Tag Archives: strength training

Stage 4 of Female Body Breakthrough

Stage 4 and the final stage for Female Body Breakthrough! This one is structured a little different in that each workout has different reps and sets. So in week one I did 4 sets of 5 with heavy weights and then the next workout will be 3 sets of 10 and then the 3rd will be 2 sets of 15 with lighter weights. Then you go through that rotation again.

Workout A

Exercise

1. Plank with alternate arm/leg reach (on elbows)

2. Complex: Deadlift, High Pull, Push Press, Reverse Lunge

3A. Bulgarian Split Deadlift

3B. Single Arm Chest Press on ball

3C. Back Squat

3D. Chinups

Yeah – that plank is flipping hard. Looks like this:

Source

I was able to do it once I got the hang of it. Good thing I was using a mat, though 😀

The complex – I forgot how much I liked this. What it means is that you perform 8 reps of the deadlift, move right into a high pull and do 8 reps, move right into the push press with 8 reps and right into the reverse lunge and do 8 reps – all without stopping. This one is the same for the whole month where you rest a minute and repeat the complex 4 times. You do have to use a lighter bar for this and it gets your heartrate up there! I need to remember to rotate the complex in to my regular routines in the future.

Workout B

Exercise

1. Crunches on stability ball

2. Complex: High Pull, Front Squat/Push Press, Back Squat, Good Morning

3A. Deadlift

3B. Dumbbell Overhead Press with rotation

3C. Single Leg Deadlift (modified from a single leg squat)

3D. Bent Over Row

Same deal here with the change in sets/reps each workout. Now this should last for a month, but because of biking cutting into my weekend lifting, I might go ahead and just extend the time and get in all 12 workouts since they are each different.

I do have to say that I am really tired of doing chin ups. Even with resistance – I don’t care for them. I don’t think I will bother with them ever again after this program is done. Too many good moves I like to do ones I don’t!

Fit Female Breakthrough Stage 3 wrap up.

Finished up stage 3! I actually started stage 4 today (owie).

I made good progress in this stage even though I did not do all 12 workouts. I got in 10. Now that biking season is here -YAY!!!!- I have dropped down to lifting twice a week instead of 3 times a week. Unless it is raining on the weekend — then I will get in the third.

Here are both the A and B workouts and my progress over the past month.

Workout A

Exercise	Set/rep/weight Week 1	Set/rep/weight Week 4
Plank on stability ball	3 sets of 60 second holds	3 sets 70 second holds
Ball Crunch	3 sets of 10	3 sets of 12
Deadlift	3 sets of 6 with 65# bar	3 sets of 6 with 75# bar
Military Press	3 sets of 6 with 20# DBs	3 sets of 6 with 25# DBs!!
Forward and back step over	3 sets of 15 each leg with no weight (balance issues)	3 sets of 15 each leg with 10# DBs
Incline Dumbbell Chest Press	3 sets of 15 with 15# DBs	3 sets of 15 with 15# DBs
Hamstring curl on ball	3 sets of 15	3 sets of 15
1-point Dumbbell Row	3 sets of 15 with 15# DB	3 sets of 15 with 15# DB

Workout B

Exercise	Set/rep/weight Week 1	Set/rep/weight Week 4
Prone Cobra	3 sets of 60 second holds	3 sets of 70 second holds
Front Squat	3 sets of 6 with 20# bar	3 sets of 6 with 45# bar
Chinups	3 sets of 6 with assistance	3 sets of 6 with less assistance
Stiff-legged deadlift	3 sets of 15 with 55# bar	3 sets of 15 with 65# bar
Dumbbell Push Press	3 sets of 13 with 15# DBs	3 sets of 15 with 15# DBs
Barbell Split Squat	3 sets of 10 with 45# bar	3 sets of 12 with 45# bar
Split Stance Single-arm cable row	3 sets of 15 each arm at 20#	3 sets of 15 each arm at 30#

Thoughts? I was really, really pleased with this. I made good strength gains. Definitely have upper body strength and good core strength. Lots of balance work this month, too, which is really good practice and something I don’t think about doing. I just have been feeling fatigued lately, which I think has a lot to do with insomnia and work stress (you think??)

Absolutely no weight loss over 3 months. No size loss, either. : shrugs :

I need to remember to not start a program late in winter because the tough parts bump into biking season and that takes priority since it is such a short season. Must start programs in January like everyone else LOL!

