The start of something new
Okay. I promised myself that I'm going to start posting in this journal more often. The problem is, I really don't consider myself that interesting. So... I've decided I'm going to start posting about something that does interest me and something that I really enjoy doing. And that is finding new and interesting ways to stay in shape; because I know that the daily grind of going to the gym can just get boring and repetitive. I know first hand what happens when something gets stale... you just don't do it anymore, finding any excuse to get out of it, convincing yourself that other things are more important until you just quit altogether.
I'm going to post a woman and a man workout section, because the bodies are built differently, and a beginner and advanced section as well, for the varying levels of physical shape, so everyone can take part, if they wish.
So, if you want to take part, please do. If something works or doesn't work for you or you hear about something, please feel free to post. Or maybe just read along and share your thoughts. Feedback is always welcome.
This isn't a get huge type of workout plan. It's about getting in shape, being healthy and feeling great. It's about building confidence and looking and feeling the way that you (and myself) have always wanted.
So, read and follow along if you will. I'm going to try and post daily as much as I can with different workouts that you can do at home in thirty minutes while spending nothing, and tips about eating and living healthy. I'll even try and get some good, healthy, tasty recipes out there and we'll see where this goes.
Tuesday, August 26 2008
Men
Beginner: 20 pushups, rest, 20 airsquats, rest, 20 situps, rest Repeatx5
Today's Warm up, get back into the swing of things day. So we're gonna do some basic exercises to get those dormant muscles awake again. Start with 20 pushups. Remember to keep your back straight as possible, lower yourself to a ninety degree angle with your arms and then push up to full extension with elbow lock out. That's one. Then rest thirty seconds. Move onto 20 airsquats with you're hands on your head. For these, try and keep your back as straight as possible and lower yourself so your thighs are parallel to the ground. Then come back up. Rest thirty seconds. Now do 20 sit-ups. Sit-ups are different than crunches. If need be, find somewhere you can tuck your feet (like your couch for instance) and come all the way up to where your nose is above your knees. Keep your hands above your head, but not pulling on your neck to avoid strains. Rest sixty seconds. Repeat these three exercises five times for a total of 100 repetitions each exercise. Now stretch, shower and your done. Nice job.
Advanced: 5 pullups, ten pushups, 4 pullups, ten pushups. Go down to one and then back up to five, doing ten pushups in between
Todays Pull up day. Find somewhere you can do pullups (a rafter, a tree, heck you can do it on the bar in my front yard, but you'll need a stool). We're going to do five pullups, then do ten pushups and rest for thirty seconds. Then do four pullups, ten pushups and rest for thirty seconds. Continue this cycle down to one, and then turn around and go back up from one to five. You should be doing each number twice (5,4,3,2,1,1,2,3,4,5). For the pullups, try and do them palms facing away from you. This works more muscles and will give you a more complete workout. Start hanging, arms fully extended with elbows locked out. Now, without moving your lower body, pull yourself up until your chin crosses the bar. Then lower yourself all the way down, with elbows locked out. That's one. If it's a little to easy, pause at the down position between each pull up for two seconds. The key to pullups is grip, so have a towel to wipe the sweat of your hands and throw some medical tape, or duct tape to tape the bar. After completing all 30 pullups and 100 pushups, your done. Good work!
Women
Beginner: 1 Mile in nine minutes.
Okay Ladies today's the mile day. Today's goal is to run the mile in under nine minutes. So, find a track, or a block where you know it's a mile (use the odometer in your car on it if you have to) and grab a watch, or phone, etc. The key to this is to keep moving. If you're running on a track, the best way is to pick up the pace on the straight aways, and to slow down on the curves, only walking if you absolutely have to. Finding a running partner is a good way to keep a solid pace. Don't try and kill yourself, just run at a conversations pace (a pace where you can talk and run) for the first three quarters, and bump it up just a tad on the last quarter mile. Don't worry about the time until you finish, and you'll be surprised about how good you did. If you didn't make it under nine minutes, don't sweat it. Today's day one and now you have a starting point, something from which you can measure your results against. Now stretch, shower and relax.
Advanced: 30 Sungods, 20 Tricep extensions, 20 POW's Repeatx5
Today we're going to do some upper body work outs and put some killer tone in those arms. For these you'll need two 20oz water bottles, filled with either water or sand for different weights (or you can choose a two, five or eight pound barbells depending on your strength) The first exercise is something I like to call Sun Gods (wanna know why? ask me later). For this exercise, hold your arms out to your sides (no weight), parallel to the ground, with your elbows locked out. Now rotate your arms in a ten inch circle, keeping your arms as straight as possible. One rotation is one. Do this thirty times. Rest for thirty seconds. Now pick up your weights and stand with your feet shoulder width apart, with one foot ahead of the other. A good distance is your lead heal lining up with the toe of your rear foot. Now, keeping your back straight, lean forward at the waist 30 degrees (or until when you look down your eyes are ahead of the toes on your lead foot). Hold your elbows tight to your sides and the weights parallel to the ground. Now slowly extend the weights down and behind you, while keeping your elbows tight to your body. Then bring the weights back up. This is one. Do this twenty times and rest for thirty seconds. Now hold your arms out to the side again, except for this time bend them at the elbow, with hands and forearms extended towards the ceiling. Now reach up until your hands touch above your head. Lower slowly to starting position. That's one. Do this twenty times, and rest for thirty seconds. Do all the workouts five times each for a total of 150 Sungods, 100 Tricep extensions and 100 POW's. Make sure to do some good shoulder and arm stretches at the end and call it a day. Good job!
