Running for Fitness

At this point you should be following the  program and jogging 3 times per week.  You should have increased your running time by two minutes per week until you reach 30 min, 3 times per week.  Below is the plan for the week we reach 30 minutes:

Workout agenda – 5 minute walk to warm up.  Light stretching, jogging workout, cool down walk, light stretching, plenty of fluids.

Monday – Jog for 30 minutes

Wednesday – Jog for 32 minutes.

Saturday – Jog for 30 minutes.

Do this for two weeks in a row and then we will add another day to our workout week.  On your “off” days start doing 20 push ups and core planks.  It’s important to keep good muscle balance to avoid injury.  Good running and see you soon!

This has got to be the easiest way to get off the couch and get in shape.  Baby steps to avoid burnout and injury.  Before you know it, we will be running 120 minutes a week and in outstanding cardio condition.  Stay consistant, keep a log or jounal of your workouts, and keep achieving fitness goals.

For all your muscle pain relief needs, go to TigerBalm.com.  This stuff is amazing and has kept me going through aches and pains many times.

Week 15 Fitness Training Program

Building on the stamina the we have now is the key.  We will progessively add minutes to each workout to keep improving our cardio.  Consistancy is very important to continue the program without injury and to reach your goal of being fit.  The progressive workouts make it easy to become a jogger burning calories for 120 minutes a week, when we reach our final goal. 

Workout for week 15:

Warm up and cool down each workout:  walk for 2 minutes to loosen up, then stretch.  Do your jog workout, walk for 2 minutes to cool down,  do 30 bicycle crunches, and final stretch.

Sunday:  Jog for 15 minutes

Tuesday:  Jog for 17 minutes

Friday:  Jog for 15 minutes

Keep it up!  If you’re consistantly hitting these workouts 3 times a week, you’ll be fit before you know it.  You should start to see the weight loss results soon if you’re not already.  Make sure to control the amount of food you eat.  Eat smaller portions, more meals if needed.  The more you workout, it seems like your appetite gets smaller at each sitting.  Don’t stuff yourself, just eat until you’re comfortable to keep a slim stomach.  Good luck and see you soon!

Week 14 Fitness Training Program

After a “rest” week, we are ready to move to the next plateau.  Your legs should be feeling fresh and ready to go.  This week we will do 3 x 15 minutes run.  We will really start burning some calories and impoving your cardio at a substantial rate now.  The previous weeks were baby steps to get us to the point where we can really start getting some results.  The previous weeks were to get you off the couch and into some activity.  Your muscles are stronger now, as well as your stamina.  We have built a small base to get going without  getting injured or burned out from too much too fast.  You gotta get excited because you are getting in shape!

Week 14:  Each workout begins with a 2 minute warm-up walk and light stretching.  Each workout ends with a 2 minute cool-down walk and light stretching and 25 bicycle crunches.

Sunday:  15 minute jog

Wednesday:  15 minute jog

Friday:  15 minute jog

Our 3rd short term goal will be a 20 minute jog that will be completed on week 18.  Our long term goal is 30 minute jog, 4 x week, 50 bicycle crunches each workout.  Stay focused and look forward to getting outdoors soon with spring on the way.  Nothing like breathing in the fresh, cool spring air while working out!  Let me know how you’re doing …..

Week 13 Fitness Training Program

Great job last week on the 15 minute jog, major milestone on our way to being simply fit!   This week will be a “rest” week.  We have increased our stamina the last 3 months and rest and recovery play an important role in our progress. 

3 workout sessions this week.  Do the normal pre-workout routine:  Short warm up walk and light stretching, and the postwork out cooldown walk and light stretching when you’re done.

Workout 1 (Tuesday):  5 minute jog, 20 crunches

Workout 2 (Thursday):  5-10 push-ups, 20 crunches

Workout 3 (Saturday):  5 minute jog, 20 crunches

Easy enough?  This will give your muscles time to rest so you can continue on fresh legs.  Next week we will continue our journey to a 20 minute jog, which is our next short term goal.  Long term goal is to be fit.  Fit will be as follows:

 30 minute jog, 4 days per week – bicycle crunches each workout – add core callestinics later.

Not bad for the average Joe or Jane, huh?  Guess we might also need a good nutritional plan.  I will work on that too.  Good luck this week, tell me what you think, see you soon!

Week 12 Fitness Training Program

Short term goal #2 will be achieved on Saturday!  On that day you will go for a 15 minute jog.  Once you achieve that goal, you just build on your base and your fitness level will really take off from here.  I will continue to lead you through a program that will have you jogging for 30 minutes a day, four days a week.  That’s 120 minutes of cardio excercise, burning hundreds of calories each workout.  There is NO WAY you can’t get fit.  All you have to do is be consistant, focused on achieving your goals, and jog a little more next week than you did this week.  I will give you a schedule to be consistant.  I will keep you focused on achieving your goals.  I will tell you how much to jog each week.  Follow this blog and simply become fit. 

Week 12:   Before each session, follow the usual routine of light stretching, warmup walk, main workout, cooldown walk, light stretching, fluids.  This helps prevent injury.  Jog at a slow steady pace, don’t try to do too much, just get in shape first.  Make sure you ad the bicycle crunches to your workout at this point to strengthen abs and help your posture.

Tuesday .. 12 min jogging / 2 min brisk walk / 3 min jogging.  20 crunches

Thursday .. 12 min jog.  20 crunches

Saturday .. 15 min jog !!  Do 20 crunches !   Short term goal #2 achieved.  Next goal is 20 minute jog.

Want to learn more about fitness goal setting and the mindset needed to achieve goals?

