Worried about strength training/lifting

scubaemma
scubaemma Posts: 30 Member
edited November 25 in Health and Weight Loss
Just after a bit of advice really. I'm in the process of losing a bit of weight, I've been logging for a while (812 day streak!) and have lost about 15kg over the last couple of years. (With some ups and downs!)

Replies

  • scubaemma
    scubaemma Posts: 30 Member
    Oh no! What happened to the rest of my post?!
    I basically said that I feel like I should do some strength training/lifting to help lose fat rather than muscle, and to help with overall body shape.
    My concern is I cycle to work every day (12k each way) and I run 2 or 3 times a week (1 or 2 lunchtimes, 5-6km, and I'm up to about 10k on a weekend). I'm trying to up my running because I'd like to run a half marathon next year if I can.
    So when I get home from work my legs are tired from riding home (and sometimes running) and the thought of doing squats....! But maybe I should.
    Would doing something non 'leggy' still be beneficial? Like bench press? Or do I need to do things like squats despite having tired legs from riding home (if I did lift it would have to be when I get home from work).
    Any advice gratefully received!
  • KateTii
    KateTii Posts: 886 Member
    Weights is great for all-over body definition, especially if you are noticing your legs looking stronger due to your bike riding. I've noticed since I started lifting my arms are less jiggly (even despite having minimal fat there).

    Could still be useful doing legs, but if you are already working them hard during the day, you are probably better off trying to even things out.
  • scubaemma
    scubaemma Posts: 30 Member
    Yeah maybe I'll concentrate on anything other than legs!
  • TheopolisAmbroiseIII
    TheopolisAmbroiseIII Posts: 197 Member
    Squat, Deadlift, Overhead Press, Bench Press, Bent over Row. These are the big 5 that are part of the Stronglifts 5x5 program, and are all compound movements that will let you get stronger overall. Personally, if I were going to go into lifting, I would do the squats and whatnot, and then do my riding afterwards, if that were possible.

    Different strokes for different folks. Squats and deadlifts will work your whole body and posterior chain and make your overall posture better and make you less prone to injury from little things like a slip on the ice or a missed stair. The rest work most of your upper body, which will let you not get as worn out carrying in groceries or holding kids, for example.

    I see strength training as life training. Some time at the power rack a few times a week lets you do more stuff better and easier.
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    scubaemma wrote: »
    Oh no! What happened to the rest of my post?!
    I basically said that I feel like I should do some strength training/lifting to help lose fat rather than muscle, and to help with overall body shape.

    yes, yes you should
    My concern is I cycle to work every day (12k each way) and I run 2 or 3 times a week (1 or 2 lunchtimes, 5-6km, and I'm up to about 10k on a weekend). I'm trying to up my running because I'd like to run a half marathon next year if I can.
    cardio, cardio, cardio

    So when I get home from work my legs are tired from riding home (and sometimes running) and the thought of doing squats....! But maybe I should.
    3 times a week, get a programme like strongcurves / stronglifts5x5

    Would doing something non 'leggy' still be beneficial? Like bench press? Or do I need to do things like squats despite having tired legs from riding home (if I did lift it would have to be when I get home from work).
    Any advice gratefully received!

    full range of compound lifts really - they work the entire body not just the legs - stronglifts has squats, bench press, deadlift etc ... they work together for best resulsts
  • BoxerBrawler
    BoxerBrawler Posts: 2,032 Member
    TheopolisAmbroiseIII wrote: »
    Squat, Deadlift, Overhead Press, Bench Press, Bent over Row. These are the big 5 that are part of the Stronglifts 5x5 program, and are all compound movements that will let you get stronger overall. Personally, if I were going to go into lifting, I would do the squats and whatnot, and then do my riding afterwards, if that were possible.

    Different strokes for different folks. Squats and deadlifts will work your whole body and posterior chain and make your overall posture better and make you less prone to injury from little things like a slip on the ice or a missed stair. The rest work most of your upper body, which will let you not get as worn out carrying in groceries or holding kids, for example.

    I see strength training as life training. Some time at the power rack a few times a week lets you do more stuff better and easier.


