Workouts!

Hey guys!  It was stormy and rainy outside tonight so I finally had a little bit of time to write!  I have also been getting a lot of questions about different workouts that I do.  Well, it's hard to say because I am always switching it up.  I used to, once in a while, look at a routine off bodybuilding.com and pull some exercises from it for each day of the week.  When I first started lifting, my training split would be something like 1. legs (heavy) 2. back/biceps 3.shoulders/triceps 4. light legs 5. calves/abs/weakness training 6.I would do some sort of circuit routine and run through it a few times or some plyometrics like box jumps, jump roping, burpees, all kinds of good stuff!

I don't know if I mentioned this before, but I used to do cardio about 40 mins BEFORE each workout.  BAD BAD BAD.  Then, I finally learned that you should do cardio after you workouts.  This is the first thing that changed as far as my training.  I began splitting up cardio and weights. Cardio was done in the morning and weights at night!  I still kind of do this if I do any cardio at all :) 

My training split then changed, to change it up a bit and I started a lot more isolation.  I would do quads/calves, back/abs, shoulders, bis/tris, glutes/hams, chest/arms, OFF.  This is sort of more what I do now.  ISOLATION!  I have seen great gains by isolating each major muscle group each day of my workout.  

I have this book I carry around, it's like my bible, I write down everything I learn from people, workouts people have taken me though or suggested, workouts I grabbed off BB.com, and also nutritional tips that are important to remember.  I refer to my book [and am adding more to it everyday] whenever I need new exercises and such!  

Below I have posted a guideline that I printed and keep inside of my book, it is a combination of different exercises that I used for each day.  Sometimes, I would swap exercises in and out.  This guideline just gave me a basic outline of something I could do for each day at the gym.  But you have to make sure to mix it up to give your body a SHOCK.  Your muscles will adapt to the exercises and routine and you will plateau quickly if you don't change things up.  You can change things up by doing HEAVIER weight and LESS REPS, more reps and less weight, supersetting different exercises, doing drop sets, pyramids, etc.  Just mix it up!  It's good to change things once in a while!

Monday: LEGS (quads/ham)

Smith Machine Squat: 2-3 warm up sets, 3 sets to failure + Donkey Kicks (3x15)

Smith Machine Lunge 3x10-12

Single Leg Squat (3x15)

Leg Press (3 (15x15x15) ) + Dumbbell/barbell lunges (3x15)

Leg Press feet together (3x10-12)

Romanian Deadlift (3x15) + Lying Leg Curls (3x15)

Leg Extension (3x15) *last set = drop set* + Seated Leg Curls (3x15)

+ Calves:

Seated Calf Raises (2 warm up sets, 3x20)

Standing Calf Raises w/ Dumbbells (3x15) + Body weight calf raises (3 x failure)

Alternative Exercises:

Leg Extensions on machine: **PRE EXHAUST** 50/40 REPS FOR 1-2 SETS

Hack Squat machine: Single Leg 4x(10/leg --> 5/leg = 1 set)

Leg press: (8x8x8x4x4x4)= 1 set X 4 (Feet together, reg, wide)

Pyramid Leg Extensions : (1x2x3x4x5x6x7x8) X3 + Sumo Squats(3x20)

Single Leg(leg press): HIgh on Press, bring to chest (3x8)/leg

CARDIO

Tuesday: Back & Biceps (increase weight on each set)

Pull-ups close grip (3x8) + Pull-ups wide grip (3x8) (slow and controlled)

Single Arm Dumbbell Rows 3 X 15 + Dumbell Flyes (3x15)

Lat Pulldown wide grip (3x15) + Lat Pulldown underhand (3x15)

Seated Cable Row (3x10) *squeeze* + Bench Dips (3x15)

Bent Over rows (3x15) + Back Machine (3x8)/arm

Incline Dumbell Curl (3x15) + Hammer Curls (3x15)

Barbell Curls (3x15) + Concentration Curls (3x15)

Cable Curls (3x15) last set = drop set (15x15x15 decrease weight)

Preacher Curls: 2 warm up sets, (3x15)

Single Arm Cable Curls overhead (3x15)

ALTERNATIVE: Partial reps (seated row w/ T-bar, lateral pulldown)

CARDIO

Wednesday: Shoulders/Triceps (increase weight on each set)

Military Press machine (3x12-15) + Dumbell/barbell seated military press (3x10-15)

Side Lateral Dumbbell Raises (3x15) + Front Dumbell Raise (3 x 20 (alternating) )

Seated Rear Delt Flyes on Machine (3x12) + Front Barbell Raises (3x12-15)

Lateral Raises with Cables (3x15) dropset last set

Front Raises with cables (3x15)

