Workout #5 Supersets-Last Time!

Staying with the Superset theme for this workout, I used the following exercises:

• Forward Lunge/Lat Pull Downs
• Bulgarian Split Squats/Push Ups
• Dumbbell Push Press/Cable Rows
• Tabata-Mt. Climbers
• Cardio-Level 12, 60/60 on stairclimber

I am doing morning and evening yoga - and some walking on the off-days.  I haven't developed my spring training for off-days yet so they are not officially structured.

Shoulder Problems Require Change in Workout

Although I liked the Beginner Kettlebell Workouts, they involved too much shoulder rotation (snatch, clean and press, military press) for me.  I decided to finish out this week with the more balanced Kettlebell Workout from Women's Health (Saved by the Bell).  The workout keeps the shoulder rotation down but provides a good variety of exercises.  I will be exploring other Kettlebell workouts for the following weeks.  As I increase my stairclimber intervals (the longest being 26 minutes), the less time I have for resistance workouts if I want to stay under my 60 minute time frame.  When I go back to shorter intervals at higher intensities, I may reintroduce some cardio strength training again (complexes, timed sets, and tabatas) to maintain cardio intensity--my thoughts about this will be on my podcast this weekend.  I am also trying to piece together some different yoga routines into my own DVD so I don't have to think about this as much and can just follow the DVD throughout the day (wake-up routine, flexibility routine, relaxing evening routine). 

Great Yoga Resource

I subscribe to a number of newsletters and I go through them and find the most useful resources and bookmark them for my own programs.  Women's Health has a great yoga pose site that lists all the yoga poses for your review.  It not only explains what the pose is for but how to do it correctly.  You can also filter the poses by level (beginner, intermediate, etc.).  They also have another screen where you can chose yoga routines for specific issues (headaches, backaches, stress, etc.).  Both these have proved invaluable when I need to put together something new and fresh.  Enjoy!

New Post Run Yoga Routine From Runner's World

Although I don't do an official "run", I find these yoga poses helpful after doing a walk or a workout.  This one only has 6 poses and doesn't last longer than 10 minutes so it is easier to get through quickly.  Check out the video in the sidebar!

• Triangle
• Pyramid
• Quad Stretch
• Pigeon
• Head to Knee
• Happy Baby

Tabata Tomorrow at Equinox

I still haven't got my scheduling together yet but I can give you a synopsis of my workouts--I am keeping with barbell complexes over the next 2 weeks (these are from Craig Ballantyne):

• Squat
• Push Press
• Front Squat
• High Pull
• Romanian Dead Lift
• Bent Row
• Dead Lift 

I am also doing exercises specifically for hamnstrings and glutes--just one of two workouts I will be alternating:

• Romanian Dead Lift (lots more weight)
• DB Split Squats
• Single Leg Romanian Dead Lift with barbell
• Back Extensions
• Rollouts

I am doing 2 sets of 8 repetitions but using pretty heavy weight.  Ending each workout with intervals right now I am starting a new round--30/60 on the stair master at 12/6 levels (if that means anything to you!) and will start with 8 rounds and increase to 10 rounds before moving on to 30/30.  Will be attending a Tabata training tomorrow so that I can start to formulate my own exercises and routines to use at home.  I am doing 3 committed days a week at the gym with cardio weight training, glute/hamstring work, interval training and stretching.  The other days I am picking up classes prior to work and or walk/running.  I have a work project to feature something of interest and will be doing something on Tabata, interval, or incorporating yoga into running workouts.  See ya!

Workout B - Marine Corp Revisited

For my second workout of the week I have gone back to one of my favorite workouts, the Marine Corp Workout from Men's Health.  This is a simple circuit, 10 reps for each exercise, 45 seconds rest in between exercises, go through the circuit 2-3 times.  Usually, I will start with a lighter weight for the first round to warm-up and then progressively increase the weight on exercises as appropriate.

• Goblet Squat
• Dead Lift
• Clean & Press
• Dumbbell Swing
• Pull Ups
• Dumbbell Push Press
• Push Ups
• Side Planks (30 seconds each side)
• Mountain Climber

I continue to do the twisting yoga poses and have started to incorporate one session of mediation (lasting all of 5 minutes).  I have been reading Dr. Wayne Dyer's new book and will be commenting on some of the principles in future posts.

Keeping Up with Yoga by Integrating with Morning Warm-Up

Since I am not a yoga enthusiast (although I know the benefits), I do try to incorporate yoga poses where possible.  So, I have added a "rise & shine" energizing routine from Yoga Journal (October, 2010) which includes the following postures:

• Upward Salute
• Standing Forward Bend
• Downward-Facing Dog
• Three-Legged Do Pose with hip open
• Low Lunge

This is done after I do the TT Warm-Up, which includes:

• Jumping Jacks (20)
• Prisoner's Squat (20)
• Step Over (10)
• Duck Under (10)
• Leg Swings (20)
• Push Ups (10)

When I am motivated, I fit in another 20 minute yoga (primarily stretching) sessions in the afternoons.

