My Workout.. your thoughts?

[RachelM]

I forgot my gym gear on Friday and didn't realise till I opened my backpack at the gym... not happy!! This is the first time since starting this workout that have I not worked out when I intend to!!

Tuesday (Was limited for time)

Tuesday's Workout

Bench Presses
16kg x 8
18kg x 8
29.5kg x 8
29.5kg x 8


Bent-Over Rows
18kg x 8
20.5kg x 8
34kg x8
34kg x 8


Overhead DB Presses
6kg x 8 (13.2pound DB)
7kg x 8 (15.4 pound DB)
12.5kg x 8
12.5kg x 8

I finally went up, PROCRASTINATION over... no popping or cracking!!! Finally

 

[RachelM]

Because I ran out of time on tuesday I split up the workout and I have noticed improvements on both days... I will make it a priority to have a different workout for next week.

Wednesday

15min stepmill

SL Deadlifts
20.5kg x 8
32kg x 8
38kg x 8
40.5kg x 8
50kg x 8
50kg x 8



Squats
Bodyweight x 12
Bodyweight x 12
Bodyweight x 12
40kg x 8
40kg x 8
43kg x 8

New PR.. felt good, a little bit of DOMs today.



Single Leg Calf Raises
8kg x 10 (17.6 pound)
12kg x 10 (26.4 pound)
20kg x 20
24kg x 20
24kg x 20

Bloody hell these are a killer, my calves are on fire at the end and my heart races!!

Hanging Knee Ups/Leg Raises
12 hanging knee raises
12 hanging leg raises
12 hanging leg raises
12 hanging leg raises
12 hanging leg raises

I have just been adding another set!!


15min treadmill.

Well, I've decided spliting the workout means I can put more energy into each exercise.. whereas over the last few weeks I have just been focusing on getting through the workout... it looks like I'm progressing.

 

[Roxy722]

Great job on the new PR!! Looking great on the workouts!

 

[RachelM]

Thanks Roxy!! But I am going to change it up... time to do something new!!!

 

[zedhed]

DANG RACH!
You been tearing it up in here gurl and GOOD FOR YOU TOO CHIKA!
Youre doing it right too. Always hittin it hard! I really like that sista.

Fine to split your workout and change. Just keep it based on the compound lifts and continue to work for strength. This will serve you very well until you are ready to add some isolation work.

Looking forward to seeing what you develop for a workout.

Best regards chika!

and keep wearing those high heels every chance you get!

 

[RachelM]

Its been a while since I posted up.. but although my posting is not going well.. my training is!!

I spend ages looking at different workouts.. but I came to the conclusion that I like the exercises I am doing... so I have just split the workout into two days.

Last week was the tester... and I was able to get new PR's on most exercises.

10 mins eliptical (4x 2min @ 10 & 30secs @ 20)


Mondays Workout

Bench Press
16kg x 8
18kg x 8
32kg x 8 New PR
32kg x 8

Military DB Press
7kg x 8
8kg x 8
12.5 kg x 8
12.5 kg x 8

DB Row
16kg x 8
20.5kg x 8
36kg x 8
36kg x 8

Kettlebell Single Calf Raise
8kg x 10
16kg x 10
20kg x 20
20kg x 20

15mins stepmill (speed intervals) lv 12

By breaking up the workout into two days means that I can concentrate more on each exercise, plus with the cardio before and after means I will be doing more cardio each week (130mins as opposed to 100mins)

We'll see how it goes!!

 

[RachelM]

Tuesdays Workout

10mins bike warm up

SLDL
20.5 kg x 8
28.5 kg x 8
38kg x 8
38kg x 8
52.5kg x 8
52.5kg x 8

New PR!!! Steaming through these!!! Very happy

Squats
Bodyweight x 8
Bodyweight x 8
20kg x 8
20kg x 8
45kg x 8
45kg x 8

Again, new PR... on the last set I felt like I was leaning forward too much, must focus not to do this!!

Hanging Leg Raises
10 x knee raises (warm up)
10 x leg raise
10 x leg raise
10 x leg raise
10 x leg raise

Added another set in here,

Feeling really motivated with the new workout, I am putting more effort into each exercise and it's really showing with the new PR's.

 

[zedhed]

I like it sista.
Like you said breaking it up means you can get more intensity and thats all good!
May I ask how come you wanna do so much cardio?

 

[RachelM]

Thursday Workout

Bench Press
16kg x 8
18kg x 8
32kg x 8
32kg x 8

Military DB Press
7kg x 8
8kg x 8
12.5 kg x 8
12.5 kg x 8

DB Row
16kg x 8
20.5kg x 8
36kg x 8
36kg x 8

Kettlebell Single Calf Raise
8kg x 10
16kg x 10
20kg x 20
20kg x 20

 

[RachelM]

SL Deadlifts
20.5kg x 8
32kg x 8
38kg x 8
38kg x 8
43kg x 8
43kg x 8



Squats
Bodyweight x 8
Bodyweight x 8
20kg x 8
20kg x 8
47.5kg x 8
47.5kg x 8 New PR

Hanging Knee Ups/Leg Raises
12 hanging knee raises
12 hanging leg raises
12 hanging leg raises
12 hanging leg raises
12 hanging leg raises

 

[RachelM]

Hi Zed,

It's good you've stopped in, are you back in the gym?