Female Body Breakthrough stage 3

I am all out of order posting these, but that’s okay! This is workout A of Stage 3. I just started it on Thursday, but still hadn’t posted the wrap up of stage 2 and I talked about stage B on Saturday. Make sense? No? It doesn’t matter. This is the other workout for stage 3. I can’t believe I am on the third stage of this, but I started in mid February!

Workout A

Exercise	Set/rep/weight Week 1
Plank on stability ball	3 sets of 60 second holds
Ball crunches	3 sets of 10
Deadlift (my old friend!)	3 sets of 6 at 65#
Military Press	3 sets of 6 with 20# DBs
Forward and back step over	3 sets of 15 each leg with bodyweight
Incline dumbbell chest press	3 sets of 15 with 15# DBs
Bridge on stability ball	3 sets of 15
Single point Dumbbell Row	3 sets of 15 with 15# DB

Again, I had to modify a couple of these. This phase included the Russian twist again, which I don’t do because of my back, so I subbed in the ball crunches. Let me tell you – doing a plank with your forearms on a stability ball is killer!

The forward and back step over is pretty challenging. Basically, you have one leg on a step and then have one leg on the ground behind you. Bring your leg up and over the step going into a forward lunge on the other side. Then take the same leg back over. Lots of balance required. Here is a video link to show what it looks like. I can’t embed this for some reason.

The bridge on the stability ball was supposed to be single leg, but I just couldn’t do it. It hurt, so I went back to double leg and did the required number. I take my hat off to anyone who can do them single leg.

I could do the single point dumbbell row, though. It’s great balance practice. I decided to see if I could take a picture while doing it 😀

I didn’t do the actual row while taking the picture, but this was a challenge in itself LOL! Good thing no one else was in the room with me.

To top it all off – The Finisher (said in sinister voice) for this one is a burpee/squat pyramid, which is about as fun as it sounds. You do this:

1 squat/3 burpees
2 squats/6 burpees
3 squats/9 burpees
4 squats/12 burpees
3 squats/9 burpees
2 squats/6 burpees
1 squat/3 burpees

If I wasn’t tired after the lifting part (which I was), that burpee set toasted my legs. Not sure which finisher I like the least, the leg matrix or the burpee pyramid. 🙄

FBB Stage 2 Workout A wrap up

Just a quick post here. Finished up stage 2! Actually, I did 2 extra workouts. Not sure how that happened, but I guess I didn’t notice I was finished. Oopsie!

The goal for this month was 2 to 3 sets of each exercise with 6 to 8 reps per set. I ended up doing this workout 7 times instead of 6. Here is my progress from Week 1 to Week 4.

Exercise	Set/rep/weight Week 1	Set/rep/weight Week 4
1a. Cable Wood Chop (high to low)	3 sets of 8 each side at 20#	3 sets of 8 each side at 30#
1b. Plank	3 sets of 65 second holds	3 sets of 75 second holds
2a. Dumbbell squat with offset load	3 sets of 8 with 15# DB	3 sets of 8 with 25# DB
2b. Alternating dumbbell overhead press	3 sets of 8 each arm with 10# DBs	3 sets of 6 each arm with 20# DBs!!
3a. Single-leg deadlifts	3 sets of 8 with 15# DBs	3 sets of 8 with 15# DBs
3b. Assisted Chin Ups	3 sets of 8	3 sets of 8 with less resistance
4a. Alternating Lateral Lunge	3 sets of 8 each with 10#	3 sets of 8 with 10# DBs
4b. Two-point dumbbell row	3 sets of 8 each arm with 20# DB	3 sets of 7 each arm with 30# DB!!

I made some good gains here, especially with my upper body. With the chin ups, I was trying to do them with a band, but I struggled so much that I thought it would be better to use the assisted machine and make the exercise more efficient to do. This stage is definitely hard and I pushed myself.

My goal by the end of the program is doing overhead presses with a 25# dumbbell for 4 reps and I think I can get there. 😀

Thursday I will wrap up Workout B of stage 2.

I know that I haven’t posted a kitty picture in a while. Here is Pixie enjoying the new bed I bought her. 🙄

Can you believe her?

FBB Stage 2 Workout B

It’s just not getting any warmer around here! We can’t seem to get out of the 30s, if we even get to them. I saw this in my Pinterest feed today and it made me laugh…then cry.

Yeah – how about the snow melt first!!!! 😡 So over this.

Anyhoo, this is the B workout to stage 2 of Define Yourself.

