Thursday August 25, 2011

"I need your help! So on the advice of my uber fit neighbor I tried doing my weights prior to my cardio...
However a standard leg lifting session has now left me barely able to walk... like so sore it hurts to sit on the toilet. But my weight amount and reps were the same...
Any idea why this happened? Should I go back to lifting post cardio??"

This was my response & quite honestly, many of the other responses said similar things - DO WHAT IS RIGHT FOR YOU!
 

Emily, you need to do what feels right for you. All the experts in the world can say certain things but if it is not right for you than it is not. For me, I have always done weights after cardio except for my all weight day/no cardio day & that day is the hard day for my legs. For me, I LOVE weights & leave them for the end & I rather do cardio first to get the most out of it - I do a decent amount including HIIT. If I wait to do cardio after, I never put my all into it. I also know about form so I make sure my form is good no matter what I do in weights. Maybe some days you do cardio first & others after. Maybe you do an all weight day like me OR just find what works for you. I have broken rules along the way & I have been at this for almost 30 years. Once I understood my bod, I learned to listen to what was best for it & me.

I did not say but it was implied in my comment: The one rule I do not break is PROPER FORM! I have had few injuries over the 30 years due to that.

I think it is important to recognize that once you get past the beginner stage & understand your body & how it works, you can make your own program in terms of what works for you.

I have a certain program I am on right now (I change it up as you all know) and do certain body parts on certain days. Last week, my triceps were still hurting on triceps day 2 (meaning a great first day triceps workout!), so I switched up body parts & did my back on that day & triceps the next. AND, this happened again this week so changed it up again!

Some weeks I may do a little back 3 days a week even if it is on consecutive days because I am really not working it hard on the days I do that. My back still builds pretty good even at this age so I can play around with how I work my back.

It is all about finding things that work for you & listening to your bod so you know that - don't just zone out or go thru the motions! MIND/MUSCLE link!

And even more important - NEVER STOP LISTENING & LEARNING!

Do you break the rules based on what works for you?

PS: I have 3 different styles of Harbinger workout gloves I am testing out right now. I will post a review in the future but liking them!