5:40 a.m. - LBWO, empty stomach 35 minutes

Dumbell Squats:
12 x 20 bls
10 x 30 lbs
8 x 40 lbs
6 x 50 lbs (9)
12 x 40 lbs (9)
14 x 40 lbs (19)

Straightleg Deadlifts:
12 x 30 lbs
10 x 40 lbs
8 x 50 lbs
6 x 50 lbs (9)
20 x 40 lbs (10)

Dumbell lunges:
12 x 15 lbs (9)

One legged calf raises:
12 x 15 lbs
10 x 20 lbs
8 x 25 lbs
6 x 30 lbs
12 x 20 lbs (8)

Angled calf raises:
12 x 40 lbs (9)

Really felt the burn today; worked hard to isolate every muscle group. Actually felt something on the calves - a first!

Nat

10:30 a.m. 20 minute aerobic solution, nordictrack, HIIT (10)

BFL Ab-Bootcamp, 15 minutes:

CIRCUIT PROGRAM
Lower Ab Crunch 15 reps—no rest
Leg Raise/Hip Up 15 reps—no rest
Side Crunch 15 reps (each side)—no rest
Knee Up 15 reps—no rest
Lying Crunch 15 reps—no rest

ACTIVE REST (two to three minutes)
Basic Ab Stretch
Side Bends
Stomach Vacuums

all done x3

Nat

6:35 a.m. UBWO - empty stomach 47 minutes

Bench Press:
12 x 20 lbs
10 x 30 lbs
8 x 40 lbs
6 x 40 lbs (8)
12 x 30 lbs (9)

Fly:
12 x 20 lbs (10)

Seated DB Press:
12 x 20 lbs
10 x 30 lbs
8 x 30 lbs
6 x 40 lbs (10)
12 x 30 lbs (10)

Side Raise:
12 x 10 lbs (9)

DB Rows:
12 x 20 lbs
10 x 25 lbs
8 x 30 lbs
6 x 30 lbs (9)
12 x 20 lbs (8)

DB Pull Over:
12 x 20 lbs (9)

Seated DB Ext:
12 x 10 lbs
10 x 15 lbs
8 x 15 lbs
6 x 20 lbs (8)
12 x 15 lbs (8)

Lying DB Ext:
12 x 10 lbs (10 )

Standing DB Curl:
12 x 20 lbs
10 x 30 lbs
8 x 20 lbs
6 x 30 lbs (9)
12 x 20 lbs (8)

Seated DB Curl:
12 x 20 lbs (9)

Good workout, possibly more weigh on the db exts. Improved with the lying ext. Push for 6x40 on DB Curls.

Nat

5:40 a.m. 20 MAS (HIIT - Level 10) with

Ab-Bootcamp, 15 minutes:

CIRCUIT PROGRAM
Lower Ab Crunch 15 reps—no rest
Leg Raise/Hip Up 15 reps—no rest
Side Crunch 15 reps (each side)—no rest
Knee Up 15 reps—no rest
Lying Crunch 15 reps—no rest

ACTIVE REST (two to three minutes)
Basic Ab Stretch
Side Bends
Stomach Vacuums

all done x3

Nat

9:30 a.m. - LBWO, empty stomach 35 minutes

Dumbell Squats:
12 x 20 bls
10 x 30 lbs
8 x 40 lbs
6 x 50 lbs (8)
12 x 40 lbs (9)

Leg Extension:
12 x 45 lbs (8)

Straightleg Deadlifts:
12 x 30 lbs
10 x 40 lbs
8 x 50 lbs (8)
6 x 50 lbs (9)
20 x 40 lbs (8)

Dumbell lunges:
12 x 20 lbs (10)

One legged calf raises:
12 x 15 lbs
10 x 20 lbs
8 x 25 lbs
6 x 30 lbs
12 x 20 lbs (8)

Angled calf raises:
12 x 40 lbs (8)


Good workout, lunges were a killer.

Bought barbell and more weights today for next week.

Nat

5:40 a.m. 20 MAS (HIIT - Level 10) with

Ab-Bootcamp, 15 minutes:

CIRCUIT PROGRAM
Lower Ab Crunch 15 reps—no rest
Leg Raise/Hip Up 15 reps—no rest
Side Crunch 15 reps (each side)—no rest
Knee Up 15 reps—no rest
Lying Crunch 15 reps—no rest

ACTIVE REST (two to three minutes)
Basic Ab Stretch
Side Bends
Stomach Vacuums

all done x3


Nat

woooohooooooo Day 24.

