Re: Post your daily exercise routine

Took my dog out once today so far.

Will need to go out again in a bit.

Re: Post your daily exercise routine

Thanks Suzie, you have a great 2019 too
Did you get out for your New year run in the end or did rain stop play? It's good to know that your daughter is managing to go with you on some of your runs. Credit to you for your support in keeping her healthy and fit as she is able to be despite her medical issues

My legs are aching rather horrendously today by the way, the 'DOMS' setting in early which is the result of overtraining and I should know better but I have such determination when I get going sometimes that all that goes out the window. Still, on the other hand I'll be stronger and more defined when the pain subsides I guess!
Yes, I see fellas especially at my gym looking tremendously top-heavy when it comes to bodybuilding. Big, wide shoulders and huge arms but their legs are like those of a starving chicken. Thing is, all that upper body muscle, defined as it is, is extra weight and in the long run their hips, knees, ankles will suffer terribly. They will learn the hard way unfortunately.
The 'stronglifters' or 'powerlifters' are more in proportion all round as they do a mixture of squats, deadlifts, overhead lifting and benching, so they are probably in much better shape than the posers. Myself, I've done a bit of everything in my time and I think I'm pretty much symmetrical - when I do too much or too little work on certain areas though, I make sure I put things right.

Hi Bob, Happy New Year to you and your wife matey
I didn't reprint all of your quote, marvellous as it was to read. Oh how I know that area well and running all the way from the Spa area through the woodlands of Oliver's Mount and then all the way to North Marine Drive and back is an awesome distance!! How far exactly was that bud? 8, 10 miles? Some going...age is still but a number and it clearly doesn't interest you Glad you had a great time out though, it's what New year's Eve is all about...and to be up and running at that unearthly hour is almost an inhuman feat. Well done bud

Hi Lesley, great to see you in our little thread. Well done for getting yourself out on this New Year's Day.
We'll see you regularly in here hopefully
P.S.: Your username....are you just turned 50? If so, you've probably pinched my crown as the youngest person in here. I suddenly feel like a dinosaur!


I'll relay my new plans in my next post....

Re: Post your daily exercise routine

...And so to my training plans for at least January.
Two of the routines from my Christmas programme stood out more than any of the others for being more effective and enjoyable to do and I've decided to extend those particular procedures more in depth by adapting them into my new training programme.

The first routine was the "7's", which I did two versions of on separate days during my yuletide body-bashing: upper body and legs. These consisted of a number of exercises whereby I listed a few suitable exercises to be performed over seven sets . The initial set was a very low weighted 'warm-up' followed by several more sets gradually increasing the weight in each until I reached the fifth set, a maximum lift. Then the final two sets would be 'drop sets' - taking the weight off until the final seventh set being extremely light and higher reps. I would do as many reps as I possibly could for each set.
This routine saw me attempt many 'failure sets' (hitting my limit then squeezing out one or two more reps) and was a great routine for both strength and stamina and was also suitable for many different exercises.

The second routine I loved was again performed twice during my hols - "40-30-20-10". Four sets of decreasing reps but with the same weight for each set culminating in ten reps for the last set done. These could only be performed with the heavier type of exercises - for example, they are not at all suitable for arm curls...who can manage 40 reps in a row of dumbbell curls for instance, then complete the one hundred? That's just a recipe for muscle strain. (It is possible on a bar, but only with a very light weight, of which I proved I could manage at one stage).
But it was a very pleasurable routine and one which kinda offsets the "7's" system by being more weights-cardio orientated - fitness and endurance rather than wholly for strength.

Are you still following this procedure?
So in effect, over the first two weeks my new programme will transpire thus:

1st Week/Session 1. (Early week): 7’s: 7 sets – light-heavy-light; many reps as possible.
1st Week/Session 2. (Late week): 100-reppers (40-30-20-10) & Extras.
1st Week/Session 3. Cardio.
1st Week/Session 4. Legs: 7’s: 7 sets – light-heavy-light; many reps as possible.

2nd Week/Session 1. (Early week): 100-reppers (40-30-20-10) & Extras.
2nd Week/Session 2. (Late week): 7’s: 7 sets – light-heavy-light; many reps as possible.
2nd Week/Session 3. Cardio.
2nd Week/Session 4. Legs: 7’s: 7 sets – light-heavy-light; many reps as possible.

You'll notice than I have used corresponding exercises and swapped around the two programmes to cover all of my exercises. In other words, each exercise will get a turn in use via each different routine, the legs following the same system. When I have completed the first two weeks I'll be amending and fine-tuning the results to make it slightly more difficult for the remaining couple of weeks, changing some of the exercises around too.

