Rest Day Exercise to improve Stamina and Core ... - Couch to 5K
Rest Day Exercise to improve Stamina and Core Strength. Do You or Don't You ?
Please select all that apply:
I do a core stability class every week. I have to go to a class otherwise I can not be trusted to keep up with the exercises 😀.
I go to the gym and do work on strength, core and upper body (working on my bingo wings 😂).
I have to!!
Weekly Pilates only. I know I should do more 🤔🙄
Invariably yes, but not really purposefully; I do yoga most days to keep me sane/help me sleep, and end up walking locally to get some fresh air. Both of which probably count; maybe not against stamina 
I used to but got fed up with the comments from the rest of the family - don't you think running is enough, laughter, annoyance at roll mat in dining area, sarcasm, etc. Sad face.
That's awful👎 can you find time when the buggers are not around? They'll be laughing on the other side of their face when they reach the same age.
Such a shame they can't support your efforts. 😕
A local yoga or Pilates class out of the house would be good but they are all during the day round here. Do these people not realise some of us have to work? Oh to be a lady of leisure.
We have to have something to look forward to in retirement!! 🤣🤣🤣
That’s why I do an online membership, to a lady I used to go to 5 miles away. She has all the exercises videoed on her site, with varying levels and focussing on various areas, there are relaxation exercise, recipes, all sorts of health tips. And she does a live video link every Monday and answers any questions and works on specific things we requested. She has people in America and all over the world doing it as well as in UK.
I can pick and choose which ones to do and when and revisit as often as I want.
Yes you should be supported in your efforts by your family. It’s hard enough trying to motivate yourself. Take it like a duck with a wet back and do it anyway. That’s hurled from my greenhouse where I’m currently drinking beer and thinking I need to start doing something on my rest days.
I think it's a mechanism of their jealousy that they are not willing or motivated to exercise with me.
I have a greenhouse too but it is too full this time of year to exercise in and I don't drink beer!
I think you're right. Don't let them win!!👍😉
Mine’s a metaphorical greenhouse I probably shouldn’t be throwing stones of advice from. Exercising with you is maybe asking too much but they should be applauding your efforts not undermining them. Remember the duck? Perhaps you’re being over sensitive.
Don’t let your family put you down. They are just feeling bad because they are doing what they should to be fit and healthy. There is a brilliant psychologist who explains this and gives advice how to deal with family on you tube and a pod cast. One lecture I’d called Getting Along Without Going Along
Thanks - it's a long video, I need to find some secret time to watch it!
Get back on it, and ignore the comments. My bunch all fell off their perches laughing when I told them I was starting C25K in February 2015. I ignored them, and they will have a fourth HM medal shoved into their faces in six weeks' time. "Resist.... prove that you exist.... " (excellent 1980's French pop song by France Gall) put it on and awaken the rebel in you. youtube.com/watch?reload=9&...
When I completed c25k, I liked running so much that I asked my doctor if I could run every day. She said NO! so I don't--I walk a couple miles instead.
Weekly yoga and Pilates classes
I do Pilates 3 times a week and sometimes a yoga class and a swim (yes I really went for it on April when all this started!). Some of these coincide with run days too due to grandchildren commitments. Does grandchildren herding count too 😆
Absolutely!
I do a spin class twice a week, a mile swim once a week, plus I do weights After my runs. 😊 variety is good! 😍
Yoga every week & walking!
At the moment I only walk on non run days but I know I’d benefit from a Pilates class or similar. I’m on the look out for something convenient ☺️
Nothing at all. And I know I should.
I'm the same Jay. By the looks of things I think we should. 😕
Not stamina, but strengthening and Pilates
I picked up an injury 5 weeks into C25K - it cost me £120 for 3 sessions of laser treatment to speed up recovery (I’m an impatient sort), two weeks out of training and the necessity to go back to week 3 to make sure I was properly better. It taught me that it was worth a bit of extra work to avoid further injury. I bought a 30 day pilates core strength programme dvd. I hated it. But I stuck at it. I’ve just bought a new book that contains strength exercises specifically for runners. I’ve not had another injury so fingers crossed....the only time I can do it is at 6am due to being a mum of two toddlers and work so the only injury is me beating myself up when I can’t be arsed to get out of bed....
A rest day is a rest day. Feet up, slob about, eat pizza, drink wine. 😊 No point in going too crazy with all this fitness lark. 😃 I’m most definitely Gary the Gremlin on my rest days. I ate an entire large pizza last night with several glasses of good quality red wine. 😘
I am with you. I run to compensate for the not so good stuff I do the rest of the week. But I do walk everyday
Gary says he got given the wrong human because he loves wine and pizza and sloping about. He's going to ask to swap with your gremlin.
Strengthening stuff given to me by the man who did my gait analysis! I walk a lot too. 👟👟
I try to do at least one yoga and one Pilates each week. Plus lots of walking! I also do knee strengthening exercises almost daily....... physio instructions 😀
Press-ups and simple weights exercises to build up my core strength (as advised by sports massage therapist to deal with chronic hamstring/calf problems); I also try to walk a few miles, cycle or swim at least once or twice a week.
