Legs
Working out my legs are my least favorite workout because they are really intense and very tiring. The legs are such huge muscle group. If you think about it, it is basically your entire lower body. It probably isn't 50% of your muscles - it could be more or less, but it is definitely a large % of body muscle.
Today's leg workout consisted of the squat (yay! ~sarcastically), the leg press, deadlift and calf raises. The squats did not ask for increasing weight but I somehow did increase my weight but after the 2nd time of increment I realized I didn't have to. I was still able to complete my sets so this really shows I didn't have enough weight for my first set of 10 reps. I know, I am such a cheater! The rest were pretty good I must say. I did really enjoy the calf raises. It was asking for 6 sets to failure. I used a 25lb dumbbell to decrease the number of reps and hopefully build more muscle. I have really small calves genetically so hopefully this will help.
After my leg workout I was pretty much sweating and panting. But this time around I felt really good about my leg workout. But I think I didn't work out as hard as I could have but it still felt like a good workout. I also then decided to try to change my mentality and hopefully it will help in future workouts. I am no longer going to say it is my least favorite workout instead, I am going to say I enjoy the workout because I actually did!
Back
After 40 minutes of doing my leg workout it was time to workout the back. I must say, it was not nearly as tough as it was for the legs but that is how this routine seems to be. It is more of an intensive workout for the first muscle group and then a lesser intense workout for the 2nd half of the workout. Its fine by me as long as it shows results. The routine consisted of wide pullups, seated cable pull, one arm rows and extensions. None of these were too bad but I always find myself limited by the strength of my bicep and sometimes I don't feel as good as a workout because of that.
Showing posts with label weight lifting. Show all posts
Showing posts with label weight lifting. Show all posts
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Week 1 - Chest and Shoulders
Yesterday I worked out my legs and shoulders following my new workout program. I like the fact that the first muscle group exercise uses increasing weights and that there are 4 sets. This is a little more of an intermediate workout and hopefully it will push me to having a better body within 8 weeks.
It was also the first day of working in the gym after being out doing cardio for over 2 months. It initially felt great being back at the gym. For the first 30 minutes I felt pumped. I did my 5 minute warmup in the elliptical (light walking). I then did a little bit of stretching and then did 2 warmup sets at the bench press.
Afterwards, I went ahead and started my bench press sets. Per the workout, I am supposed to increase the weight after every set, but I was unable to do it after every set because it was just way to heavy after the 2nd set so I was hesitant. Which is ok because the sets weren't easy (that is the main idea, if you complete a set too easily, you need to increase weights).
I continued the workout as normal and once I finished my chest workout I moved on to my shoulder workout. By that time I felt a little burned and really just wanted to go home. It would have been very typical of me to do that but as it was my first day, I forced myself to stay. In the end I did all of the shoulder workout sets! yay!
In the end of the workout I wanted to do some cardio and abs (I added them myself) but I found it really hard to do HIIT training for 10 minutes. Instead, I did 6mph jogging for about 3.5 minutes and walked the rest. I think I am just not in that good of a cardio shape. I then did my ab workout which felt great.
Overall, I think it was a good first day :D.
It was also the first day of working in the gym after being out doing cardio for over 2 months. It initially felt great being back at the gym. For the first 30 minutes I felt pumped. I did my 5 minute warmup in the elliptical (light walking). I then did a little bit of stretching and then did 2 warmup sets at the bench press.
Afterwards, I went ahead and started my bench press sets. Per the workout, I am supposed to increase the weight after every set, but I was unable to do it after every set because it was just way to heavy after the 2nd set so I was hesitant. Which is ok because the sets weren't easy (that is the main idea, if you complete a set too easily, you need to increase weights).
I continued the workout as normal and once I finished my chest workout I moved on to my shoulder workout. By that time I felt a little burned and really just wanted to go home. It would have been very typical of me to do that but as it was my first day, I forced myself to stay. In the end I did all of the shoulder workout sets! yay!
In the end of the workout I wanted to do some cardio and abs (I added them myself) but I found it really hard to do HIIT training for 10 minutes. Instead, I did 6mph jogging for about 3.5 minutes and walked the rest. I think I am just not in that good of a cardio shape. I then did my ab workout which felt great.
Overall, I think it was a good first day :D.
