Stronglifts or Body Pump? Both? Neither?

ephiemarie

I completed about 10 weeks of Stronglifts 5x5 last spring and enjoyed it. I lost inches and body fat, felt strong, and loved the solitude of doing my own thing in the weight room. I stopped the program when I reached the point of potentially risking injury without a spotter. At that time I decided to begin training for my first triathlon and all but abandoned the weight room (because doing a transition workout with killer DOMS is no kind of fun). While training, I stopped counting calories and ended up slowly putting on 8-10 lbs.

Since completing the tri and some other 5K and 10K races over the summer and early fall, I'm struggling with what I should do with myself now. I'd like to do another tri next summer, as well as attempt my first half marathon. Having events on the calendar keeps me motivated. I currently run 3x/week (1 speed, 1 easy, 1 long), cycle 1-2x/week (typically on the bike trainer since we have snow already), and swim 1-2x/week. I've got the cardio covered.

I'm just not sure what I should do for lifting. When I was lifting heavy, I scoffed at Body Pump because they weren't lifting "real" weights. I recently decided to give it another chance and have been going to classes 2x/week. I try to use the same weights as the heaviest lifters in the class and am generally sore the next day, but I still find myself missing the weight room.

My goals are to lose the s'mores-and-beer fat I put on over the summer, improve my speed and endurance, and not turn into a straight-up cardio bunny. If my aim is to lift 2-3x/week, should I incorporate both Body Pump and heavy lifting somehow?

Thoughts?

mjrkearney

If you miss the weight room, hit the weight room. Just don't hurt yourself.