Workout Thursday 30/8/12

Thursday means cardio, and today I (with a couple of other fitness geeks) did a slight variation of the 'Killer Cardio' session.  Basically it's the same as the one previously mentioned here, with one exercise added before the sprints - farmer's sprints (a modification of the farmer's walk).  I find I really benefit from doing this with other people.  After the second set I was just about to give up, but the encouragement of others is not to be underestimated.  This is one of those routines where at the end you feel like throwing up (and to be honest I came close), but after an hour or so you feel as high as a kite!

Cardio/Power

Warm-up

15 minute brisk walk to gym.

Sprint Session

5 sets with a two minute rest between sets.

Elevated spiderman pushups x 10.
Plate push - 30kg 2 x 20 metres (plates are wrapped up in a yoga mat, which adds more resistance against the gym floor).
Barbell squat - 40kg x 10.
Farmer's sprints - 2 x 20kg dumbells, 2 x 20 metres.
Sprints - 4 x 20 metres.

I added a short torsonator set at the end just for a bit of extra core work.  My basic variation of twist, squat-press, squat-hand-to-hand, clean&press, knee kicks.

Warm-down

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

Workout Tuesday 28/8/12

This is the 45 minute workout I did on Tuesday.  Limited time, maximum output.

Warm-up

5 minutes skipping.

Chest

Bench superset - 3 sets of 10 reps.  The flies are completed fairly quickly, with a speed of 1:0:2.  Very much inspired by what Jim Smith has to say about performing light flies between bench sets.  Have a look at his site here for more amazing information and tips for lifting and training in general - Jim Smith is a god.  1 minute rest between each set.

Dumbell bench press - 25kg
Dumbell chest flies - 5kg

Legs/core/back

Superset - 5 sets.  2 minutes rest between each set.

Barbell front squat - 68kg/65.5kg/63kg/60.5kg/55.5kg - 6 reps of each.
Push-ups - 10 reps.
Bodysquats - 10 reps.

Core/plyometrics

Torsonator complex (twists, squat & one-arm press, clean & press, knee kicks) - 2 sets of 20 reps each.

Warm-down

Foam roller for 10 minutes.
Static stretching for 10 minutes.

Women and Lifting

I just had to make a note about this:

A few weeks ago I overheard a woman in my gym say something that almost made me lose my lunch.  She was talking to her friend (both were on pin machines doing half-exercises and more interested in the latest celebrity gossip than effective workouts) about how she didn't want to workout too much because she 'didn't want to get buff like a man'.  She made constant reference to her weight (what little of it there was), and how she really just wanted to be 'toned'.

Now based on the the type of workout this woman was doing, I'm guessing that she was not getting her 'toned' look from her exercise regime.  She spent a total of about 20 minutes in the gym, and at a pinch I would say that her heart rate never exceeded 30% beyond resting rate.  This female - I'm guessing she was in her early forties - more than likely got her physique from a combination of genes and diet only. 

If she had've been working out properly, pushing the limits of strength, and getting her heart rate up through supersets or cardiovascular work, even after many months of this type of regime there is no way she would ever come close to being 'buff like a man'.  Even hitting high intensity, high volume workouts, where she could be trying for big levels of hypertrophy would eventually see her reach a limit of development that any woman would find - even elite athletes.  Why?  Because of one word, people - TESTOSTERONE.  Women have virtually none of it.  It is essential for the building of big muscles, and without it there is always going to be a physical limit to the bulk a female human can put on.  This is the one big difference between male and female athletes, and why, for example, men are always going to be faster and stronger.  Women can have at least the same - if not greater - mental strength, but the great leveler is the physical reality.  Resistance training for both sexes is the best way to workout for weight loss.  Whether training for strength or functionality or hypertrophy, weight training (combined with a healthy diet) will work faster and more efficiently for fat loss and neural development than any other method.

So ladies, the next time you hear someone say, 'I don't want to do too many weights because I don't want to get massive muscles,' you can reply with a simple, two word answer.  'Bullshit.  Testosterone.'

Workout Sunday 26/8/12

Again, unfortunately, time was a factor for today's workout.  My idea behind today was 'foundation strength'.  I chose three basic compound exercises and morphed them in to a killer superset.  This is their story...

Warm-up

20 body squats x 2.

Foundation strength superset

Deadlift - 2 sets of 8 reps at 95.5kg, then 2 sets of 8 reps at 105.5kg.
Bench press - 4 sets of  6 reps at 70.5kg.
Seated row - 4 sets of 10 reps at 85kg.

3 minutes rest between each set.

Warm-down

15 minutes foam roller.
10 minutes static stretching.

Workout Saturday 25/8/12

I haven't trained all week due to a great deal of time being devoted to finishing course work for my fitness studies and the flaring up again of my biceps tendinitis, which, after speaking with a friend physiotherapist, now sounds like could be more a case of tendinopathy.  I have benefited from the rest, and this last week has been the first time in 9 months I have taken such a break from my routine.  So the only way to get back on the horse was to smash myself with kettle bells and manmakers...


Warm-up

15 minutes brisk walk to gym.
Skipping for 5 minutes and some dynamic stretching.

Conditioning

Kettle bell (16kg) complex for 8 minutes - swings, one-arm swings, Around-the-body-pass (ATBP), one-leg deadlifts.
Barbell manmakers.  8 sets of 5 reps.  42.5kg.  3 minute rest between sets.  The last four sets I incorporated resistance band face-pulls in a superset.
Torsonator (with 10kg plate) complex for 2 minutes.

Warm-down

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

Workout Sunday 19/8/12

Today was a day where I had the luxury of not looking at the clock at the gym.  I still have had some niggling back issues, and the right shoulder (biceps tendinitis) and elbow (lateral epicondylitis) have been reminding me of my deficiencies.  Still, dealing with injuries and not allowing them to interfere with a mindset is a big part of what training is all about.  Obviously we don't want to exacerbate any existing problems, so at times there can be a bit of a balancing act that is required to maintain the routine, but it is the adherance to the routine that is paramount for achieving goals and seeing results.  I guess what it comes down to is the fact that sometimes it's hard to rest.

Warm-up

15 minute brisk walk to the gym.
5 minutes skipping.
5 minutes lower body dynamic stretching.

Legs/back/core/arms/shoulders

Deadlift superset - five sets of each exercise.

Deadlift 95.5kg x 8 reps, 115.5kg x 8reps, 105.5kg x 8 reps, 95.5kg x 8 reps.
Chin-ups - bodyweight x 5 reps.
Dips x 5 reps.

I had to be careful with the deads today because with the second set I felt like the back was getting a bit too stressed, being moved out of good posture too easily.  This was the compromise.

Chest

Three sets of six reps.

Bench press 75.5kg bb.

Back/shoulders/lats/core

Superset - three sets of ten reps.

T-bar rows 60kg.
Resistance band face pulls.

Back/shoulders/lats/biceps/core

Superset - three sets of ten reps.

Bent-over rows (supinated grip) 55kg.
Shoulder press 15kg db.

Shoulders/legs/core

Superset - Three sets.

Shoulder rotations 5kg db x 10 reps.
Jump lunges x 16 reps.

Warm-down

Static stretching 5 minutes.
15 minute brisk walk home.
10 minutes foam roller.

Workout Thursday 16/8/12

Thursday is intensive cardio day, with a short, simple, but rather tough session.  This little circuit is great for developing leg power and trunk strength.

Cardio Killer

Squats 35kg x 10

Sprints 4 x 20 metres

Elevated spiderman pushups x 10

Plate push 30kg for 40 metres.

Four sets of this circuit is enough to make one feel slightly queazy...