I have a couple quick questions. I have gone through the stickies and see a lot of good information but I'm not sure I have a complete answer for myself.
I have been aiming for 7 hours of exercise weekly, and am shooting for 3 hours of that being weight training with free weights and body-weight exercises like lunges and squats and push-ups. (Ugh. Pushups. I am a T-Rex, with floppy useless arms. I can do 8 modified pushups, and I am REALLY begging for the last 2-3. Hubs laughs his big-arm-muscles-having butt off watching this. But I digress.) The rest of the exercise hours are made up of yoga at a moderate or intermediate intensity, and walking (or strolling, depending on how close we are to the duckpond. Man I like those ducks.) as well as the occasional "cardio" routine on DVD.
My questions are:
1) I enjoy doing between 20-40 minutes of weight or bodyweight exercises and then between 20-60 minutes of yoga. I do warm-up before the weights or bodyweight moves. Is this a good idea? It feels soooooo good, and keeps the sweat dripping, and the yoga moves are more challenging for fatigued muscles. Is yoga AFTER free weights a good idea? I am doing it back-to-back, not counting potty or pay-attention-to-desperate-kitty breaks.
2) Can I work my core every day? I think I would like to, but most of what I read said give the muscle groups a break after lifting - I'm not really lifting anything but my own pudgy self with the core work, could I do legs and core on M-W-F and then arms and core on T-Th? I don't tend to feel painfully sore after any core work - I can feel the muscles, but they don't hurt. Whaddya think?
I am happy to oblige, since I think my little yoga-partner (more like yoga-disruptor) is quite handsome, in his own grumpy, shedding, demanding sort of way. We've been together 9 years, he was a rescue.
His name is Mostly.
Do you have a cat, and if so - post a pic!!
This can be a exercise/adorable kitties thread!
1) Is yoga AFTER free weights a good idea? YES IMHO Yoga should be practiced everyday.
2) Can I work my core every day? Since you're lifting body weight it is ok and as long as the intensity is not so high that you're sore the next day. In that case, take a break. We walk, go up and down stairs, lift babies daily, so doing bodyweight exercises is fine on a daily basis...
3) Could I do legs and core on M-W-F and then arms and core on T-Th? ABSOLUTELY! That's an excellent plan... On the days you do arms do a whole upper body workout... you need to incorporate chest, back and shoulders, although Yoga has many moves that use those body parts...
Oohpujie Your furry friends are ADORABLE! Did you get them both at the same time, or one and then the other? I had a second kitty, a calico similar to yours, but she was better friends with my ex than she was with me, so when we split, my poor cat lost his friend! I am thinking of getting him another, but he is such a cranky old man... Your kitties are BEAUTIFUL!
Ilene You're too sweet to Mr. Mostly! He knows he's gorgeous, he recognizes himself in mirrors, and doesn't get all squirelly-tailed, he will just sit and make contented faces at himself. He's so vain! Thank you so much for the advice. I have no idea what I am doing - it's just me and Google, and 3FC! I love yoga, and try to do it at least 4 days a week. On Saturdays I'm in the habit of doing a nice long session in which I work up a sweat and then wring myself out. It feels beyond phenomenal! I am following programs for now, so I know my back, chest and arms are all getting worked - I can feel them! I do lots of Cobra poses repetitions, and then stretch it out, and lots of row and pulling moves. I am super excited by the definition and toning I am already seeing, just 2+ weeks in, so I think I will focus on weights and bodyweight moves for a while, and see where I can get. The yoga is just fun, and the walks keep me sane - we won't even count those as exercise! I am checking in on the Calorie Counter's V-day challenge thread, and I have my own Weight Loss Support thread going for April 1st! It's REALLY helping keep me motivated to get up and get sweaty! Thanks again for the advice!!
If you have a kitty of your own, post a picture!