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Help me formulate a plan!


Mom2A&M

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I dont have the budget for a personal trainer so I.m hoping you athletes can help me out. I am looking to get a better routine in the gym. Right now, it's all willy-nilly and I'm bored. I am aiming for three days per week, possibly four but I know I can get three every week. I would like some advice on how to combine types of exercise. I was thinking to have weight lifting all three days (2upperbody days and 1leg day) does that sound good? I know I can get some cardio in after the two upper body lifting days but not the leg day. But I also wanted to try yoga for stress management. Is one cardio day enough? Is one yoga day enough? Should I be lifting before yoga or after? I have always done cardio after lifting.

Any advice is greatly appreciated. Thanks.

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I have given up on exercise several times in my life, it is only in the past 2 years that I really have stuck to consistent, 4+ days per week exercise.  What was important to me was making it so I never felt like I was trapped in a box and it sounds like that is where you may be...

 

So if you want to do yoga... do it!  If you hate it, you haven't lost anything, you just know its not for you.  to keep things interesting what I do is go to a site like Fitocracy or jefit.com and look at the exercises other people were doing and what their routines looked like.  If I didn't know the exercise, I would read a description, check youtube to see what proper form looked like and then I would just try it.  I started with I think 6 exercises each for a different muscle groups (I only have dumbbells so I am somewhat limited) and now I have about 30 different exercises that I swap around to keep things interesting. 

as far as how much cardio vs. strength training you need, someone with more experienced than me should have an answer for that.  I do 2 days of cardio and 2 days of strength but I think for the winter it is going to become 1 day of cardio, 1 mixed, 2 days strength

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It really depends on your goals.

 

I just got Bret Contreras' Strong Curves on Kindle, and I'll gradually adopt his program. He's all about the glutes :-) I also liked New Rules of Lifting for Women and for Abs, but unfortunately I was a silly lifter and hurt my back (which is why I'm now taking it slowly). I personally want to add yoga/pilates and dancing as well for other purposes, but the weight training is prioritized. So if I need to cut back on something, it'll be cardio first.

 

If you lift hard, you shouldn't do hard cardio on top of that, and you shouldn't do anything else on lifting days.

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One yoga day and one cardio day would be plenty - I'd attach the cardio to one of your upper body days, and probably make it a HIIT session on a bike.

I'd personally try to make yoga a different day.

With your weight work, do you know how are you going to divide your upper body days?

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One yoga day and one cardio day would be plenty - I'd attach the cardio to one of your upper body days, and probably make it a HIIT session on a bike.

I'd personally try to make yoga a different day.

With your weight work, do you know how are you going to divide your upper body days?

I was going to have "push" and "pull" days for upper body. What is HIIT? no bike for me though, I'll prob stick with eliptical or jogging. So yoga on its own, it doesn't combine well with lifting? That's what I was wondering. Should I do all UB/cardio one day, legs one day and yoga on the third?
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I have given up on exercise several times in my life, it is only in the past 2 years that I really have stuck to consistent, 4+ days per week exercise.  What was important to me was making it so I never felt like I was trapped in a box and it sounds like that is where you may be...

 

So if you want to do yoga... do it!  If you hate it, you haven't lost anything, you just know its not for you.  to keep things interesting what I do is go to a site like Fitocracy or jefit.com and look at the exercises other people were doing and what their routines looked like.  If I didn't know the exercise, I would read a description, check youtube to see what proper form looked like and then I would just try it.  I started with I think 6 exercises each for a different muscle groups (I only have dumbbells so I am somewhat limited) and now I have about 30 different exercises that I swap around to keep things interesting. 

as far as how much cardio vs. strength training you need, someone with more experienced than me should have an answer for that.  I do 2 days of cardio and 2 days of strength but I think for the winter it is going to become 1 day of cardio, 1 mixed, 2 days strength

I want a more specific plan that I can write down and commit to.
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I was going to have "push" and "pull" days for upper body. What is HIIT? no bike for me though, I'll prob stick with eliptical or jogging. So yoga on its own, it doesn't combine well with lifting? That's what I was wondering. Should I do all UB/cardio one day, legs one day and yoga on the third?

 

push and pull sounds great :)

 

HIIT is High Intensity Interval Training. there are some studies coming out to show it's actually more effective than steady state for fat loss (if that's you're goal). you basically have a warm up, say 5 minutes, then go completely flat out for a short period, rest, repeat a few times, then cool down. at the moment I do one session a week - 20 mins total, 5 mins warm up, 10 second sprint with 50 second rest x10, 5 min cool down.

 

after a heavy weights session, I don't think i'd be up for yoga....you'd be quite fatigued in whatever area you'd trained, and would probably struggle! i'd choose weights over yoga any day, so i'd probably leave out the yoga and keep the 3 weights sessions.

