Can I exercise more?

[AlphaFemal]

Hi everyone! I’m starting the program tomorrow so fingers crossed please! My question is, I’ve been doing aerohiit and body project workout YouTube videos 5x week + 1x yoga, resting on Sunday. Now starting this Couch to 5k program, can I still exercise more than what is given? I guess I need to add that I’m obese with 90kg and want&need to loose weight. Let me know your thoughts on this!

[Dtay1978 Graduate]

I would see how it goes. Running is a whole different ball game to most other forms of exercise, especially when the distance starts to increase. What you don’t want to do is put to much stress on your body and pick up an injury because then you won’t be doing any exercise 🙂

[Midgeymoo17]

Without looking up aerohiit- it sounds like that may include a fair bit of jumping/high impact work. It is unadvisable to do more high impact work with the running.

Doing the Yoga should be absolutely okay.

If you have a bike, a bike ride on you rest days is a good low impact exercise. Or just walking- find your nearest hill and walk a few times up it.

[Hidden]

I def would say you just need the runs and then walks on rest day’s, I mix it up with heavy gardening and cleaning enthusiastically on my rest day’s too x

[GoogleMe Graduate]

Not quite clear what you are asking... if you are asking whether you can 'mess with the programme' as it were and skip the parts of the programme which require non-running days then no, whilst the police will not arrive on your doorstep, you should not. *Especially* because of the hint that your motivation is to lose weight as quickly as possible. If you mean can you do C25K as well as other exercise then yes you can (and arguably 'should' since running isn't the strength and flexibility work we all need as well as cardio, and S&F supports the running) As others have suggested, high impact stuff besides running may need to be timed carefully or cut back on.

Rushing is a fast track to having to spend more time on the couch or at least to boom and bust and those are not usually an aid to weight loss. The C25K programme is about training your body and your mind, including building a regular sustainable activity habit into your life.

(FWIW I started weighing 90+kgs. It took me 2 years to get to healthy BMI, obviously by eating less too (there's no skipping that either) but most of that weight has stayed off)

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

Welcome to the forum and well done on your decision.

This guide to the plan is essential reading healthunlocked.com/couchto5...

and includes advice on minimising impact, stretching after every run, hydration and strengthening exercises, all of which will help.

When you run, the impact creates microtears in your muscles, which repair and strengthen on your rest days, not while running. Without rest, repair and strengthening are compromised and injury risk increased, although non impact exercise will be beneficial.

Enjoy your journey.

[Madgey Graduate]

I would say yes - so long as you listen to your body. During lockdown, I have alternated running 1 day and a Zoom exercise class on the other days. They are very different types of exercise. I still have a rest day once a week. Good luck with the weight loss and as important - getting fitter.

[Blackberrypie Graduate]

I had a daily yoga practice before I started C25k and I still do a full yoga routine on running rest days, plus doing a shorter yoga practice for my post-run stretching. It seems to help manage any stiffness and builds up strength and flexibility. I sometimes go for a walk on rest days if I feel I've been sitting at my desk all day and haven't done enough.

[Comaltdel Graduate in reply to Blackberrypie]

May I enquire what Yoga practice you use? Is it YWA or your very own? Just nosy and interested! Thanks I'm currently W7R1 in...

[Blackberrypie Graduate in reply to Comaltdel]

Mostly Adriene, yes, though I go off piste and do my own thing a bit more these days. I like the YWA 20 min yoga for runners best for after running, though the 8 min runner's cool down is nice when I want something shorter. On the rest days I mostly work through the 30 day programmes (have done Home, True and about to finish Revolution).