Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Spring Sprint Exercise Plan Week One



 Now on to my idea of a Spring Sprint: Week One:

Monday - Tuesday - Thursday - Friday - Saturday

45 minutes continuous inside skip jogging/bouncing:
This is light light, no sweating required, inside skipping or jogging. The important point here is continuous movement, light as a feather is fine. Barefoot on a bouncy floor or in good shoes on a harder surface. 




Crocus, courtesy of wikimediacommons http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Krokus-kih.jpg

As an alternative, this can be split up into two (30 minutes and 15 minutes) or three (15 minutes each) if desired. But go at least 15 minutes at a time and try to do the last 15 minutes after your last meal. And, sometimes, the three smaller but still bright sprints are more effective than the one longer one. Experiment and see.
  
*Note: This is NOT for beginners. If you are a beginner, recovering from illness, or otherwise not used to or ready for this, this is NOT where you should begin. You need to build up to this. I will post for a special  routine for beginners. And this is more than I usually do: This is a Spring Sprint week! (I usually do 25-45 minutes, alternating with how I feel, but this is a boost week!)
  
15-30 minute walk - inside walk/ inside ice skate/inside march, etc. or outside walk
An Inside walk can be a lot of things with variables like easy walking or inside ice skate/inside march, etc. which is more flamboyant, uses more muscles, is actually a good workout. These are also more dramatic. Lately I like to mix it up when I am "inside" walking: some marching, some ice skating, some waltzing. Slow and strong and high stepping and rhythmic. "Inside" walking can also be in place.
I personally tend toward less dramatic movements when doing my outside walking, out in public, (unless I am in California or Santa Fe where there are other people like me out there :-D). 

5 minutes of arm strengthening and posture exercises
(No more than 10 reps of anything you do.) They work. You can use any you like. (I do the after breast surgery ones, the physical/occupational therapy ones and a couple of Tracy Anderson's with no more than 3 pound weights.)  Just don't overdo these. We are not muscle builders. We are just working at reasonable strength and posture. (Hint: you can do many of these while doing the light bounce/skip or the inside walk.)

Monday and Thursday:
1/2 Original Callanetics: The standing portion of the Original Callanetics. (5 minutes) 
(Do the reps as directed except the ones that ask for 100 beats/counts. On those do no more than 50 reps of anything/otherwise same as directed.)

Tuesday and Saturday:
2/2 Original Callanetics: The floor portion of the Original Callanetics. (10-15 minutes) 
(Do the reps as directed except the ones that ask for 100 beats/counts. On those do no more than 50 reps of anything except the leg squeezing one! Do 100 of those. Do that exercise last, at the end. For the first 50 counts/beats squeeze continuously and for the last 50 counts/beats squeeze hard for each individual count/beat. Then relax!)

BTW, since radiation, I have changed to this way of doing my tried and true Original Callanetics. It is soooo easy to sustain this practice and get a full two rounds of these great exercises in these shorter sessions, doing only the standing ones one day, and alternating them with the floor only ones on other days. I also have added in a few of my other favorite "spot" exercises to the floor or standing ones. This is so much more doable than trying to carve out a larger time and exercise routine twice a week.

Wednesday: 
Day Off.  You've earned it. You need it. It will help your muscles recover and repair. Resist the urge to add in another exercise day. Instead, pamper yourself, read a book, go to the park, get your hair done, go out shopping, go to lunch with the girls!

Sunday: GGG
Day Off.  Breathe. Go to Church. Climb and sit on a mountain top. Go out to brunch. Sleep in.  Let your body relax, repair, and enjoy!

*Now, please, please note: 
*I am NOT a fitness expert. I am just another woman on a path, sharing what has been working and workable for me, in hopes that it might benefit you too. We all deserve to look and feel our best and that is my wish for you as well. But, as they say, check with your doctor and also, Try at your own risk.
*Do not do more than I have suggested or ever more than your body wants to do and never, ever work hurt. (Hurt means you should take a special extra day off.)

But I would still love to hear from you!

Happy Spring Cleaning! Inside and Out!

Kindest regards,

bbffair

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