    This.
    I've been doing this program and simply can't believe the difference! It's an excellent program and I would encourage anyone to do it.
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    Since you bike to work and running is a priority, consider lifting 2x/wk instead of 3x/wk.
  • wkwebby
    wkwebby Posts: 807 Member
    Your current training only helps to build those endurance fibers in your muscle. Weight training will help you build the other fibers in your muscle. The difference is the endurance fibers can keep you going farther, but the explosive muscles (the ones that would help you sprint faster) are the ones that get you through the running faster. Adding in the leg movements into your training regiment will help you run better and faster. Besides, are you going to try and target a time to finish the half marathon or just finish it?
  • scubaemma
    scubaemma Posts: 30 Member
    Thanks guys. Definitely sounds like I should start lifting again then!
    I don't want to stop my riding to work (it's a good way for me to 'move more' and burn some calories).
    I'll never break any speed records with my running! But I'd like to try and do the half marathon next year in about 2 hours. But I've only just built up to running 10km so I've got a fair way to go there. But like my body, it's a work in progress!
    I think I might go back to the Stronglifts 5x5 but maybe do it twice a week rather than 3 times? I think my legs will just give up on me otherwise. Do you guys think that will still be beneficial?
    I like the idea of the compound lifts and it helping change my body shape, but if I'm doing squats (etc) 3 times a week, on top of riding every day and running 3 times a week, I think my legs might give out on me!

    (PS I'm not worried about slipping on ice - I live in sub-tropical Queensland in Australia! No ice here. Just hot lunchtime runs...!)
  • scubaemma
    scubaemma Posts: 30 Member
    TheopolisAmbroiseIII wrote: »
    Squat, Deadlift, Overhead Press, Bench Press, Bent over Row. These are the big 5 that are part of the Stronglifts 5x5 program, and are all compound movements that will let you get stronger overall. Personally, if I were going to go into lifting, I would do the squats and whatnot, and then do my riding afterwards, if that were possible.

    Different strokes for different folks. Squats and deadlifts will work your whole body and posterior chain and make your overall posture better and make you less prone to injury from little things like a slip on the ice or a missed stair. The rest work most of your upper body, which will let you not get as worn out carrying in groceries or holding kids, for example.

    I see strength training as life training. Some time at the power rack a few times a week lets you do more stuff better and easier.

    I start work early in the morning, so to fit my lifting in it needs to be after work (after riding home) not before.

    Thanks for your post.
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,603 Member
    If the purpose of the weights is just to use the muscles so that you lose less of them while losing weight, the running and biking will accomplish that for your legs. You could still use the weights for your legs, if you want, but you could just work the rest of your body and give your tired legs a break. :)

    I'm not trying to discourage you on working your legs! Not at all. The weights are good for you and I wouldn't want to see you skipping all of it because your legs are tired, that's all. :)
  • sheermomentum
    sheermomentum Posts: 827 Member
    Would it be acceptable to take other transportation to work 1 day a week, and then lift on that day, and once on the weekend? Perhaps that would be more manageable to start with, at least in terms of your time.
  • scubaemma
    scubaemma Posts: 30 Member
    sheermomentum wrote: »
    Would it be acceptable to take other transportation to work 1 day a week, and then lift on that day, and once on the weekend? Perhaps that would be more manageable to start with, at least in terms of your time.

    Yes that would be an option. I could maybe catch the train to work one day a week.
  • ephiemarie
    ephiemarie Posts: 264 Member
    I found it very difficult to stay on track with 5x5 while training for a half marathon and triathlon. If my lifting was strong, my running and cycling were weak, and vice versa. If running is your priority and cycling is a necessity, you might try adding hill repeats, sprint intervals, and trail running into your routine to increase your leg strength. These will work your muscles in different ways and will benefit your running speed and endurance, which will carry over into your cycling as well. Personally, I spend about 30 minutes 2x/week doing an upper body and core dumbbell workout while focusing on running, and I plan to complete 6 weeks of 5x5 after my upcoming half marathon simply because I enjoy lifting in the winter.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    edited October 2015
    I cycle a similar distance when I bike commute (actually about 8 miles each way if I don't do extra miles), and so long as I don't ride especially hard I'm good strength training on a biking commute day. I've found it's not a great idea to combine a run day or harder biking day with a strength training day that focuses on legs, at least not for me.

    I also have found it difficult to focus on really increasing my strength while training for hard (for me) cardio goals, though. But that doesn't mean you can't make cardio goals your priority and yet include some strength training for health and what it adds to overall stamina.

    When I'm focused on running SL 5x5 isn't my ideal strength program, though, as I want to do stuff that complements/addresses imbalances when running. If I was focusing on strength as my #1 priority I'd likely focus hard on SL 5x5, on the other hand. So it really depends on goals.
  • scubaemma
    scubaemma Posts: 30 Member
    Thank you ephiemarie and lemurcat12 for sharing your similar experiences, that's really helpful.
  • BusyRaeNOTBusty
    BusyRaeNOTBusty Posts: 7,166 Member
    Yeah, when I MTB a lot in the summer, train for races, etc, I CANNOT squat 3 times a week. It just doesn't work. So I would NOT recommend Stronglifts for you.

    Something like this would be good:

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/373801/two-day-full-body-strength-training-routine/p1

    Maybe keeping the reps on the high end of what he lists.
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