After S wrote the post asking about the Dos and Don'ts I realised I had the same problem when I first joined a gym. I did not like the trainer and avoided him like the plague. But when I moved to Mumbai, the gym had two fun trainers who pushed me to do more but at least did not force upon me things I didn't like. For example, they coaxed me to run even when I couldn't but did not push me to do sit up with weights because my back hurt and did not like it.
But what they did teach me and this could help gym beginners or just work-out beginners as it did for me.
-- You have to mix cardio and weights - weights like any misconception doesn't make you look fat after you stopped. You will look and become fat if you stop exercising. Period. But in case you just don't want to take a chance with weights then with cardio you need to remember that the body needs at least 24 hours to repair itself. So if you do cardio in the afternoon like I do, going next day morning might feel alright but the body needs more time to heal.
-- Which brings me to the second point - keep a schedule. Do it daily at 6pm in the evening or 7am in the morning. Once you fix a timing other committments can be worked around it.
-- With the exercise days I alternated them a couple of months back. I used to go Monday, Tuesday take a break of Wednesday and do Thursday and Friday but most often than not I hated doing anything on Mondays let alone workout! So, now I do four continuous days of cardio (zumba uses light weights - helps in tightening those arm muscles that hang and wobble :-))
-- Get a couple of days of yoga into the schedule if you can. It gives upper body strength and makes you more flexible. I thought it would be boring but once I entered the class and started it I can honestly say I remembered only how happy I was doing the Shavasana at the end of the session.
-- Have a routine and push yourself harder. I can give others excuses but I cannot fool myself into believing that I am doing the right thing.
-- And golden rule after cardio - an ABSOLUTE MUST - stretch stretch stretch!
This is what I am going to try doing. Picked it up from this website. Like the website suggests, go for the distance or go for the timing. I am hoping to go for the timing.
Have fun :) Update progress
But what they did teach me and this could help gym beginners or just work-out beginners as it did for me.
-- You have to mix cardio and weights - weights like any misconception doesn't make you look fat after you stopped. You will look and become fat if you stop exercising. Period. But in case you just don't want to take a chance with weights then with cardio you need to remember that the body needs at least 24 hours to repair itself. So if you do cardio in the afternoon like I do, going next day morning might feel alright but the body needs more time to heal.
-- Which brings me to the second point - keep a schedule. Do it daily at 6pm in the evening or 7am in the morning. Once you fix a timing other committments can be worked around it.
-- With the exercise days I alternated them a couple of months back. I used to go Monday, Tuesday take a break of Wednesday and do Thursday and Friday but most often than not I hated doing anything on Mondays let alone workout! So, now I do four continuous days of cardio (zumba uses light weights - helps in tightening those arm muscles that hang and wobble :-))
-- Get a couple of days of yoga into the schedule if you can. It gives upper body strength and makes you more flexible. I thought it would be boring but once I entered the class and started it I can honestly say I remembered only how happy I was doing the Shavasana at the end of the session.
-- Have a routine and push yourself harder. I can give others excuses but I cannot fool myself into believing that I am doing the right thing.
-- And golden rule after cardio - an ABSOLUTE MUST - stretch stretch stretch!
This is what I am going to try doing. Picked it up from this website. Like the website suggests, go for the distance or go for the timing. I am hoping to go for the timing.
Have fun :) Update progress
| Week | Workout 1 | Workout 2 | Workout 3 |
| 1 | Brisk five-minute warmup walk. Then alternate 60 seconds of jogging and 90 seconds of walking for a total of 20 minutes. | Brisk five-minute warmup walk. Then alternate 60 seconds of jogging and 90 seconds of walking for a total of 20 minutes. | Brisk five-minute warmup walk. Then alternate 60 seconds of jogging and 90 seconds of walking for a total of 20 minutes. |
| 2 | Brisk five-minute warmup walk. Then alternate 90 seconds of jogging and two minutes of walking for a total of 20 minutes. | Brisk five-minute warmup walk. Then alternate 90 seconds of jogging and two minutes of walking for a total of 20 minutes. | Brisk five-minute warmup walk. Then alternate 90 seconds of jogging and two minutes of walking for a total of 20 minutes. |
| 3 | Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then do two repetitions of the following:
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Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then do two repetitions of the following:
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Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then do two repetitions of the following:
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| 4 | Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then:
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Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then:
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Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then:
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| 5 | Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then:
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Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then:
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Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog two miles (or 20 minutes) with no walking. |
| 6 | Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then:
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Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then:
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Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 2-1/4 miles (or 22 minutes) with no walking. |
| 7 | Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 2.5 miles (or 25 minutes). | Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 2.5 miles (or 25 minutes). | Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 2.5 miles (or 25 minutes). |
| 8 | Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 2.75 miles (or 28 minutes). | Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 2.75 miles (or 28 minutes). | Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 2.75 miles (or 28 minutes). |
| 9 | Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 3 miles (or 30 minutes). | Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 3 miles (or 30 minutes). | The final workout! Congratulations! Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 3 miles (or 30 minutes). |
Jesus! Is this an excel sheet you follow?
ReplyDeleteLove it...but if you don't like routines like me...you've gotta mix and match it up!
Different cardio on different days - try rowing, elliptical, cycling etc. Swimming rocks!
In terms of weights - yoga is as good however you can mix and match again. Do weights one session per week and try to do yoga once a week!
Keep it for yourself. There are million rules...follow the ones that work best for you.