Front squat/push press: warm-up sets 1 X 8 X 25, 1 X 6 X 30
work sets 1 X 10 X 35, 1 X 10 X 40
I'm not sure if I'm a wimp or what, but this was about as I heavy as I can go and still have good form. Plus my right ankle apparently wasn't warm enough when I started because it didn't want to bend when I was going into the squat.
Step-up: 2 X 10 X 15s @ 12"
Dumbbell 1-point row: 2 X 10 X 15s
Will try heavier next time
Static lunge w/ rear foot elevated: 2 X 10 X 15s
Will try heavier next time
T Push-up: 2 X 10 X 8s
Plank: 1 X BW X 30sec on ball, 2 X BW X 60sec on floor
Lying woodchop: 2 X 10 X 20
Since I don't have access to a cable machine, I used a 20# dumbbell, lying on the floor with knees bent. I pulled it horizontally, according to the alternate exercise in the book. I was paying special attention to form by making sure my lower back wasn't arching or leaving the floor and moving the weight slowly to get the most out of the exercise.
Yesterday was 22 minutes intervals (cardio in Abs Diet 2) plus 5-minute break and then 40 minutes of steady state aerobics. It helped my mood so that was good.
DD has added a fever to her cold, so we took a nap after my workout in the hopes of getting her feeling better. She's at 101.2 and refusing to take medicine. And here's the kicker--I can't force her because I don't want to wear it when it won't go down. I save force-feeding medicine for emergencies and try to talk her into it. Hoping it will go down with just fluids and wearing lighter, looser clothing.
Wide grip deadlift from box: warm-up 1 X 8 X 60, 1 X 6 X 80, 2 X 10 X 100
Bulgarian split squat: 2 X 10 X 20s
Underhand assisted chin-ups w/ light assist band: 1 X 7 X BW, 1 X 6 X BW
Reverse lunge from box w/ forward reach: 1 X 10 X 8s, 1 X 10 X 10s
Dumbbell prone cuban snatch: 1 X 10 X 5s, 1 X 10 X 8s
Stability ball crunch: 2 X 10 X 25
Reverse crunch: 2 X 10 X BW
Lateral flexion: 1 X 10 X BW (1st option), 1 X 10 X BW (2nd option)
Prone Cobra: 2 X 60 seconds
Intervals: 5 intervals using 1 minute sprint, 2 minute recovery
I thought the workout went well for the most part. Some places I went too light, but made notes so I remember to increase and adjust the next time I do this workout. I probably should have spent some time playing with the exercises and planning ahead, but I just didn't have the time or energy to do that this week.
DD has had the flu with fever for two weeks now so I'm hoping we'll see the end of this soon. Also, I start a new job next week and am trying to do all the prep/planning to daily life, food, and workouts.
I've lost 1.5 pounds this week with careful tracking of food and I'm hoping this trend continues--who really knows with the scale, right ?
Good news for the day is weight this morning was 139.8 so I'm at the less than 140 mark for the first time in 2+ years (aka since we started building the house). That's down from 144.2 at the start of the challenge. So exciting!!!
Stage 2, A, #2
Front squat/push press: warm-up sets 1 X 8 X 25, 1 X 6 X 30
work sets 2 X 10 X 35
This is the hardest exercise for me. There is no way to adjust it for wrist inflexibility like I can for push-ups (push-up bars or closed fists) or even for front squats (cross-arm grip or straps to grip).
Step-up: 2 X 10 X 12s @ 12"
Used a lighter weight this time to make sure I wasn't cheating and using the back foot for assistance.
Dumbbell 1-point row: 2 X 10 X 20s
Static lunge w/ rear foot elevated: 2 X 10 X 20s
Stability ball decline push-up: 2 X 10 X BW
Plank: 2 X BW X 60sec
Lying woodchop: 2 X 10 X 20
I did 35 minutes of aerobic intervals after this in the interest of getting in a little extra cardio and changing the routine a little bit.
Good news for the day is weight this morning was 139.8 so I'm at the less than 140 mark for the first time in 2+ years (aka since we started building the house). That's down from 144.2 at the start of the challenge. So exciting!!!
Diane and Leah, thanks--I'm still so happy about this. TOM has come and is going, so hopefully it will stay that way like it has the last 4 days. If it does I'll be doing the happy dance!
Yesterday's workout was Stage 2, B, #2
Warm-up: regular warm-up + deadlift warmup 1 X 8 X 60, 1 X 6 X 80
Wide grip deadlift from box: 2 X 10 X 100
I don't think I'm going to be increasing weight on these very soon. It takes all my effort to do this.
Bulgarian split squat: 2 X 10 X 25
Underhand assisted chin-ups w/ light assist band: 2 X 6 X BW
These are so much harder using only a light assist band rather than the medium assist band. I think I'm going to try doing a couple sets every day except workout A days. Maybe I'll improve that way.
Reverse lunge from box w/ forward reach: 2 X 10 X 15s
Dumbbell prone cuban snatch: 2 X 10 X 8s
Stability ball crunch: 2 X 10 X 25
Reverse crunch: 2 X 10 X BW
Lateral flexion: 2 X 10 X BW (Hanna side flexion 3)
Prone Cobra: 1 X 120 seconds, 1 X 90 seconds
Today was 40 minutes aerobic interval training since I had no time for intervals after my workout yesterday.
