HEALTH & FITNESS:

This page is devoted to Health and Fitness. All things of Health and Fitness: Strength and stamina workout; Aerobic weightlifting workout; Flexibility workout; Muscle building with flexibility; Strength and flexibility exercises; Exercise equipment; Aerobic weightlifting training program; Sports equipment; Sportswear; How to win in sports, etc.

Exercise Program:

DAY #1: It is wintertime right now and that is a great time to set up an exercise program to maintain physical conditioning and even improve over the winter months. By the time spring arrives there will be less conditioning to do... Also, please note that this exercise program is meant for teenagers and adults... I am showing my own personal exercise training I have used over the years for myself.

Disclaimer: I am not a certified personal trainer so realize the information on this site is just my own personal example of exercise I use and isn't designed for anyone else. You will have to take into consideration your own health and fitness level to know where to proceed with your own exercises.

This site shows the "Level 1" Fitness Exercise Program I personally have used since I was a teenager and stuck with and use whenever I need to get into shape. Though I am a man, I probably would use the same exercise routine even if I were a woman. It isn't an exercise program to get into the top physical condition but used as the first level of fitness that I want to maintain for myself at all times. I use it as a base level of my own physical conditioning and to get into shape in the off season to prepare for sports or just during the part(s) of the year when my physical activity bottoms out otherwise.

(The exercise program and techniques shown on this site are to show strength and stamina workouts that maintain flexibility to avoid becoming muscle bound with overly developed muscles. In most sports flexibility is required to play and compete effectively. In the coming days and weeks this exercise program will be spelled out. Content will be added throughout each week...)

DAY #2: Getting started with my exercise routine. First thing, I need my exercise bike for the aerobic part of my conditioning. A treadmill or a stair climber exercise machine would do me good, too. I have my exercise bike, though. It has served me well over the years. I'm sticking with it.

I used to use a basic exercise bike years and years ago when I first began this type of conditioning, but it has been replaced with one (I am now realizing how long I have had this bike) I got 20-years ago--wow, has it been that long ago... Okay, yes it has... The bike is looking good and still works well... Last time I used it was in the middle of the dreaded COVID-19 pandemic in 2021. Time to get back on it and begin the exercise program again... The exercise bike is a "Level 1 Fitness Magnetic Resistance" brand/model. Though this model and brand is long since gone from stores to buy, there are many similar to this one available at stores and online $100 and up...

Before tomorrow arrives, though, it is a good idea to start getting into the proper mindset to begin this exercise program. I want to continue it once I begin and to stick with it until I am at least back into that desired physical condition I am seeking through this exercise routine. I have a schedule to keep and to stick to that will last 3 weeks at least up to 8 weeks before I get to that plateau of health and fitness to where I can say that I am now ready to take on that sport season that is coming up or maybe just to get back into Spring Season shape before the summer hustle and bustle sets in when I will probably be too busy for my exercising again until the next Fall or Winter. If I continue into the summer, it will be a toned-down exercise routine to just keep my established condition maintained. This is an annual pattern that cycles on and off each year. Okay. Now I keep this in mind as I prepare to start my exercise program again for this current winter...

This exercise schedule will be described in more detail in the coming days and weeks. For now, it is time to get it started. I start out easy and slowly and gradually build up the exercising to longer time and more exertion. At the start, I take it easy to avoid over doing it and getting burned out, and to avoid injury. The first day of actually exercising is just stretching for approximately 10-15 minutes and then a short time on the exercise bike. Depending how I feel about my current health condition it could be 5 minutes on the bike at "low-to no" resistance. If I feel that I am ready for more exertion, then it will be 10-15 minutes on the exercise bike at "low-to no" resistance. I just want to get the exercising started again at the very beginning of resuming this exercise program. I want to get myself wanting to exercise and leave each day after exercising for that day with the desire to exercise some more the next day. This exercise program involves 5-6 days a week and up to 1 hour for exercise on bike riding days. Every other day is for an aerobic weightlifting and exercise bike routine that really gets my cardiovascular system in shape. The aerobic exercising will be started at a slow easy pace, too---then gradually built up to 1-1/2 hours at the longest.

The next step in my preparation for my exercise routine is to get my exercise clothes ready and to find a place inside the house where I want to do my stretching. I have at least a few pairs of gym type shorts, sweatpants, sweatshirts, many t-shirts, cotton crew length socks, and various tennis/basketball/running shoes that I can wear while exercising. I am good to go on the exercise clothing. I also start thinking about what time of the day I should exercise--it has to fit in with my normal schedule. Usually, I have exercised at the end of the day waiting at least a couple of hours after suppertime--I'll plan to start with that time schedule once again this current winter since it has always worked for me in the past. I don't have to stretch where I ride the exercise bike, but I like to if at all possible. For now, I will probably stretch on the floor in a spare room in the house since the area around the exercise bike in the basement is too crowded for now. Stretching is before the workout to loosen up my muscles and tendons etc. and to get my blood circulating faster to prepare for the exercising workout, and then after the workout just the same as a cool down from exercising. To properly stretch I need to have a small open area at least on the floor where I can do the standing up type stretches and also the laying down type of stretches, and any calisthenics that are added after the exercise routine gets more intense such as sit-ups and pushups. There are a few places I can do this at inside the house in the spare rooms and I can adjust daily. I may want to find a cushioned mat to use on the floor where there is bare concrete or tile or wood floor. I should be alright for the first week without it though... I am now ready for tomorrow. The day that the exercising actually begins. Okay...

