All About Weekly Moves Workouts

If you follow me on IG, you know I do Madeline Custer’s Weekly Moves Workouts and I LOVE it! 🙂 It is changing my life, so I figured I would answer the top 10 most asked questions I’ve received in case you’re dabbling with the idea of becoming a Weekly Moves member.

How much does Weekly Moves cost?

For Weekly Moves Workouts, the cost is $20 per month for 5 workouts each week (a price which I personally find awesome!). Madeline also does a month-long challenge called Tighter Together ~3 times a year and that cost is $50 for non Weekly Moves Workouts members and $30 for Weekly Moves Members (you receive a code for $20 off the $50).

Can Weekly Moves be done from home?

Yes! I have been doing these workouts from home and I honestly do not think I will have a gym membership again because they are that effective no matter your environment.

What equipment do I need?

Not much, which is another reason why I love this program. The top 3 things you need are:

1) Dumbbells, but you can find things around your home like paint cans, laundry detergent jugs, water gallon jugs, etc.

2) Elevated surface, but again, get creative. Stairs, table, cooler, chair, etc. I use my stairs.

3) Bands. These are especially useful for back day, and I do recommend getting a pair to maximize the results of that particular workout. I have the DynaPro Direct bands, Madeline has the Hope Fitness bands.

How much time do workouts take?

This depends on you and the time that you have! Typically, a workout takes me 45-65 minutes, but Madeline always provides notes at the bottom of the workout on how to complete it in 30 minutes if you have a time limit. Also, it’s important to remember that even 20 minutes is better than 0! Do what you can with the time that you have 🙂

Is Weekly Moves worth the money?

Absolutely 100%! I recommend this program to anyone I can and I will shout it from the rooftops if I have to about how amazing it is 🙂 Madeline is very conscientious about how she builds each and every workout. She offers video tutorials on how to do each move, alternatives if you’re at the gym vs at home, and how to complete the workout in 30 minutes if that’s all the time you have. I find the workouts to be challenging and I am always proud after finishing one – no lying there – always, always proud.

Is it easy to balance this program as well as a regular running schedule?

You can balance this program with running, but it may look different for you than it does for someone else. Know that you probably won’t be doing all 5 workouts every week if you are a big runner. I suggest trying to get in the lower body, upper body, and back & chest workout and using the notes on how to complete them in 30 minutes as opposed to the regular ~45-60 minutes, and see how you feel at the end of the week. You need to listen to your body and make sure you are recovering well from your runs and these workouts.

Recovery is just as important as the workout, if not more, so make sure they are balanced.

Do you do all 5 workouts or just some of them with running?

At the moment, yes, I am doing all 5 workouts each week. Once I realized Coronavirus was going to significantly impact the entire 2020 year, I decided to take some time off of running to give my body a break from all the training I have been doing for years.

When I am running consistently and training for a race, I typically stick to 3 of the workouts each week (lower body, upper body, back & chest) and I use the notes on how to complete them in 30 minutes. While training for races, my body is easily taxed and doing more than 3 strength sessions a week is too much for me, personally.

Workout first then run, or run first then workout?

Depends on what your goals are. When I am training for a race, I always get my run done first, then I strength train. There may be a day where I had been planning a track workout or tempo run with Madeline’s lower body workout afterwards, and after my run I realize my body is completely spent. If this happens, I will pass on the strength training altogether or reduce it to even 15 minutes for that particular day.

If you’re not training for a race and just want to get in 2-3 easy miles, either order is fine. It’s all about listening to your body and being flexible with your schedule. What you don’t want to do is overtrain and run yourself into the ground because that leads to burnout and a significant increase in injury (and lack of enjoyment too!).

What are the key differences you have noticed? Specific strengths gained?

• I have fun doing these workouts (even though they’re tough!) but I have never stuck with a strength training program before this and I’ve tried a bunch of them.
• I’m able to lift heavier than when I started. Maybe for a certain move I was using X lb dumbbells and now I’m using 2.5 or 5 lb more.
• I have learned to slow down moves and really isolate each muscle to maximize the effectiveness. The faster you do a move doesn’t mean the better it is. Madeline does a great job of educating us. She gives body cues and explains why you do a move a certain way.

How does Weekly Moves differ from other strength programs?

Without mentioning names of other programs, Weekly Moves Workouts is truly fun and enjoyable. The workouts are challenging and I always feel so accomplished after completing one.

When I think back to when I tried other strength training programs, these two things stick out: 1) The workouts didn’t excite me. I felt like I was always doing the same moves week after week, and trying to stick to a program that doesn’t ignite a fire will not work longterm, and 2) I felt rushed within the given timeframe. If I got through the round of moves twice in the first timeframe, I would rush during the second round to get through at least twice again. By doing this, I feel I was not doing the moves as well as I could have been, which ultimately affected the quality of the workout.

Since being a Weekly Moves member, I am never bored with the workouts. Sometimes Madeline throws in an optional challenge, like a shoulder or glute burnout, a HIIT (high intensity interval training) session, or a 1-mile challenge (just to name a few). Some weeks there is a strong focus on shoulders, while maybe the next week there is a strong focus on glutes. You complete the number of rounds at your own pace. I never know what Madeline has up her sleeve and I find that exciting! There is also a very active and supportive private group on Facebook for members. If you have a question or are looking for help, look no further than that group of wonderful people.

If you are interested in following Madeline on IG her handle is @madeline_moves. I hope you found this Q&A helpful, and I am more than happy to answer any other questions you may have. Please leave a comment, message me on IG, or email me if there is anything else you’d like to know 🙂