BEGINNER Strength Training Question

MallieRose91
MallieRose91 Posts: 159 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Stats:
22, Female
SW: 267 pounds
CW: 166 pounds
GW: 150 but undecided.

Okay, so I am a major cardio buff. lol I have lost 100+ pounds in the last 11 months by doing almost all cardio and have been training for a 5K since April to improve time and distance. Well a week or so ago my right knee started hurting and I found out I have "runners knee." So I decided to start with strength training to not only give my knee a break so I don't hurt it further but also help preserve muscle and "tone" up. Now for the questions.
1. When doing cardio I use the TomTom Multisport GPS watch and hrm to do basically everything including calories burned. I have no clue how to determine how many calories are burned when strength training! I do not want to overestimate it either so I was wondering how to go about figuring calories burned?
2. I am having to do workouts that will not hurt my knee further while it heals. Today I did, http://www.fitnessblender.com/v/workout-detail/Total-Body-Strength-Training-and-Core-Workout-for-Beginners-Low-Impact-Workout-at-Home/i5/
Is this a good place to start for someone who is a complete beginner? What videos, webpages, etc that has strength exercises/workouts would you recommend for a beginner?
3. Any added advice?
Sorry if any of my questions sound dumb! I am not kidding when I say that I am completely new to this and honestly have no clue what I am doing! haha Thank you to anyone who can help me!

Replies

  • swimmermama
    swimmermama Posts: 526 Member
    I suggest picking up a copy of "The New Rules of Lifting for Women." It has a good amount of information and I found it very accessible and easy to understand.

    I was once a cardio buff as well and a couple of years later, I'm a total convert to weights! :)

    Best of luck!
  • Morgaath
    Morgaath Posts: 679 Member
    Don't be afraid to lift heavy (by heavy I mean enough weight that you struggle to finish the last reps).
    New Rules is good advice.
    Calorie burn while lifting is not anywhere near as much as in cardio (cardio you never stop...lifting is a less than a minute of lifting followed by 1-5 minutes of resting..and then you are adjusting weights for the next exercise)

    And something to read over: http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2013/02/28/strength-training-101/
    and info on the writer of the article: http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2011/07/21/meet-staci-your-new-powerlifting-super-hero/
    She is a 5'5" powerlifter who now weighs around 150lbs, and is working on deadlifting 405lbs.
  • ChunkLaFunk
    ChunkLaFunk Posts: 38 Member
    Great result from all your dedicated work! Awesome! Tip: allow time to ice after you finish a workout, strength or cardio.

    Strength is always good but add some stretching. Running is a limited range of motion movement and it focuses on the muscles on the front of the legs. Stretching will help your rehab and get you back on the trails/treadmill quicker.

    As for exercising, easy on that knee while your feeling pain. Find exercises that work posterior chain muscles (search on youtube, lots of vids there). This will help balance the strength level between the front & backs of your legs

    For the quads, try wall sits. If your knee hurts don't do them. Basically, your back is against the wall with you upper legs parallel to the floor and a 90 degree bend at the knees. Lower legs should be perpendicular to the floor. From a side view, you'll look like a chair. Put a large rolled up towel between your legs & keep in place. Build up to three sets of one minute each.

    Yoga is good for strength and flexibility, while easier on the knee, because of a slow transition between poses. Again, lots of videos on youtube.

    Also swimming or walking/running in a pool are good alternatives as well.

    While your rehabbing, it's better to not work through the range of motion of the injured joint by doing squats or lunges, even body weight. Could just further aggravate the tendon.

    I'm not a calorie counter when it comes to exercise so I can't help with that.

    Hope your 5K goes great :happy:
  • MallieRose91
    MallieRose91 Posts: 159 Member
    Thank you for your replies everyone! I am definitely going to be using all of your advice and am excited to be trying something new!
  • dreaming13000
    dreaming13000 Posts: 68 Member
    Congrats on your weight loss!!

    Lift heavy! It will change your life!

    Buy a foam roller. I got one on amazon for $11.

    YouTube ITBS stretches on the foam roller. Don't let the runners knee get ahead of you!

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