DAY #3: First day of exercising after a long layoff from any... Today, just a mild workout to see where I am at and then I can plan a workout schedule for the next 6-8 weeks. After getting into my exercise clothes (sweatpants, t-shirt, white crew socks, and running shoes) I begin the workout. An open spot on the living room floor in front of the TV will be fine. Here I stretch for about 10 minutes. Toe touches, windmills with my arms, etc. Both laying down stretches and standing up stretches. Stretching my legs, arms, back, hamstrings, etc.

Next, I head downstairs to the exercise bike. As soon I begin peddling the exercise bike, I can tell that I have a lot of work ahead of me to get back into my physical conditioning I want to be in. I start peddling with no resistance for this first workout (and for the first 2-3 weeks on the next workouts usually). I want to gradually work my way up to 20 minutes with no resistance before I begin adding resistance to the exercise bike wheel. This time around for this winter, I can tell that I will need an extra week to get up to the 20-minutes with no resistance--four weeks should get me there. I cut my time back for this time to just 5-minutes. I am riding at 22-23.5 mph for the full 5-minutes, and I am feeling okay. I coast for another minute to cool down going approx. 15 mph.

Now, I head back upstairs and stretch out once again to cool down from the workout and to avoid any injuries, etc. I feel fine. Light stretching for 10-minutes. Next, I am ready to assess the workout and make a plan for my schedule of my exercise program for this winter.

After thinking about my exercise workouts of the past and the program I have always used before, I know that I need an extra week before adding resistance on the exercise bike wheel. The resistance simulates riding a bike up a hill or against the wind. More exertion is required with more resistance, and I need some extra time before I can ride hard and long (20-30 minutes) on the exercise bike after not exercising for a few years. Once I get into shape, I can ride for 20-30 minutes with substantial resistance like riding up a steep hill. That is my goal to get to that plateau of conditioning once again. I know that I need 4-weeks to get to 20-minutes of riding with no resistance and after a full week of that I will begin adding resistance. The first week with resistance (probably in the 5th week into this exercise program this winter) I will back down to 5-10 minutes and ride with some resistance and assess how I feel then. It may take another 4-weeks to get back up to 20-minutes riding with resistance. The plan is that I get to a new plateau of fitness and then gradually increase exertion to get to strive for the next plateau of conditioning. Time will tell how long it will take to get to the goal. Probably 8-weeks.

The riding of the exercise bike workout is just half of this program. The other half is the aerobic weightlifting and calisthenics workout. These workouts alternate each day and usually 3 of each per week but 2 of each at least. The workouts gradually increase in exertion until I reach the overall desired physical conditioning plateau.

For today, I am done exercising. A mild workout for the exercise bike riding workout to assess my current fitness condition. I am glad I started now instead of waiting until later this winter--I will need extra workouts to reach my goal.

Tomorrow, I will begin the aerobic weightlifting and calisthenics workout and will also start with a mild workout to assess my fitness conditioning for these workouts and then make a schedule to plan for the next 6-8 weeks for these aerobic workouts. I have all winter to get reach my fitness goal. Glad I started early...

Recently I bought a new pair of running shoes for my workouts--New Balance. They were on sale and a great bargain at $32 regularly $69.99. I have basketball shoes, but I wanted some running shoes to workout in and found these online. Great price for a very comfortable pair of running shoes.

DAY #4: This is the first workout day for the aerobics weightlifting and calisthenics so it will also be a minimal workout to assess where my conditioning is to make a plan for the rest of this season of workouts. First, after getting in my workout clothes, I start by stretching out in the open space on the floor in the living room once again. Just 10 minutes of stretching out both standing up and laying down on the floor. Loosen up the muscles, stretch the hamstrings, and get the blood flowing... Maybe even start sweating...

Then I start the weightlifting by using a set of dumbbells with 13.5-kg (approx. 30-lbs.) of weight on each. This is where I plan on starting out with my curl exercises for the aerobic workout. This workout is a "minimal", so I am going with 5 reps (# times curling before stopping) and 4 sets (4 times of the 5 reps) at the 30-lbs. of curls. The sets have approx. 30-40 seconds in between each which is used for riding the exercise bike for 30 seconds. Right after these another 5 reps in the next set is done until all 4 sets are done and riding the exercise bike for 30 seconds in between sets. This gets my cardiovascular system working faster to exercise my heart and lungs and gets the blood circulating really well.

I want to find out my current fitness level and then make my plan for subsequent workouts. In the future, more exercises will be added to the workouts including pushups and sit-ups and probably more weightlifting such as bench press, military press, more curling, and possibly other weightlifting. After each set, the exercise bike is ridden for 30 seconds. Also, for 2 minutes at each the beginning and end of the workout. Overall, I just want to keep it to 1-1/2 hours maximum workout time for the aerobics weightlifting and calisthenics. I am just wanting to get to that plateau of conditioning I want to be in for the so-called level 1 of fitness...

After going through this workout, I have found that I am in better condition than I expected. The weightlifting and exercise bike riding were not overly exertive at all. No injuries. No pain. Just starting to sweat a little. I am confident that I will be able to add to the workout for next time. Next aerobics workout I am planning on increasing the curling reps to 8 and 4 sets. "Minimal" pushups and sit-ups will also be added--probably 5 reps of each and 4 sets of each.

Today, is just a "minimal" workout for assessment and next time the workout will be more intensive. The workouts will gradually increase in intensity and exertion to avoid injuries and avoid becoming burned out with exercising. Tomorrow will be the exercise bike workout at 5 minutes again--"minimal" for this week and increased to 10 minutes for next week... Alternating each workout from exercise bike to aerobics to exercise bike to aerobics, etc...

DAY #5+: Continue on. Maintain and build upon the gain day by day, and week by week. Getting in shape for the spring...