Some Additions for the Week

For the alternate days of my workout I have added a “non-weight” workout which will include the following:

Straight-leg leg lifts (lying and seated)/Leg extensions (lying and seated)/Hamstring lifts and curls/2 variations on hip lifts (bridge)/Outer and Inner thigh work/Calf raises/Modified pull-ups/Modified Dips.  I won’t do push-ups as they are part of my regular workout.  These exercises aren’t strenuous but help keep the blood flow into the muscles I have been working.  Additionally, per my podcast, I have added a few yoga postures as well.  I find if I don’t build in stretching and yoga into my regular workout, it doesn’t get done consistently.  This way if I do find time for another stretching or yoga session, it is extra.

Stage 3 Begins!

I was worried I wouldn’t be able to start Stage 3 with the pulled stomach muscle—but the exercises actually helped.  Here is Workout A (all exercises 3 sets, 6 repetitions):

One-armed dumbbell snatch

Alternate sets: Dumbbell single-leg Romanian dead lift / Barbell bent-over row

Alternate sets: Dumbbell single-arm overhead squat/Dumbbell incline bench press

Alternate sets: Plank (90 seconds)/Reverse wood chop

I was very careful on the reverse wood chop and kept the weight low and the movement slow.  This is followed by a body matrix – 24 lunges, 12 lunges, 12 lunge jumps, 24 squat jumps – recovery time is 2x circuit time – then do the circuit again.  I follow this with my 15 minute HIIT – treadmill 3 minute warm-up then 1:2 intervals, 4 rounds alternating between 10 minute mile and 8:12 minute mile.  I hope to break 8 minutes in a few weeks.  On my alternating days, I am doing longer, less intense intervals on the stair climber for 30 minutes followed by the following body movements for Men’s Health Book of Exercises—Jumping Jacks, walking high knees, Lateral duck under, Inverted hamstring, lunge with side bend, cat/camel, push-up plus, floor Y raises, side-lying thoracic rotation, clamshells, and supine hip internal rotation.  When I got home, I did a 20 minute yoga session and plan to walk and stretch later today. 

Moving to 3x10 progression

For the next 4 workouts, I will be pushing more weight while lower repetitions and increasing sets.  This means I will be doing more volume from the previous week and weight.  Because I will be starting with a higher weight, I will add some “warm-up” sets for the first exercises of each workout (squats for Workout A and deadlifts for Workout B).  These will consist of a set of 8 repetitions at 50% of starting weight, followed by 6 repetitions of 75% of my starting weight.  This will help me work into the heavier lifting.  I have moved my cardio up to 7 rounds of intervals (from 6 rounds last week).  Additionally, I am adding 5 seconds on to every other interval so it will be 3 minutes of warm-up followed by 30/90, 35/85, 35/85, 40/80, 40/80, 45/75, 45/75 and then a 3-5 cooldown.  When I finish the four workouts and move to the final phase of this stage, I will have moved to 8 rounds and move to the next level of HIIT (30/60).  I alternate my HIIT workouts between the Stairmaster and treadmill.  I have 5 yoga routines from library DVDs and will rotate through those as well.

Technorati Tags: Weight Training Progressions,HIIT Intermediate Level,Yoga

Metabolic Resistance Training-Stage 1-Workout B

Same warm-up exercises followed by the following workout series(same criteria 2 sets of 15 with 60 seconds rest; inverse set for core 2 sets of 8:

• Dead Lift

• DB Shoulder Press/Wide-Grip Lat Pulls

• Lunge/Swiss Ball Crunch

HIIT session: 3 minute warm-up; 7 rounds of 30/90 intervals; 3 rounds with 8:30 mile/9:30 mile; 3 rounds with 8:15 mile/9:30; final round 8:06 mile/9:30 mile with a 3 minute cool-down; total under 20 minutes.

Same stretches. I will be going out shortly for a 30-minute walk (it’s 35 degrees out), followed by viniyoga and meditation. Last night’s music was much better but I had to run the repeat program to reach the 5 minutes. Being a low-tech gal, I am still figuring out how to use my mp3 player effectively as well as putting together a playlist from separate downloads to reach my meditation timeframe. Regardless, no weight gain at this point; no fat % machine—I will try again tomorrow.

Technorati Tags: Metabolic Resistance Training,HIIT,Stretching,Cooldown,Meditation,Yoga

Big Push/Big Pull

This is the final phase of my workout and it will combine component of both strength and endurance. I will alternate between repetition ranges: Monday: Endurance 2 sets 12 repetitions, Wednesday: Strength 4 sets 6 repetitions, Friday: Combo 3 sets 8 repetitions. All workouts have a quad dominant lower body exercise; a hip dominant lower body exercise; a horizontal press and horizontal pull; a vertical press and vertical pull. Over the next four weeks I will rotate exercises each week and use the three different workouts (endurance, strength, combo).

This week's exercises:

Squat
Step-Up
Chest Press/Bent Row
Shoulder Press/Lat Pulls

I will finish each session with a Yoga routine composed of a set of warm-up/breathing and then 5-6 poses, ending with a breathing/meditation. These are based on my Yoga Deck.

Monday--warm-up/Om followed by Chair(I allow Life's energy to stream through me), Fish(I inhale Life's positive energy and exhale negativity), Spider(I acknowledge my ability to regenerate), Sitting Forward Bend(I let go . . into the Eternal Now), Bent Knee Sitting Forward (I surrender into the flow of Life), Bound Angle (I receive goodness. I radiate happiness)--Sounding Breath (I am at peace. All is well in my world)/Resting Meditation (I am that I am)