Cardio so I can look good under a thick coat (winter)
Who doesn't go for lower body fat during the winter - when nobody is around to see it? The only reason I workout is for myself, I don't need anyone else to validate my effort or results. There is something magical about the manifestation of the hard work and dedication to diet/exercise. To me, it's also a lot more than just fitness/physical image/working out. I have strengthened my mind far more than I ever imagined when I restarted my fitness journey a few years ago. The control over the mind - whether through dietary choices or exercises when energy/motivation are at 0, is something extremely empowering. I feel a better connection/in control of my mind/body far more than I ever have.
So for these two weeks my motivation has been a bit low. Extra responsibilities at work and family as well as the continuous school work. As I mentioned to Arturo in one of our weekly posts, when my motivation is low - I resort to full body workouts every other day. To my own surprise, I actually kept the exercises the same through both weeks.
Here is a mid-workout picture to accompany a list of my exercises:
Tuesday: Barbell Bench Press: 2 sets of 8, Overhead Triceps Extensions: 2 sets of 8, Bicep Curls: 2 sets of 8, Barbell Rows: 2 sets of 8, Lat Pulldowns: 2 sets of 8, Barbell Squats: 2 sets of 8, Calf Raisers: 2 sets of 8, Hamstring/leg Curls: 2 sets of 8, Various forms of ab work: Crunches/situps/russian twists/leg raising thingy mcbobbers
Thursday: (repeats)
Saturday: (repeats)
Monday: (repeats)
There were a few variations of exercises I swapped out on occasion. Deadlifts for squats, dumbbell bench instead/for a set of Barbell. I would also mix in a set or two of Incline Bench Press.
For cardio: I have been walking quite a bit through my job and have not been doing any walking after work as before (5pm-530pm). Instead I have opted for the more intensive cardio finally. On each exercise day I did 20 minutes of stair sprints with spongebob style NEED WATER oxygen breaks when necessary. After reading the information in TopHat, I have now learned that I need to completely revise my stretching and warmup routine! I was not aware of the flexibility benefits of static stretching post workout and that it was not recommended prior. (thanks highschool gym class)
Finally, a picture of where the torture happens. If you look closely enough you will see blood, sweat and many many tears.
The wellness benefit from exercising is something that would require an entire article alone. The most important benefit for me personally would be confidence. I am a naturally shy person, so the extra confidence from being fit is exponentially useful to me in addition to the other mental aspects stated.
Comments
Post a Comment