The start of the Two-a-Day workout challenge

Gotta love a great fitness plan... here is mine:

Monday: AM- Core Conditioning/ 3 mile run PM- Insanity Fit Test
Tuesday: AM: Insanity Plyo Cardio Circuit PM- Body Pump/ 3 mile Run
Wednesday AM: Core Conditioning/ 3 mile Run PM- Insanity Power and Resistance
Thursday: AM: Insanity Cardio recovery PM- BodyPump/ 3 mile Run
Friday: AM: 3 mile Run PM- Insanity Pure Cardio
Saturday: AM: Yoga/ 3 mile Run PM: Insanity Plyo Cardio Circuit
Sunday: AM: OFF PM: Vinyasa Flow Yoga Practice

Ugh, I slept really badly last night, woke up at 330 am and just stayed up. I ended up cleaning my apartment, so I guess I got something done huh! But I was in such a bad mood and just wanting my bed so bad I ended up doing a real half-assed workout in the morning, and then I ate a disgusting muffin.... honestly I never eat that stuff but I was so tired, my body was screaming for carbs and sugar! Does this happen to anyone else?

The intervals I do are HIIT.... just started last week. I sweat SO much more so I'm hoping that translates into more calories burned! Also I find it way more interesting than just regular jogging. I do fast walk for 60 seconds and sprint for 30 seconds.

Way to go,HIIT isn't only more interesting its more effective IMHO!

Yes this is why my carb ratio in my diary is the highest,because I'd flop without them...lol
I can't wait to get my heart rate monitor then you can really see what burns more do you have a HRM,but do you rest inbetween your HIIT sessions,they say one should do HIIT 3 times a week max ( some people do it 4 but hey) and 2 minimum...

Hmm, I've never heard about the need to rest with HIIT, but I am not an expert. I was planning on doing it after work mon-friday. I do kno that your body gets used to any kind of exercise you do consistently and then it adapts and the exercise becomes less effective. Perhaps that is why.

Let me know if you like the heart rate montior, I want to get one too!

@SweetSarahJ: Yeah I'm getting the Polar FT4F,I finally gave in I was meant to be saving for a holiday to the states,that can start again later lol Well if you are really physically pushing yourself to your maximum on each sprint you should feel wrecked after repeating it for the 30 minutes thats true HIIT,thats why the day rest/lower intensity cardio day after of recovery is recommended,but yeah its optional,and I'm sure athletes don't rest between HIIT sessions lol.

I'm only new to HIIT,used to do a bit of FatBlaster TurboJam sessions here and there in my bedroom then my neighbours started complaining about all the stamping and the craziness,so I stopped,thats as far as my HIIT went then the 2 little sprints I do on the treadmill occasionally,but todays track session really pushed me!

I will definately let you know,ordering today,so excited! lol

Happy Wednesday Everyone,
Hope you all are feeling it and are ready to embrace the day ~ started the morning off with TJ 20min and AB Jam - 240 cal burn btw - I love my polar HRM - truly lets me know what I'm doing and where I'm exercising (max hr, target hr, below ?) before I would only judge by sweat :laugh: which works ... but this little gadget adds a whole new dimension to it.
CP2 planned for tonight - or maybe some TJ Fat Blaster - all this talk about HIITs is making me want to start adding that. I do have Turbo Fire (which I ws planning to start in June) which has a 15min hiit drill in it that I'm tempted to start using but i'm trying to be good and just be committed to what I said I was going to do at the beginning of this challenge:laugh: my goodness, can I just complete one thing before I go starting to try something else !!!! So much for Wednesday musings !!

Make it a fantastic day everyone,
Janet

YESTERDAY'S WORKOUT

AM: P90X Cardio
PM: 45 min HIIT Elliptical

TODAY'S PLAN

AM: P90X Core Synergistics
PM: 45 min Elliptical

great job everyone!

Wednesday 3/30/11: Raining out so I did two P90X workouts back to back. Arms and Shoulders plus Plyo-X. Whew!

Ladies, I could use some advice. My wife wants me to buy her some workout dvd's to help her get back started with exercise. With her permission I share that she is probably 50 lbs overweight and has knee, ankle, and neck issues. She gravitates to extreme stuff like P90X but just can't do it now. She has the heart and desire of a lion but currently not the ability. I was thinking of Jillian Michael's "Frontside" as a stating place. She has some Pilates dvd’s and “Slim in Six” but wants something that will burn some calories and get her going in the right direction physically. She was a swimmer in the oast but we have no pool nearby. I hope this isn’t too “off topic.” Any suggestions are appreciated.

