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Splitting up workout
Hey everyone!
So, I'm rather curious… what do you do if you really want to work on, say, strength training… but don't have a full hour to devote to warmup and cooldown as well? What if all you have is half an hour, and your really want to do SOMETHING? Or maybe you just want to do something light, like a good stretching session, but haven't got the time for a warmup?
I suppose I'm asking because… well, as much as I'm enjoying my dancing, it does take up an hour or so each day. If I'm really wanting to progress, I'm finding an hour to be a little… well, daunting! I don't necessarily want to go down there, warm up the pole and myself, work on the moves I'm working on, and then do strength and flexibility too! It's quite tiring. Sometimes I just want to take it easy… but still get a good workout… particularly in the strength arena!
So, what do you think? Any recommendations?
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14 Replies
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I struggle with the same thing due to time, or lack of. I have a wierd work schedule so that doesn't help. And I "forget" when I'm home watching TV that I could be on the floor warming up muscles, then stretch, etc. So that's my fault. But it's a struggle to be consistent and decide what to do and when 🙁
Fourtunately I found an awesome bootcamp fitness place and the trainer is excellent, even for the large group who attends. But again, due to schedule and it is a 45 minute drive, I only average once a week. I wish I could go more because I see it has helped strength-wise for my poling, but then it'll take time away from pole. Especially since there is a studio in my town now that I am going to.
So I plug along and do what I can. I hope you find something that works for you and that others can give you some suggestions. 🙂
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I do strength training and flexibility training on alternating days and that allows me to really focus.
Strength days consist of warm up (usually dance/squats/lunges/plies), pole holds, climbs, push ups, work on pole moves etc. Flexibility days consist of warm up (usually core work) and a zillion lower body stretches. When I have extra time I work on transitions and dance into either a strength or flexibility day.
I set a goal to do 2-3 strength training days a week and 2-3 flexibility days a week. I normally take one day off a week where I do either light dance and transitions or absolutely nothing at all to allow my muscles to recover. Strength days are usually shorter… I can only do so many inverted V holds, climbs and push ups before I wear out. ; )
Breaking my sessions out like this has worked well for me. I spend as much time as energy and schedule for that day allow. Even if pressed for time I never skip warm ups… my body requires warm up to loosen and be prepared for the strenous activity of pole or flexibility training. I will cut my workout session short before I wil bypass getting warm.
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what I often do to save time is housecleaning work as a warmp up. after 30min to 1h of dusting, vacuum cleaning, mopping, carrying stuff up and down stairs, etc I do some mobility exercises and pre-stretches and Im good to pole. Flexibility training is usually done while whatching a movie after a good strength workout or a nice hot bath when I have time for it. its possible to find time for everything with a little creativity 😉
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I also love to break up my workout with cleaning tasks, but that usually stretches my pole sessions out all afternoon/evening if it was time I’d set aside to clean. If I have about five minutes and really want to pole, I just put on a song that I’m really into that day and dance through it, focusing on getting everything warm in five minutes. Sometimes I won’t even change clothes, just kind of tango with my pole on my way by!
I also like to do intervals, particularly tabata protocol. If I need to get down to business/haven’t got much time I know I can throw on my favorite workout pants and my sneakers and KILL myself in under 15 minutes.
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Hey!
Jeez, thank you for the replies! Apparently I wasn't getting any e-mails, and I was all "Hmm, no one's replying?" But you totally are!
I used to use things like vaccuming as my "warmup," but unfortunately, that doesn't need to be done very often here… only one cat, he gets brushed often, and because I'm working and the Man is not (though technically he's still in Uni) he's insisting on doing the house chores 😛
I suppose part of my issue is my relationship with time, itself. I have literally NO sense of time. I look at the clock, think "I have an hour and a half till I need to leave for work," and immediately decide that this is no time at all, and I must be ready to leave immediately. Walking to the bus takes like, 2 minutes (I timed it), so I dunno what I'm on about. I think that I really need to look into this time issue 😉
Otherwise, I do sort of like the idea of splitting up strength and flexy training. Do you still stretch after doing strength training, though? How long does that take you?
