Heavy lifting advice for 45 min, once a week

feefie04

I am going to start having access to a heavy weight lifting gym on Wednesdays for the forseeable future.

I have never heavy lifted, and I was wondering if anyone could give me some good advice for what to do for 45 min once a week. I'm looking for strength based, I would like to build some muscle, or at least attempt to make some I know 45 min once a week is not much, but right now it is better than nothing.

LIMITATIONS:

I have BAD knees. Not *I'm fat* knees, but an actual genetic condition where my kneecaps do not stay in place when my knees are bent, therefore going "out of joint" and making me fall/in pain. My entire father's side has it and was born with it (grandmother, dads brother, dad, and my brother). My brother has been through multiple physical therapy sessions (and is MUCH more physically active and muscled than I am) and still has issues with it.

Here's a video of what happens when I bend it... I can't even bend it normally with my own body weight on it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=og4T7-XRoxY

It doesn't hurt normally. Only when it goes out of joint like that when there is weight on it, or I need to shift my weight unexpectedly... yes, it happens a lot, and I am a little afraid of running because of this.

Anyway, all that was to help people understand exactly the issue I have, not to get pity...

So how ever much I would LOVE to do squats, lunges, and deadlifts, I do not think I am physically able to do them properly, much at all. I can do leg presses, those are pushing up I believe, yes? I don't seem to have issues with pushing.

DopeItUp

For only 45 mins a week I'd definitely recommend as much full body exercise as possible, which would start with squats, deadlifts, then bench, overhead press, rows, chin-ups/pull-ups, but it sounds like your knees might not like the first two. I'd defer to a doctor on that one, is there any kind of brace you can wear to keep your kneecap tracking correctly?

Although, if you can leg press, you could probably squat. Leg press is basically a poor man's squat. It's a similar motion but you're seated and you don't have to support/balance your upper body.

feefie04

I will try a knee brace. I'm super trigger-shy though, because when it goes out it can be pretty painful and swell for a few days.

The whole body suggestion is a good one, I didn't think about it that way. Thank you! Any advice on how to start? Do I just set it to a weight and see how long I can do it for?

Like you said, leg presses dont require a balance of the entire body, and I think that is where my knees have issues. I could see squats ending very badly (bad form, knees giving out).

DopeItUp

If you're not familiar with these exercises at all, go buy Starting Strength (3rd edition) on Amazon. It's a couple hundred pages that describes everything you need to know about all of the basic compound movements. That would be a decent starting point. As for starting weight, start light - really light. Practice form and work your way up only once you've got the movements down correctly.

MoreBean13

For only 45 mins a week I'd definitely recommend as much full body exercise as possible, which would start with squats, deadlifts, then bench, overhead press, rows, chin-ups/pull-ups, but it sounds like your knees might not like the first two. I'd defer to a doctor on that one, is there any kind of brace you can wear to keep your kneecap tracking correctly?

Although, if you can leg press, you could probably squat. Leg press is basically a poor man's squat. It's a similar motion but you're seated and you don't have to support/balance your upper body.

Smarty Pants. I was going to suggest the same things.

paijing

I'd recommend doing a body circuit. To make the most of your 45min, you can switch off between different sets. For example, if you want to do three sets each of biceps and triceps, then alternate between those two exercises without resting too much. This will maximize the time you spend working your muscles with the added benefit of working your heart, too!

Body circuit example:
- Bench press x 3 sets
- Overhead rows x 3 sets
- Lat pull-downs x 3 sets (especially if you can't do chin-ups or pull-ups)
- Squats x 3 sets (or leg press x 3 and hamstring curl x 3)
- Bicep curls x 3 sets
- Tricep pushdown x 3 sets

For each set, try to do between 6-12 reps.

If you don't do squats or deadlifts, then you'll also want to find a way to work your core (lower back and abs).

There are lots of variations on the body circuit. Poke around bodybuilding.com -- lots of good suggestions.

MoreBean13

I will try a knee brace. I'm super trigger-shy though, because when it goes out it can be pretty painful and swell for a few days.

The whole body suggestion is a good one, I didn't think about it that way. Thank you! Any advice on how to start? Do I just set it to a weight and see how long I can do it for?

Like you said, leg presses dont require a balance of the entire body, and I think that is where my knees have issues. I could see squats ending very badly (bad form, knees giving out).

I would suggest the book "New Rules of Lifting for Life" it's the most recent in the "new rules" series and it has ways to modify pretty much all the exercises to accommodate any physical injury/mobility issues, with a well developed full body lifting program.

DopeItUp

For only 45 mins a week I'd definitely recommend as much full body exercise as possible, which would start with squats, deadlifts, then bench, overhead press, rows, chin-ups/pull-ups, but it sounds like your knees might not like the first two. I'd defer to a doctor on that one, is there any kind of brace you can wear to keep your kneecap tracking correctly?

Although, if you can leg press, you could probably squat. Leg press is basically a poor man's squat. It's a similar motion but you're seated and you don't have to support/balance your upper body.

Smarty Pants. I was going to suggest the same things.

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