Move well: notes on my 12 week workout challenge

I’ve just completed my first 12 week workout challenge – Heather Robertson 4.0 via You Tube (completely free).

5 work outs per week, including strength training, cardio, HIIT and Pilates as well as mobility exercises.

Due to life’s interruptions including work travel, a back issue and a 10 day reprieve when I got my eyebrows tattooed (you can’t get them wet or sweaty, it impacts the healing process) the 60 workouts took me 4 months.

Why take on this challenge?

I’m what I now refer to myself as “a woman of a certain age”. That chronological age is 47.

Science and research convinced me that I needed to not take my body for granted and instead of focussing on simply being as thin as possible, I needed to shift to strength, flexibility and mobility.

I’ve being following Heather Robertson for a while on the advice of some friends – also women of a certain age.

The workouts are free, use little equipment (typically hand weights, resistance band and/or ankle weights), are super varied and there’s no talking throughout, just music!

There are also low impact options if you can’t jump around due to injury or pregnancy (whilst I was neither, some days I couldn’t bring myself to jump around energetically so these modifications were a gift).

So, what were my outcomes from this program?

More energy throughout the day. I completed all the sessions early in the morning as it’s my only training time. I found my mental stamina improved and I slept better.

Fitness level improved. Whilst my resting heart rate hasn’t changed (it is healthy anyway), the cardio came easier as I progressed, so I must be fitter. For example, I couldn’t do high knees at the start, but now I can (so long as I am feeling particularly energetic!).

Stronger core and upper body. Over the course of training I upped my hand weights and could more easily hold planks as my core strength grew. I still can’t do proper push ups but I do burpees with relative ease.

I grew to really like my body. I got to know it, feel its changes and its challenges. My shape changed, particularly my butt and thighs, but mostly I just enjoyed feeling fit and strong.

Now I’m done I have my sights set on maintaining an effective workout regime.

I’ll maintain 2-3 strength sessions each week as well as a 5km run and a yoga day (I love Yoga with Adrienne and rarely stray from her videos (also all absolutely free).

How do you know if this is for you?

If you’re looking to building strength and overall fitness, Heather Robertson might be a good fit for you.

Be ready for lots of lunges, walking planks, burpees, star jumps and pushups!

It’s also great for people preferring (or needing) to work out at home – no fitting in with gym timetables and you can also just roll out of bed, into your sports bra and onto the mat!

If you’re looking for some accountability. Following a program where you just do each day’s video is great if you’re tempted to pick and choose your workouts. I liked that I did a leg day even if I didn’t feel like it, and felt a real sense of achievement when I made it through a cardio session that I wouldn’t have normally selected for myself.

Lastly, you’ll love these if you like to sweat. In the 40 minutes you will highly likely finish with at least a sheen of perspiration, maybe more. That’s not for everyone, but gee it made me feel like I had done a proper workout!

Remember, it’s also a good idea to check with your health professional before embarking on a new exercise regime, particularly if it’s been a while!