Weekly Feature: What did you do?

[cereta]

I thought it might be fun to have a weekly post where people could comment with what strength training they did this week. It could be a fun way get ideas, cheer each other one, and help our members keep track of their own work.

I'm keeping the title completely neutral, because I want this to be as broad as possible. You can go into detail, you can talk about something new you did or an increase of some kind, or you can just report time or days or whatever makes you happy.

Comment away!

Comments

[littlemousling]

IDK if mine counts; I've never been clear on the exact line between cardio and strength training, because most of my cardio comes in HOLY GOD MAKE IT STOP style, with resultant big bulging muscles. I mean, when I'm on my highest gear biking uphill, it doesn't feel much different from one of those leg-pushing machines with a LOT of weight on it, you know? (Except then I get to crest the hill and coast down the other side--silly machines don't let you do that!)


Anyway. If any of you know the line better than I do, I'd love to hear a clear explanation of the difference between that and the leg machine thing. (Is it just "duration"?)

[rydra_wong]

Hrm. *ponders*

Essentially, with cardio, the focus is on movement as a way to raise your heartrate. You're probably going to be using no extra weight or light weight, and moving around (steadily or with intervals of greater intensity) for a longish period of time, at least 10 minutes or more.

If you could only push the pedals down on your bike 10 or 12 times before you had to have a rest, you wouldn't be getting any cardio benefit.

With strength training, the focus is on performing movements a few times but with much greater force, to increase strength: you want to be having a hard time completing the movement after 10 or 12 reps.

If you could keep going with the same movement continuously for 10 or 10 minutes, it'd mean you were using a weight which was way, way too light, and you wouldn't be getting any strength benefit.

Obviously there's a fair amount of overlap, with some activities having strength and cardio elements. It's mostly a difference of emphasis.

It sounds like the hills are giving you some natural interval training, with intervals of much higher intensity (when you may also be building strength because you're having to exert a lot of force), followed by recovery intervals when you coast down the hill.

Interval training is generally considered to be of the win, so go you *g*.

[littlemousling]

Thank you, this was extremely helpful! I think I don't do any strength training, then, but maybe if I watch this comm for a while I'll be inspired to start. :)

[rydra_wong]

Well, you probably are getting some good lower body strength work from the cycling -- as I said, some activities can have cardio and strength benefits at the same time.

Of course, you could always add on some weights work for upper body strength ... *tempts*