Exercise	Set/rep/weight
Reverse Cable Wood Chop (low to high)	3 sets of 8 each side at 15#
Jackknife on stability ball	3 sets of 8
Step Ups	3 sets of 8 each leg with 20# DBs
T Pushups	3 sets of 4 each side
Single-leg Squats	3 sets of 8 each leg
Alternating lateral raise	3 sets of 8 each arm with 8# DBs
Reverse Row	3 sets of 8
Supine Hip Extension to Leg Curl (SHELC)	3 sets of 8

There is a lot of balance work in this month’s workouts. The step ups I tried to do on a higher step. This is about 18 inches high (maybe taller?):

That didn’t work out so well. It was really hard and I couldn’t keep my balance, so I went back down to the shorter step.

The T-pushups weren’t bad, I have to say. I was doing sets of 10 last month, so dropping down to 8 helped, although the last set was quite difficult.

I am not sure what I will do with the single-leg squats. I have almost no range of motion doing these on the left side and it hurts a little in a not right kind of way, so I might be better off just doing regular squats or deadlifts. I don’t want an injury right before biking season starts!

The SHELC is best explained by doing a hamstring curl lying on the floor using a stability ball. This is a good exercise because it works the hamstrings and it also works your core because you have to keep your feet on the ball as well.

Now I will be alternating these 2 workouts for the next 4 weeks.

FBB Stage 1 Workout B summary

Happy Spring! I put up my flag:

It just doesn’t look right, though…

We have a looooong way until tulip time.

So I finished up stage 1 of Female Body Breakthrough today. Normally I would have worked out yesterday, but I was gone all day taking my sister to Albany and back. Today worked just as well.

Workout B. Like A, I did this 6 times during the month and here was the end progression.

Exercise	Set/rep/weight Week 1	Set/rep/weight Week 4
Plank	3 sets of 30 second holds	3 sets of 70 second holds
Prone Cobra	3 sets of 45 second holds	3 sets of 60 second holds
Lateral raise with external rotation	3 sets of 10 with 5# DBs	3 sets of 10 with 8# DBs
Overhead Squat	3 sets of 10 with wooden bar	3 sets of 10 with 20# bar
Single Leg/Single arm Romanian deadlift	3 sets of 10 with 15# DB	3 sets of 10 with 25# DB
Single arm cable lat pulldown	3 sets of 10 each arm at 20#	3 sets of 10 each arm at 30#
Bulgarian Split Squat (so glad to be done with these)	3 sets of 10 each leg	3 sets of 10 each leg with 10# DBs
High Cable Row	3 sets of 10 at 40#	3 sets of 10 at 60#

This was a little tougher than workout A, I think. The overhead squats are hard for me because of my left leg issues. I noticed such a big discrepancy in leg strength when doing the single Romanian deadlifts. Since there is nerve damage, I can’t really build up strength in the damaged area, but only around it. So, it will lag behind my right leg. I could go with heavier weights for the right, but then I don’t want to be any more lopsided than I already am 😉

I definitely feel like I have a good base of strength going forward with the meat of the program. I don’t notice any difference in my clothes or the scale, so we just move on to stage 2!

Happy Mardi Gras and another chili recipe!

Happy Mardi Gras! We usually have a party, but did not this year. At first it was because we thought we would be in the middle of moving. Then it was close after vacation and I ripped up the kitchen counters, so no party. Oh well! Here is a shot from one of the museums we went to about Mardi Gras to get you in the spirit. This is an actual costume worn by a queen of one of the crewes:

I think this weighs something like 90 pounds? I didn’t look this nice 100 pounds heavier, I’ll tell you that.

Anyhoo – This was today’s workout at the gym.

Exercise	Set/rep/weight
Bird Dog Forward Ball Roll	3 set of 10 with 5# weight 3 set of 12 (increased reps)
Stepups 3-point dumbbell row	3 sets of 12 with 15# DBs (increased reps) 3 sets of 10 with 15# DBs
Partial Co-contraction Lunge (video) Pushup	3 sets of 12 (increased reps) 3 sets of 10 on 6 inch incline
Single-leg bridge Bent Over Reverse Fly	3 sets of 10 3 sets of 10 with 10# DBs

Not sure if I mentioned or not, but when the exercises are grouped in a box, those are done as supersets. I made some good progress today, especially proud of the co-contraction lunge increase. Those burn. Go me!