I have done nothing but run, but in week 8 I started to get lower back pain. It’s taken a week off running for it to return to normal. I think I need to start some core excercises to stop this happening again.
I've been learning to swim so have lessons twice a week. Lots of fun and just about cracking front crawl!
Btw, swimming teacher moans a lot about my running, says it causes bad form and I should quit for more swimming. I nod politely and carry on running...😂
I'd love to, but I always remember as I turn out the light...
Golf 3 times a week (more stress on this ankles and knees up and down hills!), at the moment that’s it, but have got my son’s set of weights out of the cupboard and been pondering doing something with them 😊
Zumba once a week, weights as and when I remember and old school cardio (bikes, rowing machine etc) once a week as well as daily walking.......apart from today when I decided to hide from the rain.
Lots of walking on rest days, and Pilates once a week. Love the running 😎🌻
I try to get some kettlebell work outs in. I manage most of the time
I already had a gym routine for cardio and strength before starting on my C25k journey and I’m sticking to that.
No exercise though I do 2 hours of morris dancing practice per weekly on one of the rest days
Surely that counts as exercise? 😀
Yay! Another Morris dancer on here. Keep on jingling.
I'm also 61 going on 62, having danced for 40+ years. My aim is to be dancing into my 70s so I thought doing C25K might help me to accomplish this. Certainly has helped but morning after practice is always hard coming down the stairs. I have a rest Day after practice night before I do my second 5K of the week. Keep on running and dancing!
Lots of walking (does that count?). And occasionally I work with weights. And once in a blue moon I try to do the plank.
There's a modified plank which is (a bit) easier 👍😉
What is it? do tell!! 😀💪
This is the closest I can find to what I do but in my one you don't have to keep your toes on the floor either.
Depends on time. I swim on a couple of my rest days but I’ve always swam so not sure this really counts. Sometimes walk but think I need to be more intentional maybe??
I do Pilates with an online membership, as I could never be bothered with the hassle of driving to a class 5 miles away. I do leg strengthening exercise, core strength and spine mobility. And sometimes relaxation ones too. About an hour to 90 mins alternate days. More since I’ve been on the IC.
I do a 7 min core exercise routine from YouTube. It’s hard to deny yourself doing just 7 minutes, (but I still do occasionally 😳). I find this also helps to burn off the hightened energy after a really good run the day before and you want to go back out and run again, but you know you shouldn’t. ❤️
Could you send the link please?
Not sure if it’s allowed, but this is the one I try to do. There are many more so I switch them up sometimes too! youtu.be/r8cexmYOknI
Thanks for the link!
I have never been one to stick to standard exercise routines; I like to think I can handle ANYTHING for seven minutes...
That’s my philosophy too! 😉❤️
I started c25k with nhs strength and flexibility. Since finishing final week 5 of s&f I’ve tried a few apps but not settled into anything yet. I think I need to do something to keep me active 6 days a week. I still enjoy the couch most but I need to do something to get me off it a little every day.
I don’t but I know I should!
I go for walks on my lunch break, and do yoga once a week using the Down Dog app. Classes are not my thing 😕
I'm lucky... or not, my work is physical so most days are a workout in themselves. My Garmin regularly logs 30 to 75 "intensity minutes" during a busy working day.
I also do set stretches and yoga every night before bed.
I frequently do added cardio,especially if I'm feeling too light on activity or work has been too easy/quiet.
I do yoga, if I’ve recovered from the run 😉
Walk a mile and a half to work every week day and do a bit of YouTube yoga twice a week. Not sure that counts so I replied no on the poll...
Twice a week i do an MMA upper body and core program, i let the running and cycling take care of lower body ☺☺
I used C25K as an extension to the exercises I had already been doing for some time before I started the C25K training course. Apart from the cycling and long walks which I have been doing for decades. When I got the Internet there was a particular topic on how over 60's can and could keep fit. They suggested if you don't go to the gym, at home you could do push-ups, sit-ups, planks and yoga exercises. So I have been doing those exercises now for the last couple of years and have lost a little weight as well. I was never overweight in the first place, perhaps all those exercises helped me when I was doing the 9 weeks of C25K, I did not need to repeat any weeks at all.
Unless you count Morris dancing, which I do on Wednesdays between my Monday/Tuesday and Thursday runs. But the Morris came first, so it's not to build stamina!
Yes, I currently try to cycle to and from work twice a week - weather dependant, I’m a fair weather cyclist, 12 Mile round trip. I also stretch and do weights/core exercises on my run days....
I'm doing a Kiltwalk on 19 Aug - just under 26 miles - so rest days are walking days to build up stamina!
I know I should but I'm not sure what. I hate classes and I'm not sure what else would be useful - is cycling OK?
I run one 5 km one 3 km and do a 1 000 skips on the other days ... hoping the skipping will improve my fitness! Skipping i hope will also increases core strength and run economy. 😆 I do find the jogging in the winter complex. Trying to decide when I should run etc ... in the southern hemisphere 😆
I don't at the moment - but come September - I'm signing up for a yoga or pilates class (whichever I can find to do on my day off). Difficult trying to fit it all in but will will get to it soon as I get that it's important.
