Exercising multiple times a day - suggestions wanted

SkorpionUK

Well-known member
Sorceress from Germany
Posts: 308
"Building good habits"
This month, I was still trying to complete my first program (Square One) and started my second according to plan (Foundation), and I found out I rather liked doing two things, or at least, two easy things.

I also think it would be really good for me to walk more. At the moment, I go when I have somewhere to be, but I don't walk for the sake of walking. Prior experience tells me that a walking challenge or a target step count can be "reason" enough to get out, and I'm highly tempted to join those "Challenger" walk things (but question the need to pay for it, although the medals _are_ very pretty).

So my question is, for those of you who have several things you do each day, what's a good way to pick? How do you choose? Can you recommend anything to me? Bear in mind, I am not yet very fit, I could maybe do some challenges if I do them very slowly? But I don't know where to begin, really.
 

Fremen

Well-known member
Shaman from Italy
Posts: 3,183
"“Keep an eye on the staircases. They like to change.” Percy Weasley, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone."
I train 3 times a day: some exercises to stretch as soon as I get up, one workout in the morning and the last one in the evening.
The exercises just got up never change because they are the ones that over time I have selected as the best to start the day well, they are gentle and put energy into circulation to start a new day.
Then come the actual workouts, there is always one that is the main one and the other is the light one just to move a little more.
It worked for me to dose the effort well, it is not difficult to find a maximum of 15 minutes to do a light workout but you need to find something that you like to do even when you may not want to but it is so easy that there is really no excuse not to to do it.
My light workout is always a lv 1 workout and I only do it for 10 minutes, so I don't mind doing it even when I don't really feel like it.
The difficult training is something that is always challenging but I really enjoy doing and therefore it is an easy effort :LOL:
This is just my experience, if you take a look at my log you immediately see how my training is structured :)
 

TopNotch

Well-known member
Ranger from Australia
Posts: 1,610
"Motivation is temporary. Discipline is forever."
Yes, those Challenger medals are very pretty, but do you really need them? I actually paid for a subscription to Zombies, Run! which, of course, you can (and I generally do) walk to. And you could do the Challenger walks unofficially, too, just for the distance, time or steps.
I am fortunate to live in an area where there are many nature parks to explore. I want to climb all the hills and follow most of the tracks (most hills have many tracks that I can follow). That gives me my "reason" - I want to tick them all off my list! If you have a similar area or somewhere to explore, you could set yourself a similar challenge.
What I pick to do depends my current goal. I think one of the most important things is to work out what you want, otherwise you don't really have any aim, and without an aim, you won't hit any target. I know what parts of me I need to work on most right now - glutes and triceps. Consequently, I've been doing one of the Glutes challenges but completely ignoring my triceps except when I remember! A strong core is important - for everyone, but I think more in terms of my martial arts, so I'm doing another of the Add-On programmes. I've chosen other programmes that help me toward achieving my current goals (and with great strength ignore other fun ones that I really want to do (again because I dumped all my badges with the move) but right now is not the time), or provide a nice warm-up, like Vitality.
I do formal martial arts training twice a week currently so I make sure on those days that I don't do anything else too taxing or tiring.
Without knowing exactly what it is you want, or what you really like, I'm afraid I can't really give you much help on choosing what to do. If you don't have any particular goal, then just go with what's fun. If you can't do something fast, remember, sometimes it's better to go slow.
 

SkorpionUK

Well-known member
Sorceress from Germany
Posts: 308
"Building good habits"
I train 3 times a day: some exercises to stretch as soon as I get up, one workout in the morning and the last one in the evening.
I usually have a stack of other things I need to / could do in the morning, but unexpectedly I will apparently work out last thing at night, just before sleep. That said, I do have some morning stretches I used before that I could pull out again.

you need to find something that you like to do even when you may not want to but it is so easy that there is really no excuse not to to do it.
Exactly, yes. That's been the nice thing with Square One: they're so easy to start that there's just no resistance at all.

Yes, those Challenger medals are very pretty, but do you really need them?
Exactly so. I thought maybe their app could track as well, but it doesn't! So all the money goes to the medals, the stories and pictures in each Challenge, and the ability to coordinate a group.
You can easily Walk to Mordor using a spreadsheet... and the LOTR audiobooks, if you're so inclined!

I am fortunate to live in an area where there are many nature parks to explore.
I now live near some of Germany's best walking routes (e.g. Hermannsweg, if you want to look) and even my bit of town has really pretty bits! I think once I start, I will keep going, I just need to find an extra push.

Without knowing exactly what it is you want, or what you really like, I'm afraid I can't really give you much help on choosing what to do.
Yes, fair comment, I will go away and think about this. I'll post again later.

Thanks to the two Hood Guys (hehe)
 

Anek

Well-known member
Sorceress from Bavaria, Germany
Pronouns: She/her
Posts: 2,170
"If the time should come when you have to make a choice between what is right and what is easy, remember Cedric Diggory."
I managed to build a morning and an afternoon workout habit by just doing it, basically. It helps that I can use the workouts as start and end of the workday, so they also help to disconnect the mind.
I fully agree with @Fremen about choosing something so easy you can't say no. I like starting the day with some light cardio, and I'm enjoying a constant repeat of Total Burn because it's quick, wakes me up, and gets the energy going. In the afternoon I have the fun part, where I do whatever program is next on the to do list.

