What were your starting workouts?

[Plucky 24]

On 8/27/2018 at 9:29 AM, J San said:

I was cleared last week to start light weight work outs. Prior to getting cleared I was anxious to get started. Now that I can I feel like I'm at a loss. I was a gym rat in my youth, I've done tons of research recently, I've even given advice here to others asking for help. But now I feel like I'm clueless where to begin. Just looking for a little insight from fellow WLS'rs on what you started with. All I can seem to do is continue with walks.

I have Rheumatoid Arthritis so my workout may not be for everyone. I began with walking, elliptical, and VERY light kettlebells. I was working up to 2-30 minute sessions a day, but injured myself after about two weeks. So I've joined a gym and have been doing an hour of Water jogging a day. My fitness tracker tells me it is vigorous, and it seems I have been going further each day. When I get to the shallow end I do swim, but go back to jogging with my fists closed in the deeper sections.

I'm going to meet with a trainer in about a week, but not sure if I am going to change much up just yet.

[J San 1,072]

Anyone heard of Convict Conditioning? Any experience you can share? Crazy name but I really like the idea of it and the way it progresses.

[J San 1,072]

Here are two videos I've come across that I really enjoyed. "Shining Happy People" has other videos with great explanations on what she's doing so check them out.

[insta_adventurer 1,046]

I’ve changed it up and rejoined my old gym/studio. I’ve found that for me, my commitment is better if I sign up to be somewhere and I also get a much better workout. I don’t have to think of which muscles to target or how many sets.. I just have to show up and do as I’m told.

So far, I’ve restarted spin classes and attended a boot camp. Boot camp was a bit brutal. Tomorrow I’m going to a boxing core class.. that is super intense (I used to do it before surgery..) I was falling off the workout wagon and not doing it nearly enough. I’m hoping this is what I need to get back into the swing of things.

[JessLess 1,163]

I used to be in great shape, play rugby, etc. That was a while ago.

I live in Boston where winters have a lot of snow and ice and sometimes I just can't drag myself to see a personal trainer after work. I also have a bad back, which is part of why I wanted the surgery. So my exercise was physical therapy 2x a week. I just bought a True M30 treadmill for my house. Today was my first work out, walking for 30 min. I'm beat. But I assume it will get easier and I'll be able to speed up as time goes by. I'll add in the strength component after I get this sorted for a bit.

[Pink nova 99]

I’m doing a kickboxing class where you get to beat up on a dummy (no sparring with people). I absolutely love it and I burn an average of 600 calories per class! I was intimidated at first because I couldn’t even tie my laces or do simple tasks without difficulty but I kept with it 6 days a week and now I can keep up with the others and do things that I never thought possible! The key to it was wearing a heart rate monitor to make sure I was working hard enough to burn that fat! It’s so much more fun than the gym because I get to take my anger out on the dummy!

[MeanSleevedMachine 277]

I do alternating days M-F of upper, lower body. I also alternate style. I do heavy, heavy then high rep, high rep. I do circuits so no rest between exercises. Basically I do a set of each lift and then once they are all completed I take a 90 second break and do it all over a again. Three times. It takes about 25 minutes to complete a full workout.

For heavy days I do sets of 5. For high rep days I do sets of 15. I think it is important to do both. High rep will help lean you out but it is very easy to lose muscle mass with as little as you are eating. Lifting heavy helps maintain muscle mass.

Take it slow. Stay hydrated. I drink Water between sets.

Also, right after my workout I drink a Premier Protein shake.

That is my routine five days a week.