Don’t forget our strategic formula for getting fit which is slow, consistant progress.  Stretching before and after workouts, warm up and cooldown walks, stick to your workout plan and don’t over do it, and schedule rest into your program.  Good luck and I look forward to more! 

Check out my online fitness equipment store here.

Week 11 Fitness Training program

Week 11 strategy will make is easier to complete our second short term goal by next week.  That goal is to run for 15 minutes with no walk break in the middle of the workout for rest.  To ensure you have the stamina needed for our challenge we will work out as follows:

Daily – 5 minute walk to warm up.  Light stretching, jogging workout, cooldown walk, light stretching, plenty of fluids.

Monday – Jog for 8 minutes, then brisk walk for 1 min, jog for 7 minutes.

Wednesday – Jog for 10 minutes, brisk walk for 1 min, jog for 5 min

Saturday – Jog for 12 minutes.

This has got to be the easiest way to get off the couch and get in shape.  Baby steps to avoid burnout and injury.  Before you know it, we will be running 120 minutes a week and in outstanding cardio condition.  Stay consistant, keep a log or jounal of your workouts, and keep achieving fitness goals.

For all your muscle pain relief needs, go to TigerBalm.com.  This stuff is amazing and has kept me going through aches and pains many times.

Week 10 Total fitness training

7 minutes on, 1 minute off, 5 minutes on.  This is the recipe for our weekly agenda of working out three times every week and building our fitness level.  Slowly and consistantly to avoid injury and burnout.  This has got to be the easiest, softest way to get started jogging.  Spoon fed excersice program to suit a mass audience of people who need to get heathly and excecise.  What’s it take … an hour out of your day?  By the time you dress, get to your workout destination, workout for 30 minutes, back home and shower it takes about an hour.  Recently I have been experimenting with the benefits of sauna, therefore I take an extra 20 minutes for that.  Seems to help my breathing and good for detoxing the body I read.  Let me know about your sauna experiences and benefits you have learned, would love to hear from you.

Below is my workout schedule for Week 10:

Mon 6pm Walk 2 laps briskly at local fitness club.  Stretch lightly.  Jog for 7 minutes on treadmill, walk for 1 minutes for rest, then jog for 5 minutes, walk for 2. 20 crunches.  Light stretching and walk 2 laps to cooldown.  Shower, sauna for 10 minutes, shower.

Thur  6pm  Same routine, however midweek I increase my speed every 2 minutes.  This treadmill is great for dictating pace, and your legs seem to “remember” pace pretty well.  I plan on running road races again in the near future, so this starts to work on my leg turnover in preparation for faster running in the future.  First and foremost, I will listen to my body and monitor my SI joint while running.  I always adjust speed and form according to how my body feels.

Sat 10 am  Same as Monday

Good luck  and see you next time!

Week 9 Total Fitness Training

On week 9, we will run for 6 minutes after the initial walk to loosen up and light stretching.  You have a pre-workout routine by now to get yourself going.  6 minute jog, then take a 1 minute brisk walk-rest period, then jog for 4 minutes.  Walk to cool down and light stretching again.  We will continue to slowly add time each week until we can run for 15 minutes without a break.  Let’s make that our 2nd short term goal, a 15 minute run.  I am doing workouts on Monday, Thursday and Saturday this week.  What 3 days are you getting yours in?  Repeat this workout 3 days this week and we will move up to 7 on, 1 off, 5 on 3 times next week.  I predict reaching our 2nd goal of a 15 minute run in about 3 weeks. 

Time now to get yourself  in shape for spring and summer.  Shed those winter pounds and improve your cardio.  I am currently training on the treadmill due to the cold outside, but can’t wait to get outdoors soon for some fresh air.  Good luck, see you next week!

Week 8 Fitness training program

The workout for this week is to jog for 5 minutes without any walk/rest period.  After a 5 minute walk to warm up, stretch lightly.  Then begin your jog, the comfortable pace that you have become accustomed to.  Don’t get all excited and blast off so much that you tire yourself out, ruining your chances of making the goal you’ve worked to achieve!  LOL.  Do your thing for 5, then start your cooldown walk for 5.  Light stretching and plenty of water.  3 times this week, you will run for 5 minutes in celebration of getting from the couch to the track, treadmill, field or road.  Great job and don’t stop here!  We will continue to improve and develop our bodies to be healthy and fit. 

First short term goal achieved! See more on goal setting at :  http://www.youtube.com/user/gshelbu#p/a/f/0/2gtp1Ya1rQo

Week 7 Fitness training program

This week  we will move up to 3 minutes jogging, 30 seconds walking.  Building up to a 5 minute jog and building our fitness program on a slow, steady foundation.  Injury free progress while following basic fundamentals of fitness.   Our routine is as follows:

3 days per week:

5 min walk to loosen up, then light stretching.  Begin jogging for a full 3 minutes, then walk briskly for 30 seconds.  Repeat this cycle 3 times for a total workout time of 10:30. ( 3x 3:00 jog and 3x:30 walk)  Walk for 5 minutes after workout for a cooldown and the stretch lightly.  Add 20 stomach crunches and drink plenty of fluids to re-hydrate.

Stetching is important for the body to limber up before jumping into a workout.  Some people don’t need as much stretching as others.  If I don’t stretch first, I feel tight and uncomfortable and worry about straining something.  There have been times when I felt likeIi stretched too much.  Use your own gauge, but make sure to warm up the major muscles before beginning.  I typically stretch hamstrings first, then calves, quads, hams again and lower back.  Then I shake out my arms, rotate at the trunk, rotate neck and ready to workout.  Takes me about 5 minutes. 

Don’t forget about working out indoors this winter to avoid missing or skipping workouts due to weather.  Treadmills are a great option to icy roads or cold rain.  Check out Fitness Central.com for all your fitness equipment needs.