Weight Training
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I am a logger by trade. My days are very intense and long. I've started to lift weights. How do I know if my body is getting enough recovery? My job entails a lot of heavy and brutal work, but I want to gain in muscle mass. Is this possible with my occupation? How often should I lift? Some folks have told me only twice a week?
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My husband too, is a logger who works very hard all day. If you can make a living logging and STILL have time left over to lift weights, we'd just love to know where you live so we can join you! The timber industry here in Montana is such that you work from before daylight 'til after dark, then drop in bed and die for a few hours before starting all over again. Our poor Soloflex has been sitting lonely for years while my husband continues to hope that some day he'll have to to find out if those bands still have any elasticity in them or not! I'd love to know if there is actually a place in the world where a logger can make a decent living?
Deb
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To tell you the truth, the answer is really no. If you did, you would most probably cause damage because of the work you do.
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I'm in the same boat as you as I do manual labor all day long and then try to perform in the gym up to an optimal level. My best advice is to eat every two hours during the course of the day. Start investing in meal replacement bars such as myoplex or met-rx bars. They really help to keep the energy up. You need to make sure that you are taking in a sh––load of calories during the course of the day to keep your energy up. Also, don't be afraid to incorporate a little more fat than usual into your diet. You don't have to eat as clean as you would think because you are burning off so much. You also have to make sure to consume plenty of water during the course of the day. I drink well over a gallon of water during the course of the day, and more on days that it is sweltering out. You may ask how I get all the time do do this sh––, but it only takes a minute or two out of your time to do it. Just make sure you have all your work done for that moment and take a break.
As far as the gym goes, it all comes down to sucking it up and just
pushing yourself to go. If I were you, I would do a three day a
week workout which focuses generally on compound exercises. Don't
worry so much about the auxiliary lifts because you are working
your arm muscles exclusively throughout the day and you also can
cut down on upper back. I would limit your bicep exercises to 4
sets of 8 reps on a day, triceps for 4 sets of 8, and possibly two
back exercises at the most. This is the schedule I perform at the
gym after a hard day's work, after I have given myself plenty of
fuel throughout the day. I also listen to my body and don't push
it if it can't perform on that particular day. So here is my schedule:
Day One:
Bench 4 sets at varied reps
Incline 4 sets at varied reps
Leg Press 4 sets at varied reps
Bicep Curl 4 sets at varied reps
Nose breakers 4 sets at varied reps
Two Days Off
Day Two:
Front Military Press 4 sets at varied reps
Upright Rows 4 sets at varied reps
T-Bar Rows 4 sets at varied reps
Shrugs 4 sets at varied reps
Calves 4 sets at varied reps
Hyperextensions 4 sets at 10 reps
Two Days Off
Repeat Day One
When I say varied reps I mean:
Month One: Weight you can handle for 8-10 reps for four sets
Month Two: Weight you can handle for 6-8 reps for four sets
Month Three: Weight you can handle for 3-5 reps for four sets
Notice that I left deadlift out. The only time I perform deadlift is in the off-season when I have time to incorporate it into a schedule, but I would run into problems with incorporating leg press and deadlift together in a schedule like this.
So that's about it. It's simple, but it should yield good strength gains and size gains. Your body is given proper rest so long as you are eating right, drinking plenty of water, and getting enough sleep nightly. Most importantly, listen to what your body tells you. Good luck.
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