Doing more than 1 workout regime at a time?

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I'm still new at this whole working out at home but I'm trying to get back in shape.

At high school, they made us work out once a week and such (the rest was games basically). But the last 2 years, we got a new PE teacher who taught us how to WARM UP / STRETCH, do YOGA, do WEIGHT LIFTING, and stuff like that.
For a week straight, we did ab workouts and I felt really good.

Well now that I'm not in school anymore, I've lost most of the toned muscle I kept.

I'm doing "Ripped in 30" workout video (week 1), but I'm not too sore. The only sore part of my body is right by my knees so if I did more arm and ab workouts, it wouldn't hurt my legs. I also walk 4 miles a day or more. I'm trying to get healthy and stay healthy. I also want toned muscles.

So could I do more than 1 workout regime at a time? I'm hoping to look amazing in 6-8 weeks. Help?

Replies

  • toronto_j
    toronto_j Posts: 206 Member
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    Sure you can. Challenging your muscles and changing up your routine actually help. I do strength training with machines/body weight/TRX, classes like Jillian Michaels Shred, cardio and vinyasa yoga.
  • savingtennessee
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    Will it hurt my muscles too much?

    I'm hoping to start doing yoga (not sure what the differences are), a 20 minute leg workout, an ab routine (20 minutes), weight lifting, and Jillian Michael's video. I have no idea when I'm going to have the time for like 4 hours of working out though, but I'll figure it out. Because I have target areas:

    I want my leg/thighs to have bigger muscles, my abs to show on my stomach, and my arms to be stronger (currently unable to do 10 girl push ups). I want this to be accomplished in 6-8 weeks.
  • Ainar
    Ainar Posts: 858 Member
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    It would not hurt you most likely. You need to learn your body and see. If you are getting tired more easy, losing strength or endurance when working out, having sleep problems, etc then you might be over-training and need to slow down. But if you keep building muscles, getting stronger, being able to do exercises easier, more reps and progressing overall, and feeling great then you are fine. So there is not maximum amount of exercises you can do, you can do as much as you want, if you can recover from it.

    Now the thing is that doing "too much" might be unnecessary work what would not make much difference. Depending on program you are and your goals of course. Doing more exercises will burn more calories so could help you lose fat to get those abs cos it may put you in bigger calorie deficit. But there is only as much muscle strength and growth as you can stimulate. And doing too much would just burn extra calories and train endurance. It really depends on what kind of workout you are. Most of the workouts what are designed for specific purpose will be designed to get you the best results you can get so training more would not make much of a difference, cos you already getting the best results anyways. In fact, sometimes doing more can even slow down progress, more is not better better. Rest timing is important part of all it.

    I would suggest to stick to one type of workout for one thing. For example if you are doing stretching workout then let it be your only one but you can add something else, like cardio. If you are doing endurance workout then let it be your only endurance workout but you can add strength for example. But don't add another strength workout if you are already doing one strength workout for example. That being said, you can, if you are just doing it for fun. But be aware that instead of those 100% you might have gotten if you would not have added it in you might only get like 80 or 90%. It does not always slow down your progress when you add more, but sometimes it might, even if you re not over-training. And of course depending from workout sometimes it might speed your progress, if that workout is not ALREADY designed to squeeze out 100% of you.
  • HarrietSabre
    HarrietSabre Posts: 186 Member
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    I do a combination of things - made-up cardio workouts 2-3 times a week, squash once a week, blogilates pilates calendar (she does 6 days, i normally just do 4 of those), various exercise classes at the gym...so i'm technically doing about 4 different workout regimes and I sometimes chuck in other things when I get bored. I couldn't do the 30 day shred or anything because i'd just get bored doing the same thing all the time. If you get tired, stop or work another part of your body.
  • savingtennessee
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    I'm just wanting to get in the best shape and I know I can do more ab workouts easily. My abs rarely get sore from exercise. Now my arms, those are a different story. They get so sore after weight lifting.
  • hill8570
    hill8570 Posts: 1,466 Member
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    4 hours of workouts a day? Starting from out of shape? Um, try to be realistic -- you're either going to injure yourself or hate what you're doing that you'll give up halfway through.
  • HarrietSabre
    HarrietSabre Posts: 186 Member
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    Will it hurt my muscles too much?

