Conditioning for the utterly booked?

Richmond_Hrvat · 09-05-2007, 12:00 AM

Hey all,

I'm sorry for wasting yalls time if this has been posted before, but here goes...

My girlfriend wants to do some regular conditioning, but she's up at 6am every morning and works on her feet until 7:45 at night. After that she sometimes actually consumes food, or works on her two degrees. Weekends are usually free and when we can spend time together.

I want to start her on some squats, decline situps, intervals, and jogging. The problem is just that during the week she's absolutely dogging it like a champ and getting hammered with about 5 to 6 hours of good rest per night.

Dieting isn't necessary, as she eats very healthy and doesn't need to lose any weight.

Can I structure a decent conditioning program that will get steady results week to week while working mostly on the weekends?

**Sonny** · 09-05-2007, 12:13 AM

Can she do tabatas during the week?

Brandon Couden · 09-05-2007, 12:14 AM

i'd say running in the morning before work, and maybe some weights on the weekends to be extra general about it. Theres no way shes gonna wanna workout after work if she puttting in 12 + a day, when she hasn't been doing it. I don't know man, its tough to start a program when your bogged down with work and school. You've really gotta want it, good luck she'll need it.

knight · 09-05-2007, 03:53 AM

I was working on a project about a year ago and was working 16 hours a day, 6 days in a week for three months. I have kettlebells at home (bought the bastards when they were f'n overpriced) and during the week (monday till friday) I did two sets of squat and presses (full body exercise) for 10 reps. At the most this takes 5 minutes so there's no excuse not to exercise during the week. I lifted heavy and noticed my body defined more only after 2 weeks. After that a light full body stretch, hit the shower and you're ready to go. If she has dumbells at home she can give it a shot. you're not working to the max so it can be done 5 times a week. Make sure she builds the weights up gradually. If she's not used to heavy squatting she don't want to do that immediately and work standing for several hours afterwards.

For cardio she can add double dumbells clean and push presses tabata intervals first once a week and gradually build up to three times a week.

There, you have worked your whole body with with weights and cardio and it takes about ten minutes.

This is a blueprnt. Feel free to pick any exercise. The important thing is that she gets a groove with trainin. Have her try it for 6 weeks and then review if it works for her.

**Fozzy** · 09-05-2007, 08:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brandon Couden

i'd say running in the morning before work, and maybe some weights on the weekends to be extra general about it. Theres no way shes gonna wanna workout after work if she puttting in 12 + a day, when she hasn't been doing it. I don't know man, its tough to start a program when your bogged down with work and school. You've really gotta want it, good luck she'll need it.

I think her body is gonna give out on running in the morning if she is only getting 5 hours of sleep.

~Foz

Centaur · 09-05-2007, 09:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sonny

Can she do tabatas during the week?

My thoughts exactly. Tabata squats/burpees/whatever are great for when time is limited, plus you don't need any gear or a gym.

**Sonny** · 09-05-2007, 11:11 AM

Also, can she bike to work/school?

Gavriel** · 09-05-2007, 11:20 AM

I can relate to your situation. I have a FT job, PT job, a wife, infant, and two young children that visit weekly. Needless to say I'm extremely busy!

I will wake up ealier to go running, or go between jobs, or go late at night. If I'm really busy (work both jobs in one day) I do the Burpee Challenge, which is an excellent 6-15 minute workout, depending on your fitness level. I'd also suggest jumping rope, it's easy, cheap, and can do whenever you have a free moment.

I also do a str/core routinue however that's never at the same time as my conditioning, due to my busy schedule.

Jubacat · 09-05-2007, 11:38 AM

Burpees or jump rope.

I do burpees whenever I have a free monment.

Richmond_Hrvat · 09-05-2007, 11:43 AM

She can't bike to work or school. She's in her first year of elementary teaching and finishing her Education and Peace and Conflict (ironic she dates a grappler) degrees. So she has to be relatively well dressed every day.

I'm more of a S&P type guy, and most of my conditioning is sprinting/calisthenics/tackling for rugby. So I can show her some things, but all my exercises definitely require either a gym or at least a bit of time.

The tabata sessions sound very interesting. I'm sure she could squeeze 15 minutes in... I shall look them up.

Thanks so far, the response has been great!
Any other hints?

EDIT: She does bar squats with perfect form, but has limited upper body strength, so pushups/full burpees won't work yet.