Strength training suggestions, exercise routines, and tracking questions

[swimmermom3]

Our youngest has flown the nest and while the 21 yo is still at home, my life is changing.

 

While I am immersing myself in the job search for the first time in 10+ years, I am also trying to develop sustainable routines for caring for the house and myself while working.

 

In a nutshell, what I think I am looking for is a couple of strength training routines that utilize body weight or free weights (no bar). I have a Swiss ball. I'd like to do 30 minutes a day, 6 days a week for with two days each for core, upper, and lower body. I want to track it and I need the tracking to be quick and easy. Right now, I use a messy combination of myfitnesspal, fitbit, and sparkpeople. I have no idea where the best place to track strength training would be, so I need some suggestions there.

 

My thought is that I do best when something important is built into my daily routine, which is why I don't think I want a 3 day a week workout for longer sessions.

 

I am over 50 and the strength training is important to my overall health. Besides, I enjoy it, but I haven't done it consistently for years.  I basically want to roll out of bed into my workout clothes, throw a load of laundry in the washer, feed the cats, strength train, and then throw a load in the dryer.

 

Is this a reasonable plan? Routine suggestions? Alternative ideas I haven't thought about? How do you incorporate strength training into a full time work schedule?

[prairiewindmomma]

My trainer has me doing a number of things every morning. I am not sure what the official name of all of them are, but it is a lot of core and arm work.

 

Bridges, Clamshells, toe taps, and Dead Bug are all done laying on a mat with a theraband. I do squats, push-ups, curls, and other things with TRX straps. I am also supposed to foam roll twice a day. Doing my mat and strap work takes about 20 min.

 

I also do 45-60 min of cardio daily.

[prairiewindmomma]

Also--the WOSS suspension training system that is $40 on Amazon looks a lot like the $200 TRX system I use at the gym.

[Dynamite5]

Our youngest has flown the nest and while the 21 yo is still at home, my life is changing.

 

While I am immersing myself in the job search for the first time in 10+ years, I am also trying to develop sustainable routines for caring for the house and myself while working.

 

In a nutshell, what I think I am looking for is a couple of strength training routines that utilize body weight or free weights (no bar). I have a Swiss ball. I'd like to do 30 minutes a day, 6 days a week for with two days each for core, upper, and lower body. I want to track it and I need the tracking to be quick and easy. Right now, I use a messy combination of myfitnesspal, fitbit, and sparkpeople. I have no idea where the best place to track strength training would be, so I need some suggestions there.

 

My thought is that I do best when something important is built into my daily routine, which is why I don't think I want a 3 day a week workout for longer sessions.

 

I am over 50 and the strength training is important to my overall health. Besides, I enjoy it, but I haven't done it consistently for years.  I basically want to roll out of bed into my workout clothes, throw a load of laundry in the washer, feed the cats, strength train, and then throw a load in the dryer.

 

Is this a reasonable plan? Routine suggestions? Alternative ideas I haven't thought about? How do you incorporate strength training into a full time work schedule?

I agree with you on your scheduling--build your workouts into your morning routine.  That's how I got into it after each of my babies were born.  You could have a Day 1, Day 2 and Day 3 etc. strength training routine that you just rotate through (there are so. many. routines on Pinterest) or you could buy a program such as Body for Life, which has it all laid out for you.  Body for Life has you rotate strength and cardio, which I carried over from that program.  

 

If you purchase a program, lots of them have ways for you to track your progress, but you could easily make up an Excel spreadsheet that you could customize and fill in to keep track.  

 

I put in my exercise and the approximate number of calories into Myfitnesspal, but I don't log in every single weight lifting exercise.  That would be very time consuming!  I also don't connect my fitbit to myfitnesspal, because I don't want it to give me extra calories--although you may be able to fix a setting one way or the other depending on your preferences.  What do you use sparkpeople for?  Does it do something you need that the others don't provide?  I'm curious!

 

Good for you for adding in exercise into an already busy, returning to work routine!  Double kudos for weight training!

