Outside's Shape of Your Life, Part II: Strength
4 weeks - $9.95
Total Hours: 12
Total Hours: 12
In part two of Outside Magazine’s National Magazine Award winning whole-body fitness program, you’ll combine heart-rate-zone cardio workouts while beginning a FUNCTIONAL STRENGTH training plan to help you build "muscle that matters" for your favorite sports. WHAT TO EXPECT: Three days a week you’ll be in the pool, or on the road or trail, for 30- to 40-minute basic cardio workouts, adding interval training in the last two weeks aimed at raising your lactate threshold. On strength days (two days a week) you’ll get a complete regimen of standard weight-room lifts with one key adaptation: all the exercises take place on your feet or a stability ball. Lifting on a wobbly platform develops your core, a muscle group that transfers strength gains to real sports. This regimen stresses quality over quantity, so you'll do only one set, but perform each rep in a slow, smooth manner (five to ten seconds each), placing equal emphasis on both the up and down portions of the lift. This is a perfect plan for people who’ve completed month one, or busy people who feel they have a solid endurance foundation, but now want a smart way to mix in regular strength- and cross-training.
After purchase, your plan will be available in your own private online training log account. You'll enjoy these benefits and more:
Sample workouts:
Workout #1 : Other
Endurance
Planned Time: 0:32:00
Welcome to month two of Outside's award-winning The Shape of Your Life fitness program. For the next four weeks, we’ll focus on endurance training three days a week, and introduce a functional strength program on Tuesdays and Thursdays, aimed at developing your core. Today begins with an easy cardio workout in Zone 1. If you’re unfamiliar with heart rate training, please review today’s pre-workout comments. Also, if your just joining us, and didn't complete month one of the Shape of Your Life Program, we recommend performing our Lactate Threshold test before getting started. The lactate threshold (LT) is the exercise intensity at which lactic acid starts to accumulate in the blood stream. The higher you can push this threshold, the faster you can go. Our test will help you set a benchmark, and you can check your progress on the final day of this month's plan. Here's how: On a flat route (ideally a track) after a warm-up, run 1 mile at 5 beats below your lactate threshold heart rate, or Zone 3 (Z-3) heart rate, which is 75 to 90 percent of your maximum heart rate. Mark your time on the run.
Planned Time: 0:32:00
Welcome to month two of Outside's award-winning The Shape of Your Life fitness program. For the next four weeks, we’ll focus on endurance training three days a week, and introduce a functional strength program on Tuesdays and Thursdays, aimed at developing your core. Today begins with an easy cardio workout in Zone 1. If you’re unfamiliar with heart rate training, please review today’s pre-workout comments. Also, if your just joining us, and didn't complete month one of the Shape of Your Life Program, we recommend performing our Lactate Threshold test before getting started. The lactate threshold (LT) is the exercise intensity at which lactic acid starts to accumulate in the blood stream. The higher you can push this threshold, the faster you can go. Our test will help you set a benchmark, and you can check your progress on the final day of this month's plan. Here's how: On a flat route (ideally a track) after a warm-up, run 1 mile at 5 beats below your lactate threshold heart rate, or Zone 3 (Z-3) heart rate, which is 75 to 90 percent of your maximum heart rate. Mark your time on the run.
Workout #2 : Strength
Strength
Planned Time: 0:45:00
This is your first day of regular Tuesday/Thursday strength routines. All the moves in our strength workouts this month are simple adaptations of standard weight-room lifts. The key difference is that everything takes place on your feet or a stability ball (you can purchase the latter, also called a Swiss ball, at your local sporting goods store). Lifting on a wobbly platform develops your core, a muscle group that transfers strength gains to real sports. Our regimen stresses quality over quantity, so you'll do only one set, but perform each rep in a slow, smooth manner (five to ten seconds each), placing equal emphasis on both the up and down portions of the lift. Use enough weight to bring you just short of exhaustion after ten reps. When it gets easier, increase the weight, slow down the reps, or both.
Planned Time: 0:45:00
This is your first day of regular Tuesday/Thursday strength routines. All the moves in our strength workouts this month are simple adaptations of standard weight-room lifts. The key difference is that everything takes place on your feet or a stability ball (you can purchase the latter, also called a Swiss ball, at your local sporting goods store). Lifting on a wobbly platform develops your core, a muscle group that transfers strength gains to real sports. Our regimen stresses quality over quantity, so you'll do only one set, but perform each rep in a slow, smooth manner (five to ten seconds each), placing equal emphasis on both the up and down portions of the lift. Use enough weight to bring you just short of exhaustion after ten reps. When it gets easier, increase the weight, slow down the reps, or both.
