This programme is designed for a couple who are beginner exercisers (i.e. relatively unfit and inactive), whose goals are weight loss and/or weight management, increased strength and muscle tone, and increased energy levels. Bear in mind that this is a six-week programme to achieve these goals and thus this programme should not be continued indefinitely. It is important to change your routine regularly!
The programme is split into three 2-week cycles. The first two weeks will be a preparation phase during which you should train three times per week.
Weeks 1-2 (We’ve only just begun!)
Warm-up:
5-10 mins doing a low-level aerobic activity of your choice (cycling, walking, jogging, skipping,
etc.). Never skip the warm-up - to do so is to invite injury!
Flexibility:
Flexibility is a vital component of fitness and critical to achieving full physical potential especially for active daily living. Furthermore, it greatly reduces the risk of injury, increases physical performance, decreases low-back pain, and enhances enjoyment of exercise. Even more it is another activity that you and your partner can do together!
Ballistic stretching motions (bouncing or bobbing) are to be avoided. Rather employ static stretching which involves a slow, gradual and controlled elongation through the full range of motion. Always stretch after a warm-up or at the end of your training session. Stretch all the major muscle groups. Try to hold each stretch for 10-20 seconds, but ease off slightly or stop sooner if you experience discomfort or pain. Do two sets and remember to breathe – do not hold your breath while stretching!
Significant benefits can be achieved by doing three sets of 30-second stretches 4-5 times per week. This can be done at home and can also be done on non-exercising days. Feel free to chat to a Fitness Consultant at your Club for information on stretching.
Cardiorespiratory Training:
Select an exercise mode that suits you – Virgin Active offers you stationary cycling (upright or recumbent), treadmill walking / jogging / running, swimming, stepping, or if your club has them, the elipti trainers. Aim for 20-30 mins of continuous activity, but stop if you feel light-headed, have pains in your chest, or are simply tired! Exercise intensity should be 60-90% of maximal heart rate, or 50-85% of heart rate reserve (see heart rate basics). Alternatively, you can use the "talk-test" to gauge intensity – you should be able to conduct a conversation with your partner while exercising and you should never be out of breath.
Resistance Training:
The toning circuit at Virgin Active is ideally suited for this. Do the circuit once aiming for 12-20 repetitions on each machine. You should aim to fatigue the muscle in that time. If you are unable to complete at least 12 repetitions, use a lighter weight next time. If you are easily able to complete 20 repetitions, use a heavier weight next time. Couples who do not have access to a health club can
do calisthenic movements at home.
Cool-down:
5-10 mins of low-level aerobic activity similar to the warm-up (swimming, walking, stationary cycling with little or no resistance, etc.) This is an integral part of the programme and prevents the blood pooling in the veins. This may prevent muscle stiffness and reduces the tendency toward post-exercise dizziness and fainting.
NOTE: For fitter couples who want to do four sessions per week, a group training class such as Intermediate Step, Body Conditioning, or V-H20 is recommended. All couples will benefit from doing recreational activity together over weekends, i.e. hiking, walking, mountain biking, waterskiing, etc.
Weeks 3-4 (Are you having fun yet?)
In Weeks 3 & 4 include a fourth training session weekly by doing a Group Training class together - V-Box, V-H20, Body Conditioning, and Step are particularly suitable. Warm-up, flexibility, and cool-down are exactly as for Weeks 1-2.
Warm-up:
5-10 mins doing a low-level aerobic activity of your choice (cycling, walking, jogging, skipping,
etc.). Never skip the warm-up - to do so is to invite injury!
Flexibility:
Refer to week 1 - 2
Cardiorespiratory:
Increase the duration to 30-45 minutes of continuous activity. Introduce the rower as an additional mode of activity. Let a Virgin Active Fitness Consultant demonstrate the correct use of the equipment. Fitter couples can do the various Hill or Interval workouts on a machine of choice (or alternatively try a V-Row class). Do not use the same cardio equipment every day – the body quickly
adjusts and becomes economical at that activity. Keep your body guessing by varying the mode of activity from day to day and try those you have not tried before.
Resistance Training:
Continue with the Toning Circuit (fitter couples can do the circuit twice). This time women do 12-15 repetitions and men do 8-12 reps. Try to increase the weight by 5-10% each week. Since there are now fewer reps, concentrate on the correct form and do each exercise slowly (3-4 seconds per rep) through the full range of motion.
Cool-down:
5-10 mins of low-level aerobic activity similar to the warm-up (swimming, walking, stationary cycling with little or no resistance, etc.) This is an integral part of the programme and prevents the blood pooling in the veins. This may prevent muscle stiffness and reduces the tendency toward post-exercise dizziness and fainting.
NOTE: Recreational cross-training on weekends - swimming, golf (together!), walking, etc. should be maintained.
Weeks 5-6 (Turn up the burn!)
In Weeks 5 & 6 introduce a fifth training session per week. This should be an Indoor Cycling/V-Cycle class. The principles of the Warm-up, Flexibility Training, and the Cool-down remain the same. Incorporate a variety of activities, though, to avoid monotony or boredom.
