In need of a little motivation

[RedWingDiver]

Ber... I noticed that you said you do your weights after the cardio. With all the recent things that I've heard/seen, you should do the weights first, and the cardio last. Supposedly, you'll burn more fat that way.

But I'm not an exercise physicist either! LOL

Aw, say it isn't so! I just varied my workouts so that on Mondays I do my cardio first, then weights!

 

[DawgDiver]

I do change programs on the Elliptical and pick a different type of machine when I just can't face getting on that one so that helps some. Yesterday I challenged and beat my nemesis program! I'd had a lot of trouble getting through this particular program which involves a lot of variation in resistance and incline when I was doing 20 minutes. I had been skipping that program since I bumped to 30 min workouts but yesterday I gave it a go. I managed to keep my overall pace at 6.1 mph beating my previous pace by almost 1mph and I was on the thing 10 minutes longer I was a happy camper!



Some of the time consuming part is having to wait for some of the weight machines because this time of year a lot of people are in the "Personal Fitness Program" and using the same 10 machines. Here's last night's workout:

Leg Press:
3 sets of 10 with 228 pounds

Lat Pulldown:
10 reps 84 lbs
8 reps 84 lbs
10 reps 72 lbs

Leg Curls:
10 reps 84 lbs
3 sets of 10 with 72 lbs

Chest Press:
2 sets 10 reps with 84 lbs
1 set 5 reps with 84 lbs
1 set 7 reps with 72 lbs

Leg Extentions:
3 sets 10 reps with 108 lbs

Shoulder Press:
1 set 10 reps 48 lbs
1 set 5 reps 48 lbs
1 set 10 reps 36 lbs

Bicep Curl:
1 set 10 reps 36 lbs
1 set 5 reps 36 lbs
1 set 10 reps 24 lbs

Tricep Extension:
3 sets 10 reps 48 lbs

Abdominals:
3 sets 10 reps 120 lbs

Back Extension:
3 sets 10 reps 252 lbs

I do the machines in whatever order I can get on them so I usually only have to wait on 2 or 3 near the end of the workout.


I have an iPod now, hubby got it for me for Christmas and I like it a lot better than carting my CD player around
Ber :lilbunny:

Sorry, I forgot to keep up with this thread. It seems you know what you are doing, but are you mostly trying to tone muscle and burn fat? If so, I would double your reps on everything and decrease the weight. Typically sets of 6-10 are aimed toward building muscle mass, while sets of less weight with reps of 12-20 are aimed at toning the muscle and burning fat. Find weight that you can do about 15 of, then push yourself to do as many reps as you can in a set. This will start shaping up your arms, chest, abs, everything. You may be more muscular than you think now, and when you start toning you see some pretty dang good results.


EDIT: After looking at your profile, i've got to ask: Is that you now?? If so, then what the heck are you worried about? You look great! Just keep a good maintenance program!

 

[Ber Rabbit]

Sorry, I forgot to keep up with this thread. It seems you know what you are doing, but are you mostly trying to tone muscle and burn fat? If so, I would double your reps on everything and decrease the weight. Typically sets of 6-10 are aimed toward building muscle mass, while sets of less weight with reps of 12-20 are aimed at toning the muscle and burning fat. Find weight that you can do about 15 of, then push yourself to do as many reps as you can in a set. This will start shaping up your arms, chest, abs, everything. You may be more muscular than you think now, and when you start toning you see some pretty dang good results.


EDIT: After looking at your profile, i've got to ask: Is that you now?? If so, then what the heck are you worried about? You look great! Just keep a good maintenance program!

