Lower Body Workout 1.24.12
1/ [b]Leg Extensions[/b] 3x10x50#
Goal 70, I think that’s what I used to do. Toes pointed inward so I can work on the jiggle free knee tops.
2/ [b]BB Bulgarian Split Squats[/b] 3x10x 30#
Different, usually use DBs and I find it odd my left leg is stronger or maybe that’s the more balanced side of my brain :)
3/ [b]Walking BB Lunges[/b] 3x10eax40#
Another one I usually do with DBs but a nice change since I don’t have to worry about the weight on my arms and may help me to go heavier.
4/ [b]Angled 45 Leg Press, Narrow Stance[/b] 3x10x180# or 170# on machine that starts off at 80#
5/[b] SLDL[/b] 3x10x85#
I’ve never really gone over 115# on this and it seems like so many women can. But anything higher and I feel it more in my back and I like to keep the focus on my legs so I’m happy with this weight or a slight increase.
6/ [b]Sumo BB Squat[/b] 3x10x50#
Again, usually a DB exercise for me. Good thing I don’t mind looking like a goofball.
7/ [b]Seated Leg Curl[/b] 3x10x55#
Dislike! I prefer the lying kind. I don’t think this machine is made for short people but I’ll keep at it since its part of the program.
8/ [b]BB Glute Bridge off Bench[/b] 3x10x40#
Lie with back on bench and butt hanging over. Lower butt and then press up and hold for 1 second. I used to do 30 reps with this weight. I added this extra glute exercise but the program calls for seated and standing calf raises and I never do calf work since I’m usually running around in 5 inch heels. They’re already too developed and I have problems getting them zipped into boots.
Workout took longer than normal since I went to a different gym and wasn’t familiar with the set up so no time for cardio but I grocery shopped afterwards at record speed. And I indulged in a little mall cardio earlier.
Thursday, January 26: Upper Body
[B]Upper Body Makeup Workout[/B] (Missed on Wednesday)
Disclaimer: I'm not big on upper body workouts (literally hahah). I don't try to go for a lot of weight. I treat them like a circuit with very little rest. I shoot for time instead of weight. But my #s did look pretty poor on that free motion cable thingy
Also, normally I'd do some type of cardio in between sets just to save time (lunges, burpees, jumping jacks, jumping rope, squat kicks, etc), but I didn't this workout since I was going to my beloved kickbox class after.
Also I did the last two ab exercises during the rest time of the previous two exercises . Just something I like to do to save a little gym time.
Finally, I don't think I've used a Free Motion type of cable machine - ones with the arms - since 2007 and even then I think I was doing deadlifts, so I had to figure out the setup and then I struggled to get it to rotate in/out until I looked down and saw gas peddles. If it were up to me I wouldn't use the arm cable machine. I'd just use the other kind of cables and regular machines. But, the pics in the magazine used em so I'll comply :D
[B]1/ Seated DB Shoulder Press[/B] 3x10x15#
[B]2A/ EZ Bar or BB Skull Crushers ~ss~[/B] 3x10x20#
[B]2B/ EZ Bar or BB Narrow Grip Bench Press[/B] 3x10x20#
I did BB....only cuz EZ Bar didn't come in this size :D 20# was a little too light but 30# was too much, 25# would be ideal but that weight didn't exist at this particular gym.
[B]3/ DB Lateral Raise[/B] 3x10x10#
[B]4/ Free Motion Cable Chest Flyes[/B] 3x10x10#
:(
[B]5/ Free Motion Rear Delt Cable Flyes[/B] 3x10x7.5# and then dropped to 5# on last set
:( :( Can it get any worse? Yes
[B]6/ Free Motion Wide Grip Lat Pulldown[/B]3x10x20#
Probably a tad too light and I swear my weight is better on the other type of cable machine
[B]7/ Free Motion Reverse Grip Lat Pulldown [/B]3x10x20#
[B]8/ Standing Alternating DB Curls[/B] 3x10x15#
[B]9/ Bicycle Crunches [/B]3x25
Done in between sets for exercise 7
[B]10/ Basic Crunches[/B] 3x25
Done in between sets for exercise 8
Afterwards, [B]1 hour of turbo kickbox[/B]. I absolutely love this class!
I needed both workouts, since I was meeting up with girlfriends later that evening for drinks/dinner. We ended up ordering pizza - spinach and cheese kind, thin crust - which is about as good as it gets for pizza. I did ok and kept it to 2 1/2 slices. Also had about 2 1/2 glasses of champagne with a little freshly squeezed orange juice from oranges plucked right out of the backyard....yummy! I know pizza and champagne don't necessarily go together, but the combo worked for me.
Also got my nails done - [B]OPI I Don't Give a Jacque[/B]. I needed to give my I'm Not Really a Waitress red a break.
