2026 Strength Training Accountability Thread

[BradleyCB]

Friday upper body class and core class this morning before my run. Mentally, I find it easier to do the dreaded strength work before heading out for a run of any sort.

 

[marty3d]

Weekly check-in. I managed to squeeze my three 30 minute workouts in this week while still managing to get 5 runs in (including my 10 Mile long run tomorrow). Where I fell a little short was I had planed to increase my strength workouts from 90 minutes per week to 2 hours but this week didn't cooperate. I'm debating whether it's a good idea to try t increase both distance and strength workouts at the same time or just be happy that I've been consistent with what I've been doing so far.

 

[jmasgat]

Heading back to my PT for my final 3-pack visit. I’ve now got an upper body set and lower body set that I’ve been doing as alternating sets, alternating with running. So the final visit will probably focus on how I can chunk up the workouts. If I can do that, I think it will help me combine sets to do each 2x/week. That, for me, would be a win.

 

[GuinnessRunner]

I'm debating whether it's a good idea to try t increase both distance and strength workouts at the same time or just be happy that I've been consistent with what I've been doing so far.

I think as long as you're not pushing either hard it should be ok. If you're doing a bunch of speedwork and lifting heavy, I think that does raise the risk of something going wrong. That's definately a time committment though so I am impressed with the goal!

Edited to add that it also depends on what you're focusing the lifting on (upper vs. lower body).

 

[marty3d]

I think as long as you're not pushing either hard it should be ok. If you're doing a bunch of speedwork and lifting heavy, I think that does raise the risk of something going wrong. That's definately a time committment though so I am impressed with the goal!

Edited to add that it also depends on what you're focusing the lifting on (upper vs. lower body).

Thanks! Not a lot of lifting - my workouts are a mix of lower body/ upper body or both. Currently 1+1+1. I think 2 hours per week is my max right now while I'm actively training for a race and not travelling. I'm being careful not to overdo it because this race will be to improve my POT so certainly don't want to risk injury!

 

[avondale]

It's a mix of speed, tension, and pedal differential in conjunction with your heartrate. It's like the difference between taking a casual bike ride vs. an advanced level spinning session. The machine, by nature is lower impact on your body, but it's how you use it. I probably should shift my terminology to "high intensity" as that's more accurate.

"High intensity" makes much more sense to me, and I suspected that's what you meant. Thanks! (I'm always telling my students that word choices matter, LOL!)

 

[avondale]

Weekly check-in. I managed to squeeze my three 30 minute workouts in this week while still managing to get 5 runs in (including my 10 Mile long run tomorrow). Where I fell a little short was I had planed to increase my strength workouts from 90 minutes per week to 2 hours but this week didn't cooperate. I'm debating whether it's a good idea to try t increase both distance and strength workouts at the same time or just be happy that I've been consistent with what I've been doing so far.

Wow, 2-hour strength sessions would be a lot...unless it's just like once per week? If multiple times per week, that seems like a lot along with running. I used to be very big on strength training (before I started running, and I still do it a lot), and even then, I would be maxing out at about 90 minutes because I would be gassed. (This was back in the era I was doing things like P90X, etc., so pretty serious stuff.)

If you're looking to up your "intensity" in the strength workouts, you could think about trying to increase your weights for specific exercises and not necessarily your volume/time. I think quality over quantity here.

Another way to change things up to challenge your body is to change the reps versus sets. For example, doing things 2 x 15 with a lighter weight will work you differently than something like 4 x 6 with a heavier weight for the same exercise. But you don't necessarily have to take more time.

 

[Naomeri]

I actually got a tiny bit of actual strength training in today. My grandpa has been assigned some PT, but he's really bad at it, so I had to do some of it with him. Squats over a chair with a 5lb dumbbell (he had a 2lb one)

 

[marty3d]

Wow, 2-hour strength sessions would be a lot...unless it's just like once per week? If multiple times per week, that seems like a lot along with running. I used to be very big on strength training (before I started running, and I still do it a lot), and even then, I would be maxing out at about 90 minutes because I would be gassed. (This was back in the era I was doing things like P90X, etc., so pretty serious stuff.)

If you're looking to up your "intensity" in the strength workouts, you could think about trying to increase your weights for specific exercises and not necessarily your volume/time. I think quality over quantity here.

Another way to change things up to challenge your body is to change the reps versus sets. For example, doing things 2 x 15 with a lighter weight will work you differently than something like 4 x 6 with a heavier weight for the same exercise. But you don't necessarily have to take more time.

Thanks! But I just realized I wasn’t clear - I meant 2 hours per week - not 2hours per session. I can barely manage a 2 hour long run right now

Right now I’m doing 3 x 0.5 hour strength training. My goal was to go to 2x0.5 and 1 x 1. I’m also trying to have 1 day per week with no running or strength training. Ultimately it’s just finding the time.

