Workout Question

I'm going to start to workout, slow at first and gradually increase. Weekends don't usually work so I will be working out Monday through Friday. Going to the gym and focusing on cardio M,W,F and then strength training on T and Th. So my question is: Is it ok to do cardio all five days and is it ok to go five days in a row and then "rest" on the weekend. Rest is in parentheses because with my job and a 10 year old there is no rest on the weekends, especially not with it being summer and the water parks being open. Any thoughts and suggestions are welcome.

Replies

  • s1lence
    s1lence Posts: 493
    In my opinion I think that whatever routine you choose to do and stick with is what's best. Until you start really doing your exercises and figuring out how much your body can and can't take there may not be a good way to say. Rest days are important so your body can recover though.
  • Impy84
    Impy84 Posts: 430
    That schedule is perfectly fine. Whatever works for you and your body. You may find that 4 days of cardio is too much for you for whatever reason and swap it for strength. It's all about how you feel. I'm a pro cardio girl so I do cardio everyday and strength after that for on 3 out of 6 days.
    As for rest days def support those especially just starting out.
    Have fun and good luck
  • davidebe
    davidebe Posts: 7
    The only advice I would give would be don't try to do too much too fast. If you haven't worked out in a while and you start heavy and head strong most people will burn out. This is how most gyms make their money in the beginning of the year with the New Years Resolution Crowd (which tends to only last the first month or two). Consider the beginning of your workout the start to a marathon, slow and steady wins the race.
  • moosmumma
    moosmumma Posts: 25
    Hi. It's entirely up to you what exercises and routine youwant to do and you'll find what works best for you. I became a bit obsessed with the gym and actually over exercised building muscle and not losing much weight. Cardio is excellent for fat burning. I actually found out that there is something called afterburn which naturally occurs and it burns more calories in the 24 hours post exercise and works best when completely at rest, also reducing the risk of plateauing. Using weights will increase afterburn. Hope this is helpful.