Have been trying to do either 30 mins beginners aerobics, strength and flexibilty podcasts or a 10 minute of abs excercise when I can. Also trying to cycle a bit more often. Wouldn't say I do this every day though and on holiday this week though so all has gone a bit pear shaped, oh dear!
Limited. But I try to do some back and knee exercises to improve strength and flexibility.
For about 6 weeks I've been cycling for about 45 minutes on most non-running days. It has really helped with my running - I get less tired and without trying to am running a bit faster.
Hello, do yoga twice a week in a class, both quite different approaches but like them both, as need discipline of a class, otherwise wouldn’t do it.
I do relatively gentle Hatha yoga once or twice a week via a DVD at home and non impact exercises, core strength floor work and weights once or twice a week when I’m at the gym.
Thought the poll implied something specific referred to in the app. Voted ‘no’ because I don’t do anything specifically on ‘rest’ days, but I do do a spinning class, a yoga class, Pilates and regular dog walks each week (if they count!)
And what’s that creepy picture to the left of my username?!
Aqua fit for me.
Day on day off and stretch before and after.
I don’t but I should. I do walk every day though.
Go to Gym for an hours workout on rest day but admit I do tend to concentrate on building leg muscles
You appear to have two more polls on the same subject but I can't do anything with them
I do now after my left hip started to give me problems. Been working on glute bridges, clam shell, dead bug, lunges and side kicks to strengthen and wake up my gluteus maximus, medius and minimus as the effects of sitting at my desk is having an adverse effect on my running form
Walking 18000 steps every day
I do a weekly Pilates class and have been fitting in whatever walking and cycling I can around work. 😄
OK. Started today,
3 sets of 5 press ups.
It's a start. ☺️👍
Brilliant
I've got two 2 ltr water bottles.
Doing 3 reps of 10curls
3reps of 10lifts
3reps of 10 push ups.
Also got abs wheel.
Doing 3 reps 10.
It's not a lot at the moment but we'll see how it goes.
It's nice to be doing something with my body and not just sitting here day after day getting larger. ☺️👍
Sounds great to me...
Pilates once a week which I've done for a few years, I think it saved me from running injuries when I started c25k, and walking. And I started zumba, once I got to week 6 or so, it would have killed me before! On the IC now so back to pilates only at the mo.
Great stuff.. we do what we can whilst on that blinking IC, don't we?
Yes we do, modifying the exercises where necessary, but I do not want to seize up like the Tin Man! 
Pilates & swimming for me Oldfloss ...not every rest day, I like a day of complete rest (exerciseless) 😴
I know I should, but one frozen shoulder stubbornly not responding to rest and recuperation means it has fallen by the wayside. Guilty and not proud of it
i need to though....
Gym, although I haven't been for the last few weeks because I've been working away. I found that as I upped the running distance I sagged! My core was weak and going to the gym to do upper body and core exercises helps. I want to go swimming once a week as well, and I have recently found some yoga stretches that I want to include too. And... there are days when I don't do anything and my step count only just passes 2,000 
I do an upper body and core workout plus a little leg strengthening most non run days at home, but bootcamp once a week which is mostly circuits rather than high impact, either instead of a run out instead of the home workout. Watching my arm muscles become defined is my favourite bit. 😂 Nothing on Sundays.... Which is the worst!
I have added some weight exercise for my upper arms, whilst on the IC... it is great to see things improve isn't it..
My couch to 5k recommended I took a rest day so I did
I should do but don't. If I can do 3 runs a week, plus a couple of 3 mile walks I'm happy for the time being. I do miss my longer & faster 4 to 5 mile walks but not ready for those on rest days yet!
I'm very disciplined about exercise because I have only one body and it's mine and I want to keep it fit and healthy for as long as possible so for me exercise is an investment.
I believe in moving the body every single day and so on "rest" days I go to the gym to do weights, some cardio and other gym stuff. I also do Reformer Pilates which has done wonders for my core and smaller muscles we often don't work. It's also given me an extra inch in height because my posture has improved so much! I work hard physically in the garden most days, even in winter, and generally move around a lot. I also do strengthening exercises every day for whatever part of my body needs it at that time which can vary from month to month 🙄
Running has made me more aware of my body and a greater appreciation for what it can do.
I do try to take a complete "rest" day every now and again when I flop on the sofa and read or watch back to back series but it doesn't happen very often as I stiffen up if I don't move.
I have to be honest, I haven't done regular rest day exercise. I've done the odd bit here and there when I felt inspired though, and various stretches. I've even *gasp* run on my rest day a couple of times, but we don't talk about such naughty behaviour on C25K do we?
All that will, I really hope, change now, as that is one of my goals for this month!
Watch this space
I do a body coach work out 2 or 3 times a week and have just started to add some kettlebell strength work too, also walk as well .. also plank and do mountain climbers most nights and now starting a 4 week wall sit challenge lol oh and run 😊😊
I do kettlebells at least once a week on non-run days and up to 50miles commuting on my bike. My legs don’t get that much rest!
Lift weights 3 to 6 times a week
Yoga, swimming, and some walking, every day including run days.
