Building Muscle

I'm in a very similar position as you. I was sidelined for a while with a torn IT band in my left knee. I took 4 years off and started to get the itch to get back at it. I joined a local gym that provides free personal training, so I met with one of the trainers, told her my goal is to get strong (whole body strong) for running and cycling, as I want to make a comeback into Triathlon. She started me on a 3x/week lifting program, focusing on the entire body. It has done wonders for my lean muscle (I've gained 6 pounds since I started lifting in December), my running (I'm running 1:30/mile faster than when I was running before), and my overall fitness.

Now that I have ramped up the full-on running / cycling as a part of my training, I changed to 2x/week lifting, still focusing on full body strength. I continue to see gains and I know it's paying dividends in my running / cycling.

Thus, my recommendation would be to find a local gym that you can work with a personal trainer from time to time, to build and monitor your strength training regimen. Don't be afraid to lift the weights, too! As much endurance training as we triathletes do for training, we won't bulk up like body-builders, but we can build strong, lean muscle that not only helps us perform better, but we'll look awesome, too!

ETA - squats and lunges are your best friend for building strong legs and knees.

Edited by robertChiefsFan 2015-06-10 8:31 AM

Might I ask what kind of reps/sets and weight (light vs. heavy) you are doing?

All with medium weight so that the last set is to near burnout:

Mondays would be:
- Leg Extensios (3 x 10, increasing to 3 x 12 and then 3 x 15)
- Superset (Squats 3 x 10; Lunges 3 x 8)
- DB Bench (3 x 10)
- BB Row (3 x 10)
- Neutral Grip Pull Ups (3 x 10, increasing to failure in the second half of the program)
- DB Pullover (3 x 10)
- Ab Work: 3 sets of straight planks

Wednesday:
- Wall sit (3 x time)
- Romanian Deadlift (3 x 10)
- Pushups (3 x level)
- Superset (preacher curl 3 x 10; DB bicep curl 3 x 8)
- Superset (Tricep pushdown 3 x 10; dips 3 x failure)
- Ab Work: 3 sets of side planks

Friday:
- BB Step ups (3 x 10, increasing to 3 x 12 and then 3 x 15 - don't change weight, increase reps)
- Single Leg Leg-Curls (3 x 10)
- DB incline Bench (3 x 10)
- Bent over delt raise (3 x 10)
- Shoulder press machine (3 x 10)
- Pull ups (3 x 10, increasing to failure on the last set in the second half of the program)
- Ab Work: Fitball passes (3 x 10 increasing to 3 x 12 and then 3 x 15)

Sets of 10 for the first two week; sets of 8 (increase weight) for the next two weeks; sets of 6 (increase weight) for the next two weeks; deload for a week; start over.

Edited by robertChiefsFan 2015-06-10 9:04 AM

I do have a free physical training session at my gym, but it's a commercial gym and I have had nothing but bad experiences with those in past. Maybe I'll look in to shelling out some cash for a session elsewhere just to get a plan in motion.

I've been hearing and reading that the old theory of lifting light weights for lean muscle is out and they say to keep adding the weight when you are ready to progress and you still won't bulk up huge.. It seems to check out in my research but I cannot convince my husband for the life of me. What do you guys think?

There is a major misconception about bulking, that being that if you lift progressively heavy weights you will "bulk" up. The reality is that for the common person, lifting 3x / week, 3 sets of 6-12 reps with medium weights will NOT bulk up like a body-builder. Those guys (and some gals) are lifting 5x+ / week, eating HUGE amounts of calories, and are focusing on lifts that target "bulking". The lifting I described above is for strength. I have not gained much "bulk" on my frame, though I do see some good, lean muscle showing up.

WOW! I appreciate you listing everything. This is something I've been needing to restart as well.

You're welcome. I also have a 2x/week plan I could share, if you want.

I just started the stronglifts 5x5 program last week. 5 basic exercises for strength with a couple of extras if you want (dips and chins). Way too soon to see how it helps with s/b/r but I like the program thus far. Check it out at stronglifts.com

have you seen and been through a course of physical therapy to assess your needs and get guidance?

Oh yeah. I go to P.T. twice a week and still have check ups with my surgeon once a month. Everyone is very involved. And while I know my limitations with my lower body, I think I could do a fair amount with upper body work. But that's a very valid concern!

I made an appointment for this weekend with a trainer (outside of the commercial gym) to get me on a plan!

Edited by bwoods0410 2015-06-12 4:38 PM

Kind of a silly question, but I'm not sure I can tell from the small avatar.....are you male or female? If the latter, be prepared for the possibility that you might not appreciably "bulk up". A lot depends on body type and hormones, as well as training and nutrition. I'm 46 and have been lifting on and off since my mid teens. Heavy and light weights, low and high reps, have done all of that. My nutrition is good and I get plenty of protein, but you'd never know that I do any strength training to look at me. I'm really strong for my size, but I don't think anybody but me could see much muscle. I also do a lot of swimming, including strength stuff like fly and pulling with paddles, and swam the 100 and 200m butterfly as well as distances in HS, but you'd never know. We had an MD as a swim coach then, and I asked him why the other girls bulked up and I didn't--he said I am probably at one end of the hormone/body build spectrum (read, scrawny runner--even at 45 I have been mistaken for a middle student from the back). So I would make building strength and injury prevention/ rehabilitation, which is achievable for anyone, rather than a certain amount of muscle mass, your main goal, in case "bulking up" is not in the cards. My understanding is that guys vary in this aspect as well but on the average tend to gain more muscle mass due to testosterone.

In terms of what exercises to do, if you can find a good personal trainer and schedule some sessions--it's maybe not necessary long-term but is useful at the beginning to know some good ones to do that would help you toward your goals, and to make sure you are doing them correctly.

Good news on the "team" approach.

I'm still not clear on your goal. You mention upper body work, not wanting to bulk up, improving your lean muscle ratio...

Is this an esthetic outcome you want or a functional outcome or a little bit of both?

Do you feel you need strength, or do you feel you need some shape? Or somethign else?