Carol Levesque's Blog

I thought I’d start a new workout for September. I wanted it to be more intuitive to using dumbbells as that is all I have at home.

Quads – Lunge with Rotation
Hamstring – Stiff-Legged Dumbbell Deadlift
Calves – Dumbbell Calf Exercise Ball Raises
Chest – Bench Press – Dumbbells, Inclined
Deltoids – Front – Front Dumbbell Raise
Back – One-Arm Dumbbell Row
Tricep – Tricep Press – Dumbbell, Standing
Abs – Bicycle Kicks

I will be doing 2 sets each & start with 10 (upper) to 12 reps (lower).

Since starting my last workout, I’ve put my YMCA membership on hold & started doing my work outs at home. Therefore I’ve had to modify my runner’s workout.

Quads – Barbell Squat – changed to dumbbell squat
Hamstrings -Dead lift – changed to use dumbbells
Quads – Sumo Squat
Calves – Calf Press – changed to Calf Raise on the steps
Lower Back – Good Morning with dumbbells instead of barbells
Obliques – Dumbbell Side Bend
Bicep – Concentration Curls
Chest – Dumbbell Pull over
Abdominals – Captain’s Chair – changed to crunches on the exercise ball.

I only had to change a few things, but is still a good workout for me to do at home.

Still doing the running of course. Ran 18 miles yesterday. I was quite sore yesterday, but my body has recovered nicely. Should be ready for a 50 minute run tomorrow evening!

I use the application iFitness on my iPhone 3G. I use it to keep track of my workouts as well as the reps & sets that I did per workout. In it is a great runner’s workout. I have found the same exercises in other runner’s workouts so I would like to share it with you.

Quads – Barbell Squat
Hamstrings -Dead lift
Quads – Sumo Squat
Calves – Calf Press
Lower Back – Good Morning
Obliques – Dumbbell Side Bend
Bicep – Concentration Curls
Chest – Dumbbell Pull over

I’ve also added:
Abdominals – Captain’s Chair

This week I started with 2 sets & 8 reps for upper body and 10 reps for lower body. I’m going to increase the reps next week to 10 to 12 & then the week after I will go to 12 & 15. I might possibly go to 3 sets for my upper body but since there are so many leg exercises I will stick with 2 sets for the legs.

I started a new workout this week.
Starting at 3 sets & doing 10 reps for upper body & 12 reps for lower body. Eventually I will move up to 4 sets & 12 reps for upper body & 15 reps for lower body.

Chest – Cable Chest Press
Back – Lever Underhand Seated Row
Tricep – Cable Pushdown
Bicep – Cable Curl
Quads/Shoulders – Medicine Ball Lunges
Hamstrings – Hamstring Tilts
Calves – Calf Raise with Bent Knee
Lower Back – Bird Dogs
Abdominals – Medicine Ball Abdominal Exercises: Crunches with a Toe
Touch
Obliques – Stability Ball Russian Twist

Woke up early this morning to go for a 10 km run. Now I’m not a morning person by any stretch of the imagination but I’m starting to enjoy my Thursday morning runs. Feels good to get that out of the way and the weather was beautiful today.

I went to Hero Burger for lunch & ate a 6 oz burger, fries & vanilla milkshake. Pretty much wasted my 10 k run. Oh well, it was good, but I’ll never get all of that food again. Probably just stick to the burger & go only once a month.

Went to the YMCA after work and did Day 3 of my new workout. My legs were still sore from the straight leg deadlifts I did on Tuesday & from the 10 k run this morning. But I made sure I stretched after my workout. (Which I recommend you do after every workout!).

Wednesday is usually my crossing training day. Depending how I feel. Usually I go to spin class, but I got out of work early & headed over to the Y & decided to get on a stationary bike & just listen to my music. Definitely didn’t feel the energy as I usually do in spin class. Music pumping & the instructor’s motivational yells. Gave up after 35 minutes.

When I got off the bike the my hamstrings were killing me. That would be from the deadlifts I did the day before. Note to self… stretch.

Today was Day 2 of my new workout program. I did the pull muscle group.

Back (Lats – Assisted Underhand Pull-Up
Hamstrings – Barbell Straight Leg Deadlift
Back (General) – Cable Standing Row
Deltoid (Side) – Dumbbell Lateral Raise
Biceps – Cable Curl
Abdominal – Leg Lifts
Obliques – Exercise Ball Oblique Twists

Same as yesterday, I start out with 3 sets & 10 repetitions for arms & 12 for legs. 2nd week I will add more repetitions (12 for arm & 15 for legs). 3rd week I add another set but go back to 10/12 reps. 4th week I stay with the 4 sets and go up to the 12/15 reps.

My quads were quite stiff from doing barbell squats the day before. I also did hills today as part of my training for a half-marathon in April. It was my last day of hills and I’m glad. They suck. My legs get so sore for at least 2 days & my Thursday runs tend to be slow.

Going to take a bath with some epsom salts

Started a new exercise program today. It’s my 3rd different routine since the new year. I find that changing it up every 4 to 6 weeks keeps me from getting bored and more importantly motivated to keep at it.

I do a 2 day split, divided by push/pull exercises. Day 1 and 3 are push exercises and day 2 and 4 are pull exercises. Today I started with the push exercises.

Chest (General) - Lever Pec Deck Fly
Quadriceps - Barbell Squat
Chest (Upper) – Barbell Incline Bench Press
Deltoid (Front) Dumbbell Shoulder Press
Calves (General) – Barbell Standing Calf Raise
Triceps – Cable Pushdown (with rope)

I start out with 3 sets & 10 repetitions for arms & 12 for legs. Next week I will add more repetitions (12 for arm & 15 for legs). 3rd week I add another set but go back to 10/12 reps. 4th week I stay with the 4 sets and go up to the 12/15 reps.

Tomorrow I will let you know about my pull exercises.

What do you think of this exercise routine? Have any other exercise tips? Please share!

I start a new exercise program this week since it has been 6 weeks since I started the last one.

Day 1 & 3
Chest – Dumbbell Fly
Quads – Dumbbell Lunge
Chest – Hammer Grip Incline Dumbbell Press
Deltoid (Front) – Barbell Military Press
Calves – Seated Calf Raise
Triceps – Dumbbell Tricep Extension

Day 2 & 4
Back (Lats) – Assisted Pull-up
Hamstrings – Seated Leg Curl
Back (General) – Dumbbell Bent Over Row
Deltoid (Side) – Dumbbell Lateral Raise
Biceps – Cable Curl
Abdominals – Jack-Knife Sit-up
Obliques – Medicine Ball Twists

I’m also starting my 3rd week of training for the Waterloo Half-Marathon in April 2010.

I have started up my gym membership again. This summer I did lots of running outside, but the cooler weather and short days have prompted me to go back indoors.

This week I went back to the gym. I am doing a 2 day split work out:

Day #1 & 3
lever pec deck fly
dumbbell squat
dumbbell incline bench press
lever seated hip adduction
dumbbell shoulder press
lever standing calf raise
cable triceps pushdown

Day #2 & 4
lat pulldown
machine leg curl
cable seated low row
lever seated hip abduction
bar upright row
dumbbell biceps curl
ab crunch on a ball

This is a push/pull workout that I got from www.exrx.net.

I am still going to run 4 times a week, plus 1 day I will crosstrain (either a spin class or crosstrainer). I will only run 3 to 5 miles per session. I am going to train for a half-marathon in April, but full training won’t start until November/December. I’m trying to find some good training programs online as I need to work on my intervals and speed training.