Workout schedule question

jaga13
jaga13 Posts: 1,149 Member
edited November 17 in Fitness and Exercise
I am trying to lose weight/fat and I alternate running days and weight lifting days. I can't decide how to schedule my Friday workouts.

What do you think?

Here is a typical schedule:

Monday - lift
Tuesday - run
Wednesday - lift
Thursday - run
*Friday - this is where I can't decide what to do. More lifting? More running? Split it between both? Alternate it each week? Do something totally different like yoga (keep in mind I am working out from home, and only have 25 minutes so I keep it intense)
Saturday - rest (but stay generally active with my kids)
Sunday - long run

If it helps, I'm only a few lbs away from a healthy BMI, but want to lose roughly 10 more lbs. MFP puts me at 1250 calories a day for a 1/2 lb weekly loss, but I increase it based on exercise. I also add in close to an hour of walking spurts divided up throughout the day.

Replies

  • ew_david
    ew_david Posts: 3,473 Member
    Are you following any kind of program for either?
  • jaga13
    jaga13 Posts: 1,149 Member
    For running, no specific program. I vary speed intervals to try to get the most mileage out of my 25 minutes possible during the week. On weekends I slow it down more for an endurance run (about an hour).

    For strength training I was loosely following stronglift 5X5 (I only have dumbells that go up to 50 lbs). I just started jefit.
  • Hornsby
    Hornsby Posts: 10,322 Member
    "Lift" and "run" can mean many different things. Are you on a structured program of any sort for lifting? Are you doing full body on all the lift days? How far do you run? There is a huge difference between 30 minutes on a treadmill and a half marathon.

    You really need more information and need to get on some sort of plan. No point in spinning your wheels.
  • jaga13
    jaga13 Posts: 1,149 Member
    Full body lifting. I run a little over 2 miles on week days and about 5 miles on Sundays.
  • Hornsby
    Hornsby Posts: 10,322 Member
    What does your lifting routine look like?
  • ew_david
    ew_david Posts: 3,473 Member
    jaga13 wrote: »
    For running, no specific program. I vary speed intervals to try to get the most mileage out of my 25 minutes possible during the week. On weekends I slow it down more for an endurance run (about an hour).

    For strength training I was loosely following stronglift 5X5 (I only have dumbells that go up to 50 lbs). I just started jefit.

    I would figure out which one of those is more important to you and build a program around it. If you're just kind of loosely following a lifting program because of the equipment you have, I'd do that twice a week and run 3 days. But it's really a matter of preference for you.
  • mls100771
    mls100771 Posts: 125 Member
    Sun - Mon - Tues Cardio

    Wed - Legs
    Thurs - Shoulders / traps
    Fri - Chest
    Sat - Back / biceps

    No rest day
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member

    For strength training I was loosely following stronglift 5X5 (I only have dumbells that go up to 50 lbs). I just started jefit.

    There is your answer, stronglifts 5x5 is a 3 day/week program, usually done on M,W,F. So lift... unless you are training for a particular running event.
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    mls100771 wrote: »
    Sun - Mon - Tues Cardio

    Wed - Legs
    Thurs - Shoulders / traps
    Fri - Chest
    Sat - Back / biceps

    No rest day

    OP, I would not suggest this routine, chest day after shoulder day with no recovery, not a good idea. Stick with what you are doing and if your goal is to lose bf%, lift on the Friday. If your goal is to run a running event/race, then you may want to run on Friday.
  • jaga13
    jaga13 Posts: 1,149 Member
    erickirb wrote: »

    For strength training I was loosely following stronglift 5X5 (I only have dumbells that go up to 50 lbs). I just started jefit.

    There is your answer, stronglifts 5x5 is a 3 day/week program, usually done on M,W,F. So lift... unless you are training for a particular running event.

    Perfect, thank you!
  • Hornsby
    Hornsby Posts: 10,322 Member
    If you are doing SL 5x5 do it as scheduled, and do cardio any day that you want to, including lift day.
  • kpodaru
    kpodaru Posts: 133 Member
    how about this: lift and between sets, do 30-45secs of cardio intervals like do one set of bicep curls (example), then right after, do 45s of burpees; rest for 20s and start your next bicep set, 45s of burpees etc etc..you get the point. that keeps your heart rate up, you get cardio injection during your lifts and you also build muscle!! i will work at that intensity for 45min-1hr and burn nearly 500 cals.

    i do a lot of plyo as my intervals - box jumps, plank jacks, atomic pushups ....that sort of thing
  • emkelsall
    emkelsall Posts: 39 Member
    What 5x5 exercises would be good to do on lift days. This is exactly what I want to start doing but I am not sure which exercises to do.
  • LovelyIvy466
    LovelyIvy466 Posts: 387 Member
    kpodaru wrote: »
    how about this: lift and between sets, do 30-45secs of cardio intervals like do one set of bicep curls (example), then right after, do 45s of burpees; rest for 20s and start your next bicep set, 45s of burpees etc etc..you get the point. that keeps your heart rate up, you get cardio injection during your lifts and you also build muscle!! i will work at that intensity for 45min-1hr and burn nearly 500 cals.

    i do a lot of plyo as my intervals - box jumps, plank jacks, atomic pushups ....that sort of thing

    I used to do that, but had to cut a lot of it out when I started lifting heavier (for me). If I do that now, I don't have the energy to finish all my sets.
  • ew_david
    ew_david Posts: 3,473 Member
    emkelsall wrote: »
    What 5x5 exercises would be good to do on lift days. This is exactly what I want to start doing but I am not sure which exercises to do.

    Stronglifts 5x5, look it up. It will tell you what lifts to do on what days.
  • emkelsall
    emkelsall Posts: 39 Member
    Sweet, thank you very much!!!
This discussion has been closed.

Categories