[img]http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ho-4cTQrBv8/TrjtEhS1yLI/AAAAAAAABuA/WmvM7F__tQk/s1600/opi-you-dont-know-jacques-matte-glossy-nail-art-ydkj-wm.jpg[/img]
While at the salon I found this picture of Rosie Huntington Whitley in one of the magazines. I love the look and need to figure out a way to steal it and make it mine. A tank dress won't work on my body type but I think it's the monotone scheme that does it for me. And I love the new trend with the larger clutches since they hold so much more and you can actually store your phone in them! That's a Michael Kors clutch btw. Gorgeous!!! Wonder if I could get my fat a$$ calves into those boots :D
[img]http://www.blogcdn.com/www.mydaily.co.uk/media/2011/09/rosiemain-1316082865.jpg[/img]
Friday, January 27: Full Body Circuit
This workout sucked and I'll tell you why in a minute:
[B]Full Body Circuit[/B]
1/ [B]DB Squat Wide stance/to Shoulder Press[/B] 15x15#
2/ [B]DB Lateral Raise with Alternating Lunges[/B] 15x8#
I did 16....no uneven legs for me ...
3/ [B]SLDL with BB Row[/B] 15x40#
4/ [B]Glute Bridge on Floor with DB Chest Press[/B] 15x15#
5/ [B]Bench Dips with Bench Crunches/Tucks[/B] 15
6/ [B]EZ Bar or BB 21s[/B] 21x20#
7/ [B]Girly Pushups/Bring One Leg to Chest and Back Out[/B] 10
This program originally called for Decline Pushups on a Stability Ball w/an Ab Tuck. And although I've done these before, those keeeeeeeeeeel my abs which isn't something I want right now so I came up with this workaround that takes it down a knotch or two
8/ 1 [B]min Jump Rope[/B]
Repeat Circuit
Cons:
- The setup takes almost as long as the workout. Sometimes, it's great having a short workout (especially on a Friday), but next time I'll add in another round.
- To keep from pulling out all kinds of equipment I used 15# which was heavy for # 1 but not #4
- Chest presses while lying on the ground don't give you a full range of motion. Next time I'll try doing # 4 from a stability ball instead of the floor. I think the glute bridge might feel better on the ball as well.
- #5 was also an awkward setup. You do a dip then you put your butt on a bench and tuck your knees to your chest and then back out. Then take your butt off the bench and go back to a dip. It's a choppy movement and you never get a flow going. Next time I'll just do 15 dips consecutively followed by 15 knee tucks. That might also up the difficulty factor.
- Overall I felt this workout was light (with the exception of the first 2 exercses and that horrible ab tuck thingy). It scores 5 out of 10 on the difficulty scale and I like me a sweatier workout than this one offers.
Everything deserves a second chance tho, so I'll give it one more try with those 3 changes. But I may end up subbing it for either this JNL Dale Fuerte workout below or a [B]circuit I just saw in the Oxygen issue [/B] which honestly, I'm dying to try! It looks like a heart pounder.
Now what I like about this JNL fuerte workout is.... it's full body so it's keeping the original intention of the program I'm following, I can do it with weights I have at home so no gym required, and it's only 20 minutes which works out well for me on a Friday, but if I want a longer one then I can always add in another round.
[youtube]ZxI54CKIBSU[/youtube]
So that's the entire 30 Day Knockout Total Body Workout and now I have all 3 workouts under my belt.
Here is the [B]Calendar[/B]
Week 1: Upper, Lower, Rest/Off, Upper, Lower, Circuit, Rest/Off
Week 2: Lower, Upper, Rest/Off, Lower Upper, Circuit, Rest/Off
(Repeat till Week 5)
Sidenote: I finished this workout at 9pm so the gym was pretty empty which meant it was a perfect time for me to try out the exercise in the vid below. Not all of my gyms have the glute machine and this is a great workaround and in my lower body workout I do extra glute work instead of calves. Unfortunately, I couldn't remember what machine was used so I hopped around from the leg extension, to the seated leg curl to the [B]lying leg curl [/B]machines getting down on the floor on all fours and trying them out. It's the lying leg curl (of course last one).. 70# was too much for me and 30# too light.....[B]50# [/B]was just right :D) I didn't bother with a mat tho. But I was very happy with my new discovery.
[youtube]3Sq10TQi9Lw[/youtube]
Other News: I caught [B]Molly Sims[/B] on the cover of the January Shape magazine. Fabulous bikini/colors and I like to see relatively "older" women by industry standards every now and then. Don't we all? Well, at least she is close to my age...I believe she is 38 and I must say she looks great!
I read the article and the take-away for me was her tip on dining out which I do a lot of and it gets me into trouble. She asks for a small salad (dressing on side) first thing when she sits down before she even orders off the menu. I think this would work well for me since I often get caught up in that bread basket which I'd prefer not to even have sitting at the table but not everyone shares this sentiment :D
[img]http://cdn.buzznet.com/media-cdn/jj1/headlines/2011/12/molly-sims-shape-magazine.jpg[/img]