Exercise on non-lifting days

pandorakick
pandorakick Posts: 901 Member
In the description of his routine All Pro wrote about doing some cardio and abs work on non-weight training days. Besides using my cross trainer, Wii zumba and Fitnessblender cardio video's I also find myself doing more yoga type stuff on 3 of the days that I don't lift. The remaining day I take as rest day.

For tommorow however I have something different lined up: a Bollywood dance workout! I found it in 3 parts on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uXaFfZUWheg&feature=youtube_gdata_player

What are you doing for workouts on your non-lifting days?

Replies

  • cmeiron
    cmeiron Posts: 1,599 Member
    I'm doing 15-25 minute HIIT workouts or a run, and some core stuff. I have also been doing my pushups those days (I'm doing a 100 pushup challenge) but I think I'm going to switch the pushups to my weight days, to give my upper bod a proper break on the days in between :)
  • PennyHarris123
    PennyHarris123 Posts: 159 Member
    I'm also training for sprint triathlon which I've just started and doing a 26 miles walk in sept so I have 1 or 2 rest days and train even after doing this routine. I run, swim, spinning classes, coast walk and zumba class if I feel up to it!
  • pandorakick
    pandorakick Posts: 901 Member
    I'm also training for sprint triathlon which I've just started and doing a 26 miles walk in sept so I have 1 or 2 rest days and train even after doing this routine. I run, swim, spinning classes, coast walk and zumba class if I feel up to it!
    Now that is some busy schedule! Just remember to take enough rest as well, overtraining is no fun :wink:
  • PennyHarris123
    PennyHarris123 Posts: 159 Member
    thanks! I kinda wish I hadn't said I'd do the triathlon! I do have rest days....although I realised yesterday I hadn't since last Friday so definatey having one today! just coast walking at the weekend as I've done my 3 routines for the week now! feeling it today from yesterday although it was deload on 3rd day but I'd done a lot the day before....
    :ohwell:
  • pandorakick
    pandorakick Posts: 901 Member
    Personally I find that swapping running for a yoga session in between lifting days also helps in resting the muscles, without doing "Nothing". :happy:
  • katy_trail
    katy_trail Posts: 1,992 Member
    stair intervals, outdoor cycling, punching the speed and heavy bag with or without air kicks and jumping drills, jump rope, walking my dog, in the rain, or jogging.
    i'm trying to do my ab work at the end of my lifting session instead. i have a friend who does this, and it makes sense that the muscles are used during the lift, then just do a few exercises like a few sets of cable and reverse crunches. Then the other days the abs can rest. Otherwise the abs only rest on total rest days.

    Depending on how much energy/time i have, I do between zero cardio days where i only lift, and cardio everyday. I do usually take one day or more where it's a total rest day. I feel at my best when i'm working out everyday, so I strive for that even if it's just light.
    or getting outside. I haven't really found a yoga style i like, but in the right mood i can get into it. i just never seem to be there lately.
  • PennyHarris123
    PennyHarris123 Posts: 159 Member
    yeah I'm thinking exactly that...I'd like to start yoga again although the classes finish next week here for the summer holidays....might get a good dvd,
  • pandorakick
    pandorakick Posts: 901 Member
    yeah I'm thinking exactly that...I'd like to start yoga again although the classes finish next week here for the summer holidays....might get a good dvd,
    I like the (free) video's from this website: http://www.doyogawithme.com/
  • PennyHarris123
    PennyHarris123 Posts: 159 Member
    yeah I'm thinking exactly that...I'd like to start yoga again although the classes finish next week here for the summer holidays....might get a good dvd,
    I like the (free) video's from this website: http://www.doyogawithme.com/
    oo great thanks for that! I have ordered a dvd already about an hour ago! it was only £5 so not too bad but I'll look at this too :flowerforyou:
  • Nina1007
    Nina1007 Posts: 150
    I usually run or do the elliptical. I've tried many times getting into yoga, but it's just to "slow" (for lack of a better word) for me or something. Maybe I just have not found the right type or routine.
  • sun_fish
    sun_fish Posts: 864 Member
    I like to walk and do yoga in between lift days. Also some time on an exercise bike to help with a knee issue I am rehabbing. And some swimming in the summer!
  • jimmmer
    jimmmer Posts: 3,515 Member
    I typically do hill sprints or other brutish, nasty and short conditioning workouts on a Tuesday (typically about 15 mins total workout time with a warm-up). This is an all-out leave-everything-on-the-floor type affair that by the end I may have had a religious experience!

