Any handy gym routine?

Have been running a few years, first on roads before moving into the mountains in the past year. My training is a bit undisciplined, lots of running and hiking around where I live so would be reasonably fit. In recent weeks I'm getting in a 20-30km lsr along a trail at weekends and then maybe a gym session midweek where I usually pound out about an hour on treadmill speeding it up and slowing down, or mix it up with some cycling or rowing.

Joined the gym for 3 months last night so would like to maximise the facilities with a view to improving times on the mountains early next year. Anyone got any good gym programme, maybe some handy YouTube clip with suggestions, or maybe a link to some article? This might sound all very basic, but don't want to waste time on something that is of no use. Thinking of concentrating on core work, so looking at simple stuff like Russian Twists, the Plank etc. Are they directly beneficial for running? Or would I get more benefit from maybe upping time on the machines, the bicycles and rowing etc.?

Have a look at the book by Mark Jarvis "Strength and Conditioning for Triathlon" - lots of interesting stuff and a good range of exercises.

I try to do a bit of upper body stuff most days in the gym to counteract getting too skinny from running / cycling

3x10 butterfly machine - front
3x10 butterfly machine - back
3x10 pulldown machine

3x15 incline dumbbell press - on a bench
3x15 dumbbell bicep curls
3x15 dumbbell shoulder press
3x15 arnold curls
3x15 dumbbell rows

I do all the dumbbell stuff as a 3 circuits of 1 set of 15 of each exercise.

I know this looks awful in text but it only takes about 30 minutes and seems to work. Plus it is not so strenuous that you can't do it on top of all the running/cycling which makes up your main training.

ps if you look at my picture you can see it definitely doesn't turn you into Arnie :) Hope this helps

It's probably a mix. I would try to build in some core stuff but not go mad on it. It should be just to wake up those little tweaking muscles that you don't use much but help with stability and avoiding injury.

If you want exercises that will make you faster up and down hills, it has to be legs and endurance. Which is probably going to be hard sessions on the exercise bikes.

Good luck. :)

Thanks for the tips.

If you want to lift weight it has to be squats, just make sure you don't go anywhere near a smith machine. Or any other machine for lifting weights for that matter.

If you just want to do body weight head for the TRX if the gym has one. If not Tabata squats, lunges, mountain climbers etc, pistols if you can do them. Google Al Kavardo for body weight stuff, he's pretty much the master.
Also things like medicine ball slams and wall balls won't do any harm.

Russian twists.. BURN! haha they're great aren't they!They sound like a nice cocktail but in reality 30 seconds or more of those is seriously hard work!

I do martial arts and everything I do is all body weight conditioning. Apart from the odd kettlebell exercise.
My running and over all strength and stamina has improved greatly.
Typical circuits involve - squat jumps, leg thrusts, russian twists/situps planks, pushups, sprints, dips, burpees and all their glorious variations.
Burpees are probably the best one, you can add in a push up or a tuck jump or both!

These can all be done at home too.

Thanks so much for all the input and pointers. Had a tiny little niggle in calf last week but did a 25km trail run Saturday and stood up to that so gonna go through all the posts here and devise some gym strategy for the winter, and mix it with lsr's out on the trails once every or every other weekend.

A lot of people had a go when I started a fitness program on video, but when they saw the results and how much my fitness improved, they said 'fair enough'. I don't run or exercise for vanity, but I ended up with a proper six-pack after only 5-6 weeks, with my core strength being the best it has ever been.

I've completed the P90X+ program, and another called Rip60. They require minimal equipment and very little space.

Just about to start the brand new P90X3 this week. Have the complete program on my external hard drive.

Suppose it's the age old, don't knock it 'till you've tried it.

Ridden Lee Lane (Shibden Wall)a couple of times. Not an easy climb at all, with huge gaps between the cobbles & a fearsome corner on it

My ankles are not great. In the gym I am trying to work on that area. I am doing:
Toe lifts with weights in my hands
Single foot squats with weights
Step Exercises
Lunges (more general core work)

Would anybody recommend anything else?

A mate of mine put me onto Flipgym (Flipgym.co.uk) I've got a stretch and core one, and they are a great way of structuring similar exercises into a routine at home. Found it very beneficial

Monday chest , biceps
tuesday back triceps
wed legs and shoulder + abs

then just repeat

you should try scheduling your gym sessions make sure you have 4 times a week

monday wednesday : chest workout and biceps workout
12 , 10 then 8 repetition

tuesday, thursday : back triceps
12 , 10 then 8 repetition

friday sat : shoulder , legs