Creating Well-Balanced a Home Workout Rotation

Options
demoiselle2014
demoiselle2014 Posts: 474 Member
edited June 2015 in Fitness and Exercise
I have recently discovered how helpful it is for me to have a set program to follow and check off in order to meet my fitness goals. I'm one day away from finishing C25k, and have been following the Blogilates Beginner Calendar for the past three weeks. I've also been doing between 15 and 40 minutes of yoga with per day with my husband. It feels good, and I am definitely seeing improvement in terms of strength, endurance, and flexibility.

However, I know that I could improve the structure of my workouts. I see some gaps (I could benefit from a few videos that focus on strength training--bodyweight or light hand weights for the time being) in what I'm doing, and there are some silly overlaps from following Cassey's pre-cooked calendar (do I really need her ten minute cardio warmup when I just got back from a run)?

For those who work out at home, do you prepare a formal calendar with rotations (cardio days, strength days, flexibility training)? Can you share it so I can see some examples of what other people are doing? On the Video Fitness site, they have some tips for building a balanced home workout which I've been reading to get some ideas on what might work for me. But piecing together a month-long program by myself seems like a rather big project.

My goals are: increased endurance, flexibility, and balance plus more functional strength for everyday tasks (carrying groceries, opening super heavy doors). I particularly need to work on my core strength (ugh) and developing better posture. I don't need to lose weight, and I don't need to look particularly impressively muscled (yes, I know I won't accidentally "bulk up"). I just want to have a very good basic level of fitness that will help me stay strong and healthy going into the future.

I need to be able to do whatever I choose at home or in my neighborhood, with limited equipment (mat, yoga props, light hand weights, maybe resistance bands). My budget does not include a personal trainer or gym membership.

Suggestions or examples of your own home/non-gym workout plans would be great. And if you do a calendar, is there any particular software you use to generate it?

Replies

  • sunnydays851
    sunnydays851 Posts: 116 Member
    Options
    I made up this workout, so it might not be that good, but I use a pair of three pound weights and dance around like crazy to fall out boy songs. It's super fun! I estimate six calories a minute. I just added together the calories per minute of strength training (2 cals) and general dancing (4 cals). It seems like a lot to me sometimes so I dance really fast paced to make up for any mistakes I made with calories.
  • demoiselle2014
    demoiselle2014 Posts: 474 Member
    Options
    It sounds like you have a lot of fun doing that! I love to dance, it's one of my main sources of pleasure (and some exercise).
  • Cherimoose
    Cherimoose Posts: 5,209 Member
    Options
    demoiselle2014 wrote: »
    My goals are: increased endurance, flexibility, and balance plus more functional strength for everyday tasks (carrying groceries, opening super heavy doors). I particularly need to work on my core strength (ugh) and developing better posture.

    For functional strength, it's best to simulate demands of the tasks you want to prep for.. meaning train mostly in a standing position, and emulate the movements (example, to prepare for opening doors, do a single-arm resistance band row). Blogilates is notoriously the opposite of this. Try the program in my profile.
    For better posture, see this post.
    Why do you think you need to work more on your core strength? Is it because of excess fat there?
  • demoiselle2014
    demoiselle2014 Posts: 474 Member
    edited June 2015
    Options
    No, I am not dieting and have no interest in losing weight. I'm at 116 lbs at almost 5'4". I have mild scoliosis, and it runs in my family to have strong legs and weaker cores. I have found that doing yoga and strengthening my core helps me not get aches and pains related to the muscular imbalance from the scoliosis. This is also why I'm working on my posture.

    My husband and I dance and are especially fond of Argentine Tango. We typically dance between 5 and 10 hours per week, though it is not unknown for us to dance 20-25+ hours per week if we get a good deal on unlimited dance classes in various styles. Tango benefits from having a strong core and excellent balance, so I want to develop those so I can dance better.

    I agree re: Blogilates. I don't want to use her calendars as my main workout going forward. Following the beginner calendar has helped me workout regularly, but I don't particularly like her cardio or her stretching videos. I do find her ab/core exercises very helpful and notice some real improvements in that area. I would keep that aspect of my workouts (or perhaps look for a pilates video or two to rotate).

    I like some aspects of Cassey's videos. Somehow, during her harder stuff, she manages to cue or give encouragement at just the right moment. But I don't like the way her videos kind of imply that doing exercises will spot reduce fat, and I'm not interested in her diet, clean eating, or products.
  • debubbie
    debubbie Posts: 767 Member
    Options
    If you can buy a kettlebell to improve strength and work on your core. Living Fit Revolution website has some good workouts for beginners that you can do at home that will help you get stronger. I would continue to do the running and yoga to increase endurance and flexibility. I use the kettlebells a couple times a week, with a couple of yoga classes, and run at least a half mile or more everyday for the reasons you mentioned above.
  • demoiselle2014
    demoiselle2014 Posts: 474 Member
    edited June 2015
    Options
    What weight kettlebell do you work out with? I have some hand weights (2, 3, and 5 lb set, though the 2 lbs are too light to do much good at all, even with many reps). I'm a bit limited in what I can get here, since I live in a NYC apartment. Space is limited, and machines and heavy weights might disturb my downstairs neighbors.
  • bunsen_honeydew
    bunsen_honeydew Posts: 230 Member
    Options
    I quite like the routine at reddit.com/r/bodyweightfitness.
  • demoiselle2014
    demoiselle2014 Posts: 474 Member
    Options
    bunsen_honeydew wrote: »
    I quite like the routine at reddit.com/r/bodyweightfitness.

    Thank you. I think I've seen it in the past, and I'll check it out again. Is this the one with the regular headstand practice?

  • bunsen_honeydew
    bunsen_honeydew Posts: 230 Member
    edited June 2015
    Options
    Handstands, yes.

    Doing this routine was what actually motivated me to try to lose weight, actually.

    Edit: I'm doing Strong Curves at a gym now, but still do some bits from that routine, including the handstands.
  • demoiselle2014
    demoiselle2014 Posts: 474 Member
    Options
    Handstands worry me at this time, considering my scoliosis and the lack of a safe place to fall in my apartment. Some kind of bodyweight routine definitely appeals though.
  • bunsen_honeydew
    bunsen_honeydew Posts: 230 Member
    Options
    Haha I say "handstands" when really I'm still on wall planks, and will be for a long time!! The wrist warmups from that routine have been helpful for me to do before my yoga class though.
  • demoiselle2014
    demoiselle2014 Posts: 474 Member
    edited June 2015
    Options
    Ha! Although I hate planks, I think I would be more likely to do that routine if I knew I'd be doing wall planks for ages and ages before I had to do a handstand.

    The bodyweight fitness plan does require some more equipment than I currently have (yeah, I know, it isn't that much, but I don't have a good place to hang rings or a pull up bar, nor much storage for parallel bars for dips and l-sits, no chance I can have a barbell and weights for squats, etc), but the minimalist factor is cool, and clearly people get some great results with that program.

    How long have you been following it, bunsen_honeydew?
  • bunsen_honeydew
    bunsen_honeydew Posts: 230 Member
    Options
    About 4 weeks ish before getting gym access. I do L sits on the floor. I think I can get maybe 2 cm off the floor now! My bum is still in contact though! I'm all about the bass ;-)
  • MTDDS18
    MTDDS18 Posts: 62 Member
    Options
    Check out Fitness Blender, they have so many videos that range in length and difficulty. They have lots of no equipment videos, too.

Categories