Top 5 Strength exercises & Micro workouts

[skysue16]

I have been reading posts and watching exercise videos……and pondering 🤔 Why do I find it so hard to maintain a strength exercise routine? I made a lovely table to record my runs and exercises but even that failed (too busy at school, family commitments and then ill for a couple of weeks 🤧🙁)

So I have decided that the old adage ‘little and often’ might work better for me rather than trying to fit in specific sessions, 30/40 mins, three times a week. So for example I have been doing squats while I brush my teeth, calf raisers while cooking, standing pushups when out with the dog etc, throughout the day just mindful of keeping moving and taking opportunities. Imagine my surprise when I read a post about micro workouts! It is a thing 😂

So my question to you all….,,,which are your TOP 5 strength exercises? 🤔 and do you prefer a ‘full on’ session a few times a week or ‘micro’ sessions throughout the day/week?

Then of course I need to do stretching too…..🫣

Photo is of a regular dog walk where there are handy benches and gates 😊

*can someone explain how I can post this on other forums without having to write it again! 😂

[CBDB Administrator Graduate Gold]

I’ve been also thinking about micro workouts , but still have the majority of my S&F dedicated sessions. (And I don’t like planks and squats, they’re not my friends)

But for me my dedicated sessions fit. I do 2-3 runs/week in the morning (with post run stretches), 4-6 rows/week in the early evening (with post row stretches) and often I add a 5min dumbbell workout first thing in the morning and a 7 min Tibetan Rites in the evening.

I’ve got something else in my toolbox of fun workouts that I’m trying out with hubby at present (he likes 👍🏽), that could function as a micro workout session but I’m working on some posts to bring them to S&F as a little 3-week challenge. So I’m keeping stumm about those. 🤫🤐

Very interesting to ponder about micro workouts.

[CBDB Administrator Graduate Gold in reply to CBDB]

oh and I should say the 5-min dumbbell workout I do is the one from FitOn (free app), link is fiton.app/z3m4irs9?r=browse... but I think it only works if you have the app.

But after I have followed her video for a week, I set up my own pacing workout in another app, so I could listen to my own music.

Fiton Session

[Nous in reply to CBDB]

thanks for sharing this app 😀

[skysue16 in reply to CBDB]

WOW! You are so organised! You are really doing some amazing workouts - running and rowing too, very well done.

[CBDB Administrator Graduate Gold in reply to skysue16]

(Yeah, and I still feel I’m not fit or doing enough… 🤣🤣 … so still working on my S&F-confidence !

And I have a feeling your dog keeps you fit more than any of my workouts!

P.s. I also haven’t found a way to cross post to other forums. Only thing that works is go to edit your post, then copy all the content, close that browser window, and go to the other forum and paste text into a new post. You will have to type in a new title.

[skysue16 in reply to CBDB]

Thank you very much for the link. I have downloaded the app and will give it a go - certainly loads of workouts to choose from!! 👍

[Annieapple]

🍏Copy & paste with a fresh title as CBDB says, is the only way I think.… 🤣Glad that Micro Sessions are the new thing.. for once I am at the top of my game🤣 One of Oldfloss’s posts about that made me realise I was doing more S&F than I thought! The Tibetan rites suit me too! Easy to remember & quick to pop in on rest days.. I am wanting to get back into Foam Rolling exercises in the autumn, after reading an inspiring article on the internet recently… I too am a fan of pre & post run stretching .. if I can get S & F into my normal routine..it happens if I have to make an extra effort it doesn’t happen too often !!

[skysue16 in reply to Annieapple]

I haven’t tried the Tibetan rites 🤔 and must admit to not even having a foam roller I wouldn’t know where to start with one of those 🤣

[SueAppleRun]

I'm a micro session for everything fitness related, apart from running, I do like a long slow plod. Squats, standing push ups, calf raises, then I'll go in the sitting room and play with my kettlebell for a few minutes, I'm fitter than I was 5 years ago and stronger too so it's good to know micro sessions are a thing now 😁

[skysue16 in reply to SueAppleRun]

Great to hear you are fitter than 5 years ago- well done for keeping up with the strength and flex exercises. Do you like planks? I used to do them regularly but have got out of the habit.

