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“I hated every minute of training, but I said, ‘Don’t quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.” – Muhammad Ali
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“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then is not an act but a habit.” –Aristotele
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“Most people fail, not because of lack of desire, but, because of lack of commitment.” –Vince Lombardi
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I’ve had several requests to write a blog about my physical training schedule. To accomplish this goal, I’ve had to sit and think about this for a bit. I’ve exercised for so many years that my routine is almost automatic.
Let’s see what I can reconstruct!
First I must provide a necessary disclaimer. This is MY weekly workout routine that has been refined over many years of exercise and training.
What works for me won’t necessarily work for you!
What works for me may also be dangerous for you!
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I wouldn’t try to run a marathon today. Why?
Firstly, it’s July in southern Louisiana and midday temperatures reach the high 90s. Since I no longer run outside, my body is no longer acclimated to the high heat and high humidity that occur this time of the year. When I was younger and worked full time, my workouts normally occurred during a midday break. This is the hottest, most humid, and most dangerous time of day to exercise in southern humid climates. I had several things working in my favor: I was younger, I was acclimated to the heat and humidity, and I took adequate measures to stay hydrated. During this period of my life, I ran outdoors throughout the year. This training regime allowed my body to more slowly acclimate to heat in the summer and cold in the winter.
Secondly, I have not been training to run a marathon, so my body is unaccustomed to the extreme physical and mental exertion necessary to complete a marathon race. Not only is my stamina inadequate, but my body is not prepared for the trauma a marathon produces.
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Why do I mention this?
Even though I am at a certain level of fitness, I understand that I am not presently fit enough to run a marathon. That same scenario holds for anyone who may want to start an exercise program or ramp up a casual exercise routine. Even though I feel comfortable that I could increase my training regimen to accommodate a marathon, it would take time and incremental increases in distance and time spent running. Anyone starting an exercise program must do two important things: start slowly and build incrementally, and receive a medical clearance from your treating physician.
A medical evaluation helps to establish that a person is physically able to begin an exercise program. Additionally, any exercise program should be started very slowly with workouts increasing incrementally to match increasing fitness levels.
An annual event at health clubs across the nation is the “January Effect” (my term). Early in January, there is always an influx of new members at health clubs around the nation. Most of these new members have made a New Year’s resolution to begin working out. They join a health club and buy new fitness clothes and running shoes. They enter the club and immediately begin moving from station to station and from one fitness machine to another with no apparent rhyme or reason. It appears that they want to lose all of the needed weight and get in shape in one or two days. After a week or two of no apparent gains, they give up and are not seen again (until next January.) This is a classic example of what not to do!
It takes time to get in shape. When a person starts aerobic activity and weight training, fat is slowly replaced by muscle. In many cases, a person sees an initial slight weight loss but quickly notices a gain in weight. This happens because body fat is being replaced by muscle. Muscle mass is denser than fat and facilitates a gain in weight. But, this is a good weight. Most people find while they are gaining some weight, their waistline decreases.
People tend to quickly become discouraged because their initial weight loss goes away, and they don’t understand the physiology behind the weight gain.
Over the years, I’ve found that my weight fluctuates by about 10 pounds each year.
During the fall and holiday periods, my activity level tends to decrease because days are shortened and food consumption increases with holiday meals and sweets.
I am at my heaviest during February, as shorter days, fewer workout days due to holidays, and holiday goodies all take their toll.
During the spring and summer, my weight tends to decrease as my activity level increases and food consumption moderates.
This cycle has remained constant for the last forty-plus years, and so I acknowledge but don’t stress out over my winter weight gain.
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What does my weekly workout schedule look like?
Each week my approach is to combine stretching, weightlifting, and aerobic activities in different ways to provide a rounded training program.
Why not just do the same workout every day? Exercising with the same routine every day is repetitive and counterproductive. The same workout every day quickly becomes boring and repetitive. This is an exercise killer, as being bored with an exercise routine decreases the desire to continue the program. Working out is hard, even when motivated. So, why put roadblocks in your way in the form of a boring workout schedule?
The same workout schedule also utilizes the same muscles, which is counterproductive. Using the same muscles over and overutilizes these muscles while underutilizing other muscle groups. Muscles acclimate to the type and scope of exercises, and over time the gain diminishes.
For these and other reasons it’s important to vary the type and duration of exercises and workouts.
Just like Target Date funds that provide a balanced portfolio that adapts to changing age over time, there are group exercise programs such as Body Pump, P90X, and the INSANITY workout that aim at hitting the critical areas of stretching, strengthening, and aerobic training in one program.
Stretch before or stretch after?
Just like most things, there are differing opinions on whether it is better to stretch before or after a workout session. Probably, the best counsel would be to stretch both before and after each workout. For me, and the majority of people, doing extensive stretching before and after each workout is just too time-consuming.
I feel better and find I have a better workout when I stretch before initiating my weights and aerobics. I have a series of stretches that engage the upper body, lower body, and core. I feel that doing my stretching before the rest of my workout helps to prevent muscle injuries and sprains.
I also find that if I go through my stretch routine in the same order, it is easier to remember the different areas to be stretched without skipping or missing any areas.
Then I move on to weights. I begin by doing a farmer’s carry with kettleballs. I walk with kettleballs without stopping for approximately 75 yards. For those just beginning, it is easier to start with a lower weight and build up the amount of weight you can carry a certain distance. The ultimate goal is to be able to carry your weight a distance of 75 yards. I must admit, that I am not able to carry my full weight yet, but I am about 2/3 there.
From here, I continue to do a free weight program for my upper body. There are varying weight routines that will work different muscle groups in different ways. The goal is to work, the arms, back, chest, and shoulder muscles.
My goal is to engage in some form of weight training two or three times each week.
The aerobic portion of a workout is probably the easiest part to vary. If one only considers walking as an exercise, one can vary a routine by walking outside, walking inside on a treadmill, rucking, or using the treadmill to facilitate different programs to work different muscle groups. I usually switch between stair climbing machines, striding machines, and different treadmill programs.
Using different combinations of exercises, I try to get about 60 minutes of aerobic exercise during each workout.
If you consider the time needed to adequately stretch, do weight training, and complete aerobics, you’ll find that my workouts last approximately 2 to 2 1/2 hours.
Many readers may find this program to be excessive or overly aggressive. Readers need to consider the fact that I have worked out aggressively for the majority of my adult life. Is this workout suitable for everyone? Probably not! It’s what works for me!
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Final Thoughts
From start to finish, this blog has taken me longer than any blog since I started writing blogs.
This occurs for several reasons. I am less used to writing about health and exercise than finances. Also, my wife and I are packing to move into the home we purchased a little over a month ago. We are also in the midst of major renovations on the same home.
My schedule has been disrupted by multiple appointments and decision points every day.
My wife and I had scheduled a trip to Colorado before the initiation of our recent home purchase, so this blog is being finalized at the Denver International Airport.
I enjoyed writing about something that I have been doing for the majority of my adult life.
There will be a time when I will no longer be able to continue this workout schedule. I understand and acknowledge that these changes are a part of life. But, as long as I am healthy and able, I will continue to train as rigorously as possible.
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Will exercise increase my lifespan?
Hopefully. It’s been my belief that whether or not exercising increases my lifespan, it increases my quality of life. I see people my age and younger who cannot enjoy many things because they are physically unable to do so. I want to be able to do as much as I can as long as I can, with the highest possible quality of life.
I believe that being in the best possible physical condition also helps to minimize medical problems and falls associated with aging.
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