Weights



Quick update today that doesn't have to do with investing.  Well not investing like I normally talk about, but rather investing in myself.  For the time being I'm in a location that's close to my gym so I'm taking full advantage of it by working out when I can.  Your health is obviously very important and over the years I've let myself slip way out of shape.  So it's time to fix that.  I've been going to the gym every other day since being over here and I plan to stick to that.  But what better way to make sure I go than to add little weekly updates to let you all know how I did.

While I have access to the gym I'll be giving updates during my Weekly Roundup posts detailing what I did each week.  The overall plan for my workouts is big, compound, Olympic style lifts for the strength training and then I'll try to do "finishers" that task my endurance/cardio to try and burn more calories while still getting a strength component.  Moves like the deadlift, hang clean, shoulder presses will be the full body exercises that I do for strength/power.  The "finishers" will typically include kettle bell swings with something like box jumps, bodyweight lunges/squats, pushups.  Mainly things that will keep the heart rate up to try and burn calories.  I want to maximize my workouts by doing exercises that task my whole body at the same time so I can get in and get out.



Just like with budgeting and investing, keeping track of data can keep you motivated and push you further than you thought you could go.   Plus how do you know if you're improving if you don't keep track of things?

So here's my exercises from this past week.  I didn't keep track of what I did on Tuesday the 27th so there's only two days for this update, the 29th and 31st.


On the 29th I did the hang clean with every minute on the minute (*EMOM) and followed that up with the deadlift.  I tried to do deadlifts EMOM but that didn't happen because my reps were too high given how much I'm out of shape.  I started off with light weights since I'm just getting back into working out regularly and form is crucial with lifting weights so that will always be my priority.  Between the hang cleans and deadlifts I moved 7,470 pounds not counting my own bodyweight.  For the finisher my plan was to do 15 x kettle bell swings, 5, goblet squats, 5 pushups, reducing the goblet squats and pushups by one rep each round until I do just one.  Well, you can tell I didn't make it all the way through the finisher but I think it was a wise decision because my stomach was starting to want me to see my breakfast again.


Yesterday I did pretty much a repeat of the previous workout.  I started off with just a hang clean of 85 pounds to get the movement right and get my whole body firing at once.  Then I moved into the hang cleans EMOM but kept the weight the same this time for each set.  After finishing the hang cleans I moved to the deadlift again except I bumped the weight up from the previous workout.  Seeing as how I was able to do more reps in my last set I think that means I need to do more weight or higher reps next time that I do deadlifts EMOM.  In total I moved 8,045 pounds.  That's a 575 pound improvement from earlier in the week!  I tried to do the same finisher as before but still didn't make it all the way through, although I did make it one round further than the previous workout so that's progress.  I was gassed by the end of that and could hardly catch my breath so I called it a day.

I'm always looking to crowd-source ideas so if anyone has suggestions for other exercises to do or combinations to pair together for the strength or "finisher" portions feel free to pass them along.

*EMOM is a set scheme where you do whatever your goal reps are and at the top of each minute you start your reps and then rest for the remainder of that minute.  When the next minute rolls around you then start over again.  I have to say I really like the EMOM style because the possibilities are pretty much endless.  You can go with a slightly lighter weight but bump up the reps.  You can do just one rep but go a lot heavier on the weight.  You can do ladders where you do one rep the first minute and then add a rep with each minute.  The EMOM set scheme is great for the time constrained gym-goer because it forces you to get back to work at the beginning of each minute rather than stand around talking, texting, watching tv...so you spend your time at the gym actually working out.  What a concept!  I was in and out of the gym in less than 30 minutes both days.  There's a lot of options which I'm a fan of and it's kind of like a mini competition because the faster you finish your reps in that minute the longer you get to rest.

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Comments

  1. Gogogogogo! I'm focused on weight loss before muscle gain and am down 30 pounds so far.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. FV,

      Ideally I want to lose weight first because unfortunately there's plenty to lose. But doing semi-high intensity strength workouts will provide a combination of both over the long run. Also, congrats on being down 30 pounds. I'm down around 10 pounds from my highest weight and about 4 over the time I've committed to working out again. So progress is starting but overall it's how much better my body feels that lets me know things are getting better, except for the soreness that's not that much fun.

      Thanks for stopping by!

      Delete
  2. Easy with the deadlifts, especially when you start addding serious weights. Form i crucial. You should do squats prob best overall strenght exercise there is.

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    Replies
    1. Anon,

      I know I can do more weight on the deadlift but I'm really trying to focus on the form because there's no sense in hurting myself. I'm thinking this next week I'll be doing front squats and shoulder presses for my strength workouts.

      Thanks for stopping by!

      Delete
  3. Good luck going forward. I think the biggest obstacle to peoples gains (or losses) is consistency. It's funny how my gym is packed a week after new years with all of the resolutioners and then they gradually quit coming in. Stick with it!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Captain,

      Consistency in everything is absolutely crucial. I've been doing well so far now that I have access to the gym and I'm making progress already and it's really helping to motivate me even more.

      Thanks for stopping by!

      Delete

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