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The Blueprint for Constructing a Holistic Fitness Routine

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Masterful Fitness Architecture: Constructing a Resilient Body in Perimenopause

Part Five

“My career was built like a house. Every practice was a brick, every game a layer of cement. Strength, skill, and resilience were my building blocks.”

– Michael Jordan

We’ve been exploring the four major building blocks of a balanced fitness regimen for midlife women. As we’ve seen, crafting a balanced fitness routine for perimenopausal women involves fitting various pieces of the fitness structure together. Each component – strength training, Sprint Interval Training (SIT), walking for NEAT, and mobility work – plays a vital role in creating a comprehensive workout schedule.

If a woman gets off-balance in any one of these areas, her overall fitness result will be less than ideal. She may lack in recovery, or walk stiffly, or find it impossible to shed unwanted fat regardless of how much she moves. She’s like an unwise builder, taking on a construction project without a blueprint or missing materials and hoping for the best. The only way the results will be optimal is to have all four components and a plan for fitting them all together.

Here’s your blueprint, detailing how these elements can be integrated into a week-long fitness plan:

Day 1: Strength Training with Mobility Warmup

  • Morning and Warmup: Begin your day with a mini mobility routine, and your workout with a mobility warmup, focusing on dynamic stretches and SMR techniques.
  • Main Session: Engage in full-body strength training, emphasizing major muscle groups.
  • Cooldown: Conclude with a short mobility session to aid muscle recovery.

Day 2: SIT Session with Walking

  • SIT Workout: Perform a low-impact SIT session, such as using a rower or stationary bike.
  • Walking: Accumulate steps throughout the day, aiming for the 8,000-10,000 steps goal.
  • Evening: foam rolling and light yoga during winddown routine.

Day 3: Dedicated Mobility and Recovery

  • Morning: Light walking or leisurely activities to contribute to NEAT.
  • Mobility Session: Focus on mobility exercises, including yoga or Pilates, to enhance flexibility and correct muscular imbalances. Target any areas that are troublesome, tight, or sore with dynamic stretching and SMR with a trigger ball.

Day 4: Strength Training with Mobility Focus

  • Morning: Start with a mobility-focused warmup, including targeted stretches and SMR.
  • Strength Training: Conduct a strength session, potentially targeting different muscle groups from Day 1.
  • Cooldown: End with mobility work to facilitate recovery.

Day 5: SIT Session and Active Recovery

  • SIT Workout: Engage in a SIT session, perhaps using a different modality like an assault bike, ski erg, or battle ropes which include an extra plyometric element, also good for bone health
  • Active Recovery: Include light recreational activities, ensuring continuous movement throughout the day.

Day 6: Light Recreational Activity and Walking

  • Activity: Participate in recreational activities such as swimming, cycling, or gardening. Bonus if you do it with people you love spending time with!
  • Walking: Continue to accumulate steps, focusing on maintaining an active lifestyle.

Day 7: Rest and Gentle Mobility

  • Active Rest Day: Allow the body to fully rest and recover. Engage in gentle mobility exercises or light stretching, such as a restorative yoga session.

This weekly schedule balances intense workouts with adequate recovery and mobility work, addressing the specific needs of perimenopausal women. It’s a comprehensive approach that not only aims for physical fitness but also enhances overall well-being. The plan fits your fitness where you are; it can be adjusted based on individual fitness levels, preferences, and lifestyle considerations. And it grows in intensity as you grow.

The key is to view each component as a crucial component of your fitness plan, working in harmony to build a healthy and vital body – yours!