This month I decided I would finally test the waters a bit and try some low-commitment (read: free) strength training in small (read: 15 minutes or less) doses. My free membership at SparkPeople has been the perfect medium for this experiment—in fact, reader Quix suggested this idea to me ages ago!
Here’s my current SparkPeople online exercise video routine (which basically mimics the current bootcamp they are running over there):
Sunday: 10-minute Cardio JumpStart
Notes: Okay, this is the only video that isn’t technically a strength-training/toning workout. Watch the intensity on this one; there’s a lot of hopping and I got a little overzealous and slightly injured myself yesterday. It’s fine to keep it lower impact if that’s what you can do right now.
Monday: 8-minute Lower Body Ball Workout
Notes: This video (and most of the others) utilize a stability ball. I picked mine up at a sporting goods store for about $20.
Tuesday: 8-minute Upper Body Workout
Notes: I started off with my teeny 3 lb hand weights last week but I tried it with my 5 lb weights today and that was a better challenge for me.
Wednesday: 5-minute Core Workout with Ball
Notes: Despite the brevity of the routine, I could feel this one the next day!
Thursday: 10-minute Lower Body Workout
Notes: This is a floor workout, plenty of leg lifts and stuff like that.
Friday: 6-minute Upper Body Workout with Ball
Notes: Just in case you were getting lonely for your stability ball! I had to do one of the modified versions of at least one of the exercises, but that’s okay. I’ve got to start somewhere, right?
Saturday: 15-minute Abs Workout
Notes: This is the longest of the workouts, but it still goes by pretty quickly. It’s a floor workout, so it’s more comfortable if you have some kind of exercise or yoga mat you can lie on.
So that’s my strength routine for the month of January! I also do at least 5 days of cardio per week, 30 minutes at a stretch. Generally I just hop on an elliptical machine because it’s lower impact on my legs, but I plan to work up to jogging for 30 minutes on the treadmill eventually.
12. January 2010 at 11:26 AM
Go you! I started w/the jumpstart and haven’t gone on to the others yet. The others you list I’m much more interested in than the jumpstart (it killed my knees). I’ll have to check them out. Sparkpeople is the BEST — I love it. I’m sure I haven’t tapped into only about 1/4 of the website, so it can only get better.
Congrats on your continued progress. You are awesome!
12. January 2010 at 11:40 AM
Hi Tina! Honestly, I think the Jumpstart video for Sundays was a poor choice on the part of SP. All that hopping is really hard on a lot of people’s bodies (mine included). I have heard other people on the message boards mention a kickboxing video on SP that is less jarring and might be worth a try in place of Jumpstart.
12. January 2010 at 11:34 AM
Wow, that’s great – another two pounds gone! Congrats! I think it’s great that you’re starting the strength training. I find it really helps!
12. January 2010 at 11:41 AM
Thank you so much, Carla! I am excited to be starting to explore strength training at long last. These are just my first baby steps, but I really want to commit to a regular strength routine for the long haul.