UKH

I have fairly recently started adding 1 or 2 sessions of weight training per week to my sessions to help improve my deplorable uphill running on the fells. They seem to be helping but I wondered if other runners do this and which specific exercises they do.

I do standard squats - using 100kg (I weigh 72kg) - so I can do a good number of sets of 6 reps.

I also do split squats with a lower weight and some deadlifts

Any recommendations for different / better use of my gym time? I suspect my body may be getting used to that session now so may need to change it anyway

In reply to dh73:how are you managing to fit that around hill reps?

In reply to wbo:

probably by doing too much! - either doing the gym work at lunchtime before hill reps in the evening, or doing the gym work on a non-running day. I suspect the only reason that I have not been injured is because I keep my mileage low and avoid tarmac like the plague

In reply to dh73:ok - what sort of hill reps do you do? Long, short, how many, rest? 

In reply to dh73:ok - what sort of hill reps do you do? Long, short, how many, rest? 

In reply to wbo:

it varies, but I try to do one session of long hills - 6 or 7 reps taking 2.5 to 3.5 minutes each.

and another sessions of sprints  -12 to 15 taking 20 or 30 seconds each

In reply to dh73:

Cycling is the best alternative training for uphill running as it uses same muscles. If you really want to brutalise your legs use a fixed wheel.

In reply to IainL:

I can believe that.  A few weeks after I started commuting to work by bike (in hilly Sheffield) using my old BMX my hill walking improved massively. It was a game changer actually.

In reply to dh73:

Compound movements like squats and deadlifts are great, but doing exercises that force you to stabilise are always worthwhile. Weighted walking lunges are good in this respect. 

In reply to dh73:

Why 6 reps?

Id look at sets of more reps, but lower weight