Show Notes
In this episode, you will learn the difference between physical activity and exercise, the benefits of getting and staying active and how to choose the right exercise program to prevent injuries and get the best results.
When starting an exercise program, it’s important to first consult with a physician to make sure you don’t have any risks that may cause you harm.
Some of these risk factors include:
- heart disease or any cardiovascular issues, including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, stroke and heart attack.
- metabolic disease, including diabetes and thyroid conditions.
- lung issues such as asthma or COPD.
If you’re interested in having an individualized exercise program developed for you, pease email me at rjowellness@gmail.com at book a consultation.
Sample Exercise Programs
Sample Workouts
Below you will find a variety of sample workouts for each phase of training as well as a couple of my favourite circuit-type training workouts. Please use caution when doing any of these workouts without proper instruction and supervision.
Before you begin any workout perform an easy warm up. A warm-up prepares your heart, lungs, joints and the rest of your body for the work that is about to happen.
Be sure to finish your workout with a cool-down. This helps your body, heart-rate and breathing-rate, recover and re-distribute blood back to the heart and other organs of the body.
Resistance Training Phase 1: Stability & Mobility Training
| Exercise | Intensity | Repetitions | Rest Interval | Sets |
| TVA activation | Body weight | 20 second hold x 10 | 30-60 seconds | 1-3 |
| Bird dog | Body weight | 10-12/side | 30-60 seconds | 1-3 |
| Clam Shells | Body weight | 10-12/side | 30-60 seconds | 1-3 |
| Bent-arm plank | Body weight | 30-45 seconds | 30-60 seconds | 1-3 |
| Side plank | Body weight | 20-30 seconds | 30-60 seconds | 1-3 |
| Glute bridge | Body weight | 12-15 | 30-60 seconds | 1-3 |
| Supermans | Body weight | 12-15 | 30-60 seconds | 1-3 |
Cardiovascular Training Phase 1: Aerobic-Base Training
| Warm-up | Workout | Cool-down |
| Fast Walk for 5 minutes | Frequency: > 3 days/week Intensity: moderate to somewhat hard Time: Work up to 30 minutes of continuous exercise Type: Walking with jogging as fitness levels increase, elliptical trainer, rowing machine, cycling | Walk for 5 minutes Static stretching of hip flexors, inner thighs, hamstrings and calves |
Resistance Training Phase 2: Movement Training
| Exercise | Intensity | Repetitions | Rest Interval | Sets |
| Specific warm-up: Plank Side plank Glute Bridge Crunches | Body weight | 30-60 seconds 20-30 seconds 12-15 12-15 | 90 seconds after all four exercises complete | 3 |
| Dead lift (hip hinge) | Body weight/ progress to light weight | 12-15 | 30 seconds | 2-3 |
| Back extensions on stability ball | Body weight | 12-15 | 30 seconds | 2-3 |
| Half kneeling wood chops (progress to standing) | Body weight/ progress to medicine ball or cable | 12-15 | 30 seconds | 2-3 |
| Half kneeling hay bailers (progress to standing) | Body weight/ progress to medicine ball or cable | 12-15 | 30 seconds | 2-3 |
| Stationary lunges – progress to forward, side and reverse lunges | Body weight/progress to light weight | 12-15 | 30 seconds | 2-3 |
| Lying scapular packing exercise | Body weight | 12-15 | 30 seconds | 2-3 |
| Seated one-arm overhead press | Light weight | 15/side | 30 seconds | 2-3 |
| Assisted pull-ups or band pull-down | Machine/band | 15 | 30 seconds | 2-3 |
| One-arm incline chest press | Light weight | 12-15 | 30 seconds | 2-3 |
Cardiovascular Training Phase 2: Aerobic-Efficiency Training
| Warm-up | Workout | Cool-down |
| Fast Walk for 5 minutes | Frequency: > 3 days/week Intensity: moderate to somewhat hard Time: 30 minutes of 1:3 intervals (1 minute hard:3 minutes moderate to somewhat hard) Type: Walking with jogging as fitness levels increase, elliptical trainer, rowing machine, cycling | Walk for 5 minutes Static stretching of hip flexors, inner thighs, hamstrings and calves |
Resistance Training Phase 3: Load Training – Full-Body
| Exercise | Intensity | Repetitions | Rest Interval | Sets |
| Specific warm-up: Plank Side plank Glute Bridge Crunches | Body weight | 30-60 seconds 20-30 seconds 12-15 12-15 | 90 seconds after all four exercises complete | 3 |
| Dead lift (hip hinge) | Barbell | 10-12 | 30-60 seconds | 3 |
| Incline Chest Fly | Dumbbells | 10-12 | 30-60 seconds | 3 |
| Side Lunges | Dumbbells | 10-12 | 30-60 seconds | 3 |