OR

Seated Dumbbell Press (1 warm up, 3x12) + Seated Barbell Military Press (3x15)

Lateral Raises w/ Cable (3x15) + Front Raises w/ Cables (3x15)

Dumbbell Lateral Raises (3 drop sets of 10) + Standing Upright Row w/ Barbell (3x15)

Seated Rear Delt Machine Flyes ( 3x12-15)

Seated Arnold press (3x15) + Front Dumbbell Raises (3x12-15)

++Grif’s shoulder workout (10x10x10x10 w/ barbell)++

Tricep Pushdown w/ Rope (3x15) + tricep overhead extension w/ rope (3x15)

Skull Crushers (3x10) + Bench Dips (3x15)

Tricep Extension (3x12-15) + Tricep Kickbacks (3x15)

Overhead Barbell Extension (3x15)

Reverse Cable Pressdowns w/ bar (3x15)

Push-ups (3x10-15)

CARDIO

Thursday: (Quads & Calves)

Seated Leg Extensions (1x20, 3x10)  last set a drop set

Smith Machine Squats (narrow stance) 3x15, or last set to failure

Leg Press (feet in center of platform) 3 X 15, or last set to failure

Walking Barbbell Lunges + Hip Adducter Machine (3 X 20)

Standing Calf Raises 3 X 20

Seated Calf Raises 3 X 15 (pause at the top)

CARDIO

OR

Quad Shocking Routine:

Squats:

3 warm up sets

2 heavy sets to failure

Leg Press:

3 sets/20 reps (set 3 is a drop set: 20x20x20 decrease weight)

Lunges:

3 sets walking lunges, across gym floor and back = 1

Leg Extensions/Sumo Squats (SUPERSET):

3 sets/30 reps

Lying Hamstring Curls:

2 warm up sets

3 sets/12-15 reps

Seated Leg Curls:

3 sets/12-15 reps (set 3 is a drop set: 15x15x15 decrease weight)

Friday: Full Arms + Chest

Seated Incline Dumbell Press (3x15) + Alternating Dumbbell Curls (3x12/arm) +Lying/ Standing Dumbbell Flyes (3x15)

Cable Flyes (2x15) + Cable Bicep Curls w/ straight bar (2x10) *heavy*

Cable Flyes (2x15) + Tricep Pushdown (2x12) + Overhead Tricep Extension (2x12)

Seated Machine Flyes (3x15)

EZ Bar Preacher Curls (3x10) + Single Arm Preacher Curls (3x10)

Twenty Ones w/ Barbell

Bench Dips (3x15) + Tricep Kickbacks (3x15) + Single Arm Overhead tricep extension (3x15)

Seated Cable Row (3x15, dropset last set)

V- Grip Lat Pulldown (3x15) + Pull Ups Close Grip (3x10)

Roman Chair Leg Raises 3 X 10

Alternating Bicycle Crunches 3 X 25

OR

Jen Rankin’s arm workout:

Triset: Pullups(3x15) + Bent over barbell rows (3x15) + Cable straight arm pulldowns (3x15)

Triset: Reverse close grip pulldowns (3x15) + One arm dumbell rows (3x15) + Seated Cable rows ( 3x15)

Giant Set: Dumbbell shoulder press (3x15) + Dumbell Upright Row (3x15) + Dumbell Lateral Raise (3x15) + Dumbbell Rear delt raise (3x15)

Super set: Seated tricep press (3x15) + Dumbbell bicep curl (3x15)

Shoulders:

Standing upright dumbell row (10x10x5x5) + 20 side lateral raise: 4 sets

Chest: Incline dumbell press, flat bench dumbell press, flat bench dumbell flies, incline cable flies, decline cable flies, decline bench press, pec dec

CARDIO

Saturday: Circuit training/ Plyo Card Workout/ CHOICE Of Body Part + CARDIO

jump squats

jumping jacks

alternating jump lunges

high knees

mountain climbers

butt kicks

wide push ups

jumping jacks

bicycles/crunches

OR

4 sets of 5,5,5,5 workout: squats, pushups, jumping jacks, sit ups

Alternative legs and calves (can be done anyday)

Legs: (Hams, Glutes & Calves)

• Seated Leg Curls 1 X 20 (light), 3 x 10, last set a drop set
• Smith Machine Squats (wide leg stance) 3 X 15, or last set to failure
• Leg Press (feet high on platform) 3 X 15, or last set to failure
• Stiff-legged Deadlift 3 X 15, or last set to failure
• Lying Leg Curl 3 X 10, last set to failure
• Seated Calf Raises 3 X 10 with pauses at the top, superset with calf presses on the leg press machine 3 X 20
• Standing calf raises on smith machine (3x20)
• Horizontal calf press (15x15x15)*4sets
• leg extenstions (3 x (1x2x3x4x5x6x7x8) + 20 sumo squats

ABS done ANY day

Getting Started!

