Training plan - am I doing too much cardio?

njaalla
njaalla Posts: 39 Member
edited November 30 in Fitness and Exercise
First of all, I haven't done sports on a regular basis for some years, but am now trying to change that.
Some 1-2 months ago I joined fitness classes which I now do three times a week. It's 60 minutes of full body training, meaning exercises with steppers and dumbbells.
I also started running some weeks ago. I'm doing the C25K program, but I usually run a bit more than 30 minutes, the last two times I was out for about 1h. However, the 1h consists of both, running and walking intervals, so I'm not running 1h straight.

Currently my routine looks like this:
Monday: 60 min fitness class
Tuesday: run
Wednesday: rest
Thursday: 60 min fitness class
Friday: run
Saturday: 60 min fitness class
Sunday: run

Is one rest day enough? Or am I overdoing it?
I like that the classes have a fixed time, so they are a consistent part of my schedule. But I also started liking the runs a lot, it just feels so good to be outside. So I wouldn't want to give up neither of them.

Right now I'm just focusing on getting fitter in general and improving my stamina, however I'd also like to gain more strength in future. The problem is that I won't have access to an equipped gym for strength training for the next months (until September, to be exact) and as I'm moving to another country in summer, I don't want to invest in home equipment either.
Should I perhaps add bodyweight exercises to my current routine or just wait until September, when I have access to a gym?
Also, the fitness classes will end in two months, so I'd like to find something to substitute them with during the summer.

Any thoughts are appreciated. :smile:

Replies

  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    edited April 2016
    "Is one rest day enough? Or am I overdoing it?"
    Just getting back into exercise so maybe yes at this point.
    You are very young so you should have great recovery so maybe no!
    If you don't feel fatigued, sore, performance in a plateau then you should be fine.
    I'm more than x2.5 your age and exercise nearly every day but built up to that over an extended period - very different from going from nothing to lots suddenly.


    "Right now I'm just focusing on getting fitter in general and improving my stamina"
    Your plan is nicely aligned to your current goals. Plus you enjoy it, a very under-valued part of keeping a routine going.


    Strength/weight/resistence training is a great idea when dieting for muscle retention and body composition - with the restrictions you have then bodyweight exercises seem the best option right now. Don't wait would be my advice, switch up in September.
  • njaalla
    njaalla Posts: 39 Member
    Thanks for your response!
    The first time I went to the fitness class I had sore muscles the day after, but that doesn't happen anymore. And I don't feel fatigued in general either - if I were too fatigued or still sore from the previous day, I wouldn't exercise the next day.

    But how to add bodyweight exercises to my current routine? Should I do them a couple of times a week or on a daily basis? And how to match them with my current exercises, should I e.g. do some bodyweight exercises every time I get home from running?
  • SingingSingleTracker
    SingingSingleTracker Posts: 1,866 Member
    njaalla wrote: »
    Thanks for your response!
    The first time I went to the fitness class I had sore muscles the day after, but that doesn't happen anymore. And I don't feel fatigued in general either - if I were too fatigued or still sore from the previous day, I wouldn't exercise the next day.

    But how to add bodyweight exercises to my current routine? Should I do them a couple of times a week or on a daily basis? And how to match them with my current exercises, should I e.g. do some bodyweight exercises every time I get home from running?

    I would add them on your rest day, and on Sunday as a start to see how it goes.
  • njaalla
    njaalla Posts: 39 Member
    @SingingSingleTracker: Thanks for your input, but why on the rest day? I thought bodyweight exercises involve the whole body and it would be better to give my legs at least one rest day... or not?
  • SingingSingleTracker
    SingingSingleTracker Posts: 1,866 Member
    njaalla wrote: »
    @SingingSingleTracker: Thanks for your input, but why on the rest day? I thought bodyweight exercises involve the whole body and it would be better to give my legs at least one rest day... or not?

    Well, if your do your class on Monday, the Tuesday run could be at a recovery pace leaving you in the best possible physical recovery for using your rest day for the body weight work. You won't be as rested on Sunday following your Saturday class, but 2 x a week is going to be needed with enough time for recovery between those body weight sessions, so Sunday is the other day. At least based on your current schedule. You could also drop one of your fitness classes, and substitute an active recovery day that includes a body weight training session.
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
    edited April 2016
    Listen to your body, if you don't feel fatigued then all is well.

    I find myself that I can train like that for weeks on end and then all of a sudden my body starts feeling fatigued, heavy legs/weary etc then I know its time to take a few more rest days. (I'm a good bit older of course, that does make a difference)

    Body weight exercises are a good plan, aim to do them 2 to 3 times a week, cut one of your runs shorter to do them? I think the rest day should be for rest, or at most just walking.
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