[Slache]

Also--the WOSS suspension training system that is $40 on Amazon looks a lot like the $200 TRX system I use at the gym.

I have this. I like it.

[Kassia]

I have this. I like it.

 

These are new to me.  Do you use them indoors anchored to your door?  Do you only use the exercises that come with the set or do you have others you use as well?

[wendy not in HI]

I have used workouts from fitness blender.  https://www.fitnessblender.com/ Itis a free website (you do have to create a profile/log in) with lots and lots of workouts - different lengths, levels and equipment.  I generally stick to HIIT and hand weights, since that's what I have.  There are so many videos, that it can be really confusing.  They offer different series for a fee, but I have only done the free workouts.  I like the couple who teach the classes. 

 

They have a pretty elaborate search function, but I can get sort of overwhelmed.  I have googled "favorite fitness blender workout" to find good ones, or ones I haven't found myself.  You can put your workouts on your calendar and plan ahead (upper body one day, lower body, hiit, etc).  I like the calendar to see what I have done and when.

 

For something really quick, I also like the 7 minute workout  http://7-min.com/  I like to do 3 rounds when I only have about 20 minutes to get my workout in.  

 

I have to admit, I have only been walking lately.  Goal for next week:  3 days of something different.  Thanks for the inspiration!

[Slache]

These are new to me. Do you use them indoors anchored to your door? Do you only use the exercises that come with the set or do you have others you use as well?

Indoors, anchored by the door. It's new so I'm still doing the original exercises, but the TRX site has a ton of videos to download.

 

Eta: Check YouTube too.

Edited September 8, 2016 by Slache

[kiana]

You might check out startbodyweight.com. It's designed to be done as fullbody 3x a week but you could split it if you wanted to although I'd probably do upper, lower/core, upper, lower/core in an alternating pattern. 

[Guest]

I've you're strength training you really do want days off in between, but perhaps utilizing a lighter stretch routine on your non strength days and then following with cardio would help? I have found I do better with consistent, M-F workouts too, but I only schedule in the time block and vary what I do in terms of exercises and reps because I really need rest days to prevent overtraining and just plain mental burnout too!

[ChocolateReignRemix]

DDPY (DDP Yoga) as your base routine and work in some light stuff on your off days. DDPY is a heavier yoga workout and has been life changing for DH and I.

[Carol in Cal.]

"Strong Women Stay Young" is an excellent free weight, do at home program.

[Luckymama]

Lisa, I alternate MWF heavy weights with TTh body weight only. I take one weekend day off and dh and I hike on the other day.

 

I'm on my phone otherwise I'd elaborate. Back in the am :)

[cintinative]

I use Fitness Blender. They have hundreds of free workouts. They have a calendar function so you can add workouts to each day. I like that I can plan my days ahead and then check it off when I am done. 

 

I am doing arm strength training twice a week, legs twice a week, HIIT/Abs once a week, and then I run once a week.  I love using Fitness Blender. I use free weights. I cannot do lunges so for those I use ankle weights and do leg lifts, side lying leg lifts, or clam shells using a resistance band. One of the leg workouts I posted has no squats or lunges though. 

 

You can also buy one of Fitness Blender's programs which basically assigns you the videos to do. I have not done this yet mostly because I can't really do lots of lunges.

 

My schedule is basically:  Sunday and Thursday: upper body strength; Monday and Friday: lower body strength; Tuesday HIIT and Saturday run (cardio). If you are doing strength training you generally don't want to train the same area two days in a row.  So this gives my body time to recoup between training sessions. 

