acts as a central regulator of cell growth, metabolism, and protein synthesis when activated by resistance training (e.g., weightlifting, plyometrics, etc.).

What's the problem, then?

The issue is molecular interference caused by endurance exercise. AMPK and SIRT1 activation—which are triggered by endurance training—can inhibit the mTOR pathway responsible for muscle hypertrophy and strength development. This is the interference effect.

This means your endurance training is suppressing the adaptations from your strength training, reducing the overall benefits.

Research has shown that after just seven weeks of concurrent training (both strength and endurance training), strength gains plateau, meaning you stop making further improvements.

What's the work around then?

It appears that AMPK and SIRT1 activity (from endurance training) takes around three hours to subside. Allowing sufficient time between workouts enables the body to shift from an endurance-focused molecular state to a muscle-building state.

So, ideally, you should leave 3 hours between endurance and strength workouts.

But what if I don’t have time to separate my workouts?

It depends on your priority.

For example, if you’re early in your base/winter training, it's common to focus more on strength development. On days you have a strength session, complete it first, followed by endurance training.

In other words, if you can’t separate the workouts by three hours, complete the one that’s most important to you first.

You should also schedule strength sessions on low-intensity endurance days, as high-intensity intervals (HIIT) further suppress strength gains (see the screenshot above for an example).

Make sure you are incorporating strength training the right way to maximise gains. Feel free replying to this email if you have any questions. 

See you in the next one.

All the best,

Jonathan 

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