Strength Training Challenge

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Replies

  • yanniejannie
    yanniejannie Posts: 1,090 Member
    Tai chi and yoga tonight.
  • terrimag
    terrimag Posts: 103 Member
    Hi everyone!

    Today, Wednesday, I did upper body and ab’s…I added modified push-ups and my plank time was 1 min. 2 seconds (up from 22.5 seconds when I started on 8/7/13). On Tuesday I did cardio and Monday was lower body. Tonight I plan to try a new 30 min. Yoga for beginners. :smile:

    Following is a link to an article that I thought was interesting about strength training: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/james-clear/exercise-tips_b_3805307.html?utm_hp_ref=mostpopular

    Keep up the good work! :flowerforyou:
    Terri
  • linder4866
    linder4866 Posts: 11,413 Member
    I'm happy to report that I've stuck to my plan and have rotated cardio/upper body with cardio/lower body and one day off. I must also report that I struggled quite a bit when I got the most horrible attack of seasonal allergies the last few days. Fatigue, stuffy head and ears, sneezing, swollen glands in my neck all combined to suck a bit of joy out of life and left me feeling weak. And no, I will *not* take any medication----this too shall pass.

    Tonight I kicked myself and stepped up. I've now moved up on my weights for all the upper body exercises. At least for today. And that's really all I can ask of myself. I'll face tomorrow in the morning. :bigsmile:

    Best wishes to all. :heart:

    Lin in Central Iowa
  • ummommyme
    ummommyme Posts: 362 Member
    Sue, you should take it easy until you are healed, ouch;(
    Lin, the allergies are rough right now. I'm sure it felt good to kick everything up a notch, well done!
    Terri, yoga feels great. I bet you will enjoy it:)
    I got in my strength workout this morning and a quick 10 min hit workout this evening for some cardio. My husband agrees if my goal is weight loss I should kick up the cardio. And I have 50lbs to lose so I will try to get more in each week. So maybe only 2 strength workouts and 2-3 cardio for each week. Even if it's just 10 minutes it's better than nothing:)
  • barbiecat
    barbiecat Posts: 17,194 Member


    Following is a link to an article that I thought was interesting about strength training: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/james-clear/exercise-tips_b_3805307.html?utm_hp_ref=mostpopular


    :bigsmile: :bigsmile: Terri, I just read the article.......it was great.....I knew a lot of it so reading it reassured me that I was on the right track, and there was some new information to help me do better.

    :bigsmile: Barbie

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  • barbiecat
    barbiecat Posts: 17,194 Member
    :flowerforyou: Sue, sorry to hear about your injury…….I know how frustrating it is to not be able to exercise….I hope your recovery is swift

    :flowerforyou: Yanniejannie, yoga and tai chi sound so peaceful

    :flowerforyou: Terri, wow, that’s a great accomplishment with your plank

    :flowerforyou: Lin, those are awesome accomplishments for someone fighting with seasonal allergies.

    :flowerforyou: Ummommyme, that sounds like a good balance of cardio and strength

    :bigsmile: Today was workout #9 for August which is great since I started this on August 10….today I did the same workout but slowed my squats, pushups, and calf raises to make them more challenging

    :bigsmile: Barbie from NW Washington

    “If it’s important to you then you will find a way, if it’s not you’ll find an excuse.”


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  • jodios528
    jodios528 Posts: 379 Member
    Today I did my 2nd strength training session of the week…a Bob Harper DVD that was kick butt!!!! :laugh: I had to drop the weight down for bicep curls given that tendon is still sore, but my Achilles seemed better.

    Rori – how is it going with the trainer? :smile:
    Sue – please rest up until you heal…hope you are feeling better soon:flowerforyou:
    Terri – thanks for the article – it made a lot of sense to me:bigsmile:
    Lin – great job – hope your allergies ease off:sick:
    Unmommyme – sounds like a good plan. I typically do 3 cardio sessions, 2-3 strength and 1 yoga per week. It really helped me take off the weight and tone up:drinker:
    Barbie – great job!!!! You are as always an inspiration:heart:
    MrBigglswort- welcome!:drinker:

    Everyone have a great holiday weekend!

