Can we talk workouts for a sec?

[chia]

What does your typical session in the gym look like?
How long do you stay?
What type of cardio do you do, and how long do you do it for?
Do you lift weights, and if so, what is your routine?

I'm trying to follow the "New Rules of Lifting for Women" - but, I think I need to actually READ the book better, instead of just flipping to the workout pages. I was totally confused, and when I tried to do that thing with my feet up on the ball, I felt like I was going to fall and break my face.

[kcd0531]

Things are totally screwed up for me right now; but I'm managing to get in 3x a week for 30 minutes. And I'm just doing the C5K on the treadmill currently. When things settle down more I will add strength training back in and my workouts will be closer to an hour 5x a week.

With strength training, I alternate targeted muscles, upper body one day, lower body the next. Always always warm up with cardio and core training; I just personally do better.

[Susie]

I don't lift or use much cardio equipment. I swim, bike, and run.

My schedule varies with seasons and what I'm training for, but I typically do 2 masters swim practices/week year-round. I run 2-3x/week, on a treadmill only if the weather absolutely requires it (i.e. pouring rain, icy roads, or < 20*F), otherwise outside. How much I'm on my bike varies - 2x or so/week in the summer. In the winter, much less, although putting my bike on a trainer in front of the TV is a pleasant enough way to get a workout in when the weather sucks.

Something usually gives during the week, so I don't always hit all of those. In addition to the targets/week per sport, I have an overarching goal of working out 4+ times/week.

[chessie]

Depends on the day, I do different body parts everyday, weights about 30-45 minutes and cardio for 40 minutes normally ellptical or run with the dog. 6-7 days I head to the gym.

Check out Jamie Eason's 12 week program really gets you situated with all the weights and feeling comfortable. Lost 10 lbs like that. Routine is presently very easily and works up every week.

[wannabe]

What does your typical session in the gym look like? - i don't have a gym membership, but i try to do something active for at least 30 minutes 5-6 times a week
What type of cardio do you do, and how long do you do it for? - we have an elliptical that i use occasionally, but i prefer to go out for a run 2-3 times a week
Do you lift weights, and if so, what is your routine? - if doing jillian michaels dvds counts, then yes.

[sugarbear]

The New Rules books are great, but I definitely recommend reading the whole book.

Here's my schedule:
Monday pm-- HIIT on the spin bike
Tuesday am-- swim laps pm-- teach kettle bells classes
Wednesday-- off
Thursday am-- swim pm-- kettle bells classes
Friday pm-- lift heavy
Saturday am-- swim laps
Sunday am-- lift heavy

[Deleted]

Oct 2, 2012 14:08:18 GMT -5 chia said:

I'm trying to follow the "New Rules of Lifting for Women" - but, I think I need to actually READ the book better, instead of just flipping to the workout pages. I was totally confused, and when I tried to do that thing with my feet up on the ball, I felt like I was going to fall and break my face.

Read the book, but I can answer questions. I did this workout a few years ago (through workout 3 at least).

What does your typical session in the gym look like?
Depends on what I'm doing but it's usually:
*Swim 30m, go to a class (kickboxing usually, the contact kind)
*Warmup, lift, abs, PT exercises
*Cardio (running, swimming, elliptical), PT exercises


How long do you stay?
1h unless I'm doing a double, no more than 2

What type of cardio do you do, and how long do you do it for?
Let's assume I'm not training for a race, I do 45m of cardio 3x/week. If I'm also lifting at the time, I shorten that to 30m 3x/week or 45m 2x/week


Do you lift weights, and if so, what is your routine?
I build a workout with a friend of mine, it lasts 9 weeks and focuses on certain muscle groups I feel are 'behind'. I've also done NROLFW in the past and loved it.

Right now my workout includes: preacher curls, shoulder press, tricep kickbacks, bench press, assisted pullups, seated leg press, prone hamstring curls, leg extensions

I talk about my workouts in my blog, linked in sig.

[chia]

This is all complicated by the fact that I think I might have a stress fracture (or, some other issue) with my foot. It has been killing me on and off.

But, I don't want to use it as an excuse to stop. I feel like I have some (a teeny bit) of motivation and momentum. So, I'm trying to do stuff that's generally low impact.... bike, water aerobics, etc.; plus strength training. I'll have to check out that other book.

[jaylea]

I don't go to the gym. I have been doing the 30 Day Shred. It's a 20-25 minute workout (interval training). I've lost 7 lbs but have gained a lot of muscle so I think it looks like more.

[chia]

Also - I'm reading conflicting information on heartrate during workout.

If the goal is weightloss, should I be going as high as I can with my heartrate? Right now, it seems like my heartrate is hovering around 150'ish (I will be 35 y.o. this month).

I'm not sure if that's the "right" heartrate... or, if I need to kick it up a notch? I know it's in the "target" according to online calculators, but - whatever I need to do to lose weight faster, lol. What's the difference, scientifically (from a weightloss perspective), between being in the aerobic range v. the anaerobic range?

[Deleted]

I life weights 3 tiems a wekk for probably 1-1.5 hours. I also do yoga once a week and try to do a little cardio hear and there. I am not very structured but try to get in the gym 4 times total per week for 1-1.5 hours.

