How does this sound to you? (making an exercise-routine)

giftmerain
giftmerain Posts: 14 Member
edited August 2020 in Fitness and Exercise
Hello! I'd like some feedback on the routine I'm going to follow to get in shape. :blush:

So, I already run 3 times/week, Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Those are not that lengthy (yet), running and stretching is usually over in 20 min, for that reason I've thought about adding some other cardio workout afterwards, or maybe before (something like this), to make it 1 full hour of exercise. Does that sound like a good idea?

I'm going to add strength workouts, these for starters, two days per week, or three. I'm thinking Tuesdays and Saturdays, maybe Thursdays as well (if 3 days/week).

I will ofc stretch after all of these.

Is there something you think would benefit me here or that I'm completely missing? Some advice or tips? Anything is helpful!



I've also thought about adding some yoga in the evenings mainly because I like yoga but never got around to doing it regularly. Maybe it's slightly overkill to add it all at once, but I have done 1h full cardio sessions regularly before (before I moved and life turned a bit upside down) and I'm not new to the strength workouts either, I just haven't done them all "at once" before.

Replies

  • Chieflrg
    Chieflrg Posts: 9,097 Member
    I would suggest strength training three times a week. This doesn't mean you need three lengthy sessions at this time, just a more efficient way to gain benefits.

    If you enjoy stretching afterwards, nothing wrong but there isn't a added benefit other than a warm up specific to your training.

    As far as cardio it really depends on your current adaptation and intensity you plan on dosing.

    I would highly advice on utilizing proper load management and not just throw X amount of stress to your body without giving your body ample time to adapt and recover.
  • giftmerain
    giftmerain Posts: 14 Member
    Thank you for your reply!
    Strength training three times per week is definitely doable, so I think I'll do that if it gives better results!

    I'm actually not that interested in cardio other than running, but it felt like a good way to change it up back when I used to do it. Maybe it would be too much, at least now, to add that on top of my running.
  • Chieflrg
    Chieflrg Posts: 9,097 Member
    giftmerain wrote: »
    Thank you for your reply!
    Strength training three times per week is definitely doable, so I think I'll do that if it gives better results!

    I'm actually not that interested in cardio other than running, but it felt like a good way to change it up back when I used to do it. Maybe it would be too much, at least now, to add that on top of my running.

    I encourage you to do cardio even running. Just I would be mindful of how much you add on average as some people get a butt eager and it can be counterproductive for long term and increase injury risk.
  • giftmerain
    giftmerain Posts: 14 Member
    Chieflrg wrote: »
    giftmerain wrote: »
    Thank you for your reply!
    Strength training three times per week is definitely doable, so I think I'll do that if it gives better results!

    I'm actually not that interested in cardio other than running, but it felt like a good way to change it up back when I used to do it. Maybe it would be too much, at least now, to add that on top of my running.

    I encourage you to do cardio even running. Just I would be mindful of how much you add on average as some people get a butt eager and it can be counterproductive for long term and increase injury risk.

    I will try to take small steps. Thank you for the advice!
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,100 Member
    giftmerain wrote: »
    Thank you for your reply!
    Strength training three times per week is definitely doable, so I think I'll do that if it gives better results!

    I'm actually not that interested in cardio other than running, but it felt like a good way to change it up back when I used to do it. Maybe it would be too much, at least now, to add that on top of my running.

    I agree with Chief (actually, more than that - he's absolutely expert in the strength training domain, so I'd defer to his knowledge about that 100%+).

    If you like running as your cardio, I'd say keep running. If you're starting a strength training program and committing to it, I'd strongly suggest *not* adding HIIT cardio as a regular thing, and even more strongly suggest not adding any HIIT cardio that uses weights or does much in the way of bodyweight exercises (calisthenics-type stuff). Those things are much more likely to interfere with strength training recovery and impair your overall progress, particularly if they're new to your schedule along with the strength training.

    It might make more sense, if you enjoy it and it's practical, to gradually increase your running. If you want to mix it up, then some other cardio that's not extremely strength-y or inherently intense would be good (cycling, swimming, walking, dancing, . . . . etc.)

