Slow and Heavy Week of Aug. 16th

heartymax

Cathlete
Good Morning FabAbs.....I am so excited about the slow and heavy challenge. I can hear Cathe say ---"come on---you can get through it". Today was Chest and Back. I have never been able to do push ups on my toes and I am lucky if I can get through a set on my knees. I was so fried at the end until I could only do about 5 modified pushups. I didn't realize there was a set of deadlifts in this back workout....well yesterday was butts and gutts so the last thing I wanted was to feel the hamstrings:eek: I really need to work on my form with deadlifts....not sure if I have it down properly anyway when it comes to keeping my shoulders back. Supermans were good, but oh my----planks were a killer.....I did some of then...maybe more next time.

Today would have been a cardio day for me if I hadn't started the rotation. So, I decided to add HiiT 30/30 after S& H. Well----I am definitely looking forward to breakfast which will be one slice of whole wheat toast, peanut butter and banana and water.
 
Hi heartymax!!

Chest and Back - wow!!!! I did the both sets of chest presses (straight and incline) with 20lb dumbbells which for me was an improvement, usually I'll use 15, so I used 15 for the flies, again an improvement.

I totally skipped the push-ups, I didn't think I could handle even 8 of them as I was pretty fried.

Yesteday I did Brook Benten butts and guts kettlebell workout which was alot of fun but that is what fried my arms, so many swings I thought my arms would fall off!

I added a 3.5 mile run to the mix so now I'm totally whipped.
Have a great day!

Cheryl
 
Wow...you are pretty strong. I did all the chest presses and the flies with 15lbs and 12lbs. I need to log my weights so I can keep track of improvements. I am definitely hoping for some gains at the end of this 4 week rotation.
 
I had my date with S&H legs at 5:00 AM. I was able to complete the squats and lunges with 50 lbs. I did the reverse lunges with 30 lbs and the plie squats with 40 lbs. I have the 20lb weighted vest so that makes it easier with adjustments for some of the exercises. I like squats. I am okay with lunges but I had the dips or reverse lunges.

I decided to add on some cardio....well----who told me to do Body Max. My legs were so tired during the step warm up. After the warm up I was better and made it through the cardio portion for an additional 30 minutes onto the leg workout.

After my stretch I felt sooooo good. I can't believe how good I felt. I was exhausted, muscles tired....but felt so good.
 
I just finished Legs and boy are they tired! I did squats and lunges with 30 lbs and plie squats with a 20 lb dumbbell, there was no way I was able to go heavier especially after yesterday.

I'm going to do something else later on although I'm not sure what. Now it's off to make breakfast, a strawberry smoothie then lawn work - yuck!

Cheryl
 
I am surprised that I was able to get up for my workout this morning. I didn't feel well yesterday evening and I took a nap from 6 to 8:30. Then I was awake until 12....I still woke up at 5:00. I decided to just lay in bed and rest for another 30 minutes and then I got up to workout.

I substituted Rhythmic Step for Step Blast since it also has 3 step routines and a challenge at the end. I went into the workout with an I will do whatever I can attitude. I completed everything except the challenge on the end...Hey---there are days I don't do the challenge when I've had plenty of sleep:D so I figured that I didn't do to bad today.

What are your goals right now? My goal is to add muscle, tone, and slim down about 10-12 pounds. I have managed to trim down about 5 of those so far and I want to keep them off and lose an additional 5-7. I was inconsistent with my workouts the last year or so and I started to see the difference in my body. It was more of the body not looking as tone and shapely as it used to. At 42, I know it is important for me to continue to use weights and keep my body toned. I refocused and made a commitment to be consistent again.....this was about 5 weeks ago and I can already see the difference. I hope to have more of the "tank top" arms by next summer.
 
Hi hartymax!

I'm glad you're feeling better! Today was a busy day and I just finished my workout. Tomorrow is my husband's birthday so he decided to take today and the rest of the week off and that TOTALLY throws me off!

I can't step and the only step workout I have is Cathe's Basic Step/Cardio and Weights so I did the basic step which I really enjoy along with a 30 minute run on the treadmill.

