Is there such a thing as too much exercise?

[DoeWDW]

Here's my dilemma. I've just started using the FIRM tapes - I have 3. I also need to begin training for the Ocean City Half Marathon, and my training schedule calls for 4 days of walking per week (Tues, Thurs, Sat, Sun).

To do both, I'd have to exercise 7 days a week, without a day off. But I've heard how important those days off can be. Also, I'm not sure that I can mentally handle NO days off for the next 12 weeks.

My half training takes first place in my mind, so I'll be doing walking with some running on Tues, Thurs, Sat, & Sun. Should I firm on Mon, Wed & Fri? I was thinking of doing the FIRM tapes on my non-walking days and then taking a non-walking day off, which means I'd get a day off every 9 days.

Am I striving for too much?

Any thoughts or ideas?

 

[welovedis]

Just my .02 here so feel free to ignore it, lol! Everything I have read about training says not to cheat on your rest days. your rest days are for rest for a reason, to help you body recover. If you don't take a rest day you might injure yourself in some way that isn't apparent until down the road.

I think it is awesome that you could even *consider* doing this, but IMO you should rest on those days.

Personally I want to complete the Nissan Buffalo 1/2 marathon in May, but have decided against it because I am focusing on my weight loss now and will train for the WDW 1/2 later this year.

GL with your choice.

 

[ZerasPride]

Hi Doe!

I'm not a work out expert but I would say your schedule does seem amibitious (in a good way). I rarely take a rest day, I just hate them but do try to listen to my body if I am feeling absolutely exhausted.

If you have the original Firm set with cardio, body sculpting and abs, I would think you could skip the ab tape. I notice with set 2 and 3 that there is not a dedicated ab work out, they work the ab training in with the other exercises which leads me to believe if one could be cut out, then it could be the ab work out. This would give you your one rest day per week. Just a suggestion.

I think what you are attempting to do is wonderful! I wish you all the best in training for the marathon and in Firming!

 

[cobbler]

Me personally I think that it would be too much. You could easily get burn-out and without rest have a greater chance of injury.

Good luck in your marathon

 

[plutosmyfav]

I did a google search for over training symptoms and came up with these:

The common warning signs of overtraining include the following:

* Mild leg soreness, general achiness
* Pain in muscles & joints
* Washed-out feeling, tired, drained, lack of energy
* Sudden drop in ability to run ‘normal’ distance or times
* Insomnia
* Headaches
* Inability to relax, twitchy, fidgety
* Insatiable thirst, dehydration
* Lowered resistance to common illnesses; colds, sore throat, etc.

You put yourself at risk of injury from over training as well. The hard part, though, is determining what over training means for you. I don't think you have to have set rest days, but you need to rest when your body tells you.

Good luck!

Sundie

 

[wtpclc]

The one hting I had heard was just no to do strength training every day. Do cardio only on you "off" days. If you don't feel right without your exercise, alternate that way. If you start to feel burn out symptoms, take your days off. It's up to you and how your body reacts! Good luck!

PS - can you send me some of that ambition!

 

[welovedis]

I hope it is ok to post something from a book here, just wanted to give you the info from the "Marathoning for Mortals" book by John Bingham & Jenny Hadfield.

"Rest is something that you will need to do early & often. It will roll evenly throughout your training. Remember that it is during the downtime that your body adapts and grows stronger. I mention this because, once you get going on your training regimen, believe it or not, you may just have a hard time resting.
When you see "rest" on your training program, it doesn't mean staying up late and reading in bed or getting in a short run just for insurance. Rest means rest. "

I honestly have not read one marathon or half marathon training book that says it is a good idea to workout on your rest days. Your body needs the rest to recuperate and regenerate in order to push forward to another day, week or month of more mileage.

I'm curious which training plan you are using? Usually they call for at least 1-2 days of cross-training, on those days you could do the tapes and fit them in. Agan, just my .02! I wouldn't want you to get hurt and jeopardize all your hard work!

