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Green+Aquamarine: Fitness Update: Balancing Workouts, Weights and Yoga

Monday 7 March 2016

Fitness Update: Balancing Workouts, Weights and Yoga


Hello! I thought I would do a fitness update you all. When I first started going to the gym I managed to avoid the trap of slogging it out on the treadmill and headed to the weight section, deadlifts and all. However, I probably didn't get enough coaching to protect my form. Last autumn, I started to up my weights game, splitting my upper body days into different sections, saving my cardio for the odd gym class or run. However, after starting my #100daysofyoga challenge, I realised that my increased gym time was conflicting with my yoga practice -both in terms of actual time, and in how I felt in my body and flexibility. I also found that leg day and I weren't getting on -I'm naturally pear shaped anyway, so want to get my upper body to balance out my lower half, plus my strongly arched back (I have an over-emphasised lumbar lordosis) is prone to strains from deadlifts and lunges. That being said, the last thing I wanted was to become a cardio bunny -I like feeling strong!

Fitness: how I balance yoga with weights and cardio for a balanced approach to health. Via @eleanormayc

Fitness: how I balance yoga with weights and cardio for a balanced approach to health. Via @eleanormayc

I was quite inspired by the online fitness community -Kayla is obviously a very famous example of this, and over summer I signed up to the 12 week Way of Grey program. Inspired by these and a few other trainers on Instagram, I decided to shake up my routine to hopefully achieve a better balance to my fitness.

Fitness: how I balance yoga with weights and cardio for a balanced approach to health. Via @eleanormayc

Health and fitness is, of course, a journey and not a destination and I will continue to make changes, some of which I'll mention at the end of this post. My key aim was to make my gym time more effective, without risking injury. I have started to increase the amount of HIIT and interval training that I do, supplementing with boxing, spin and pole classes.

Fitness: how I balance yoga with weights and cardio for a balanced approach to health. Via @eleanormayc

Fitness: how I balance yoga with weights and cardio for a balanced approach to health. Via @eleanormayc

Because core and upper body strength are things that I still want to build (hello forearm and handstands!), I am still doing a fair bit of arm training, and have upped my ab work into full sessions rather than a quick ten minutes after another workout. As my ab days are shorter than legs and arms, I like to pair them with a quick interval training session for a full body burn! I have refocused my leg days to train use bodyweight and plyometrics whilst still using some weighted exercises. This has given me more time for my yoga practice, which has been lovely!

Fitness: how I balance yoga with weights and cardio for a balanced approach to health. Via @eleanormayc

I have been surprised to have started to noticed some results in my stomach, my yoga has improved and I still feel strong. I know I'll never be the fastest runner, the strongest lifter or the bendiest yogi, but I'm really happy with the balance I have building. I feel my healthiest yet, and in a maintainable, enjoyable way. And ultimately, that is the most important thing -because it doesn't matter what kind of exercise you do to be healthy. Whatever makes you feel good is your brand of healthy, and that's perfect.

Would you like to hear more about my fitness routines? Comment below if you'd like to see more regular features, workouts and updates!

Outfit:
Jumper - Zara, Top - H&M, 7/8 Tights - Sweaty Betty, Shoes - Nike

Thanks to Miriam of  The English Mademoiselle Diaries for the photographs!

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1 Comments:

At 8 March 2016 at 20:11 , Blogger Colin said...

I agree what ever makes you happy is most important. It's also good to be trying different things. Glad it's working out forbid so far. #hbloggers

Colin - fit2thrive.co.uk

 

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