You see, I get reminded of this every time I go to work out lately. The gym has been crowded with all the folks that have put fitness somewhere in their New Year's Resolutions, and I think that is awesome. I really, truly do. I applaud those of you that have decided enough is enough and you're going to get off that couch and get some exercise. It's funny because I groan when the "New Year Resolution" people come because the gym gets all crowded, and I hate it when the gym is crowded. I like having the gym to myself if I can help it. But at the same time, I'm pumped for y'all that have decided to stick your neck out and go to a place that you're unsure of and attempting to do brand-new things.
But there's two things I have to suggest for y'all:
1. Quit spending all your time on the treadmill, elliptical, or bike.
2. Don't even bother with the obliques and abs machines.
Whew. I got it out. Thanks.
You can always tell which people want to lose weight and/or get abs, but don't really know exactly how to go about it. I'm excited you want to make a change!!! But here, let me give you some suggestions.
Say getting healthy is on your resolution list, so that's divided into two categories: nutrition and fitness. If you try to tackle both at the same time it's pretty likely you're going to get overwhelmed, frustrated, burned out, and just give up on it cause it's just. too. hard. So, pick one to work on first, and I'm going to pick fitness for you. That makes it easier doesn't it? :) Next, what are your goals? Why do you want to work out in the first place? You want to lose weight; you want to be able to play with your kids (or grandkids!) without keeling over in exhaustion after five minutes; you want to impress that special someone, whether it's a boyfriend/girlfriend or husband/wife; you want to get stronger, have some abs (I mean, c'mon, who doesn't want those;) The list could go on, and it's good! I don't care how many reasons you have to get your booty in the gym, hang on to them. You're going to need them.
Do some research. Ever heard the saying "knowledge is power"? That saying wasn't thought up for no good reason! Don't let the lack of knowledge about working intimidate you. Use it to motivate you to figure out what to do. You now know what your motivation is for getting fit, now you just need to figure out a work out. This is where looking up things come in handy. The website I love to use to give me new ideas for exercises or even different kind of workouts is Body Building.com. They have so many resources it's awesome! Go check it out!
Figure out if you're wanting endurance, strength, or powerlifting abilities. Depending on what you want, will tell you what kind of exercises to do along with how many repetitions and sets. For instance, if you're just wanting to be able to do things (any sort of physical labor or activity) for an extended period of time, you're going to want to be in the endurance category. Perhaps you just want to get stronger, be able to lift more, say throw a football harder (though if it's anything like kicking a soccer ball, I can tell you right now the majority of that is technique!), or you just want some muscles to show off, strength is where you're going to be aiming. Powerlifting is for those guys and girls that love to compete and/or want real big muscles. Depending on what your goal is will depict how your workouts will go. These are pretty basic examples:
Endurance: high rep, low weight. That means, pick a weight you're comfortable with -- now, not so easy that you could chuck it if you wanted-- but something that will actually make you work. You want to pick a weight that you could lift fairly comfortably (at least for the first set) for 12-15 reps, doing 3 sets of the 12-15 reps. You don't have to use the same exact weight for every single set, you can start out light and get heavier with each set (and this goes for all categories).
Strength: moderate rep, moderate to heavy(ish) weight. For this one, you're aiming for 8-12 reps, so you need to pick your weights accordingly. What I like to do (this is my "category") is go for a fairly comfortable weight that I can do 12 reps for the first set, but I'm definitely working hard to get out those last few reps. My second set I aim for 10 reps, so I go up in weight and try to pull out 10 reps. But if I can pull out 12, then awesome! I'm doing better than I expected. My last set I'm going to aim for a pretty heavy weight. My goal is to get 8 reps, if I can go more, then do it. But that means that I really picked too light of a weight this time and need to adjust for next time. Say you can only push out 6 reps, that's okay. If you have someone working out with you (or just ask the person nearby), get them to assist (spot) you just enough so that you can push past those last two reps. It's good to go all the way to failure and then some, it means you're pushing yourself. So, good job :)
Powerlifting: low rep, high weight. Honestly, I don't know a whole ton about this area, but I will tell you what I do know (and then you can look up the rest;). You're aiming for 5-8 reps and I would still go for the 3 sets. You still want your first set to be more of a moderate "warm up" set. By your last set rolls around, you better be really struggling for those 5 reps.
Granted, you don't have to do exactly what I said in regards to the quantity of reps and sets. That's the "basic" way to approach it, and honestly it works just fine. The strength category is what I've been going off of lately, and I honestly don't know about Brandon. I mean, I make the work out, but I don't know how many reps he does. Anyhow. This is where the research can come into play. Perhaps you don't want your work out to be so "traditional" and that's totally cool. I love switching things up, and then next workout I make will probably have a less traditional feel to it.
