Strength training

I missed a week or two of gym sessions recently and whilst my upper body strength didn’t seem to suffer that much, my leg strength (squats in particular) took a hit and I dropped back to 100kg from 120kg.
After a few sessions back I managed 4 reps at 120kg again today, which equaled my PB so was fairly happy with that.
Then the lad on the desk put some powerlifting competition on the TVs. It was the junior girls under 76kg squat and the leaders were doing 180/190kg and it hadn’t even finished yet, they were still going, so god only knows what they got to.
That put my 120kg straight back in its box.

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Since I started back at the gym I’ve been doing a Push, Pull, Legs split - 3 days on, one day off or 6 days on, one day off if feeling keen.
I like that as a split as every bodypart gets a couple of days rest before retraining but I don’t like the fact my training days are always changing and can’t get into a consistent rhythm with home days, work days etc.
My son started fulltime work this week so I tried a different split now it’s just me except weekends:
Monday - rest
Tuesday - Push
Wednesday - Pull
Thursday - Legs
Friday - Rest
Saturday - Upper Body
Sunday - Lower Body (Same as legs workout really)

Only first week but so far so good. I like having consistent non-training days and the Saturday workout is one exercise per bodypart but can do a bit more in the week.

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Been to the gym, did:

Plank: 2 minutes & nearly died.
Press ups: 30 at the start, managed another 20 later on.
pull ups: 4
Bit of time on the various weights machines that I don’t really understand, upper and lower body. Some hulk has usually set them to about 80kg & I need to adjust to 15kg, often that’s a workout in itself.
2000m on the rower to mix it up.
Some lifting hand weights - 5kg in each hand enough for me.
Standing on each leg looking in a mirror tracing the letters of the alphabet with the other foot and trying not to fall over.
100 dips from a box standing on 1 leg - 50 on each leg - nearly lost balance about 20 times.
Little bit on the stationary bike, 30secs at 200W, 30 secs ar 300W, repeat x5 . Might have been OK at the beginning but by the end of the sess it was tough,

That was an hour, I’m properly spent now & a bit achy from yesterday anyway

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Hyrox next ?

You can certainly run fast enough ?!

Nice session

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Trying to mend a dodgy knee :face_with_head_bandage:

typical runner / triafleet behaviour, no S&C until injured & then rushing to shut the door after the horse has bolted :horse_racing:

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Didn’t you run a fat fast ( pensioner type ) park run recently ?
Did well in a short tri too?

Your not pulling up the sandbag here are you ?

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I can run on it, but it doesn’t feel quite right. So am backing right off until hopefully mended it. It’s a really weird pain, only one knee, medial aspect, not at all tender to press. There is no pain on weight bearing, the pain comes on after about 5 km and is after the push off phase, when the knee is unloaded and the foot is off the ground and behind my body with the knee bent.

Yeah, did a couple of park runs last month but was about 2 minutes down on last year

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Most knee pain is on impact / push off to get it “ at the back of the run stroke” is quite rare I think ?!

Something tight maybe?

Everything else seems ok, physio near you ?

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I actually work directly along side physios so can ask if it’s not settling :+1: Also might get mates rates on a MRI if needed.

But for now my instinct is just to back off running for a bit , work on strength & do some swimming. Cycling feels neutral. Don’t think it’s hurting it.

Have been super lucky with no injuries in 30 years or running and Tri so can’t really complain that I have one now.

it’s a weird one though, one of the most uncomfortable things was hanging off the pull up bars with the leg dangling in the air ???

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That could be a nerve ?!
But your physio friends would know more than me

True I’ve been quite lucky with aches and pains too, the last few years except the right calf which just goes every 2-3 years or so.

Ironically usually when I’m getting really fit.

I love running still but as we age it doesn’t love us anymore !

Go steady hope it mends

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Joe Skipper just announced his strength training app on breakfast with bob

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Well when he says his, he means someone elses with his name attached :wink:

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image

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But is it any good?

I’m waiting for you folk to train 12weeks with it before trying :grin:

just back from gym, 3rd time in 4 days

Pretty clueless but am just going by what feels right. On the machines low weights, with high reps interspersed with some floor stuff and cardio

detail below if anyone’s interested or knows more about this stuff & might have advice :+1:

only time I got knee pain was a twinge when using the machine to do hamstring curls :crossed_fingers:

boring

(the difficulty/rpe thing is just a note to self to help calibrate effort. 9= pretty much max, 10= too ambitious & failed so will adjust expectations next time.)

any good stuff to add in?

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Missed the gym yesterday when it should have been Pull, so did Legs, Back & Biceps today.
It was ridiculously hot in there and they either don’t have, or never turn AC or fans of any description. I suspect it’s some Eco thing as it’s the Uni.
Started with squats and did 10@100kg which felt hard but it always does.
My PB is 4@120kg and wasn’t sure whether to even try 120 today. Decided to give it a go and f*ck me, I only just managed the first one. Tried another and it was really touch and go, thought I was going to fold in half at one point. :hot_face:
Is there any evidence of heat sapping strength in such short activities as I’ve been a bit below par all week?

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Heat always takes it out of me, especially with heavy weight lifting.

10x100kg is good going though. Im way off that at the min.

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CAnt believe you skipped the beer, that’s a failed workout for sure.

Stop the knee curls.

I’d put the 200W/300W rest/rep more like 150/300 or less. The breaks are to recover, replenish ATP, no sense in keeping it endurance level.

It’s hard to say without understanding the injury but I’d be looking at things that are generally good like calf raises, lunges, squats. And swimming :scream:

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I don’t like them either. That isn’t what the hammies do really. Be better of doing (not) glute bridges but with feet raised on a bench or something. That has them target the hammies more than glutes.

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Just to let you know what a 59-year old does weekly to maintain the temple and try to fight away all of its potential niggles. All undertaken at home.

Yesterday I did 2 of my 3 strength training regimes, most advised from my sports specialist doctor Martyn Speight, some taken from my old PT days:

Session 1:
*warm up
*balance on one leg, count to 8 eyes open, then 8 eyes closed, then 10 eyes open, then 10 eyes shut. Repeat 6 times alternating each leg
*inner shoulders. Lie on side with elbow underneath and lift forearm with weight 2 x 7 as just increased weight to 4.1kg for rotator cuff
*similar rotator cuff exercise now with other arm so elbow resting in top of waist 2 x 7 4.1kg
*clam x 18 with ankle weights 2kg on each and band around knees
*inner leg lifts with ankle weights x 18 2kg
*outer leg lifts with ankle weights x 18 2kg
*5kg medicine ball twists side to side whilst sat on bum 50. Each 10 moving upper torso closer to the ground
*biceps 15 x 2 9kg

Session 3:
*calf raises over step, straight leg (gastrocnemius ) and bent leg (soleus), (25, 8 for each) alternating calf and leg with 7kg in rucksack
*calf curls (is that what they’re known as?) on swiss ball 25, 3
*calf curls with band from top of door whilst lying on back 25, 5
*squats 10 7kg in rucksack (just started doing these, have to creep up weight wise and reps wise as body, well knees, really do not like these)
*planks side and back count of 70, front count of 120

aiming to probably get 2 x 25 for all, but just have to increase very slowly as temple cries at the first sign of any minor increase in load/reps :thinking:

*roller on legs, sides and front, so quads, gracialis and illiotibial. Find if I go anywhere near hammys or calves then there’s always trouble grrrrr. Then glutes, finally followed by all of back… ahhhhhh, that’s better

*stretching, upper and lower body, holding all poses for count of 60 finishing with the yoga plough… ahhhhhh, that’s much better

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