need some workout advice

I've had great results recently from really basic weight training exercises exercising big muscle groups and particularly my shoulders and chest look great. my routine is:
Squats
leg press
chest press dumbells
chest cable flys
shoulder press
lateral pull down
plank/curls (abs)
3 x 15 reps for each
really worked
best is to change your routine every six weeks don't get into a rut, it will help you get better results as you keep surprising your body, and keep you mentally interested.
esp with the cardio it easy not to challenge yourself and its easy to keep doing the same thing. use different types of machines. Use the gym staff for frequent advice, really make friends with them and talk about your workouts.

its so annoying, I have found the same thing, you think you are working out a lot but you get fitter and fitter and get less results from getting fitter and still have to really push yourself. Its hard!

Tonya,
Do you have suggestions for legs/knee strengthening? I've developed issues with my knees to where I'm unable to hike/ski down hill; and now am starting to have troubles with stairs. I've been to PT x 3 and had a first round of cortisone injections in my knees. My MD said to never never do weighted leg extensions because of my knees. I do work out with a trainer and he had me doing squats (various types), leg press, calves, weighted knee flexion machine etc? I'm just wondering if you have an suggestion as I don't want surgery, but want to hike/ski again.

First of all, I hate MD's who give exercise advice with no training in proper rehabilitative exercise. Second of all, your "trainer" shouldn't have been having you do squats until you build up to them......with weighted leg extensions. Before you do the full version of a leg extension, though, you have to build up to it so that the knee can handle it. The first exercise I would recommend is a 30% leg extension. You use the standard leg extension machine in the gym, but don't do the full range of motion. You pull the pin so it is just the weight of the machine at first. Extend the leg to full extension. Then lower only 30% of the way down. Extend again. Do as many as you can building up to sets of 10. When 2-3 sets of 10 reps gets easy, add 2.5 pounds. (A lot of gyms have small add on weights you can use for this. Not the full first plate, which is usually 10 pounds.) When that gets easy increase again by 2.5 pounds. After you get to where you can use the first plate on the machine (approximately 10 pounds) then you can add in a full range of motion leg extension. Always make sure you start light though with the weight and build up slowly. It will take a long time to get to where you are able to lift even 10 pounds this way. The reason is because it focuses the lever of movement on the insertion points of the quadriceps around the knee. You strengthen the ligaments and tendons this way too. It increases blood flow to the knee, which can lead to swelling at first, but is also providing the nutrients needed to be able to repair and regrow the soft tissues. Yes, you can regrow cartilage. That's something else doctors will say can't happen. I have the MRI's to prove otherwise, though. My doctor was amazed. My strength and conditioning coach at school, however, explained the blood flow thing and how it should have been an expected result with correct long term training.

Some other tips for knee safety while exercising. Always line up the pivot point of the machine with the bend in the knee. If your knee isn't lined up with the pivot point of the machine, then it can cause more damage to your knee from torque to the knee from the improper angle of movement. On squats, lunges, and the leg press machine, make sure your knees don't go past your toes. On the leg press machine is where I see the improper form used the most because people don't realize that it is okay to put your feet on the very top of the foot plate. The feet don't have to be in the middle. They have to be where you need them so that you have the proper range of motion and go to a 90 degree angle of the knee without your knees going past your toes. The knee is designed to work in a specific range of motion at optimal levels. Outside of that range of motion it will function, but it won't be at optimal levels. When you've had a previous knee injury, going outside that optimal range of motion is when you risk re-injuring it. After you've built up strength in the soft tissues surrounding the knee so that they can handle those unusual angles, then you can be less stringent with your form, but until then you absolutely have to watch those angles of movement so you don't re-injure yourself. Also, don't do any of these exercises 2 days in a row, even the rehab exercises. You're trying to repair damage to the knee so the most important thing about your training is allowing adequate time between exercise sessions to repair and rebuild from the exercise. At least 2 days between! Some people need 3-4 days between depending on how they are feeling after the exercise. Don't push too much too fast as that is a good way to re-injure yourself. Good luck!


ETA: I forgot to mention that your trainer in having you do leg curls without leg extensions may have been making your knee problems worse. This is because he was training an imbalance between the quads and hamstrings. I'd ask him where he was educated, too, because certified trainers should know better.

Okay, first, if your vastus lateralis is pulling on the patella, then you need to focus on strengthening the rectus femoris and vastus medialis so they pull it back into normal alignment. While squats will somewhat train the quadriceps, it's not nearly as focused as leg extensions. The 30%'s I told you about with standard form of toes facing straight up will focus on the rectus femoris. You can do something similar with the lower leg and foot turned out to focus on the vastus medialis. There is also a machine for Adductors that will primarily focus on the adductor longus in the inner thigh but will also use the vastus medialis as a secondary mover. Be sure you pull the pin and don't use any weight for them at first though. Just get the muscles use to the movement first and then add weight as they get stronger. If you are still uncomfortable with the machines, though, there are other options you can do without them. You can do the same 30% with absolutely no weight while seated in a kitchen chair and add ankle weights when or a resistance band when you feel comfortable.