Challenges are sometimes dangerous :LOL: I got myself into several that started all nice and easy and by mid-point were harder than a program, so read all the days till the end before you start is my advice :LOL:
 

SkorpionUK

Well-known member
Sorceress from Germany
Posts: 308
"Building good habits"
More info to help with suggestions, thanks for asking, @TopNotch.

Things I struggle with / that I know need work:
* shoulders, esp. overhead stuff like the shoulder taps from today
* my lunges are bad but that's a knee thing - still, anything that gets me closer to them is good
* anything to counteract sitting - hips more than core, I usually sit without a backrest so not a posture problem

Things I like
* Square1 had some nice barre exercises: Day 4 / Day 28. I started ballet as a child so anything slow and controlled feels good
* most of my active hobbies have been based around dance / gymnastics / yoga or martial arts (fencing, Tai Chi, ...). Or cycling. Strong quads and flexibility.
* hypermobile, but hitting an age now where it's less pronounced. Still, high-impact stuff is never fun for my joints. I don't know how well my ligaments respond to strengthening, but worth trying.

Overall, while I'm interested in weight loss, it seems better to focus on strength than cardio, and that's also what's easier for me.
 

TopNotch

Well-known member
Ranger from Australia
Posts: 1,610
"Motivation is temporary. Discipline is forever."
With hypermobility, you have to strengthen the muscles to help hold your joints in place as the ligaments and tendons are being real slackers!
  • There are loads of level 1 shoulder/upperbody workouts that should help with your shoulder mobility. Choose one a day. Take them easy and be controlled. Let the muscles move, rather than using your hypermobility to lift the arms. Make sure you don't sublux the shoulders (my bad habit).
  • Something you can do to increase the weight and therefore difficulty of even level 1 workouts/programmes is to hold a weight or (what I like because they can be used for some many exercises) use a resistance band. I've found that doing leg presses, lying on my back and using a band, works the quads but doesn't seem as bad on my knees as, say, squats, which is a similar exercise only from a different angle.
  • To counter-act sitting, and to incorporate what you like doing, chose a yoga programme (I did 30 Days of Yoga as a sort of cool-down later in the day) or just pick up any of the yoga workouts.
  • If you still dance or do MA or cycle, see if you can do some a couple of times each week. Nice bit of cardio, and dance and MA will also have you moving in all directions, which will help with opening the hips.
  • Finally, consider doing some tendon work to help manage the hypermobility. There is a convenient Collection. It's mostly legs but there is also some upperbody stuff.
I hope this helps.
 

SkorpionUK

Well-known member
Sorceress from Germany
Posts: 308
"Building good habits"
With hypermobility, you have to strengthen the muscles to help hold your joints in place as the ligaments and tendons are being real slackers!
Yeah, basically! Although I would not take it as far as the hospital... physio? (I've forgotten what he was, not a consultant though), who banned me from yoga. Which, yes I get that you can do it badly and only lean into your flexibility, but a wiser question would have been "how are you practicing yoga?". It's good to focus on strength and balance and stability, rather than flop into extreme positions. However, stretching is still good, if done carefully, to teach yourself where your limits and sticking points are. You aren't going to get better tendons by, idk, not moving

:sus::shake:

Can you tell I experienced this advice as a big setback and am slightly bitter about it, I wonder.
I had previously been serious about Hot Yoga (the famous one), which does all of those things in a good way. Most teachers will keep students from chasing extreme poses and I was particularly focused on the foundations and on building strength
:corner:

ANYWAY just needed to whine about that bit. Thanks for your advice @TopNotch, I'm sure it'll help me figure this out!

Other thoughts, ideas and comments are also welcome, btw. Or questions - maybe I know something that helps someone else?
 

JohnStrong

Well-known member
Guardian from Alberta
Posts: 458
"No man has the right to be an amateur in the matter of physical training. It is a shame for a man to grow old without seeing the beauty and strength of which his body is capable. -Socrates"
go with what's fun
^I like that answer :)
what's a good way to pick?
I think a good way to pick is to browse Darebee's material and just see what interests you. Since you're just starting out (like me!) another suggestion, if you're struggling to choose, would be to pick a challenge/program you feel you're most likely to complete. Start small. If while taking that route you experience boredom, that's a signal that it could be time to try something different or more challenging.

Sometimes the best choice is revealed by choosing. And we can always course-correct :)
How do you choose?
At this early point in my fitness journey, I just follow my interests. The Hero's Journey program sounded really cool to me, so I'll be starting that soon. I peeked at a few days (oops I cheated) in the book and felt intimidated, but I'm ready to try a challenge. I have established some general fitness goals I want to reach (e.g. 50 pushups in one go, 10 pullups, etc) which can inform my path, but I'm more concerned with making physical activity a daily habit, and finding my sweet spot of challenging/enjoyment. Best of luck!
 
Top