Strength training and endurance training teach your muscles to do very different things. The former requires them to exert very high forces for very brief periods of time, whereas the latter demands more modest forces for much longer periods. So what happens when both types of training are conducted simultaneously? Do they interfere with each other, or, alternatively, can strength training be used to enhance one's endurance? Author tries to answer this questions. The studies show that that strength training may give athletes an edge in events lasting four to 20 minutes, but its impact on marathon performance is uncertain at present. (This article originally appeared in the March 2000 issue of Northwest Runnermagazine.)
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