I made the best chili the other day and thought I would share the recipe because it was so easy and tasty! This could be done on the stove or in the crockpot – I did mine in the CP. Based on this recipe with changes

Ingredients:

1 lbs lean ground meat of choice (I used ground pork)
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped

1 clove of garlic, finely minced
1 (15) oz can petite diced tomatoes (undrained)
1 (2 oz) can of diced green chilies (or just buy a can of rotel for these 2 ingredients)
1 (15 oz) can of plain tomato sauce
1 1/2 Tbsp chili powder
1/2 tbsp ground cumin
1/2 tbsp paprika
1 tsp cocoa powder
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 (15 oz) can beans drained and rinsed – I like the little white beans, personally

In a skillet, spray with cooking spray and add the meat. Season with salt and pepper. Then brown the meat, breaking it up into small pieces. Once it is browned, add it to the crockpot along with all the other ingredients. Set to low and cook for 4-1/2 to 5 hours. Or, you could simmer it on the stovetop just as easily for 30 minutes or so. I think the crockpot just intensifies the flavors.

Yummy! This is definitely a keeper. I had some on a baked potato as leftovers and I think it was even better the next day! I didn’t figure out stats for this because I am not counting calories right now, just portions and the results will really depend on the type of meat you use.

Happy Mardi Gras to all!

NROL workout B

The end of the heat and humidity is in sight now! Humidity was only 70% today, which is less, but still pretty sticky.

Breakfast today:

I worked for a while and then went for my morning ride. I took another shot of the canal and how high the water is.

I do like to stop at this spot frequently and take pictures and I looked back in my files to see if I could find one from earlier this year with lower water levels, but found this one instead 😀 :

That shot was from March. Brrr…..

For the rest of the day, I ate pretty much exactly the same thing as yesterday except breakfast, so I will spare you those photos. Instead, on to more of NROL!

Here is workout B of the first stage and how I put it together:

Exercise	Set/Reps
Side Plank	2 x 30 second holds
Side Plank with row	2 sets of 10
Elevated explosive pushups	2 x 8
Stability ball hip extension	2 x 15
Pushups	2 x 10
Split Squat	2 x 15 (each leg)
Split Cable Row	2 sets of 15

The side plank with a row is interesting. You do a side plank and with the arm that is in the air, pull a low cable for a row. I use my resistance bands for this. It is a dynamic stability exercise and works balance as well as core.

image source

The explosive pushup is where you push off from a pushup position so both hands leave the floor or, in my case, the elevated bench so that I am at an incline.

image source

I am not strong enough yet to do them from the floor position, but I will be eventually. 😉

There is also a metabolic workout to be done, but I do biking right now and don’t do the metabolic workout. Think of it as a HIIT workout. I also do my own warmup, which is actually pretty similar to the one described in the book. Since I have used NROL in the past and also Rachel Cosgrove’s book (she Alwyn’s wife) – they achieve the same thing.

Tonight is mother/daughter night! Off to have fun 😀

September Goals

It’s Tuesday, right? Now I am all messed up. Had a good weekend and I sure accomplished a lot! Got the porch all finished. Yay! I’ll have to post some before and after pics of the porch. I wish I could sit out there all the time now.

Time to get back to more consistent lifting. I didn’t do as much in August because I was trying to get those miles in and didn’t do my usual lifting days.
Today was different.

Exercise	Set/rep/weight
Complex – Overhead squat/high pull/Push press/good morning	3 sets of 8 each exercise (all done one after the other) with wood bar
High Cable Row	3 sets of 10 at 60#
Deadlift	3 sets of 10 with 45# bar
Russian Twist	3 sets of 10 with 10# DB
Reverse crunch	3 sets of 10
Alternating Dumbbell Chest Press	3 sets of 8 each side with 20# DBs
Stiff-legged Deadlift	3 sets of 10 with 40# bar
Arnold Press	3 sets of 10 with 10# DBs

The gym was very quiet. College students all gone away now, plus I think it is the time when people start slacking on going to the gym. I also got on the treadmill and did some walk/jog intervals to change things up.

So, on to the goals for September.

1. Lose 4 pounds. This is a huge amount for me to try to lose in a month. I will be taking my calories to 1500 (and trying to stay there) except on long ride days. I also will try to do this without being a whiny baby about it, which is usually why I don’t stick with it.

2. Do jog/walk intervals. I need to do better with cross training and I was on the bike so much in August that my body needs something different. I am going to bring in jogging intervals (yeah, I know – why?). Not really C25K, but finding my own way.