My goals are to lose 20 lbs and I think so far I'm doing pretty well. I don't drink pop, drink plenty of water and I eat pretty clean so I'm on the right track, although somedays I don't think I eat enough. I really want to tone up and add some muscle, so I'm going to add on 1 hour of cardio 6 days a week. The good part about being a stay at home mom is I have all day to do it which may also be a bad thing because it's so easy to get thrown off track.

Talk to you tomorrow,
Cheryl
 
I hope you and your husband have a great day and enjoy his birthday!

I enjoyed the Triceps and Biceps.
Tricep overhead presses: 15 lbs and 12 lbs.
Tricep lying extensions: 5lbs ...tried 8's first and that was waaay too much. My tricpes were soooo tired after those overhead presses.
Tricep extensions: 5 lbs
Tricep Dips: one set off bench....and the decided to do overhead press for next set

Bicep dumbell curl: 12 lbs
Hammer curl: 12 lbs. and 10 lbs.
Barbell: I used two 10 lbs. dumbells instead
wrist curls: 8 lbs.
reverse curls: 5lbs.

I love it when Cathe said that if we wanted to do another set ---go ahead---that they would wait for us...That was hilarious.

No cardio for me today. Have a great day and will check in later.
 
I just finished Tri's and Bi's as well.

Tricep Overhead Extensions I used 20 lbs, I have no idea how because I'm still sore from using 20's with the chest presses the other day.

Tricep Lying Extensions I used 8's
Tricep Extensions I used 5's
I didn't do the tricep dips, I did overhead extensions with 15's instead and that was pretty tough.

Bicep Curls with 12's
Hammerhead Curls with 10's if I used 12's I know I would of dropped them!
Bicep Curls I started out with 25 lb dumbbell, but dropped to 20 for the next 2sets.
Wrist Curls I used 5's
Reverse Curls I used 3's

I'll do some cardio later on because my husband is using the treadmill now and I'm not in the mood for the elliptical.

Have a great day!!
Cheryl
 
My cardio of choice today was Step Moves and Abs from Butts and Gutts. For some reason, I just couldn't get into Step Moves today. I don't feel that I gave it my all....a matter of fact--- I know I didn't. I think I should have chose another workout. I did enjoy the abs....minus the planks:eek:
 
Yesterday Steve wanted to go to Port Huron for his birthday so we left fairly early and really took our time (mainly due to construction on the freeways around us). We did alot of walking back and forth along Lake Huron at a good pace which we really LOVE to do and yesterday was a beautiful day so I didn't have a formal workout per se.

This morning I did Shoulders

5 lbs for front raises
5 lbs for side raises
5 lbs for posterior delt raises
8 lbs for shoulder presses
3 lbs for external lying rotations

Plus 3.5 miles on the treadmill. Steve will go back to work on Monday so things will go back to normal (I hope!!) and my workouts will be back on track.

Had to go back to the check the rotation schedule and forgot about abs yesterday , I don't have Butts and Guts so I added Core Max with medicine ball and stabiliy ball, one of my favorite core workouts.

Have a great day!
Cheryl
 
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Glad you all enjoyed your husband's birthday. A walk around the lake sounds like fun and peaceful!

I finished shoulders this morning using the exact same weights. I am not sure if I have the proper form for the last shoulder exercise...lying shoulder raises or whatever you call.....so I didn't complete those sets.

After yesterday's cardio, I figured I better choose something fun so I did Rhythmic Step again. I don't have any Stretch workouts so I haven't decided what tomorrow will be. I am going to a cookout this afternoon....so it may be a walk on the treadmill or some much needed rest....I will have to see.
 
Hi heartymax,

I hope you enjoyed your cookout yesterday. We had perfect weather drizzling all day and boy do we need it it's been so dry in MI lately.

This morning I ran 6.25 miles on the treadmill and did Stretch Max with the resistance band.

Looking on the rotation it's Legs and Shoulders again tomorrow oh no!!!

Have a great Sunday!
Cheryl
 

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