Hi guys!  So I have been getting tons of questions about fitness and nutrition lately and I really like it!  I had no idea that a few pictures could really inspire other people to become fit!  Although I am still learning from everyone around me and reading different things, you cannot believe everything you read or hear!  You have to figure out what works best for you and that may take trial and error.  I began reading on bodybuilding.com and I started following a meal plan that I found on a page.  Of course, the meal plan was for a 30 year old, 150 lb woman looking to get lean.  So, I had to tweak it a bit considering I was already training hard at the time and living an active lifestyle.  The first thing to go in my diet (I think) was the sugar!  I literally used to walk through Walmart and eat a WHOLE bag of grapes while shopping.  Shhh don't tell anyone ;) Considering that it was fruit, I didn't really think it was a big deal to consume that much!  Well, fruit has lots of sugar in it.  ALthough it is the "good" kind, it can still have an effect on your body if you eat as much as I was eating.  At the same time, I cut out most processed foods.  Anything in a box like those yummy Fiber One chocolate grandola bars, I had to kick!  I trashed cereal because , it too, is loaded in sugar.  Instead of cereal, I began eating oatmeal!  Oatmeal is amazing!!! I have always loved it, but now I have found so many great recipes to make oatmeal THAT much better!  I will post those recipes soon!
Since I have always been somewhat conscious about what I eat, I never really had to cut out fast food because I never ate it to begin with.  But if you are like many others, cut it out!
Ever wonder how you can get a "real beef" taco from Taco Bell for only 89 cents?  For all we know, that "stuff" is most likely some sort of imitation meet or just made out of parts of animals that we don't need to mention.  GROSS!  Who wants to put that in their body?!
Guys, what I am trying to say, is just stick to the basics.  If it has a shelf life of longer than a month, do you really want to put that in your body?  It most likely has so many fillers and additives in it that make it possible for it to sit on the shelf THAT long without molding and becoming stale.
Staples in your new diet should include, good carbohydrates, lean proteins, and healthy fats.
You should eat about 6 times a day, 2.5 - 3 hours between each meal.  This may seem like a lot, but trust me it's not!  ANd if you love food as much as I do, then that won't be a problem!  I was so happy when I did not have to feel guilty about eating a meal that often!  YUM!
 My personal favorite things to eat are oats (there are soo many different ways to prepare them, I will post delicious recipes), sweet potatoes (are amazing-- not just at Thanksgiving) , Chicken breast, extra lean ground turkey, tuna, olive oil (++ some balsamic vinegar on salads- perfect dressing), SPINACH, zucchini, brown rice, black beans!


Xtra-Lean Proteins
Chicken Breasts
Cod
Crab (try canned, instead of tuna!)
Egg Whites
Extra Lean Ground Turkey, Chicken, or Beef (at least 95% lean)
Halibut
Orange Roughy
Ostrich
Protein Powder (Low carb & fat. Metabolic Drive is perfect!)
Tilapia
Shrimp
Tuna
Turkey Breasts

Complex Carbs
Beans (black) 
Brown Rice
Cream of Rice
Ezekiel Bread
Grits
Oats
Oat Bran Hot Cereal
Quinoa
Rice Cakes (non-flavored, no salt added)
Tortillas (corn, rice)
Wild Rice, Jasmine Rice
White Potatoes (sparingly)
Wheat Bran (FULL of fiber, perfect for low carb plans)
Yams

Healthy Fats
Avocados
Coconut Oil
Flax Seeds
Flax Oil
Grapeseed Oil
Natural Peanut Butter
Olive Oil
Nuts (almonds, walnuts, pecans)Pumpkin Seeds
Salmon


"Free" Veggies (few carbs; mostly fiber) ****EAT UP***
Alfalfa Sprouts
Artichoke Hearts
Arugula
Asparagus
Bamboo Shoots
Beet Greens
Bock Choy
Broccoli (already a staple for most of us)
Brussels Sprouts
Cabbage
Cauliflower
Celery
Chives
Collard Greens
Cucumbers
Jicama (some carbs, not entirely "free")
Kale
Leeks
Lettuce
Mushrooms
Onion
Peppers (GREEN; red and yellow have carbs)
Radishes
Scallions
Spinach
Zucchini




LEAVE OUT THE HEAVY SAUCES, DRESSINGS, AND SALTY CONDIMENTS WHEN POSSIBLE! 
There is a seasoning called MRS.DASH-- IT IS SALT-FREE and I season EVERYTHING WITH IT! NOM NOM!