Last night we went to a friend's 40th birthday party. It was a great time and a reminder that we are squarely in our middle-age years now. The first purpose of this blog was to document strength training for middle-aged people and I am closing in on one year of all this typing. As the year draws to a close I may look back and see where things have strayed off course or maybe just headed in a new direction. Either way, it has been a good year of training!
As the people of Maryland like to say, we are going to venture into the "wilds of Virginia" today to meet both my brothers to watch the Redskins wrap up another losing season against the Dallas Cowboys. It most likely won't be much of a game since the Cowboys have nothing to really play for because they are already in the playoffs. I did predict four Redskins victories this season and they may actually exceed my meager expectations with a victory over the Cowboys tallying a paltry FIVE wins.
Today's quote is Antonio Banderas:
"Expectation is the mother of all frustrations."
Workout: Back
I walked the dog down the local playground for the morning session prior to going to watch the game.
Morning Session:
Pull-Up, 3 sets of 10 repetitions
(Primary muscles worked: Latissimus dorsi, infraspinatus, teres major and minor)
Inverted Row, 3 sets of 10-12 repetitions
(Primary muscles worked: Latissimus dorsi, trapezius)
Afternoon Session:
Dumbbell Pullover on an Exercise Ball, 3 sets of 10 repetitions
(Primary muscles worked: Latissimus dorsi, serratus anterior)
Bent-Over Dumbbell Row, 3 sets of 15 repetitions
(Primary muscles worked: Latissimus dorsi)
Plank, 3 sets of one minute each
(Primary muscles worked: Rectus abdominis, transverse abdominis, abdominal obliques)
Abdominal Crunch, 3 sets of 50 repetitions
(Primary muscles worked: Rectus abdominis, obliques)
Have a Great Day!!
We are off again this evening to a party and I wanted to log in a quick chest and biceps workout for being on the road and on vacation.
Workout: Chest and Biceps
Warm-Up:
3-Mile Run
Workout:
Superset:
Push-Ups, 3 sets of maximum repetitions
(Primary muscles worked: Pectoralis major)
Dumbbell Hammer Curls, 3 sets of 10 repetitions
(Primary muscles worked: Biceps brachii, brachioradialis, brachialis)
Captains of Crush Grip Trainers, 3 sets of 15 repetitions
(Primary muscles worked: Flexor carpi radialis, flexor carpi ulnaris)
Abdominal Crunches, 3 sets of 50 repetitions
(Primary muscles worked: Rectus abdominis, obliques)
Have a Great Day!
Today was a beautiful day in the Washington DC area! Sunny and warm it was a great day to get out and visit my family that was up from North Carolina. We visited with them in the morning and are going out with friends for dinner tonight, so it seemed like a good day to take the day off from lifting. Mostly we are going to walk the dog a couple of miles and get back at the weights tomorrow.
Have a Great Day!!
I am going to make a quick post to wish everyone that celebrates it a Merry Christmas. I am a very lucky individual that got to spend my holiday with family and we are all happy and healthy.
Workout: Legs
Warm-Up:
3-Mile Run
Weight Training:
Dumbbell Split Squat, 3 sets of 10 repetitions
(Primary muscles worked: Rectus femoris, vastus intermedius, vastus lateralis, vastus medialis, gluteus maximus)
One Leg Romanian Deadlift with Dumbbells, 3 sets of 10 repetitions
(Primary muscles worked: Biceps femoris, gluteus maximus)
Calf Raise, 3 sets of 50 repetitions
(Primary muscles worked: Gastrocnemius, soleus)
Side Step with Resistance Band, 3 sets of 10 repetitions in each direction
(Primary muscles worked: Gluteus maximus, sartorius, tensor fascia latae)
Abdominal Crunch, 100 repetitions
(Primary muscles worked: Rectus abdominis, obliques)
Have a Great Day and Merry Christmas!!
It has rained everyday in the Washington DC area since we arrived three days ago. It doesn't really bother me that much, but when you are a desert dog it isn't easy. We found Ocho in the desert and he has lived in the desert for all of his life. We do make forays to other climates like our holidays in DC, but for the most part he has been used to the desert. When most of your day is spent laying in the driveway, watching for intruders and enjoying 350 days of sun a year, three days of rain is a big deal. It will be nice when the Och can get even a glimpse of the sun again.
Today's quote is from Henry Wadsworth Longfellow:
"Into each life some rain must fall."
