After a shaky start, I’m enjoying my new program.
The things I was most worried about were T-push-ups and pull-ups. After getting some advice, and also a little thought, I’ve managed to sort out a compromise with the program.
For push-ups, I’ve been working my way down to the floor. I was using a bench (the sort with the removable levels that they use in step aerobics) which I was dropping down slowly. So, when I started the new program I decided to really push myself and go all the way to the floor. (I was two blocks and the step itself away – about one-and-a-half feet) and the first time I did that it was brutal! I really struggled to do the second set. However, in the second attempt at this workout (It is workout B) I managed to do two sets of six proper push-ups! I’m really pleased with myself.
For pull-ups I’m taking a similar approach. One of the biggest problems is my grip strength. I just can’t hold my own weight at the moment. We’ve ordered some resistance bands, which can be used to reduce the amount of weight you’re lifting, but the ones we have don’t reduce it enough. A larger band would leave me with a risk of getting pinged* so I’m using the assisted pull-up for now. The plan is to reduce the weight down to an amount equivalent to the amount the bands can do, and then switch to the bands. That way I improve my core strength. I gather this doesn’t happen, or happens less well, with the assisted machine.
Next Sunday is meant to be a weigh in day, although we’re doing some house-move things. I’ll make the time first thing to get that out of the way. I’ll be doing the “jeans test” again at the end of this part of the program. Once every four weeks should be plenty often enough.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Monday, February 08, 2010
Weigh in Day
Stats
Weight: 12st 4lb (~)
Body Fat: 25.9% (up 0.1%)
Bust: 38” (~)
Chest: 32” (Up 1”)
Waist: 30” / 33.5” (~ / down 0.5”)
Hips: 44” (up 0.5”)
Thighs (L/R): 27” / 27” (up 1” each leg!)
Biceps (L/R): 11.5” / 11.5” (~)
(~) = no change
That’s quite a lot of no change there. Partly it’s because I’ve not been sticking to the diet as well as I could, having more than 10% of my meals off plan.
My chest has increased by 1” (as measured by Fiancé, directly under my bust where my bra band would go)
I think this is probably because of the back exercises I’ve been doing, notably the fly and row types. While my back is not strong enough to allow me to do a chin-up (yet) it’s stronger than ever. To be honest, 32” chest is a pretty reasonable measurement anyway! So, I’m feeling okay about that one.
My waist (as decreed by clothiers, as opposed to my natural waist which is quite high on me) has also decreased a little. As this is where I store much of my fat, this can only be a good thing. I’d like to get this number down to somewhere in the same range as my natural waist is now.
My hips are up, and I think this is probably for the same reason as my thighs being up by an inch each! (wonky measuring notwithstanding!) I’ve been doing some pretty serious squats, dead lifts and such. I hope that the fat I store in my legs and ass can be reduced over the course of the next four weeks, but we’ll see.
Weight: 12st 4lb (~)
Body Fat: 25.9% (up 0.1%)
Bust: 38” (~)
Chest: 32” (Up 1”)
Waist: 30” / 33.5” (~ / down 0.5”)
Hips: 44” (up 0.5”)
Thighs (L/R): 27” / 27” (up 1” each leg!)
Biceps (L/R): 11.5” / 11.5” (~)
(~) = no change
That’s quite a lot of no change there. Partly it’s because I’ve not been sticking to the diet as well as I could, having more than 10% of my meals off plan.
My chest has increased by 1” (as measured by Fiancé, directly under my bust where my bra band would go)
I think this is probably because of the back exercises I’ve been doing, notably the fly and row types. While my back is not strong enough to allow me to do a chin-up (yet) it’s stronger than ever. To be honest, 32” chest is a pretty reasonable measurement anyway! So, I’m feeling okay about that one.
My waist (as decreed by clothiers, as opposed to my natural waist which is quite high on me) has also decreased a little. As this is where I store much of my fat, this can only be a good thing. I’d like to get this number down to somewhere in the same range as my natural waist is now.