    I'm hoping to start doing yoga (not sure what the differences are), a 20 minute leg workout, an ab routine (20 minutes), weight lifting, and Jillian Michael's video. I have no idea when I'm going to have the time for like 4 hours of working out though, but I'll figure it out. Because I have target areas:

    I want my leg/thighs to have bigger muscles, my abs to show on my stomach, and my arms to be stronger (currently unable to do 10 girl push ups). I want this to be accomplished in 6-8 weeks.

    If I were you, I would do something like:

    Monday - 30m yoga, 20m legs,
    Tuesday - weights, 20m abs
    Wednesday - Jillian Michaels, 30m yoga
    Thursday - 30m yoga (low intensity "rest day")
    Friday - Jillian Michaels, 20m legs
    Saturday - Jillian Michaels, 20m abs
    Sunday - 30m yoga (low intensity), optional weights

    assuming that the JM video is mostly cardio, you've got 3 hours solid cardio, lots of stretching from yoga, a couple of sessions per week on legs, abs and weights (assuming you focus on arms), then i might do something like 3 sets of as many push-ups as you can do in the morning every weekday just to focus on your push-up goal
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,867 Member
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    Hmmmm....four hours per day of working out, target/spot reduction, amazing results in a couple of months....

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    There's nothing wrong with doing multiple things, but you need to give your body rest as well...rest is where the magic happens, particularly where your muscles are concerned. If I were you I'd sit down and look at some actual fitness goals and work within actual program structures including their rest requirements. Over-training will ultimately lead to injury...ask me how I know...yeah, I've been down this path before and it left my sitting on the side lines for a couple of months.
  • AsaThorsWoman
    AsaThorsWoman Posts: 2,303 Member
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    I do Centurion and Parkour. Do as many as you want. Mixing it up is great.
  • toronto_j
    toronto_j Posts: 206 Member
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    Will it hurt my muscles too much?

    I'm hoping to start doing yoga (not sure what the differences are), a 20 minute leg workout, an ab routine (20 minutes), weight lifting, and Jillian Michael's video. I have no idea when I'm going to have the time for like 4 hours of working out though, but I'll figure it out. Because I have target areas:

    I want my leg/thighs to have bigger muscles, my abs to show on my stomach, and my arms to be stronger (currently unable to do 10 girl push ups). I want this to be accomplished in 6-8 weeks.

    Well, it will hurt because you're not used to it, but a good hurt as in stiffness and burn. Also a good idea to start with a trainer so you get a routine and form down. But don't overdo it, you'll tucker yourself out and won't stick with it...start with one or two types and then ease into the rest if you want to add them. Do you mean 4 hours a day or a week?

    Vinyasa and ashtanga yoga are tougher and more active than hatha, which is slow and more relaxing.

    Also you can't spot reduce so while you're building muscle, you'll also have to burn off calories through cardio and most importantly, watch your diet. You can't out exercise a bad diet (and I mean "diet" as in your regular everyday eating, not suggesting to go on "a" diet).
  • savingtennessee
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    I'm not starting completely out-of-shape. Just not in a work-out kinda shape. Like, I'm okay with abs. My abs are in shape (but due to less cardio, not showing). Most of the time, my muscles are never sore except for my hamstrings by my knees. I mean sure general soreness, but I start to use it more.

    I remember I did so many lunges 2 years ago that it hurt my legs so much but then I started jogging and then I found a miraculous thing... Running made my legs feel better.

    So, I apply that now. Plus, I incorporate yoga into my stretching... The breathing out when you stretch and such and I love that feeling. I get a rush of endorphins so much. I love it. But I also don't want to overdue it and break my body. I know 30-40 minutes of workout is more effective than 3 hours of it. I enjoy it though. I enjoy the stress relief I get afterwards. I enjoy how good I feel afterwards.