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| So this pretty much sums up how much I can lift right now! |
Confession time. I have been off of land running for the past weeks because I tweaked my lower right leg again. While the details of the injury will be left off the table today (because let's face it, my injuries and related posts are becoming like an Avril Levigne song where they all sound the same), I will get into a topic more useful-at least for me.
But first, I'll back up a tad. There are two silver takeaways that I find important:
1. Last time I went down, it was just about 4-5 months before the other shoe fell. This time, I made it almost nine. Boom. Progress!
2. I started strength training. Previously lifting weights has been something I have had a near aversion to. I have found it quite boring and repetitive. The culture inside most gyms is, well, different. I am a muscular gal by nature and have not really desired any more of it. Honestly, I understood but really didn't fully buy into the necessity of weight training. So, why the shift....?
First I started doing some research on how it benefits endurance athletes and actually makes us more efficient at running, and also can alter body composition. Those reasons are fine, but the most important reason for the new routine stems from an unfortunate fact: My current bone density levels are in the osteopenic range (for those who don't know, it's the in between stage of healthy bone density and osteoporosis).
Although I have been putting the act of moving stationary objects around into practice for the past 3-4 weeks, I asked a fellow endurance athlete who happened to be a physician what a good protocol would be for a somebody like me. His answer: weight-bearing strength work; especially squats, dead lifts, and pressing. And none of that body weight stuff, with a barbell across my shoulders! Let's just say I was in graduate school the last time I actually stuck to a strength training routine (funny how I basically stayed healthy then)!
Long story short, I took his advice and plan to implement this long-term. I already strive to do most things right, and if this is an important corner I've been cutting I'm willing to experiment with it and see what happens. As an ex personal trainer, I do know this information, however, I perhaps needed some guidance to make the connection again. Giving my muscles and bones a new stimulus that is not pounding repeatedly into asphalt or pushing the big gear on a bike makes sense.
To start out without getting too overzealous, I set two goals for today's session. The first one was easy: do three sets and get quality reps in of everything vs. my usual two with light weight. The second one, is to make myself a respectable sore tomorrow-we'll find out tomorrow how that worked out. For those interested, here's what my new routine that I'll do 2-3 times per week typically will look like:
Today's session:
Warm Up, 10 mins easy spinning
Core:
Cable Twist
Roman Chair
Stability Ball Curl-Ups
Plank 1 min times 3
"Bird Dog" pose
Reverse Plank 2 x :30 (those need work!)
All together, about 10 mins
Lower Body:
Single Leg Squat (no weight) 3 x 10 per leg (busted one handled it well:))
Barbell Squat: 3 x 12 (35-40-50 lbs)
Dead Lifts 3 x 12 x 45
Wall Sit: 2 x 1 min
Eccentric Heel Drops: 2 x 30 alternating directions
Hamstring Curl on Stability Ball 3 x 15
Upper Body:
Shoulder Press (standing on one leg) 3 x 10 x 10-15
Bicep Curl (standing on one leg) 3 x 12 x 12
Pushups 2 x 15
Chest Press with Dumbell on Stability Ball: 3 x 12 x 20each
Cable Chest Fly 3 x 10 x 20
Cable Row: 3 x 12 x 50
Back Extensions
Bench Dips 3 x 15
So there we have it. 1st month of what will be an experiment but I'm willing to go for it. Oddly enough, once I got into it, it isn't so bad. Amazing what happens when you truly have a purpose for something. I'm not expecting to see big jumps in bone density tests any time soon, but any little change I can make I'm trying to do so Now let's see if I'm sore in the morning!
Stay the course.
4 comments:
Understand about not wanting to strength train. However, this year I am holding my feet to the fire on it ...well mostly...in my training plan...Still find it is the first workout I will skip...any excuse will do. If I can conquer my aversion to strength training, an ironman will be easy in comparison.
That's a very impressive routine, and I'm really looking forward to watching you stick to this. I think eventually you will like it and consider it a permanent part of your routine.
I'm proud of you for stepping outside your typical training "box."
And we're doing to like 13 days!!!! :)
Great job getting after it, A! I am curious why your source felt that "weights" over body-weight work were more beneficial?
That is quite the routine! I am in the same boat as you-- picking this up again because I am injured. I think part of the obstacle is fitting all this stuff in along with high mileage. And plus, it's just not all that fun.
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