Okay, so I've officially been working out regularly for about five weeks now. I would like to keep better track of my workout schedule, so I'm taking advantage of this lovely forum to do so. (BTW, who pays for this bandwidth? Seriously, can I make donations?! Wa'il!)

So, after working out 3-4 times a week for the first month, I've decided that, as of this week, I'm doing Body For Life. I haven't been very vocal about it on the forum because I'm really afraid of making excuses and failing to work out and all in all failing. Then I realized that if I miss a day I'm not going to DIE and no one is going to fault me for this, so I'm going to say it: Today is day 5 of official challenge 1! I can do this!

So, another thing I'm not doing properly is writing down how much I've been lifting at the gym. I know I'm supposed to plan my sessions and then record my actual workout, but I feel like I'm still feeling out the process AND I find it embarrassing and annoying to carry around a notebook at the gym. But I'll try to get over that. Maybe my resolution for today will be to properly record my workout.

So far for this week-
Monday- Upper body workout (good one! definitely hit 10s)
Tuesday- 20 minute elliptical trainer, Pilates class
Wednesday- Rushed lower body workout (no abs due to Pilates class the day before and rushed due to crowded ass gym), 1 hour yoga class
Thursday- 20 minute elliptical trainer
Planned Friday- Upper body workout
Planned Saturday- 20 minute elliptical trainer, 90 minute yoga class

Okay, gym log. I will attempt to record how much I lift and stuff like that. In any event, there will be a record that I DID work out.

Hey Angela! Best of luck with the BFL thing! I did it last summer.

First of all, thanks for the support Kristine! Hope I can stick with it.

Well, step 1... I recorded my workout. Okay, I'm looking at www.exrx.com fro the proper names of these exercises I did with free weights, so bear with me if I get some names wrong. The amount of weight is also the full weight i.e. if I used two 12 pound dumbbells I'll put 24. The reps are also always 12/10/8/6/12/12 unless otherwise stated.

Chest-
Incline Press (machine) 24/36/48/60/48
Flies (free weights) 24

Back-
Lat pulldown (machine) 36/48/60/72/60/60
(The rowing type machine I wanted to use as my finisher was full and didn't know a good free weight exercise... I hate when the gym is crowded)

Shoulders-
Deltoid raises (machine) 12/17/22/29/22
Standing shoulder press (free) 16

Triceps-
Lying tricep extensions (free) 20/24/30/30/24 (tried to raise weight on the fourth set but it just wasn't gonna happen )
Tricep kickbacks (free) 24

Biceps-
Bicep curls (free) 20/24/30/ then did 3 reps at 40 till I realized THAT wasn't gonna happen so I did 5 more at 30/ 24
Concentration curl (free) 24

So that's my recorded workout! Feel nice and sore today even though I got some nice glutamine in. Just means I worked it! After workout I had an Isopure sport (15g protein) and half an apple.

Angela, that looks fabulous, your wokout looks good to me. Looks like you've pretty much got the pyramiding technique down, which is the hardest part planning wise. Congrats to you on a killer workout!

exrx is a great site, eh? Off to watch my last movie then I'll be back!

Not gonna make it to the gym today (it was a bit ambitious to go on a Saturday for me ) but I did do a 20 min. "High Intensity" Aerobics video. Man, I hate that video. It's funny though, it was made in the 80s with this chick in a pink leotard jumping around. I hate how the bitch in it acts like you're as fit as her dumb ass is. So it wasn't really "intervals" but I did slow down after doing some tough sections, so it's better than nothing.

Also did 10-15 minutes of yoga stretches.

Hey Skamito!! I have a few videos like that. Makes you want to throw something at the t.v.

Grrrr.....have you ever seen a susan powter video?? That thing is unreal. My mom gave that one to me (def. not my choice!!!)

Heh, busymomma... tape is definitely funny. I took that one from my mom... it was unopened. The upside is that it has a really killer ab workout on it. Course I rarely do it cause it's pretty hard.

Okay... lower body workout today. Only slightly skewed by busy gym.

Quads-
Leg extension machine - 48/60/72/84/72
Then I had machine issues... so I did 12 squats with 20 pound free weights and 12 with 30 pound weights. Still didn't feel failure so I waited for the leg press and did a good 12 at 60lb.

Calves-
Calf press machine - 48/60/72/84/72
Standing calf raises - 24 (free weights)

Hammies-
Seated leg curl machine - 48/60/72/84/72
Lunges - 24 (looking at exrx and lunges don't work the hamstrings... duh... will switch to deadlifts)

Abs-
Ab crunch machine - 24/30/36/42... then I was bullied off my machine.
So I did 30 vertical hip raises until failure.

