What's the best way to include strength training in a training plan?

[Stroszek]

Try reading up on some of the stuff from Stuart McGill regarding core strength and stabilisation. "leg lifts" and a bunch of other traditional abs exercises will go a long way to messing up your lower back.

There are books, dvds, and bunches of things on the internet if you search with "stuart mcgill core exercises"
and/or you can go to http://www.backfitpro.com Stu's wife raced at the 86 Commonwealth Games and the 88 Olympics, and with her sister pretty much dominates Canadian masters women's sculling these days.

I feel like doing his "stir the pot" exercise has helped me. It's basically doing a plank on a swiss ball.

[track_bites]

Thanks for the advice Bloomp. I appreciate your viewpoint.

I'm gonna stick with 3 sets on my main lifts for now. I agree with your point that core work is important if I am not going all out in the lifts.

One question. I have read somewhere (but I can't recall where) that doing steady state endurance work after a strength session was not a good idea. I think the term used was catabolic, and if I'm remembering right, that some of the enzymatic processes that are triggered by strength training are stopped by doing the steady state work. That was why I was using the cardio first rule. But since I can't find the reference, it might be totally bogus. I'd appreciate it if you could set me straight.

[bloomp]

Thanks for the advice Bloomp. I appreciate your viewpoint.

I'm gonna stick with 3 sets on my main lifts for now. I agree with your point that core work is important if I am not going all out in the lifts.

One question. I have read somewhere (but I can't recall where) that doing steady state endurance work after a strength session was not a good idea. I think the term used was catabolic, and if I'm remembering right, that some of the enzymatic processes that are triggered by strength training are stopped by doing the steady state work. That was why I was using the cardio first rule. But since I can't find the reference, it might be totally bogus. I'd appreciate it if you could set me straight.

If you did an hour or two of SS afterward without eating anything, you'd likely see some catabolic response. No different than failing to get proper nutrition after any other session.

The genetic response to resistance training can be had concurrently with endurance training. You will never be able to max out your genetic potential for one or the other if you are doing both at the same time, and as long as you're okay with that, you really aren't going hard enough with either means of training. Yes, an elite distance runner's ability to perform would be hampered by larger muscles. Yes, if you were a power lifter or bodybuilder looking for the greatest possible stimulus to develop more muscle, you wouldn't want any aerobic stimulus.

Resistance training will always result in a net myofibrillar protein increase, provided the right substrates for protein synthesis are present. If your diet is generally meeting amino acid needs, and you have a post-workout snack, you'll be fine. Heck if you have a small snack between the end of your lift and the rest of your SS you'll be even better.

Edit:

I will also add that depending on your existing level of training, you may not exhibit, nor need hypertrophy to increase strength. Yes it's great to increase size and all but if you're getting stronger simply by adapting your motor neurons to fire better, that's still a plus