How do you fit it all in????

B

Bonne

Active Member
I know that similar questions have been asked before, but everytime I try to do a search my computer freezes (yes, I need a new computer!) Anyway to get to the question how do you all fit everything into your exercise rotation? i.e. strength, cardio, yoga, pilates?????

I have been currently alternating strenth/cardio 5-6X/week, and would like to add in pilates (just ordered Winsor pilates tapes last night --are they good???). My question is...when do you fit it all in??? Is it ok to do pilates in a.m., and strength or cardio in p.m., or should pilates have a separate day all to itself, for me this would probably fall on my break day, but is once a week enough??? also I would rather not give up my rest day. Or does pilates work the muscles enough that it could replace a strength day??? ok enough with the 20 questions...I just need some advice ( I have only done Kathy Smith Pilates, but liked the idea behind it, and would really like to fit it into my rotation...somewhere!!!) I would appreciate any advice you all could give me since I am new to pilates, and not sure where to place this type of workout...is it strength???...is it stretch??? is it....?????

Thanks Bonne (sorry this got so long-winded!)
 
I am not considering Pilates or Yoga strength workouts. I do them as an off day workout or after cardio, the day before strength training.
 
I'm with Katerchen. I would think using it on an off day would be fine. And I still don't fit it in!

Andrea
 
Hi Bonne,

You'll be in a better position to decide on this one once you've tried out your Windsor tapes a couple of times and seen what muscles they really work. I don't have those, but I do fit in a couple days of power yoga weekly. Now that I know my tapes and how I react to them I've decided that I can put Bryan Kest's Power 1 anywhere in my schedule because to me it is mainly stretch and balance. But his Power 2 I pair with a back workout day because it has some significant "Superman" style work. For example, today was a legs and back strength day. I did S&H Back, LL, and Power Yoga 2. BUT I left out the deadlifts in S&H Back because LL has so many of those, and I left out the Superman because that's covered in the yoga tape. Complicated, but it works. --Karen
 
Hi Bonne!! Yes I do know how difficult it is to try to get it all in. I love yoga and pilates and worked out several rotations using Pure Strength, PH and MIS, S&H and CTX:

CTX Rotation:
Sat: CTX biceps and kickboxing
Sun: Leaner Legs and abs
Mon: CTX chest & back/Step N Intervals
Tues: Yogasculpt by Karen Voight or Ali McGraw's Mind & Body
Wed: CTX shoulders/triceps & All Step
Thurs: CTX 10-10-10 and Pilates (you can do either 60 min. of pilates or as I do 30 min.). I found this was enough for me.
Fri: REST

PS Rotation:
Sat: PS BBA & kickboxing for 30 min.
Sun: PS Strong Legs & abs
Mon: Yoga
Tues: PS chest/shoulders/triceps
Wed: Rhythmic Step
Thurs: 30 min. cardio & 30 min. pilates
Fri: REST

You can mix and match the S&H as well as PH & MIS. Some weeks I love to do bodybar workouts, medicine ball workouts and do Janis Saffell tapes. I know its hard but try to work it out on a piece of paper keeping in mind strength training (which I prefer to do more than cardio-gets you leaner I found than cardio), cardio, yoga, pilates and working abs 3-4x a week. Have fun with your rotations!! Kathy
 
KATHY H. - How would you update this with Intensity/Bod...

Hi Kathy H,

I wanted to try this rotation again, incorporating Karen Voight's YogaSculpt and Pilates tapes, as well as Jennifer Kries' Pilates into a rotation of Cathe workouts. I don't have lots of time each day, so I also only want to spend an hour to work out. I want to get lean, so I think doing strength is a key - but I'd like to see how you've incorporated the new workouts? I also would like to do different types of abs at least 4 days a week, if not everyday. What are your thoughts? I would really appreciate your help with this, you've always had great rotation ideas!!

Thanks,
Tricia
 
Hi Bonne! I posted two different rotations on the "belly fat" thread which happens to have yoga & pilates. I love to swim & bike also & its always difficult to fit in everything that we like to do. I just try to be as balanced as I can each week. If I'm short on time I'll do an upper body workout all in one day; if I have more time, I do split routines for upper body. Usually I like to keep pilates & yoga on 2 separate days but that's just me. Cathe has some ab routines that incorporate pilates with a very nice segment of yoga at the end for stretching. Do whatever you feel will be the most comfortable for you to do. I don't know what your schedule is like so play around with it & always keep in mind to have FUN!!!! HTH, Kathy

PS: Hilary Burnett has some really nice pilates tapes that you might want to check out. I also just rec'd Rodney Yee's new Power Yoga DVD. This one looks awesome! Can't wait to try it tomorrow!