I think four days per week, including my normal 45-minute cardio workout is just right. The early week session is done during my working time so is less strenuous with the more intensive workout with more exercises done at the weekend. Legs will fit in anywhere but ideally on a Sunday.

Let's go for it starting tomorrow.

Re: Post your daily exercise routine

I'm not sure if this will be visible. It's my first week template which I'll fill out whilst I'm at the gym. No apps for me - it's good old-fashioned pen and paper!

Re: Post your daily exercise routine

Ooo goody! It worked.
Here's the second week. You'll notice the exercises are in a different order so that I can utilise them all in my different routines:

Re: Post your daily exercise routine

I walk. Then walk some more. Repeat several times over or until the dog is knackered Or I am.

Re: Post your daily exercise routine

Hello, dog walkers, Lesley and Besoeker . Dogs are awesome for keeping us moving. I have a friend who dropped 50 lbs. of pre-diabetic weight when he got a dog. The dog, a rescue, put on weight - all muscle.

Floydy, that's a fabulous workout and well-balanced . Recording anything - weights, reps, distances, calories eaten - all help in establishing good habits, remembering what you've done, and committing to the plan. It will be interesting to read how it goes and if/how you tweak it. Doing decreasing reps while maintaining weight is something I don't think I've ever tried, but I am sure that each set feels as difficult - if not more so. You know who needs legwork? Me! Quads/hams.

Thanks for mentioning my daughter . One of the things we know is that moderate exercise for at least 30 minutes helps regulate all those good brain neurotransmitters that help with memory, metabolism, sleep cycles, and brain plasticity. I definitely believe that by getting her out there every day, I am not only fueling her quality of life but enabling her to produce the chemicals and energy that she needs to bounce back.

OGF, how enjoyable to experience Scarborough through your eyes and running shoes! As we have discussed before, there is a special feeling that comes from running in rarely-visited places that elevates the senses . It must have been a treat to see the town wake up with such spectacular vistas. Knocking out an extraordinary run the first part of the day on the first day of the year must have left you feeling exhilarated and ready to go....and go....and go...

Thanks to all these reports and the number "1" staring straight-backed at me from the calendar , I couldn't wait to get out there today. Expecting a lot of company with people ready to shed holiday pounds and start the year off right, I was surprised to find that we had the world seemingly to ourselves aside from the osprey and killdeer. It was misty, foggy and delightul. Five was the goal, but it felt so good to be out there in 70 degrees with tiny droplets forming on my skin and lashes that I ran 10K. I won't lie; that last mile had me huffing and puffing...but up Oliver's Mount and along the seaside? No way was I going to run short.

Re: Post your daily exercise routine

Don't forget that 2 hr. programme on telly tonight folks.

Ch. 5, at 9 pm.
All about Health/Fitness/Exercise/Diet and more.

Sounded interesting.

Re: Post your daily exercise routine

OK - here is today's programme so far.

Patience: Waiting for friends who never turned up.

Anger management: Decided to declutter the sitting room and store things in the loft.

Stamina: Up and down loft ladder to fetch empty boxes.

Flexibility: Bending/squatting up and down packing things in said boxes.

Cardiovascular: Heaving full boxes back up loft ladder.

Mental agility: Card indexing what is in the boxes.

Computer Literacy: Cross referencing contents on an Excel Spreadsheet.

Refueling: Bangers amd Mash for lunch.

R & R: Sitting on the sofa with a glass of red - ogling Martin Shaw on DVD!!

Re: Post your daily exercise routine

For the quads and hams, Suzie, there's no better exercise than the sled press, I swear by it. I know you already use it but to tone and strengthen those bigger leg muscles you need to add those extra 2-5 reps you maybe think you can't manage. Think about the goal, not the pain and you'll succeed
Great run today though - 10k?! That's a massive start to the new year. Well done!

Thanks Mups. Yep, looks interesting. I'll be recording it and probably see it at the weekend when time permits


I'm very upset and annoyed at my own situation. My new programme was all set and ready to be started with a bang today but last night I came down with a nuisance of a head cold keeping up most of the night blowing my beak.

I'm back to work tonight so there's a change it will linger on into tomorrow too but I must remain positive if I can. I still plan top begin my first routine tomorrow but it's pointless if you suffer with a cold.
The most irritating part of it all is that time is running out. I will now have to fit in all four sessions in as many days and I don't think that's possible. I think if I still feel unable to train tomorrow then I'll start the whole thing from scratch next week....but that will alter my schedule again....sometimes you just cannot win!