3. Get started on the laminate floors in for the downstairs! The porch is done, so on to the next thing. I actually can’t wait for this project. I hate, hate the rugs so much. I’ll show you why when we get the stuff to start the floors.

4. Read 3 books in September. And they have to be fiction for relaxing. I read a *lot* of nonfiction. I started one this weekend and am almost finished, so I hope to get in 2 more. Depending on the length, I guess.

That’s enough. The floors are going to occupy a lot of our time for the next couple months.

The scale can be so annoying

Hope you all had a great 4th of July! We had a nice relaxing day. I actually ended up not having to work, which was a bonus, so we had a nice rest day. We watched another stage of the Tour de France last night! I was saying to John, what is it about men in lycra riding a bike that is so exciting? Not sure what, but it is. We didn’t watch any fireworks. I hate the crowds and we actually can see fireworks every week in the summer if we want. They go off in several places each week – for the tourists in Lake George, mostly, but some for us locals :D.

It was off for the gym this morning with my preworkout shake.

Exercise	Set/rep/weight
1. Crunches on stability ball	2 sets of 15
2. Complex: High Pull, Front Squat/Push Press, Back Squat, Good Morning	4 sets of 8 each exercise with 20# bar
3A. Deadlift	3 sets of 10 with 65# bar
3B. Dumbbell Overhead Press with rotation	3 sets of 10 with 10# DB
3C. Single Leg Squat	3 sets of 10
3D. Bent Over Row	3 sets of 10 with 50# bar

The gym was really empty today. Post holiday, maybe? I was glad to have the free weights side to myself today. That doesn’t happen too often.

I came home and made a breakfast pudding.

Then we had the Tour on live. There are a few times a year when I really watch a lot of TV. Football Sundays and the Tour de France. It does get in the way a bit with my productivity, though!

So, regarding the post title – I was feeling rather, how shall I say it, lumpy at the gym today. Part of it was heat and part of it was just how it goes sometimes.

There are times when the scale really annoys me. I know it doesn’t define me and the number doesn’t mean anything, blah, blah, blah, but boy it can be bothersome. Last December I gained 8 pounds during that month. That freaked me out because I wasn’t really all that bad eating wise to deserve that much weight gain. Then that led to all the testing with my red eyes and the thought of thyroid issues that happened in January. Remember that?

Well, it took me 6 flipping months to lose that 8 pounds that went on in 30 days. 6 months. A couple days before I left for BOW, I had finally gotten off that 8 pounds. (We just won’t talk about the other 10 that are my nemesis.).

Just out of curiosity, I got on the scale on Monday morning and had put on 6 of those 8 in 3 days. Yes, most of that was water weight, but it still is actually “I have to carry it around and try to button my pants” weight. It doesn’t matter whether that weight is water, muscle, fat, stomach contents – whatever. That is what annoyed me. I actually am someone who does need to weigh myself – I don’t do well with no scale. I have tried that a few times and it just doesn’t work for me. Interesting that it affects my mindset more not to weigh myself than to step on the scale a couple times a week. Now, I dropped 4 of those pounds right away, but a couple stuck around, which I attribute to M&Ms and PB cups. I ate a lot of those – and by a lot, I really mean a lot. I don’t mess around when I eat that stuff, and that is the main reason those things really don’t come into my house.

Anyway, normally I am not bothered by the scale, but I just had to get that off my chest.

Lunch time! A nice summer lunch of Fage, blueberry topping and Perky flax cereal.

I might buy that cereal again because I just like the name. This box has lasted me months, I have to say, which is good.

Work was fairly busy today, surprisingly so considering the holiday yesterday and the fact that it is the last day of the pay period and everybody works.

I was really tired, though. Like can’t keep my eyes open kind of tired. Maybe the heat? I made up a latte to wake myself up.

It’s not horribly hot today like it will be the next few days, so I had a hot latte. Or not too hot. I can control the drink temperature at home.

I was glad when dinner rolled around. Pixie finally decided to wake up for a bit after sleeping next to me all day. Oh the life of a cat.

She would like to be out there.

Dinner:

Standard and quick. I have literacy tutoring tonight and lots of stuff to do before that.

I have this packed in my bag to eat while tutoring.

😀

We have hot and humid weather rolling in tomorrow. I hope to get in an early bike ride before it gets too hot.

Finding Radiance

Trying to live a fit life loving food, cycling, gardening and everything in between!