Day 1

So here's the deal... Megan (my housemate) and I keep talking about these plans to get in shape, but never really do anything about it. Not that we are terribly out of shape- I have always been a runner, but chronic injuries have forced me to cut down on my running. I know that cross-training will really help me, but I love running and find it hard to branch out in to anything else. Megan wants to kick her normal routine up a notch so she can lose some weight.

The problem : we are both poor graduate students in public health and can't afford a trainer to help motivate us.
The good news: we are both finishing up our PhDs in nutrition and I have a minor in exercise physiology and some experience designing exercise programs.
The solution: Homespun Boot Camp

Our rough plan is to workout 6 days a week for a 1 hour each day (to start). We are still hoping to find a third person so that we can each plan 2 workouts a week (my attempts to recruit my fiance were rather unsuccessful- oh, yes, I didn't mention I was getting married in two months, which may be another reason why we finally decided to do this)

Normally, being the big planner that I am, I would go in to this with much more organization. I would have done exercise tests on both of us to measure our fitness levels and strength etc., and I still might do that soon, but right now we just need to DO IT (ah yes, Nike).

So who's with me? Someone else I hope!

I get to pick the first workout, so here is what I'm thinking we will do today:

Day 1 Workout
Location: Track

1. Warm-up: 2 laps around the track at an easy pace (5 mins)
2. 5-Sun salutation B's (5 mins) A great description of these yoga moves can be found here: http://www.iyogalife.com/workouts/Sun_Salutation_A_B.shtml
3. 2 laps at a moderate pace (5 mins)
4. 25 sets of crunches- one set includes a crunch to the middle and one to each side (2.5 min)
5. 5 stadium runs (5 min) up and down 5 times each
6. 3x 10 sets of sidelying hip lifts- do 10 on one side, switch sides and then repeat both sides 2 more times each (5 min)
7. Plyometrics (10 min) Repeat the following sequence twice (switch direction the 2nd time):

• high knees for 100 meters
• sideways running (alternate putting your right foot in front of you left foot and then behind it)
• butt kicks for 100 meters
• bounding for 100 meters (long strides at a moderate pace)

8. Push-ups- 3 sets of 10 with 100 meter sprints in between sets (2.5 minutes)

9. 4 x around track (1 mile) at moderate pace (10 min)

10. 25 sets of crunches (2.5 min)

11. 2oo meter sprint X 2 (walk 200 meters in between sets) (5 min)

12. 400 meters at a moderate pace

Please note: times are estimates for planning purposes, it may take you more or less time to complete

In the future, I think we will wear heart rate monitors and focus on staying in a certain range, but I don't think I want to scare Megan too much during the first workout.