For example, Brandon worked out with a personal trainer when he was a bachelor living in South Carolina and the trainer had him doing 4 sets (of all exercises) and 8-12 reps. Here's where it was different: in the aspect of picking weights. The first two sets were based off 50% of his one rep max, the third set was 70%, and the final set was 85%. It's okay if you don't know what you're one rep max is. I know if you use the app "JEFIT", it will calculate it for you. There are also equations for figuring that stuff out. But if you're fairly new, I'd stick with keeping it simple.
Cardio isn't the answer. It's funny how everyone flocks to the treadmill or elliptical as soon as they make plans to go to the gym. Cardio is super important. It's important to give your heart a chance to work out, get stronger, and build endurance, it's also been shown in studies to improve brain function, especially growth of the hippocampus (memory center). So I'm not knocking treadmills completely; heck, I use them some! But it isn't my only go-to. Mainly the only use treadmills, bikes or ellipticals get out of me is when I'm going to warm up before a work out or cool down afterwards, which you want to do for 5-10 minutes. Sometimes I'll run on a treadmill, but I'd much rather run outside. Much prettier and a lot less boring :). I can believe you can lose weight with cardio (that typically only applies to those are have been very sedentary and overweight), but you'll benefit more if you add in some weight lifting. Believe it or not, you actually burn more calories and more fat when you do weight lifting as opposed to just cardio. According to WebMD, 10 pounds of muscle can burn 50 calories just at rest during the day, when 10 pounds of fat can only burn a measly 20 calories a day at rest. So why not pump some iron??
Abs are made in the kitchen. Ever heard that saying before? Hate to break it to you, but it's for real. Any intelligent personal trainer will back me up on that. You can have abs of steel, but it doesn't matter if they're covered up by all that flab. So I guess you could say that abs are made in the gym, but they are revealed in the kitchen. You can crunch on that crunch machine and twist on the oblique machine to your heart's content, but there ain't gonna be nothing to show for it (unless your body fat is low enough). I'll give you a prime example. Last year, and kinda the year before that, I was super consistent in working out. In the fall of 2013, I lifted weights (strength category, mind you) regularly, 3 times a week. I'd do cardio as well, usually I'd run a mile on the treamill to warm up and some other running on other days. I also thoroughly love my yoga class (those days you're really feeling it after a tough work out, it's the place to be!). Then come January, I switched up my work out and decided to do round 2 of Insanity, and let me tell you, it is insane. Insanely awesome!!! That's an example of about 7 months of consistent work outs. Yeah I built muscle in the fall lifting heavy and yeah I slimmed down a little during Insanity. But there were no abs to show for my hard work, I didn't even slim down like I wanted. That's because of my nutrition! It's made in the kitchen, if you stay tuned for the series I'm starting on the Ketogenic Diet (high fat, low carb), you'll understand it.
Girls, I know what you're thinkin'. Don't even. You would not believe how many times I've talked to girls and they don't want to lift heavy weights in fear of getting "bulky". First of all, the main reason guys get bulky is because of this hormone called testosterone. Both males and females have it, but females have so little of it because they have more estrogen and progesterone (if you didn't well....you wouldn't be a girl that's for sure). Guys have the ability to get bulky because of their testosterone, but even still they have limits because of their genetic makeup. My husband, for instance, he's a tall, lanky guy. Yeah he's got some nice muscles, but he isn't going to be the size of Jay Cutler. He works hard, he ensures that his nutrition is where it needs to be, and he obviously has testosterone in his body. It's just his genetic make up will let him get only so big. And you can also thank steroids for the ability for bulking up, but I'm not getting into that one. But you say to me, what about those women body builders? Well, I'd be very inclined to believe that they are under the influence of steroids, a lot. But they have to work really hard and for a long time to get that way. And still, you have to be reminded of your genetic code. Some people easily build those muscles that pop out and others have to work a ton harder. So, girl, let me tell you. Don't be afraid to pick up those heavy weights. Show those boys what you can do ;)
Don't get cocky. Somewhere, somebody has bigger muscles than you, can lift heavier or for longer, or can outdo you in some form or fashion. Use those people as your motivators!! Don't let them intimidate you so that you shy away from the free weights or really try to challenge yourself. Accept the challenge to be bigger, better, faster, stronger. You can do it! But just because the person next to you is doing a heavier weight than you, don't be stupid and try to do as much as them even though you haven't been training for it. Everybody's body is different and trains differently and recovers differently. For instance, Brandon and I work out together and he takes a lot longer to heal than I do. If I get sore, I'll be sore for two days max (unless it was a really intense and new leg day work out, then it usually takes a few extra days), but when Brandon gets sore, his soreness (or DOMS, delayed onset muscle soreness, as some of y'all may know) doesn't even start until day two and is likely to go on until day five, at least during the first few weeks of intense exercise.