Thanks for questioning the cardio, you have made me think about the reasons. It is around 20-30 mins per day for 5 days a week and the reason I'm doing it, and my logic could well be flawed, is that I still have a little bit of body fat to lose, not much but a little.

I have read in the forum that it is less efficient to cut/bulk at the same time... and I guess I have shown that because I have now been lifting since August, and although I have made some great progress, I have seen those involved in the recomp comp and the rate of bodychange is amazing, so much faster than mine, but again the logic is that this is a lifestyle.. so I want it to be sustainable and I just felt like it was a happy balance.

It's been a while since I have had a good look at a breakdown of my diet, and without doing it I can't say for sure weather I'm doing too much cardio!! I eat a lot.. I have been really hectic lately but I guess it's time for me to start tracking everything more carefully.

 

[trex74]

It's been a while since I have had a good look at a breakdown of my diet, and without doing it I can't say for sure weather I'm doing too much cardio!! I eat a lot.. I have been really hectic lately but I guess it's time for me to start tracking everything more carefully.

This is kind of embarrassing to admit, but I have dropped six pounds since stopping having "seconds" at dinner time.
I always eat healthy and clean, but I guess that extra bit of chicken and brown rice adds up.
I am a walking advertisement for portion control

 

[zedhed]

This is kind of embarrassing to admit, but I have dropped six pounds since stopping having "seconds" at dinner time.
I always eat healthy and clean, but I guess that extra bit of chicken and brown rice adds up.
I am a walking advertisement for portion control

LOL yeah trex I know exactly what you are saying here. Its kinda funny how sometimes the small things make such a big diff.
I sincerly hope all is going well for you and yours.

 

[zedhed]

Hi Zed,

It's good you've stopped in, are you back in the gym?
Well yes I am back to working out but I seemed to have popped that dam hernia back out. So sometime I need to get that fixed again......it sucks

Thanks for questioning the cardio, you have made me think about the reasons. It is around 20-30 mins per day for 5 days a week and the reason I'm doing it, and my logic could well be flawed, is that I still have a little bit of body fat to lose, not much but a little.
OK, lets go further down and I will respond.

I have read in the forum that it is less efficient to cut/bulk at the same time... correct. it just plain does not work.
and I guess I have shown that because I have now been lifting since August, and although I have made some great progress, I have seen those involved in the recomp comp and the rate of bodychange is amazing, so much faster than mine, but again the logic is that this is a lifestyle.. so I want it to be sustainable and I just felt like it was a happy balance.
Ok chika but you also have to remember that all of the peeps in the contest are on gear too and that will make a huge diff in how fast and to what potential they respond to structured diet and workouts.

It's been a while since I have had a good look at a breakdown of my diet, and without doing it I can't say for sure weather I'm doing too much cardio!! I eat a lot.. I have been really hectic lately but I guess it's time for me to start tracking everything more carefully.

Dont get me wrong, cardio to a point is fine. As you stated diet is where its at for fat loss. But something else to consider here, lifting heavy weights will burn more calories for a longer period of time then cardio will. Plus you get the benefit of all that the weights do for you!
Hey you still wearing those high heels? LOL

 

[trex74]

LOL yeah trex I know exactly what you are saying here. Its kinda funny how sometimes the small things make such a big diff.
I sincerly hope all is going well for you and yours.

Things are great, thanks for asking!
The small things totally make a difference.
I know what it is like to want quick results- and that is "stinkin thinkin" for me. I can drop 10-15 pounds no problem very quickly, but it is muscle and water to be sure, because the only way things happen quickly for me is if I take drastic measures, which is not sustainable or desirable. And it creates obssessive thinking about food too- which is not healthy either.
Good point about the people in the comp contest being on gear too- it must make a difference.
Rachel-
I figure it is better to cut then bulk, as when you bulk you are adding in some extra fat cells which can be shrunk, but not eliminated. So you may as well shrink up the ones you already have before adding some into the mix.
I agree, lifting heavy weights will burn up those calories, especially if you have a smaller rest period in between sets- like 45 secs instead of two mins. Not between squats or deads obviously, but ya know what I mean

 

[trex74]

Also, if you feel you are hitting a plateau, you might just bust through it if you vary your workouts in terms of volume and intensity.
Example off the top of my head:
Mon- High volume low intensity- ( 15-20 reps of a weight you can DO 15-20 reps of)
Wed- High intensity low volume ( 6-8 reps as heavy as you can go)
Fri- medium volume medium intensity (8-10 reps of a fairly heavy weight)

Or even switching it up so you change it week by week instead of three times/week.

Whatever you change, maybe try something different for a month and a half, and the go back to your usual if you prefer.

As for your cardio thing- 20-30 minutes 5 days a week could be eating up the muscle you are putting on, making any progress slower to see. Just a thought. Why not do cardio on the days you are not lifting?