[SueAppleRun in reply to skysue16]

I sometimes like planks but I'm a bit lazy, the intention is there more often than the actuality 🤣

[skysue16 in reply to SueAppleRun]

🤣 💪

[MrBassmanjazz]

Hi Sue

If you select all with the mouse and do CTRL-C, (Copy), (Hold the Control Key and press 'c')

Then click into the new post and do CTRL-V, (Paste).

Et voila!

You will get everything, including the emojis, but not the picture.

[skysue16 in reply to MrBassmanjazz]

Thank you so much for replying. I mostly use my phone for HU so apparently I can go to edit and copy…..👍😊

[Cmoi]

Hi  skysue16 , re cross-posting, personally I think it's rarely a good idea to repeat the entire content of a post across all forums, unless it's of general importance and interest. I think it's preferable to write a brief new post including a link to the original post, then people who are interested can follow and reply there.

Personally I don't even do five strength exercises, let alone have a top 5!

[skysue16 in reply to Cmoi]

Thanks for your advice 👍😊

[Cmoi in reply to skysue16]

Sorry, forgot to mention: by doing a shorter post with a link to the original, you can potentially draw new people to a forum and all of its content. If you re-post the whole original post, then they have no need to go to look at that forum.

For me interactions between forums are more valuable than duplication across forums. I'll admit that I don't particularly want to read detailed posts about strength exercises on all the other forums, in the same way as I wouldn't expect or want to see S&F full of posts about running.

[skysue16 in reply to Cmoi]

You do some amazing stuff Cmoi and I love your relaxed attitude regarding strength training. I look at my ‘bat wings’ getting wobbly (and other bits 🤣) and don’t like it - hence the constant nagging in my mind that I should be doing exercises!!

[Cmoi in reply to skysue16]

Thanks skysue16 , that's very kind of you. In reality I've only just started getting back to running longer than 5-6k, as I've not been able to hack the heat we've had over here. In fact I very stupidly overdid it the other day, and ended up with symptoms of heat exhaustion. I had enough sensible brain left to realise I needed to dial things back, so walked most of the final km of my run.

Tbh it's not so much that I'm relaxed about strength exercises, it's that I find repetitions and most gym-type stuff monotonous, boring and frustrating. Even the word workout turns me off! Plus, if I'm honest, I'm overwhelmed and intimidated by many of the S&F posts. I'll do a bit of yoga occasionally, or squats while brushing my teeth, and I'll happily interrupt a run to walk along logs for balancing practice. But daily practices and monthly challenges etc send me running for the hills. Literally, in my case!

Enjoy your S&F activities!

[skysue16 in reply to Cmoi]

That’s exactly how I feel about reps and the ‘gym’ but pressure from internet and my own internal nagging makes me feel I should do more!

[Cmoi in reply to skysue16]

If doing more and/or listening to the "shoulds" would make you feel mentally or physically better I see that as a positive.

[Curlygurly2]

I'm terrible at keeping up on work outs. I was given a whole programme of exercises for my hip - osteoarthritis apparently, and guess what? I only did them all once, then did half one day and half the next...and even that slipped after a few weeks. I only have to miss one and they just slip away out of my mind!!

I started the 12 week push up challenge here on S&F, I liked it because my husband printed it out for me and I could tick off the days in a bright red pen. They meant I would do some other stuff too, squats, hip stuff, a bit of dumbbells etc... this has flown out of the window too now, I had a traumatic tooth extraction a couple of days ago, and know I shouldn't do any hard exercise for a few days in case I make it bleed, and I just don't feel like it anyway. Hopefully I'll get back on it in a few days.

[skysue16 in reply to Curlygurly2]

Oh no, sorry to hear about your tooth!! Poor you 😟 Well done for having a go at the push up challenge- yes, I find it easier to keep going if I have a paper plan and pictures 😂 I am sure you will get back to it when you are feeling better. Take care.

[Curlygurly2 in reply to skysue16]

Thank you SkySue, now I have a virus too, so a few days off... I'm walking though (in the rain!)

[skysue16 in reply to Curlygurly2]

Poor you…..Lots of viruses about at the moment 🙁🤒🤧

[Technoid]

I use this routine, resting alternate days, with a ~30 minute run.

m.youtube.com/watch?v=FO6Jx...(Not working as expected?)

[Nous in reply to Technoid]

thanks for sharing this strength routine Technoid 😀

[skysue16 in reply to Technoid]

Wow, great workouts! Thanks for sharing 😊