I would highly reccomend Teresa Tapp's videos. Her workouts are designed for people which problems such as knees and back and they are marketed as 'rehabilitative." I have her 15 minute basic workout and the 50 minute total workout. The focus is on form and really getting the most out of every movement you make. I did the basic workout every morning for a month and lost about four inches-- thats only doing 15 mintues each day. She has a lot of vidoes on the her site that let you 'try before you buy.' here is the website: http://www.t-tapp.com/

Monday
AM: 30 Day Shred Level 1 & 30 Minutes Pilates - DONE
PM: 30 Day Shred Level 2 & 30 Minutes Pilates - DONE

Tuesday
AM: 30 Day Shred Levels 1 + 2 - DONE
PM: 45 Minutes of Pilates - DONE

Wednesday
AM: 30 Minutes Pilates & 30 Day Shred Level 2 - DONE
PM: 60 Minutes Zumba

Thursday
AM: 30 Day Shred Levels 1 + 2 & 30 Minutes Pilates
PM: 2 Mile Jog (with my puppy dog!)

Friday
AM: 30 Day Shred Levels 1 + 2 & 30 Minutes Pilates
PM: 60 Minutes Zumba

Good luck everybody! Everyone is doing so great!

I already do sprinting/walking intervals for usually 30-45 min. I am wondering if someone could explain the HIIT. the sprinting is a really good workout but I can feel my thighs getting stronger and I am just preparing myself for whenever I need to pump it up.

I explained earlier,but basically i was doing my usual research on the net,and came across this topic:

http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=887324

A HIIT sprint definiton:

HIIT –
High Intensity Interval Training is ideal for what you want to achieve, two sessions a week will do to start with. This means that after 20mins you should be UNABLE to complete more, this is not a 20min jog, it is a 30 second sprint, 30 seconds at a slow job then back up to sprint level – it is hard, and so will your body be if you take the time to listen.

I know at this point I am probably sounding a like little Richard Simmons trying to get you to jump on the fitness bandwagon- but if there was ever a bang wagon to jump, this would be the one. We all seek better workouts and we all seeks ways to get the most out of our workout (especially in the shortest amount of time) and HIIT can really provide those answers.


High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)

What is HIIT And Why does it Work so Well?
High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is the concept of training in intervals, each interval at a different intensity. Different HIIT programs work best for different people, but everyone can benefit form working out are varying levels of intensity (see example programs below). When you complete a cardiovascular session at an unvarying intensity for the duration of a workout your body enters a 'steady state'. This is a state at which your body has adapted itself to the speed you are going and conserves energy. When you complete HIIT you do not allow your body to enter this state and thus allow yourself to burn more total calories in less time. Also, HIIT training is performed at a high intensity which raises your heart rate faster and raises your metabolism longer after the workout. The overall length of your workout are much briefer in duration than your typical aerobic sessions. Some studies, such as one by Laval University, state that HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) cardio helps subjects lose/burn nine times more fat than those who trained the traditional way. It makes you wonder why anyone told you to train at a slow pace for a long period of time!

Example workout:

Pick any type of cardiovascular method (running, swimming, recumbent bike, treadmill, elliptical machine, etc).
Make sure you take some time to warm up to get your body temperature raised before you begin.
Now begin your cardiovascular training at 75% of your maximum ability, stay at this pace for MHR intensity for 30 seconds
Now bring your intensity down to 30% for 90 seconds.
Now raise your intensity to 80% for 30 seconds.
Now bring your intensity down to 30% for 90 seconds.
Now raise your intensity to 85% for 30 seconds.
Now bring your intensity down to 30% for 90 seconds.
Continue to repeat these steps, each time bringing your intensity level up.

The key step to HIIT is not allowing your body to adopt, adapting to a certain level of intensity will allow your body to fall into steady state and it will begin conserving rather than burning fat. Keep changing your pace, and pushing yourself through each interval. No matter what your fitness goals, HIIT is one of the best ways of helping you achieve them. And the variations are endless. You can vary the training parameters (exercise to rest ratio, number of intervals) to make the workouts harder or easier, depending on what you are trying to accomplish. You can also use any number of exrecises for your training, such as cycling, sprinting, treadmill, elliptical trainers, jump rope, rope climbing, hill sprints, and more.

I already do sprinting/walking intervals for usually 30-45 min. I am wondering if someone could explain the HIIT. the sprinting is a really good workout but I can feel my thighs getting stronger and I am just preparing myself for whenever I need to pump it up.