I also am happy that I'm not the only one that just wants a 5 minute tango with the pole on my way by. Because, honestly, sometimes that's all I have energy for… but I keep telling myself "no" because I feel like I have to take the time to warm up and cool down, and that's a lot more than 5 minutes! But… maybe I'll try it. 🙂
Also, last question… what if you've just eaten? Like, say you just had a sandwich for breakfast, and then you wanna go dance? Is the "wait a while" thing just a myth? Should I wait a certain amount, and if so, how long?
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I split my strength and flexibility sessions for a few reasons. 1) my muscle groups can recover inbetween sessions 2) I don’t like to feel rushed and smashing everything together 3) Flexibility time is ‘me’ time where I really tune into my body and I have grown to really look forward to that time.
My strength training sessions are all upper body with some core. I do stretch after but 3 minutes max. I stretch shoulder, sides, little bit of wrist. Those sessions are more like interval training since I recover or climb between moves.
If I have eaten a light snack like a handful of nuts or protein shake I will workout right away. If I have eaten anything more than that I wait at least 30 minutes. I hate inversions, pikes or core work after eating. Makes me want to puke!
My time management sucks… I empathize!
Experiment and see what works best for you. : )
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I don’t always wait to work out after eating but if I really want to push myself, I try not to stuff my face beforehand. I do also have a bad tendency to “forget to eat” or get lazy and just wind up snacking until dinner, like a bowl of cereal for breakfast and then again for lunch, and when I’m hungry at 4 going ehhh ill just have some yogurt I don’t want to ruin my appetite for dinner, and then not eating a real meal until 5:30 lol.
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Poledanceromance, you and I have a similar issue… I just take it a bit more extreme 😛 I'll go some days without eating more than one meal, and perhaps a lot of drinks containing milk (which, by the way, I can't digest quickly, and tricks my body into thinking I'm "full"), and other days I'm doing better, like today when I actually had breakfast, and made myself some food!
JeHanne- I've actually found the strength part of my workout to be pretty awesome, but I could see how one would like stretching 😉 I might try splitting things up a bit more, taking my time, and see how it goes… maybe I'll like stretching, too!
But I'll take your advice and experiment 😉
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Fwiw, I took someone’s advice and tried doing my stretching after a hot bath and had a great experience with that. I usually hate stretching and it was a lot more bearable.
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Wishing you the best of success with your routine. : )
I love the bath idea, need to try it sometime.
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You timed your way to bus. Have you tried timing your pole workout routines? That way you knew for sure how much you can do within exact amount of time. I was pretty amazed when I did it for the first time- it turned out I can do eleven strenght exercises within 45 minutes including warm-up an light stretches.
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I C Anuka – Normally, my workouts are intended to be around an hour long… though these days I don't seem to have the stamina to go that long! Honestly, if I could find my weights and stuff (they're packed somewhere!) I might be able to make the one hour.
But you make a really good point. If I split up my routine, then perhaps I'll be able to do as I want in less time 🙂
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Runemist34, I’m strong believer that even short workout is better than no workout at all 🙂
Good luck with finding method/ trick that works for you! -
I have a set of DVD from Shape Magazine that include one toning workout, circuit training, and cardio interval scupt. There is also a cardio interval and 15 minutes of body targeted moves.
I love the DVDs because you can get a full work out in 30 minutes (including warm up and cool down). All you need is a set of dumbells and a mat/towel. There is an exercise band included with the DVD. They go it down to 30 minutes by combing exercises into one move. You do plies while doing bicep curles or overhead press while lunging. It takes balance and getting used to. Their abs section is light for anyone who is pole dancing though, but with all the balancing you basically are engaging your core all the time. They seem to complement pole dancing well.
Shape: Bikini Body Camp Redefining Workout
Shape: Bikini Body Camp Transforming Workout
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