Beginner Exercise Program (Page 2)

Welcome! BT has training plans for you to follow. If you are doing a sprint triathlon, take a look at the free sprint plans. They will tell you what you need to do every week to be ready for your race. Most triathletes have at least one day a week where they do two workouts in the day - usually one in the morning and one in the evening. Go to the top of this page and click in the icon that says Programs and you will see all the training plans there. Best of luck to you!

The Easter Bunny is hoppin into town and I'm hoppin on my bike or treadmill, or something, If I don't,  I'll just be hoppin on chocolate.

Started the begginer plan last week, managed to work in 2 strength training sessions, a quick walk with mini sprints on 15 sec intervals...just about killed me, and today I practiced turning at the wall instead of touch and go at the pool. I'm sure with practice I can straighten the turns out, today there were alot of close calls with the bottom of the pool, lane ropes and side wall. And for the life of me I can't get used to wearing a cap. Does anyone have any tips on keeping my hair from looking like a briollo pad without using a cap?

Looking forward to warmer weather, it snowed today. Too frosty to ride. I'll check back in next week...It would be nice to hear from some other newbies...we could share stories of our pain and triumphs.

Happy Easter everyone!

Great job! What kind of hair do you have? I have long, thick hair. I use a latex (cheap) cap, not the more expensive silicone caps. Those slip off my head and drive me crazy. I put my hair in a low ponytail or pig tails, put my cap on, and then tuck my pony tail up over the top of my head so that I don't have a big blob of hair in the back that pushes the cap off.

I'm going to join this group. I'm going to start training May 8 because that's when I'll be done with finals. I'm excited and nervous, but this is something I have always dreamed of doing. I want this to help me lose weight and help get me into shape. I am a 20 F 215lbs, 5'8.5". I want to weight 150lbs by August 1, 2012. Wish me luck. 

~Whit

Good luck, Whit! I am excited for you! Let us know how the program is working for you!

Hello,

I am 43 yr old female, 5'4", 213 lbs and have been working towards loosing weight for a couple months now.  In the past I have lost interested in training or given up for some other reason, and there always is a reason.  This time I got excited about doing a tri so that is my motivation. 

A few months back I began doing a c25k program on my own (after I spoke to my family and orthopedic doctors and got the ok from each).  I did good the first week, I struggled with breathing through it but no more than anyone else who has not run in 20+ years.  I had some swelling in the knees after running but iced them and was able to tolerate the pain.  The second week went ok until right at the end when my knees really hurt badly for 2 solid days afterwards even with ice and anti-inflamatories.  My knees have degenerative knee disease, spurs, and arthritis.  I was feeling like I was a 43yr old in a 68 yr olds body so I stopped the running and focused on nutrition and loosing weight. 

Now I am biking (this is the second week) and no knee pain, also loving the bike. So far I am doing 1 hour 2 times a week and I am doing between 60 and 80 rpm 90% of the time.  I am going to try to get a 3rd day in starting this week (beginning tomorrow).  I try to do one leg cycling for 1 minute each leg, and the rest is 2 leg normal biking.  I feel like I could go and go and go on the bike, but I do not yet have a computer so I have no idea how far I am really going yet.  My guess is about 5 - 7 miles/outing. 

What other things should I do when I am on the bike to build endurance and cardio?  There are small hills in my route so far.  There is a lake nearby that has a path which is 9 miles around it and I hope to get there this week so I can judge distance better. 

I am thinking of running again once I get below 200 lbs which may be another few weeks, but when I do is there anything I can do to minimize the knee pain other than icing afterwards?

Swimming: I taught myself to swim but unfortunately I always used a nose plug.  I want so badly to get use to swimming without that plug but it seems once the water hits the inside of my nose I want to inhale.  I guess I also still have a tiny bit of fear of the water but that usually gets better with scuba diving, just have not done that in years either.  What types of things can I try to improve my comfort in the water and learn to breath correctly with freestyle swimming?

What other type of strengthening exercises should I be doing and how often?  This is where I lack some motivation.  I am doing this alone and do not have a lot of money for equipment or a gym membership so I try doing things around the house.  I do not enjoy working out to dvds although I have some that I could work out to.  What suggestions do you have that might help in the motivating myself to strength train and what exactly should I do?

I am not scheduled for a tri yet but I hope to do my first one this year yet.  I have also been reading on this site about nutrition and am working on that a lot too.  I am open to any knowledge that I can get, but I hate cooking which is the big nutrition problem.

Thanks for all you comments,

Avona

Welcome! How is your training coming along?

I am so excited for you! Please tell us how you are doing with the program!

Welcome, Avona! You sound so motivated! I love it! I am glad you found that cycling is better for your knees right now. The very best thing you can do for your fitness right now is just spend time on the bike and in the pool on a frequent, consistent basis. You don't need to do speed work or anything fancy. Time is all you need, and if you spend some quality time with the pool and the bike you will be able to go farther and faster very quickly.

