.... I don't know what gave me the idea for that title, but I'll keep it for now.

If you haven't figured it out by now.... I can be VERY long winded.

I wanted to post a typical week's training cycle to see where I can improve... or what diet would work best for accomplishing my goals. I may even toss this workout out the window and start off fresh, but I figured that I'd post it here to show you what a normal workout is like for me. I've been working out the same... or very similiar, for most of my life. (except when I took about 2 1/2 years off from the gym)

I'm currently not working... (or working from home), so I can make up my own schedule most of the time, but I can only get to the gym once a day. The workout days have changed according to my life at the time, but my current routine is as follows:

I've always preferred to work out one bodypart at a time, so each part has ample time to recuperate before hitting it again.

Lifting usually takes 30-60 minutes, depending on what bodypart I'm training and how much rest it needs between sets. I typically do 3 sets per exercise... the 1st set 15 reps for an intensity of about an 8, then the last 2 sets for 8-10 reps to failure, intensity of 10.


TUES-Legs
Leg Press
Extensions
Hamstring Isolator
Abduction/Adduction (superset)
1 hour of mixed cardio

WED-Back
Lat Pulldowns
Cable Rows
Lower Extensions
1 hour of mixed cardio

THURS-Chest
Flat Dumbell Presses
Incline Press (machine)
Cable Flyes and/or Machine Flyes
Shoulder Press
1 hour of mixed cardio

FRI-Bi/Tri (usually superset some of these together)
(shoulder injury keeps me doing mostly bi-lateral exercises...unless I'm feeling "solid")
Barbell Curls or Dumbell Curls
Cable Curls
Tricep Overhead Presses
Tricep Extensions
1 hour of mixed cardio

SAT/SUN/MON OFF (works with my personal schedule well)

Cardio usually consists of non-impact activities....ususally bike or elliptical. I recently tried to add a run/walk program so I could increase the intensity of my cardio training, but I had to cut it out temporarily. (see below) I was staying in my "fat burning" HR zone, but I wanted to start burning more calories to bump my weight loss endevors. (I'd really like to be able to run because I'd like to start doing outdoor activities instead of relying on the gym for exercise)

I used to follow all my workouts with 12 minutes of abs and another 15 minutes of stretching... but I haven't been doing either lately.

Current Injuries
My R knee has been giving me alot of problems over the last 2 years... and it's progressively gotten alot worse recently. After a recent visit my my chiropractor (who is much more skilled then his title), I think we might have figured out the source of my problem (my feet/gait). Hopefully it's no too late to make a difference in the injuries that I've accumulated because of it. **crossing fingers**

I cannot even workout legs at all right now... without substancial pain, so I've been either skipping a day, or doing just cardio on leg days. I know that my quads are weak in comparison to my hamstrings and I need to strengthen them, but I cannot do anything without pain right now. Your hamstrings are supposed to be weaker than your quads... but mine are almost equal, if not stronger. (another cause of my knee pain)

I thought the pain was gone for a little while, so I started a run/walk program so I could build up some intensity in my cardio routines.... to bump up my workout a notch. For a while, I was okay, but then the pain returned....and got worse. Any type of repetitive motion impact-related activities cause pain. (including walking)

I started to wear inserts in my shoes again (a few days ago), and I decided to take this week off from all cardio. If I'm lucky, the inserts might correct the source of my knee troubles and I'll be able to start non-impact cardio again next week. If that goes pain-free, then I will try to do my run/walk program again.

So.... nursing injuries is cutting back on my workout routine, but I'm making sure to get into the gym a minimum of 3-4 days a week and doing whatever I can that does not cause pain.

I worked out through almost a year of shoulder pain that mysteriously disappeared... and I hope my knee will do the same thing, even though it's been almost 2 years to get this bad.