Okay how the heck did this thread get here from May!!!! I looked through it & saw I had already responded to it! What a hoot this is? Why does SNM do this? Ha!
 
While I agree that pilates & yoga are great after cardio, I also do them on strength days. The lengthening feels wonderful. I prefer upper/lower body splits & you could do either yoga or pilates after upper body work. I skip Cathe's ab work if it's a pilates day. (I do admit you might really hate planks after upper body workouts.) Most pilates workouts don't spend that much time on the legs, so they can work on strength days too.

I'm quite guilty of trying to do too much. Doing some total body workouts, choosing 2 sets instead of 3, & chosing more time efficient workouts are ways to have more time for pilates & yoga.

Shorter pilates/yoga workouts are also another option. Twenty minutes before I walk the dogs in the a.m. or just before bed can usually be managed. I really like the a.m./p.m. pilates workout w/ Ana Caban & ??.

Kathy Smith has obviously been doing a lot of yoga & pilates. I think her Pilates for the Lower Body is excellent so don't feel you're missing something. She's the only video instructor that I've done that discusses the "bikini butt". Anyhow, you're off to a good start.

Debra
 
Debra & Kathy,

Thanks for the ideas. Kathy - I actually had this topic bookmarked and wanted to get an idea of how you would change it to incorporate the new Series with the original rotation you posted. I wasn't sure how to put a link into a new thread, so I used the old one! Sorry for the confusion.

Debra, I like your idea of using Pilates/Yoga also on strength days.
Do you feel that Kathy Smith challenges you? If so, what workouts do you use? I would like to build up more of a Pilates based collection but don't know who to use!

Thanks,
Tricia
 
Bonne:

you know that you don't have to do everything, don't you?!!!!!

I certainly don't. You have to make priorities for yourself. What matters most to you at the moment and stick with that. What makes you happy and healthy and puts energy in you and a smile on your face? Maybe it's cardio and yoga one month, weights and cardio another, whatever. Please don't stress out about trying to fit it all in....

Alternatively consider the two week rotation, not the one week, try and fit in all you want to do over a two week period. Much easier. Then repeat.

Also, you don't have to do an all out Pilates or yoga routine if you don't have time, just stick 10-15 minutes on the end of your cardio or weights.

Remember there's no competition here. Just do what you want and need, regardless of what everyone else is doing or what they tell you you should be doing. Who cares? Have fun.

Clare
 
Tricia, one of the great things about pilates is that a beginner, intermediate & advanced exerciser could do the same exercises & each be challenged. A beginner might use a band, keep their feet on the floor, do table top legs instead of vertical legs, etc. The standard 100 should get everyone. So yes, I do like Kathy Smith's pilates workout & find it provides plenty of challenge.

I take a few mat classes each week so I find myself using my shorter pilates workouts at home on other days. But for you, I would suggest adding a classic workout by Stott or Jennifer Kries next. They're very detailed & from there you can go wherever you like with it. You can do pilates on a stability ball, on a BOSU, etc.

The A.M./P.M workouts with Ana Caban & Jillian Hessel would be a good choice too. You might find it easier to fit them in & they cover the basics well.

The Winsor pilates workouts are very popular but I've never tried them. Someone familiar with them might have some recommendations.

Your post made me realize that I sure wish I could devote enough time to yoga to advance. It is tough to fit it in.

Debra
 
Thanks, Debra

I used to have the beginner's Pilates with Ana Caban, so I picked up the AM/PM Pilates today. I truly appreciate your input - it's so disappointing to get a new workout and not like it. That's why I value the feedback I get here, because everyone knows what type of stuff we are used to!

Thanks again,

Tricia
 
Hi Tricia! If you mean the Bodyblast series here would be a rotation for that:

Sat: yoga (30 min. or 60 min.)
Sun: If you have the DVD for Supersets/Push Pull I would do either 2 or 3 set Premix for upper body using Push Pull; the 3 set one is a FRIER!!!!! You can pick Ab Bicycle/Woodchops/Ab lying on your side for obliques/stability ball ab crunches
Mon: Legs & Glutes/planks for abs
Tues: Step Blast
Wed: SS total body or KP&C or ME or PH or SJ&P or CM or CW
Thurs: Pilates
Fri: REST

HTH, Kathy;-)

PS: I did Rodney Yee's Power Yoga DVD on Sat. What a beautiful, flowing AWESOME workout this is! A must have for anyone that's been doing yoga for a while.
 
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