Is Running After Leg Day Bad?

Right schedule, light workouts, eating right, finding balance, and listening to your body. These are keys for successful combination workouts

Photo from Unsplash

No.
And with proper scheduling and planning, there is no harm in running after leg day.
Let me explain.
Every runner revels in the endorphins and the clear-headed exhaustion that washes over you after a hard run. As a result, we’re always chasing this high, day or night, and even on or after leg day.
But it catches up with you. What you learn after a short while is that even though you want to do it all, you are only human. And so, you must strike a balance between enjoying and chasing the runner’s high and healthy muscle recovery – for optimal performance and overall well-being. Ultimately, it all comes down to having and sticking to a workout schedule.
Scheduling running and strength training for optimal performance
If you plan to go for a run but also wish to put in some hours in the gym strength training, all on the same day, you should schedule an off day the next day.
But if you must work out the next day or after some hours, a moderate weightlifting and strength training session followed by a light run will suffice. You must remember that even though you can do both, you shouldn’t be too hard on your body.
So, if you prefer high-intensity runs, allow a minimum of 48 hours for recovery after an intense leg day before going for the next high-intensity run. Otherwise, alternate the low-intensity run with the high-intensity run after leg day. Alternatively, opt for a low-to-moderate intensity run at least 6 hours after the intense leg day exercises.
Keep in mind that without a proper schedule, you’ll suffer performance impairment between the sessions, especially with the long muscle recovery time imparted by DOMS from stress resistance/ strength training sessions.
Why run after leg day?
Running clears your mind and puts you in a better mood.
The famous runner’s high is the best part of running. What you may not know is that the high is a psychological reaction from the release of endorphins, among other neurotransmitters. As your body hits the stride at a consistent pace at a new personal high, your breathing gets heavier and pulse faster, forcing your heart to pump harder, which translates to more oxygenated blood delivered to your muscles and the brain. These events culminate in the brain releasing endorphins, the feel-good neurotransmitter that creates the short-lived but deeply rewarding euphoric state. Though rare, some runners experience it. Of course, we must mention the unwanted effect of running many of us have felt - nausea or feeling drained and in pain.
Then there is the relaxed post-run feeling. HopkinsMedicine notes that this may result from the release of endocannabinoids from the brain to the rest of the body. The endocannabinoids cross the blood-brain barrier - unlike endorphins - and improve the neuromodulators' functions, allowing you to enjoy their psychoactive effects, including feeling calm and less anxious.
And there’s more - running offers several long-term mental health benefits. For instance, regular workouts and runs increase the size of the hippocampus, subsequently offering benefits like mood elevation, better working memory, mental focus, and an enhanced ability to switch between tasks.
Finally, running has a powerful anti-depressive effect because it blunts out your brain’s responses to emotional and physical stress. Combining running and strength training maximizes your chances of enjoying all these benefits.
Great muscle builder
Leg day builds and strengthens the largest and strongest muscle groups - glutes, adductors, quads, hamstrings, and calves. Leg day squats and deadlifts are compound, multi-joint exercises that build your muscles.
It doesn’t hinder muscle growth gains.
Since running and resistance exercises like leg presses use different muscle fibers, you retain or enjoy more gains.
Leg presses and squats use the fast-twitch or type II muscles necessary for quick-burst workouts. This is also the case with sprinting and weightlifting. On the other hand, low or moderate-intensity runs engage the slow-twitch or Type I muscle fibers – these aren’t as powerful but show a higher level of resistance to fatigue. So, these workouts ensure optimal muscle gains.
It builds core strength.
The core is engaged fully on leg day, hence the burn. And a strong core is critical for your athleticism. Sprints or speed runs are great for building your core strength by automatically engaging your core muscles. The fantastic side effect of an engaged core is a higher metabolic rate and a higher rate of fat-burning, hence more visible abs. You can also incorporate hill runs for these benefits.
It makes you a better runner.
To become a great runner, you need strength exercises; this is where leg day shines. It’s no one’s favorite exercise, but everyone needs it. With bigger, stronger muscles, and enhanced core strength, leg day makes you powerful, and you gain a stable stride.
The most incredible athlete known to us today portrays the perfect example of this combination.
Did you know that Eliud Kipchoge’s training sessions include bi-weekly 60-minute strength and mobility exercises focusing on the core muscles, glutes, hamstrings, and quads? And he still runs after leg day.
It aids in recovery.
Running speeds up healing by increasing blood flow to muscles. Subsequently, it increases the delivery of oxygen, nutrients, and white blood cells to the major muscle groups in the legs that suffered microtrauma during the workout, speeding up healing. The light run also reduces DOMS.
What to do after leg day
Hydrate
Sleep
Eat Well
Warm-up
Go easy on your body. Avoid high-intensity speed run – give it about 48 hours before the speed run.
Massage therapy
Alternatives to running after leg day
If you cannot run after leg day,
Do yoga for your legs
Try the stationary bike for about 30 minutes.
Go for a swim
Ride a bike

Bottom line
Running after leg day is recommended. You only need to optimize your workout schedule and listen to your body to enjoy maximum gains.