Chapter Content
Okay, so let's talk about Level 3 of the Movement Plan. This is, like, the next stage after you've gotten into the habit of moving daily, you know, building that initial foundation. This is where things get a little more structured, a little more intense, but in a good way! It's all about really boosting your overall health, your performance, and, yeah, let’s be honest, how you look. So, Level 3 is designed to incorporate a good mix of different types of training.
The basic idea is you're aiming for a weekly schedule that includes three full-body strength workouts, then you're adding in two lower-intensity cardio sessions, and then one high-intensity cardio workout. Now, the beauty of this is that you get to decide which days you do which! There’s no, like, super strict schedule you *have* to stick to, especially if your life is, you know, a little chaotic. The main thing is to try and give yourself a day to recover between those full-body strength sessions.
So, a sample week could look something like this: Day one could be full-body strength, and you can tag on some aerobic cardio if you're feeling up to it. Day two, let's say you do your aerobic cardio, aiming for around sixty minutes. Day three, another full-body strength session with the option for more aerobic cardio. Day four, another sixty minutes of aerobic cardio. Day five, you guessed it, full-body strength with, yeah, *optional* aerobic cardio. Day six is where you hit that high-intensity anaerobic cardio, aiming for around twenty minutes. And then, day seven, ah, glorious light recovery and rest.
Now, about those workouts. So, for the full-body strength sessions, you'll want to start with a good warm-up, then some static stretching, and, you know, some dynamic stability and mobility work to get everything moving and ready to go. What you *actually* do for the strength routine is up to you, really.
Okay, let’s talk about the aerobic cardio. We're talking longer, low-intensity workouts here. Think of it as that zone where you're using oxygen to burn fat. It's sometimes called zone 2 training. The thing is, everyone's zone 2 heart rate is a little different, but a good rule of thumb is that it's the level where you can still hold a conversation, you know, and breathe through your nose. That's roughly, like, 60 to 70 percent of your maximum heart rate. You can even estimate it by subtracting your age from 220—that gives you your max heart rate—and then multiplying *that* by 60 to 70 percent. So, just pick an activity—hiking, biking, brisk walking, jogging, swimming, rowing, whatever you enjoy—and make sure you warm up properly. You want to be able to talk comfortably while you're doing it.
Then we've got the anaerobic cardio. This is the high-intensity stuff. It's sometimes called zone 5. This is where you’re going all-out for short bursts and then recovering in between. This is all about boosting your VO2 max, which is, like, how much oxygen your body can use during intense exercise. And, honestly, VO2 max is a really great indicator of your cardiorespiratory fitness and it has a big impact on your overall health and how long you live!
So, again, choose an activity you like—bike, row, run, stairs, whatever gets you going. Warm up first. Then, alternate between those bursts of all-out effort and periods of rest. Maybe a minute of hard work followed by two or three minutes of easy movement or just straight-up rest. Your heart rate should shoot up during the effort and then come back down during the recovery. You're aiming for at least twenty minutes total.
Finally, don't skip that recovery day! It's super important. Think light movement – walks, gentle hikes, low heart rate activities – anything that doesn’t put strain on your body. This is also a great day to do your favorite recovery things, like cold or heat therapy, massage, foam rolling. And, crucially, prioritize sleep.
Now, remember, it's always a good idea to chat with your doctor before making any big changes to your routine. This is a general plan, and everyone's different!