Laura's Fitness Upates

[Laura]

The ramps did the trick. I broke my plateau. YAY!!

Trying to figure out what I'm going to do for tomorrow. I'm really confused over which parts of the back I should deal with, and how. The exercises I really want to do are:

upright rows (traps)
wide-grip lat pulldown (lats)
seated row (middle back)
back extension on StarTrac machine (lower back)

...but if I do all of those as ramps, PLUS the additional exercise per body part like I usually do, then I'm gonna be at the gym all day. Also, I might be really damn sore. Is this too much back for one day? Got any suggestions for ways to hit both lats and middle back in one exercise?

I'm aslo supposed to do Biceps and Obliques.

-- Laura

[John Rauch]

I'm on vacation right now, but this evening if I have some time, I'll type up some bits from my routines for you. At this point, the best thing you can do is avoid 90% of those machines like the plague. Free weights and bodyweight will build general strength without need for some of those isolation machines.

[Laura]

I know, and I'm working toward that goal of being machine-free. But right now, I'm still in the "beginner" phase, where I have a long history of hurting myself from trying too much, too soon. The isolation machines will help me work the forms without straining anything. Plus, I can do ramps, since I can adjust the weights. But it is my goal to start phasing out the machines in week 4 (Mar 12-16), and be machine-free by the end of April.

I suppose I could lose the back extension machine and go with back hyperextensions instead, using medicine balls as my ramp weight. Then, finish it off with a set of Supermans. Yeah?

Are cables okay? I like cables. I can do upright rows and seated rows on the cable machine. I already do lat pulldowns via cable.

Don't take away my lat pulldown, man! That's my favorite exercise ever.

Seriously, though, thanks for helping me out. Now go enjoy the rest of your vacation!

-- Laura

[Alex Sollazzo]

Deadlifts, pullups (can do lat pulldowns instead but theyre not really the same) and bent over row are the best back exercises to do. Theres no reason to be scared of doing freeweights, just start off light and you'll be fine, the longer you use machines the more you'll be building up bad habits.

[Zombie Dave McCaig]

Lat pulldowns are great until you have a good strength to body weight ratio, and can start doing pullups.

[Laura]

Deadlifts, pullups (can do lat pulldowns instead but theyre not really the same) and bent over row are the best back exercises to do. Theres no reason to be scared of doing freeweights, just start off light and you'll be fine, the longer you use machines the more you'll be building up bad habits.

Deadlifts it is, then. I did deadlifts for my hammies on Thursday -- not the main ramp exercise, but as the secondary exercise -- and I liked 'em. I'll try bent over row, too. Could that potentially put strain on my lower back, though? I often get backaches when I lean forward for too long.

Would these incline bench seated rows be okay?

Lat pulldowns are great until you have a good strength to body weight ratio, and can start doing pullups.

It'll take a while, since my body weight requires a LOT of strength (and my upper back/shoulders are shamefully weak), but that's what I'm aiming for.

I was gonna go to the gym this morning, but I want to encourage Randy to join me, so he's coming with me this afternoon.

-- Laura

[Brian Frey ~ halfmoth]

This is all awesome, Laura! And when I saw Randy yesterday, I thought he looked a little smaller. Let me know if you guys ever want to try Lucky Shoals Park's outdoor trail. Holly prefers their gym's indoor track, tho that might've been primarily when it was cold outside... I like the outdoor trail for the changing elevations and scenery.

[Alex Sollazzo]

Yeah the seated dumbell row on that website is a suitable replacement if youll have trouble with normal rows, but that said you could go one step further and do proper dumbell rows if thats possible http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/Bac ... erRow.html

[John Rauch]

Good stuff Laura! Son't forget that you can put your foot on a chair or bench to do pull-ups. Just remember that isolation machines are not for beginners. They're going to work one individual muscle and create an imbalance rather than the practical, well rounded strength you need as a beginner. Don't be afraid to go lighter weight any time you feel a strain somewhere unintended. Good form is more important than lifting heavy weights. For myself, I try to make sure my first 5-8 reps are PERFECT form, then if I have to kip a little to squeeze out the last few, no big deal. But if I can't do AT LEAST 5 perfect reps, the weight is too heavy.

[Laura]

Yeah the seated dumbell row on that website is a suitable replacement if youll have trouble with normal rows, but that said you could go one step further and do proper dumbell rows if thats possible http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/Bac ... erRow.html

Ooh, now that one might work. I will try the standing row first, see how that feels on my back, and if it's not comfortable, I'll switch to this one. Thanks, Alex!

Just remember that isolation machines are not for beginners. They're going to work one individual muscle and create an imbalance rather than the practical, well rounded strength you need as a beginner.

