Thursday, November 4, 2010

How much exercise is to much?

Well I was going to try to stick to one post a day but I wanted to talk about exercise and get some advice.  First off I have started strength training on top of my walking.  I am walking 5-6 days a week and strength training every other day.  I'm also planning on adding some other exercises in the form of crunches and such using my exercise ball, resistance training using exercise bands and toning exercises using a pilates bar.  My question is can you overdo it on exercise?  Also if I'm faithful to my strength training how long before I will see my work paying off?

This will be my exercise schedule, any advice would be appreciated.




Walking/Jogging- 5-6 days a week totalling at least 15 miles






Strength Training- every other day (arm curls, bench presses and leg curls)







Exercise ball- opposite days of strength training (to strengthen my core)






Resistance bands- opposite days of strength training (tone arms and legs)






Pilates bar- opposite days of strength training (stretching and toning)



Do you think this is to much?  I don't mind doing all this as long as I'm not hurting my body.  I'm willing to put in the work if its going to pay off for me in the long run.  I know my body is never going to look perfect but I want to try to tone up as much as I can.

5 comments:

  1. I do a variety of these when I meet with my trainer. I only do strength training with her but I do cardio 6 days a week. I think you have to know when it is too much for your body. If you are feeling taxed, then cut back on something. No one wants to be over exercised and cranky! LOL

    ReplyDelete
  2. Depends what you are going from... if you regularly workout 5 days a week and it is a hard workout then no... but if you really dont workout that hard - a walk here or there... then yes, way too much.

    I would suggest running 3 days a week, strength training 3 days a week with a quick cardio before hand.
    For example
    Sun run 3 miles/ ball core exercises

    Mon upper and lower body exercises with a quick jog to warm up

    Tues Run 3 miles

    Wed rest

    Thur Run 1 mile with upper and lower body weights

    Fri run 3 miles

    Sat rest

    Repeat.

    Do you have access to do any other cardio to cross train? spin classes? swimming? I know when Im forced to run multiple days in a row then I am very burned out from it and sometimes my knees get to me. But if I can only run 3 days a week with solid long runs and do spin and/or swimming 2-3 days a week I feel more excited about working out.

    And as the above comment said - you can always set it but change it as you go.

    If you try to go out too hard, if you are like me, you will get burned out and quit.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I don't think that it's too much. The only thing that I have to say is that you need to make sure that you have a rest day. And if you are sick, you need to be okay to relax. Try not to work the same muscles every day, too.

    -Raych
    http://losingwithraych.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  4. well first, kudos on the motivation. that is quite a work out schedule. Second, it is hard to say yes or no to if that is too much. Usually it is relative to the person and their fitness level. I started out walking half a mile a day and it was all I could do back then. So if I had been walking the 4 miles a day I am now, would have been too much. So just get started and if you find out it is more than your body is ready to do (not your mind, but your body) then just dial it back a notch to a level your body is willing to cooperate with.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Thanks for the great tips everybody. I know you aren't suppose to keep working the same muscle groups day after day thats why I plan to rotate what I'm working on. I guess I will just make out a schedule and try it for a week and see how it goes. I really want to start working on toning and strenghtening certain parts of my body so as I lose weight my body will look alittle better.

    Christina I do have access to the YMCA but I don't know if I want to add that or not because I already have such a busy schedule and before when I've started working out at the Y I really overdone it.

    I'm loving getting outside to walk and run and lifting weights, I just hope with the cold winter coming that doesn't interfere with my workouts.

    ReplyDelete