Snowball's workout log

SNOWBALL · #1 09-11-2007, 11:11 AM

I joined the gym a couple weeks ago, and have mostly been putzing my way around on the machines, going to yoga classes, and doing cardio.

Today, I decided to bite the bullet, and do some freeweights. This was a bit of a challenge for me, because I am weak, and I don't even know proper form.

My warmup plan was to do some basic leg stretches, run a mile, and then hit the weights. Unfortunately, after 1/3 of a mile, my leg was screaming obscenities at me, and I ended up hopping on one of those elliptical type machines for ten minutes to finish up. Then it was off to the weight room [img]/images/graemlins/ooo.gif[/img]

First came 3x5 squats. I did 90 lbs. without too much trouble. Next time I'll try 100 I guess.

Then I tried the benchpress. I tried 135 with a spotter, and couldn't even do ONE [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]
So my spotter just said "start with the bar" and walked away with sort of a shocked/disgusted look on his face.
I ended up doing 100 lbs, and am pretty sure I could do more. Next time I'll try 110 lbs.

Then finally I did 1x5 deadlifts. I had this goofy russian kid give me a demo, and then I tried doing it with 70 lbs. It went fine.

Afterwards, I felt somewhat exhausted, which is good news/bad news. It means I got a decent workout, but it also means I am totally weak, and have a LOT of room for improvement.

Afterwards, I headed over to the 7/11 for some banana cream muscle milk. Yummy.

Snafu'd · #2 09-11-2007, 11:33 AM

[ QUOTE ]
I joined the gym a couple weeks ago, and have mostly been putzing my way around on the machines, going to yoga classes, and doing cardio.

Today, I decided to bite the bullet, and do some freeweights. This was a bit of a challenge for me, because I am weak, and I don't even know proper form.

My warmup plan was to do some basic leg stretches, run a mile, and then hit the weights. Unfortunately, after 1/3 of a mile, my leg was screaming obscenities at me, and I ended up hopping on one of those elliptical type machines for ten minutes to finish up. Then it was off to the weight room [img]/images/graemlins/ooo.gif[/img]

First came 3x5 squats. I did 90 lbs. without too much trouble. Next time I'll try 100 I guess.

Then I tried the benchpress. I tried 135 with a spotter, and couldn't even do ONE [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]
So my spotter just said "start with the bar" and walked away with sort of a shocked/disgusted look on his face.
I ended up doing 100 lbs, and am pretty sure I could do more. Next time I'll try 110 lbs.

Then finally I did 1x5 deadlifts. I had this goofy russian kid give me a demo, and then I tried doing it with 70 lbs. It went fine.

Afterwards, I felt somewhat exhausted, which is good news/bad news. It means I got a decent workout, but it also means I am totally weak, and have a LOT of room for improvement.

Afterwards, I headed over to the 7/11 for some banana cream muscle milk. Yummy.

[/ QUOTE ]
You need to revise your warmup routine. Consider doing 5 min. on an exercise bike at a relatively low intensity. The idea is to warm your body up and get the blood flowing, joints moving, etc. Nothing more. Keep the stretches pretty basic and don't hold them for much more than 12 seconds. Always begin your weight routine by doing a set with just the bar. Then slowly add weight until you feel that you've got the heaviest you can go while maintaining proper form. Don't worry about how much you can or can't do at this point. Just focus on proper form. Post workout is where you can stretch a bit more.

SNOWBALL · #3 09-13-2007, 02:23 PM

[ QUOTE ]
You need to revise your warmup routine. Consider doing 5 min. on an exercise bike at a relatively low intensity.

[/ QUOTE ]

so it's better for me to do some cardio after lifting than before? Or do I have to do cardio on different days?
In other words, I should lift like 3x per week, and do cardio the other 3-4 days?

Snafu'd · #4 09-13-2007, 02:33 PM

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
You need to revise your warmup routine. Consider doing 5 min. on an exercise bike at a relatively low intensity.

[/ QUOTE ]

so it's better for me to do some cardio after lifting than before? Or do I have to do cardio on different days?
In other words, I should lift like 3x per week, and do cardio the other 3-4 days?

[/ QUOTE ]
Yes, but I wouldn't do cardio any more than 3 days a week, which would leave you with at least one day out of the week that you didn't train anything on.