Fitness For All Types (Continued)

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INTERMEDIATE LEVEL

We’ll classify the intermediate exerciser as someone who has been exercising steadily for at least six months. For those who have, it is likely that they have experienced a marked improvement in their physical condition, including a noticeable impact on glucose control, as well as an increase in strength and endurance. By this stage of the game, these folks are rather well versed in some of the more popular exercises and fitness routines, like balance ball exercises, yoga, or kickboxing. But, what they may be experiencing is something known as a fitness plateau - their results and progress suddenly hit a wall. Understandably, this can lead to a great deal of frustration. Apart from the dismay ushered in by the lack of new results, it’s quite common for people to also grow bored with their workout by this point. That’s why the primary purpose of the following workout is to help the more experienced exerciser break through these plateaus and make their workout fun again.

Try this routine to break things up a bit and achieve new results!

Monday

• Warm-up with 5 minutes of very light cardio (such as walking or riding a stationary bike)
• Begin resistance training:
  
  • 1 set of dumbbell bench press on Swiss ball (12-15 repetitions)
  • 1 set of dumbbell rows (12-15 repetitions)
  • 1 set of lunges with overhead dumbbell press (12 repetitions)
  • 1 light squats (15 repetitions)

• Repeat this entire resistance training circuit routine two times, resting only 30 seconds between each set.

Tuesday

• 10 minutes of moderate-intensity cardio
• 5 minutes of higher-intensity cardio
• 5 minutes of moderate-intensity cardio
• 5 minutes of higher-intensity cardio
• 2 minute cool down
• Begin abdominal training:
  
  • 1 set of the plank (hold for 20 seconds)
  • 1 set of lying leg raises (10 repetitions)
  • 1 set of Swiss ball crunches (max reps)

Wednesday - Off

Thursday

• Warm up with 5 minutes of very light cardio
• Begin resistance training:
• 1 set of push-ups (15 repetitions)
• 1 set of upright dumbbell rows (12-15 repetitions)
• 1 set of stiff-legged deadlifts (12 repetitions)
• 1 set of reverse lunges
• Repeat this entire resistance training circuit routine two times, resting only 30 seconds between each set.

Friday

• 2 minutes of jumping rope
• 1 minute of “mountain climbers”
• 1 minute of “burpees”
• 1 set of the plank (hold for 20 seconds)
• 1 set of Swiss ball crunches (max reps)

Repeat this cardio circuit a total of three times, resting for only thirty seconds after finishing the entire list of exercises each time. Do not rest in between individual exercises.

Abdominal training: Same as Tuesday

Follow this routine for 4 to 6 weeks, at which time you should begin changing your workout. Simple modifications to the number of sets and repetitions, mixing-and-matching exercises from one day to the other, and varying stances and grips are all easy ways to achieve further change.

Reviewed by Francine Kaufman, MD. 4/08