Intense Weight Lifting + New Sport = ...?

moochachip
moochachip Posts: 237 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Lately I have been following The New Rules of Lifting for Women (great book if you're looking into getting into strength training.)

I am in the 4th segment of the plan, which equals about one hour of intense weight lifting three times a week. However, a friend of mine recently got me into a sports game that is much like a mix between basketball and football... A lot of running, dodging, and trying to get past others to make the goal. Our practices are about 2 hours long.

Several people have warned me that doing this sport and working out so intensively in the weight room is not a good idea. I do not want to give either up. Does anyone know any other plans I could follow in the weight room that could help me out?

Replies

  • GiddyupTim
    GiddyupTim Posts: 2,819 Member
    Why can't you do both? I don't see that weight lifting is going to hurt your performance or lead to injury; professional athletes, who sprint and play hard, almost always do some strength training these days.
    Weight training tires your muscles, and can affect your fine motor control for a little while. But, once your body gets used to the weight training there is no effect.
    Michael Jordan lifted weights throughout most of his basketball career, and now almost all basketball players do. Football players always have used weights, and many of them are plenty fast and plenty durable. Even tennis players lift weights nowadays.
    I say: Go get 'em -- in the gym and on the field!
  • dusty8907
    dusty8907 Posts: 350 Member
    You can do both without injury. Just make sure you take a deload week when your CNS gets overly taxed. This varies from person to person so it could be every month or every 3-4 months. Just when you start feeling sluggish or your gains lifting start stalling out. Take a week where you do your same routine just do 60-70% of your normal weight for the same reps. This will help you maintain the muscle you have while letting your CNS recover properly.
  • DawnEH612
    DawnEH612 Posts: 574 Member
    You can do both without injury. Just make sure you take a deload week when your CNS gets overly taxed. This varies from person to person so it could be every month or every 3-4 months. Just when you start feeling sluggish or your gains lifting start stalling out. Take a week where you do your same routine just do 60-70% of your normal weight for the same reps. This will help you maintain the muscle you have while letting your CNS recover properly.
    @ dusty.. Good info. I didn't know about the deload week... I notice my strength hasn't deteriorated but I have noticed my muscles look less defined as of late... I wonder if I am not overtraining, sometimes.

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