    On Thursdays I do about 80-90 minutes of Kung Fu. It's the polar opposite of Tuesdays.....

    Everyday (well Monday -> Saturday), I do mobility and flexibility work for up to an hour at the opposite end of the day to my other workout of the day.

    On All Pro days, I walk 15 minutes downhill to where I lift and then run back up the hill afterwards. Not full tilt like on a Tuesday sprint session, but enough to be a "finisher" for the day.
  • cmeiron
    cmeiron Posts: 1,599 Member
    I typically do hill sprints or other brutish, nasty and short conditioning workouts on a Tuesday (typically about 15 mins total workout time with a warm-up). This is an all-out leave-everything-on-the-floor type affair that by the end I may have had a religious experience!

    On Thursdays I do about 80-90 minutes of Kung Fu. It's the polar opposite of Tuesdays.....

    Everyday (well Monday -> Saturday), I do mobility and flexibility work for up to an hour at the opposite end of the day to my other workout of the day.

    On All Pro days, I walk 15 minutes downhill to where I lift and then run back up the hill afterwards. Not full tilt like on a Tuesday sprint session, but enough to be a "finisher" for the day.

    This makes me tired reading it! :laugh: You're like the Energizer Bunny!
  • jimmmer
    jimmmer Posts: 3,515 Member
    This makes me tired reading it! :laugh: You're like the Energizer Bunny!

    Ha ha! Wore me out typing it...... doesn't seem like that much when you're actually doing it!
  • Nina1007
    Nina1007 Posts: 150
    What kind of yoga do y'all do?

    ETA: sorry, just saw your link!
  • pandorakick
    pandorakick Posts: 901 Member
    What kind of yoga do y'all do?

    ETA: sorry, just saw your link!
    :flowerforyou:
  • sun_fish
    sun_fish Posts: 864 Member
    [/quote]
    I like the (free) video's from this website: http://www.doyogawithme.com/
    [/quote]

    I just checked this out - it looks great! Thanks for the link.
  • pandorakick
    pandorakick Posts: 901 Member
    You're welcome!
  • clairemarie1016
    clairemarie1016 Posts: 44 Member
    For the last two weeks I've been doing Jillian Michael's DVD's on the off days in between my All Pro sessions but I'm wondering if I'm not giving my muscles enough rest. For example, on Monday I would do my "heavy" lifting day and on Tuesday I would do a Jillian DVD for approximately 30 minutes that might include weight training exercises (with 8-10 lb. dumbbells) like squats, overhead presses, etc. As an experiment, this week I'm going to do 30 minutes of HIIT cardio on my off days and see what happens. I'll let you guys know how it goes!
  • pandorakick
    pandorakick Posts: 901 Member
    I think you will notice a big difference... For myself I use the rule of thumb for 3 of the 4 rest days, that anything goes as long as it doesn't use weights. On the 4th day I actually take rest and spent half an hour longer in bed :laugh:
  • jimmmer
    jimmmer Posts: 3,515 Member
    I'll use weighted work on my non-lifting days if it's way below my RM. For example, I'll do KB squat and presses as part of my Kung Fu warm up with a 16kg bell, because it's way below my RM for those exercises. If it was a significant proportion of my RM, then it'd be a no-no in terms of muscular recovery and CNS fatigue.

    So ask yourself - are the weights I'm hoisting on my non-lifting days near what I'm expect to lift on All-Pro days? If the answer is yes, then don't do it! If the answer is "no", then it's conditioning and probably fine. As long as your conditioning is up to par, of course.

    Hope that helps!
  • clairemarie1016
    clairemarie1016 Posts: 44 Member
    I didn't have a particularly great week last week...so I am going to add back in the conditioning/metabolic workouts on my off days and see how I feel. The extra cardio didn't agree with me...

    Again, I'll update in another week and let you know how it goes. Thanks to everyone for your advice!