Switch it up. It's important to change your workout every 2-3 months. When your muscles get use to things, the motions and weights, they begin to lose the hypertrophy (muscle growth) that they were once showing.
Record it. It's important to record what you lift and how many times. You ought to know so you can pick up right where you left off and you don't have to rely on your memory. Plus, it can be very rewarding to see how far you've come!
Don't you dare quit. I know sometimes it can be frustrating because we're not making the gains, or losses, that we're wanting. They take time. Like weeks. Whenever you get discouraged or frustrated, remembered why you started in the first place and where you want to be. That usually helps me. Don't fall into the category of the "New Year's Resolution people" at the gym. Be different, outlast them. Don't quit.
The next step. So now you've been lifting weights for 2-3 months now and it's going pretty good. You've got into a rhythm and you're feelin' pretty good too. Great! Now let's work on what you're putting into your body, keep a look out for my next post!
Just because I love y'all, and I'm awesome, I'm gonna share with y'all the new work out I made for Brandon and I. We do weights three different days. Chest, shoulders, and triceps one day, the next is back and biceps, and we save the best for last: leg day (I personally love leg day)! I've been thinking for my next set of workouts I'll pair them like this: chest, back, and abs; triceps, biceps, and shoulders; and leg day. It's good to work those "complimentary" muscles together (like bicep/triceps, hamstring/quads, etc.). Now, with no further ado.....
Chest, Shoulders, & Triceps
Body up
Close grip bench
(The point of this picture is for you to see how close the grip is)
Svend press
Flat bench dumbbell (DB) press
Assisted dips
Incline bench DB press
Skull crushers
Rope tricep pull downs
Shoulder circuit
-Lateral raises, Bent over lateral raises, Upright rows, Overhead press. Pick a light, light DB(I use 5 lbs DB) and do 10 reps of each, 3 sets (try to do nonstop or build up to it). Then at the end, hold your arms up for 60 full seconds. Feel the burn!!!! And love it!
Back & Biceps
Double bicep cable curls
Reverse grip (prone) bent over barbell rows
(oopsie, wrong grip!)
Incline hammer curls
DB reverse grip (prone) curl
Close grip front lateral pulldowns
Burn outs
-These are bicep curls. Pick a fairly light weight. Act as if you're doing a bicep curl but only go 1/4 of the way up, do 5; for the next five, go halfway up so your arm is at a 90 degree angle; the next five will be done as you are curling up to 3/4 of the way; do a full bicep curl and do 10; then you work your way back down! 3/4, 1/2, 1/4, done! (You should barely be able to get those last five out)
Superman back extensions
Ab roller
-If you can't go all the way flat yet, it's okay! Go as far as you can and make it your goal to go further each time.
Medicine Ball (MB) full body twist
-This is a partner exercise. If you don't have a partner to work out with, I'd just do russian twists with a MB. Pick a weight that seems challenging, and do 3 sets of 10 full rotations.
Plank set
-Start out planking on your elbows, then as you get stronger you can build to your hands. First start in a typical front plank hold for 20 seconds or so (make sure you do it long enough so that it's tiring), then switch to holding your plank just on your right elbow, then left, and back to front one last time. Make sure to keep your body flat as a board (hence, the name: plank), and when you're on the side don't let your hips sag or try to twist. Also, increase the time each time. You will get stronger!
Legs (my fav!!!!)
Jump Squat
-Just body weight. The goal is to jump as high as you can. We're working on that explosive ability.
Glute machine
-Works those hammies as well!!
Full Barbell Squat
-I recommend your first time going into this (disregard if you've been doing these), start with body weight. Make sure you have good form. I cannot stress that enough. Don't let those knees go inward, use your muscles to keep them parallel as you push up, and don't let your knees go over your toes. I want your knees to be good for a long, long time :). Make sure your butt is going back far enough so that your knees stay even or behind your toes. If you can't do that, go down in weight. Seriously.
Quad Extensions
Hamstring curls
Smith machine calf raises
-Find something that you can stand on that gives your heels a deficit. There are three different exercises within this one. First go regular, feet straight out normal, then eversion so your toes are pointing out, and inversion where your toes are pointing inward. That's one set ;)
Side to side box shuffle
-This one will be hard to do because your legs ought to be really exhausted. Make sure to get yourself adequate breaks (30-90 seconds). I recommend you time yourself the first time. See how many "shuffles" you can do in 20 seconds. For the next few workouts, just do 3 sets of 10, but you want to shuffle as quickly as possible. After a monthish, time yourself again, see if you've gotten any quicker.
Remember, it's all in your head as to how far you can go. Your brain "tires" out a lot quicker than your body. Know you can do it but also respect your limits (don't cross over them!!).
"The greatest plateau is the one the mind builds for itself" -Brandon Ensor