    Jodios :wink: :love: :flowerforyou: :smooched: :heart: :bigsmile:
  • Katla49
    Katla49 Posts: 10,385 Member
    I'm not doing well with the fitness challenge. I feel like I've gone a bit astray. My plan was t go to the gym, but when I do I wind up with a sore back. Advice welcome!
  • barbiecat
    barbiecat Posts: 17,194 Member
    :flowerforyou:Katla, You asked for advice……try being really mindful of each exercise you do so you can figure out what it is that is hurting your back, then you can stop doing it.

    :bigsmile: Jodios, I’m glad you were able to do a workout in spite of an injury.

    :flowerforyou: MrBigglswort, I look forward to reports of your workouts

    :bigsmile: Today I walked the dogs for our usual 30 minutes before breakfast and 2 hours after breakfast and I worked in the yard digging and moving rocks for almost two hours so I thought maybe I was too tired to do strength training, then I remembered what it said in the article that Terri recommended about scheduling workouts and decided that since I’d scheduled it for today, I would do it today and if I was really too tired, I could modify it slightly. Today was the day I planned to add another weight bag to my ankle weights so everything felt harder than usual
    that’s because it was----but I completed the routine and added two sets of crunches.


    :bigsmile: Barbie from NW Washington

    “If it’s important to you then you will find a way, if it’s not you’ll find an excuse.”


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  • terrimag
    terrimag Posts: 103 Member
    Today was the day I planned to add another weight bag to my ankle weights so everything felt harder than usual
    that’s because it was----but I completed the routine and added two sets of crunches.


    :bigsmile: Barbie from NW Washington

    “If it’s important to you then you will find a way, if it’s not you’ll find an excuse.”


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    Barbie...Way to go...staying with your schedule and adding crunches! :smile:

    Terri
  • Suzy_in_DE
    Suzy_in_DE Posts: 191 Member
    bump
  • barbiecat
    barbiecat Posts: 17,194 Member
    :flowerforyou: I started raining today while I was walking the dogs----that's not a problem because the dogs like walking in the rain and i am dressed for it, but it was clear that my yard work wasn't going to happen.....so......I did my strength training this morning while DH was gone to the gym to walk on the treadmill.:bigsmile: :bigsmile:

    :bigsmile: I do squats with hand weights...they are getting easier but the next weight up is 5 pounds heavier which is too much of in increase right now, so I tried squatting and lifting slower and that increased the challenge :bigsmile:


    :bigsmile: Barbie from NW Washington

    “If it’s important to you then you will find a way, if it’s not you’ll find an excuse.”


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  • jodios528
    jodios528 Posts: 379 Member
    I did kickboxing today. I started with light hand weights but my tendon started to hurt so I put them down and just punched and kicked without them for the cardio piece. I picked up the weights again for the toning section but was very very careful with how I was moving with them. I wouldn't exactly call this a strength training session. I have to travel for the next several days and will not have access to any weights. I'm going to use my own body weight and see how that works out...I'll be back at it at the end of the week.

    Barbie - way to go!

    Katia - my advice is to watch your form...make sure you are pulling your belly in and up and extending your tail bone down (do not tuck!). That might help take some strain off your low back. Good luck!

    Keep lifting ladies

    Jodios
  • Katla49
    Katla49 Posts: 10,385 Member
    I did kickboxing today. I started with light hand weights but my tendon started to hurt so I put them down and just punched and kicked without them for the cardio piece. I picked up the weights again for the toning section but was very very careful with how I was moving with them. I wouldn't exactly call this a strength training session. I have to travel for the next several days and will not have access to any weights. I'm going to use my own body weight and see how that works out...I'll be back at it at the end of the week.

    Barbie - way to go!

    Katia - my advice is to watch your form...make sure you are pulling your belly in and up and extending your tail bone down (do not tuck!). That might help take some strain off your low back. Good luck!

