good exercise routine- yes or no?

Question

i know you have to eat well and i'm doing that. i drink a lot of water and i follow weight watchers.
so is this a good exercise routine?
50 crunches
40 leg-lifts (lay on side and lift leg up)
20 squats
40 stretches on each side (bend each side with hand on opposite hip)
5 10 second together leg lifts (lay with hands on your lower back, lift leg)

i don't do anything in a row, except the squats and together leg lifts. i'll do 25 crunches, then 20 leg-lifts, etc.

should i be doing more/less?
i really want to work on my hips, stomach, and legs.
i have an exercise bike in my house, should i be riding that too? how long?
any other exercise recommendations?

i'm 14 years old.

Answer 1

WOW!
great start!
if you can, try to do your routine in the morning before you eat. your cortizone levels are at their lowest, and you will burn 3 times the fat you would if you worked out after you ate.
what your doing sounds good.
a couple recommendations.
keep in mind that the more muscles you involve in a particular movement, the more calories you will burn. since you didnt say, ill assume your just trying to lose fat and retain 100% of your muscle.
i would reduce the amount of leg lifts you described (you are the working the aBducter here).
i would use this time youve saved to do more squats. MAKE SURE you are using the proper form. if you were to draw a vertical line between your knee and tip of your toes on your downward movement, your knee MUST be behind your toes. long term knee injury will result if you dont do this.
YES squats are hard.
YES, no one does them right.
YES they will make your legs and "trunk" of your body strong.

when 20 or 30 squats are easy for you, use the same form, but crouch all the way down into a fetal position (still on your feet). jump up explosively with your legs and arms completely outstretched. this is called a star jump or star squat. they are "killer", and you will notice a huge difference in your strength, cardio capacity, and body shape.
anytime any movement you do becomes too easy for you, try something different, increase reps, or at the very least try to speed up the set.
check with a trusted source on your protein intake for your age. be very careful of what weight watchers says your protein should be, and be sure to compare.
remember, at your age your body is trying to grow grow grow!
also check with a trusted source with your goals in mind what type of recovery drink or meal you should be taking in after your workout.
a workout isnt a shotgun wedding. some people plan all day just for one lift. look at a bodybuilder, they plan for MONTHS to look good for what, 20 minutes?
get serious, stay serious. your on the right path.
never give up!!!!!

Answer 2

That will help you gain more muscle but if you want to lose weight, you need to add some cardio into your routine. I'd add in maybe 30 minutes or so on the bike everyday.
Maybe you could try running or speed walking to every other day to mix up your routine. If you have options, I think is an appropriate term, you won't get bored and you'll be more likely to actually stick to your workout if you're not bored. Hope this helps!

Answer 3

Sorry, you say you are doing 15 of each 'cardio' exercises? Cardio is the stuff that gets your heart rate pumping like walking, running, cycling, stepping etc... You are actually doing resistance exercises which are working the muscles to increase strength/tone. 15 of each twice a day will suffice for general toning. When you say it hurts, if you just mean it hurts a bit like aching or 'working' then it is fine, you are working hard enough. If you mean it is actually painful to do then you are probably doing it wrong and need to check this out before doing yourself some damage.

Answer 4

I admire your drive and commitment, but I can all but guarantee that you will get board with the doing the same routine over and over again and probably lose interest. The key to keeping fit is to keep it fun and interesting, even professional athletes change up their routine on a regular basis to make sure they continue to make progress and don't get board with it. I would guess you are either starting High School or will be starting High School in the next year or so, you may want to look into whether or not your school has or will have some sort of a fitness center giving you access to not only different equipment, but different people, chances are you will find some liked minded people to workout with, which is something else that will keep it fun and interesting.

Good Luck

Answer 5

Thats great! Dont forget to stretch before AND after. If you're in middle school Track would be something good for you to do also! Btw pushups are a great all-over body builder. Just do about 20, and make sure your body is a plank. But you're doing awesome! And I love that you're already eating healthy, it's good that you're starting young. Keep up the good work!

Answer 6

Yes, add some cardio.. It's fun, gets your heart beat up and really burns the calories... You can get some fun tapes, or go to a class or even ride your exercise bike!

Answer 7

I'm a cardio freak, so I'd add in 20-30 minutes of cardio (yes, the bike counts)

Answer 8

Sounds good !

Also
It would be best to walk 30 minutes and on the bike about 30 minutes.

Answer 9

wow theres alot to that routine of yours for such a young age you must be one determined lady. do you have a pool cause that really works out the arms and legs plus its fun.