Rider fitness + commuting: gym during lunch or evening?

[cheekywelshie]

Well it's January so I figure I'd better start getting myself fit.
I've been doing yoga for a few years (and pilates) which helps more mentally than anything - my core still isn't particularly strong as I would like
In winter I get to ride about 3 times a week at most - mainly due to having no lights but also I commute 3 to 4 hours a day, with one day from home where I nip out during lunch and ride!

I try to do yoga and pilates about 3 times a week
I have been looking at gym options....
Cheapest one is during lunch hour - its a 12 min walk there so that's 20 odd minutes getting there and back and then they do a lot of classes like spin abs etc. This is 19 a month...
Trouble is I wonder would I motivate myself during lunch - I guess I would come back to work refreshed!
The other option is one around the corner from my house - I get home around 7..it closes at nine. There are some classes that are at 7.30. It's open til lunchtime on saturday and closed sunday..
The horse goes on FL in Winter for four days. I have been doing him before work but in December it was so dark I couldn't even see the field. Plus he got stressy because he was out on his own about two hours before the others went out....

At the minute I do
Monday - Pilates (but haven't been for ages so this could change)
Tuesday -
Weds - yoga - riding lunch
Thursday - yoga sometimes
Fri
Sat - Pilates and or yoga am. Riding PM
Sun - yoga Riding PM
In summer I ride about 4 times a week, sometimes yes sometimes even five - usually Friday/Tues eve

Anyone any fitness plans they could share??!

 

[HeresHoping]

Save the money. Download a HIIT off the Body Coach TV or Shelly Dose or others for the days you want to do something else. 15 - 25 minutes before or after work and you'll see results in a couple of weeks.

 

[ester]

After your commute home how likely are you to want to go straight to the gym? ditto on a saturday morning Because I'm not sure I would, I find for me it works better with set ups nearer work, and that I'm not very good at going weekends however close I am, though yours doesn't sound that close to work either so it would depend how long you can take for lunch?
I used to go the most when we had a gym on site (so about 5/10 mins walk from my building) and I would take a longer lunch and make it up later so I could do an hour.

 

[Wheels]

My gym is about 5 mins drive from my house so I go two mornings during the week and then Saturday mornings.

I'm at the gym for 5.45am, home for just after 7, breakfast then four to muck out. In for a shower and leave at about 8.45am, home for 7 ish so do whatever needs doing in the yard (haynets/ water / bring in etc and muck out if I've had to keep them in) ride one then short rest and bed for 9.30

The days I'm not at the gym I have a lie in until 7

In the winter I work 10am to 6pm and in the summer it's 8 til 4 so home for around 5ish, horses etc then gym for about 7.30

Your commute is longer than mine- do you work full time?

If I was in your position I would ditch the yoga and Pilates and go to the gym instead. A good programme will include plenty of core work whilst improving other areas too. I do 2 shared PT lessons a week and my PT devised a programme for me for Saturday's to keep me working at the right level/ pace

 

[Peter7917]

sounds to me like you are wanting to burn the candle at both ends. I would do the suggestion above, 20 minutes of HIIT a few times a week will be more than sufficient with everything else you do!

 

[Flicker]

The Nike Training Club app has a huge variety of different workouts, targetting specific areas (core, glutes, cardio etc) and varying in duration from 6 minutes upwards. You don’t need equipment for a lot of the workouts. I’m using it at the moment and my glutes are on fire and my abs hurt when I laugh. Not bad for two 20 minute workouts!

 

[Lintel]

Oh my goodness I'm doing great if I do 10 mins core work before bed at night!! Sound like your doing fine OP! If weight is the issues how about to replacing the yoga for something faster and more calorie burning?

 

[{97702}]

I am really lucky that I have a gym on site - cost is £50 a year! I cannot motivate myself to run before work so I run every lunchtime then ride after work, I am also starting pilates next week. I find running at lunchtime brilliant as I used to always eat lunch at my desk and carry on working, now I run 6 days a week, ride 5-6 days a week and do pilates once a week

 

[cheekywelshie]

Yes - I work in Birmingham - it takes about an hour and 20 on the train plus driving to the station and ten min walk the other end. I"m tied into the yoga /pilates membership til August.
The other option is to do payg classes at the gym for spin cycle, abs etc...and see how i get on? They start at 7 though so if my train is late (gets in at 6.40) then I'm a bit stuffed!

 

[cheekywelshie]

I tried a few apps but despite reminders I just got a bit lazy..i wonder if i need to be in a class to get motivated...that's why I do the pliates etc..I will take a look at the apps though and the Youtube vids

I spend a lot of time sitting (3-4 hour commute ) plus at my desk

 

[cheekywelshie]

it's not so much weight as the bloomin' belly fat - arghhhh and complete lack of cardio fitness. Though recently one instructor said that I held my breath jumping had as much to do with it as lack of fitness (!)

 

[Perfect-Piaffe]

I tried a few apps but despite reminders I just got a bit lazy..i wonder if i need to be in a class to get motivated...that's why I do the pliates etc..I will take a look at the apps though and the Youtube vids

I spend a lot of time sitting (3-4 hour commute ) plus at my desk

I'm like this - i need the incentive (kick up the a!) to go! I was a member of a gym near home, between the yard and home - i didnt go much. By the time i'd finished work, got the train back and sometimes gone to the yard i couldn't be bothered! So i've just joined one 5 minutes from work that opens at 7am, the getting up at 5.15am each day is a bit of a killer but once i'm out of bed i'm good and i've really enjoyed going first thing. This morning I did the 7.15 spin class Much prefer the morning thing!

 

[Theocat]

Depending on whether you also need to get showered and dressed again, lunchtime could soak up more than an hour. It sounds as though you need to form the habits and get your cardio up - what about a brisk walk for forty five minutes at lunchtime? Walking quickly is harder than a slow jog, but much easier to motivate yourself for, and you're much less likely to get into a horrible sweat at lunchtime! Download some podcasts and it will fly by. Personally I like early morning gym classes, but I am guessing your commute won't allow that.

I don't think you should be trying to fit in more than two sessions a week unless you drop some of the yoga / Pilates, or you'll feel overwhelmed.

 

[amandaco2]

I do either gym before work.... or after. in winter I go 5x week. and try to run at home at the weekend.
at the gym I usually do a spin class 45min
plus a 30min run.
I also do climbing 1-2x week as there is a climbing wall. usually for 30-45min.
and I try to do a swim 1-2 x week too.
I sometimes will do 30minute rowing or cross trainer.
once the horses are back in work I only really have time to go 1-2x week to the gym and do a longer run at weekends maybe an hr or so....