This is the Most Current Workout!
Ok I know I change my workout more than I change my underwear, but variation is the key with strength training and cardio!
I sat down for over an hour with books, magazines, posters and the internet and put together 3 different workouts, a different one for each of my 3 strength training days, still doing 3 circuits. Lets take a look at them;
MONDAY
- Weighted Crunch 12x
- Raised Knee-in 12x
- Saxon Side Bend x10
- Bridge 20 seconds
- Back Extensions 12x
- Squats with Dumbbells 12x
- Pile Squats with a Dumbbell 12x
- Split Squats with Dumbbells 12x
- Bench Press 12x
- Fly 12x
- Bend-Over Row 12x
- Shoulder Press 12x
- Lying Triceps Extensions 12x
- Biceps Curl x12
WEDNESDAY
- Long-arm Weighted Crunch x10
- Flutter Kick x20
- Speed Rotation 10x
- Side Bridge 20 seconds each side
- Superman 10x
- Front Squat 12x
- Pile Squat with Dumbbells 12x
- Leg Curl 12x
- Push Ups 12x
- Slow Fly 10x
- Bent-arm Dumbbell Row 12x
- Upright Row 12x
- Hammer Curl 12x
- Close-Grip Bench Press 12x
FRIDAY
- Sicilian Crunch 8x
- Push-Aways 10x
- Two-Handed Wood Chop 10x
- Towel Roll 10x
- Swimmer’s Backstroke 5x
- Bulgarian Split Squat 10x
- Power Clean with Jump 8x
- Seated Calf Raise 10x
- Slow Push Ups 10x
- Slow Bench Press 10x
- Pullover 10x
- Bicep Curl to Overhead Press 10x
- Tricep Dips 12x
- Standing Scarecrow 10x
Interval Training – Tue, Thu & Sat
Yoga
- Cat Pose
- Mountain Pose
- Standing Forward Bend
- Lunge
- Tree
- Standing Side Stretch Pose
- Downward Facing Stretch Pose
- Cobra
- Child’s Pose
- Seated Spinal Twist
- Seated Forward Bend
- Relaxation Pose
Exercise Bike: 20 seconds as fast as I can, then 20 seconds pause (this is one set) 8x – I am taking Steve’s tweak on board by changing the lengths of my pause; 20 seconds, 40 seconds & 1 minute – then restart cycle again.
Older Workouts
I am changing my workout again for next week, making it tougher and more challenging. Have a look below;
Mon, Wed & Fri – Strength Training
- Weighted Crunch (upper abs) 12x
- Bent-Knee Pull In (lower abs) 12x
- Double Crunch with Cross (oblique) 12x
- Two-Point Bridge (transverse abdominis) 5x
- Superman (lower back) 12x
Combining upper and lower body moves together
- Squat with Side Raise (glutes & shoulders) 12x
- Pile Squat with Bicep Curl (hamstrings & biceps) 12x
- Push Up (chest) 12x
- Fly (chest)
- Bench Press (chest)
- Bent Over Flyes (back) 12x
- Tricep Dip (triceps) 12x
I am planning to do this workout for the next three weeks incorperating the overloading principle into this so that each workout will have a slight twist to it.
WEEK 1: dumbbell weight = 13kg (28.6lbs)
Mon: With stretches in between exercises, taking 45 minutes
Wed: Without stretches in between exercises, taking 30 minutes (still stretching before)
Fri: Without stretches in between exercises, taking 25 minutes (still stretching before)
WEEK 2: dumbbell weight = 18kg (39.6lbs)
Mon: With stretches in between exercises, taking 45 minutes
Wed: Without stretches in between exercises, taking 30 minutes (still stretching before)
Fri: Without stretches in between exercises, taking 25 minutes (still stretching before)
WEEK 3: dumbbell weight = 18kg (39.6lbs)
Mon: undecided
Wed: undecided
Fri: undecided
If anyone has any suggestions for my overloading during the third please drop it into a comment. It will be appreciated and most welcome.
3rd Workout
Mon, Wed & Fri – Strength Training
- Raised-Feet Crunch (Upper Abs) 12x
- Raised Knee-in (Lower Abs) 6x
Corkscrew (Obliques) 8xRaised-Leg Obliques Crunch (Obliques) 12x
- Swim (Lower Back) 10x
- Squats with Dumbbells (Glutes) 12x
- Pile Squat with Dumbbells (Hamstrings) 12x
- Fly (Chest) 12x
- Bench Press (Chest) 12x
- Bent-Arm Dumbbell Row (Back) 12x
- Side Raises (Shoulders) 12x
- Hammer Bicep Curl (Biceps) 12x
- Tricep Press Up (Triceps) 12x
Tuesday, Thursday & Saturday – Cardio Interval Training
- 20 minutes on an exercise bike; starting with a 2 minute average pace and then a 2 minute fast pace (this is one set); doing 5 sets.
NOTES:
My blood pressure a lot better now, so that’s another reason to step things up (especially with my cardio). My goal with this new workout is to do three circuits each session. I am also wanting to push and get on top of my cardio workout as I only followed the cardio workout once since I have started this year. Sunday is my day off.