    Keep lifting ladies

    Jodios

    Good advice, Jodios. I'll also ask the trainer for suggestions about how to avoid hurting myself. There is an ache that represents hard work and is essentially good news, and then there is pain. Pain tells you that something is wrong. I am obviously doing something wrong at the gym. I'll need help to figure out what it is and how to fix it.
  • ummommyme
    ummommyme Posts: 362 Member
    Just got back from a weekend of camping. We got lots of swimming in-Yay! Lots of bathroom walking-probably one-two miles a day for those and a tiny bit of jogging. So I feel I did good getting in lots of cardio and will get a strength workout in today. Swimming made my abs sore which I find is hard to do;) My right shoulder blade area is irritated so probably lots of legs then just some pushups. It's a new month so i'm still trying to get in 4 workouts a week. I'm already counting swimming and walking yesterday so three more to go.
    You ladies sound like you are doing great!!
    Katla-please don't workout until your back feels better and you know what was causing it.
  • cindylu1962
    cindylu1962 Posts: 322 Member
    Ok sis, I will try this.
    3 strength workouts per week intertwined with cardio
    one new move per week
    Try to achieve a basic plank for 20 seconds.
    Wish me luck.:love:
  • terrimag
    terrimag Posts: 103 Member
    Following is a link to a study on exercise...intensity vs duration

    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/01/exercise-intensity-weight-duration_n_3844038.html?icid=maing-grid7|htmlws-sb-bb|dl12|sec1_lnk3&pLid=367909on exercise

    Terri
  • barbiecat
    barbiecat Posts: 17,194 Member
    :bigsmile: I am still on track doing my workout three days a week....I've made it a priority so when DH asked if I wanted to go to Costco, I told him that I had to do my weights first and then we could go.

    :flowerforyou: I am thrilled to see all of you still participating and checking in.


    :bigsmile: Barbie from NW Washington

    “If it’s important to you then you will find a way, if it’s not you’ll find an excuse.”


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  • yanniejannie
    yanniejannie Posts: 1,090 Member
    Still plugging along; just have not made it here to post.

    This is what my usual week should look like with every gym session I can do
    I rarely make it to absolutely everything.

    Mondays: am: approx.20 min on weight machines, then ladies exercise class with hand weights (40 min.)
    pm: yoga

    Tuesdays: am: zumba
    pm: tai chi followed by yoga

    Wednesdays: am: approx 20 min. on weight machines, then ladies exercise class with hand weights
    pm: yoga

    Thursdays: rest

    Fridays: am: 20min. on weight machines, then ladies exercise class with hand weights, then zumba
    pm: yoga

    Saturdays: am: tai chi, followed by yoga

    Sundays: rest

    If I don't get to the gym or skip one of the sessions , that's mainly when I do the chair dips, planks, sink pushups and tub pushups at home. Also trying to keep up a decent number of squats a couple times a week.

    The new gym challenge is an AB one and involves increasing numbers of sit ups, crunches, leg raises; and increasing time doing planks. Can do this at home and so far no problem keeping up, easy peasy; but it does get a LOT harder later in the month.

    Would like to add/substitute biking and some type of water exercise.

    Congrats to everyone coming here and taking part!!!!
  • Katla49
    Katla49 Posts: 10,385 Member
    Terri: Thanks for the Huffington Post link on intensity. I can do that with cardio but I don't see myself doing it with strength training. Maybe I can persuade DH to go to the gym this week. I hope. I have to figure out a way to stop giving myself backaches, though.
  • linder4866
    linder4866 Posts: 11,413 Member
    Back to the wellness center today----I got through all of the weight machines again today so upper body, lower body and core. (Yeah) Then some time on the treadmill and then a did a class that included both cardio and strength/toning.

    Wishing everyone success!!

    Lin
  • Poerava14
    Poerava14 Posts: 1,091 Member
    Hi again. I'm still using the weight machines in my condo gym 1x per week and Jillian Michael's Yoga Meltdown 1x per week. Today I had my second workout with my trainer, which due to her cold and my trips had to be postponed. She has me doing more core, variations of planks, squats and resistance bands. My hamstrings are extremely tight, so extra stretching has been added to my routine.

    Terri: Thanks for the article. My trainer has been espousing the benefits of intensity to me. She has me doing 18 minutes of cardio at med-high intensity intervals every other day. I feel it!

    Jodios: Hope you were able to get some body weight training in while on the road. Bravo to you for keeping up your fitness regime.

    Stay well. Stay strong.

