Workout Routine?

I have been doing a kettlebell workout routine for the past six months, twice and now three times a week for one hour. I really enjoy this form of exercise. The compact shape of the kettlebell allows you to do moves and combinations that you cannot do with traditional freeweights or dumbbells, and anyone can do it as there is a thorough range of kettlebell weights/sizes to accommodate anyone from one’s grandma to a heavyweight champion. As well, my instructor includes body weight exercises and yoga for stretching, and the three make for a great combination.

I’ve seen many results in many places – my muscles are forming and becoming well defined, and my strength has skyrocketed. My stamina has gone up drastically, as has my flexibility. Overall I feel more energetic and more determined.

Some workout secrets: the biggest one is to find something you love to do and do it consistently. I didn’t like working out by means of going to a gym and running on a treadmill as it wasn’t very competitive or interactive. But I love kettlebells because I feel challenged and motivated to increase the weight of the bell or to increase the number of reps I can do. You also need to chisel out time for your workout and stick to it. I do my workout from 6–7am on Tuesday and Thursday – yes it’s tough to pry myself out of bed at 5am, but I know that I can do it, so I keep at it every day.

If you are a treadmill/stationary bike/rowing kind of person, here’s a neat tip: bring something you really want to read/watch/listen to, perhaps a DVD box set of a TV series you like. You can only consume the media when you are on the machine exercising. That way, at least you have some motivation to get up and exercising.

I watch scrubs while on the bike and elipical so i can catch up to the new episodes in the series!

@dynamicduo I had never heard of kettlebells before, but they look really interesting. I can see how they would be a fun workout, and something a little different. Also, great tip about making it so you can only watch/read a specific title while you’re working out. That’d be a great motivator for me!

I really enjoy doing free weights, squats and such, but I don’t really like going to the gym, so I’m kind of stuck trying to motivate myeslf every day.

And I still haven’t found a routine that I really like. So I appretiate everyone’s input about what they’re favorite routines are!

Every other day, I do stretches and some brief weight-work. I always start by lying on a heating pad on a mat. Milo joins me, prone on top. I consider those 20 minutes a time to empty my head, meditate and laugh due to being tickled by whiskers (his, not mine.)

Then I use the treadmill for 45 minute and watch some network news and then Jeopardy! During the nice weather I walk outside.

All of this in my family room or just out the door. Equipment is pro-rated against price of gym membership and gas and the need to get out of pjs.

I used to love the Nordic Track but found as I aged, it was too hard on lower back.

The biggest realization I have had about exercise (not being someone who naturally loves it) is to start out slow, do what you can, and be proud of yourself for doing anything at all.

If you try to go full force right out of the gate you WILL get burned out and you WILL NOT keep up your routine.

Exercise is supposed to make you feel good, so take your time and build a routine that works for you.

Eventually (and miraculously to me) you will grow to enjoy it and feel great from it. Your body will naturally try harder when it can, and you’ll learn when and when not to push yourself.

Hope this advice wasn’t to general. Good luck!

@jsc3791 That was great advice!

My problem is that I keep second guessing the routine I’m currently in. You hear so much about what’t the best workout: running vs weights, free weights vs machines, aerobic classes, etc. It makes my head spin!

But I’m definitely working on what you recommend, trying to do what I can without going crazy. Hopefully I’ll find that routine soon!

Last year, I started on the elliptical machine at the gym. After four minutes, I was hurting. The next day, I was on for 10 minutes and then my leg and little toe cramped up. I jumped off the machine. The next day, I did only 6 minutes. And so on and on.

Now, I watch several news podcasts and show highlights on my iPod while I try to burn 1000 calories each 60 minutes on an elliptical. The trainers at my gym tell me that if there is ever an Olympic sport in elliptical, I could try out for it. ha ha

I go forwards and backwards on the thing. I was doing that for 3 days a week. Now I do it for only 45 minutes (and may only burn 600 calories), lift weights on alternative days, and play racquetball on other days.

I totally get bored with things very quickly. I have to update my workout music almost every few weeks because of the same songs over and over. I will look into Kettlebells. And someone I know is using something called P90x which has different movements and such.

Don’t worry too much about your exact routine. There will always be studies that “show” one thing or another, especially with nutrition/fitness as it’s really a hot topic. What’s more important is that you have any routine and do it consistently. As you continue working out, you’ll start finding things you like more, so do those more often if it encourages you to work out.

Another fitness tip: if you’re getting bored, try something new! Many gyms and community centres offer small courses, pick one up while keeping your regular workout routine going. Try a tai chi class, or yoga, etc.

Keep trying different things until you find something you like. In high school I would always do exercises in my room, but with age I completely stopped doing them. I forgot how much I enjoyed them and now I have weights, resistance belts, and an exercise ball that I use to work-out. I like the privacy more. I still go to a personal trainer once a week, who is always showing me different exercises.
So, what’s fun about these things, is that they are so versatile, so you can always switch your workout up but use the same things. I would actually recommend not to have the same routine. It only works out the same muscles and you really want to work out all of your muscles and not strain certain ones.
This is how I keep myself from getting bored with it, and it’s readily available, so I just do it here and there throughout my day.
One exercise I personally love, is squatting with weights between my legs, and than standing straight up and putting them up over my head. It really works out so much of my body!