8-Week Weight Lifting Routine
Cardio Kickboxing doesn't seem like it is going to happen yet due to scheduling problems so I got tired of being inactive and am now starting my 8 week weight lifting program.
One of the main problems I have is being consistent going to the gym. It was a lot easier to do Beachbody Insanity at home because I had no excuse - the gym was right in the garage! However, going to an actual gym is different. Going to the gym means, I need to manage my time better, I might be getting home later, dinner will be much later than normal, so on and so forth.
How can I stay motivated and stick to the 8 week program?
I honestly don't know but I hope writing about it will keep me physched about it :D.
8-Week Workout Program (from www.muscleandstrength.com)
One of the main problems I have is being consistent going to the gym. It was a lot easier to do Beachbody Insanity at home because I had no excuse - the gym was right in the garage! However, going to an actual gym is different. Going to the gym means, I need to manage my time better, I might be getting home later, dinner will be much later than normal, so on and so forth.
How can I stay motivated and stick to the 8 week program?
I honestly don't know but I hope writing about it will keep me physched about it :D.
8-Week Workout Program (from www.muscleandstrength.com)
Monday, July 26, 2010
NEW Weightlifting Routine
I'll be following this Gym Weightlifting routine by Shaun McEwan and will use free weights whenever possible.
Work the Abs on a Monday and/or Friday if desired.
Taken from:
http://www.muscleandstrength.com/workouts/shaun--s-3-day-muscle-building-split.html
Description of Workout:
The goal of this workout is to build muscle. All rep timings are 2-1-2 unless stated in the notes and all rest times are 1 min between sets and 2 mins between exercises. As always, perform a warmup by doing 5-10 mins cardio followed by stretching and some warmup sets on the first exercise.Work the Abs on a Monday and/or Friday if desired.
Daily Workout Schedule:
| Day 1 - Chest & Biceps | ||
| Chest | ||
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
| Incline Smith Machine Press | 4 | 10 |
| Flat Bench Barbell Press | 4 | 10 |
| Chest Dips | 3 | 10 |
| Pec Dec | 3 | 12 |
| Biceps | ||
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
| EZ Bar Curls | 3 | 8-10 |
| Concentration Curls | 3 | 10 |
| Reverse Barbell Curls | 3 | 12 |
| Workout Notes: | ||
| Use 3-1-3 timing on Incline Smith Machine Press | ||
Tuesday - Rest Day
| Day 2 - Legs & Shoulders | ||
| Legs | ||
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
| Squat | 5 | 10 |
| Leg Press | 4 | 10-12 |
| Stiff Leg Deadlifts | 4 | 8-10 |
| Seated Calf Raise | 3 | 8-10 |
| Standing Calf Raise | 3 | 12-15 |
| Shoulders | ||
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
| Dumbbell Shoulder Press | 4 | 8-10 |
| Seated Dumbbell Lateral Raise | 3 | 10 |
| Rear Delt Machine | 3 | 10 |
| Dumbbell Shrugs | 4 | 10-12 |
| Workout Notes: | ||
| Try some deep squats with 3-2 rep timing (use lighter weight) for some variation Use a drop set on the leg press machine to give the quads a shock If your gym doesn't have a Rear Delt Machine substitute Reverse Dumbbell Flyes Use 3-1-3 rep timing on the seated lat raises | ||
Thursday - Rest Day
| Day 3 - Back & Triceps | ||
| Back | ||
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
| Wide Grip Pullups | 4 | 8-12 |
| Lat Pull Downs | 4 | 10 |
| One Arm Dumbbell Row | 4 | 10 |
| T-Bar Rows | 4 | 10 |
| Triceps | ||
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
| Lying Tricep Extension | 3 | 10 |
| Rope Pulldowns | 3 | 12 |
| Reverse Single Arm Extension | 3 | 12 |
| Workout Notes: | ||
| 3-1-3 rep timing on Lat pulldown machine | ||
Taken from:
http://www.muscleandstrength.com/workouts/shaun--s-3-day-muscle-building-split.html
NEW Beachbody Insanity Round 2 Hybrid Workout Routine
I have started Round 2 of the Beachbody Insanity workout program and decided to mix it up a bit. I don't want to do 100% Insanity as I do love my gym and love the feeling of lifting weights. This is what I am proposing.
