combining HITT and starting strength
 

As many of you know from other threads, I've been inching towards some lifting, and now finally see on the horizon the ability (i.e., proper instruction) for the basic starting strength lifts. The remaining question is scheduling.

Currently, I play tennis two mornings a week (Tuesday and Friday). I am able to get to the gym both weekend days and one other weekday. On those days, I've been going 30-60 minutes on an elliptical, with an intense 20-30 minutes of that time on an interval program.

In order to incorporate the recommendations of starting strength (3 nonconsecutive days of lifting per week), I will either have to cut something out or combine activities.

Is there any reason I couldn't combine my time lifting with my time on an elliptical on one day? If I do, am I correct in assuming that I should lift first?

Also, how long should I expect starting strength to take at first? Since it's only 3 lifts a day, will this take longer than 20 minutes or so? If it really goes that fast, then perhaps I can get to the gym more frequently, avoiding the need to combine activities.

Re: combining HITT and starting strength
 

drop the elliptical, it's pretty pointless, if for some reason you really like it, i don't see how it would get in the way of anything since it's not doing much to begin with...

SS will take longer in the beginning, as you get comfortable with the movements/weights, by the end, it will probably be around 40 to an hour...I don't do SS but only do 3 movements per workout and maybe 1 additional exercise and I am out of the gym in under an hour. This includes warmup.

Re: combining HITT and starting strength
 

The reason for the elliptical is because I came to realize that tennis was not intense enough.

As I said, with the elliptical, I do 20-30 minutes of a pretty intense interval program, where I go as hard as I can manage for 2 minutes (alternating 2 minute "rest periods). (I do this because that's the preset program.) Some do not consider this to be HITT, but I feel sure that I am getting a lot out of it, with regard to weight control.

I could see shortening or modifying the use of the elliptical, or substituting a rowing machine at times, but I don't think it would be good for me to drop it altogether.

Re: combining HITT and starting strength
 

You need to think about what your goals are, since it's impossible to train all aspects without each one suffering and you suffering from overtraining.

Re: combining HITT and starting strength
 

[ QUOTE ]
You need to think about what your goals are, since it's impossible to train all aspects without each one suffering and you suffering from overtraining.

[/ QUOTE ]

Fair point. I should have mentioned this before.

I'm about half way to my modest goal of losing 5-10 pounds. Once that is achieved, my goal is merely to maintain that weight, while strengthening certain areas to help avoid injury (to the knees, for example). I would like to do so with a variety of activities, to keep things tolerably interesting.

I think it's possible that my goals may become more ambitious over time, but that's it for now.

Re: combining HITT and starting strength
 

what you describe is basically Crossfit... also while exercise is amazing, most dramatic weight changes are made in the kitchen....best of luck.

Re: combining HITT and starting strength
 

weight loss is almost all in the kitchen as azk said, exercise is great for overall fitness, metabolism, and feeling good about yourself, but really better viewed as a supplemental activity in terms of weight loss. it's very easy to overcompensate on your diet because you went to the gym today.

jumping rope is a really great cardio exercise, after you get good it's a great HITT exercise. if you have a punching bag at your gym, that's another great thing to do although you'll want to get some bag gloves.

Re: combining HITT and starting strength
 

Probably because I have made changes to my diet, I'm already well on my way to the weight I want. So my goal really more is about maintenance than significant additional loss.

I checked out the crossfit website and, if I understand it correctly - which I may well not - it seems impractical for me. Looks like an infinite series of different exercises. Great for variety, but so much variety that I think I'd have trouble sticking to a routine.

I've been persuaded by reading this forum that a certain amount of lifting is good. If nothing else, I think some additional muscle could be good to help avoid certain injuries, as well as making it easier to maintain my weight.

I've also been assuming that the lifting isn't enough - even with tennis and a pretty clean diet - to maintain the weight I consider appropriate. Maybe I'm flat out wrong about this, and have the wrong perspective because I'm still in the process of cutting, albeit the end of the process. I would be thrilled to discover that I can do away with the elliptical entirely, down the road.

Have I also been wrong in assuming that some of you combine HITT (or a reasonable fascimile of it) with a lifting program like starting strength?

Re: combining HITT and starting strength
 

HIIT + weights is great for you, nothing wrong with that at all. as for activity, I really think you should be able to maintain your weight goals with diet alone. as you get into lifting, you will probably gain weight in the form of muscle.

in general it's very hard to lose weight and really get into lifting at the same time. it is very easy to lose your gut while lifting and eating clean, but losing weight (caloric deficit) and trying to build muscle are two very different goals.

just out of curiosity, what's your current and target weight, and how many calories are you eating per day?

Re: combining HITT and starting strength
 

Not wrong at all.

When I was trying to lose weight I did SS MWF and an HITT like program T/Th. Works great. I've gotten to the point where I am more intersted in building muscle and I'm at a comfortable weight for me, so I dropped the HITT...

I also noticed that just lifting weights and dramatically changing my diet made me lose more weight/feel better than the HITT...but that may just be me.