Making time for weights

[Kimmyt]

As a woman who has a sorta history of osteo in her family (my mom has it and i dunno about the rest of my maternal lineage since she is adopted) I want to have strong bones for life.

In addition, recently I have experienced some joint/muscle pain that I believe may be related to possible muscle weakness in certain areas where I may have muscle imbalances. i.e. shoulders and knees

I am training for my first triathlon, have never really run or swam extensively before, and do not want to get hurt in the process of this. As such I am not worried about staying super lean like many elite triathletes are concerned about, and what the heck, I like the look of muscles on a gal so wouldn't mind a bit of (the good kind of) bulk.

So I have taken the step to adding two days of weight training into my training routine, to overall increase strength and help prevent injury.

My routine focuses on shoulder/back/abs/legs mostly and a bit of arms thrown in but while this sounds extensive it is as simplified as can be. I did the routine for the first time the other day, and while I had hoped to get it in under 1 hour, with appropriate rest between sets it does take about 1.5 hours. Add this in to my already full schedule and I am at a loss of what to do.

I would really like to incorporate this into my routine, but every other day of the week is scheduled with climbing (which although it does not help my tri-training, i refuse to give up) and swimming. So I have to do weights on either one of the days i climb or one of the days I swim. I did this last night in addition to a swim class and found it very hard to maintain a decent level of training to muscle fatigue and today I feel like I've been hit with a load of bricks. I had to lower myself onto the toilet because my legs were so dead!

The trainer who assisted me with designing this routine, aside from expressing appreciation at my extensive training schedule, did think that I should do the weights before swim instead of climbing, but I found I had very low endurance during swim class because of this. I got tired after doing 200 yds of kick, and kicking is usually really easy for me!

Anyway, I just thought I would ask those of you that do weights, how you fit them into your weekly workout schedule?

p.s. the trainer added some things in for hammy training and they feel lovely today... i knew from skiiing and cycling that I have been ignoring my hamstrings and my legs feel really great today if by great i mean hurting like hell but in a good way!

[rocknrollgirl]

OK...so I know I do not really know you, and I understand that you do not want to stop climbing as I was there not too long ago myself...BUT, don't you think that is an awful lot of training?

Why is it taking so long to do you weight workout? You do not need to do that many sets to accomplish your goal with all of the other exercise you are getting.

I too have trouble fitting my lifting in to my schedule and I am only juggling three sports.

Somewhere, something has gotta give, and you don't want it to be you.

I am sure that the experts are gonna chime in with lots of good advice. I just had to express some concern. Please do not be offended. It is intended with kindness.

Ruth

[kan]

Given what you're saying, not at all! I don't think I could add climbing into my mix on an every other day basis and still have time for weights. Not that I wouldn't like to try... I miss climbing from my young, single, and childless days! But then again, I do fit in volleyball 1-2 times a week, so...

I do my weights with a run or bike combo. I am doing a couple of days of double workouts, though - I'll go and swim on my lunch, and then go back later that night and do a short run/weights session, for example. The weights are always last - I can't imagine trying to do an aerobic activity after a decent weight set. I'm typically shaky/twitchy after weights - but then again, maybe it would work? Who'm I to say, I guess!

Was that no help at all? Probly.

Oh, and after seeing Ruth's comment, I noted the time of your weight workout. That seems tres long to me. I do a decent circuit train in about 30 minutes, not counting waiting for machines/weights.

[mimitabby]

I am doing weights now 3x a week for the same reasons you are, but i am only allowed (by my trainer) to do them 3x a week, and it takes about 1/2 hour. we are BUILDING, so in time it will take longer; but i can't imagine it taking an hour and a half either.

[Bad JuJu]

I include weight training in my workouts twice a week. Eventually I'd like to go three times a week, but can only fit in twice right now. But it only takes about 45 minutes, and that includes exercises for both upper and lower body. I wrap the weight training around my spinning classes--doing lower body first, then as much upper body as I have time for before spinning class starts, then finish upper body afterwards. This way, my legs get a little bit of a break before the spinning, and I can make the most of my trips to the gym.

Maybe your trainer can suggest some ways to decrease the time you're spending on weights.

[KSH]

Hey Kimmy... is there anyway you can do lower body weights when you swim... and upper body weights when you run?

It might work better if you can focus muscle groups that won't be worked during your tri training session.

Or, maybe you do upper body on a cycling day.