Many, many people have the same issues with water as you. I would recommend you try using a pull buoy (they might have some on the pool deck for you to use, they look like a giant jelly bean that you put between your thighs) or a kick board so you can practice breathing without worrying about keeping yourself afloat.

If you want to try some strength training at home, I would recommend core exercises and basics like pushups, squats, lunges, etc. Are you following the Beginner Exercise Program? The best way to stay consistent is to follow a training plan, so if you aren't using the plan yet, give it a look. You can find the link on the first page of this thread.

Let me know how else I can help you as you get started with the plan.

Jessica,

Thanks for the information and the encouragement.  I have been spending a lot of time reading this site.  I am trying to set up a schedule that I can work in an exercise program and have been looking at various exercise plans and trying to determine which would benefit me most.  I have not yet begun the exercise part of my routine but hoping to get it going this coming week.  Unfortunately there is a lot of things going on now at home and I am helping my partner search for a job.  Hopefully that will be finished in the near future and life can get back to normal. 

I have not heard about the swim bouy thing you referred to but will look into it and give one of them a try.  I think our pool is about warm enough to be getting in daily so hopefully I can find time to do so.  I do love to bike but find the neighborhood boring to ride in but we have places around to do that so I am going to be getting out more on that.  I will let you know how all that goes in the next week or so.  Thanks again.

Planning on starting this program on Tues, working all weekend. Have 2 triathlons, half marathon & muddy buddy planned out for next year [hopefully I can do them all].

Can I jump in here? I'm looking to start the program tomorrow afternoon to work on increasing my bike fitness and skills. I tried the 20 min ride on Friday and still had to take a rather longish (4:23) rest about half way.

I'm currently walking 3 days a week (basically following the Hal Higdaon 5k walkers program) swimming 2-3 (has been 2 but hoping for 3 this week) and starting to integrate run/walking 2 times a week (as per the Galloway Conditioning program.)

My biking right now is extremely slow (under 5mph) - I have a basicly standard 26" malvern Star bike. And I am doing this to a) lose weight - currently 252lbx and b) prepare for a mini-sprint or sprint (depending on where I can get my swim and bike fitness/endurance to) in November to celebrate my heart transplant anniversary - it'll be 16 years - as the race is about a day or so after the actual day

Awesome! Welcome, and congrats on starting this exciting journey!

I heard of this warrior dash? I want to do it next year!! These are the kind of sports I love?? Just Crazy and grueling and demanding? Makes a person feel good about themselves if they can ever complete such a crazy thing? I picture myself doing that right now?? NO WAY!! Yesterday was my    1st work out? I did a 2 mile run,/ 2 mile bike/ 400m swim? .. took me 25 minutes to get home on the 2 miles run.. uh.. 

But you see, my kids are laughing at me, my husband ..? shame on him.. for being so doubtful? They do not know me? This is just shameful?? I am going to put them ALL to shame.. yes, I am..

Welcome! Please let me know if you have any questions about the program. It sounds like it's a perfect place for you to start.

flyboykc - 2011-07-26 10:24 AM Hello fellow triathletes or future triathletes I just started the beginner workout yesterday and I did the bike but then my gym has a pool so I also did like 12x25 meter laps. I am feeling it today want to make sure I dont push myself to hard and do more then my body can handle. I hope to here everyones sucess stories and keep with it. I am hoping to do my first tri athalon in a year or less if possible. I do not have any gear like a bike suit etc so if anyone has and ideas of where to start with that stuff it would be appreciated thanks. Kelly

Hi Kelly. I am excited for you! I want to encourage you to follow your instincts and not try to add on too much more than the plan calls for. You might push yourself too hard and give up.
We have a Classifieds forum here on BT that might help you get some cheap gear. You can find it HERE. You can also start looking on Craigslist and may be able to find a good quality used road bike.

Welcome, Karen!

Please let me know if you have any questions about the plan as you get started. I am so excited that you haven't been on the bike since you were a kid - the bike is so fun!

Just started on my 6th week on this plan,  I've been a smoker and overweight for the last 20 years. 

I'm 49 weigh 279 and 6'2, I've lost 70 lbs since Feb and I quit smoking on new years.

 I think I should accelerate my progress a bit though because I'm hardly feeling any soreness the next day and my weight has been slow coming off. I ride my bike daily 5-12 miles, and usually play basketball 4--6 times a week and keep my calorie count under 1800 calories, usually.  a few weeks ago I plateaued and starting doing doing the plan twice a day (same muscle group) and broke through my plateau, now that I've dropped back down to once a day, my weight is holding steady. I'm not sure how much less I can eat, one thing I dd incorporate was taking protein powder drinks after each workout. But even then, my calorie count never exceeds 2k a day. 

btw my goal is to run my first sprint for my 50th birthday, next may.  

I also suffer from bad knees and lower back issues.  So far my back has been ok, but my knees are starting to bother me every since I tried to do some light squats.  I'm not planning on doing any running until I"m under 250 because of my knee issues.  Is there any drawbacks to skipping a month or doing two workouts a day?