Length of time you should exercise

[Brenda Obrist]

Cathe, I do kickboxing 3 days a week. On the other days I do one of your strength training dvd's. I would like to get more cardio in. Would it be okay to on my strength training days do one of your strength training dvd's, like muscle max, and then right afterwards to a cardio dvd, like kickmax? My husbands says that I should not workout more than 1 hour a day, but I really like to work out and like to do more than 1 hour on some days.

 

[maddiesmum]

You can indeed work out for longer than 1 hour per day, providing you get adequate nutrition to fuel these longer workouts and adequate rest for the muscles between workouts.

More importantly here is the lack of variety in your cardio regime. Doing any one activity repeatedly really ups the stakes and risk of repetitive strain injury. If you want to add additional cardio on your weight training days, make sure it is not of the kickboxing variety. try step, power walking, running, cycling, walking, swimming, a cardio machine from the gym, etc.

You'll also reap the benefits of cross training, since all activities challenge the body in different ways.

Clare

 

[krisfitness]

I agree. Your workouts can be a mixture of cardio & weights. I also agree that cardio shoulder be varied. This past week I was unable to do any Cathe cardio because I injured my left foot doing too much Cathe (high intensity & high impact) without proper rest. Last week I had to do my cardio machines with my Cathe weights. Finally today I was able to do Cathe cardio again. BUT I realize I need to do a mixture of Cathe and cardio machines. I love Cathe because I mish-mosh the workouts to make them really hard, but I think I need some cardio days where my feet don't take the impact. I am going to mix Cathe cardio with machine interval training--another fav. of mine. Also, I do Cathe weights six days a week. Heavy days and light days.


Kristen

 

[Brenda Obrist]

Thanks Clare for your input. You are probably right about varying my cardio. I just started doing the kickboxing 4 weeks ago and I like it so much, might be overdueing it. By the way, I'm not sure what cross training is. Could you explain it to me. Thanks again. Brenda.

 

[Brenda Obrist]

Thanks for your input Kristen. You and Clare are probably right. I am doing too much kickboxing. I love using Cathe dvd's and I like working out with weights. I love the pump I feel in my muscles. So you lift weights 6 days a week using . Do you work the same muscle groups or do you alternate? I have used and like Cathe's Upper and Lower Body Pyramid and her Gym Styles Series. I am currently using Muscle Endurance a few times a week, which is a total body workout, just for a change for a while. Then I will go back to they Gym Style. Brenda.

 

[maddiesmum]

Cross training is basically introducing variety into the way in which you exercise, i.e. the different types of cardio exercise you engage in.

To a natural kickbox lover such as yourself, to cross train would be to limit your kickboxing to 2 workouts per week, do step another day, use the treadmill to powerwalk another day, cycle or swim another day, etc. The concept is what it is, you insert the different cardio activities of your choice, with the proviso that they challenge the muscles in different ways, and that you vary the impact to reduce risk of injury.

Clare

 

[Brenda Obrist]

Thanks again Clare, I appreciate your help.

 

[maddiesmum]

Brenda, you are most welcome!

Clare