I think you can cut your weight sessions down to less time. Maybe just do one exercise (3 sets of 10-12 reps of one exercise) for each muscle group?

For me... I can't get weights in. Well, I possibly could, but I can't really train and be sore from weight training all at the same time. Doesn't work for me. Although, my arms sure are flabby these days.

[Kimmyt]

I understand and am thankful for all of your concern. I am aware I'm doing a lot of training, but honestly at this point I am really enjoying this, and am making sure I have enough time to do the necessary (i.e. sleep and eat) and am not doing too much for my own personal health.

As I mentioned, not willing to decrease the climb time, as this equates to 'social time' for me and it's really all I get, at twice a week for a few hours at a time. It's one of the few times I get release.

i think maybe the weight routine took a longer time because it was my first time and I had to figure things out... it took some time to fiddle with weights. I am doing 3 sets of 8-12 reps as it is, perhaps I'm taking too much time to do the reps or too much time in between. Hopefully with repeated tries it will get quicker (this time I had to take alot of time to get my machine settings, figure out the weight).

For now I think I am going to try doing one weight day on my wednesday swim class, and take it easy in swim class that day, and then another weight session on friday when i usually don't work out at all. If that doesn't work, the alternating leg/upper body workout sounds great, and I've started doing my runs at lunch time which also helps me cut down on after-work time as well as lets me relieve my mid-day stress .

K.

[Wahine]

Hey Kimmyt, good work trying to fit all this stuff in. Here's how I do it:

Swim and wts on the same day - swim AM and wts in the evening.

I keep my weight sessions as short as possible by doing super sets - one set of upper body followed by one set lower body and back and forth until I'm done my 3 sets of each. This eliminates some dead time between sets and shortens the overall length of the workout. It does lengthen the rest times a bit, but I don't see that as a problem.

Finally, when I used to climb, I eliminated all back and bicep work in the gym. They get plenty of work on the rock wall. No need to double up on those.

Hopes this helps.

[rocknrollgirl]

Hi Kimmy,
I knew you would get lots of good advice from everybody. When I used to climb, I do not work all of my arm muscles either, it used to actually lead to overuse injuries if I did.

I forget when I read everybody else's schedule that most of you can exercise at lunch or in the am, which I cannot do. it would make it easier to fit all of that in under those circumstances. I have to crunch it all together in the afternoons.

And your routine will get faster. I do not do lots of legs with my training schedule, like KSH, I can't handle the soreness, and with mt biking I get a pretty heavy leg workout.

I hope my response did not sound negative....I kinda sounded Momish....and I am not even a Mom!! Just old...I guess it goes with the terriotory.


Ruth

[Starfish]

Rocknrollgirl, you are NOT old. Gads.

Chris Carmichael, in his book The Ultimate Ride, talks about transferring strength gains in the weight room by lifting, and then immediately going out on the bike. He admits this makes your biking performance drop, but it is only for a time until you transition into your full biking season and muscle tension workouts on the bike. Just for what it's worth.

Sometimes I get a great back and shoulder workout in the pool by using hand paddles and a pull buoy (no kicking). If you have not used these, it is worth taking it slow and getting some coaching. If your stroke is off, or you are relying more on your arms than your back, you can get overuse injuries fast. But, with a slower, more powerful, mindful stroke, really concentrating on isolating your muscles like you do in the gym, you can get a great workout and build muscular endurance. At least that is my experience.

[midlife]

Whoa! That is an awfully long time to do weights! How many reps/sets are you doing?

My whole program takes about 1.5 hours, that includes 30 mins cardio, weights, core/abs and then stretches.

My husband currently has more time to go to they gym cos he works from home, and I think his trainer ran out of ideas with him, so one time he does strength stuff and the next umm, something else!! Can't recall what, I'm too busy perving at him to notice what he's actually doing!

With my weights I do 2 supersets, one has 3 parts, cable rows/cable flys/ then dumbell stepups, I do it 3 times without a break, as I'm not lifting huge weights, their isnt a lot of point sitting around for a few minutes between sets. The other set is rope pulldown/lat pulldown and medicine ball squats. I dunno, I reckon these sets probably take 15-20mins.

I also fit in 2 runs a week and two bike rides. And I make sure I have a rest day, cos the body needs it to recover.

When I was doing tris I swam 3 times a week, ran 3 (one track/speed) I long run and one medium; and rode once or twice and maybe a windtrainer session. That still left time for part time work, 3 kids and a husband and some socializing.