Wednesday 28th

Since the clocks went back it's been a little lighter in the mornings, so I forced myself up and out to the gym this morning...

MB Step jump-overs x 15
Ball lunge & single arm row  7.5kg x 12 each side
3 sets

Single leg pull-down x 8 each side 20kg for first set, then 15kg
Plate slide & push up x 12 (full push up for first set, then knees)
3 sets

Scoop & ctunch x 6
Elbow-knee twist x 12
side jacknife x 12
3 sets

I skipped the cardio part of my program today because I thought I'd make Spin class at lunch. As it was I missed Spin because of a meeting at work. So I came home and did a little circuit-type thingy...

Chin-ups negative reps with varying hand positions, count of 5 down x4
Body row x 12
Full push up x 12
Crunch x 12
Crunch with legs to one side x 12 each side
Reverse crunch x 12
3 sets

Am planning to get up in the morning and go to the gym for some cardio before work; I doubt I'll be able to do anything afterwards though as am helping out with some furniture moving at work.

Tuesday 6th

I was supposed to go for a run this morning, but I slept badly last night and couldn't get out of bed this morning. Plus there was probably a little bit of "eww it's raining and I've not been for a run in ages, it's going to hurt, I don't wanna..." about it.
So any way I got up a little later and did a home workout adapted from GymJunkies...

Started off with a Sun Salutation but my legs are quite stiff and achey from yesterday so it was pretty feeble...

Burpees x 10
Press-up x 12
Burpees x 10
Body Row x 12
2 sets

crunch with pilates ball squeeze x 10 (oblique crunches 10 each side for second set)
weighted side twists 2kg x 10
overhead weight tap with leg extension x 10
3 sets

Then just for good measure I did 12 assisted pull-ups. I'm not getting any better at those though, perhaps I should be doing them more often rather than every now and then when it crosses my mind!

Monday 21st

I've a day off today, so I went to the gym a little later than normal. I had an appointment this afternoon though, and really didn't want to be hobbling about looking like I'm some sort of wuss - so I didn't want to go all out at the gym.

I've not been to the gym since Wednesday, for no other reason than that I just got a bit lazy. I had a feeling this was going to hurt...

Crunch & heel tap x 12
Ball plank toe touches x 12
Ball cobra 30 second hold with external rotation x 3

Hex bar squats 27.5kg x 8
Squat & side step-up with leg raise 2x10kg x 12 each leg (I cheated on this and only used 3 raisers instead of 4)
Sprintees x 20 (ankle is still gammy)
2 sets

Stability ball hamstring curls with arms extended x 12 (I managed about 80% with arms up I think)
Hex bar deadlifts 27.5kg x 8
Stability ball back extensions with arms extended x 12
2 sets

Alternating dead rows standing on BOSU 2x6kg x 12 (there was someone using the thing I need for body rows)
Step Opp press ups x 12
Low-to-high woodchops 6kg x 12 each side (used a dumbell as someone was using the cable thingie)
2 sets


Overhead weight tap with alternating leg extensions 7kg x 12
Plank 30 seconds
2 sets


I wanted to swim afterwards, but I keep leaving my costume at home. So I just finished up with some stretching. I've a feeling this will hurt tomorrow!
Also having spoken to a friend, I think in future when I don't have much time I should probably do more sets of the same exercises, and just miss out one or two of the tri-sets and leave them for another day. I might start to split my program into the two sets of legs on one day and upper body/abs on another - that way I can fit it in before work on most mornings, and on the days I have more time I can do more sets.


Any way. I was meant to go to Body Pump this evening but I'm really not up for it after running about all day and not really eating properly. So I thought I'd have a scout around on Gym Junkies and find a little workout I could do at home. Most of the workouts on that site are only a few minutes long - but absolutely killer. In the end I sort of bodged together a couple of bits and came up with the following...


Baby Burpees  for 30 seconds
Body rows x 12
Baby Burpees  for 30 seconds
Crunches with a pilates ball between knees x 12
Baby Burpees  for 30 seconds
Assisted chin-ups x 6

I did 2 sets of this, and I really felt it! Baby burpees look easy, hell, they are easy - until you try to do more than about 4 in a row. I was managing about 10-11 per set, though towards the end I was getting a little tired and it went down to 9.
I finished off with some of the stretches from Body Balance in a vague attempt to avoid a lot of stiffness and pain in the morning. I've a feeling my upper body will hurt from this morning's workout as well as what I've just done.
This afternoon's little workout only took about 10 minutes, possibly less. I might try and do it, or different versions of it, in the evenings after work. I'm sure it counts as intervals and therefore fat burning. Might try and stick more to the workouts from the website in future though, as I don't know if mine was very clever!