Workout: Shoulders and Triceps
Warm-Up:
Shoulder Circles, 30 repetitions in each direction out to the side, in front and overhead
Weight Training:
Dumbbell Push Press, 3 sets of 10 repetitions
(Primary muscles worked: Deltoids, vastus lateralis, medialis and intermedius, rectus femoris)
Alternating Front Dumbbell Raise, 3 sets of 10 repetitions
(Primary muscles worked: Anterior deltoids)
Dumbbell Side Raise, 3 sets of 10 repetitions
(Primary muscles worked: Lateral deltoids, supraspinatus, trapezius)
Dumbbell Shoulder Shrug, 3 sets of 15 repetitions
(Primary muscles worked: Upper trapezius, scapulae levator)
Diamond Triceps Push-Up, 3 sets of 15 repetitions
(Primary muscles worked: Triceps brachii)
Dumbbell Triceps Extensions, 3 sets of 10 repetitions
(Primary muscles worked: Triceps brachii)
Have a Great Day!
We made the long drive from Tucson, Arizona to Bethesda, Maryland. We make the three day 2200-mile drive mostly for the dog. The dog is a great traveler in the car and honestly, I don't have the heart to drug him and stick him on a plane. We actually have a lot of fun on the drive and with two of us switching out behind the wheel it is not too painful.
I would have posted yesterday but my laptop screen crapped the bed and just has a black screen. When talking to the very polite and well trained Apple service representative, he referred to my laptop as "vintage". "Vintage" seems to be a very polite way of saying "You are really still using a machine that is that old?!" So, I am now typing away on my new laptop that Rebecca was kind enough to get me for Christmas. I imagine that there are going to be some growing pains switching back from an Apple to a PC... I will keep you posted. My point is that after our road trip we did in fact workout yesterday and we will again today.
Today's quote is from Buddha:
"To be idle is a short road to death and to be diligent is a way of life; foolish people are idle, wise people are diligent."
Workout: Chest and Biceps
Warm-up:
Jumping Jacks, 50 repetitions
Weight Training:
Dumbbell Chest Press on an Exercise Ball, 3 sets of 15 repetitions
(Primary muscles worked: Pectoralis major and minor)
Push-Up, 3 sets of 35 repetitions
(Primary muscles worked: Pectoralis major)
Dumbbell Chest Fly on an Exercise Ball, 3 sets of 15 repetitions
(Primary muscles worked: Pectoralis major and minor)
Dumbbell Hammer Curl, 3 sets of 10 repetitions
(Primary muscles worked: Biceps brachii, brachialis, brachioradialis)
Captains of Crush Grip Trainer, 3 sets of 15 repetitions
(Primary muscles worked: Flexor carpi radialis, flexor carpi ulnaris)
Abdominal Crunch, 150 repetitions
(Primary muscles worked: Rectus abdominis, obliques)
Workout: Back
Warm-Up:
Run, 3 miles
Weight Training:
Pull-Up, 3 sets of maximum repetitions
(Primary muscles worked: Latissimus dorsi, infraspinatus, teres major and minor)
Bent-Over Dumbbell Row, 3 sets of 15 repetitions
(Primary muscles worked: Latissimus dorsi)
Dumbbell Pullover, 3 sets of 15 repetitions
(Primary muscles worked: Latissimus dorsi, serratus anterior)
Plank, 3 sets of 1 minute each
(Primary muscles worked: Rectus abdominis, transverse abdominis, abdominal obliques)
Abdominal Crunch, 150 repetitions
(Primary muscles worked: Rectus abdominis, obliques)
Have a Great Day!!
Today is really the last day we have to pack up ourselves and the dog for our drive to the east coast. I have packed my bags, pulled out clothes for the drive, set up the house plants for success while we are gone and I still need to workout. After working out I need to put away my outdoor gym so that it is secure and protected from the weather while I am away.
This will also be my last post until December 22nd. We will be on the road for a few days and I will not be lifting. I will be doing a few things each day before I get into the car for a long day of driving: Stretching, abdominal and core work and foam roller work. Once we arrive on the east coast we will be doing a dumbbell and bodyweight lifting routine with running. We have found that having the adjustable dumbbells on the road have helped us maintain our strength even when on vacation. Once we are off the road and we start those workouts I will post again!
Today's quote is from John F. Kennedy:
"The best road to progress is freedom's road."
Workout: Legs
Jumping Jacks, 50 repetitions
Abdominal Crunches, 100 repetitions
Weight Training:
Back Squat, 5 sets of 10 repetitions
(Primary muscles worked: Rectus Femoris, gluteus maximus)
GHD, 5 sets of 15 repetitions
(Primary muscles worked: Biceps femoris, gluteus maximus)
Standing Weighted Calf Raise, 5 sets of 15 repetitions
(Primary muscles worked: Gastrocnemius, soleus)
Have a Great Day!!