 

[norma1223]

I ran a marathon once, so my advice comes from my experience and all the research I did before starting my training. Your half marathon training comes first, resistance training is secondary. Upper body strength is very helpful in walking/runnning. You might consider scrapping the Firm tapes for now and doing about 15 to 20 minutes of upper body weight training twice a week. Try to include some ab/core work. The Firm tapes have some cardio mixed in with the sculpting and you just don't need the cardio on your rest days. I love the Firm but I think you might burn out if you try to do both.

All your hard work will be worth it. Good luck!

 

[littlegreydonkey]

I agree with norma1223, your half training will give you all the cardio you need, but strengthening your abs, back (and legs if it doesn't over work you) will help you with your half training - and that should be your focus as there's nothing worse than doing a half you're not ready for (I've done it - it hurts) and there's nothing better than crossing the finish line knowing you've done the best you can. The way I fit it all in is to do my run, then spend 10-15 minutes on my back/ab exercises when I get in (a friend of mine does her strength work in the morning and runs at night) but we both have two completely exercise free days a week to recover - and once in a while, I'll take a whole week just to recharge. Again, it's just what works for me and everyone is different - usually your body will tell you what it needs if you listen to it. Good luck with it all.

 

[lizdotcom99]

I hope it is ok to post something from a book here, just wanted to give you the info from the "Marathoning for Mortals" book by John Bingham & Jenny Hadfield.

"Rest is something that you will need to do early & often. It will roll evenly throughout your training. Remember that it is during the downtime that your body adapts and grows stronger. I mention this because, once you get going on your training regimen, believe it or not, you may just have a hard time resting.
When you see "rest" on your training program, it doesn't mean staying up late and reading in bed or getting in a short run just for insurance. Rest means rest. "

I honestly have not read one marathon or half marathon training book that says it is a good idea to workout on your rest days. Your body needs the rest to recuperate and regenerate in order to push forward to another day, week or month of more mileage.

I'm curious which training plan you are using? Usually they call for at least 1-2 days of cross-training, on those days you could do the tapes and fit them in. Agan, just my .02! I wouldn't want you to get hurt and jeopardize all your hard work!

I just read that today as well! I think you need to take your rest days, even though it is really hard. This is my first week of training and I am not looking forward to taking tomorrow off as my rest day....but I am gonna do it!!

Good luck as you train!! Can't wait to hear all about your success at the race!!!

 

[MelanieC]

Hey Doreen,

Trust me - Do NOT work out 7 days a week. As a fellow FIRMie I know the urge to do more than you should gets really LOUD sometimes, but you must fight it.

I'm doing the Marathon for Mortals training. Here is what I'm doing-

Sun Rest
Mon Short walk
Tues Cross Train (FIRM)
Wed Rest
Thu Short walk & drills
Fri Cross Train (FIRM)
Sat Long Walk

I will tell you that I firmed 5 or 6 days a week last year and I really don't think I would have been able to do the marathon this year without some of that weight work. You use all sorts of muscles when speed walking so building up those muscles is essential.

Training for the marathon in my book is first and foremost if I know I have one coming up. Take those cross training days and do your firm but focus on the pure sculpting or Cardio/Sculpt (I wouldn't do just the FIRM cardio). I also have a FIRM yoga DVD that is very relaxing and stretches the muscles. I may add this on a rest day if I get restless. I did last Sunday. It was all I could do to force myself to rest yesterday and I'm glad I did. Now I'm ready for my walk tonight.

Also you never EVER want to do 2 sculpt video's two days in a row. Possibly a Sculpo/cardio & then a pure cardio but never two pure cardios. When I am only doing Firm I always put a pure cardio between a sculpt & a cardio/sculpt so that I am never lifting heavy two days in a row (unless I do upper body one day and lower body the next). I hope i didn't confuse you.

Right now I'm confused on what week I should be doing on my marathon training. We just finished this marthon and are going to be doing the next one on April 16. So I basically am skipping the post marathon training and I think I'll skip week 1 & 2 since I was already training before the marathon and have a few big walks under my belt and go to week 3. I think that would make my long walk either 3 or 4 miles this week. Easy enough I think but it should put me on track for the training. I know he says if you miss workouts to stay on track and keep going not to make up workouts so I'm using that theory.