Good work today. Rest and relax for tomorrows a new day.
Matt
I'm going to post a woman and a man workout section, because the bodies are built differently, and a beginner and advanced section as well, for the varying levels of physical shape, so everyone can take part, if they wish.
So, if you want to take part, please do. If something works or doesn't work for you or you hear about something, please feel free to post. Or maybe just read along and share your thoughts. Feedback is always welcome.
This isn't a get huge type of workout plan. It's about getting in shape, being healthy and feeling great. It's about building confidence and looking and feeling the way that you (and myself) have always wanted.
So, read and follow along if you will. I'm going to try and post daily as much as I can with different workouts that you can do at home in thirty minutes while spending nothing, and tips about eating and living healthy. I'll even try and get some good, healthy, tasty recipes out there and we'll see where this goes.
Tuesday, August 26 2008
Men
Beginner: 20 pushups, rest, 20 airsquats, rest, 20 situps, rest Repeatx5
Today's Warm up, get back into the swing of things day. So we're gonna do some basic exercises to get those dormant muscles awake again. Start with 20 pushups. Remember to keep your back straight as possible, lower yourself to a ninety degree angle with your arms and then push up to full extension with elbow lock out. That's one. Then rest thirty seconds. Move onto 20 airsquats with you're hands on your head. For these, try and keep your back as straight as possible and lower yourself so your thighs are parallel to the ground. Then come back up. Rest thirty seconds. Now do 20 sit-ups. Sit-ups are different than crunches. If need be, find somewhere you can tuck your feet (like your couch for instance) and come all the way up to where your nose is above your knees. Keep your hands above your head, but not pulling on your neck to avoid strains. Rest sixty seconds. Repeat these three exercises five times for a total of 100 repetitions each exercise. Now stretch, shower and your done. Nice job.
Advanced: 5 pullups, ten pushups, 4 pullups, ten pushups. Go down to one and then back up to five, doing ten pushups in between
Todays Pull up day. Find somewhere you can do pullups (a rafter, a tree, heck you can do it on the bar in my front yard, but you'll need a stool). We're going to do five pullups, then do ten pushups and rest for thirty seconds. Then do four pullups, ten pushups and rest for thirty seconds. Continue this cycle down to one, and then turn around and go back up from one to five. You should be doing each number twice (5,4,3,2,1,1,2,3,4,5). For the pullups, try and do them palms facing away from you. This works more muscles and will give you a more complete workout. Start hanging, arms fully extended with elbows locked out. Now, without moving your lower body, pull yourself up until your chin crosses the bar. Then lower yourself all the way down, with elbows locked out. That's one. If it's a little to easy, pause at the down position between each pull up for two seconds. The key to pullups is grip, so have a towel to wipe the sweat of your hands and throw some medical tape, or duct tape to tape the bar. After completing all 30 pullups and 100 pushups, your done. Good work!
Women
Beginner: 1 Mile in nine minutes.
Okay Ladies today's the mile day. Today's goal is to run the mile in under nine minutes. So, find a track, or a block where you know it's a mile (use the odometer in your car on it if you have to) and grab a watch, or phone, etc. The key to this is to keep moving. If you're running on a track, the best way is to pick up the pace on the straight aways, and to slow down on the curves, only walking if you absolutely have to. Finding a running partner is a good way to keep a solid pace. Don't try and kill yourself, just run at a conversations pace (a pace where you can talk and run) for the first three quarters, and bump it up just a tad on the last quarter mile. Don't worry about the time until you finish, and you'll be surprised about how good you did. If you didn't make it under nine minutes, don't sweat it. Today's day one and now you have a starting point, something from which you can measure your results against. Now stretch, shower and relax.
Advanced: 30 Sungods, 20 Tricep extensions, 20 POW's Repeatx5
Today we're going to do some upper body work outs and put some killer tone in those arms. For these you'll need two 20oz water bottles, filled with either water or sand for different weights (or you can choose a two, five or eight pound barbells depending on your strength) The first exercise is something I like to call Sun Gods (wanna know why? ask me later). For this exercise, hold your arms out to your sides (no weight), parallel to the ground, with your elbows locked out. Now rotate your arms in a ten inch circle, keeping your arms as straight as possible. One rotation is one. Do this thirty times. Rest for thirty seconds. Now pick up your weights and stand with your feet shoulder width apart, with one foot ahead of the other. A good distance is your lead heal lining up with the toe of your rear foot. Now, keeping your back straight, lean forward at the waist 30 degrees (or until when you look down your eyes are ahead of the toes on your lead foot). Hold your elbows tight to your sides and the weights parallel to the ground. Now slowly extend the weights down and behind you, while keeping your elbows tight to your body. Then bring the weights back up. This is one. Do this twenty times and rest for thirty seconds. Now hold your arms out to the side again, except for this time bend them at the elbow, with hands and forearms extended towards the ceiling. Now reach up until your hands touch above your head. Lower slowly to starting position. That's one. Do this twenty times, and rest for thirty seconds. Do all the workouts five times each for a total of 150 Sungods, 100 Tricep extensions and 100 POW's. Make sure to do some good shoulder and arm stretches at the end and call it a day. Good job!
Good work today. Rest and relax for tomorrows a new day.
Matt