Troubleshoot My Super-Beginner Naive Know-Nothing Circuit-Training Session

gallicinvasion

Hi friends! After dropping 50 lbs using just diet changes, I finally started to do something (ANYTHING) physical. I am very very new to this and I don't have time yet to go to the gym, and I want to start very slow. So after a tiny bit of research and trial and error, this is what I have been doing for the past two weeks (with a stretch and 2 min of jogging in place as a warm up)

Basically, I'd be glad to hear from some experienced people who notice anything I'm doing wrong or inefficiently, or who have suggestions for next steps or ways to slowly increase difficulty.

Mon: 25x mountain climbers, 25x crunches, 25x HH squats, 25s rest, 20x mountain climbers, 5x crunches (meant to do 20 but I reached fatigue VERY quickly on my first day), 20 HH squats. (4 MIN)

Wed: 25x mountain climbers, 25x crunches, 25x HH squats, 25s rest, 20x mountain climbers, 15x crunches, 20x HH squats (4 MIN)

Fri: 25x mountain climbers, 25x crunches, 25x HH squats, 25s rest, 20x mountain climbers, 20x crunches, 20 HH squats (4 MIN 30 SEC)

Mon: 25x mountain climbers, 25x crunches, 25x HH squats, 25s rest, 20x mountain climbers, 20x crunches, 20x HH squats, 25s rest, 10x mountain climbers, 10x crunches, 10x HH squats (5 MIN)

Wed: 25x mountain climbers, 25x crunches, 10x lunges, 15x HH squats, 25s rest, 25x mountain climbers, 25x crunches, 25x HH squats, 25s rest, 10x mountain climbers, 10x crunches, 10x HH squats (5 MIN 30 SEC)

Fri: 25x mountain climbers, 25x crunches, 10x lunges, 15x HH squats, 25s rest, 25x mountain climbers, 25x crunches, 10x lunges, 15x HH squats, 25s rest, 10x mountain climbers, 10x crunches, 10x HH squats (5 MIN 30 SEC)

Notes: I am a 28 yr old woman, weighing 179 lbs (down from 229lb). I have no equipment but just ordered 3lb, 5lb, and 8lb dumbbells plus ankle/wrist weights. My workout space is my very small living room. I do this in the morning around 7:50am, and I leave my house around 8:40am to get to work. The first two sessions had major muscle soreness the following days, then after that the muscle soreness was lessened.

Goals: Continued weight loss or at least loss of inches, being generally stronger with more endurance, and being more agile wouldn't hurt either.

TavistockToad

First off, please don't use arm or ankle weights, they are really bad for your joints.

Second off, why not find a full body dumbbell/bodyweight routine to do 3 x a week? Then add whatever cardio you enjoy in if you want to?

gallicinvasion

TavistockToad wrote: »

First off, please don't use arm or ankle weights, they are really bad for your joints.

Second off, why not find a full body dumbbell/bodyweight routine to do 3 x a week? Then add whatever cardio you enjoy in if you want to?

Didn't know that about the ankle weights, duly noted!

How would you define a full body dumbbell routine? Or a full body bodyweight routine? Do you have an example? I'm very new at this, and I'm not sure what the difference is between circuit training, bodyweight routines, strength training, etc. Vocabulary is all new to me.

TavistockToad

gallicinvasion wrote: »

TavistockToad wrote: »

First off, please don't use arm or ankle weights, they are really bad for your joints.

Second off, why not find a full body dumbbell/bodyweight routine to do 3 x a week? Then add whatever cardio you enjoy in if you want to?

Didn't know that about the ankle weights, duly noted!

How would you define a full body dumbbell routine? Or a full body bodyweight routine? Do you have an example? I'm very new at this, and I'm not sure what the difference is between circuit training, bodyweight routines, strength training, etc. Vocabulary is all new to me.

https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you/p1

Here you are.

I have done the M&S beginner dumbbell routine and the 'a workout routine' one. Both are good and really simple.

nutmegoreo

gallicinvasion wrote: »

TavistockToad wrote: »

First off, please don't use arm or ankle weights, they are really bad for your joints.

Second off, why not find a full body dumbbell/bodyweight routine to do 3 x a week? Then add whatever cardio you enjoy in if you want to?

Didn't know that about the ankle weights, duly noted!

How would you define a full body dumbbell routine? Or a full body bodyweight routine? Do you have an example? I'm very new at this, and I'm not sure what the difference is between circuit training, bodyweight routines, strength training, etc. Vocabulary is all new to me.

Here is a great list of existing programs, including bodyweight, dumbbell routines, and beginner routines:

https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you/p1

gallicinvasion

TavistockToad wrote: »

gallicinvasion wrote: »

TavistockToad wrote: »

First off, please don't use arm or ankle weights, they are really bad for your joints.

Second off, why not find a full body dumbbell/bodyweight routine to do 3 x a week? Then add whatever cardio you enjoy in if you want to?

Didn't know that about the ankle weights, duly noted!

How would you define a full body dumbbell routine? Or a full body bodyweight routine? Do you have an example? I'm very new at this, and I'm not sure what the difference is between circuit training, bodyweight routines, strength training, etc. Vocabulary is all new to me.

https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you/p1

Here you are.

I have done the M&S beginner dumbbell routine and the 'a workout routine' one. Both are good and really simple.

Thank you so much for your help! This looks great.

rileyes

I like the squats, lunges and mountain climbers. I read that sit-ups can cause harm to your spine over the years. I substitute crunches with: Plank, Ab Wheel, Hanging Leg Raise, Farmers Walk, Turkish Get Up, Landmine...

Fitness Blender and Pop Sugar have apps and online circuits you can follow. Also books like Strong Curves, Starting Strength and New Rules for Lifting can be helpful (flip through them at your bookstore).

BecMarty14

I really enjoy fitness blender workouts. (www.fitnessblender.com )

I like the variety, the instruction, the encouragement and all the different durations of workouts.