I currently lift 2-3 times per week. I vary what lifts I do but I work every major muscle group 2 sets of 12 with a little extra on core. I've been doing this for about a year and I think my strength has improved but wanted more. I've kind of leveled off. What recommendations or strength training plans does anyone have/use?
thank you...bw
Check these out: "Endurance
Check these out: "Endurance Sport Strength Training"
http://trainingpeaks.com/jeb/
I use P90X in the off
I use P90X in the off season. It's great, can't say enough. skip the cardio/Kempo workouts and run/bike instead. It's quite hard, so I found it difficult to keep up my swimming, but my run and bike fitness maintained on 2 runs and 2 bikes a week.
As long as you are not
As long as you are not carrying too much weight and too little reps, so you won´t get bulky, a simple routine working every major muscle group , with high numbers of reps are great for endurance athletes.
I have been using for over a year routines that contain compound movements, my tempo of each compund rep is faster, and I try to hit at least 15 reps of each excercice. With this my heart rate stays up during my streght workout, I burn more calories during my workout and I do not get bulky but my strenght and endurance are much more better than before. As a variation I also try to do some routines that include super sets, or even triple sets with high number of reps and not too much weight....
Compound movements like: push ups with dumbell rows; bicep curls/shoulder press/squat; bench fly press with dumbells; one arm dumbell snatch; wood chopper with sumo squat; and so on....
I find these movements and similars more fun, and really have helped me to improve my performance.
Having been a trainer for
Having been a trainer for over 7 years I see this A LOT. First of all, if your results have stopped increasing then your body has adapted to your workout and it is not creating a training effect anymore. I don't know exactly what your plan looks like but here are a few things to do that will help...(Some of this you may already be doing)
1. Change up the program by introducing all new exercises.
2. Change the order in which you do the exercises.
3. Focus more on the eccentric (negative) phase of the movement by slowing it down.
4. Change the angle at which you are doing the exercise. i.e. do bicep curls on an incline bench instead of standing up.
5. Change your grip width and hand position with different exercises.
The main thing is just to change something. Do something that your body is not used to. Hope this helps.