Welcome to Workout Diaries, a series where we ask expert trainers to talk us through what a week of exercise looks like for them, helping you figure out how to develop and maintain an effective workout routine.
Emma Bord is a personal trainer and marathon runner based in the UK.
She ran her first marathon in 2005, having been dared to enter the London Marathon by some friends at university. She ran the race in just over five hours.
Eleven years and three children later, her marathon personal best is now three hours and 16 minutes.
Not only that, but she’s run all six original World Marathon Majors, completed ultra-marathons and run the London Marathon as a support runner for a disabled participant.
“Marathon running has become my peace and quiet among the chaos of life,” Bord tells Fit&Well.
After the publication in June of her book, Mum Power, all about returning to exercise after having children, Bord has shared a look at a typical week of workouts, as well as her advice for developing a consistent exercise routine.
Emma Bord’s weekly workout routine
Monday
6am: steady-paced run (30min)
7.30pm: Teaching a full-body dumbbell workout class (60min)
Tuesday
6am: swim (40min)
9am: Teaching a Pilates class (60min)
Wednesday
7am: easy run (45min)
Thursday
8am: interval run (60min)
Friday
9am: Teaching a strength and cardio class (60min)
2pm: swim (30min)
Saturday
7am: Long run
Sunday
9am: parkrun with kids
7pm: Pilates reformer and stretch
Emma Bord's tips for developing a consistent exercise routine
1. Start slow
Bord says that she didn’t rush into extreme exercise after having kids.
“Starting slowly really helped,” she says. “I did a lot of walking and slow core rehab in the initial stages for all three kids.”
She says that the same should apply to people who are new or returning to exercise.
“Going slowly and rebuilding from the inside out puts you in good stead to then progress further,” she explains.
2. Set achievable goals
“I often see people starting out saying that they’re going to do five days on the trot, but it’s not good for you—it’s going to shock your whole body—and it’s not sustainable,” Bord says.
“Start with three 10 to 15 minute workouts three times a week because that’s achievable,” Bord suggests.
“You’ll feel encouraged to carry on because you’re not going to be in agony from it and you’re going to be able to slowly build up.”
3. Schedule your workouts and stick to them
“I always say to people that you should put your workout in your calendar like it’s a meeting,” Bord says.
“Often, people find something else that might feel more important in their heads at the time. But putting it in the calendar as a non-negotiable is a great way to see it as part of your daily life.”
“If you want to stick to a routine, you have to be disciplined and know that some days it won’t feel cozy and lovely or like you’re ready to bounce out of bed and work out,” Bord says.
4. A varied routine will help you with motivation
“Some mornings I have a run in the calendar and I feel exhausted, so instead I’ll scale it back and do something different,” Bord says, explaining in this case she might go for a swim or do Pilates instead.
“If you get some sort of movement in, you’re almost guaranteed to feel better after it, whichever route you take,” she adds.