Need ideas/suggestions - strength training for sports

gymshoe42

I'm usually not the type to seek out help ... but what better group to ask for it than MFP.

Basically....what's the happy medium to strength train that still helps in sports performance? I play hoops and swim mainly, though I think I may get into a soccer league sooner or later...and when the weather is better...back into some tennis. I've done heavy weights and low reps and discovered when I started trying to swim after a year+ of the heavy weights..I had no muscle endurance whatsoever. I'm not looking to be a long distance swimmer. I also am aware that most of these sports don't require someone ripped (though b-ball players can be ripped). I'm looking for a physique somewhere in between a swimmer's bod and a sprinter. :P

For the last 11 weeks, I've been doing the same weight routine I did a year ago but instead of low reps, ...I've upped the reps which consequently means I've had to lower the weight. For example, if the routine called for 6-8 reps, ..I'm doing 12-15. I pick a weight in which doing 15 is very hard or not possible. If I hit 15 without much trouble, I'll up the weight next time around. I lift MWF and depending if I have time after lifting I may do a little bit of cardio on a bike. TTh are my cardio days. Been trying to figure out what's best but so far Tuesdays I do a little of everything, sprints(lines), jump rope, bike, treadmill to total an hour. Thursdays I've been doing elliptical for 30mins and a 30 min swim. Been considering shortening some of tuesday's random stuff to make time for another 30 min swim.

I'm turning 35 next August and my goal is to look the best I've ever looked. I casually joked about getting ripped by my 35th to some close friends over christmas and ... why the hell not. I've got 8 months and ... I'm guessing ... 30-40 lbs to drop, but I have no idea what my proper weight should be if I'm built.

I just wanted to get feedback on if this is the right track for what I want to do. Strength train and be able to perform well (physically) in sports. ... How well I actually do the sport.....that's different .

Do I keep it up with the higher reps in weight training and my cardio routine or should I be doing something different?
thanks!