How Important is a Weekly "Rest Only" Day?

Here’s my current schedule:

Monday: Lift
Tuesday: Soccer
Wednesday: Lift and run (5 miles)
Thursday: Soccer
Friday: off
Saturday: Lift and run (3 miles)
Sunday: run (6+ miles)

I’m training for a half marathon, which is why I’m running more than usual. I’ve been doing more calisthenics and less heavy barbell for my lifting, and feel like I could handle another strength session but it would need to be Friday. Would this be a poor choice?

Thanks.

Only one way to find out.

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I’m the last guy to give advice on reaching running-related goals, but I can tell you that three days per week is perfectly adequate for gaining or maintaining strength. It all depends on why you’re lifting, how you’re lifting and how well you are able to recover with everything else you’re trying to do. Moving some iron on Friday probably won’t kill you and it might even help you.

Also this.

Worst case scenario is you introduce this other day, it’s too much, you push on anyway and hurt yourself. Giving your training for the half marathon a giant kick in the dick.

What goal are you working towards that would be supported by this extra day? Or is this like dogs licking their balls?

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Ronnie Coleman prepped for the Olympia with the same schedule.

Should be fine, but might ought to drop the Saturday lifting sesh.

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I have more than 1 rest only days a week.
Some people don’t have any.

It depends from person to person.

Imagine Ronnie Coleman playing soccer… lol

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You didn’t include how or what lifting…and what type of soccer?

This type.

imagePrivate GIF

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Very true. I’ll give it a go this week and see how things turn out.

That’s where I got it from!

Good point. I had been running 531 (my default) up until starting to train for the race about a month ago. I have switched to the following (I’ve had good luck with very similar routines in the past):

Monday:
Snatch grip high pulls and box jumps. 3 rounds of 5 for each.
Main work: Pistol squat progression: 5 sets of 3 pistol squats on each leg. These are hard! Single leg, down to a full squat with the other leg straight out in front of me.
I add a rep each week. Then do one leg bench squats, where I squat on a single leg to the bench and come up. 4x8e leg.
Superset with: sets of 10 pull ups, sets of weighted dips (rotate, so do 5 sets of 10 for each of these).

Soccer on T and R: indoor, fairly competitive for one hour. I would say more running than full court basketball, less running than full field, outdoor soccer. Lots of starting and stopping, and more of an interval-style of workout.

Wednesday:
High pulls and plyo push ups. 3 rounds of 5 reps each.
Main work: one arm push ups. 5 sets of 3 each arm, adding a rep each week. Then do back off sets of push ups on suspended rings. 5 sets of 10 reps.
Superset with: inverted rows, hanging leg raise.

Saturday
Pull progression: high pulls to clean pulls to shrug pulls. (3 sets each, ramping the weights as I move to each new exercise)
Main lift: Deadlift 531 progression.
shoulder tri set: 3 rounds of rear delt raises, plate raises, lat raises.
50 method for standard push ups: max set, rest one minute, try to get 50% of that number on second set.

Rationale: give my body and mind a break from heavy barbell pressing during my race training. Also, I have always loved progressive calisthenics and find it pairs better with my running than barbell pressing. Lastly, I like to keep DL in the mix (and high pull variations) because I find it keeps my strength up and maintains a bit more of a “jacked” look.

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Are you getting better now?

If everything is going good dont change a thing.

Ok When I played college ball things were different, but then I got into cycling. And now I’m thinking of getting into running…so I’m going to describe what I’ve learned with sports and lifting. Lots here know the keys to body building and power lifting but fear cardio exercises…I love you all no hating, I promise😉

Ok if you don’t lift heavy you really miss out on how to move with greater skill. You have to and this will help your soccer, trust me, because you have to learn how to move with posture, load, and torque…emphasizing the skill behind moving in good positions. Position is power so how does that go into running…well when you get tired, your body loses its posture and musclular tension which invites instability. Which ding ding…leads to IT band problems, runner’s knee, shin splints…why…because without proper posture and above things I mentioned…you have instability in your hips, ankles, and feet. You’ll seriously avoid these nagging frustrating injuries that take a fucking eternity to recover from.

So your question about a day off isn’t on target, it should be how you’re training…

Let’s see some Messi footage, cmon…purty plz…