I have to do the weight training, huh?

[LizOh]

Right now, my work out goal is really just to make it part of my routine. In that spirit, I'm trying to make it fun. I found a rock climbing gym that has weights to lift, as well as yoga, spin, and pilates.

I was doing rebel fitness weight lifting, along with yoga and rock climbing. I lost some weight, and I my shape changed. Less slope-y was mostly my observation.

I sort of stopped doing the weight lifting. I had been doing it as a warm up to the other activities, but I was struggling to complete those other activities, so I figured I would focus on one thing a day. And of course weight lifting is the least fun... But now I have gained the weight back and I'm back to my previous slope-y self, although still VERY strong compared to six weeks ago. (I totally did the full cobra in yoga on Friday!!)

Can you help: How do I fix my routine so that I can still have all the fun and still get all the benefits of lifting?

Here's a couple of my restrictions and preferences:

• I can only go to the gym once a day - that's where the weights, classes, and rock climbing walls are - but I could do other stuff, like body weight exercises or Steve's playground routine, without having to go to the gym.
  
• I have two rock climbing buddies - one available on Tuesday night, and one we arrange as desired. I can also boulder, which does not require a buddy, but I prefer to do the big walls whenever possible.
  
• Yoga on Friday is a must.
  
• Core class on Monday is pretty cool, but kind of hard to get to.
  

Thanks so much for any insight you might have!

[epaleocookbooks]

Despite how much you may not like it, weight training is pretty important. Since you go to the gym, you should really focus your efforts there on trying for the three major lifts - deadlifts, squats and bench press. For other lifts, a body weight circuit is typically enough, but you'd be hardpressed to see the results with body weight lifting that you can get from extra weight on the big three. My advice would be to take 3 of your gym days and knock out those lifts (one per day). They don't take long, 20 minutes, tops. Then spend the rest of your gym time climbing or doing yoga or whatever. And while the core class may seem necessary, anything that you do, provided you're using proper form and have your core muscles engaged is going to build a strong core, so it's not something you should stress if you can't get to it.

[The Tin Man]

How long were you doing everything including weightlifting? How successful were you with weight loss? How long has it been since you stopped lifting weights (and started gaining weight back). How has your diet been in that time span?

I do not think cutting lifting out of your regime accounts for gaining weight back. There is something else at play. Cutting lifting may not be optimal but it shouldn't cause you to backslide with how active you sound to be.

[LizOh]

ePaleo - I agree about the core class not being essential. I just really enjoy it!

Tin Man - I stopped with the weight lifting maybe two weeks ago. I'm usually somewhere between 175 and 185. I dropped down to 173, and now I'm at 190. I don't think the scale is a reliable measure though, since the one at home finally just broke, and so I've been using the one at the gym, which is also just a digital. I'm mostly concerned that the tone I had gained in my arms and upper abs seems to have faded away. My face has kept it's new shape though.

My terrible diet has gotten moderately better over the last few weeks. I have been indulging with frozen yogurt instead of fast food. But otherwise, still pretty terrible.

Oh, and I'm probably drinking less water now than I was then. That's easy enough to improve on.

[Elastigirl]

What about rsearching the skills that would improve your rock climbing. Then you can focus on those during your bodyweight. That way your bw has a goal, which may improve your happiness toward it. Figure out what bw activities will improve grip and the muscles you need in rock climbing

[LizOh]

Elastigirl - great tip! That's why I worked on pushups a few days ago, and I'm trying now to get to finger pushups!

I might have phrased my original post wrong - it isn't that I mind doing the weight lifting, it's that I'm having trouble finding energy for it around all of the other fun exercise related stuff I could be doing. Do I really have to skip an opportunity to climb or a yoga class on a weight lifting day? It's especially frustrating, since as ePaleo said, I can knock that out in 20 minutes.

[tigersheart]

There are different ways to lift weights that can keep you strong. Experiment and research on different types of 'weight lifting'. Bodyweight exercises are good, as is playing with other things in real life. One of my favorites, which I just did tonight is to find a large rock, and toss it around my yard. Done right, with one throw, I work my legs, abs, arms, chest, and more.....and it is much more fun to me than sitting in a gym being bored.

