Yep! Well I hinted here and there a bit about issues with Insanity. I had sharp knee pains off and on last week except the time I worked out with RockTape. Monday of this week was no exception. After doing some research online I am sure it is from all of the jumping. Forwards jumping, backwards jumping, ski jumping, jumping jacks! Lots of jumping with Insanity. It also did not help things that I was using my running shoes and doing the workout on my carpeted basement floor. Sure there is a bit of padding, but not nearly enough to absorb the impact.
I could have gone out and got cross training shoes and some shock absorbing mats, but the knee pain really freaked me out. So, I quit the program. As a runner, especially one who has been injured so much over the last year, there is no way I want to even risk any sort of knee injury.
So, what to do? For a month or so now I have been reading through the book “The New Rules of Lifting for Women.” I saw a great review of it online and it sounded interesting.
I used to weight train in college and loved it. I did it a bit after we first got married then gave it up. However, we did get quite an extensive home gym at that time too that has just been sitting in our basement unused.
So, once I decided on Monday no more Insanity I also decided just to go back to the basics. Weight training has worked great for me in the past, I know a lot about it so I spent the first part of this week going through the motions and understanding how to properly do Stage 1 of THRoLfW. I really like this book because it focuses on areas that need improvement and extra strength for women, like the hamstrings.
I used light weights at first to make sure my form was good and then yesterday moved onto what I would consider starter weights for myself for the exercises. The one exercise I have not tried yet is the Deadlift, as I did not have a barbell earlier this week. On Thursday my parents wanted the children to come over after school for dinner, so that meant Mama had some free time to barbell shop! I started off going to a used sporting goods store. I was unimpressed at what I saw, they had a cheap looking 110 lb. barbell set for $120! From the prices I saw online earlier in the day, that seemed really high so I headed down by the mall and ended up at American Home Fitness.
The sales guy there was really helpful and asked me what I intended to use the barbell for. I told him I was just starting out and not the strongest, lol. He had me try both the olympic size, that the book recommended and weighs 45lbs, and a basic one that weighed 25 lbs.
Needless to say, for now I ended up with the basic one and am excited to use it! If I work my way up to the point I want to do olympic lifting and all then I will have to give up some races to head to a CrossFit center to learn to do them right and use their equipment. At this time just using the 25 lbs will be good enough!
I did my first “official” weight workout with some big girl weights yesterday morning and I can feel it today! My next weight session will be Monday when I do Stage 1, Workout B.
As far as running goes, I skipped the 4 miles I had planned for Tuesday to give my knees sometime to rest but had an awesome Treadmill 5K on Thursday coming in just shy of 28 minutes! That was faster than my last 5K PR that I ran a year ago! I am looking forward to Spring to see what my new 5K race PR will be! I can not wait to see how cross training with weights will improve my running times!
I just wasn’t feeling the Treadmill today, I was supposed to do 8 but could not head outside and managed 2 on the mill. I’m wondering if switching my long runs to Sunday was a good thing after all. Perhaps I should go back to my regular Saturday mornings at least with this weather so I can meet up with the Team in Training for a run.
Other than that, Hubby got home from a week in Vegas today so it is nice to have him back. I have squash and sweet potatoes roasting and looking forward to a big family dinner tonight. Have a great Sunday everyone and don’t forget to enter my giveaway for a $25.00 Erin Condren Gift Certificate!
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
I totally need to get back into my weight training! I did pretty good at it this summer but have since put it the side. Not really sure why I did?? That barbell looks like a ton of fun though!
I seriously get so excited when I see other ladies into lifting!! Congrats on the barbell purchase!!
I know that lifting and running are a great combination. The trick it to like them both at the same time.
I am reading this book as well- only up to the diet section but at least it’s a fast read. I have only started getting into lifting for the past too months but I am loving it so far!
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Good luck to you
I’m so jealous of your home gym!! One day…one day
Twitter: runfastmama
February 14, 2013 at 9:06 am
Thanks Kat! So glad we got it way back when and it makes working out so much easier now with kids. Not having to go to the gym is a huge bonus and motivator!