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Is It Better?

alska
alska Posts: 300 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Is it better to have a scheduled routine workout rather then randomly doing whatever whenever as long as you are doing something?

I just do something daily (except Sundays) for at least an hour ... either walk, hike, go to the YMCA, do intervals of walking/running etc ... I don't have a scheduled routine like I see most people do.

Is what I'm doing ok, will it still work? Or do I NEED to do this scheduled routine thing?

Replies

  • LiveLoveLift67
    LiveLoveLift67 Posts: 895 Member
    In my opinion i think its better that you are doing something rather than nothing but, a routine helps you stay on track, and to help you realize if you are progressing in your goals, what ever they may be. I think its good to keep the body guessing and mix it up but having a plan in place makes the difference that i have found.

    No you dont NEED a set routine though to answer your question. You are still doing more than the person doing nothing.
  • coffeeshopgeek
    coffeeshopgeek Posts: 16 Member
    In my opinion i think its better that you are doing something rather than nothing but, a routine helps you stay on track, and to help you realize if you are progressing in your goals, what ever they may be. I think its good to keep the body guessing and mix it up but having a plan in place makes the difference that i have found.

    No you dont NEED a set routine though to answer your question. You are still doing more than the person doing nothing.

    ITA!!
    I am a routine person myself though and I keep my routine because otherwise my mind goes blank and I opt for laziness.
  • melaniecheeks
    melaniecheeks Posts: 6,349 Member
    What are your fitness goals?
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
    I think it's important to have a program that fits your goals and to follow that program with consistency. At the same time, it's important to be flexible. I have trouble with that part.

    But if my goal is to lift as much weight as possible, I'm more likely to reach that goal if I'm following a program that tells me when to progress my lifts and by how much than I am if I just go to the gym and wander around picking up dumbbells and doing random moves.

    If your goal is just to burn calories it probably matters less.

    So basically-- will it work for what? What are you trying to accomplish?
  • leomcdee
    leomcdee Posts: 60 Member
    Routines are fine for some people, but for others (like me) it's a motivation-killer. If I knew I had to wake up everyday at 6 am to fit in a workout I'd last less than a week. At the moment, I'm fitting exercise in when I can (almost every day). It might be early morning, evening or right in the middle of the day. It works really well for me and I'm way fitter than I was when doing nothing.

    Other than general fitness I have no particular exercise goals though, so if you want to build muscle or run a 5k, you might need a more solid routine.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    Is it better to have a scheduled routine workout rather then randomly doing whatever whenever as long as you are doing something?

    I just do something daily (except Sundays) for at least an hour ... either walk, hike, go to the YMCA, do intervals of walking/running etc ... I don't have a scheduled routine like I see most people do.

    Is what I'm doing ok, will it still work? Or do I NEED to do this scheduled routine thing?

    depends what your goals are...

    personally i am rubbish with 'just doing something' but with insanity, P90X3, and now training for a 10k race i havent missed a single workout... i like having a schedule!
  • _Terrapin_
    _Terrapin_ Posts: 4,301 Member
    Isn't there a saying "A goal without a plan is just a dream" I know I heard this. . . . .
  • alska
    alska Posts: 300 Member
    thanks everyone :) as for goals ... i don't think i have any except to workout 6 days a week for at least an hour n to stay within my calorie count.... and to hopefully lose weight from it.

    i'm worried if i do a "plan" that i will give up n not do anything at all.
  • alpine1994
    alpine1994 Posts: 1,915 Member
    What has worked for me is finding a balance right in the middle. I like to have a routine for what I'm doing (run 3 days/week and cross-train 2 days/week) but I'm not so rigid about what days I do the workouts on. Personally, I'm a better runner when I do it every other day so I space out my running days. I love going to the cardio dance class at my gym on Monday nights, so I'll do that unless I'm still sore/tired from my long run on the weekend. If so, I'll go to spinning class on Tuesday or Wednesday, whichever one works out better with my work schedule. I have a "workout calendar" on my fridge and I check off my workouts as I do them so I make sure I got them all in by the end of the week.

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