Sunday 2010-05-09

I didn't go to the gym yesterday; I had sort of planned to, but when it came to getting out of bed I just couldn't be bothered. That's not really the best attitude to have, but I figured, I've been exercising all week, I can take a day off. And so I took a total day off everything, and spent the entire time on the sofa under a duvet, watching terrible TV and dodgy movies.

So this morning I woke up with a feeling of  "should really make up for yesterday's slackness..." and so I did. I feel I may regret this, when I try to get out of bed in the morning!

Overhead squats (with a weighted bar) x 10
Overhead lunges x 10 each leg

Squats 15kg x 12
Deadlifts 15kg x 12
Dead row 15kg x 12
4 sets, no break in between

Lunge & scaption 2kg x 12 each side
Wall squat & shoulder press 2x2kg x 12
3 sets

BOSU squats 2x7kg x 12
lunges 2x7kg x 12 each side
3 sets

Single leg deadlift 7kg x 12 each side
Sprint touch-backs 2x3kg x 20 each side
3 sets

Plank step-ups x 12 (6 each side)
Stability ball roll-out x 12
3 sets

Bicep pull down 20kg x 12
3 sets
(no idea what the correct name is for this, but I used the cables and the small straight bar. Am trying to build upper body strength so that I can do pull-ups, to prove a point to myself)

By this point my legs were shaking, my arms and back were sore, and I was really quite tired. So I went and had a shower.

I think this afternoon I'll try and do some stretching and use a pilates ball to massage my legs, I'm planning to go to the gym in the morning and do some cardio so it'll be handy if I can at least walk!

I'm not doing so well mentally at the moment, I've been pretty down and depressed about things and it's affecting my diet in a very bad way. I'm managing to keep up the gym routine though, which is helping. Last time this happened I basically dropped everything, and it just made everything worse, and for longer. Hopefully if I keep trudging through I'll come out the other side that much quicker. Much as I'm tempted to just throw my hands up and spend the next 2 weeks on the sofa under a duvet with a family pack of chocolate digestives, we all know that's a bad idea. Don't we?

Monday 2010-05-03

More weights today. Think I need to amend these new weight programs I put together, cos I clearly didn't think them through properly. Ouchiness!!

Overhead squat x 10 (with weighted bar)
Overhead lunges x 10 each side

Medicine ball step jump-overs x 12 (3 raisers under the step)
BOSU squats 2x6kg x 12
3 sets

Stability ball chest flye - press 2x4kg x 12
Single leg pull down 15kg x 12
4 sets

Bicep curl 2x4kg x 12
Stability ball dumbbell tricep extension 6kg x 12
3 sets

Stability ball crunches with arms raised x 12
Jacknife x 12
4 sets

Am now off to re-write my weights programs to ensure I'm not doing stuff involving my legs 2 days in a row - cos it bloody hurts! Running club tomorrow may well be fun!

Friday 2010-04-30

I weighed myself this morning, and was disappointed to find that I've only lost about half a pound since the beginning of April. I have, however, lost an inch from my hips, and another from my waist. So I'm claiming that as a victory.

I was a little achey this morning from yesterday's efforts, but nothing too bad. So I figured I'd go to the gym and see if I could create some major DOMS for a Saturday morning...

Overhead squats (with weighted bar) x10
Overhead lunges x 10 each side

Squats - 20kg x 12
Deadlifts - 20kg x 12
4 sets

Shoulder side raises on stability ball 2x3kg x 12
Shoulder press on stability ball 2x3kg x 12
3 sets

Bicep curls on stability ball 2x3kg x 12
Tricep extension on stability ball (laying on ball) 6kg x 12
3 sets

Stability ball plank x 30 seconds
Stability ball roll out x 12
4 sets

I think I will probably ache in a lot of places tomorrow.
Also can probably stand to put the weight up a little for biceps/triceps next time - but the shoulder one was tough!

I think the lack of weight loss is mainly down to my diet, which has been rather shocking - and also the fact that although I've been going to the gym, I've not really been pushing myself too hard. I was in the weights bay the other day when a friend of mine was having a PT session and she was really being pushed... I can't afford to go back to PT sessions yet so I have to kick my own arse in the gym or I won't see the results I want.

Thursday 2010-04-29

This morning I went to the gym with the idea of trying to make up for my distinct lack of exercise this week, despite having planned to do a lot...