My hips are up, and I think this is probably for the same reason as my thighs being up by an inch each! (wonky measuring notwithstanding!) I’ve been doing some pretty serious squats, dead lifts and such. I hope that the fat I store in my legs and ass can be reduced over the course of the next four weeks, but we’ll see.
Saturday, February 06, 2010
Can I Be a Fit Female?
I want to talk briefly about the programme that I'm doing, Rachel Cosgrove's Body Breakthrough.
I've done the first four weeks of the programme, and I'm pretty pleased with my progress.
I've lowered the height of the bench that I'm doing my push-ups on, I've raised my weight on every exercise which uses weights, I do two sets of 45 seconds of prone cobra (I started at two sets of half a minute, and that was hard!), in short; I'm stronger than I was when I began, in many ways.
So, tomorrow is my first day of section 2 of the programme. It's meant to be challenging, it's meant to be harder than the first section. I'm fine with that, I enjoy challenging myself in the gym. However, there are some things which I'm finding sort of demoralising.
One of the exercises I'm due to move on to is called a T-Push-Up. This is the same as a standard push-up, except when you get to the top of the movement, you extend one arm upwards and cross your feet, making a T shape with your body. That's all well and good, but I haven't progressed far enough to do a normal push up yet, so how can I move on to the T?
The other thing that I'm worried about is the chin-up. I've bought some exercise bands to assist with my chin-up, but honestly I can't do even one chin-up (we have a bar at home, so I've had a go already)
I've had some great advice from Ravelry (amazing huh, knitters who lift (Rav Link) are a new group, but they're supportive!) regarding the push-up situation, and they're suggesting what I was thinking of anyway.
So, that leaves the chin-up. I've had a look at some videos on YouTube, I've got advice from my fiancé, I think what I'll have to do is a combination of things to try to get into a place where I can do a chin up. So, that's going to include:
Hanging from the bar, to get used to holding myself up (with bands to begin with)
Assisted Chin Ups at the gym, to get used to lifting using those muscles
Hopefully the inverted row in the other half of this section of the program will also help.
Who knows, by the end of the four weeks, I might be able to do a chin-up!
I've done the first four weeks of the programme, and I'm pretty pleased with my progress.
I've lowered the height of the bench that I'm doing my push-ups on, I've raised my weight on every exercise which uses weights, I do two sets of 45 seconds of prone cobra (I started at two sets of half a minute, and that was hard!), in short; I'm stronger than I was when I began, in many ways.
So, tomorrow is my first day of section 2 of the programme. It's meant to be challenging, it's meant to be harder than the first section. I'm fine with that, I enjoy challenging myself in the gym. However, there are some things which I'm finding sort of demoralising.
One of the exercises I'm due to move on to is called a T-Push-Up. This is the same as a standard push-up, except when you get to the top of the movement, you extend one arm upwards and cross your feet, making a T shape with your body. That's all well and good, but I haven't progressed far enough to do a normal push up yet, so how can I move on to the T?
The other thing that I'm worried about is the chin-up. I've bought some exercise bands to assist with my chin-up, but honestly I can't do even one chin-up (we have a bar at home, so I've had a go already)
I've had some great advice from Ravelry (amazing huh, knitters who lift (Rav Link) are a new group, but they're supportive!) regarding the push-up situation, and they're suggesting what I was thinking of anyway.
So, that leaves the chin-up. I've had a look at some videos on YouTube, I've got advice from my fiancé, I think what I'll have to do is a combination of things to try to get into a place where I can do a chin up. So, that's going to include:
Hanging from the bar, to get used to holding myself up (with bands to begin with)
Assisted Chin Ups at the gym, to get used to lifting using those muscles
Hopefully the inverted row in the other half of this section of the program will also help.
Who knows, by the end of the four weeks, I might be able to do a chin-up!