I will basically be following the Insanity Calendar and the workouts there, but throughout the week I will be doing weight lifting and cardio at the gym. On average I expect to do 3 Insanity workouts and 3 Gym workouts per week (and 1 rest day on Sunday). For the sake of time I will also be skipping the "Cardio Recovery" workout. This workout will probably last for about 120 days - 4 months total.
In terms of writing blog entries, I will be writing the titles as "Day X of 63" for all of the Insanity workouts. For gym workouts I will write a title like "Back Workout" without any numbering.
Workout Calendar (to be finalized):
Mondays - Weight Lifting
Tuesdays - Insanity Workout
Wednesdays - Outdoor day (sub for Cardio Recovery)
Thursdays - Weight Lifting
Fridays - Weight Lifting
Saturdays - Insanity Workout
Sundays - Rest / Make-up day
Let's hope this works out. I'll post pictures every 30 days to track my progress.
I will basically be following the Insanity Calendar and the workouts there, but throughout the week I will be doing weight lifting and cardio at the gym. On average I expect to do 3 Insanity workouts and 3 Gym workouts per week (and 1 rest day on Sunday). For the sake of time I will also be skipping the "Cardio Recovery" workout. This workout will probably last for about 120 days - 4 months total.
In terms of writing blog entries, I will be writing the titles as "Day X of 63" for all of the Insanity workouts. For gym workouts I will write a title like "Back Workout" without any numbering.
Workout Calendar (to be finalized):
Mondays - Weight Lifting
Tuesdays - Insanity Workout
Wednesdays - Outdoor day (sub for Cardio Recovery)
Thursdays - Weight Lifting
Fridays - Weight Lifting
Saturdays - Insanity Workout
Sundays - Rest / Make-up day
Let's hope this works out. I'll post pictures every 30 days to track my progress.
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Days 9-12 (post Insanity)
I totally forgot to update my blog entries regarding my workouts.
Day 9: Legs
Day10: Outdoor / Light cardio
Day 11: Back
Day 12: Shoulders and Triceps
These days have been great. As of now I still feel some muscle soreness from Day 9's workout which really means I pushed it. For all of my sets, I increased it to 4 from 3 for at least 50% of the exercises. It actually isn't that bad since I am pushing myself more.
After today's workout I took a look at myself at the mirror and I was totally pumped! Ofcourse, that was because it was right after my workout but I do think my body is changing. Being strict with the eating regime and workout is pretty hard but I WILL do it for at least another 6 weeks.
I have 2 more weeks and then I will be taking a week off and then continuing on for 4 more weeks.
Day 9: Legs
Day10: Outdoor / Light cardio
Day 11: Back
Day 12: Shoulders and Triceps
These days have been great. As of now I still feel some muscle soreness from Day 9's workout which really means I pushed it. For all of my sets, I increased it to 4 from 3 for at least 50% of the exercises. It actually isn't that bad since I am pushing myself more.
After today's workout I took a look at myself at the mirror and I was totally pumped! Ofcourse, that was because it was right after my workout but I do think my body is changing. Being strict with the eating regime and workout is pretty hard but I WILL do it for at least another 6 weeks.
I have 2 more weeks and then I will be taking a week off and then continuing on for 4 more weeks.
Saturday, June 12, 2010
Days 4 & 5 (Post Insanity)
Day 3 was a rest / cardio day.
Day 4 and 5 were pretty good. I kept up with the same motivation and really pushed myself to lifting more and making sure I was not being too lazy.
I think the problem with weight lifting is that I don't have a buddy to spot me or to make sure I am pushing myself. Typically, for muscle gain, you want to make sure you struggle on your last 1 or 2 reps on each set. Without a buddy, I tend to go easy and just complete my 8 reps without going further. But this will not happen anymore - I will keep pushing.
Bring it!
I came across this youtube video for a pretty good recipe for a tasty protein sandwich from HardBodySuccess:
Day 4 and 5 were pretty good. I kept up with the same motivation and really pushed myself to lifting more and making sure I was not being too lazy.
I think the problem with weight lifting is that I don't have a buddy to spot me or to make sure I am pushing myself. Typically, for muscle gain, you want to make sure you struggle on your last 1 or 2 reps on each set. Without a buddy, I tend to go easy and just complete my 8 reps without going further. But this will not happen anymore - I will keep pushing.
Bring it!
I came across this youtube video for a pretty good recipe for a tasty protein sandwich from HardBodySuccess:
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Day 2 (post Insanity): Legs
Leg workouts are my least favorite because I feel week afterwards. I also feel like they just drain your energy out by the end of the workout.
