How much strength training do you?

[goldengirlz]

I know most of us are cardio people (running, swimming, biking — sometimes all of the above in one race).

In the spring and summer especially, my strength training really falls to the wayside because I’d rather be outdoors. If I have the choice between putting in another couple of miles or stopping early to lift weights, I almost always choose running.

So just curious how much strength you incorporate into a typical week and what you do. Do you think it’s enough and, if not, what would your ideal schedule look like?

[mrshandy]

Right now I'm in the thick of marathon training. I aim for 2 x week about 30 minutes or so. I do it midday when I work from home. I run in the morning, then pop downstairs during lunch and do some strength. I'm in maintenance mode, but I do find it makes a difference. I've found some fairly easy exercises that I can do in my small basement gym that complement my running.

I don't sandwich them to get together very often because once I get done with my run I'm too busy dealing with my kids.

[vcubergirl]

I aim for 2-3 times a week, for at least half an hour if not longer. I was doing New Rules of Lifting for Women, but I got bored and stopped. I really need to find a new program.

[cinco]

It has been a struggle for me to fit in lately. I have found what works best for me is alternating upper and lower, and doing 10-20 minutes 3-4 times a week. That has been enough to help me maintain and keep my PT happy. I was definitely stronger when I had 30-60 minutes 3X a week to focus on strength, but its not realistic with my current schedule.

[Wines Not Whines]

I aim to do two full body strength sessions a week. I prefer to take strength-focused classes at my gym. Otherwise I struggle with it.

[Pibs]

I'm the opposite -- I hate cardio (especially running). Right now I'm doing RP's Female Physique templates, which means weight lifting 4 days per week. Once I'm done with my board exam in May I think I'll do the same templates but just 3 days a week so I can toss CrossFit back into the mix 2-3 days so I can get some cardio that way.

[gt7301b]

1-2 times a week for 30 minutes. I just added an Orange theory like class at my gym for $10 a month, so I am hoping to consistently attend the class 2x a week.

[eddy]

3 Times a week. Two HIIT classes and one Body Pump a week.

[claudiakishi]

I’m the same way - once the weather is nice I do a ton of stuff outdoors (run, bike, kayak) and don’t really do weight training. I just started OrangeTheory and that has a weight component, so if you count that then 3-4 days a week. If I can get my act together I do Fitness Blender a couple times a week, but I do best when I am paying someone to tell me what to do 😂

[itsme]

Right now, 5 days a week at CrossFit and occasionally lifting at a regular gym. I really like lifting though so it's not something I have to force myself to do. If I'm training or really into running at any given time, I run 3x/wk (2 short, 1 long) and CrossFit 3x.

[itsme]

Mar 6, 2019 15:51:23 GMT -5 Pibs said:

I'm the opposite -- I hate cardio (especially running). Right now I'm doing RP's Female Physique templates, which means weight lifting 4 days per week. Once I'm done with my board exam in May I think I'll do the same templates but just 3 days a week so I can toss CrossFit back into the mix 2-3 days so I can get some cardio that way.

How long are the 4x/wk templates taking you?  The 2x/wk was taking me upwards of 2 hours once I started moving up in meso cycles.

[sugarbear]

(I don't post here, really, so I'm just jumping in)
I lift heavy 4 x per week. Two sessions are 45' long (65 with warm up and HIIT at the end) and two are 90' (with 30' cardio at the end).

[meganew]

I’m really trying to maintain at least 2 days a week of some kind of weight training. I do bodypump 2x a week and try to do some free weights after a run once a week.

[Pibs]

Mar 7, 2019 17:17:30 GMT -5 itsme said:

Mar 6, 2019 15:51:23 GMT -5 Pibs said:

I'm the opposite -- I hate cardio (especially running). Right now I'm doing RP's Female Physique templates, which means weight lifting 4 days per week. Once I'm done with my board exam in May I think I'll do the same templates but just 3 days a week so I can toss CrossFit back into the mix 2-3 days so I can get some cardio that way.

How long are the 4x/wk templates taking you?  The 2x/wk was taking me upwards of 2 hours once I started moving up in meso cycles.

itsme this is my first time through, but so far Mesos 1&2 have been an hour, plus or minus 15 minutes.  I just started Meso 3 and that seems about 30 minutes long.  I did break the rules for M1&2 though (not M3 since it's all super sets) & alternate two movements in different body areas.  Meaning instead of doing all of my front squats followed by all of my incline bench press I'll do a set of FS, a set of incline bench, a set of FS and so on.  I'm too impatient to just sit around and rest, and I'm still getting great results.  FWIW, I think my max number of sets of anything been 5.  I work out Saturday, Sunday, Monday & Wednesday so I don't get the recommend rest periods and tend to be more sore. 

[jane6672]

2-3 times a week, for an hour. I also climb 2-3x a week which is very strength/core intensive.

[sadlebred]

I do about 20 minutes of upper body weights/week year round. I don't lift lower body, but I do squats and such in the winter. 

[itsme]

Mar 8, 2019 22:54:59 GMT -5 Pibs said:

Mar 7, 2019 17:17:30 GMT -5 itsme said:

How long are the 4x/wk templates taking you?  The 2x/wk was taking me upwards of 2 hours once I started moving up in meso cycles.

itsme this is my first time through, but so far Mesos 1&2 have been an hour, plus or minus 15 minutes.  I just started Meso 3 and that seems about 30 minutes long.  I did break the rules for M1&2 though (not M3 since it's all super sets) & alternate two movements in different body areas.  Meaning instead of doing all of my front squats followed by all of my incline bench press I'll do a set of FS, a set of incline bench, a set of FS and so on.  I'm too impatient to just sit around and rest, and I'm still getting great results.  FWIW, I think my max number of sets of anything been 5.  I work out Saturday, Sunday, Monday & Wednesday so I don't get the recommend rest periods and tend to be more sore. 

Ahh, gotcha!  I was taking the rest periods so it just made the whole workout way too long.  I did the entire 19 weeks but only once. 

[hurricanedrunk]

My goal is to get to one Body Pump class a week, 1-2 rounds of core, and 1-2 rounds of resistance band work (clam shells and monster walks mostly)

[breezy8407]

Right now kind of a lot. On days I would go running outside in the past, I have started taking more strength classes because of the weather.

I pay for a class that is 3x a week about an hour and its basis is metabolic conditioning, so we use weights and strength exercises to get to or maintain certain heart rate zones. Usually its not heavy lifting but uses medicine balls, kettlebells, dumbbells, battle ropes, TRX, etc.

This winter I started taking some strength based free classes at the gym. One is circuit based, one is a kettlebell class.

[secretlyevil]

goldengirlz - have you thought about doing some body weight type exercises while you're running? Run a mile or two, five minutes of strength, run a mile, five minutes, of strength and so on?

[goldengirlz]

Mar 22, 2019 9:16:21 GMT -5 secretlyevil said:

goldengirlz - have you thought about doing some body weight type exercises while you're running? Run a mile or two, five minutes of strength, run a mile, five minutes, of strength and so on?

That’s not a bad idea!