Thursday, February 04, 2010
Last day of workout stage 1
Today was the end of the beginning. I mean that I did my last workout in phase 1, and I’m moving on to phase two shortly. (All being well, on Saturday)
To do the next stage I need something called a resistance band, something which seems to be expensive and also difficult to get hold of. And I haven’t yet got one. I’ll let you know how that goes!
So, until my next weigh in (Should be Sunday this week) here’s my final weights from my last A (on Tuesday) and B (today):
Step-up 2 sets of 12e/s 6kg each hand
3 point dumbell row 2 sets 12e/s 8kg
Bent over reverse fly 2 sets 4kg each hand
Body weight excercises now include pushups, which I managed 2 sets of 10 for (not full though, I’m doing them with my hands raised off the floor by a couple of feet). I’ll not give away the rest of the program, though it’s more than just the exercises, I think it’s copyright too!
Russian twist 2 sets of 10e/s 4kg
Overhead squat 2 sets of 10 3kg each hand
Lateral raise with external rotation 2 sets of 10 with 5kg each hand
SLSA Romanian deadlift 9kg
Single arm pullover 2 sets of 12 reps 3.25kg / 6.25kg
Cable row 2 sets of 10 reps 11.25kg
Again, not the whole program.
My favourite exercise has been the reverse fly and the cable spilt stance row, I feel really strong doing those, though they are challenging.
The main thing I’m finding hard is maintaining a positive attitude. Even though the numbers at the previous weigh in were good, I feel like I need to do more, make it go faster! However, the next stage of the workouts is meant to be more weight, less reps, to really build the muscle tone and shed the fat. The hardest thing is the diet though. I feel like I’m always eating! Okay, so that’s not so bad, but it is really odd!
I’ve found some cottage cheese snack pots which I like, it’s basically the size of a normal yoghurt, but it’s cottage cheese in there. High protein, low fat, and yummy! I have it with some grapes for my mid-morning snack.
Anyway, I’ll check in again on Sunday with my stats, see how things have gone in the second half of the first phase.
Wish me luck with the next phase!
To do the next stage I need something called a resistance band, something which seems to be expensive and also difficult to get hold of. And I haven’t yet got one. I’ll let you know how that goes!
So, until my next weigh in (Should be Sunday this week) here’s my final weights from my last A (on Tuesday) and B (today):
Step-up 2 sets of 12e/s 6kg each hand
3 point dumbell row 2 sets 12e/s 8kg
Bent over reverse fly 2 sets 4kg each hand
Body weight excercises now include pushups, which I managed 2 sets of 10 for (not full though, I’m doing them with my hands raised off the floor by a couple of feet). I’ll not give away the rest of the program, though it’s more than just the exercises, I think it’s copyright too!
Russian twist 2 sets of 10e/s 4kg
Overhead squat 2 sets of 10 3kg each hand
Lateral raise with external rotation 2 sets of 10 with 5kg each hand
SLSA Romanian deadlift 9kg
Single arm pullover 2 sets of 12 reps 3.25kg / 6.25kg
Cable row 2 sets of 10 reps 11.25kg
Again, not the whole program.
My favourite exercise has been the reverse fly and the cable spilt stance row, I feel really strong doing those, though they are challenging.
The main thing I’m finding hard is maintaining a positive attitude. Even though the numbers at the previous weigh in were good, I feel like I need to do more, make it go faster! However, the next stage of the workouts is meant to be more weight, less reps, to really build the muscle tone and shed the fat. The hardest thing is the diet though. I feel like I’m always eating! Okay, so that’s not so bad, but it is really odd!
I’ve found some cottage cheese snack pots which I like, it’s basically the size of a normal yoghurt, but it’s cottage cheese in there. High protein, low fat, and yummy! I have it with some grapes for my mid-morning snack.
Anyway, I’ll check in again on Sunday with my stats, see how things have gone in the second half of the first phase.
Wish me luck with the next phase!
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