{Let me start by saying that I am NOT a personal trainer. I am not certified and I am completely self taught. But I do think that my workouts are beneficial to me and my body…but I have done my research. Ok? Ok. Carry on.}

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My husband was unemployed for about a month earlier this year [yeah, we are only 5 months in…its been a ride, 2014…thanks]. While he was home, we would often go to the gym together. And you know what that means for boys: “Grrr, I pick things up and put them down.” #meathead. Haha, not really…but kinda. Anyway, his little bro and him coached me into lifting on the days that we were at the gym together.  AND I FELL IN LOVE.

I am one of those people who loves physical activity and fitness, but when it comes to motivation and actually enjoying it at the time, not so much. When I run, I don’t get the “runner’s high.” I do get an adrenaline rush when playing volleyball, but that is about it. Lifting on the other hand, just makes me feel strong as hell. Yes, I said it. When I am going through my daily circuits, I am often the only chick on the weight-training side of the gym, my headphones are blasting house remixes, and I am trying to keep my ponytail out of my face. I am totally that girl. Oh, and I am typically dancing or playing the drums on my legs. No joke, my playlist is LOUD [& slightly raunchy].

In general, I just like it. I am still in the process of working more cardio into my days, because I don’t feel like I am getting lean enough…but I am definitely getting stronger. And I advise that you invest in a heart-rate monitor watch and lifting gloves.  I used the Polar FT4 HRM watch & the Under Armour CTR Trainer HF Gloves.

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my weekly schedule.

goals: maintain weight, but lean out. trying to keep a calorie burn of 1600-2000+ a week (at least). eating around 1900-2200 cals on my good days (depending on the calorie burn that day). and generally extending my workout times…and burn within the times. an ideal would be 75-90 min workouts with a ~650-700 burn.

[NOTE: the weight numbers in parentheses next to the exercise are where I am currently at with weight in that exercise. it is so much easier to up your weight if you have a partner, which most of the time I do not. proceed with caution when working out alone.]

Sunday: co-ed volleyball (4 competitive, 2-game matches)
Monday: chest & triceps
Tuesday: back & biceps
Wednesday: legs & cardio
Thursday: shoulders & abs
Friday: co-ed slow pitch softabll (1 game, beer league)
Saturday: OFF/FUN DAY

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– choose 4-6 exercises in each focus point
– do 3 sets of each exercise that you choose for 10-12 reps

CHEST

• Flat dumbbell press (17.5lbs)
• Incline dumbbell press (20lbs)…if you are feeling ambitious, do a decline press too)
• Front chest/pec fly machine
• Pushups

TRICEPS

• Close grip skull crusher (can we done with barbell, but do this with a partner/spotter)
• Tricep cable rope extension (15lbs)
• Tricep overhead cable rope extension (15lbs)
• Diamond pushups (I struggle with these and am not quite strong enough yet…the husband loves them though)

BACK

• Bent over T bar pulls (35lbs)
• Bent over barbell rows (40 lbs)
• Lat pull downs (55lbs)
• Seated Cable Pulls (55lbs)
• One-armed dumbbell bench rows (22.5lbs)

BICEPS
[I. HATE. BICEPS.]

• Dumbbell curls (9lbs)
• Bicep barbell curls (20lbs)
• Arm circles with weight plates (2.5-5lbs)
• Hammer curls (12lbs)

LEGS

• Squats (if doing these with heavy weight, do not do without a partner/spotter)
• Deadlifts (again, do these with partner/spotter if lifting heavy)
• Quads/Seated leg press (110lbs)
• Quads/Leg extension machine
• Hamstrings/Leg curls (my gym and a machine that does each leg…I do 35lbs per leg)
• Glutes/Butt lift bridges/Glute kickbacks/Flutter kicks (I hate the glute machine my gym has…there are TONS of exercises to get those butt dents though ;))
• Medicine ball squat throws (BE CAREFUL! I use a 6lbs ball and throw high…but my gym has soft toss balls)
• Inner thigh machine (35lbs)
• Outer thigh machine (35lbs)
• Walking lunges with plated weight over head (25lbs)

SHOULDERS

• Seated dumbbell shoulder press (15lbs)
• Front raises with dumbbells (9lbs)
• Side raises with dumbbells (9lbs)
• Reverse fly machine (40lbs)

ABS

• Elbow plank
• Hand plank
• Up down plank (my fave!)
• Plate weighted side bends (make sure you are focusing on lifting with your side abdominals) (25lbs)
• Back extensions (15lbs held at chest)
• Situps on exercise ball
• Leg raises
• “Little swimmers”/Flutter kicks with legs and arms while laying on belly

CARDIO (30-60 minutes)

• Running (always run)
• Long distance walking/treadmill walking on incline (I walk my dog 4 miles, 2-3 times a week during the warm seasons)
• Box jumps
• Rowing machine
• Jumping jacks/jumprope
• Elliptical -OR- ARC Trainer
• Team & individual sports
• Spin/Cycle/Group fitness

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[NOTE: I am not a huge advocate for pre-workout supplements. Sometimes I do protein post-working, if I am feeling really deficient that day or not planning on eating right after the gym. I do really LOVE during workout supplements. Clif Shot Bloks are probably my favorite right now. But Honey Stinger are another favored by runners. The GU Energy Gel worked well, but I was not a big fan of the thick texture.]