Warm-up:
5-10 mins doing a low-level aerobic activity of your choice (cycling, walking, jogging, skipping,
etc.). Never skip the warm-up - to do so is to invite injury!
Flexibility:
Refer to week 1 - 2
Cardiorespiratory:
Exercise duration should now be increased to 45-60 minutes of continuous activity three times per week. The rower probably burns the most calories – aim for 24-28 strokes per minute and increase the level if necessary. You should be fairly well-conditioned now so do the various Hill Intervals on the bikes, stepper and treadmill. Monitor your heart rate halfway through and at the end and try
to stay near the upper end of your heart rate range.
Resistance Training:
You are now ready for the Super Circuit – a combination of cardio and resistance training exercises. Your goal is to do 12 slow reps (women) and 8 slow reps (men). Plan it so that you are on the machines at the same time (you on yours; he on his) and on the communal step-up bench at the same time to motivate each other. Monitor each other’s heart rate to avoid overloading and to ensure that you are training at the correct intensity for optimum physical benefit. Do three times per week on the same day as your cardio workout.
Cool-down:
5-10 mins of low-level aerobic activity similar to the warm-up (swimming, walking, stationary cycling with little or no resistance, etc.) This is an integral part of the programme and prevents the blood pooling in the veins. This may prevent muscle stiffness and reduces the tendency toward post-exercise dizziness and fainting.
NOTE: Do two group training classes per week. One must be a Indoor Cycling/V-Cycle class while the other can be a V-Box, Conditioning class, or another Indoor Cycling/V-Cycle workout. Do not neglect the weekend recreational workout – remembe; it must be fun and it must be something you can do together! Play volleyball, run on the beach, go hiking – whatever!
It is important to realise that health and fitness is a lifestyle and the secret to success is to be consistent. It is better to train regularly and moderately than to perform irregular high-intensity workouts that leave you fatigued and sore for days afterwards.
Nutrition:
Incorrect eating habits can contribute to poor fitness, low energy stores, and the development of lifestyle-related diseases such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes and obesity. Following a prudent diet is not difficult. All that is needed is to eat a selection of foods that supplies the correct nutrients in the correct amounts.
Any meal plan that restricts an adult female to less than 5000 kJ (1200 kcal) a day or male to fewer than 6000 kJ (1400 kcal) a day is unsafe. Severe energy restriction may slow down your metabolism and is probably responsible for the "yo-yo" effect in diets. Three meals a day are standard. Having four or five smaller meals of 1700-2000 kJ (400-500kcal) instead of three meals of 3300 kJ (800 kcal) may have a more beneficial metabolic effect. Avoid a routine of "no breakfast, little lunch and huge dinners".
A diet is unbalanced if it promotes eating large amounts of one type of food - even if it is a "good" food - to the exclusion of others. For example, subsistence on "liquid protein" diets or other high-protein diets frequently leads to feelings of malaise and weakness. This is because the body, unable to be fueled by carbohydrates and fats, is forced to metabolise protein, producing electrolyte imbalances and, occasionally, disturbances of the heart rhythm. Also, there is no nutritional research to support the idea that a single food or combination of foods will make you lose weight. For example, eating protein only with other proteins or eating fruits by themselves will make no difference.
Drink 6-8 glasses (1.5-2L) of water a day. Remember to keep a water bottle close at hand. Alcohol contains "empty calories" – consume in moderate quantities or, even better, avoid completely.
Plans that promote rapid weight loss or are too ambitious, or make ridiculous claims, inevitably fail. Experts agree that a safe weight loss is 0.5 to 1 kg a week.
Heart Rate Basics:
Monitoring your heart rate is the ideal way to ensure that you are exercising at the correct intensity. This will enable you to attain your goals and will reduce the risk of overtraining and injury. A heart rate monitor obviously makes things a lot easier, but if you do not have one then learn to measure your heart rate indirectly by placing your fingertips on a pulse site. One such point is the radial pulse on your wrist in line with the base of your thumb. Place the tips of your index and middle fingers (not the thumb – it has a pulse of its own) over the artery and lightly apply pressure. Alternatively, apply your fingertips to the large carotid artery on the side of your larynx (throat area) – better still get your partner to do it and take each other’s pulse! Avoid heavy pressure as this will slow the heart rate. Exercise pulse should be taken for 10 seconds, counting the first pulse beat as zero at the start of the 10-second period. Multiply by six to get a 60-second count.
This method of monitoring exercise intensity calculates the exercise heart rate as a percentage of maximal heart rate. The traditional way of doing so is to subtract your age from 220 and multiply the answer by .60 (60% exercise intensity) to determine the lower end of the range, and by .90 (90% of exercise intensity) to determine the upper end of the heart rate range.
For example:
A 25 year old person. 220-25 = 195 x .60 = 117; 195 x .90 = 176. Therefore the desired heart rate range is 117 – 176 beats per minute, or roughly 20 – 29 beats per 10-second count.
