I'll admit it -- I don't know what I'm doing

212019156

Got it. You could probably just mirror the type of training you performed when you played division 1.

WalkingAlong

Does it make ANY sense to lift heavy while eating at a deficit? It kind of feels like, given that I'm eating at a deficit, I'm not gonna get ANY stronger. Am I wrong here?

Does it make any sense to lift heavy if I'm running 25-40 miles per week?

I'm no expert but I think that the deficit applies to gaining muscle size, not strength. So if you're trying to lose weight and remain strong or gain strength then it makes sense.

And if you enjoy running and need cardio endurance for soccer, that also makes sense.

That's a lot of miles, though. Are you overdoing it and that's why you feel like things aren't right?

HardcoreP0rk

Based on your age I am making the assumption that you are playing soccer on a recreational league. If that is the case then I wouldn't get super caught up on a sports specific training cycle. With soccer cardiovascular conditioning is going to be pretty important so long runs and cycling are not going to hurt you.

I played division I in college, and this league, while recreational, is about 80% as competitive - especially being co-ed.

I was thinking about that actually. I remember the running drills but nothing about our strength program. It was only 2 days a week and didn't seem all that sophisticated. We didn't do many miles but I was kinda in the same boat them, since I had to get my miles up for military training and tests.

jimmmer

Based on your age I am making the assumption that you are playing soccer on a recreational league. If that is the case then I wouldn't get super caught up on a sports specific training cycle. With soccer cardiovascular conditioning is going to be pretty important so long runs and cycling are not going to hurt you.

I played division I in college, and this league, while recreational, is about 80% as competitive - especially being co-ed.

I was thinking about that actually. I remember the running drills but nothing about our strength program. It was only 2 days a week and didn't seem all that sophisticated. We didn't do many miles but I was kinda in the same boat them, since I had to get my miles up for military training and tests.

Again: 2 days a week of strength work is plenty. Even if you're not an in-season athlete you can make great gains in either muscle or strength by just lifting full body twice a week. Obviously you need to set it up so that it chimes with your sport and your goals.

Also, define "sophisticated". A small handful of exercises, well chosen and done at an appropriate intensity are all that is required to make you stronger. Too much volume or frequency will just mess up your recovery, eff up your football and leave you overtrained and injured.

Less truly is more when it comes to training around a sport. You want to enhance and support what you do on the field rather than detract from it.

NB: for football read soccer.

HardcoreP0rk

Also, define "sophisticated". A small handful of exercises, well chosen and done at an appropriate intensity are all that is required to make you stronger. Too much volume or frequency will just mess up your recovery, eff up your football and leave you overtrained and injured.

I mean, I remember wandering around the weight room with little guidance and goals. They had about 5 personal trainers with our team providing form corrections and answering questions. In my memory it didnt seem all that productive or targeted.

I'm looking at the standford strength days, and they are interesting. They do a 12 station circuit with 12 reps at each station. They go in a "push, pull, leg" order and repeat. You don't do more than 1 set of anything. 12 stations in a row, and then 5 sets of abs at 20 reps each. I'm wondering if that's a good place to start, and how much weight I should be doing on these stations. If it's only 1 set, I can probably go pretty heavy