Since having been a baseball player in high school, I have tried to stick to a regular workout routine each week in order to maintain my health. I have found that I feel better when I work out on a regular basis and stay healthier. On top of this, I find that I am in a better emotional mood when I work out regularly.
My regular routine is composed of three workout sessions per week. Usually I work out on Monday, Wednesday or Thursday and then on Saturday. My workout consists of about 30 minutes to 1 hour of intense exercise that is preceded by about 10 to 15 minutes of stretching.
To make sure that I’m fully limber for my workout routine, I start with leg and arm stretches. I then move to stretching my torso and abdominal muscles. Finally, I stretch my neck and back out so that my body is fully stretched when I begin my workout session.
Because my time is often limited for my workout, I stick to performing the three basic exercises that are tested in the U.S. Coast Guard’s Physical Fitness Test. I start by performing two to three sets of 25 push ups each. This covers the workout needed for my arms, chest, and back muscles. Then I move to doing two to three sets of 25 situps or crunches each. This provides a workout for my back muscles and my abdominal muscle groups. Finally, I wrap up my workout with either a 1.5 mile run or a six mile bike ride. This provides a good cardiovascular workout and exercises my leg and lower torso muscles. The total time for my workout session is about 30 to 40 minutes.
Following my workout, I do my steam room and sauna routine if I have enough time in my schedule. I spend about 10 minutes in the steam room. Then I spend about 5 minutes in the sauna. I find that this helps to remove some toxins from my body and invigorates my senses. I also have learned that the steam room and sauna combination that I use helps to keep my weight down because it removes water weight from my body. This is healthy for me because it helps me to maintain an overall healthy weight level.
Once my steam room and sauna routine is over, I take a quick shower in the locker room. A shower not only refreshes me from the workout, but it also helps to keep me clean for the rest of my day. Once this is done, my workout routine is finished.
I have chosen to workout about every other day or two for a couple of reasons. One reason is that it is hard for me to fit more than about three hours per week into my schedule for working out. Another reason is that a day or two of rest allows my body to recover from the exercise routine that I put it through on my workout days. I have read that many doctors and trainers recommend a rest day between workout days.
In the end, you may find that my workout routine works as well for you as it has for me. If not, that’s okay because you need to find a workout routine that works for you. If you are having trouble developing a workout routine, then find a friend who already works out and try their routine. Another idea that is helpful is to work with a personal trainer to develop your own workout routine. Whatever you do, the most important thing to remember is to find some way to get at least a couple of hours of solid exercise in your schedule each week. If you do this, you are sure to find that you feel better and have an overall better emotional outlook.
Sources
Personal Experience
Stew Smith, “USCG Physical Fitness Assessment,” Military.com
“Health and Physical Education – Physical Fitness Exam,” U.S. Coast Guard Academy