Tuesday, November 12, 2013

Weight Training for Weak People

...and for people who don't like or don't know how to do weight training.

I fall into all of the above categories.  I have very little strength.  And I guess I don't know that I don't like weight training, I just don't know what I'm doing and therefore I stay away from it.  But, I know that getting strong will help me run faster, especially in a shorter distance like the half marathon, which I am training for now.  (Yes, I just called a half marathon a short distance.  Everything is short compared to a marathon.)

So, I'm going to work in weight training 3 times a week.  Luckily, my work building has a gym that I have access to and since weight training doesn't get me super sweaty and doesn't take quite as long as running (my weight training plan for now at least), I can go at lunch to get the workout in and shower there without needing to wash my hair.

Here's the workout I've been doing the past week or so:


3 minutes warm-up on the rowing machine

3 x 10 of each
side + front arm raises - 5 lbs
bicep curl + overhead press - 8 lbs
squat w/ dumbbells - 8 lbs

some crunches - 150 total - 50 regular, 25 each side - 50 regular

3 x 10 of each
overhead tricep curl - 12 lbs
lounges w/ dumbells - 10 lbs
back tricep row (idk what it's really called) - 10 lbs

I do the first circuit and then the abs and then the second circuit.  I have been doing a little bit of stretching or foam rolling afterwards too.  I actually just went up to 10 reps this week.  I started with 8 reps of each last week and will stick with 10 now for a week or two.

Some other general comments on my weight lifting adventures thus far:

Actually, I only have one comment.  I really wish the man who has been lifting weights in the work building's gym (just to clarify - he is not someone I work with - there are multiple companies in my building that all share the same gym) at lunch time who swears really loud and way too frequently would stop.  I swear in my head quite frequently while I run, but you don't see me running down the streets screaming because of how hard it is.  If you really need to swear out loud that often, you are probably doing something wrong.  Or trying to look tough for the 4 other people that are in the gym at the same time.  But since I'm just hanging out with my 5-8 pound weights, I am obviously not trying to impress you back.

What are your favorite weight training exercises?

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