    In the short run, if you want to include yoga, it might be reasonable to keep up with your running, add the strength training, then if/as that seems manageable, start adding in some yoga time as well. Personally, I'm a big believer in gradually increasing cardio (and total exercise load), keeping just that pleasant bit of a challenge always, by working with intensity (such as pace in running), duration, frequency, and type of exercise as the potential dimensions to increase.

    In the sport I know the most about (rowing), we generally start out by building base cardiovascular fitness with relatively easy/moderate steady state workouts for quite some time, increasing duration as appropriate; only later (weeks to a few months down the road) do we start including more of interval work, higher intensity work (as a condiment, not a main dish, in the schedule), and that sort of thing.

    I know that there exist formal running training plans of various sorts. If interested, you could look into something like that. (I'm in no position to advise you - not my sport! - but there are folks here who could make suggestions if you ask.)

    Best wishes!
  • giftmerain
    giftmerain Posts: 14 Member
    Thanks a lot for your reply! I had not thought of HIIT cardio interfering with the recovering from strength exercises, guess I'll rethink that part.

    After reading all replies I think should just focus on running and getting used to the strength exercises to start with. I will follow that beginners body weight workout that I linked in my OP, but I know that I had issues doing it all when it did it some years ago, and now I'm 10 kg heavier, so instead of doing 3 consecutive circuits like they suggest in the video, I think I'll start with 2 (maybe 1 if I notice that I'm doing way worse than I thought) and work my way up to 3. I don't know if I'll need to "upgrade" to something more advanced eventually, but for now and probably a few months forward that will be it.
    With running I'm working my way up to 5 km which is my goal for this year, after I reach that I'll work on my speed.

    So, My schedule will look like this:

    Monday: running
    Tuesday: strength
    Wednesday: running
    Thursday: strength
    Friday: running
    Saturday: strength
    Sunday: nothing, probably a long walk because I'd probably climb the walls if I literally did nothing.

    I'll probably have a backup cardio plan for the days that I don't want to go out and run (as in snow storm or something alike), I'm not sure what it should be, but dancing sounds fun. Never been good at it, but looking around on youtube I see several dance exercises, some resemble body weight workouts though, so I guess I have to be mindful of which ones I pick.


    I definitely want to add yoga, and that makes more sense to add in the evenings since I do all of the other exercises at 5 am in the morning. Maybe 10-15 min of yoga every evening, or maybe that's too much to start with?

    Again, thanks for all the help!
  • DancingMoosie
    DancingMoosie Posts: 8,619 Member
    10-15 min of gentle yoga is probably fine. I would encourage you to build your running past 5km before adding speed work.
  • DancingMoosie
    DancingMoosie Posts: 8,619 Member
    The strength plan is ok to start with, but is missing a bit of shoulder work and deadlifts or glutes. It's also not progressive. You could switch programs or add weight after 3 rounds are doable. You also don't need the cardio within the strength rounds.
  • giftmerain
    giftmerain Posts: 14 Member
    DancingMoosie wrote: »
    10-15 min of gentle yoga is probably fine. I would encourage you to build your running past 5km before adding speed work.
    DancingMoosie wrote: »
    The strength plan is ok to start with, but is missing a bit of shoulder work and deadlifts or glutes. It's also not progressive. You could switch programs or add weight after 3 rounds are doable. You also don't need the cardio within the strength rounds.

    Thank you for your reply! When do you think I should start working on speed? I don't think I will run more than 10 km when I'm able to, hard to know before I can, though.

    Do you have any suggestions for any good body weight circuit workouts that I could move on to after the one I mentioned? I can see a few different ones on youtube when I search, but I'm not sure which exercise hits all muscle groups.
  • DancingMoosie
    DancingMoosie Posts: 8,619 Member
    I follow Sydney Cummings. She uploads a new workout every day. We are finishing up a 3 month (june-august) program now. You can either jump in where we are, start the new one next Monday, or look through her playlists for full body workouts.
  • DancingMoosie
    DancingMoosie Posts: 8,619 Member
    Just getting your miles in will build speed. No need to focus on it yet.
  • giftmerain
    giftmerain Posts: 14 Member
    I'll go and check her out, thank you! :blush:

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