Adding some exercise

This week I've been adding back in exercise, well more structured exercise, to my routine.  A couple of things in "The Paleo Solution" I liked the sound of prompted me to make this change.  Rob's suggestion is to basically mix things up over the course of the week combining strength training on some days, intervals on others and some light exercise on still others.  I like this variety.

He also suggests for people just getting started or back into exercising to use a circuit training method for the strength training and gradually reduce the rest time between exercises until there is basically no rest between them.  At that point you can start adding more rounds to the circuit.  This seems a nice way to ease back into more regular exercise.

A year ago my main exercise routine, and one I really liked once I got used to it, was the "Spartacus" workout from Men's Health.  This is a tough circuit of 10 exercises:

1. Goblet Squat
2. Mountain Climber
3. Dumbbell swing
4. T-Pushup
5. Split Jump
6. Bent-Over Dumbbell Rows
7. Dumbbell Side-Lunge
8. Push-up Position Row
9. Dumbbell Lunge and Rotation
10. Dumbbell Push Press

You are supposed to do each exercise for 1 minute, take 15 seconds between exercises (mainly to get ready to do the next one).  You rest for 2 minutes between each round and the goal is to do 3 rounds total.

A year ago I was doing some of these movements with 30lb dumbbells and the others with 20lb dumbbells.  In starting back on them I am only using 10lb dumbbells, though I'm feeling like I can move the weight up to 20lbs for some of the movements.  Also I am only doing one round with (currently) 50 seconds between each exercise.  Following Rob's idea, I'm reducing the time between exercises at 10 second increments (will change to 5 once I'm at 30 seconds).  Once I'm at 15 second intervals, I'll add a second round and then maybe a third, hopefully increasing weight as a go along.

That covers my strength training, for now at least.

For my intervals, I am using cycling.  There is a perfect little hill for this near my house.  Currently it is the perfect distance away as it gives me 5 or 6 minutes to warm up before I get to it for the first interval.  The hill itself is long enough, again currently, so I can do 45 seconds flat out at a power level well above my threshold.  It is long enough that it should stay effective for awhile as I get stronger/faster and can maintain the pace longer.

For my light exercise I am using something called the Marrow Washing Classic from the book "Scholar Warrior" by Deng Ming Dao.  I found this book quite a number of years ago, almost 20 now.  The Marrow Washing Classic is a set of exercises that are tai-chi like, though more energetic.  Since I am trying to keep the workout light, I am only doing the first half of the movements as the later half work the legs fairly hard and both my strength and intervals work my legs hard already.  As I improve in my fitness, I may do the whole set again.

I know that some books recommend taking a somewhat "how do you feel" approach to exercising, I'm feeling right now like I need a definite structure.  It is something like Dr. Eades says about listening to your body.  If you listen to your body when you are first switching to a low carb or paleo type diet, you are in big trouble.

So my current routine:
Monday & Thursday - Strength training (Spartacus workout)
Tuesday & Friday - Intervals (Bike hill sprints)
Wednesday & Saturday - Light exercise (Marrow washing classic)
Sunday - Rest.  Well, not really rest as there is generally something that needs doing around the yard or house.