5:35 a.m. UBWO, empty stomach 55 minutes

Bench Press:
12 x 20 lbs
10 x 30 lbs
8 x 40 lbs
6 x 40 lbs (8)
12 x 30 lbs (9)

Fly:
12 x 20 lbs (10)

Seated DB Press:
12 x 20 lbs
10 x 30 lbs
8 x 40 lbs
6 x 40 lbs (10)
12 x 30 lbs (9)

Side Raise:
12 x 10 lbs (9)

DB Rows:
12 x 20 lbs
10 x 25 lbs
8 x 30 lbs
6 x 30 lbs (9)
12 x 20 lbs (9)

DB Pull Over:
12 x 20 lbs (9)

Seated DB Ext:
12 x 10 lbs
10 x 15 lbs
8 x 15 lbs
6 x 20 lbs (8)
12 x 15 lbs (9)

Lying DB Ext:
12 x 10 lbs (10 )

Standing DB Curl:
12 x 20 lbs
10 x 20 lbs
8 x 30 lbs
6 x 30 lbs (9)
12 x 20 lbs (9)

Seated DB Curl:
12 x 20 lbs (10)

Broke one of my dumbells!! rolled off the bench and the screw on for hodling the weights in place cracked. Going to Wal-mart tonight so i'll pick up a replacement. Really feeling this workout; rubbery shoulders and burning biceps. Thank Cod for glutamine! Looking to planning the next 4 weeks as I have to change my exercises.

Nat

Why do you need to change them?

I'm off to Wal-Mart for glutamine tonight myself...maybe I'll see you there?

Lisa

Yeah! I'll be there around 5:30 ish

You should change your exercises every 4 weeks; muscle learn quickly and adapt. By changing you make them work harder, kind of like mixing up your daily menu when you get into a rut. Throws things off balance.

Nat

hey nat!
you are doing so great. thanks for the reminder about changing routine. i've been doing pretty much the same thing for about 6 weeks, but some days it's easy, some days it's a complete struggle. and i agree, the glutamine is a life safer.
keep it up
bren

5:35 a.m. 20 MAS (HIIT - Level 10) and Ab-Bootcamp, 15 minutes:

CIRCUIT PROGRAM
Lower Ab Crunch 15 reps—no rest
Leg Raise/Hip Up 15 reps—no rest
Side Crunch 15 reps (each side)—no rest
Knee Up 15 reps—no rest
Lying Crunch 15 reps—no rest

ACTIVE REST (two to three minutes)
Basic Ab Stretch
Side Bends
Stomach Vacuums

all done x3

finally felt those damned knee ups working like they should. This is just as much a learning curve as LC is!

Bren, I'm looking forward to using my new barbell and heavier weights. I cant wait to be able to say "I can bench press ___ lbs"

Nat

5:45 a.m. - LBWO, empty stomach 40 minutes

Dumbell Squats:
12 x 20 bls
10 x 30 lbs
8 x 40 lbs
6 x 50 lbs (8)
12 x 40 lbs (9)

Leg Extension:
12 x 60 lbs (8)

Straightleg Deadlifts:
12 x 30 lbs
10 x 40 lbs
8 x 50 lbs (8)
6 x 50 lbs (8)
20 x 40 lbs (8)

Dumbell lunges:
12 x 20 lbs (9)

One legged calf raises:
12 x 15 lbs
10 x 20 lbs
8 x 25 lbs
6 x 30 lbs
12 x 20 lbs (8)

Angled calf raises:
12 x 40 lbs (8)

Cant seem to get the calves to feel it no matter how high I up the DBs. Going to be using a different exercise for the next 4 weeks. Left shoulder is a little tight again, did some extra stretching.

Feeling good.

Nat

Hi Nat!
Here's something I can help you with. You've been so encouraging on the food end of it with me! Believe it or not, I have really nice athletic legs. Not to brag on myself, but I believe it helps my self-esteem to talk that way. Anyways... My little secret is--------Stand next to the wall to use it as a support--use your left hand on the wall and lift your right leg off the ground---begin pushing up and down on your tip toes with your left leg. Very SIMPLE but they really work. I use ankle weights when I do them. The result--nice trimmed and toned calves without being over bulky. My husband---who does personal training when he's not working crazy hours on the airbase---is standing right here agreeing with me. Hope they work for you Keep up the Great work!! --------------~Ang~----------

Calf muscle factoid:

Women often have stronger calves than men because we wear heels....for some of us years of ballet have left us with rock hard calves that don't seem to respond to weight training.

You may already be doing this, but here a suggestion from those ballet lessons. When you rise up, make sure to push all the way to the top (i.e. your ankle is over the ball of your foot - a full 90 degree rise). This really gets the whole muscle involved.

Maybe you already have calves of steel?

Lisa

Thanks, Ang, that is basically what I do now, with the weights listes above. I've always had problems getting my calves to "burn" when workingout... many years of competitive cycling and some jogging and now nordictracing. I have calves like what you've described, I'm quite proud of them too I have to do something silly like 200 raises per leg without a break to get to failure. BFL has some other moves I'm going to try now that I have a barbell and more weights; I'm hoping this will help.

Nat