Actually I'm trying to build muscle mass rather than just tone. The ultimate goal would be to be built like Linda Hamilton in "Terminator II". I want to see some muscle size in the mirror Actually the picture in my profile is a little over 4 years old but I really haven't changed too much even though I'm almost 20 pounds heavier and now I'm a size 4 instead of a size 2. I was VERY lean at the time so most of the fat went to covering up and filling out bony areas. I do have a little extra fat around my middle now but I'm probably the only one who notices because it makes my size 4 pants fit tight. That's the fat I want to get rid of, I don't want to have to bump up another size.
Ber :lilbunny:

 

[wb416]

Ber....
Penny and I picked up a Combo Smith Machine at Sam's Club for $399. It came with 300# of plate weights and I can come up with enough variations of cable, barbell, and dumbell exercises to keep Pue happy with a fitness routine and me building mass.

Looking at your routine, I could everthing but Leg Press (in which case you substitute any number of squat variations or lunges).

I'm able to change up my workout often enough that my body doesn't get "used to" any particular routine. Combined with our Elliptical machine, I can't believe I didn't have something like this years ago!!

 

[Hank49]

Ber....
Penny and I picked up a Combo Smith Machine at Sam's Club for $399. It came with 300# of plate weights and I can come up with enough variations of cable, barbell, and dumbell exercises to keep Pue happy with a fitness routine and me building mass.

]

That's a great deal for a machine like that. It looks pretty complete. A bowflex that has all the body part exercise potential is more than double that price isn't it?
Speaking of altering the workout, I do have a bowflex and about a year ago I was in the US and went to a gym with my son. We did Smith Machine free weights and I did the same motions (presses, pulls etc etc) as I do on the bowflex. I was amazed at how sore I was the next day. It was like starting over again. It has a totally different feel because the weights kind of lessen as you extend due to the inertia I guess but the bowflex gets harder and harder as the bows stiffen.

 

[wb416]

That's a great deal for a machine like that. It looks pretty complete. A bowflex that has all the body part exercise potential is more than double that price isn't it?
Speaking of altering the workout, I do have a bowflex and about a year ago I was in the US and went to a gym with my son. We did Smith Machine free weights and I did the same motions (presses, pulls etc etc) as I do on the bowflex. I was amazed at how sore I was the next day. It was like starting over again. It has a totally different feel because the weights kind of lessen as you extend due to the inertia I guess but the bowflex gets harder and harder as the bows stiffen.

I gave the bowflex a try in the store and on a unit my sister had... and I just didn't quite like the feel... maybe I'm too much of a traditionalist but I preferred the free weights. I know that many (including my sister) like it, but I just couldn't get all warm and fuzzy about it.

 

[DawgDiver]

Top 3 reasons not to buy a bowflex:

1. Gym memberships can be had for $10-40 a month, the gym repairs equipment, and they even have a TREADMILL!
2. Clothes hangers can be bought for much cheaper than a bowflex
3. Does anybody really have ROOM for a blowflex in their house?

 

[Hank49]

Top 3 reasons not to buy a bowflex:

1. Gym memberships can be had for $10-40 a month, the gym repairs equipment, and they even have a TREADMILL!
2. Clothes hangers can be bought for much cheaper than a bowflex
3. Does anybody really have ROOM for a blowflex in their house?

Top three reasons to buy one: (no I'm not a salesman )
1. Gym? what's a gym?...oh yeah, you have those in the US. BUT, average gym fee ($25/mo), $400 per year, a bowflex is about $800 now for the more delux models. Mine is 5 years old and has needed no repairs. It is cheaper than a gym. PLUS, I told them the nylon handles for bench pressing etc were showing wear and they sent me new ones for free.
2. Don't know what you mean about clothes hangers but the Smith machine is cheaper.
3. The smith machine (which is bigger than a bowflex) or any full body workout machine is as big or bigger than a bowflex. It takes up about 12 sq feet of floor space. Throw out the coffee table and there you have the space.

 

[DawgDiver]

What I meant by clothes hanger is that by far, most people who buy those machines end up not using them, and hanging laundry on them.

I like being able to do a variety of exercises, and while I know that the current home gyms are designed to do that, I still don't feel they will ever come close to matching a full gym. But they work for some people, and that's good. Me? I would never use a piece of equipment if it was sitting in my living room. I have to make myself go to the gym. I also don't have the space for a a home gym either.