Level Five: Easy Jogging

(Easy jogging is almost like a shuffle, and your speed is not that much faster than a quick walk pace and remember to keep rolling from heel to toe)

Week One:

Monday: You can get an idea of where you are in your fitness level by repeating a one mile easy jog or if you would rather up the distance to 1 ½ miles then repeat same route or laps on track in 6 weeks.  Warm up half mile walk etc. then do your mile or mile and a half then cool down good and stretch.

Tuesday:  Good day for yoga class or video?  Or spend 15 minutes stretching and 15 minutes doing strength work like wall sits, wall push-ups, dips, walking lunges, tricep extensions, squats, floor or bench press etc.

Wednesday:  Jog 5 minutes easy then pick up pace for one minute, then ease off to slow shuffle for one minute then pick up pace again for one minute, after easing off for one minute pick up jogging pace for 2 minutes then ease back to shuffle or fast walk for 2 minutes and if you feel like you can handle more repeat the pickups again of 2 x 1 minute then 1 x 2 minute pick up.  Always end your workout with 5 or more minutes of easy jogging or fast walking and stretch.

Thursday: Either today or Friday off

Friday: If you took off yesterday, do 25 minutes of exercise video, or try my show, Fit and Fun or hit the weight room.

Saturday:  Today or Sunday go on what you consider a long jog for you.  Start out fast walking and get into jog then half way through stop and walk a few minutes and then get back into the easy jogging stride.

Sunday: rest day

Week Two:

Monday: Jog hilly route, and if you have to fast walk up the hills or slow shuffle then jog the downhills.  Don’t make the downhills too too steep.  If they are steep then walk down the hills.  Or if you have area that is flat with one hill jog 15-20 minutes then do 4 x repeat of hill jog using arms a lot to get up hill then walk/jog back down.  Make workout total of 30-35 minutes.

Tuesday: Easy day or off

Wednesday:  Circuit training day.   Try biking on stationary or jogging easy on treadmill or through house 5 minutes and stretch, next move to another aerobic area like bike if you warmed up on treadmill, and do 2 minutes easy 1 minute fast 1 minute easy 1 minute fast and 1 minute easy, now move to step (aerobic step) or use hearth or stairs, and go up and down 3 minutes.  Then go to weights and do 2 exercises 2 x 10 reps each.  Now start over again with the bike or treadmill, step, weights etc. Make entire workout 30 minutes to 40 minutes.

Thursday: Good day for long stretch or yoga

Friday;  15-20 minute good clip on a jog

Saturday or Sunday:  Add 5 more minutes or ½ mile to longest jog distance.  Again its fine to stop and walk every 5 minutes of a little while then get back into jogging. Take other day off

Listen to your body.  If you start feeling an ache or pain, don’t ignore it.  If it persists after resting a few days then see your doctor.  Trying to “run” through an injury only makes it worse.

Week Three:                                     

Monday:  Jog 1 mile easy, now run a half-mile at a good effort.  Walk or slow jog 5 minutes and try another half mile at a good effort.  If you normally take 11-12 minutes to do each mile then try to run your half mile in 5 minutes or little slower.  Cool down good and stretch afterwards.

Tuesday: Choice (Exercise classes are fun and motivating)

Wednesday:  jog easy 30 minutes and stretch Achilles and do 3 sets 12 AB curls and wall pushups and walking lunges.

Thursday: Your choice or off if you ran Tuesday

Friday: 15-20 minute good pace jog, or go for a fast 35 minute walk!

Saturday/Sunday: Stick to same length of a long run this weekend too.   Try to shuffle/jog more than you walk.

Week Four:

Remind yourself to make a plan to “fit” in your workouts this week with your schedule.

Monday:  Jog easy 5 minutes or half mile then do 4 x 1 ½ minute “pickups” faster jog pace and in-between slow jog or fast walk 1 ½ minutes.  Do AB curls once you are done.15-20 Minutes of something aerobic and 5 –10 minutes of strength work.

Tuesday:  day off if you need one.

Wednesday: Try a kickboxing class or watch Fit and Fun.  Even tai-bo tape good but I think the back kicks can be hard on your back.

Thursday: 2-3 miles walking/jogging.  Stretch your lower legs good afterwards.

Friday: Off

Saturday: Add ¼ mile to longest jog.   If you need to stop for water breaks that is fine and dandy.   But don’t stop more than minute at a time. 

Sunday:  Off or something active and fun with family. Plan a hike for next week.

If you want to build up to longer distance runs or races, just up your one long run a week gradually.  Increasing your speed and or endurance too quickly will lead to injury.

Week Five:

Monday: walk then jog easy for 5 minutes.  Next do 4 x 45-second pick up pace with only 45 seconds rest between.  The rest part you should still be moving in a fast walk or super slow jog.    Then after jogging slowly for a few minutes try to repeat the workout of 45-second pick-ups if you are not tired.
Tuesday:  Do 2 strength exercises (3 x10 reps) then stretch then do two more upper body exercises, then stretch, now two lower body exercises and stretch etc.  Make up 6-8 exercises.
Wednesday:  Jog easy 2-3 miles.

Thursday: off today or Friday other day try 30-minute video etc.

Friday: choice

Saturday:  Keep it at your longest thus far jog/fast walk and only take a short water break half way through.

Sunday:  Maybe this is week for nice family hike.  Metcalf bottoms is a good place to park and take a easy hike.  Or go for 40 minute walk.

Week Six:

Monday:  Today or Wednesday do the same distance at the same location to see how your endurance and speed are doing.   Warm up a little first then start out at a comfortable pace and try to keep pace or even pick up the pace half way through.  Cool down by walking/jogging 1 mile, then record time.

Tuesday: Today do a circuit of 2 strength exercises then 2 stretching exercises for 20 minutes.  If you want to add aerobic work, you could start out on a bike for 10 minutes then do the strength work and stretch and repeat twice.

Wednesday:  Timed mile or off

Thursday: 30-minute jog and 10 minutes of AB curls, wall sits, lunges, dips etc.  Try doing 2 sets of 8 each and 3 sets of 30 second wall sits.

Friday: Off

Saturday:  Long run, at a slow steady pace.   If you feel like adding distance that is fine, but keep pace easy.

Sunday: Choice

Good job, and remember to keep doing something aerobic 3-5 times per week. Even if you take 2 weeks from doing “planned workouts”, where you follow some of these workout suggestions, get in 30 minutes of something 3-4 times per week.