Regardless, today I gave it 90% because I am still motivated from yesterday. Why do I say 90%? Because I know I could have done a little more weights at the squats but I wanted to play safe as it is a lot of weight to drop!
Tomorrow will be my outdoor sports day - more like a rest day :D.
Regardless, today I gave it 90% because I am still motivated from yesterday. Why do I say 90%? Because I know I could have done a little more weights at the squats but I wanted to play safe as it is a lot of weight to drop!
Tomorrow will be my outdoor sports day - more like a rest day :D.
Monday, June 7, 2010
Day 1 (Post Insanity):
This is totally frustrating. I feel that I am having a really hard time keeping up with my gym schedule. Last week I only worked out on Tuesday and the rest of the week I didn't. This is why I have decided to start with a clean slate and call today DAY 1!
Today I worked out my chest and bicep and had a great workout because my mind was in it. I had a bad day and was pretty much frustrated with my no-progress at the gym so I channeled my energy at the weights.
I also made sure I ate something healthy an hour before my workout so that I wouldn't be hungry. My next step will be to update my meal plan.
Also, I want to point out that I need to keep writing entries to this blog daily - even if no one is reading it, it helps me keep myself motivated.
The Plan:
- Complete 8-10 full weeks of weight lifting
- Do Round 2 of Insanity or Round 1 of P90x (TBD)
- Repeat
Today I worked out my chest and bicep and had a great workout because my mind was in it. I had a bad day and was pretty much frustrated with my no-progress at the gym so I channeled my energy at the weights.
I also made sure I ate something healthy an hour before my workout so that I wouldn't be hungry. My next step will be to update my meal plan.
Also, I want to point out that I need to keep writing entries to this blog daily - even if no one is reading it, it helps me keep myself motivated.
The Plan:
- Complete 8-10 full weeks of weight lifting
- Do Round 2 of Insanity or Round 1 of P90x (TBD)
- Repeat
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Day 14 (Post Insanity): Catching up
Last week I completed my 2nd week of weight lifting. The day count in my post titles are going to be off as I don't count weeks I take off but only weeks I follow my workout. Hopefully this doesn't act as a tricking agent for myself.
As I was saying, I completed my second week of workout last week. This included chest, bicep, legs, back, shoulders and tricep workouts. It also included outdoor sports on my cardio days.
This week my schedule is going to be a little messed up. Because of Memorial Day, I took a day off so I completed my "Monday" workout instead of my "Tuesday" workout. Also, on Thursday I won't have time to workout because of an event in the afternoon / evening. What do I do in these cases? Keep going with the workout without skipping any. I will also try to put some weight lifting into the weekend to try to re-balance the schedule is possible.
Have I seen any drastic changes to my body? Not really but I am certainly continuing my diet plan on weekdays.
As I was saying, I completed my second week of workout last week. This included chest, bicep, legs, back, shoulders and tricep workouts. It also included outdoor sports on my cardio days.
This week my schedule is going to be a little messed up. Because of Memorial Day, I took a day off so I completed my "Monday" workout instead of my "Tuesday" workout. Also, on Thursday I won't have time to workout because of an event in the afternoon / evening. What do I do in these cases? Keep going with the workout without skipping any. I will also try to put some weight lifting into the weekend to try to re-balance the schedule is possible.
Have I seen any drastic changes to my body? Not really but I am certainly continuing my diet plan on weekdays.
Monday, May 3, 2010
Day 1 (post Insanity): Chest/Bicep
For those of you just reading this blog, I am taking a 8-12 weeks off Insanity (as I have completed it) and mixing in some weight lifting for toning and building muscles.
My first day of being at the gym after been away for so long wasn't too bad. the workout was very doable. I actually finished it in 45 minutes. The chest workout didn't seem to be too hard - which means I should be adding weights. The bicep workout was good. My biceps were really pushing at the last 2 reps. Here is the summary, I also jotted down how much weight I lifted on each.
The weights actually seem pretty low and wimpy but oh well. Hopefully there will be improvements after 60 days.
My first day of being at the gym after been away for so long wasn't too bad. the workout was very doable. I actually finished it in 45 minutes. The chest workout didn't seem to be too hard - which means I should be adding weights. The bicep workout was good. My biceps were really pushing at the last 2 reps. Here is the summary, I also jotted down how much weight I lifted on each.
