Fitness Chat
From what you’ve described, I think the first goal is not strength, weight, or muscle gain.
It’s familiarity.
You want Monday–Wednesday–Friday to become as ordinary as getting on your bicycle: walk into Anytime Fitness, know what you’re doing, do it comfortably, and leave feeling that you could have done more.
For Week 1, I’d deliberately make the resistance training easier than you think it needs to be. Your thought may be, “If I’m going to the gym, I ought to push myself.” We don’t need to obey that thought.
The first adaptation we’re training is the routine itself.
And given what you’ve told me about your legs, cycling and swimming, I wouldn’t make leg strength training a priority right now. The gym can fill the gap your cycling doesn’t: chest, back, shoulders, arms and trunk, while preserving mobility and supporting your return to swimming.
WEEK 1 — MONDAY / WEDNESDAY / FRIDAY
I’d actually use the same basic workout all three days this first week. That repetition is useful: same machines, same movements, less uncertainty.
WARM UP — about 8–10 minutes
Exercise
Amount
Purpose
Stationary bike
5 km at ~16 km/h OR max 10 min
Warm, not workout
Cat-Camel
6–8 slow reps
Spine mobility
Thoracic Rotation
5 each side
Upper-back rotation
Arm Circles
8 forward + 8 backward
Shoulders
Wall/Standing Chest Opener
20 sec × 2
Chest/shoulders
One change I’d make: don’t require yourself to finish 5 km. At 16 km/h that’s almost 19 minutes, which is becoming another cycling workout. Since you’re already road cycling, 5–10 minutes in the gym is plenty to get warm.
⸻
🟣 MONDAY — LEARNING DAY
STRENGTH
EXERCISE
SET 1
SET 2
SET 3
Machine Chest Press
10 reps
10 reps
—
Seated/Plate Loaded Row
10
10
—
Machine Shoulder Press
8–10
8–10
—
Biceps Curl
10
10
—
Triceps Pushdown
10
10
—
Pec Fly — very light
10
10
—
- Rest: about 60–90 seconds between sets.
- The blank third set is intentional.
- Our job Monday is to discover the machines and establish starting weights, not prove anything.
How heavy?
Choose a weight where you could probably perform 14–15 good repetitions, but voluntarily stop at 10.
- If rep 10 has you straining, holding your breath, twisting, or thinking “Come on… ONE MORE!” — it’s too heavy for Week 1.
- Record the weight in your book.
⸻
🟣 WEDNESDAY — REPEAT & LEARN
Same exercises.
EXERCISE
SET 1
SET 2
SET 3
Machine Chest Press
10
10
—
Seated/Plate Loaded Row
10
10
—
Machine Shoulder Press
8–10
8–10
—
Biceps Curl
10
10
—
Triceps Pushdown
10
10
—
Pec Fly
10
10
—
Do not automatically increase the weight.
- Instead ask yourself after each exercise:
- Could I do this with smooth control through the whole range?
- If Monday’s weight felt ridiculously easy, a small increase Wednesday is reasonable. Otherwise repeat it.
- You’re learning where your baseline is.
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🟣 FRIDAY — CONSOLIDATION
Again, essentially the same workout.
EXERCISE
SET 1
SET 2
OPTIONAL SET 3
Machine Chest Press
10
10
10
Seated/Plate Loaded Row
10
10
10
Machine Shoulder Press
8–10
8–10
—
Biceps Curl
10
10
—
Triceps Pushdown
10
10
—
Pec Fly
10
10
—
- Here’s the first tiny progression.
- If chest press and row felt completely comfortable Monday and Wednesday, add a third set Friday.
- Not more weight.
- That’s enough progression for one week.
⸻
WARM DOWN — particularly useful for swimming
I’d make this a ritual rather than something you skip when you’re finished.
About 5–7 minutes:
Doorway Chest Stretch — 20–30 sec each side
Forearm against the frame; gently turn away.
Cross-Body Shoulder Stretch — 20–30 sec each arm
Good posterior shoulder stretch.
Overhead Triceps/Lat Stretch — 20–30 sec each side
Particularly relevant as you return to front crawl.
Wall Lat Stretch — 20–30 sec × 2
Hands against wall, hips back, chest lowering gently.
Thoracic Rotation — 5 slow repetitions each side.
Standing Quadriceps Stretch — 20 sec each leg.
Hamstring Stretch — 20 sec each leg.
Nothing should be forced. You’re looking for a comfortable stretch, not trying to increase flexibility in one session.
Running Down Vimy 