Add Cardio or Add Weights to Current Exercise Routine? Help!

Joebob8

Hi all,

Currently my exercise schedule is as follows:

Sunday-1 hour boot camp class (lots of pushups, squats, lunges, jumping jacks, burpees, sandbags, 5-8 lb free weights)

Monday-1 hour weight lifting with a trainer

Tuesday-off

Wednesday-1 hour boot camp

Thursday- 1 hour boot camp

Friday-off

Saturday-off

I want to step up my game but I'm trying to figure out if I should be counting boot camp as strength training or cardio. In other words, should I add an additional weight lifting day or should I hit the treadmill? One idea I have is to do 30 min of weight training prior to my Wednesday and Thursday boot camp classes and then add 45 min of running to Mondays and Saturdays. Too much? Not enough? Should I focus more on X and not on Y?

In terms of goals: I'm 5'3, 124 lbs, 22% body fat, I want to go down to 17-18% (so around 118 pounds). Ideally in 7 weeks!

Re: diet, I eat between 1250-1500 calories a day of mainly protein, lots of vegetables, berries, nuts. Sometimes I treat myself to smaller portions of whatever I want. I feel very confident about my eating habits so this is less of an issue for me.

Cherimoose

Your boot camp class sounds like it has some strength training in it, so you are probably doing enough strength for the week. In fact some would say too much, because the usual advice is to keep 48 hours between strength workouts.
Since cardio is more effective at fat loss, i would add that. But not 45 minutes of running, because doing too much too soon can cause injuries - and then you can't exercise at all. I'd start with a 10 minute run each morning, and again later in the day. If all goes well after a week, add 1 minute per run.

By the way, bootcamps are usually lacking in pulling exercises (= "upper back"), and heavy leg exercises, so ask your trainer to focus on those.

Joebob8

You are awesome. Great point re pulling exercises. I have run for years so not worried about time, 45 min is cutting it short for mr!