Yeah...I know. You're convincing me. I gotta get over that mindset of, "If I'm paying for a gym membership, then I ought to use gym machines that I can't have at home". And the mindset of "big machines = big results". And the mindset of "big machines = more protective (less chance of dropping a plate on my foot)". Because none of that is really true, if I'm both well-informed and careful.

Seriously, thanks, you guys. This is so helpful.

-- Laura

P.S. Brian Frey: when do you and Holly usually go to the Lucky Shoals Park? Would y'all be up for a park visit Saturday morning?

[Laura]

Rarr!!! I went to fitness church! Here's what I did:

Upper back:
cable lat pulldowns (5 sets, ramped)
cable upright rows (1 set)

Middle back:
standing row with barbell* (5 sets, ramped)
one-armed rows on bench (1 set)

Lower back:
straight-leg deadlifts with kettleballs (5 sets, ramped)
superman (1 set)

Biceps:
concentration curls (5 sets, ramped)
hammer curls (1 set)

Obliques:
dumbbell oblique side bends (5 sets, ramped)
long arm oblique twists with medicine ball (1 set)

....and some cardio. And stretching.

Not a single isolated machine in the bunch! Go me! RAARRR!!

And then I went and ate bison, asparagus, and sweet potato for dinner! MEEEAAAT!

-- Laura


* Do not like. Felt like I wasn't getting the full range of motion because my gut/boobs got in the way of the bar. I'm either going to switch the order of these two, or I'm going to change out the standing rows for cable rows -- something that'll allow me to pull my elbows further back.

[Laura]

Wednesday's workout: I know, too many machines. Will work on improving that. Will also start doing (gag) lunges. Really need to bring my ankle weights to the gym.

Quads:
Seated Leg Extension Machine, 5 sets, ramped
Squats with Barbell, 1 set

Glutes/Hamstrings:
Standing Hip Extension on Cable Cross Machine (i.e., leg kickbacks), 4 sets, ramped (failed on last set)
Seated Leg Curl Machine, 2 sets

Outer Thighs:
Abductor Machine, 5 sets, ramped*
Standing Abduction (leg raises), 1 set

Inner Thighs:
Adductor Machine, 5 sets, ramped*
Standing Adduction (leg crosses), 1 set

Calves:
Heel Raises on Leg Press Machine, 5 sets, ramped*
Seated Heel Raises with Weights (I don't know what that machine is called), 1 set*

...plus cardio. I added in some jogging on the treadmill. Wish I knew how to get my shins to stop hurting.

Friday's workout:

Chest:
Dumbbell Chest Press on Ball, 5 sets, ramped
Dumbbell Chest Flyes on Ball, 1 set

Shoulders:
Dumbbell Shoulder Press on Ball, 5 sets, ramped
Dumbbell Lateral Raises on Ball, 1 set

Triceps:
Rope Pulldown on Cable Machine, 5 sets, ramped
Dumbbell Tricep Kickbacks, 1 set

Pushups:
Total of 25 angled pushups (feet on floor; body at 60-degree angle; hands shoulder-width apart)
total of 8 wall pushups with hands close together

Abs:
Double Crunches with Medicine Ball, 5 sets, ramped
Crunches on Ball, 1 set

...plus cardio. Same as Wednesday: added in some jogging.

* = more weight than last time

Anything that says "on ball" means that I was using a large inflated ball as a seat or bench. Medicine balls are the small weighted ones.

On Thursday and Saturday, we went for walks and played Wii Fit.

And I lost 3.6 lbs this week.

-- Laura

[Laura]

Note: On the glutes/hamstrings, I had every intention of doing lunges for my second exercise, but I was so wobbly-legged and out of breath from the kickbacks that I had to sit down -- hence the seated leg curl. I WILL do lunges one day. Yes.

-- Laura

[Zombie Dave McCaig]

And I lost 3.6 lbs this week.

-- Laura

Hot damn! That's awesome!

[Laura]

Hot damn! That's awesome!

Thanks! About time, too. Sheesh. I was about to lose hope.

I don't expect results this week thanks to water retention, but I'll keep working at it.

The other good news is that I'm galvanizing the new food habits I developed over the last two months. It's hot outside; usually I would crave ice cream or other cold goodie on a day like today. Instead, I had an immense craving for fresh fruit. I want vegetables all the time; if I don't have at least one huge helping of veggies per day, I feel incomplete. A turkey or veggie burger sends me to the moon, while just the idea of a cheeseburger is kinda gross.

I actually had to make myself have a cheat meal yesterday, and I ended up ordering grilled chicken anyway because nothing else sounded good (there was lots of fried stuff on the menu). And I only ate maybe a third of the fries. Awesome.

-- Laura