Cathe - if you only had 3

jenmgo

jenmgo

Cathlete
Hi Cathe
I have started a new job that makes me work over 12 hours a shift, but with rotating days off. I dont think there is anyway i can workout on my work days. However, i usually have 3 days off during the week, spread out one week, and then four days off the next. My days off rotate.

I am used to working out 5-6 days a week, but that is no longer possible. If you only had 3 days to work out what would you do??
Im a cardio junky but i also weight lift as well. Today I did Imax and Power Hour because i havent had cardio OR weights in a couple days.

I hope my question makes sense. Im just wondering if you had only 3 days would you do both weights and cardio on all 3? Or would one day be just weights, one just cardio, and one something else? I feel like i'm losing out if i only do one cardio and one weight workout. Only have 3 workout days stinks.

Any advice?? I know you are busy, but i'd love to hear a response. Thanks!
 
Hi Cathe
I have started a new job that makes me work over 12 hours a shift, but with rotating days off. I dont think there is anyway i can workout on my work days. However, i usually have 3 days off during the week, spread out one week, and then four days off the next. My days off rotate.

I am used to working out 5-6 days a week, but that is no longer possible. If you only had 3 days to work out what would you do??
Im a cardio junky but i also weight lift as well. Today I did Imax and Power Hour because i havent had cardio OR weights in a couple days.

I hope my question makes sense. Im just wondering if you had only 3 days would you do both weights and cardio on all 3? Or would one day be just weights, one just cardio, and one something else? I feel like i'm losing out if i only do one cardio and one weight workout. Only have 3 workout days stinks.

Any advice?? I know you are busy, but i'd love to hear a response. Thanks!
 
Firstly, I know how hard that is, because there have been times in my life when I could only workout 3 times a week.

When I was younger, cardio seemed to yield better results than it does now. My age + body type is such that I seem to respond best to weight training (I am 40 years old....this time in my life when I had only 3 days per week to workout was when I was 36).

I did a split body routine during my busy period. On each day I did heavyish (for me...not a patch on the kind of weight Cathe uses) weight training for 50 minutes to an hour for 2 to 3 body parts. Then I did Abs for 10 to 15 minutes. I mixed super-setting, pyramid, slow and heavy formats.

On Leg day it took me an hour and fifteen minutes to finish (lower body + abs) and I would be spent. I did nothing else after the weight training.

On the other two days, I would do cardio after weight training. I gave up DVDs for cardio. I would usually run on the treadmill or use the elliptical. If I had just 20 minutes I would do HIIT style running. If I had more time, I would do endurance style elliptical or treadmill workouts. Most days I had just 20 to 30 minutes. Longer cardio workouts were a luxury.

Surprisingly, I was in the best shape of my life ever, at that time. This lasted for about 2 years. I looked and felt better than when I was working out more often, much to my delight. (I was extra careful about eating clean/nutritious food.) I think it was because my body had enough recovery time, so my exercises could be very intense. Also I missed working out more often so much, I gave my 3 weekly workouts my all. Also, my body seems to be able to cope fine with just brief cardio. I dont seem to get "better" results for doing more cardio.

I also became more conscious of being active in my daily life during this period. I stopped talking elevators, I would always climb stairs. I would walk to the grocery store or back from the gym whenever that was feasible.

Good luck.

~* Vrinda *~
 
Firstly, I know how hard that is, because there have been times in my life when I could only workout 3 times a week.

When I was younger, cardio seemed to yield better results than it does now. My age + body type is such that I seem to respond best to weight training (I am 40 years old....this time in my life when I had only 3 days per week to workout was when I was 36).

I did a split body routine during my busy period. On each day I did heavyish (for me...not a patch on the kind of weight Cathe uses) weight training for 50 minutes to an hour for 2 to 3 body parts. Then I did Abs for 10 to 15 minutes. I mixed super-setting, pyramid, slow and heavy formats.

On Leg day it took me an hour and fifteen minutes to finish (lower body + abs) and I would be spent. I did nothing else after the weight training.