All in all I feel pretty decent about my workout. Drank an isopure w/ glutamine and ate half an apple post workout.

Hey Skamito, just being nosey again. How are you getting bullied off your machine??? You pay to go to the gym too, having someone work with you is cool, but kicking you off is rude! Next time tell them to screw! Looks like you still managed a good workout though!

Heh, okay I'm exaggerating! I wasn't really bullied, but I feel bad resting on a machine for my minute in between sets when someone's waiting and if I let them on, they NEVER get up. I should really start more dialogues about "sharing". I shared a machine with someone not long ago and it worked out really well. He did his sets during my minute break and we'd switch off. It was an easy one to change the seat and weight levels on so it worked out. Anyway... it's a whole drama with me. I feel bad rushing others and I don't want to be rushed but I also want to stick to my routine! Luckily for UBWO tomorrow I can use a lot of free weights. Now to stake out a bench!

Today was cardio. I did a good 20 minutes on the elliptical trainer with a three minute or so cooldown afterwords.

Went up from level 5-9, 6-9, 6-9, 6-10 by varying resistance and speeding things up. Really felt it. Was a good one. Plus the electronic image on the machine looked like four little mountains.

Upper body tomorrow! Woo hoo! Going to try to fit in my regular yoga class too, though I don't know if that's going to happen. I love yoga, but I used to do cardio on Wednesdays so I could make it. Made it last week after UBWO, but the lifting felt rushed. We'll see.

Hi Skamito! I can barely walk...lol and I have cardio. I could barely make it down the stairs. It seems to get worse if I sit for too long.

I am joining a gym....so I have more access to cardio machines. I guess I have to learn gym protocol too so I am not taking over the machines. I can't wait to try the elliptical.

Hey, I though lunges were for hamstring

Quote:

looking at exrx and lunges don't work the hamstrings... duh... will switch to deadlifts

I though they did...

Be safe. See ya later.
red
Day 3 of BFL

You're doing great!

Maybe lunges ARE fine for hamstrings? Experts. I feel like they really work the whole leg anyway. Deadlifts would probalby be better for an isolated movement, no? Any experts a foot?

UBWO today... woo! I love upper body. Nice coordination at the gym too. I'm becoming less afraid of offering others my machines and sharing, etc. so things are working out. I figure if you make it clear you're just resting in between sets people do their set and rest as well.

Okay... today's workout:
For clarity, all reps are 12/10/8/6/12/12 unless otherwise stated
I double the weight of dumbells to indicate full weight

Chest:
Incline press machine- 24/36/48/60/48
Fly machine- 50

Back:
Biangular lat pull machine- 36/48/60/72/60
Lat row machine- 60

Shoulders:
Shoulder press machine- 24/36/48/60/ six reps at 48, six at 36
Deltoid raise machine- did six reps at 24 and six reps at 12

Triceps:
Extensions with free weights (sometimes standing, sometimes lying on a bench, depending on availability)- 16/20/24/30/24
Kickbacks (free)- 24

Biceps:
Curls (free)- 16/20/24/30/24
Preacher curls (free)- 24

This was NICE and hard. Looks like my shoulders are pretty weak. I suppose it's advisable to start at a lower weight next week for those. Is the way I handled my muscles failing good? I like to do the full number of reps and lower the weight rather than quitting because it's too heavy.

Soo.... I feel like I've been cheating my midsection a little so I did a little bit of ab work. So SUE me.

Did 15 back extensions at 85 pound weights on a machine.
Did 20 vertical hip raises and 20 incline sit ups.

Drank an Isopure and ate half an apple immediately following workout.

It's funny how working out just becomes something you do once you get into the swing of it. It's no longer, "Uh, I guess I'll go to the gym," it's like, "Yeah, of course I'm going to the gym... that's what I do." Anyway, I like that it's part of my life now. Feels great.

Well, I'm not an expert by any means, but I always thought lunges worked the hammies, quads, and glutes. So I searched a little and found this:

http://www.bodybuildbid.com/article...amstrings2.html

I also do the same if I overestimate how much weight to use, I lower it so I can do it, I don't see the point of flat out stopping either or pushing yourself too far. Looks like you had another great workout!

Yup, looks like lunges are a good all over exercise. Maybe I should use them as my main exercise and finish off the hams with the isolated machine. They bother me a little though, usually feel like my knees are weakening.

Speaking of which, I should probably mention that my joints popped a little today during my workout. Not painful, just annoying. Mainly in my elbow during tricep extensions. More stretches are probably in order, I assume.

Did a very good HIIT on the elliptical trainer. Felt good.