 

[SheHulk]

8 minute buns & 8 minute abs today, with some warmup exercises.
Question: How do you track these kinds of exercises on your Garmin? It doesn't seem to fit into a Strength workout because it's not reps/rest in the way they want you to hit your watch... it's just 8. minutes nonstop for example. Cardio doesn't feel right either... but maybe the best fit.

 

[KCO5988]

8 minute buns & 8 minute abs today, with some warmup exercises.
Question: How do you track these kinds of exercises on your Garmin? It doesn't seem to fit into a Strength workout because it's not reps/rest in the way they want you to hit your watch... it's just 8. minutes nonstop for example. Cardio doesn't feel right either... but maybe the best fit.

I usually use cardio for a set up like that.

Got a good leg workout (death by lunges) in on Saturday evening for another next to the kitchen table while kids eat session . And with DH out of town, that's my plan for tonight's session as well.

 

[GollyGadget]

Did my first Precision workout from Running Rewired today. Goal is to do these 1-2 times per week. They’re supposed to only take 20 min but it took me twice as long . Undoubtedly some of that was from looking up what the moves were, but I really don’t see how it could take less than 30. It took me 10 minutes to do the last set and I knew what I was doing by that point.

Core Circuit (3x)

10 x pigeon hip extensions

20 x donkey toes

8 x tippy twists

20 x frog bridge

20 x bear walk

20 x lateral hops

10 x burpees

I’ll also be adding in the more strength focused Performances workouts 1-2/week but that is for me to worry about next week when I get back home

ETA: my upper body is so weak that I had to take breaks during the donkey toes and I skipped the pushup portion of the burpees after one sad attempt. I might add modified push-ups next time.

After taking a two week break for surgery recovery, I’m back at it and did this workout above. I could definitely tell it was more difficult than last time but still way better than this first attempt! The struggle was a good reminder of why consistency is important.

8 minute buns & 8 minute abs today, with some warmup exercises.
Question: How do you track these kinds of exercises on your Garmin? It doesn't seem to fit into a Strength workout because it's not reps/rest in the way they want you to hit your watch... it's just 8. minutes nonstop for example. Cardio doesn't feel right either... but maybe the best fit.

I would log this kind of thing as strength but it really depends how you’re using the data. I don’t actually care about reps & sets. I just track the amount of time I focus on strength each week

 

[nancipants]

My 6-week challenge ended yesterday. I unfortunately can't afford the regular group training right now, but I'm going to keep up with the workouts and nutrition tracking.

I started the challenge at 142.5 pounds, and ended at 132.7.

 

[GuinnessRunner]

I usually use cardio for a set up like that.

I either do this or simply start the Strength and don't hit lap again so that it tracks the full time I am working and doesn't try and break it into "active" vs "rest" time like it will if you are counting reps on the strength setting.

 

[SheHulk]

I usually use cardio for a set up like that.

See this is where I started in my thinking.... my hr is definitely up through those because I'm struggling a bit. Sadly I am a slave to the metrics a bit and I don't like seeing too little running/cardio in a week.

I would log this kind of thing as strength but it really depends how you’re using the data. I don’t actually care about reps & sets. I just track the amount of time I focus on strength each week

I either do this or simply start the Strength and don't hit lap again so that it tracks the full time I am working and doesn't try and break it into "active" vs "rest" time like it will if you are counting reps on the strength setting.

But now I'm more here?
I just want to keep track of what I'm doing, for posterity, I guess. And I'm calling those workouts "strength" here when I talk about them, so I guess they are strength! I wound up not tracking it at all today but I'll figure it out for next time. No need to treat this decision as monumental for sure.

 

[TiggerTrigger]

Multi-day post...
Friday was strength training break day. Saturday and Sunday- moderate intensity recumbent biking at home followed by gym time. Saturday was pretty typical upper body. Sunday was typical lower body, except that I was back to standard weights or increased weight lifted.

 

[nancipants]

I log all my strength training sessions as strength, whether I log the reps or not.

 

[BuckeyeBama]

8 minute buns & 8 minute abs today, with some warmup exercises.
Question: How do you track these kinds of exercises on your Garmin? It doesn't seem to fit into a Strength workout because it's not reps/rest in the way they want you to hit your watch... it's just 8. minutes nonstop for example. Cardio doesn't feel right either... but maybe the best fit.

I do two types of strength training. My standard strength training is derived from P90X, and for that I use Cardio because Strength just doesn't fit even though it is strength training. My other type is plyometrics, and for that I use stair stepper as it more closely aligns with the calorie burn.

For both I have created a custom workout on my Garmin, one named P90X built off of the Garmin Cardio setting, and the other named Plyo built off the Garmin stair stepper setting

 

[BradleyCB]

Back for more. I wanted to try something different this week. Instead of a recovery run/walk today coupled with a shorter strength class, I instead opted for 1 hour total body strength class on Peloton. I think I'm going to be sore tomorrow. But maybe it is better to have a longer strength session on my off day, along with shorter strength sessions on my easy run days as I build mileage up? We shall see.