Jeff Nichols CSCS*D, TSAC*D

Exercise Physiologist

Running Guidelines During Strength Program

DO NOT ask me if you can add, change, increase or “do it this way”…if I knew
“your way” was better I would have done it that way!

DO NOT do more than I have laid out or increase the intensity.

DO NOT do cardio prior to weight training!

DO NOT train on an empty stomach

Each day is associated to the given day during the Strength program…DO NOT
move them to other days.

Week 1
Day 1 – 20-minute steep incline ruck walk with 30lbs at a slow / moderate pace

Day 2 – Sled push at 150% of body weight. Push the sled for a distance of
200meters. Does not have to be done all at once. Pick a pace that can be
maintained; rest when you can’t. How long? …as long as it takes to recover.

Day 3 – No running today

Day 4 – Stair climber / Jacobs ladder climb. Moderate pace skipping every
other step to get into deeper hip flexion and extension.

Day 5 – No running today

Day 6 – Bike ride. Adjust the tension to be at the point you have to stand to
pedal. Standing pedal for 30 seconds with 30 seconds rest. Either adjust the
tension for the 30 seconds rest or walk. Point is keep moving slowly. This is not
a fast ride; rather its meant to simulate and uphill bike ride.

Week 2
Day 1 – No running today

Day 2 – 300 meter repeaters at 65% effort. Work to rest ratio is 1:3 for six sets

Day 3 – No running today

Day 4 – Ruck walk…WALK…60lbs slow walk for 40minutes

Day 5 – No running today

Day 6 – Walking lunges with NO additional resistance. Lunge knee to ground for
100meters then walk slow for 200meters. Do this six times

Week 3
Day 1 – Steep incline walk with no additional resistance. Maximal incline for 30-
minutes. Try to maintain a slow / moderate pace throughout 30-minute session.

Day 2 – No running today

Day 3 – 30-minute fast walk on level ground. Do not jog, just walk as quick as
possible while maintaining pace.

Day 4 – Versa Climber. Adjust tension to a high level. The tension is meant to
mimic a person having to climb a steep hill on all fours. Work to rest is 1:3.
Climb for 1 minute 6 times.

Day 5 – No running today

Day 6 – Seated cable row…no this is NOT a typo. Set the weight to 25% of
bodyweight. Row with a similar but slow tempo for 60 second sets for 10 sets
with 1 minute of rest in between sets.

Week 4
Day 1 – Moderate incline walk on a treadmill for 30 minutes. Keep a fast as
possible average velocity. In other words,…pick a quick pace that you can
maintain.

Day 2 – Find a track or a place with vast amounts of flat ground. Skip….”did he
say skip?” Yes, I did say skip. You are going to skip for twenty minutes. “Is he
F’n serious?” Yes, I am serious. This is why I recommend finding a track or
park. Despite its juvenile nature there is real positive application and effect in
force development while running. It’s been widely used in elite track and field
exercises for decades in all countries with track and field as a competitive sport.
Relax…I’ve got the wheel. You just go to the back of the bus and let us adults
drive for a minute.

Day 3 – No running today

Day 4 – Bike ride at a moderate pace. A pace you could have a conversation
without getting out of breath.

Day 5 – No Running Today

Day 6 – No Running Today

Week 5
Day 1 – No Running Today…”What the HELL…this is supposed to be a running
program, not a No Running Today Program….” Take a deep breath and relax.

Day 2 – With 10, 15, or 20lbs Dumbells. Sit down on the end of a bench with
dumbells in your hands. For 30minutes do not set the DB’s down as you rotate
between three different exercises. DB lateral raise, DB shoulder press, and DB
front raise. Only one Rule. Don’t set the weights down. Only one goal….Don’t
stop moving the DB’s. “WTF???? That’s not cardio!!!” Cardio implies
“Cardiovascular” as in the cardiovascular system…originating and terminating at
the heart. The proper upper body exercises can certainly elicit a 150+ heart rate
very easily. I have tested this in myself dozens of times and use this method
weekly to sustain a HR over 152 BPM. So calm the hell down!

Day 3 – Treadmill walk at a moderate pace for 40minutes with no incline.

Day 4 – 20-minute jog at a moderate pace.

Day 5 – No running today

Day 6 – Concept 2 Rower at a moderate pace for 25 minutes. Keep the pace
just fast enough that having a conversation might prove to be difficult.

Week 6
Day 1 – Steep incline treadmill pace. Walk at such a pace as you fatigue you
get a real urge to run. Continue to slowly as possible back down the speed to
just maintain a walk. Maintain this tug of war for 30 minutes.

Day 2 – Jump roper for 3 minutes on 1 minute off pace for seven sets of jumping
for a total of 21minutes jumping 6 minutes of rest.

Day 3 – No Running today

Day 4 – Weighted walking lunges. Barbell, DB, Sandbag, etc. Maintain a good
neutral spine even the cervical spine…ie…don’t stack weights on your neck to
do lunges. Use 35-45lbs if possible or a weight as close as possible. 15
minutes of walking lunges with the weight until time expires or it makes the
lunges impossible. If you need to get rid of the additional weight and finish with
just bodyweight.

Day 5 – No Running today

Day 6 – Bike ride at a pace and tension of an incline not quite steep enough to
need to worry about standing to pedal. Keep this pace for 15 minutes

Week 7
Day 1 – 60lbs ruck sack. Walk 2 miles as fast as possible without running or
jogging with additional mass

Day 2 – 1 mile bike ride repeaters. Ride 1 mile as fast as possible three times.
Rest period between is the time it took to ride the previous mile.

Day 3 – No running today

Day 4 –30-minute walk at moderate pace after triceps workout

Day 5 – Run 1 mile as fast as possible. Walk 800 meters. Run 800meters as fast
as possible. Walk 400 meters. Run 400 meters as fast as possible. Finished

Day 6 – Walking lunges. Lunge for a total of 600meters

Week 8
Day 1 – Moderate incline treadmill walk for 20 minutes post biceps training

Day 2 – Walk backwards for 30 minutes at a moderate / quick pace

Day 3 – No running today

Day 4 – Maximal incline on treadmill with 20lbs med ball on shoulder. Switch
shoulder every 1 minute. Maintain pace for 20 minutes. Pick a pace that is
quick but you won’t have to slow down from.

Day 5 – No running today.

Day 6 – 7-minute bike ride as fast as possible. AS FAST AS POSSIBLE