On the other two days, I would do cardio after weight training. I gave up DVDs for cardio. I would usually run on the treadmill or use the elliptical. If I had just 20 minutes I would do HIIT style running. If I had more time, I would do endurance style elliptical or treadmill workouts. Most days I had just 20 to 30 minutes. Longer cardio workouts were a luxury.

Surprisingly, I was in the best shape of my life ever, at that time. This lasted for about 2 years. I looked and felt better than when I was working out more often, much to my delight. (I was extra careful about eating clean/nutritious food.) I think it was because my body had enough recovery time, so my exercises could be very intense. Also I missed working out more often so much, I gave my 3 weekly workouts my all. Also, my body seems to be able to cope fine with just brief cardio. I dont seem to get "better" results for doing more cardio.

I also became more conscious of being active in my daily life during this period. I stopped talking elevators, I would always climb stairs. I would walk to the grocery store or back from the gym whenever that was feasible.

Good luck.

~* Vrinda *~
 
i'm not cathe but if i only had 3 days to workout i would do this:
monday: chest, tris, and abs and 30 min of interval cardio
wednesday: legs, shoulders, and abs and 30 min steady state cardio
friday: back, bi's and abs and 30 min interval cardio
i would make each workout as intense as possible and would make sure my diet was on track since i wasn't working out as often.
 
i'm not cathe but if i only had 3 days to workout i would do this:
monday: chest, tris, and abs and 30 min of interval cardio
wednesday: legs, shoulders, and abs and 30 min steady state cardio
friday: back, bi's and abs and 30 min interval cardio
i would make each workout as intense as possible and would make sure my diet was on track since i wasn't working out as often.
 
While you are waiting for Cathe....
If you have 1.5 hours or so, you could do 1-hour cardio tapes plus 3-way split weights, eg:
(1) Cardio plus PS legs, biceps
(2) Cardio plus PS back, biceps, abs
(3) Cardio plus PS chest, triceps
You could use other 3-way slpit weights (slow & heavy, gym styles), but these are longer than Pure Strength, so you may want to do shorter cardios.

An upper lower split could look like this, but again this would be long unless you do shorter cardios:
(1) Cardio plus PUB
(2) Cardio plus PLB
(3) Cardio plus PUB
Then the following week:
(1) Cardio plus PLB
(2) Cardio plus PUB
(3) Cardio plus PLB

For a change, you could do 3 circuit-type workouts in a week, eg:
(1) Bootcamp
(2) Cardio and Weights
(3) Step, Jump, and Pump

If you want to use the CTX series (6 workouts), you could pick 3 tapes one week and the other 3 the next, but add an extra muscle group. For example, when you do kickbox/biceps add back, then on the following week you would do Power Circuits/back and add biceps.
 
While you are waiting for Cathe....
If you have 1.5 hours or so, you could do 1-hour cardio tapes plus 3-way split weights, eg:
(1) Cardio plus PS legs, biceps
(2) Cardio plus PS back, biceps, abs
(3) Cardio plus PS chest, triceps
You could use other 3-way slpit weights (slow & heavy, gym styles), but these are longer than Pure Strength, so you may want to do shorter cardios.

An upper lower split could look like this, but again this would be long unless you do shorter cardios:
(1) Cardio plus PUB
(2) Cardio plus PLB
(3) Cardio plus PUB
Then the following week:
(1) Cardio plus PLB
(2) Cardio plus PUB
(3) Cardio plus PLB

For a change, you could do 3 circuit-type workouts in a week, eg:
(1) Bootcamp
(2) Cardio and Weights
(3) Step, Jump, and Pump

If you want to use the CTX series (6 workouts), you could pick 3 tapes one week and the other 3 the next, but add an extra muscle group. For example, when you do kickbox/biceps add back, then on the following week you would do Power Circuits/back and add biceps.
 
Bumping for Cathe

Thanks for your suggestions everyone. I'm curious to see what Cathe will advise. I feel like I am losing a lot of workout time I used to have.
 
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