Your Gym Routine

[Will]

HIIT is good, but boy it's hard work! However it's a great way of losing fat but keeping your muscle mass. Keep it up Stan it's brilliant!

[Stan_Lite]

Originally Posted by Will

HIIT is good, but boy it's hard work! However it's a great way of losing fat but keeping your muscle mass. Keep it up Stan it's brilliant!

The fact that I'm enjoying working so hard is a measure of the determination I have to succeed this time - that's what I've been lacking in previous attempts to lose weight and get fit. In the past, if I encountered anything even remotely as hard work as the regime I have now, I'd have given up long ago - this time I'm enjoying it. I get to the last bit of the HIIT and I'm already knackered but I have the last level 10 bit to do and I grit my teeth and dig in and get it done. I must get a video of it sometime, my face must be a real picture

I don't know what's different this time but I'm happy it's there. If I keep this up long enough, exercise and good nutrition will become a way of life instead of a means to an end - it's already starting to become routine. I don't really think about it now, I just get my gear on and head down to the gym at 20:00 without a second thought. At mealtimes, I walk past the dessert cabinet and don't even consider having one, I grab a couple of pieces of fruit instead.

I really appreciate the encouragement and advice I've received from yourself and from others since I started, it's really helped me a lot. Thanks to you all

[Will]

Well one of the reasons you feel more motivated and happy will be the dopamine and seratonin releases your body will pep you up after a hard work out and motivate you to do more - or at least it does in my case. So it's a win win situation really.

You're right it does become part of a routine - and once you're used to it it makes it a lot easier to stick to. Remember after a couple of months to take a break, heck even after 6 weeks, just take it easy for a week and then get back to it, your body will still need the rest.

[Stan_Lite]

Originally Posted by Will

Well one of the reasons you feel more motivated and happy will be the dopamine and seratonin releases your body will pep you up after a hard work out and motivate you to do more - or at least it does in my case. So it's a win win situation really.

Blimey, there must have been loads of dopamine and serotonin floating around me after my HIIT session last night - I was singing and dancing in the shower afterwards - I never sing in the shower and certainly don't dance either

Last nights session was brilliant. Instead of keeping each level in the middle of the range, I kept it at the upper end (i.e. for level 7, instead of 33spm which is in the middle of my 32-34 range, I tried to keep it at 34spm). I expected to be spent by the time I got to the level 10 bit at the end but instead, I managed to keep it fairly steady around 43-44spm and hovered on 45spm for a while (instead of 40-42, hovering on 43). I was really pleased with last nights session.

Anyway, I forgot to post my lower body weights routine yesterday, so here it is a day later than scheduled.

Quads
Barbell squats:
12x20kg
10x25kg
8x30kg
6x40kg
12x30kg
Followed immediately by
Leg extensions:
12x30kg

Hamstrings
Dumbbell lunges:
12x35lbs
10x40lbs
8x45lbs
6x50lbs
12x40lbs
Followed immediately by
Lying leg curls:
12x30kg

Calves
Rocking barbell calf raises:
12x30kg
10x35kg
8x40kg
6x50kg
12x40kg
Followed immediately by
Standing heel raises:
12x40kg

Abs
Floor crunches:
12
10
8
6
12
Followed immediately by
Reverse crunches:
12

I'm not entirely happy with some of this routine. Due to the lack of a squat rack (or anything I can use to improvise) the squats and heel/calf raises are limited to whatever weight I can hoik over my head onto my shoulders - which, at the moment, is considerably lower than I can manage for these exercises. Any suggestions as to alternatives would be handy. I should manage these at home as I can improvise but I can't on the rig.

Also, I'm not satisfied with the lunges, I can't feel them doing my hamstrings any good at all but I did feel the leg curls (blimey, did I feel them) so I think I'll swap those around.

[Piggymon]

Watch your form on the lunges, if you don't get it right you won't feel it.

Easiest way of getting it right is by creating a right angle. Get on the floor with one leg in front and one behind, get the positioning so you have a right angle and then push up and start lunging. Your front knee shouldn't be any further forward than your foot.

With the squats, what length is the bar ?

If it's longer you can stand it up on one end, lean over a little and rest it on your shoulders and then heave it over to standing position. You still can't go as heavy as if you were using a squat rack because you need to watch your back but you should be able to go a little heavier then trying to lift it onto your shoulders.

You can also try front squats... you don't need as much weight for them.

http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/...rontSquat.html

[Stan_Lite]

Originally Posted by Piggymon

Watch your form on the lunges, if you don't get it right you won't feel it.

Easiest way of getting it right is by creating a right angle. Get on the floor with one leg in front and one behind, get the positioning so you have a right angle and then push up and start lunging. Your front knee shouldn't be any further forward than your foot.

I'll try them again and concentrate on my form and see if it helps.

Originally Posted by Piggymon

With the squats, what length is the bar ?

If it's longer you can stand it up on one end, lean over a little and rest it on your shoulders and then heave it over to standing position. You still can't go as heavy as if you were using a squat rack because you need to watch your back but you should be able to go a little heavier then trying to lift it onto your shoulders.

Good tip There's a long bar on the rig. I've been using the short bar because it's more manageable but I'll try that with the long bar and see if I can get a bit more weight on.

Originally Posted by Piggymon

You can also try front squats... you don't need as much weight for them.

http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/...rontSquat.html

I'll give these a try too.

Thanks for the advice Piggy

[Piggymon]

I'll have a look at your lunge form when I see you next if you like ?

[Stan_Lite]

Originally Posted by Piggymon

I'll have a look at your lunge form when I see you next if you like ?

That'd be cool, I'd appreciate a bit of help on form - I only have the videos and stuff I find on t'interweb to go by, a bit of personal input would be most helpful

[Piggymon]

You're on !

[Desmo]

Just a little update from me....still training twice a week with the weights and it's coming on nicely. Got a dodgy tendon on my right wrist so have to be a little careful, but I'm steadily progressing as the weeks go by

I'm already starting to see and feel my muscles change (good old beginners gains) although it is only slight so I doubt it's noticeable to anybody else.

Overall.....I'm happy