I've been running bleachers faithfully for about 2 months now and I don't see any results whatsoever! There are 21 steps and I run 5 sets of 10 and I run a lap in between. It's a pretty brutal workout. I also started running fartlets every other day which you sprint the straight away of the track and walk the curve which is also pretty hard. My poor legs are screaming but I love it. I really want to lose 30 pounds. I turned 50 a few months ago and I've been through menopause which I know makes it even harder but there are plenty of older women who have lost weight and changed their bodies. I eat pretty healthy but I know I could do better in that department. Does anyone have any advice for me? I have a lot of Cathe's videos which I've been thinking about adding strength training. Please help!
Running bleachers
- Thread starter stuckintx
- Start date
~Elsie
Cathlete
Wow, I think doing those sprints is GREAT exercise. Your heart will love you for it. I know my anaerobic fitness, if I were to get it tested, could be improved by a lot! The last time I had it tested I was 23 which doesn't count! lol.
I am not 50, but the first thing I would suggest is if your schedule has time is to add some strength training for sure. That seems to be all you're missing. If you're an adrenaline type who finds resistance training too boring, Cathe has lots of interesting options I find. Which Cathe do you presently own?
I don't do track this time of year as I am too lazy to go that far in the wet weather, although in nicer weather I like to take a big old heavy med ball and do some tabata there on the grass before or even in-between my walking.
I am not 50, but the first thing I would suggest is if your schedule has time is to add some strength training for sure. That seems to be all you're missing. If you're an adrenaline type who finds resistance training too boring, Cathe has lots of interesting options I find. Which Cathe do you presently own?
I don't do track this time of year as I am too lazy to go that far in the wet weather, although in nicer weather I like to take a big old heavy med ball and do some tabata there on the grass before or even in-between my walking.
lioness
Cathlete
I love running bleachers!! Keep up the good work. As the others have said, I would definitely start adding in weights or some strength training. Variety is the key and we need to keep our workouts varied. I run, do one day of strict weight workout and then my other workouts consist of both strength and cardio (kettlebells, med balls, sandbags, etc.).
Jane Power-Grimm
Cathlete
Wow, your determination to take charge of your health and fight the changes that happen as we age is very admirable, stuckintx! 
You are working so hard! Yes, women CAN, with a really well planned fitness routine and clean eating, fight those post-menopausal gains. I am 6 years post-menopausal and I definitely have to do things differently and more consciously than I did prior to all these changes. I agree completely with the comments above - weight training is essential - especially for us mature women!
I would add that you may like to balance your workouts throughout the week, as Cathe models in all her rotations. This has really worked for me and is great for preventing injury and burn-out. It seems that the bleacher runs and the fartlek training you are describing are forms of hiit training. The International Sports Science Association and Cathe herself recommend that hiit training be done just 1-3 times per week. So how about your amazing bleacher runs once or twice per week, fartlek training once per week and some other forms of cardio (kickboxing, step, longer distance runs, spin bike, etc.) on a couple of other days per week? And if you work each body part with resistance training once or twice a week you are good to go. I would look at some of Cathe's rotations and substitute your bleacher runs and/or fartlek training whenever she has a hiit workout listed.
Good luck, and let us know how that weight loss goes!
http://cathe.com/is-it-okay-to-do-hiit-training-every-day
http://www.issaonline.edu/blog/inde...=HIIT-For-Everyone&utm_campaign=February-2016
You are working so hard! Yes, women CAN, with a really well planned fitness routine and clean eating, fight those post-menopausal gains. I am 6 years post-menopausal and I definitely have to do things differently and more consciously than I did prior to all these changes. I agree completely with the comments above - weight training is essential - especially for us mature women! I would add that you may like to balance your workouts throughout the week, as Cathe models in all her rotations. This has really worked for me and is great for preventing injury and burn-out. It seems that the bleacher runs and the fartlek training you are describing are forms of hiit training. The International Sports Science Association and Cathe herself recommend that hiit training be done just 1-3 times per week. So how about your amazing bleacher runs once or twice per week, fartlek training once per week and some other forms of cardio (kickboxing, step, longer distance runs, spin bike, etc.) on a couple of other days per week? And if you work each body part with resistance training once or twice a week you are good to go. I would look at some of Cathe's rotations and substitute your bleacher runs and/or fartlek training whenever she has a hiit workout listed.
Good luck, and let us know how that weight loss goes!
http://cathe.com/is-it-okay-to-do-hiit-training-every-day
http://www.issaonline.edu/blog/inde...=HIIT-For-Everyone&utm_campaign=February-2016
desertambrosia
Cathlete
I agree with all of the above. Add some weight training! Other than that, nice job, keep it up!