[chessie]

www.bodybuilding.com/fun/jamie-easons-livefit-introduction.html

Directions are great, and there is tutorials how to do all the exercises, as well as alternatives. I have Hip/Shoulder issues, def stronger since I have tried it and doing a hell of less of cardio. Finding weights actually fun.

[Some Funny Name]

I only take yoga classes and lift weights in the gym. For weight-lifting info, I highly recommend looking at Nia Shanks' website, or googling "5 basic weight-training exercises." You probably need less time in the gym than you think for weight-training, if you know what you're doing and are smart about it.

I don't do cardio in the gym. I prefer to rollerblade or bike outdoors somewhere and have some fun while I'm at it.

[sugarbear]

Oct 2, 2012 14:53:29 GMT -5 chia said:

Also - I'm reading conflicting information on heartrate during workout.

If the goal is weightloss, should I be going as high as I can with my heartrate? Right now, it seems like my heartrate is hovering around 150'ish (I will be 35 y.o. this month).

I'm not sure if that's the "right" heartrate... or, if I need to kick it up a notch? I know it's in the "target" according to online calculators, but - whatever I need to do to lose weight faster, lol. What's the difference, scientifically (from a weightloss perspective), between being in the aerobic range v. the anaerobic range?

There is so much conflicting information out there; it's hard to sort out.

I would focus instead on doing compound movements so that your whole body (or, at least, multiple muscle groups) are working, all the time.

Then, on cardio days, I would do intervals 2 days per week and then one longer session of steady state (assuming you aren't training for a distance race of some sort).

[Deleted]

That is the hardest exercise for me in stage 1 of NROL4W. I actually rest my forearms on a weight bench to take some of the pressure off my arms. I still get a good ab workout!

Try starting with the ball closer to your knees if it's too hard at your shins.

[chia]

Oct 2, 2012 15:40:18 GMT -5 farmvillelover said:

I usually stay in the high 160s to 170s during my cardio workouts. I’m not a big believer in the 140-155HR range for weightloss. IME it doesn’t work for me.

Good to know.
I'm a fatty, so, considering I usually do zero excersize, I can make it a goal to work up to 170!

[isabel]

I highly recommend you actually read through the book before doing the workouts. I think it's really helpful in understanding why you're doing specific movements and how they affect your workout. Also, I always did the movements at home without weights before doing them in the gym. It gave me more confidence when doing them with weights to be sure that I was doing the movements properly.

I got about halfway through NROLFW before getting bored with it. It just wasn't enough to keep me interested or motivated. I've been doing CrossFit 4-5 times a week for the last two and a half months and I am loving it. I feel like I am held accountable by my classmates and coaches. But, probably more importantly, I actually want to do the workouts and get better/stronger. It's a lot of olympic weightlifting movement with cardio pieces thrown in.

[iheartbanjos]

I've been doing a class called Pure Barre for about 8 months now. It's a toning class that gets your heart rate up enough that I find that I don't have to do cardio if I go to class at least 4-5 days/week. You do "sprints" of working your arms, thighs, butt, and abs. The most I run a week is once and it's usually only about 3.5 miles. I'm preeeeeetty much addicted, lol.

[audette]

Right now, 5 days a week at the gym, with about an hour on the cross trainer with an "interval" setting.

Twice a week I do weights with a personal trainer. I'm still nervous about weights, and the trainer was my idea for how to overcome that.

Weekends vary. Some days it's light, some days I do a DVD, some days DH and I go on a 6 mile hike, etc...


This is when I'm at home. When I'm on the road, it varies based on the availability of a hotel gym, space in my room to do workout DVD's, and sites to go hiking/walking around.

[chia]

Thanks for the feedback.

Today, I wound up doing a couple sets of squats, and a bunch of arm/shoulder type stuff, along with 20 minutes on the bike. I aimed for a HR of 160 on the bike (but fell down to 155 some of the time) - I was definitely sweating!

[Pilsy]

For the past month or so, I've been able to stay a little longer (about an hour). I typically warm up on the elliptical machine (10 minutes) and then do 30 minutes on a treadmill (speed-walk 5, run 20, walk 5). Then I stretch quite a bit and do 200 to 300 crunches. On a good day, I add in some squats or hydrant-type things to tone my butt and thighs. And then I do curls and extensions (for lack of a better description) with 7.5-lb dumbbells.

When I'm going before work, I usually have to keep it to 35 - 45 minutes or I don't have time to get ready. In that case, the cardio is limited to running.

All the threads about running say it's more enjoyable after the first 2 or 3 miles, which is a bummer, because I never have time for more than 3!

[ILikeSloths]

I definitely recommend reading the whole NROLFW book, especially if you're new to lifting weights. It's very helpful. I started the program about 6 weeks ago. I'm a newb to lifting weights and have already fallen in love with it. The workouts in NROL are fairly quick and intense so I'm in and out of the gym and see and feel results. I go 3 times a week to lift and depending on the stage, each workout is about 40 minutes to an hour with resting between exercises. I sometimes go 1-2 other days a week to do 20-30 minutes of cardio.

ETA: I was a little confused by the workouts at first also, but the H&F board and NROLFW group on Facebook was very helpful. The Fb group even has spreadsheets outlining what you're supposed to do for each stage so it's clear.