Previous Workouts
My goal is to build up more muscle; as I have a weak metabolism my body is not burning off enough fat so most of it is getting stored. In order for me to burn off more fat I need more muscles.
More Muscles = Less Fat: muscles burn more calories.
I will do my strength training workout 3 times per week. I started the circuit below and each time I did the circuit twice. Then starting on Monday (14th Jan 2008) I will build up to doing this circuit 3 times and still doing it 3 times per week.
NOTE: doing strength training every day seems a good idea but in this case the more is not the better. If you do strength training every day your body won’t get enough time to heal. 3 times per week gives the body a day in between to grow and regenerate.
This is my current weekly workout;
- Crunch – x12 (for upper abs, no six-pack yet but keg is showing well.)
- Reverse Crunch – x12 (lower abs)
- Obliques Chrunch – x12 (for the muscles at the sides, that I never knew I had; ouch!)
- Back Extension – x12 (lower back)
- Squat – x12 (Glutes)
- Pile Squat – x12 (Hamstrings)
- Fly – x12 (Chest – man boob extermination)
- Bench press – x12 (Chest – ” – )
- Dumbbell Rows – x12 (Back)
- Overhead Shoulder Press – x12 (surprisingly the shoulders)
- Bicep Curl – x12 (for sexy arms)
- Tricep Kickback – x12 (Triceps)
On the other days I do a light cardio workout.
- 15 minute cycle
NOTES:
disciplineorregret.wordpress.com 
great work keep going!
Hey, my names matt, and i lift for my football team, so far i do 315 6 times for back squat, 205 6 times for bench, and other lifts as well… i follow a plan that my coach made (hes a very experienced lifter) and i think you should add lounges on your program, they work your glutes, and are the hardest things ive ever done. i do 80 pounds and lounge 30 yards for one set, and do 3 sets every other day, also, wall sits, siting with a weight against a wall, 45 degree angle, and your not really sitting on anything… try that for 2 minutes with a 35 pound plate on your quads… it kills!!
Hi Matt, Thanks for your suggestion. Before I started DoR I had lunges in my workout program but I found them very uncomfortable to do.
When I was in my early teens I had a dislocated hip (left-side) and had to have an opp to put in 3 pins. I have since had those pins removed. When I try to do a lunge my left hip brings back an eerie awkward feeling in my hip joint.
I am hoping that when I am a bit lighter maybe this will have changed.
Thanks again.
Take care,
Andrew
Mark,
Since you are trying to build muscle to move your metabolism, I suggest that you only do 20 minutes of cardio but keep your heart rate between 70-80% of your max (220-age * 70% 220-age*80). If you stay in that range you will be burning pure fat. Then work on strenght training. The secret there is not to use a lot of weight but to do the repetitions very, very slow. If you do it slow your muscle will work all the way and you will be bilding muscle faster.
Good luck.
MaryG
Hey, I found your workouts while I was googleing some workout routines. Im gonna give them a try. I’ve been dieting since January 7th and well..working out is the HARDEST part of it all! I use a dvd, but it gets really boring after the first week and I lose interest. I’ve always wanted to switch it up, but never really knew how..? Well, thanks to you, hopefully I can get something accomplished! I’m still at the beginners phase and just can’t seem to stay motivated. 😦 I really appreciate you sharing this with the rest of us!
What would you say your average loss was for each of the workouts you did? And how long would you say that you used each one for? Did you have a workout buddy? And if not, how do you stay motivated to keep doing this? I really need a little bit of encouragement, I’m hoping that maybe you can share a few thoughts with me.
Hi Jennifer,
Thank you for your comment. I’ll try to answer all your Qs 🙂
At the moment I am losing about 1kg (2.2lbs) per week; losing any more than this could mean that we are losing weight in an unhealthy way. Slow & healthy fat loss is permanent fat loss.
My workouts vary in the length of time they last. A new workout program would take 45 min, then after a week I’d speed myself up to finish in about 30 min. Remember variations are the key, If your body gets use to the workout then you’ll stop seeing results.
No, I don’t have a workout buddy. But I do have a lot of friends online now that help encourage me.
How do I stay motivated. This all started as I was told by my doctor that I probably wouldn’t see my 40th birthday. So I just go busy educating myself about food and exercise and then I (in the words of Nike) “Just DO it!”
Also seeing results helps motivate me. I weigh myself & measure my waist-to-hip ratio every 2 weeks, and also take progress photos every month.
This might not be much help but don’t wait for others to encourage you, you need to encourage yourself. The encouragement of others will come in spurts but it’s not enough to propel you to achieve something great.
Hey why don’t you start your own blog like mine, I started this blog for 2 reasons; 1. To keep me accountable to losing fat. & 2. To encourage others.
You can do it Jennifer! There’s someone great inside all of us, we’ve just got to let them out by facing the pain of discipline.
Take care,
Andrew
P.S.
Don’t forget Discipline or Regret has moved to;
http://www.disciplineorregret.com