    Rori in Colorado Foothills (cheering on the Broncos!)
  • cindylu1962
    cindylu1962 Posts: 322 Member
    Accomplished 35 second standard plank. New goal: 45 seconds!:happy: :bigsmile:
    Also doing my 3 strength training per week in conjunction with cardio. It's more fun that way.
  • ummommyme
    ummommyme Posts: 362 Member
    I keep changing my mind on which strength program I want to follow. So today I did the advanced gluteal goddess workout. Whew, it was hard. I used heavy weights and had to do a plank in the end. I held the plank for 60 sec and could have done longer. The side planks were more like 16 sec-they hurt my arms and shoulders(not in a good way). I did 115 lb deadlifts and 75lb box squats and 75lb glute bridges. 25 lb one arm rows and one arm incline bench press. I'm thinking I will be sore tomorrow;) It felt great though and I like this program.
  • jodios528
    jodios528 Posts: 379 Member
    Even with my travel I've managed to get in my second strength workout for the week. I did the Hollywood Trainer Circuit A (glutes, hamstrings, chest, shoulders, triceps and core). Tomorrow I'll try and do Circuit B so I get my quads, back and biceps (plus more ab work).

    I was pretty proud of myself. I did 25 full push ups in a row (no dropping to my knees as usual) and then immediately went into a 1 minute static plank. I'm definitely making progress! :bigsmile:

    So happy to see so many sticking to their programs and posting - I hope you are feeling like you are getting stronger too! :drinker: :drinker:

    Have a great day, Jodios:wink::love: :heart: :bigsmile:
  • barbiecat
    barbiecat Posts: 17,194 Member
    :flowerforyou: I am still on track with 3 workouts a week.....today hubby and I worked out together.....he is doing some stuff with hand weights :flowerforyou: and I had to share with him which meant rearranging the order of what I did but it was so cool to watch him with the weights that I didn't mind......I added another set of crunches and two sets of squats with a different use of hand weights......the workout lasted about 5 minutes longer than it did before.

    :bigsmile: Jodios that's great that you could continue your workouts while traveling....that's an awesome number of pushups

    :flowerforyou: ummommyme, super job with weights....a lot heavier than what I lift, but fortunately we're not competing with each other, only with ourselves

    :bigsmile: cindylu, congrats on keeping up the three workouts a week.

    :bigsmile: rori, how great that you can work with a trainer

    :bigsmile: Lin, your workouts are always impressive

    :bigsmile: Katla, do you go to the gym by yourself or wait for DH to go with you?

    :flowerforyou: yanniejannie, that's a great plan....looks good to me and then you want to add biking and water exercise......wow

    :bigsmile: :bigsmile: the weather cooperated today so I got to work in the yard along with dog walking and strength training.....burned lots of calories but got fewer steps than on a dance day.



    :bigsmile: Barbie from NW Washington

    “If it’s important to you then you will find a way, if it’s not you’ll find an excuse.”


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  • ummommyme
    ummommyme Posts: 362 Member
    I agree thank goodness this isn't a competition, except to ourselves.
  • Katla49
    Katla49 Posts: 10,385 Member
    Barbie: I want to go to the gym with DH but getting him to go is very difficult. I haven't been going recently by myself because I keep ending up with a sore back. I have to admit I'm not following up at all well with this challenge and it isn't fair for me to blame it on DH. :noway: I'm the one who is in charge of what I do. Oddly, I seem to be developing muscle definition in my arms anyway. I'm not complaining about that, just a bit surprised. Pumping water out of the dinghy after our rain surely helped. You should have seen me wrestling the boat cover onto the thing while it was floating in the slip by myself. :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: You'd probably have had a very good laugh, too. I'll bet redoing our upper deck flooring will add a bit more definition, and whining, and complaining.:ohwell:
  • cindylu1962
    cindylu1962 Posts: 322 Member
    Did a 43 second basic plank yesterday:drinker: I'm amazed i could get that far. 2 more seconds and I change my goal again.
    Did weights again with elliptical. Felt good then- feels yucky now.:cry:
    I'll need to stretch a lot this morning.
    First a good breakfast and pay some bills. Then off to stretch and move.

    I found my smallest swimsuit in my drawer this morning. i am hoping to go swimming in a couple of weeks so I hope it fits. My other suits are way too big and would float off me in the pool.:smooched: That would be BAD!

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