Pre-existing injuries.... whether currently causing problems or not:
Low Back: Had a bilateral microdisectomy of L4-L5 and L5-S1 in 2001 due to severly herniated disks. Still have "some" pain on occasion, but no more sciatica. Originally started lifting regularly (again) in 1995 as physical therapy for back. (first started lifting when I was 14, several years earlier)
Shoulders: Dislocated both shoulders (remained in socket... but out of alignment), in 1997, and have had countless problems with my L shoulder since... but not always.
Knees: Pain in R knee for the last 2 years.... coming and going frequently, and most recently too painful to train or do cardio.


WHEW.... that's alot of history. ...but I felt it needed to be included so I find the best routine that will fit into my life.

Yesterday I trained back. I had a great back workout. I felt strong, and I pushed harder than usual. I'm not used to lifting without doing cardio, so I kinda felt like I "cheated" myself..... but I'll get over it. I was not as sweaty or tired as I normally am after a workout.


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Today I had a decent chest workout today. My L shoulder started bothering me half-way through, so I finished up my last exercise at a lower intensity.
I was feeling kinda of weak.... but I still pushed myself. I've definately lifted more on previous days.

(since I'm not training legs, I pushed my entire schedule up a day... so I know I atleast get all my other body parts in for the week)

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I had a fantastic bi/tri workout today. I felt strong and I rested well betwen sets so I could really challenge myself weight-wise.

I'm still fairly new at my current gym, so I don't know anyone there.... and prefer it that way. I like to take my gym time for ME, and not chatting or getting distracted. I like to stay 100% focused.

Today, my intensity gave me an audiance. When I was doing my last set of bicep cable curls, I had 3 young guys rooting me on to do another rep or two. I barely heard them because I had my music blasting in my ears, but I caught a glimpse of them out of the corner of my eye in the mirror. I was lifting heavier than I had ever done before and was only expecting about 6 reps... but squeezed out 10. I felt great !

Hee hee hee! Yes! This is my favourite part! It doesn't feel so darned miserable, and it actually works BETTER.

Good job!

It definately feels good to get in and out in an hour or less.... and without sweating from head to toe.

I'm skipping the gym today because I cannot work out legs... and I'm still coddling my knee injury for a little longer. I ran out of upper body parts to train, and they are all still sore from earlier this week from some really good workouts.

I will be very busy this weekend... then going out of town for 1 1/2 weeks, so I'll get back to posting in here when I return and get my butt back in the gym.

While I'm out of the country, I expect to be spending alot of time on my feet, so I'll atleast be burning some calories via my activities.

By the time I return, I expect to be able to start doing cardio again.... but I'll give my legs atleast another week before I try lifting again.

This is the first time my knee is getting a break in over 2 years of pain. I think its needed this for a long time. It doesn't really hurt mich right now, but if I poke at it, the pain is still there.

... I know.... don't poke.

I can't wait to get back into the gym.... but I have to listen to my body.

I got back to the gym today... late in the afternoon.

After such a crazy morning, I totally forgot to take my supplements until after I got home, so I was a bit weak and tired.... but I needed to take it easy anyways because I've been out of the gym for almost 2 weeks.

I had a medium intensity back workout that lasted about 1/2 hour. I did 3 sets of 12-15 reps of the following:

Lat Pulldowns
Cable Rows
Low Back Extensions

My knee has been feeling pretty good over the last 3 days, but I'm still afraid to do any cardio with it yet. This is the longest I've been pain free in over a year! I think it needed a break from all the cardio I was doing. I was consistantly doing 1 hour 4 days a week for the last 2 years....except for a couple missed workouts.

I think I might start doing some non-weighted quad strengthening exercises to see if I can handle some resistance soon. I want to see if I can handle a walk around the lake first... baby steps, baby steps.

I don't usually workout on Saturday's... but because it's been too long since I've been in a regular routine, I decided to do it today.

I had a decent Chest workout with a little shoulders mixed in.... but my L shoulder started bothering me 1/2 way through and I was feeling a bit weak, so I did not complete my sets to failure.

I did:

Dumbell Presses
Incline Dumbell Presses
Cable Flyes
Incline Shoulder Press