While training for triathlons in college my weekly workouts looked something like this:
- Run 5 miles 4-5 times per week.
- Swim 2000 meters twice per week.
- Spin class once per week.
- Long bike ride (25-ish miles) every other week.
I love cardio. And running is my cardio of choice. Injury has gotten in the way of my running lately, and the lack of having people to train with has prevented me from swimming and biking consistently. So, I started to work out with my boyfriend in January and learned to pump some iron.
Me and my personal trainer/boyfriend
Alton Brown says that you should never buy any kitchen utensils that only have one function. A personal trainer that only exercises with you? Forget it. My personal trainer also cooks with me, gives me massages (sore muscles need love!), and will wash my dirty workout clothes if I accidently leave them at his place. Talk about a package deal!
Here is an example of a workout I would do with Chip (the boy). All exercises are repeated 3 times, and I try to use enough weight that I get in about 12 reps before I can not do anymore. The exercises that are together are done as super sets- after you do the first exercise, you do directly to the next exercise, then rest and repeat. (Example: 12 reps of bicep curls then 12 reps of tricep extensions then rest then repeat.) Click on links for exercise descriptions.
Biceps and Triceps
- Standing Bicep Curls with Dumbells/ Dumbell One-Arm Tricep Extentions
- Preacher Curls/ Nosebreakers
- Bicep Curls with Cables/ Tricep Pulldowns with Cables
It’s harder than it looks, fellow cardio queens! A whole new way of pushing yourself.
We would also have a chest and back day and a legs and shoulders day. I don’t know how many of you like experimenting with weights at the gym, but I will be happy to post more workouts like this if you are interested. Let me know in the comments.
Anyway, Chip got a full time job in May, and I became busier as well, so we decided to work out separately. To mix up my workouts a bit I bought The New Rules of Weightlifting for Women. The tagline is “Lift like a Man, Look Like a Goddess.” Love it! I have also been incorporating cardio into my weight workouts (rather than having separate cardio days) and going to BodyPump classes. If you want to do weights but are nervous about going into the weight room by yourself, try a BodyPump class! The class is so much fun (and so hard!).
The main difference between the workouts in The New Rules of Weightlifting and Chip’s workouts is that the book has full body workouts, and Chip does workouts that isolate muscle groups. (I may do a full review of the book later). I think that there are benefits to both ways of working out, but I find it to be more of a time saver to try to hit every muscle group while I am at the gym.
Here is a workout that is an example of what I have been doing recently at the gym. (Just as above, exercises listed together are super sets, and all exercises are repeated 3 times with 12 reps unless stated otherwise.)
- 15 minutes on stationary bike at moderate pace
- Stretch!!! (No more injuries for me, thanks!)
- Weighted Squats on the Smith Press*/ Dumbbell Shoulder Press
- Push-ups/ Seated Cable Row
- Lunges (holding weights)/ Planks (I aim for 90 seconds each)
- 15 minutes on stationary bike at moderate pace
- Stretch again
*Before adding weights for squats, I do a set of squats without weights to further warm up my legs.
You may notice that there appears to be no bicep or tricep exercises, but if you read the descriptions on the links, each exercise works at least 2 muscles groups. Biceps are triceps are both worked indirectly (bi’s on the cable row, and tri’s on the shoulder press and push-ups).
What is your favorite way to workout? Weights, cardio, yoga? A mixture?
Obviously, running is my hands down favorite, but weights have been pretty fun and challenging for me lately.
