Workout Sunday 16/9/12

Another simple workout.  For this one I did two core lifts, added an explosive plyometric variable and then finished up with a series of core exercises.  It's a real sore-maker, this one!

Warm-up

15 minute brisk walk to gym.
Resistance band stretches - chest/shoulders/thoracic spine.

Superset

4 sets of 8 reps.

Bench press - 70.5kg.
Deadlift - 95.5kg
Box jumps

Core

3 sets.

Hanging straight leg raises x 5 reps.
Russian twist with 10kg plate x 20 reps.
Pallof press complex (hold 30 sec, front punch x 10 reps, high punch x 10 reps each side) at 17.5kg.

Warm-down

15 minute brisk walk home.
10 minutes foam roller.
15 minutes static stretching.

Workout Wednesday 5/9/12

Today was the first time in a while that I really didn't feel like being in the gym.  I was tired from a restless night with my youngest child, and that lack of effective rest was having an impact on my psychological state.  However, I usually find that on those occasions where the will is weak, the reward at the end of the session is multiplied.  It wasn't to be today, I still felt pretty crap afterwards.  In this workout I compromised by keeping it short and focused on upper body and core.

Cranky session

Warm-up

15 minute brisk walk to gym.
5 minutes skipping.
Resistance band stretches - thoracic/chest/shoulder.

Chest

Superset 3 sets of 10 reps.
Dumbell bench press - 25kg dbs.
Dumbell bench flies - 5 kg dbs.

Shoulder/back

Superset 3 sets of 10 reps.
Barbell bent-over row (overhand/pronated grip) - 53kg.
Dumbell shoulder press - 15kg dbs.

Torsonator

2 sets of 10 reps each side.
15 kg plate.
Twists/squat&press/clean&press/squat&side to side press/knee kicks.

Warm-down

15 minutes brisk walk home.
Foam roller for 10 minutes.
Static stretches for 10 minutes.

At school last night I also had a session of plyometrics and a study of core lifts.  The lifts were all about technique, and barely rate a mention as 'work', but the plyometrics session was a real sweat-maker.

Plyometrics

5 minutes warm-up jog/sprints.
Illinois test x 3.
V test x 3.
Ladder runs + variations x 15.
Bean bag catches.

Once I got home from class I was feeling much better.  The plyometrics was something I really enjoyed, and I have noticed a very big improvement in my cardiovascular fitness over the last couple of months.  I'm starting to feel pretty good for a 40-year-old!