How do you determine your work outs?

bmfrazie

I am starting to think that my workouts are a little all over the place and I am wondering how everyone else determines what they will do for the week.

My ultimate goal is to run a half marathon at the end of the summer. I have decided that I will run every other day. However, I never just do running. On running days I will normally add an hour of pilates or zumba. Should I just be running on these days so I can up my miles easier?

I have also found that I am a challenge driven person so I normally do the daily mini challenges or weekly challenges posted on the boards because I love to see how hard I can push myself.

So what is your rhyme or reason to how you work out? Do you go off a schedule/program or do you just do whatever you feel like for that day?

Sigra

To be honest it took a long time to figure out, but Cardio seems to be the only thing that works for me. 2 months of strength work out resulted in me losing no inches or lbs. So in that regard to Cardio, I pretty much do the elliptical as much as I can. Since we have a gem at work I do x5/wk morning, and x5wk afternoon. 1hr-2hrs /day

I don't really have a schedule, just whenever I can do it. And the motivation to know that I will look sexeh.

YvetteBabich

I do cardio 5-6 days a week and strength training 3-4 days a week.

For cardio, I alternate every other day between running and elliptical. For strength I do whatever my body is telling me it wants to.

It's been pretty effective.

Angela_MA

This week I started 4 day of strength training 2 days upper and 2 days lower. Cardio I do 5 days a week, which is usually Zumba (2-3 days a week) and fitness walking for an hour (usually 5+ miles, again 2-3 times a week). I was only strength training twice a week full body, but I figured I need to target areas and let other areas rest. Weekends are rest days or activities with my family like hiking, biking, swimming, camping...etc. I like to keep things changed up so in a month I will change my routine again. Not by much but enough to boost metabolism.

MinnieInMaine

The only part that's sort of scheduled is the strength training. I do two days of full body and two days of an ab workout every week. The cardio part i pretty much whatever I feel like doing - could be stationary bike, treadmill walking with hills, treadclimber, stairmill or elliptical. I usually stick with either the treadclimber, stairmill or elliptical though since they give me the highest calorie burn.

rybo

If you are training for a specific race or event, I highly suggest following some time of plan/schedule. Just about every training program has off or crosstraining days where you can do your other exercises that you enjoy.
That doesn't mean you can't take a program and tweak it a little, but if you start tweaking too mcuh then you are no longer following a program.