Thank you all for the kind comments and emails on yesterday’s post. My intention in the post was to just share some of the stuff that’s been going on lately, but not to give the impression that I’m unhappy with my life. I hope the post didn’t come across as negative, that was not my intention.
For awhile now I’ve been talking about changing my workout routine. Well enough TALK! It’s time to DO. I’ve been doing my new routine for two weeks now. I want to confess something: I have a newfound love of body weight exercises. While they aren’t new to me, they have now become a big part of my gym sessions. Dare I say–I might even like them better than straight cardio workouts. Why? Because they kick my butt. My heart rate gets higher doing these exercises than it ever does on a cardio machine!
Not too bad, huh?
I want to share my current circuit weight machine that I’m doing with you guys. Tailor it to your own abilities and as always, consult with your doctor or a personal trainer before trying something new. I don’t do all of these exercises every time. I mix them up, I do other moves and I add machines into the routine often. But this is just a general idea of some of my favorite exercises right now.
Push-ups
I do between 8-15 at a time right now, 4-7 times.
Triceps Dip
I do 10 reps 4-6 times.
Side Lunge with Rotation
This is a new exercise that I’ve added to my circuit and I love it! It’s pretty easy to do. Here is a little demonstration on how to do it:
I got this exercise in my Nike Training Club app one day at the gym when I wanted to add something new to my circuit workout. This one is really fun but you have to hold a fairly heavy medicine ball to really feel it!
Squats
10 reps 4-7 times, depending on how my knees are feeling. Sometimes if I’m feeling really strong, I do the “squat press” which is where you do squats and then raise the free weights above my head.
Step-Ups with Overhead Weights
I was using two 15 pound free weights for this but recently increased it to two 17.5 weights.
The step-up exercise is a great leg workout and I feel like it helps me with my balance issues. I don’t have great balance and tend to be kind of clumsy. I’ve noticed that I feel more stable now that I’ve been doing these step-ups for about 6 months now.
Alternating Step Back Lunges
These are surprisingly difficult. I thought they would be easier than the traveling lunges, but for some reason I feel these much more in my quads and not in my glutes like the other lunges. I also struggle with staying balanced. I need a lot more practice with this exercise!
Russian Twists
Russian Twists are awesome and pretty easy to do for ab exercises. My friend Robyn said that they frequently aggravate her lower back when she does them, so if you have back issues you might want to talk to your doctor before trying these.
I do between 20-30 reps three or four times in a workout. I use between a 10-12 pound medicine ball.
Traveling Lunges
I do about 4 or 5 at a time, turn around and do 4 or 5 back to where I started. I’ve increased the weight that I hold as I do the lunges to two 15 pound weights.
I would much rather do a few REALLY good lunges, then do more but they are sloppy because I get fatigued. Once I get used to this routine, I’ll increase the weight again. I’m almost ready!
Bicep Curls
I like doing bicep curls because they make me feel really strong. I do 10-12 curls three or four times during my circuit.
I’m currently at two 17.5 pound weights. I’m excited that I can consistently increase the weight. Although, I’m not seeing a ton of change in the amount of loose skin I have in my arms (from losing so much weight). Bicep curls are great for strengthening your upper body and will make your arms look nice in short sleeves. 🙂
Circuit
I do all the above exercises in a circuit. I don’t always do all of them in one session, but this is a general idea of what I am doing in the gym right now. I love it! This routine makes me feel so strong. I feel like my legs are getting stronger, my stability is increasing and my recovery time is much faster. Instead of being crippled and sore for almost a week, I can now walk like a normal person in just a day or two. Progress.
QUESTION: Do you do circuit exercises? What’s in your rotation right now?
Jennifer
These are great exercises! I’ve been wanting to get back to strength training exercises at least 1-2 times a week, in addition to runs and dance classes. I think I’ll print these out and use it as a guide!! Thank you!!
Lisa Eirene
Awesome! Let me know how you do. I’m always looking for new exercises to try.
Cheryle
Congrats on switching things up! I do think strength training + HIIT (high intensity interval training) is the way to go. My trainer FINALLY convinced me to give up my “endless cardio” (his wording, not mine, lol) sessions in favor of more time in the weight room and more focused cardio. Yesteday, I did with him:
Barbell squats
Some kind of cable row – don’t know the name
Barbell bench press
Walking lunges with dumb bells
Reverse grip lat pulldowns
Some kind of reverse ab torture exercise
I will try to get more specifics from him and let you know the proper names. 🙂 Anyway, we do the exercises in groups of 2 as outlined above, run through them 3 times. Start with a lighter weight at 10 reps, slightly heavier (or the same) at 10 reps, and then bump up the weight and reduce reps to 8 for the last set.
I also wear a HRM and am blown away by how high by heart rate goes – especially when I am lifting on the heaver side. Yesterday, I burnt 589 calories lifting weights! Who knew??? 🙂
Lisa Eirene
That sounds like a difficult routine. I’m impressed. I’ve only tried the bench press once and it was intimidating and awkward. I couldn’t keep the bar straight. How do you do it?
I’d love to hear what else you are doing in the future. And YES! The calories burned are awesome. My last weight workout m HR got up to the 160’s, which is high for me. I was impressed.
Cheryle
The bench press is awkward at first. The first time I ever tried it was last November, by myself, before I was working with my trainer. I tried to press it once and it was SO HEAVY (45 pounds) that I barely got it back on the rack.
Fast forward to January, I’ve been working with my trainer for a couple of weeks. He makes sure I am in the correct position with the right grip and stands over me to spot me on the lifts. It was VERY awkward the first few times with him, too, but I gradually built up strength and confidence so that it doesn’t feel so bad anymore. I am now up to 10/10/8 reps with weights of 90/90/95. Hope to break 100 soon! 🙂
I would never do this lift on my own, though. I would always use a spotter on this one.
Lisa Eirene
Wow! That’s impressive, and motivating! I will have to make an effort to try it and not be intimidated.
Jodi @ Jodi, Fat or Not
You totally read my mind! I was just looking around last night for someone who had blogged about a strength training routine that they loved. I’m terrible at doing strength training on my own, even with realizing how important it is for weight loss. I was feeling pretty strong when I was seeing my trainer twice a week – but can’t afford that forever! This workout looks doable and I’m glad to hear you are enjoying it 🙂
Lisa Eirene
It’s funny, I sent a message out to the Twittervse to get some ideas on strength training workouts and I got zero responses. 🙁
I agree with you, it’s definitely difficult to find motivation to lift when we don’t have a routine to do. It’s hard to think up things. The Nike Training Club app is great when my brain isn’t motivated for the workout.
Sarah
I secretly circuit train, as in I go to a gym class that does circuit training. We actually do most of the exercises you mentioned 🙂
Lisa Eirene
I’ve been wanting to try Body Pump for a year now! The classes are always packed, though.