This is how I started off my workout routine planning.
*Sigh*
You know you're a teacher when you use graphic organizers and color coded diagrams in your daily life...
Anyways...
I have been true to my word! Well, not about falafel (still working on that), but definitely about the workout routine. I have designed a system that I think can work for me, busy schedule and all, and I hope it can work for you too!
I started off by gathering all my materials, which included all of my workout dvds, my computer downloads, websites, and my crossfit at home program, plus the mental list of things I do that aren't in video or paper format.
From the picture above, I hope you can see that I divided the components of my workout into 3 categories, some of which overlap or intersect one another. The three categories are: Cardio, Strength, and Yoga/Pilates. I then put all of my materials and resources into one or two of these categories, then I decided how many times I wanted to work each category a week. I also drew from what I knew about fitness from my Fitness Instructor job, as well as what other professionals advised.
I decided that, by following the ACE Fitness recommendations, I should get at least 2.5 hours of weekly moderate-intensity aerobic activity, exercising a total of at least 5 hours a week, with at least 75 minutes of weekly vigorous or intense physical activity. ACE recommends that you incorporate strength-training for at least 2 days a week.
Then I examined what I enjoy doing at this time of year, during this season (because now we all know how short my workout attention span is).
From this, I concluded that I should devote 3 days of the week to 20-60 minutes to Cardio, 3 days of the week to 20-60 minutes of Strength-Training, and 2 days of the week to 20-60 minutes of Yoga/Pilates.
Some of you may be thinking, wait, 3 days of cardio, 3 days of strength, and 2 days of yoga or pilates? But isn't that 8 days a week?
The thing is, like the first picture indicated, many of the workouts I like to do and will be doing overlap in both areas! So we kill two birds with one stone, in a manor of speaking.
Now, because I don't like assigning days of the week to one single workout routine that never changes, this program will allow me to pick whatever workout I want to do for each day. But the only trick is, at the end of the week, I will have had to meet all of my required days and minutes for each category.
Example Schedule:
Monday: Cardio and Yoga Day
40 minutes of Running
20 minutes of Yoga
Tuesday: Strength Day
Slim and Lean 60 minute video
Wednesday: Cardio/Strength Combo Day
30 Day Shred 30 minute video
Crossfit Circuit: 400 meter sprints, lunges, sit-ups, pushups
Thursday: Strength Day
P90X Total Body Challenge 40 minute video
Friday: Cardio Day
60 minutes of Zumba (youtube videos)
Saturday: Pilates Day
3 Poppilates youtube videos (60 minutes)
The only thing I will have to pay attention to is what muscles I am working when. In this example schedule, the strength videos are working all major muscles, but I might choose to superset some weeks and work muscle groups which support one another (abs and back, or biceps, triceps, and shoulders, chest press and back, legs and arms). Whatever it is, it's important to be sure that some muscles are getting neither overworked nor neglected.
I plan on setting up a fitness journal of sorts, where I can check off each category/day and record what exercises I did when, and mark improvements.
I'll let you know how this all goes. Treating your body right is directly tied to eating healthy, getting enough of the right types of exercise, and also drinking water and sleeping enough! So I'll keep you all posted on how all of those components are working together.
I hope that this workout routine both helps me stay on track as well as provides enough freedom and change to keep it interesting and fun! I also hope it helps to inspire you!
The best workout routine that works for me is a combination of yoga and cardio. Yoga suits me best due to my lower back problems, while I do cardio in different forms. I do kettlebells and interval training when at the gym; I do water jogging and brisk walking outdoors; and I play tennis over the weekends. I sometimes enroll in group exercise classes -- aside from my yoga -- such as Zumba and Jazzercise.
ReplyDeleteBernardine Terranova