Overhead squats (with weighted bar) x10
Overhead lunges x10

Squats - 15kg x 12
Deadlifts - 15kg x 12
Dead row - 15kg x 12
5 sets

Sprint step-backs - 2x3kg x 20 (3 step raisers)
Wall squat with shoulder raise - 2x3kg x 12
3 sets

Lat pull-down - 20kg (15kg on last set) x12
push up x 12
3 sets

Plank step-ups x 12
Stability ball crunches (arms up) x 12
3 sets

And now I am very, very tired.
The squats, deadlifts and dead rows were done without pauses between exercises - I can't remember the name for it but it's this thing where you use weights for cardio by just burning through the exercises really quickly without putting the bar down - hence using the same weight for each exercise. Am thinking of increasing to 20 next time though as it wasn't particularly difficult - though my legs were shaking by the end of it!

Wednesday 2010-04-28

Quick gym session this morning as I was on my way to meet someone, and not particularly in the mood for exercise either. Am secretly proud of myself that I still managed to get out the house and into town!

Stability ball chest flye - press 2x5kg x 12
Stability ball rox 7kg x12
3 sets

Stability ball crunches x 12
Jacknife x12
2 sets

Happy days!

Sunday 2010-04-25

Sunday, Sunday. I arranged to meet some friends in town for lunch at 1, and got to the gym at 10:30, which meant I had a lot of time to kill...

Warmup:
Overhead squats (with weighted bar) x10
Overhead lunges x 10 each side

Stability ball single leg squat 2x6kg x 12 each side
Sprint touch backs 2x2kg x 12
3 sets

push ups x 12
Alternating dead row 2x6kg x 20
4 sets

Stability ball chest flye 2x5kg x 12
Stability ball single dumbell row 7kg x 12 each side
4 sets

plank step-ups x 12 (6 each side)
Stability ball extended crunches x 12
3 sets

Treadmill - 1 minute sprint, 30 seconds rest x5
Stepper - program 3 (intervals) level 6, 10 minutes
Reclining bike - 3-minute easy ride to cool down

and then lots of stretching!

I always used to post weight and measurements on a Sunday, to measure my progress etc. I've not done that for a while though as I put on a fair bit of weight and didn't really want to advertise the fact. I think I'm doing ok though; I seem to have lost a couple of pounds and feel that my clothes are fitting better so that's always a bonus.

Friday 2010-04-23

Didn't go to the gym yesterday as I was ill. This morning I wasn't sure whether I was ill or not, but I figured I'd kick myself if I didn't go. So I compromised with my inner fitness freak, and caught the bus to the gym!

Stability ball chest press - flye - 2x4kg x 12
Stability ball dumbell row 6kg x 12 each side
Wall squat with shoulder press 2x2kg x 12
3 sets

Stability ball extended crunches x 12
Jacknife x 12
3 sets

I was going to swim, but there were loads of people in the pool so I couldn't be bothered with it.

Tomorrow morning I think I might get up and go to the gym early, maybe do some weights and see about doing the spin class if I'm there when it starts. And then spend the rest of the day in the garden!

Monday 2010-04-19

Gadzooks, did I ever ache when I woke up this morning! Very stiff legs!
I still dragged myself to the gym - it just took longer than normal to get there!

Warmed up with some cardio, then did a bit of upper body...

Stepper: level 6, 5 minutes

Stability ball chest press - flye 2x4kg x 12
Stability ball dumbell row 5kg x 12 each side
Pull downs - first set at 20kg, then at 15kg x 12
3 sets

Then I thought since I was there I'd do Body Balance. I've not done this class for probably about 6 months. It was a new release this week though, so I was lucky in that nobody really knew what they were doing. It bloody hurt, but I think it's probably helped to stretch my poor aching legs out a bit!

After that, since I was off work and didn't have anything I really needed to do, I went for a swim. I did 20 lengths of the pool, but it was mainly for leisure rather than exercise. I would have gone in the jacuzzi/spa thingie, had it been working - but as usual, it's broken.

I was originally planning to work on lower body again tomorrow, but judging by today's inability to walk, I think I'd better leave it a day or two. So the plan is to do cardio and some abs in the morning, and perhaps Legs Bums & Tums after work, depending on my legs!

I do feel pretty good for the exercise though, and when I weighed myself this morning I appeared to have lost a pound and a half so I can't really complain!