The weights actually seem pretty low and wimpy but oh well. Hopefully there will be improvements after 60 days.
| Chest | ||||
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | ||
| Bench Presses (2 x warmup sets) | 2 | 15 | ||
| Bar bell Bench Presses (45lbs on each side) | 3 | 8 | ||
| Incline Dumbbell Bench Presses (40 lbs each side) | 3 | 8 | ||
| Incline Flys (30 lbs each side) | 3 | 8 | ||
| Biceps | ||||
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | ||
| Barbell Curls (just the bar) | 3 | 8 | ||
| Dumbbell Curls (20 lbs) | 3 | 8 | ||
| Concentration Curls (15 lbs) | 3 | 8 | ||
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Weight Lifting Plan
I tried looking online for muscle building workout plans that are for 8-12 weeks. So I jumped on to the web and landed on MuscleAndStrength.com and bodybuilding.com which have a ton of different workout routines submitted by users (I think).
They all looked pretty similar for Intermediate weight lifters and 3 to 4 day workouts. I skimmed through a lot of them and came to do liking this one http://www.muscleandstrength.com/workouts/7-intermediate-4-day-split-workout.html. Mostly because it seems easy enough for me to complete, but definitely still a challenge with those reps. The exercises were those I could easily do at my small gym and they were also familiar. Another challenge would be doing the exercises 4 times a week.
Here is a summary (and you can see the details from the link above but in a different order):
Mondays: Chest/Biceps
Tuesdays: Legs
Wednesdays: Personal outdoor activity / Cardio
Thursdays: Shoulders/Triceps
Fridays: Back
Saturdays: Cardio
Sundays: Off
On Cardio days I plan to do Insanity - Basically start with Day 2 and go forward. Of course, I won't be including the fit tests and recovery workouts.
We'll see how this goes.
They all looked pretty similar for Intermediate weight lifters and 3 to 4 day workouts. I skimmed through a lot of them and came to do liking this one http://www.muscleandstrength.com/workouts/7-intermediate-4-day-split-workout.html. Mostly because it seems easy enough for me to complete, but definitely still a challenge with those reps. The exercises were those I could easily do at my small gym and they were also familiar. Another challenge would be doing the exercises 4 times a week.
Here is a summary (and you can see the details from the link above but in a different order):
Mondays: Chest/Biceps
Tuesdays: Legs
Wednesdays: Personal outdoor activity / Cardio
Thursdays: Shoulders/Triceps
Fridays: Back
Saturdays: Cardio
Sundays: Off
On Cardio days I plan to do Insanity - Basically start with Day 2 and go forward. Of course, I won't be including the fit tests and recovery workouts.
We'll see how this goes.
What's Next?
Now that I have finished the Beachbody Insanity program (1) and have taken 2 weeks off from working out, I decided to start planning my next phase.
Beachbody Insanity was only the beginning of my journey to obtaining a better body and for the next year I plan to do a rotation between Insanity and weightlifting. This is my own plan but it should work as long as I keep my focus and don't get sidetracked too often.
1) 60 days of Beachbody Insanity (Round 1) - Check
2) 60 days of Weight Lifting - Next
Diet?
I will be eating in the same manner as have been. I'll post a detailed version soon.
Weight Lifting?
It is important to keep your workouts varied and doing Insanity after Insanity would be impossible. Towards the end of Insanity I was definitely worn out and tired of doing cardio. Also, I am looking to tone up and pack a little bit of muscle so weight lifting will do the magic. At the same time, your body burns more fat with muscle - another plus!
Beachbody Insanity was only the beginning of my journey to obtaining a better body and for the next year I plan to do a rotation between Insanity and weightlifting. This is my own plan but it should work as long as I keep my focus and don't get sidetracked too often.
1) 60 days of Beachbody Insanity (Round 1) - Check
2) 60 days of Weight Lifting - Next
Diet?
I will be eating in the same manner as have been. I'll post a detailed version soon.
Weight Lifting?
It is important to keep your workouts varied and doing Insanity after Insanity would be impossible. Towards the end of Insanity I was definitely worn out and tired of doing cardio. Also, I am looking to tone up and pack a little bit of muscle so weight lifting will do the magic. At the same time, your body burns more fat with muscle - another plus!
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