Busy? Get a Quick Workout In!

I've got an extremely busy day today preparing for my daughter's symphony debut of her original composition.

I'm not sure if I'll be able to get my track workout in tomorrow, so I got an intense workout in at the gym!  This entire workout took only 30 minutes!

In order to complement my track workouts, all of my gym workouts are heavy on plyometrics (jumping) and include a core component.

After warm-up, I did 4 stations, 5 minutes per station.  The goal is to do the maximum amount of supersets per station in 5 minutes.  Here's the workout:

Warm-up:

• 0.5 Miles on the treadmill
• Dynamic stretching (leg swings, etc.)

Station #1:  5 sets of 50 jump rope.  Odd sets jump with both feet, even sets alternating one foot jumps

Station #2:  Did 3 Supersets: 1-leg stiff leg deadlifts with 30 pound dumbbell (10 reps on each leg), 10 bent over lateral raises

Station #3:  Did 3.5 sets of Inverted rows, 3 sets of fish tails (fish tails are similar to this, except I jump from side to side while in push-up position)

Station #4:   Elevated side plank dumbbell reach with an 8 lb dumbbell.  1 set = 10 reps on each hand (note: it's similar to this exercise on youtube, except I'm elevated b/w 2 benches); supersetted with 20 bench jumps.  I did 3 supersets in 5 minutes!

And that's it!  30 Minutes!

Never too Old for Track & Field

This picture of Lamar & I was taken on Friday, 4/13/2012 after my track workout.  [I'm the one in the Chicago Bears shirt.]

A young lady named Megan who was doing some sprint workouts on the track was inspired seeing us "older" people working hard on the track.  She took the picture and tweeted it to her blog followers. Megan is a fitness trainer and I am now following her blog http://showoutmeg.blogspot.com.


Megan's tweet was entitled "Not too old for track work"  hash tag #Inspired.

That day, Lamar & I did 2 sets of 3x200 Meters.  I did all of them except the last 2 in 33 seconds or below.  The recovery period between 200's was 3 minutes.  The recovery period between sets was 6 minutes.

After the sprints, we did various types of situps using the 6 pound medicine ball.  Then we ran up the stadium steps.

By the way, my track training partners keep telling me that I've lost weight.  Compare this picture with others on my blog and they're probably right!

Track Meet Results: 200 Meters

On Saturday April 7th, I ran the 400 Meters and the 200 Meters in that order.

My goal was to run the 200 Meters in less than 29 seconds.  Here is a video of the race - I'm the one in the maroon shirt - I'm easily found!

I ran it 30.1 seconds.  That is actually the pace I should have for the 400 meters.

This race took place about 20 minutes after I finished the 400.  I was really tired running this 200.  I need more training to be able to run both races hard in the same meet!

Track Meet Results: 400 Meters

On Saturday April 7th, I ran the 400 Meters and the 200 Meters in that order.

My goal was to run the 400 Meters in 65 seconds or below.  Here is a video of the race (I'm in Lane #3 in the Maroon shirt):

There was a serious headwind on the backstretch which seemed to slow me down.  Also, my plan was to pump my arms to speed up my legs on the last 150 meters.  With 100 meters left to go, all I could tell myself was maintain this speed, don't slow down!

I ended up running it in 67.2 seconds.  That is my personal best in Masters Track by almost 2 seconds, but it wasn't my goal.

So that means I need to train harder by running faster intervals in practice!

Of course, from a weight loss perspective...I don't even focus on that!  My focus is on getting better/faster in my events.  Now my training partners keep telling me that I've lost weight!  I guess one of these days I'll find a scale & weigh myself!  LOL!

Track Meet Today!

I have a track meet today!

I'll run the 400 Meters and the 200 Meters, in that order.  My goal is to run the 400 in less than 65 seconds, and the 200 Meters in less than 29 seconds.

I hope to post videos soon!

My #1 Tip of How I Kept the Weight Off!

Phase #3 of my weight loss is how I keep it off!

That is a struggle for many people out there.  Phase #2 of my weight loss lasted for about 3 years.  During that time, I did various circuit training workouts that I designed for myself from youtube videos.

As you can see from my weight management timeline, I did very well weight loss wise.  But as with a lot of people, you have to have variety so that boredom won't set it!

My #1 Tip for Keeping the Weight off is find something athletic and fun that involves goals, and pursue that!  Then keeping the weight off will be a benefit, not something you focus on.

Here are some examples:

• Master's Track & Field (this is what I do, and I will blog a lot about this in Phase #3)
• Triathlon
• Kickboxing
• Marathons
• Iron Mans (similar to Triathlons I believe)
• Power Lifting (a friend of mine does this - after he had lost 40 pounds avoiding sugar consumption & exercising in the gym at his high-tech job)

I started doing Master's Track & Field in March 2010 (which started my Phase #3 of weight loss).  Frankly, I don't pay any attention to my weight.  I workout with members of a Masters Track & Field Track Club.  Our workouts are pre-set:  3x per week (although I'm only able to make it 2x per week).

