Hi, I would really love some advice and thoughts on my current exercise program. I am 49 years old and not particularly fit, although I have been exercising for a few years, 5 days a week.
For the past year, I've been following an exercise program that I started with PT, who I then dropped as I really didn't get on with the plans she was proposing. I felt her weight ranges were too high and aimed at 20-somethings, and not really for me.
I have carried on doing the same exercises she gave me a year ago, which has included weights 3 times a week, but I am finding it too long and too boring/difficult to continue.
I have fixed routines every week on Mon, Weds and Fri.
Mondays are:
Lunges - 4 sets of 12, with 4kg weights (she had me doing 12.5kg weights which I just could not manage so I went back to body weight and then moved on to 4/5kg weights)
Dumbbell squats - 4 sets of 12, carrying 17.5kg weights (I have built up to this but also struggling some weeks with this, today I dropped back to 15kg and found this tough)
Barbell rows (30kg), lateral raises (4/5kg), front raises (3/4kg) and floor press (10-12.5kg) all 4 sets of 12 reps each
This takes me over an hour to complete in the mornings. I have had a 4-week break from exercising, I have started again today and found this so monotonous and time consuming.
On Tuesday and Thursdays I do HIIT classes with an app, they are <30 mins long each, and whilst I am not the fittest person, these are much more doable and are varied. I look forward to these days like they are cheat days, although I do sweat and work hard.
I don't want to give up on weights but is this just too long training with too many reps?
Is my current schedule what is needed to see any gains, or should I be looking to change this up? I don't want to stop weight training, but this is just too long and too monotonous for me to continue with.
My wish list is for shorter sessions with less reps so I can get through them quicker and more effectively, without getting bored or fed up.