[azsf]

my suggestion is to talk to other people in your gym who use the weights and climb, and see how they incorporate it. if you broke it down to doing one of the big three on a seperate day and then climbing, you'll be fine on bench day, then dead on squat day and deadlift day. especailly if you're busting out working sets and then hitting the walls straight away.

if you don't climb every day, you can try focusing big lifts (adding weight) on days you don't climb, and maintenance lifts (weight stays the same) on days you do. just do squats/bench/deadlift, follow something like starting strength, warm up then 3x5 at working weight. you can do weights before yoga, and even your core class, without affecting your gains in any.

of course if you don't actually enjoy lifting heavy weights, then you don't really have to. if you have more fun climbing, then climb more

[spezzy]

Right now, my work out goal is really just to make it part of my routine. In that spirit, I'm trying to make it fun. I found a rock climbing gym that has weights to lift, as well as yoga, spin, and pilates.

I was doing rebel fitness weight lifting, along with yoga and rock climbing. I lost some weight, and I my shape changed. Less slope-y was mostly my observation.

I sort of stopped doing the weight lifting. I had been doing it as a warm up to the other activities, but I was struggling to complete those other activities, so I figured I would focus on one thing a day. And of course weight lifting is the least fun... But now I have gained the weight back and I'm back to my previous slope-y self, although still VERY strong compared to six weeks ago. (I totally did the full cobra in yoga on Friday!!)

Can you help: How do I fix my routine so that I can still have all the fun and still get all the benefits of lifting?

Here's a couple of my restrictions and preferences:

• I can only go to the gym once a day - that's where the weights, classes, and rock climbing walls are - but I could do other stuff, like body weight exercises or Steve's playground routine, without having to go to the gym.
  
• I have two rock climbing buddies - one available on Tuesday night, and one we arrange as desired. I can also boulder, which does not require a buddy, but I prefer to do the big walls whenever possible.
  
• Yoga on Friday is a must.
  
• Core class on Monday is pretty cool, but kind of hard to get to.
  

Thanks so much for any insight you might have!

#1: Fix your diet. That's 80% of it.

#2: You don't need to go more than once a day. Once a day is plenty.

#3: Rock climb twice a week. That will work your upper body a lot.

#4: If you are going to do weight training, be careful when you mix that and rock climbing. I'd focus on squats and deadlifts.

#5: Do Yoga on Friday.

#6: Don't waste your time on the core class on Monday.

#7: See #1.

[LizOh]

#1: Fix your diet. That's 80% of it.

#2: You don't need to go more than once a day. Once a day is plenty.

#3: Rock climb twice a week. That will work your upper body a lot.

#4: If you are going to do weight training, be careful when you mix that and rock climbing. I'd focus on squats and deadlifts.

#5: Do Yoga on Friday.

#6: Don't waste your time on the core class on Monday.

#7: See #1.

#1 and #7 - Soon.

So what do you think of this:

Week 1:

Monday - rookie routine weights A

Tuesday - rock climbing

Wednesday - yoga or rock climbing if a buddy is available

Thursday - rookie routine weights B

Friday - yoga

Saturday - yoga or rock climbing if a buddy is available

Sunday - rookie routine weights A

Week 2:

same as above but...

Monday - rookie routine weights B

Thursday - rookie routine weights A

Sunday - rookie routine weights B

I toyed with having the third weight day be on Saturday, but there really isn't anything else to do on Sundays - no buddy, no classes. Do I need to worry about rest days?

[azsf]

might have some issues going from sunday to monday with weights, but try it and see.

[PrincessHeather]

might have some issues going from sunday to monday with weights, but try it and see.

I'd be open to throwing a rest day in there somewhere.

[spezzy]

#1 and #7 - Soon.

So what do you think of this:

Week 1:

Monday - rookie routine weights A

Tuesday - rock climbing

Wednesday - yoga or rock climbing if a buddy is available

Thursday - rookie routine weights B

Friday - yoga

Saturday - yoga or rock climbing if a buddy is available

Sunday - rookie routine weights A

Week 2:

same as above but...

Monday - rookie routine weights B

Thursday - rookie routine weights A

Sunday - rookie routine weights B

I toyed with having the third weight day be on Saturday, but there really isn't anything else to do on Sundays - no buddy, no classes. Do I need to worry about rest days?

Depending on the type of yoga you're doing an the intensity of it weights and yoga and weights and yoga could be too much (I've taken yoga classes that are incredibly taxing on the shoulders)

Also rock climbing is very upper body dominant, and taxing on the forearms. That'll affect your weights

I'm on my phone right now but on y computer I have a good resource for rock climbing and specific movements to focus on in the weight room to make sure you're getting your full body.

And yes, a rest day for sure. I personally like 3 on 1 off or 5 on 2 off.

[LizOh]

Hi Everybody, sorry for the slow reply. I just wanted to say thanks for your feedback! I'm going to start with trying a cycle that has day of yoga, rock climbing, weight lifting, and then a rest, and then tweak from there.