Christine's Exercise Routine, 08-19-2009

Note: breathe out as you lift the weight, in as you lower it; choose your weight and # of reps so that the last 3 reps you do are a strain; allow 48 hours before you exercise the same muscle group again

Right now I'm on a 3-day schedule:

Day 1: Upper Body

• start off with 30 minutes walking on the treadmill at 2.4 MPH
• Pec Deck Fly - 2 sets of 12, added 7/09 at 25 pounds, now at 30 pounds (Replaces Chest Press, which I have had trouble making work - seems to be ineffective if the seat isn't at exactly the right height)
• Bicep Curl - I keep the hand/arm in the same position instead of twisting arm around, 2 sets of 12, started at 5, now at 9 pounds
• Rear Deltoid Row - 2 sets of 12, started at 7 pounds 1/08, now at 8 pounds
• Shoulder Shrug - 2 sets of 12, started at 6 pounds 1/08, now at 8 pounds
• Shoulder Press - 2 sets of 12, started at 5, now at do one set at 5 and one at 6 pounds
• Tricep Kickback - 2 sets of 12, started at 5 pounds, getting close to moving up
• Dumbell Raise - 2 sets of 12, added 7/09 starting at 5 pounds
• finish with 30 minutes walking on the treadmill at 2.4 MPH

(note that I typically do both sets on the Pec Deck, then move to a weight bench and do one set of each of the remaining 6 exercises, then the second set of all 6)

Day 2: Lower Body

• start off with 30 minutes walking on the treadmill at 2.4 MPH
• Inner Thigh - 2 sets of 12, started at 90 pounds, now at 70 pounds
• Outer Thigh - 2 sets of 12, started at 70, now at 65 pounds
• Leg Curls - 2 sets of 12 started at 45, now at 80 pounds
• Leg Extensions - 2 sets of 12, started at 30 pounds, now at 45 pounds
• Leg Press - 2 sets of 12, started at 110, now at 115 pounds
• finish with 30 minutes walking on the treadmill at 2.4 MPH

Day 3: Core

• start off with 30 minutes walking on the treadmill at 2.4 MPH
• Crunch - 1 set of 12
• Reverse Sit Ups - Lie on back with whole of back touching the ground (no arch), hands under butt (palms down), legs together and straight up in the air so that the body looks like an L; lower legs slowly until back begins to arch, then lift legs back up - 1 x 8
• Bridge - 1 set of 12
• Dead Bug (12th exercise) - 1 set of 6 (a 7/09 addition)
• Plank (1st exercise, see also this YouTube clip) - hold for 15 seconds, twice (a 7/09 addition)
• then do 10 minutes walking on the treadmill at 2.4 MPH
• Lateral Pulldown - I don't lean back as much, 2 sets of 12, started at 20, now do one set of 50 and one of 60 pounds
• Lever Twist - 2 sets of 12, started at 30 7/09, now at 40 pounds
• Seesaw (at 2:09 in the video) - 1 set of 12 each leg, note that I hold on to something (weight rack, chair back, etc.) using the arm opposite the extended leg (a 7/09 addition)
• then do 10 minutes walking on the treadmill at 2.4 MPH
• Dead Bug (12th exercise) - 1 set of 6 (a 7/09 addition)
• Reverse Sit Ups - Lie on back with whole of back touching the ground (no arch), hands under butt (palms down), legs together and straight up in the air so that the body looks like an L; lower legs slowly until back begins to arch, then lift legs back up - 1 x 8
• Bridge - 1 set of 12
• Crunch - 1 set of 12
• Plank (1st exercise) - hold for 15 seconds, twice (a 7/09 addition)
• then do 10 minutes walking on the treadmill at 2.4 MPH