Gym Workout: 7

Today’s gym workout included the following exercises:

• Treadmill: 20 minutes alternating between running at level 10 and walking at level 6.
• Shoulder Press: weight – 15kg, reps – 14
• Pull Down (palms facing me): weight – 35kg, reps – 10
• Chest Press: weight – 35kg, reps – 8
• Exercise Challenge: Hanging Knee Raises – 50 reps – 2.19 minutes
• Backward Lunge Kick Up: 20 each leg – 2.09 minutes
• BOSU Abs Exercise: 10 reps
• Plank: Front – 30 seconds, left – 30 seconds, right – 30 seconds
• Hip Flexor Stretch: 30 seconds each leg

75 Kettlebell Swings

I got myself a 16kg kettlebell today. I’ve never used one before and was surprised at just how heavy it is. I thought it would be easy to workout with but it’s not at all. I think it’ll be a great addition to my workouts though.

My diet and exercise plan for the next month is going to be strictly following the Four Hour Body (which I’ll write about later). This includes 2 kettle bell workouts per week and I completed my first workout today.

Kettlebell Workout:

• 1 Set of 75 Kettlebell Swings

Not surprisingly I couldn’t do the 75 swings in one go but that’s the goal. It did mini sets of 10-15. I think my form was ok for the most part and you can see how it should look in this video:

This video also gives a good explanation of the swing movement although Zuzana is using a sandbag instead of a kettlebell.

Side Lunge Jumps 2

Today I did 2 workouts, the 4 Minute Sweat Workout and the Side Lunge Jumps exercise challenge. Even though I’ve been walking a lot and I even went running a couple of times, I’m still not working out very regularly. So even these little workouts are difficult for me.

I did the 4 Minute Sweat Workout first which I think is a great workout to warm up with.

After a quick break I did the Side Lunge Jumps challenge which I was just happy to complete, unlike last time.

A Week in Manly

I’ve come to the end of my week in Manly. I was here on business and spent countless hours walking going from meeting to meeting. I was hoping to go running along the beachfront every day but only managed to do it twice, once up to Shelly Beach and the other time to the Lagoon. I hate running and it wasn’t easy but I’m glad I did it anyway. I’m sure if I lived here I would run by the beach on a regular basis and would slowly get fitter but for now it’s back to doing bodyweight workouts.

Tomorrow I’m heading back to the city for a few days so will try to do some workouts in my room. I’m staying not too far from the Sydney Opera House so might go for a run by there one evening. Then later in the week it’ll be back to Perth and back to the gym.

Swimming in Hotel

I’m in Sydney at the moment so along with walking for hours and hours every day, I’m trying to swim for a bit each day in the hotel pool. Today I did laps for 30 minutes and I’ll try to swim again tomorrow. There is a Jetts gym here in Sydney but it’s a bit far from where I’m staying so I’ll just go swimming and maybe do a Bodyrock workout in my room.

This swim is the first workout I’ve done in weeks. I went to Singapore about a week ago and contracted a nasty flu. It’s been really hard to work out and 4 weeks later I still have a cough. Hopefully I’m on the mend and I’ll try to do a quick tabata workout later today.

There is always something keeping me from working out regularly but I’ll never give up.

Side Lunge Jumps

Side lunge jumps are one of my favourite exercises, I think because you can get a bit of rhythm going which seems to make it a little easier. Unfortunately I made the mistake of trying this exercise challenge after having already completed the 4 Minute Sweat Workout and the hanging knee raises exercise challenge. So I was buggered at this point and didn’t even come close to completing this challenge. At least I know I’ll be able to improve on my score next time I give this a go.

Side Lunge Jumps

12 minute workout: 2 intervals, 10 and 30 seconds, 18 rounds.

Results

5th February 2011: 29, 28, 25, …

12th April 2011: 24, 23, 22, 15, 10, 12, 15, 12, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 12, 10, 12, 16, 15

Hanging Knee Raises

I love these exercise challenges which Zuzana has started posting on her blog. I’m going to try to do as many as possible as they are a great way to record my progress (or lack thereof).

Obviously for hanging knee raises you need to hang from something. That in itself is a challenge for me so after 5 reps I gave up, lol. So I switched to that piece of equipment all gyms have to help you with knee raises, no idea what it’s called, and that was much easier but still very difficult.

Hanging Knee Raises

Time challenge: 50 reps

Results

5th February 2011: 2 minutes 24 seconds
19th April 2011: 2 minutes 19 seconds

Gym Workout: 6

I’m starting to push a lot harder in my workouts and it’s becoming obvious how unfit I have become, once again. Today is the first time I did a Bodyrock workout at the gym. There were a few people around but they didn’t seem to take any notice of me which was a good thing.

• Treadmill: 10 minutes walking at level 6.
• 4 Minute Sweat Workout
• Exercise Challenge: Hanging Knee Raises
• Exercise Challenge: Side Lunge Jumps (did not complete)