Sunday: Rest day
Monday: 60 min cardio (whatever I want, elliptical, jogging, uphill walking) and 30 min upper body strength
Tuesday: 3 hours of physical work at the barn (hauling, tons of walking, just very active)
Wednesday: 60 min cardio, 30 min lower body strength
Thursday: 5-6 hours barn work
Friday: 60 min cardio, 30 min strength full body strength
Saturday: 60 min cardio
The cardio is easy for me to do. I don't mind going to the gym and cranking out an hour on the elliptical or jogging/walking on the treadmill. But I've been having trouble motivating myself to do strength training. I really struggle through that 30 min, not because it's hard and I'm tired, I'm just bored. I've mixed up routines, listen to my iPod, set goals, etc. I just can't get into it. And that's no excuse not to do it, I know, I LOVE what strength training has done for my body. But, I want to find a routine that I'm happy with so it'll be easier for me to maintain.
I was thinking, could I still get benefits of strength training doing longer strength training sessions but only twice a week? I'm just wanting to stay decently toned, I don't have any major strength goals or anything. I don't feel the need to build up my muscles excessively, I just don't want to be flabby again, lol.
So what do you guys do for strength? How long/how many sessions do you devote to it in a week?
I personally like doing strenght training in a class setting. I take several strenght training classes during the week. Monday step sculpt, tues step sculpt, wednesday a full hour of body to pump. I use to get bored with the strenght training on my own.
It seems that you are doing enough. I mean but thats just my view.....
You can probably stay "toned" and prevent lean mass loss by doing just 1 strength-training session, full-body, per week. In order to increase muscle mass, improve strength and endurance and so on, you'd want to do 2 to 3 sessions per week.
For myself, because I desire increase in lean mass and more efficient fat loss, and increases in my strength, I am currently doing 3 full-body sessions lasting 30 to 45 minutes, per week. But, I really enjoy strength training. I would probably do more and longer IF that didn't mean cutting into my cycling time. But I balance the two, because I love them both so much.
During the school year when I have more time I strength train 5 days a week in parts
MTh - "Push muscles" - chest, shoulders, tricep & low back(core)
TF - "Pull" - upper & mid back, lats, bicep, abs
W- legs (I only do legs once a week because I do a hill session another day that is just as strengthening)
Usually each session is around 30 min. Push tends to be a little longer, Pull a little shorter. Sometimes I move shoulders to a different day.
During the summer I do 2 days a week (ideally M/Th) Full body all in supersets (ie. one push/one pull/one leg no resting x 3-4 then move on to next set of exercises etc. )
It takes surprisingly little more time to do full body in combined supersets than to spread it out. I can usually do complete full body in about 40-45 minutes.
I can't find one that works for me either, so I just signed up for the strength training PE class at my college this summer. I figure at least that will get me started, make me work out, and I'll learn more about machines and techniques to get a routine going on my own. Cos as it stands, I'm so clueless about STing it's ridiculous.
Strength Training schedule?
