2026 Strength Training Accountability Thread

[TiggerTrigger]

Last night pretty standard - Decent time on the elliptical followed by a good upper body day and the captain's chair for abs. I really need to start a log for how long I'm at the gym because I think I'm spending more time there for upper body and unconventional days vs. lower body days. I think it's like 90 minutes vs. 60...not that my body has shown any reason to try and balance this out, but the imbalance feels a bit odd.

 

[nancipants]

It was a stressful day yesterday, so I skipped my strength workout. Going to attempt to get it in this afternoon after lunch.

 

[KCO5988]

Late to posting, but I did get a lower body strength workout in on Friday and a not-so-great pilates workout on Saturday (it was a video on youtube that she just spent way too much time explaining things that there was only like 15min of actual pilates work but I wanted a 30 minute video). No more strength now until after my half marathon on Saturday.

 

[GollyGadget]

For anyone struggling to get started or stay motivated, remember that SOMETHING > NOTHING.

I’ve been doing a few simple body weight exercises 2-3x per week before my runs as a warm up. I’m certainly not going to get “swole” from this, but I am getting stronger. Yesterday I added sliding lateral lunges and my inner thighs are FEELING it today.

The whole routine takes 5-7 minutes. if you’re like me and struggle to find time & motivation for strength training, adding a few moves to your warm up will make a difference.

Current routine:
Stationary lunges
Single leg calf raises
Sliding hamstring curls
Sliding lateral lunges

The goal is 20 reps of each but after a couple of weeks off I’m working my way back to 20.

 

[nancipants]

That’s so true, @GollyGadget - something is better than nothing! I do very simple dumbbell exercises at home on my non-running days. Currently using 8 pounds, hoping to work my way up to 10 pounds sometime this year. I definitely feel and look stronger, but I’m also never going to be swole.

I did make up my workout from Monday yesterday, and today I did arms. Laying off the legs for the next few weeks until Springtime.

 

[TiggerTrigger]

Yesterday wound up being unconventional day...the home version. No idea how accurate my home exercise bike really is, but it says I went farther than I ever have before in a 30 minute time span (not including a 2 min cool down). Home unconventional is a bit different than the gym. I started out with three sets involving barre/dance sort of things. It's like six different things, four of which involve sets of 10 on each leg. I moved on to shoulder work involving 5lb, 8lb, and 12 lb dumbbell sets. It's another six different movements. Everything was done in sets of 10 except for shoulder fly, which was sets of 20. Then kettlebells (5, 10, and 15lbs) - some things were sets of 10 (like two kinds of deadlifts) while others were sets of 20 (swings and squatting figure 8s). I ended with single sets of some of my normal gym work...like a plank flow, a V sit, and a set of ankle flutters...or whatever they're called.

 

[BradleyCB]

Man oh man. I ended up straining my left calf during an intervals run yesterday morning. My wife and I have a local half coming up two weeks from this Saturday, and I really wanted to use that race as a time trial. So now I am hyper focused on rehab.

I did add in upper body strength today. If nothing else, I do like noticing improved functional strength in everyday activities. Carrying bags of salt for the water softener over the weekend actually seemed fairly easy for a change!

 

[SheHulk]

Man oh man. I ended up straining my left calf during an intervals run yesterday morning. My wife and I have a local half coming up two weeks from this Saturday, and I really wanted to use that race as a time trial. So now I am hyper focused on rehab.

Feel better soon! Maybe strength training has increased your resilience...

 

[The Expert]

I actually did my home gym weights workout yesterday! Leaving for WDW on Saturday was absolutely the motivation I needed, knowing I won't be pressuring myself to get anything in while I'm away. All that's left on the training calendar before we go is a 30 minute run with strides.

 

[TiggerTrigger]

Hello… pretty standard gym time last night. The numbers on the elliptical looked like a pretty intense session but it felt fairly easy and my watch agreed. The rest was standard lower body circuit for weights and lifting.