Jun 19, 2008

My Workout Schedule

I work out for 9 - 15 hours a week. But preparing for the workouts, dressing, changing, mixing various concoctions of energy drinks, planning my routes for the runs and bike rides, maintaining my gear and recording all of my results takes at least as much time. So the weekly commitment is closer to 20 – 25 hours.

I work out six days each week. Adding the preparation and pre-workout planning to each day’s workouts means that I must allocate about 3 – 4 hours per day, depending on the workout.

Some days, such as the weekends, involve significant time commitments to complete a 75 mile bike session or a 13 mile run. Almost every workout involves training in multiple disciplines, and quite often three different workouts in a single day.

Despite my best intentions of working out after business hours, the facts are that I have learned time and again that my best chances of completing a workout is if I start them first thing in the morning. Trying to set time aside in the evening is very risky because legitimate things unexpectedly pop up: every day. Also, one can have a tough day, be wiped out and really not be in the mood at all to work out.

It is far better to get up earlier and just do it.Having said that, I do not always get my workouts done in the mornings. Often, my workouts require a break between them, so there is no way to get them done at one time. On most days, I work out in the morning, and the evening.

My training includes: running, cycling, swimming, weightlifting and various drills, core exercises and stretching. Training also requires plenty of sleep 7 - 8 hours, the occasional nap on the weekends (I should do this more often, but don't), proper diet and nutritional supplements, and sports massage. The risk of injury increases when muscles are not as pliable and flexible, and thus the need for consistent sports massage. This isn't a spa treatment; in fact it's often quite painful!