Wow! I bet you can't wait for Cycle 2. I know what you mean about the 3 minutes. I might be shortchanging myself, but I do only 45sec. after the warm up lifts...then 2 minutes between working sets (the printed sheets for tracking say 2-3 minutes of rest). If I feel like they're not fully recovered, I wait longer, but most of the time, it's just 2 minutes.

Good to hear that you're noticing change here at the end of Cycle 1. I can't wait to see change! I'm so impatient.
I think I"ll weigh and measure at the end of 3 weeks (this Saturday), but I'm not expecting much.

Keep going! From what I hear, Cycle 3 is AMAZING!
-- Loretta

Workouts 3 & 4

I had to do both today as I won't be able to do any more this week. Raised the first few weights for back but ran out of steam on the others and stuck to last week's weights. Really made up for it on triceps, ache, ache. Up to 7kg, more than I've used before. I don't think I should combine two w/os, my arms just cannot cope!

Abs last night, and I'll do them again Saturday. 12 quick crunches, then 6 slow ones three times as per BRX. Same with reverse crunches, though I don't feel them working in the same way. Ab exercises are starting to work - I can see slight dents in the flab

Yea!!!!!
That's so good to hear.
It's really my abs that need the most help (after 2 LARGE pregnancies!). I feel like working them just once a week can't possibly be enough, but I'm sticking with the book. So hopefully I'll see the same thing after 3 more weeks.

It's great to live vicariously through you! :-)
-- Loretta

My car broke down on me so no gym workout yesterday. I have 3lb weights at home so I did chest & bis with these, doing about 15 reps.

Then today great leg workout. Raised weights on most again, then did lunges and squats.

Machines are in pound weights, dumbbells in kilograms. So what I thought was a 6lb weight is in fact 13.2 lbs!!

Forgot to change my workouts to Cycle 2, so will increase reps next week.

You are right, Loretta, changes are tiny but are happening. Couple of dents on tops of thighs. As for abs, I have been trying to do them every other day instead of once a week.

End of cycle 1.

Chest press: started 4kg, finished 7kg
Incline press: started 12.5lb, finished 50lb
Chest flye: reached 5kg and gave up, can't seem to do this right
Dumbell curl: started 4kg, reached 8kg
Preacher: stayed at 5kg
Leg Press: started 60lb, reached 130lb
Leg extension: started 25lb, finished 37.5+
Leg Curl: started 25lb, finished 60lb
Calves: stayed same around 5kg
Lunges: stayed at 6kg
Lat pull down: started 50lb, finished 62.5
Seated row: 4lb, finished 6
Rowing: started 50lb, finished 50lb
Triceps: stayed at 5lb but went from 10 to 30
Shoulder press: from 12.5 to 25+
Lat raise: 12.5 to 37.5lb

I improved slowly but surely so I have to build on this.

Because I didn't feel I was getting fit enough to walk fast without getting breathless I am going onto BFL with cardio I need to improve my overall fitness not just my strength. I sit at a desk all day, drive home and sit down most of the evening before bed.

I will go back to BRX after the 12 weeks.

UBWO yesterday. Went well, and I can raise the weights on Friday.

Today cross trainer 20 mins Level 1 walk in the park going from 4 to 6 at intervals. The easiest one to do and I couldn't keep it up, so I need to improve here.

BFL... BRX... I have read them both, and it seems they are very similar, except for the cardio... I wish you success Judy...

Good workout on the cross-trainer and I'm actually managing to keep up and not stop every few minutes.

Because it is the London Marathon this month, the gym is running a 42km treadmill marathon. You have to complete 42km in the month for a prize. I was persuaded to put my name down, against my better judgement so I have to do my best. As I am doing the cross trainer two days and the treadmill only one day a week, I don't think I can make it.

Anyway, I spent 9.5 minutes just doing 1km!! As it was after the 20 HIIT, I was completely exhausted and my quads are already aching.

LBWO
Wow, I leg pressed 100lb. Never thought I would do that much weight. BRX made me work harder and I've kept it up. Aiming for 200lbs now

I had the day off and planned to do my 20 MAS first thing, then the afternoon, then missed it altogether - the first one I have missed. Tomorrow is UBWO and I want to keep it up as my arms are starting to get a bit shapely now. Knees look weird - all denty and odd.

One of the trainers at the gym who did my first assessment said I was looking fine and how was I doing? He booked me in for an assessment for next week, so I think I will ask him for some different exercises to start in week 4.

Still enjoying it - when I am not at work, my routine goes haywire but I did a lot of housework so hopefully haven't set myself back today.

My arms are aching today from the UBWO on Friday. My shoulders were burning a bit when I finished, then all was OK yesterday. Today, ouch, arms and shoulders ache.

Looking forward to starting week 4 tomorrow - Easter Monday - got to put in a good LBWO.

I can't believe it is so long since I entered my gym log - since Easter, wow, about a month and a half.

I'm starting again on BFL and determined to go all the way this time. Couldn't start yesterday so did UBWO today. I thought I would have to lower my weights quite a bit as I was starting afresh, but kept them fairly high in the end. I ended up having a RTD shake which I wanted to avoid but I have some to finish off so I will do use them up over the next two weeks. My arms ached like crazy by the end and I couldn't finish off my hammer curls. Still, I did it and I felt so good and as if I had achieved a lot after that.

LBWO tomorrow - I have an important meeting to go to first thing, so I must whizz through the full set.

Judy, thought I would come over to see how you are doing... I think you are posting in your journal... I will have a look see... the challenge is less than a month away, I am so looking forward to it! I hope you are too!

Wk 1 D1

I'm on the Midsummer Challenge so I've really got to finish the 12 weeks this time!

Good UBWO but I've lost strength and couldn't quite finish some of it. Cardio tomorrow.