My focus in track is getting better.  I have goals time-wise in the events I run.  I typically make it to the gym 1x per week.  My workouts at the gym are all geared toward track:  getting stronger in my core & getting faster.

So even if I ate too much like I did on my anniversary, no worries:  I had a track workout coming up.  

Track is also a year around sport, meaning in the off-season, we train for endurance.  It's also a sport where if you are inconsistent in going to workouts, it is hard to improve.  

So again, do something athletic where you shift the focus to improving in that activity, and not in losing weight!

Pressed for Time? Try this Short but Intense Cardio Weightlifting Workout!

Since I’ve been exercising for a good while, I’ve found some ways to shorten my workouts, but they are still extremely intense!  I still break it down into 3 phases:

• Phase #1:  Warm-up on the treadmill (I usually do about 5 minutes)
• Phase #2:  Dynamic Stretching
• Phase #3:  The workout!

I separate the Phase #3 workout portion into 4 or 5 stations.  I typically have 2 exercises per station, which are called supersets.

For the workout, you spend 5 minutes on each station.  10 reps for each exercise is called 1 set.  The goal is to do as many supersets at each station in 5 minutes, with 3 supersets being the minimum goal.

When the 5 minutes are up, you move to the next station.

This is a workout that is done typically in 45 minutes max!

Recent Workout

Here’s an example of a recent workout.  I did it the morning after celebrating my 20^th wedding anniversary.  We celebrated at PF Changs Chinese Bistro – I had the Almond/Cashew Chicken.  I ate too much (& still brought some home) – wow I don’t say that very often (LOL!) and I ate at 9:30 pm.  But I digress…

This is what I did after warm-up on the treadmill & dynamic stretching:

Station #1:  Jump rope.  Did not superset it, but did 5 sets of 50 jumps.  On even sets, I jumped on one leg, alternating legs on every 10 jumps.

Station #2:  Stomach:  20 Knee tucks, 20 Russian twists with a 10 pound dumbbell = 1 superset.  Did 5 supersets.

Station #3:  Burpees with push-up combination.  Did 3 supersets.

Station #4:  Dumbbell rows (10 with each hand) and 20 bench jumps.  A bench jump is when I jump on each side of a weightlifting bench while grasping it with my hands.   I did 5 supersets. 

Because of time, I only did 4 stations.  This entire workout (including treadmill & stretching) lasted 35 minutes!

My Cardio Circuit Training Weightlifting Workouts to Lose Weight

People who knew me at my Sumo weight are awed by my body's transformation when they see me now!  And things really accelerated for my with my cardio/circuit training/weightlifting workouts that I designed for myself.

My workouts consist of 3 phases:

1:  Warm-up on the treadmill – initially for 15 minutes when I 1^st started Phase 2.  Now it’s for 1 mile – which is about 8 minutes.

2:  Stretching

3:  Weightlifting/cardio.

For #3, I did exercises in a circuit – I would do 10 reps of one exercise, then move immediately to the next exercise without a break. 

My exercises included either weightlifting or body weight exercises that targets all the major muscles from shoulders to legs.  Therefore I did exercises for the following:

• Shoulders
• Chest
• Stomach
• Biceps
• Triceps
• Lats
• Thighs
• Hamstrings
• Calves (sometimes)

I worked out 3x per week at my neighborhood Rec center.  I would do a youtube search for exercises for each body part, and in my case, I used dumbbells.  For example, to find a shoulder exercise, I would type in “shoulder workout with dumbbells”.  I would pick 1 exercise, and do it for a month, then switched it up to another exercise.

My #1 Tip regarding Cardio:

Any exercise that involves running or jumping is guaranteed to get your heart rate up!

I did Burpees with push-ups (which covered the chest portion of the workout) for at least 6 months as part of my circuit training.  After that, I incorporated various exercises that involved some sort of jumping.

Circuits

One circuit would be to do 10 reps of all 8-9 muscle groups without stopping.  Then I would take about a 30 sec – 1 min water break, then start the next circuit.

One workout would be 3 circuits.  The workout would typically last about 1 hour and 15 minutes.  I was able to cut the time down as I found some combination exercises (multiple muscle groups at once) on youtube.

I did circuit training/weightlifting/cardio throughout the entire Phase #2 of my weight loss!  You can only imagine the body transformation & the weight falling off coupled with the eating habits I developed in Phase #1 of my weight loss!

You'll notice from my Weight Management Timeline, I lost about 15 pounds in one month doing this workout!