Not sure where to start?
This is a brief example of how to think about planning a session.
It is about moving, having recovery days, working the muscles, impacting the bones and getting the heart rate up.
Whether you are new to exercise or do it regularly but mainly running or the same weights you always do. Great you are doing something BUT your body needs change – so change the speed, the weight or reps, slightly change the exercise.
Think about mixing up upper body exercises with lower body exercises.
Change a steady run you usually do to doing a shorter run with ‘sprints’ OR a run session for a HIIT/Tabatta session
Your body will appreciate the change and it may just motivate you to do more too.
HOWEVER – if you exercise over 2 or even 3 days, you really need to add in a recovery day (can be a day to walk, do yoga, some core exercises or mobilisers, or a total rest)
Here are a few ideas re: how to plan your week
1st – look at your week ahead and see WHERE you can realistically fit in the exercise days and which would be good rest days
BEGINNERS /GETTING BACK TO EXERCISE
Walk 20 – 30 mins daily
Day 1 – Try some strength exercises eg 20x squats, Press ups (on hands & knees – box) – only do as many as you can keeping good form, then try a knee plank – stay up and breathe into the diaphragm.
If you have an exercise band – put it around a sturdy door handle, stand in neutral spine (rock the pelvis to the mid point) and do some band Rows. If you have dumbbells, try some hands & knees rows. Here are the different types of ROWS you can do.
DO 2 – 3 sets of these exercises – number of reps depends on how many you can do keeping the quality.
Day 2 – Move – do a few sets of just mobilisers before or after your walk or some yoga
Day 3 – Repeat your strength session
Day 4 – recovery day – just walk/do some mobilisers
Day 5 -Try some cardio: 20 seconds of fast power marching on the spot / running on the spot, 10 sec recovery then repeat 4x. Or try Squat touch the floor then jump up (if PFl is ok) or up to tiptoe if PF not great.
Day 6 – walk or mobilisers or the strength session.
Day 7 – do some deep abs and glutes exercises & mobilisers
ADVANCED / REGULAR EXERCISERS
2x a week – have a rest day/mobiliser/yoga day between Run or do cardio – HIIT or Tabatta 2x a week
2 – 3x a week aim to do 3 sets of 3 or 4 strength exercises
Recovery days = essential – walk, mobilise or do yoga or some deep core exercises.
It can look like this:
Day 1 – strength session (whole body or Upper body only)
Day 2 – run/cardio / HIIT
Day 3 – recovery day / yoga/core /mobilisers
Day 4 – strength session (whole body or Lower body only)
Day 5 – recovery day
Day 6 – cardio or run or strength session (whole body)
Day 7 – Recovery day or core or yoga
You have to work around YOUR schedule and be realistic when you can fit your exercises in. You may have to do 3 days in a row, but make sure your 4th day is a recovery day. For those in peri/post menopause don’t forgo your recovery days – they are SO important.
Take account of YOUR STRESS levels
Another factor to think about – IF work is very stressful and then you want to go and push yourself with a hard run – that is just increasing your cortisol levels and your body will react weight & energy wise MUCH better by choosing the easier shorter run or core work rather than a hard session.