What style of band do you use for those assisted chin's and how do you hold it/attach it? I want to get one (or two) so I can do pull ups and chin ups with my home set-up. I tried to do this once at the gym and all they had was a really flimsy band with a handle on each end and it came lose and hit me in the face and I felt like a dumbass.
I like the ones I have because I needed all of them to get started and graduate to the next level. I use the smallest one now to get the least assistance. I think you're a lot stronger than I am so you wouldn't need the heavy one for pull-ups, but maybe just a light and super light or something like that. Hope this helps!
Congrats on hitting stage 2. The workouts looks good!
__________________ It all starts with the mind, but the thoughts, the intention aren't enough. Action needs to come next. Dream it, believe it, plan it, execute it, celebrate it. - Wendy
How come I didn't think of doing it instead of Lat pull-downs? Thanks for the idea, Karen. That's a totally superior exercise.
Oh Karen, I heard you did P90X. I am interested how you found it. I just heard a few things here and there and they are pretty questionable to me (esp. nutrition aspect)
Paula and Ginger, thanks for stopping by and encouraging !
Quote:
Originally Posted by Natalia
Oh Karen, I heard you did P90X. I am interested how you found it. I just heard a few things here and there and they are pretty questionable to me (esp. nutrition aspect)
Natalia, I liked that P90X convinced me that I could push harder and lift much heavier than I had been for upper body. I liked that the program only worked each body part once a week. But, I did find many of the exercises were questionable for safety (for me, at least) and at the end of the three months I could barely stand to listen to Tony Horton.
I'm not sure it was a very good nutrition plan and most of the people doing the program were loosely following it at best so I didn't really find out how they felt about it. I tried to up my protein and eat cleaner foods, but didn't really commit to the plan. Most of the people on the Beachbody boards follow a plan that's more like the ones we are following here than the P90X nutrition plan as it is in the manual.
By the end I could do a lot of real push-ups and assisted pull-ups, though, and I was much stronger than when I started. I'm glad I tried it out, but I won't be doing it again.
Thanks for the awesome links! I can see why using the band at the gym didn't work - its not the same style and wasn't designed for what I'm trying to do with it.
I ordered the iron woody package with a small, med, and large. The program I'm doing has some 20 rep sets of wide-grip lat pulldowns, so I'll need a lot of help for that!
Leah, I can definitely understand why 20 would require a little more assistance. I hope you like them. Did you get them yet? When I ordered it only took 2 days to get them.
Quote:
Why in the heck would people (not in the adult entertainment industry) call a product an Iron Woody?
LOL, I think we've all wondered about that .
Last workout was Wednesday: Stage 2, A, #3
Front squat/push press: warm-up sets 1 X 8 X 25, 1 X 6 X 30
work sets 2 X 10 X 35
Step-up: 2 X 10 X 12s @ 12"
Dumbbell 1-point row: 2 X 10 X 20s
Static lunge w/ rear foot elevated: 2 X 10 X 20s
Stability ball decline push-up: 2 X 10 X BW
Plank: 2 X BW X 60sec
Lying woodchop: 2 X 10 X 20
Hmm, this workout was pretty much the same as the one before, but it was still a good-feeling one.
I am putting off doing my next weight lifting workout until tomorrow because our puppy yanked my shoulder and elbow when I took him to the vet on Thursday and it hurt so much I couldn't even sleep that night. (He's a 53-pound, 9-month-old puppy, not a tiny one, so when he runs all out to the end of the leash, it puts a little pressure on, especially when you're not prepared.) It's still fairly sore so I'm only doing interval cardio and maybe relaxing yoga today.
I also plan to go through the long process of weighing/measuring, taking pics, and getting them posted sometime today. I'm hoping to see a difference this time.
Leah, the puppy is half Australian Sheppard, half Red Heeler, so he's only going to be 60-70 pounds, but he's very strong. Guess he just didn't want to go in for the neutering . I've got the new lead thing the vet recommended so he can't pull my arm like that again. I hope the bands worked well for you.
Today's workout was Stage 2, B, #3:
Warm-up: regular warm-up + deadlift warmup 1 X 8 X 60, 1 X 6 X 80
Wide grip deadlift from box: 2 X 10 X 100
Bulgarian split squat: 2 X 10 X 25
Underhand assisted chin-ups w/ light assist band: 1 X 7 X BW, 1 X 6 X BW
Reverse lunge from box w/ forward reach: 2 X 10 X 15s
Dumbbell prone cuban snatch: 2 X 10 X 8s
Stability ball crunch: 2 X 10 X 25
Reverse crunch: 2 X 10 X BW
Lateral flexion: 2 X 10 X BW (Side crunches on the ball)
Okay, this is all I can post as the other pictures are giant (almost life-sized !) and I can't get them to match the size of the previous back and side pics.
Anyway, Annette, I hear you and totally understand. I am frustrated and kind of discouraged after looking at the new pics. I don't understand how the numbers can be dropping and yet the pictures look exactly the same .
?
!) and I can't get them to match the size of the previous back and side pics.
.
Linear Mode