I explained earlier,but basically i was doing my usual research on the net,and came across this topic:

http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=887324

A HIIT sprint definiton:

HIIT –
High Intensity Interval Training is ideal for what you want to achieve, two sessions a week will do to start with. This means that after 20mins you should be UNABLE to complete more, this is not a 20min jog, it is a 30 second sprint, 30 seconds at a slow job then back up to sprint level – it is hard, and so will your body be if you take the time to listen.

I know at this point I am probably sounding a like little Richard Simmons trying to get you to jump on the fitness bandwagon- but if there was ever a bang wagon to jump, this would be the one. We all seek better workouts and we all seeks ways to get the most out of our workout (especially in the shortest amount of time) and HIIT can really provide those answers.


High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)

What is HIIT And Why does it Work so Well?
High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is the concept of training in intervals, each interval at a different intensity. Different HIIT programs work best for different people, but everyone can benefit form working out are varying levels of intensity (see example programs below). When you complete a cardiovascular session at an unvarying intensity for the duration of a workout your body enters a 'steady state'. This is a state at which your body has adapted itself to the speed you are going and conserves energy. When you complete HIIT you do not allow your body to enter this state and thus allow yourself to burn more total calories in less time. Also, HIIT training is performed at a high intensity which raises your heart rate faster and raises your metabolism longer after the workout. The overall length of your workout are much briefer in duration than your typical aerobic sessions. Some studies, such as one by Laval University, state that HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) cardio helps subjects lose/burn nine times more fat than those who trained the traditional way. It makes you wonder why anyone told you to train at a slow pace for a long period of time!

Example workout:

Pick any type of cardiovascular method (running, swimming, recumbent bike, treadmill, elliptical machine, etc).
Make sure you take some time to warm up to get your body temperature raised before you begin.
Now begin your cardiovascular training at 75% of your maximum ability, stay at this pace for MHR intensity for 30 seconds
Now bring your intensity down to 30% for 90 seconds.
Now raise your intensity to 80% for 30 seconds.
Now bring your intensity down to 30% for 90 seconds.
Now raise your intensity to 85% for 30 seconds.
Now bring your intensity down to 30% for 90 seconds.
Continue to repeat these steps, each time bringing your intensity level up.

The key step to HIIT is not allowing your body to adopt, adapting to a certain level of intensity will allow your body to fall into steady state and it will begin conserving rather than burning fat. Keep changing your pace, and pushing yourself through each interval. No matter what your fitness goals, HIIT is one of the best ways of helping you achieve them. And the variations are endless. You can vary the training parameters (exercise to rest ratio, number of intervals) to make the workouts harder or easier, depending on what you are trying to accomplish. You can also use any number of exrecises for your training, such as cycling, sprinting, treadmill, elliptical trainers, jump rope, rope climbing, hill sprints, and more.

SO much info! Thanks for posting this. There is so much conflicting information out there- the stuff I have read has the 'recovery' time at half of the sprint time, so it would be a 30 second sprint, 15 second recovery. I really don't know what is right, all I know is that I need a full minute to recover after sprinting for 30 seconds!! LOL

Hey everyone! Well, I'm still out of the two-a-day scene. My Achilles tendon is still very tender. I don't know what I did, but I know that I need to ease back into the whole exercise bit. I've been spot on with my calories so I think I'll still have a good week, but not exercising is really frustrating! Plus, I've had some personal things come up that are making things even more complicated. My goal for the rest of the week is to just do whatever I can manage and hope to be back on track for at LEAST one-a -days starting Monday!

I'd recommend doing HIIT on the elliptical. Since the treadmill has a motor, it can take some guesswork to figure out which speed(s) you should be working at. This can be dangerous, because if you pick a speed that's too high for you to keep up with, then you might get thrown off. Conversely, picking a speed that's too low won't give you the full effect.

Also, the elliptical does have a couple other things going for it. In addition to the fact that you have control over the speed, you can also mix up your training sessions by increasing the resistance during the sprint portion of your session. This will give you another way of getting your heart rate up without having to do max-effort sprints, and it will also help to develop strength and power in your legs as well.

Careful - you need at least one day off per week to recover from your workouts as well as let the muscles grow! Kick *kitten* that you are working so hard and are acheiving your goals! Good luck!

Careful - you need at least one day off per week to recover from your workouts as well as let the muscles grow! Kick *kitten* that you are working so hard and are acheiving your goals! Good luck!

For sure! I love my days off! I usually listen to my body, and when it doesn't want to wake up at 5 am, I know it's time for a day off. Otherwise I take it easy on the weekend, doing calesthenics or something like that.