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push and pull sounds great :)

 

HIIT is High Intensity Interval Training. there are some studies coming out to show it's actually more effective than steady state for fat loss (if that's you're goal). you basically have a warm up, say 5 minutes, then go completely flat out for a short period, rest, repeat a few times, then cool down. at the moment I do one session a week - 20 mins total, 5 mins warm up, 10 second sprint with 50 second rest x10, 5 min cool down.

 

after a heavy weights session, I don't think i'd be up for yoga....you'd be quite fatigued in whatever area you'd trained, and would probably struggle! i'd choose weights over yoga any day, so i'd probably leave out the yoga and keep the 3 weights sessions.

Thanks!!
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I agree with amberino. Plus, you should start eating soon after lifting to feed the muscles, and it's really hard to do that in a downward dog ;-)

I've written myself my own routine now, as I wanted to mostly include the machines and some bodyweight exercises, and not a lot of free weights. I was injured for a long time after lifting too heavy and too fast and incorrectly. So, knowing how I can get, this time I'm going to strive for slow tempo and perfect form with 10-12 repetitions. After my body is stronger, I'll move to free weights and continue prioritizing form and tempo over weight.

I've split mine into upper body and lower body, and do it 2-4 times per week (starting slowly, moving into four times per week).

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http://www.jimwendler.com/2011/09/531-for-a-beginner/

Ok, don't be scared because it looks hardcore.... It's a stupid simple strength plan that really really works. Do this and add a cardio plus yoga once/twice per week and you will be golden....

If your looking for more of a metabolic conditioning program, you could always follow the Crossfit main page WOD posted every day

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http://www.jimwendler.com/2011/09/531-for-a-beginner/

Ok, don't be scared because it looks hardcore.... It's a stupid simple strength plan that really really works. Do this and add a cardio plus yoga once/twice per week and you will be golden....

If your looking for more of a metabolic conditioning program, you could always follow the Crossfit main page WOD posted every day

Lol! This feels like reading another language!
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http://www.jimwendler.com/2011/09/531-for-a-beginner/

Ok, don't be scared because it looks hardcore.... It's a stupid simple strength plan that really really works. Do this and add a cardio plus yoga once/twice per week and you will be golden....

If your looking for more of a metabolic conditioning program, you could always follow the Crossfit main page WOD posted every day

 

I hope that's a typo in the Monday bench routine :-) 65 repetitions with 5% load sounds more like Les Mills' BodyPump!

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So, I need to find my "max" first, then take 90%of that weight and do 3 sets with 5/3/1 reps respectively? Then take 55%and do 5reps three times...am I at least on the right track!?

I've been accused of being from mars before.... Lol

no,no, not you...I'm just slow in the brain!
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So, I need to find my "max" first, then take 90%of that weight and do 3 sets with 5/3/1 reps respectively? Then take 55%and do 5reps three times...am I at least on the right track!? no,no, not you...I'm just slow in the brain!

That's the gist of it.... If you google Wendler 5-3-1. There are a ton of sites that help explain the work out.... It really is very simple to follow and is based on basic strength movements ( squats,dead lifts, presses) and auxiliary exercises

I'm personally really getting into Olympic lifting and squats deads and presses only supplement the Oly lifts...

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Fender, for somebody that's never done the lifts before, I wouldn't recommend 5-3-1. It requires a confidence and understanding of the lifts to feel comfortable in finding a training max.  OP, I'm not sure if you have that, so ignore me if you do, but if you aren't confident in doing the lifts without a set of eyes on you, I would NOT try to find a max.

 

I think that Crossfit Main Page has gotten a little goofy in the years, but you will definitely NOT get bored doing it. OP, I'd recommend checking out Crossfit BrandX's page where they scale the main page workouts appropriately for your level. This is where I started and it was really great for me. (http://www.crossfitbrandx.com/index.php/forums/viewforum/16/)

 

For example, they did Eva a couple of days ago, which is:

 

Five rounds for time of:

Run 800 meters
2 pood Kettlebell swing, 30 reps
30 Pull-ups

 

but that is A LOT for anybody, especially a newbie...so BrandX scales in the following levels:

 

The Porch:

Five rounds for time of:
Run 800 meters
2 pood Kettlebell swing, 20 reps
30 Pull-ups

Pack:
Five rounds for time of: 
Run 800 meters 
1.5 pood Kettlebell swing, 30 reps 
30 Pull-ups

Puppies:
Three rounds for time of: 
Run 400 meters 
1 pood Kettlebell swing, 20 reps 
20 Beginner or assisted Pull-ups

Buttercups:
Three rounds for time of: 
Run 400 meters 
15-24# Kettlebell swing, 15 reps 
15 Beginner or assisted Pull-ups

Please do not sub Jumping pull ups.

 

It's a really great resource, and the BrandX team are some of the best groups of people I've met in the CF world.

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