 

I can definitely recommend these--these are the videos I do FYI. Please note I puffy heart love Tabata style workouts. Some people HATE them. Try one before you assign a ton to your schedule.  =)

 

ETA: Most of these are at least 40 minutes. Some are about an hour.  I think I have only tried one strength workout that was 15 minutes, but they DO exist.  =)

 

 

 

Sunday: https://www.fitnessblender.com/videos/upper-body-tabata-workout-intense-60-minute-back-shoulders-and-arms-workout

Monday: https://www.fitnessblender.com/videos/no-squat-leg-workout-squat-free-butt-and-thigh-workout   plus a warm up video and cool down video

Tuesday: https://www.fitnessblender.com/videos/hiit-and-abs-workout-63-minute-ab-and-cardio-workout

Wednesday: rest

Thursday: https://www.fitnessblender.com/videos/upper-body-strength-workout-guaranteed-muscle-burnout   sometimes I add a warm up (there is one included)

Friday: https://www.fitnessblender.com/videos/lower-body-toning-workout-56-minute-butt-and-thigh-tabata-workout

Saturday:  run

 

 

Edited September 9, 2016 by cintinative

[Mom-ninja.]

Another vote for Fitness Blender. I do purchase their workout plans. They are affordable fro most. Sometimes I plan my own for awhile and then I use the scheduled plans. 

 

If you go to their youtube channel and then their playlists, you can do their Challenges they have set up. It gives you an idea of what their scheduled plans are like. They also have (on their website) a 2 week long plan you can purchase to get an idea of how they put things together. 

 

I love their plans because it's a no brainer for me. 

[Dynamite5]

The other program that I like (and am currently using) is Thinner Leaner Stronger by Michael Matthews--nice workbook with a place to keep track of your progress and it's a 5 day lifting program.  

[Soror]

There are already a lot of good suggestions offered here, my only thought is to try some out and see how they work for you. The best workout is the one that gets done. I think as far as scheduling your plan is a good one, making it part of your morning routine and you will be successful. I generally like doing my own thing (ie one of the body-weight programs mentioned would be my pick) but Fitness Blender also has lots of workouts. However, sometimes it is good to start with a specific plan to get you in the habit. Chocolate Reign mentioned DDP Yoga and I think that would be a good choice too, Yoga really works the muscles using just your body plus you also get some lovely stretching, balance, and relaxation (all things that are essential as we age). Yoga is my main exercise of choice because of all of those reasons- I find it more enjoyable, however, to do with a community so the bulk of my Yoga is classes at the local studio. You can certainly get plenty strong with Yoga as well.

 

Edited September 9, 2016 by soror

[Soror]

I have this. I like it.

 

 

Also--the WOSS suspension training system that is $40 on Amazon looks a lot like the $200 TRX system I use at the gym.

I have one of these too, although my dog chewed through one of my handles, UGH. I have a heavy duty I-bolt mounted to my pergola on my deck(which is 2x12s mounted on top of 6x6s). I used to just keep them hung up all the time as the kids love to play on them when we have kids over they always go straight to these. I'm sure not their intended use but the kids swing and hang on them and my dd1 practices the splits in them.

[Laurie4b]

https://www.amazon.com/You-Are-Your-Own-Gym-ebook/dp/B004GTLFNW/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1473436582&sr=1-1&keywords=you+are+your+own+gym

 

This book has great bodyweight exercises, which are all progressive, so that you can start with modifications that make the basic move easier if need be and progress into modifications that make it harder. 

 

A disadvantage of splitting your body work up that you may want to think about is that it tends to eliminate exercises that work the whole body together (push-ups, for instance) in favor of working isolated parts of your body. The body was made so that muscles work together and there has been a move toward more integrated strength training. Just wanted to mention that as information. I agree with the pp upthread, that the workout you will do is the workout that is best for you. 

[Soror]

https://www.amazon.com/You-Are-Your-Own-Gym-ebook/dp/B004GTLFNW/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1473436582&sr=1-1&keywords=you+are+your+own+gym

 

This book has great bodyweight exercises, which are all progressive, so that you can start with modifications that make the basic move easier if need be and progress into modifications that make it harder. 

 

A disadvantage of splitting your body work up that you may want to think about is that it tends to eliminate exercises that work the whole body together (push-ups, for instance) in favor of working isolated parts of your body. The body was made so that muscles work together and there has been a move toward more integrated strength training. Just wanted to mention that as information. I agree with the pp upthread, that the workout you will do is the workout that is best for you. 

I agree with that, IMO compound exercises are much better than isolation exercises