My Exercise Routine

Wasn’t sure if you all would be interested in this, but I thought since I have mentioned that I exercise, that maybe you’d like to know exactly what it is I do when I’m at the fitness center. I usually work the weights on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday and walk 3-4 miles (depending on knee) on Tuesday and Thursday (preferably outside, but on the treadmill when the weather isn’t nice).

Before working the weights, I usually warm-up with a 20-min walk on the treadmill. Of course, if I’m reading a really good book, the walk will be longer and if my knee is bugging me, the walk will be shorter. I do try to get around a mile walked, though.

As with all my weight routines, I started out with a weight I could do 4 sets of 8 repetitions without killing myself. As the repetitions become easy, I increase them by 1 or 2. When I reach 15 repetitions, I increase the weight and start over with 4 sets of 8 (unless that’s too easy). I’ve been doing it this way for awhile, but then something happens (like winter or an illness or an injury) and I stop going. When I eventually return to the fitness center (and I do—I refuse to pay for it and not use it, plus I’ll gain weight!), I then have to start all over again. I’ll probably have to start all over again after this fall/winter, but that’s another story I’m saving for Friday.

Here are the exercises I currently work (I started going back to the fitness center regularly in April (after stopping in Dec) and I’ve been good in continuing!):

Chest Press & Chest Fly (2 separate exercises, but I’ve been advancing at the same time): Now: 20-lb dumbbells, 4 sets of 6 reps. April: 10-lb, 4 sets of 8.

Bicep Curl: Now: 15-lb dumbbells, 4 sets of 8. April: 10-lb, 2 sets of 10.

Reverse Flyes: Now: 12-lb dumbbells, 4 sets of 8. April: 10-lb, 2 sets of 10. This works my shoulders.

Lying Tricep Extension: Now: 10-lb dumbbells, 4 sets of 8. I started this exercise in August (10-lb, 4 sets of 4). It’s harder than it looks, that’s for sure!

Sit-up Crunches (no weight involved): Now: 1 set of 100 reps. April: 4 sets of 40. In July I attempted leg lifts to work the stomach muscles (since I’d gotten up to 4 sets of 100) and ended up pulling one! I didn’t start up again with this exercise until last month. I’m taking it easier now.

Seated Abdominal Crunch (machine): Now: 45-lb, 4 sets of 15. July: 40-lb, 4 sets of 12 (this is the exercise I started after my stomach muscle healed).

Leg Press (machine): Now: 80-lb, 4 sets of 15. April: 35-lb, 4 sets of 10.

Butt Blaster (actually, a standing hip extension machine): Now: 50-lb, 4 sets of 11. May: 30-lb, 4 sets of 15. This is a killer exercises and my least favorite! I used to do the kneeling hip extension, but my knees couldn’t take it anymore.

Seated Leg Curl (machine): Now: 100-lb, 4 sets of 12. April: 50-lb, 4 sets of 10.

Seated Leg Extension (machine): Now: 90-lb, 4 sets of 9. May: 70-lb, 4 sets of 12.

Seated Hip Abductor (machine): Now: 100-lb, 4 sets of 8. April: 70-lb, 4 sets of 10. This works the outside hip muscles.

Seated Hip Adductor (machine): Now: 110-lb, 4 sets of 14. April: 70-lb, 4 sets of 10. This works the inner thighs.

I’m thinking I should probably do some kind of high-intensity exercise, but not sure if I should bother right now. My knee might not be able to take it anyway. I used to attend a step class way back in 2008 (man what a workout that was, too), but the class is only offered in the early evening and I go to the fitness center in the morning now (between 6:30-7:00am). I like exercising in the morning a whole bunch better than the afternoon/evening. I’m more motivated then.

So… Did you find this interesting? Do you exercise? What kind of routines do you do? Or is this a crappy thing to talk about on a Monday? J

Have a great day!

Stacy