Looking for opinions & advice on workout rotation...

  • Hi, I'll begin by sharing some general information about myself so you know where I'm coming from. I'm 30 years old, have lost 80 pounds in the past 3 years, have about 55 more to lose, I follow Kathy Smith's Jumpstart food plan (no starch for Meals 1 or 4- it's basically just a clean eating plan emphasizing lean meats, vegetables and whole grains), I've been strength training for 4 years and I consider myself at the intermediate level, I don't have any health problems, and I've been a 5- 6 day exerciser for at least 2 years.

    I've just finished Kathy Smith's Project:YOU. This week I'm taking a recovery week of light cardio, yoga and pilates.

    I've been trying to figure out what I wanted my new workout rotation to be for the past couple weeks. I want to continue to focus on fat burning, obvisously. I also want to continue toning and shaping, especially my lower body, work on Pilates twice a week, and incorporate 2 yoga sessions. I think I've found my answer, but I need some help thinking it through.

    The following is a 4 week rotation created by Cathe Friedrich and posted to her website in August 2004 using her workouts. It focuses on fat burning and shaping the legs. This is perfect for me! I have a few of the workouts, but not all of them. I need help figuring out what workouts I could use a substitutes for the workouts that Cathe recommends but I don't have. I'll put a * in front of the workouts that I have. I'll list all the workouts I have after the rotation. Also, I need some help figuring out how to work in Pilates and yoga. I *think* I could do Pilates instead of ABs a couple times a week......

    Week One:
    *Mon- Legs and Glutes then 20 minute run
    Tues- Imax One (cardio intervals)
    Wed- Muscle Endurance (high rep, low-moderate weight)
    Thurs- Pure Strength Legs and Abs, and run 20 minutes
    *Fri- Cardio and Weights
    Sat- Kickbox (cardio only) plus stability ball segment of Pyramid Upper Body
    Sun- Off

    Week Two:
    *Mon- Pyramid Lower Body plus 30 minutes Basic Step
    Tues- Pyramid Upper Body plus 20 minutes run
    *Wed- Pyramid Lower Body plus 200 walking lunges
    Thurs- Imax 2 plus 10 minute Ab Hits
    Fri- High Step Advanced plus 10 minutes Ab Hits
    Sat- Kick, Punch and Crunch
    Sun- Off

    Week Three:
    *Mon- Legs and Glutes plus 20 minute run
    Tues- Cardio kicks plus 10 minutes Ab Hits
    Wed- Slow & Heavy Legs plus 200 walking lunges
    *Thurs- Cross Train Express Upper Body plus Body Fusion
    *Fri- Legs and Glutes plus 10 minutes Ab Hits
    Sat- Maximum Intensity Cardio
    Sun- Off

    Week Four:
    Mon- Body Max (90 minute workout, first 20 minutes step, second 20 circuit, third 20 upper body endurance, 7 minute ABs, stretch)
    Tues- Pyramid Upper Body plus 30 minutes Basic Step
    Wed- Leaner Legs (high rep, medium-heavy weight)
    Thur- Cross Train Express Cardio of choice plus Pyramid Lower Body stability ball segement only
    Fri- Cross Train Express cardio of choice plus 10 minutes of Abs
    Sat- Leaner Legs followed by Pyramid Lower Body stability ball segment only
    Sun- Off

    Here are other workouts that I own:
    Cardio-1. Kathy Smith Kickbox
    2. Reebok Step: Intense Moves (intervals- 3 minute interval cycle)
    3. Kathy Smith Peak Fat Burning (intervals- 4 minute interval cycle)
    4. Kathy Smith Latin Rhythm (low to medium impact, steady eddy cardio)
    5. Cathe Friedrich Rhythmic Step (moderate to high impact, steady eddy challenging cardio)
    6. Reebok AeroStep (moderate impact, steady eddy)
    7. Kathy Smith Timesaver Cardio Fat Burner (first 20 minute workout low impact steady eddy, second 20 minute workout hi/lo)
    8. Buns of Steel 7 (low impact aerobics and lower body toning)
    9. Buns of Steel 2 (intense target toning with low impact aerobics)
    10. Project:YOU Power Push (hi/lo)
    11. Project:YOU Long/Lean

    Stength-1. Classic Buns of Steel (hips and buns sculpting)
    *2. Cathe Friedrich Legs and Glutes
    3. Cathe Friedrich Power Hour (high rep, muscle endurance)
    4. Kathy Smith Lift Weight to Lose Weight 2 (strength training using principles of Pilates and yoga)
    5. The Firm Super Sculpting (high rep, moderate weight)
    6. Project:YOU Upper/Abs (high rep, light to moderate weight)
    7. Project:YOU Lower/Abs (high rep, light to moderate weight)

    Circuits-
    1. Cathe Friedrich Step, Pump and Jump (steady eddy, hi/lo)
    2. Cathe Friedrich Boot Camp (1 minute intense cycles)
    3. Project:YOU Full Body Circuit (cardio hi/lo and moderate-high weight with 12 reps)
    4. Cathe Friedrich Cardio and Weights

    Pilates-1. Project:YOU Pilates
    2. Stott Pilates Level 1: The Secret to Great Abs

    Yoga-1. Project: YOU yoga
    2. Yoga for Weight Loss
    3. Kathy Smith New Yoga

    I know this is alot of information, but I'd really appreciate some ideas about how to make this work with the workouts that I already own. I'm confident that, with help, I'll be able to put together an awesome rotation.

    If you want to ask me questions about any of this, please do!

    Thank you!!

    Connie