Workout #3 : Other
Endurance
Planned Time: 0:40:00
For endurance, continue zone heart-rate training today: Zone 1 (Z-1)-- Recovery--60 percent or less of your maximum heart rate; Zone 2 (Z-2)--Aerobic--60 to 75 percent of your maximum heart rate; Zone 3 (Z-3)--Lactate Threshold--75 to 90 percent or less of your maximum heart rate; Zone 4 (Z-4)--Anaerobic--90 to 100 percent of your maximum heart rate.
Planned Time: 0:40:00
For endurance, continue zone heart-rate training today: Zone 1 (Z-1)-- Recovery--60 percent or less of your maximum heart rate; Zone 2 (Z-2)--Aerobic--60 to 75 percent of your maximum heart rate; Zone 3 (Z-3)--Lactate Threshold--75 to 90 percent or less of your maximum heart rate; Zone 4 (Z-4)--Anaerobic--90 to 100 percent of your maximum heart rate.
Workout #4 : Strength
Strength
Planned Time: 0:45:00
Today's reminder: this month's strength building regimen stresses quality over quantity, so you'll do only one set, but perform each rep in a slow, smooth manner (five to ten seconds each), placing equal emphasis on both the up and down portions of the lift. Use enough weight to bring you just short of exhaustion after ten reps. When it gets easier, increase the weight, slow down the reps, or both.
Planned Time: 0:45:00
Today's reminder: this month's strength building regimen stresses quality over quantity, so you'll do only one set, but perform each rep in a slow, smooth manner (five to ten seconds each), placing equal emphasis on both the up and down portions of the lift. Use enough weight to bring you just short of exhaustion after ten reps. When it gets easier, increase the weight, slow down the reps, or both.
Workout #5 : Other
Endurance
Planned Time: 0:23:00
Today you’ll begin using interval training to raise your lactate threshold. Make sure to get at least a ten-minute warm up in before you begin increasing your pace to reach Zone 3.
Planned Time: 0:23:00
Today you’ll begin using interval training to raise your lactate threshold. Make sure to get at least a ten-minute warm up in before you begin increasing your pace to reach Zone 3.
Workout #6 : Other
Endurance
Planned Time: 0:35:00
For endurance building this week, we continue zone heart-rate training Remember: Zone 1 (Z-1)-- Recovery--60 percent or less of your maximum heart rate; Zone 2 (Z-2)--Aerobic--60 to 75 percent of your maximum heart rate; Zone 3 (Z-3)--Lactate Threshold--75 to 90 percent or less of your maximum heart rate; Zone 4 (Z-4)--Anaerobic--90 to 100 percent of your maximum heart rate.
Planned Time: 0:35:00
For endurance building this week, we continue zone heart-rate training Remember: Zone 1 (Z-1)-- Recovery--60 percent or less of your maximum heart rate; Zone 2 (Z-2)--Aerobic--60 to 75 percent of your maximum heart rate; Zone 3 (Z-3)--Lactate Threshold--75 to 90 percent or less of your maximum heart rate; Zone 4 (Z-4)--Anaerobic--90 to 100 percent of your maximum heart rate.
Workout #7 : Strength
Strength
Planned Time: 0:45:00
Functional strength workout. Mix up the order of your exercises from last week.
Planned Time: 0:45:00
Functional strength workout. Mix up the order of your exercises from last week.
Workout #8 : Other
Endurance
Planned Time: 0:40:00
For endurance, continue zone heart-rate training: Zone 1 (Z-1)-- Recovery--60 percent or less of your maximum heart rate; Zone 2 (Z-2)--Aerobic--60 to 75 percent of your maximum heart rate; Zone 3 (Z-3)--Lactate Threshold--75 to 90 percent or less of your maximum heart rate; Zone 4 (Z-4)--Anaerobic--90 to 100 percent of your maximum heart rate.
Planned Time: 0:40:00
For endurance, continue zone heart-rate training: Zone 1 (Z-1)-- Recovery--60 percent or less of your maximum heart rate; Zone 2 (Z-2)--Aerobic--60 to 75 percent of your maximum heart rate; Zone 3 (Z-3)--Lactate Threshold--75 to 90 percent or less of your maximum heart rate; Zone 4 (Z-4)--Anaerobic--90 to 100 percent of your maximum heart rate.
Workout #9 : Strength
Strength
Planned Time: 0:45:00
Functional strength workout. Mix up the order of your exercises from last week.
Planned Time: 0:45:00
Functional strength workout. Mix up the order of your exercises from last week.