Been awhile

I have been working out still...though I was sick for a few days.

That usually sets me back a bit =/

I read my comment from my last blog and will be altering my workout somewhat. However, a recap of my last 3 days of workouts:

8/3/08 - Sunday
Seated dip starting at 40 lbs, increasing by 5 lb increments and back down to 40 in 5 sets, 10 reps each.

Tricep Extension - 30 lbs, increase by 5 lb increments and back down to 30 in 5 sets, 10 reps each.

Leg Extensions - 40 lbs, ""

Seated Leg Curls - 30 lbs

Cardio Warm-up - 5.5 mph for 15 minutes
Cardio Cooldown - 3.2 mph at 2.0 incline for 30 minutes

8/4/08 - Monday
Bad me, I was talking on the phone for the majority of my workout with someone I hadn't talked to in a LONG time. I half-assed the workout, though yeay me for actually being disciplined to GO (which is honestly the HARDEST part of working out).

I ran at 5.8 mph for about 5 minutes, did Hip Abductions at 50 lbs, Calf presses at 30 lbs.

8/5/08 - Tuesday
Cardio Day
Warm-up, Elliptical avg speed 5.37 mph.
The first mile I completed in under 11 minutes!!! This is a personal record for me and am very excited, especially since the elliptical is a lot harder than the treadmill. That means that today, I need to step up my cardio workout >.<

I spent 20 minutes on the elliptical at intensity of 5 (or 6) and elevation of 9 I think (whichever one focuses on hamstrings, calves, and glutes).

I did 3 sets of 15 situps at an incline of 3, followed by 3 sets of 10 leg ups (YEAY! I remembered to wear bike shorts under my skirt-like gym shorts so I could do the leg ups!)
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Now some notes on my current work out routine and to address some points made in the comment of my last workout post.

1) My pyramid scheme of 10 reps with increasing/decreasing weights is something I've found to work a bit better with me. I was originally doing 3 sets of what I could do 8 reps of. When I was able to do 3 sets of 10, I increased my weight. However, I found that the only things I was increasing weight on were chest exercises and the hip adduction/abduction. Something wasn't working quite right. When I first started working out at the beginning of the year, i was doing leg extensions at 50 lbs for 3 sets. Every time I'd do it, it'd get harder and harder. So I started doing this pyramid scheme and have actually managed to increase my weights for arm exercises (though not legs yet).

2) I know this appears to be low intensity. What irks me, is that I can't move more than 35 lbs on the bicep machine and I can only do 35 lbs once. BUT, my arms aren't sore after my workout of 8 reps of 20 (which is all I can do on the bicep curls). I've started to try different exercises, which has improved my tricep strength. I've also found myself a bit sore in that area. Its been awhile since I did biceps, but most of my other exercises incorporate biceps training. In a nut-shell, I'm simply a weakling. I'm trying to build my strength, but everyone has to start somewhere.

3) Cardio workouts...My goal has been to be able to run a 7 minute mile. When I was a freshman in high school, I ran the mile in 14 minutes. Last fall, I was running it in 12 minutes. Last week, I could run it in 11. I'm SLOW. I do like your idea about sprinting and will incorporate that into my warm-up cardio routine for every other day. The other days, I'll continue with my medium cardio of 5.5+ mph. I am currently ending my workouts with the 30 minutes on the treadmill at speed 3.2 at 2.0 incline because I promised my boyfriend I'd do it for a month and see how it works. A bodybuilder friend of ours said he found that that is the most efficient way to burn fat without losing muscle mass that he has found for himself. So...I'm trying it out. Which is why my warm-ups are dedicated to higher-intensity cardio workouts, currently.