"Functional" Rotation Idea

[hounddogs]

Reading everyone's description of the new series, my experience with the ones I've tried so far, and comments Cathe consistently makes in these workouts have given me an idea for a "Functional Fitness Rotation". What do y'all think about this?

Monday: IMAX 1 or 2
Tuesday: ME or MIS or PH
Wednesday: Long steady state cardio, e.g. Cathe step tape, jog, swim, cycle, power walk, etc, 60-90 minutes
Thursday: Power yoga or a dance workout or intense Pilates or something like "Simply Strong" by Gin Miller, 45-60 minutes
Friday: Intense shorter cardio like 2 CTX's, kickboxing, etc, 45-60 minutes, plus heavy weight work on one body part that you most need it on, 20 minutes minimum.
Saturday: Boot Camp or Cardio and Weights
Sunday: rest

Aquajock: would an aqua workout fall under steady state or shorter and intense cardio? That would make the week even more functional.

I'm thinking of this as a maintenance rotation for when you've attained all your big goals, and just want to fine tune. I'll probably never get there, but may try something like this anyway, because there's lots of variety, and I really enjoy doing more "functional" things once in awhile to assure myself that my obsession with workouts has some relation to reality.

Even though the pyramid tapes are not on here, they could be used for some of your one body part. Maybe a pyramid and and S&H combo. That would fry.

If anyone decides to try something like this, please post and let us know how it is. Or, if it's a crock, let me know that, too.

Also, I thought maybe we could have a contest for the funniest falling-off-the-ball story. Mine involves yelping basset hounds fleeing the scene.

--Ann

 

[Aquajock]

RE: Aqua's place in a program

Hi, Ann! Re your question about whether aqua could constitute a steady-state cardio or shorter-but-more-intense cardio:

Couple of things to keep in mind: the pool is an extremely flexible workout environment, and swimming, shallow-water aerobics, deep-water zero-impact conditioning, aqua-jogging, and equipment-oriented muscle-conditioning work are all available. And, depending on what your goals are for the specific workout bout, you can perform a steady-state cardio workout OR an interval-oriented shorter-duration workout.

Re steady-state cardio: for swimming, this would be comprised of sustained lap swimming at a steady pace. My suggestion would be to continually alternate strokes (freestyle, breaststroke and backstroke) every few laps or so so that you recruit the muscles differently. Also, incorporate kickboard laps with a flutter kick and frog kick (noting that frog kicks are much easier) to recruit the legs better (traditional swimming is primarily an upper-body activity; the legs aren't worked very much) into this for a well-rounded bout. Again, the point is to maintain a steady stroke and speed, thereby maintaining a steady heart rate.

Re interval swimming: intersperse 1 lap of all-out sprinting with a FAST AND HARD freestyle or breaststroke with 3 laps of recovery-to-steady-state laps. That's a 1:3 interval cycle that'll work very well for you, and trust me, it'll go shorter.

Re aqua aerobics . . . well, there ain't enough space in this forum to discuss the many options for steady-state and interval formats you can do especially in the shallow end. Also aqua jogging.

Feel free to e-mail me at

[email protected]

for more of a discussion about aqua - which is very different from traditional swimming.

Hope this helps!

A-jock

(P.S. Yes, your idea about ongoing aqua in your weekly program is excellent for functional training!)

 

[hounddogs]

RE: Aqua's place in a program

Annette:

Thanks for the great reply! Unfortunately, I live 75 miles from the nearest public pool. I threw the aqua into my rotation idea simply because it fit the functional theme and I was hoping someone else might like it. Looks like it went over like a lead balloon.

Ironically enough, like you, I'm not really a rotation person. However, I just did my first one ever (TTA) to make the wait for the new tapes (sorry) seem shorter, and like any over-zealous recent convert, I thought I was onto something really cool.

Anyway, I love the new series and can't wait for the DVD'ers to be able to chime in with their comments on all the cool ways they can use the DVDs. All these discussions are inspirational to me; esp when I'm too tired to work out, I'll sometimes check in here, and then I find I have the energy to go for it after all.

If a person had a large hot tub could one theoretically do some aqua stuff in it?

Thanks again,

--Ann

 

[Aquajock]

RE: Hot tub aqua - NOT

No, because in order for one to perform athletic work safely in a pool, the water temperature has to be quite cool, between 82-86 degrees farenheit or you'll boil yourself from the inside out. Hot tubs are for relaxation, not exertion.

Bummer that you live so far away from a pool! As much of a believer in pool work as I am, even I don't think aqua is worth 150 mile round trips!

A-jock

 

[Jenne]

RE: Hot tub aqua - NOT

That explains why the pool at our Y is soooo cold! I like to swim, but I have to talk myself into getting into the pool every time!

Jenne

 

[audreyw]

Hi, Ann,

I wanted to do something like this, using Boot Camp, Cardio and Weights, and ME as the basis. I work out 5 days a week max and wasn't sure what to do on the other two days. I think I'll add a long steady state cardio and a Pilates tape (or ALC II) based on your suggestions, to get something like the following:

Mon: Cardio and Weights
Tues: off ("Buffy" night!)
Wed: Boot Camp
Thurs: Pilates tape
Fri: off
Sat: ME
Sun: steady state cardio -- we have a treadmill, fake Stairmaster, and rowing machine in my apartment building, so may try a combination of these.

Thanks for the ideas!

Audrey