| Modified Pull-Ups | Machine | 10-12 | 30-60 seconds | 3 |
| Squats | Dumbbells | 10-12 | 30-60 seconds | 3 |
| Overhead Shoulder Press | Dumbbells | 10-12 | 30-60 seconds | 3 |
| Seated Row | Cable machine | 10-12 | 30-60 seconds | 3 |
| Bicep curl | Barbell | 10-12 | 30-60 seconds | 3 |
| Triceps Pushdown | Cable/rope | 10-12 | 30-60 seconds | 3 |
Cardiovascular Training Phase 1: Aerobic-Base Training
| Warm-up | Workout | Cool-down |
| Fast Walk for 5 minutes | Frequency: > 3 days/week Intensity: moderate to somewhat hard Time: 30 minutes steady state Type: Walking with jogging as fitness levels increase, elliptical trainer, rowing machine, cycling | Walk for 5 minutes Static stretching of hip flexors, inner thighs, hamstrings and calves |
Resistance Training Phase 3: Full Body Load Training with Cardio Intervals
Warm-up:
If you have a piece of cardio equipment such as a bike or rowing machine spend 5 minutes working at a nice easy pace before starting the workout. If you don’t have access to cardio equipment you can do this warm-up before you start:
- Marching or jumping on the spot (30 seconds)
- Jumping jacks (30 seconds)
- Skipping (with or without a rope) (30 seconds)
- Repeat two times
Workout:
Once you complete your warm-up get right into the workout. You can go through this interval workout one to three times depending on your energy and time.
20 mimic skips
15 Goblet Squats (sumo squat with front raise/holding dumbbell on palms)
20 high knees
15 Wide Grip Band-Pull-down (Start with arms overhead, pull elbows to sides just like lat-pull down)
10 jump, or regular, squats
15 Lateral Raises
30 mimic skips
15/side one-arm, or standing, row (Dumbbell or band)
30 high knees
15/side triceps extension
12 jump, or regular, squats
15/side one-leg balance warrior 3 hold (Torso parallel to the ground with arms extended to the front and one leg extended back) or dead lifts
40 mimic skip
15/side bicep curl
40 high knees
15/side seated oblique twist
15 jump squat
15 toe touch pulse crunch
Cool-Down:
After your workout it is essential that you cool-down. A cool-down helps your body recover after your workout and come back to resting levels. A simple, and effective cool-down is to do a variety of stretches targeting the major muscle group including:
- Hamstrings (back of the legs)
- Quadriceps and hip flexors (front of the legs and hip)
- Back
- Chest
- Triceps
- Shoulders
Resistance Training Phase 3: Full Body Load Training with Cardio Intervals
This is one of my favourite core and cardio interval workouts because it helps build strength of the core and has cardiovascular intervals for optimal calorie burning. This workout can be done anywhere is it requires no equipment and minimal space.
Before you begin the workout perform an easy warm up. A warm-up prepares your heart, lungs, joints and the rest of your body for the work that is about to happen.
Warm-up:
If you have a piece of cardio equipment such as a bike or rowing machine spend 5 minutes working at a nice easy pace before starting the workout. If you don’t have access to cardio equipment you can do this warm-up before you start:
- Marching or jumping on the spot (30 seconds)
- Jumping jacks (30 seconds)
- Skipping (with or without a rope) (30 seconds)
- Repeat two times
Workout:
Once you complete your warm-up get right into the workout. You can go through this interval workout one to three times depending on your energy and time.
20 leg raises
20 mountain climbers
20 full sit ups
20 jacks
10/side cross body toe touch crunch
20 mountain climbers
10/side bird dog crunch
20 high knees
10/side oblique dips
20 mountain climbers
20 back extension (upper and lower body lift)
20 jacks
20/side bicycles
20 mountain climbers
20 hip raises
20 high knees
30 second bent-arm bridge
20 mountain climbers
30 second straight arm plank
Cool-Down:
After your workout it is essential that you cool-down. A cool-down helps your body recover after your workout and come back to resting levels. A simple, and effective cool-down is to do a variety of stretches targeting the major muscle group including:
- Hamstrings (back of the legs)
- Quadriceps and hip flexors (front of the legs and hip)
- Back
- Chest
- Triceps
- Shoulders
If you want more workouts like this that are specifically designed for you and your goals please email me at RJOWellness@gmail.com.
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Keep rockin’ your wellness!
Rachel Joy Olsen, BSc., MBA, Podcast host, health & wellness coach, author