Working Out

As i have said in my previous post that i was going to start working out more to lose some weight. Well, i went to the gym 4 times last week. Some of the times i saw my husband there because he stopped at the gym to workout after work. I tell him that he is a "gym addict". He has lost 10 lbs and gained some muscles since we started going about two months ago. I told him how come i haven't lost any? So he suggested he would go with me to the gym that night to show me Circuit Training which is basically a series of exercise which you do without resting to keep your heart rate up. So off we go to the gym. I ran on the treadmill for 5 minutes ( which made my throat very dry and had to go pee right after instead of going straight to the next machine lol), next i used the " arm machines" ( i really don't remember what you call them). I used 5 machines, 10 - 20 reps and three circuits meaning i worked with those machines 3 times. When i was done i went on the elliptical for 30 minutes and was done and tired. Below is an article i took off of a website that talks about circuit training for you to really understand what i was talking about.

Circuit training is a great exercise that combines the benefits of lifting with cardio. If you are completely unfamiliar with how circuit training works, here is a brief guide to get you started. I’ll cover most the basics and provide some exercises and tips you can use at home. If you want to really get into circuit training, I found that most local gyms have at least one class.

The reason that circuit training gets its name is because you will do two circuits of each type of exercise. For example, you’ll do one circuit of cardio, before moving immediately into one circuit of strength training. By keeping your heart rate up and not stopping, you’ll be able to get a much better workout and you’ll see results a lot faster. I find that the benefits of a cardio workout and circuit training is one way to get the best of both worlds.

When I was first starting out with circuit training, I found it best to use six exercises for each circuit. Each exercise will have a different time frame, from thirty seconds to more than five minutes. You may need to adjust these times when you are first starting out. As always, before starting your exercises, you might want want to warm up - get the blood flowing. I’ve found that 5 minutes of brisk movement and stretching really helps loosen me up. Your final routine should include stretching to minimize any post workout pain.

With the warm up out of the way, it’s time to look at the techniques. One way to start is with the cardio portion of the training. First, often times, I like to start with some simple squats - using no resistance or weight. I focus on proper form and making sure that I’m not bouncing on the way down or up. I try to do these for about minute. Next, I may jump rope for a minute or move into lunges.

When doing lunges, you still want to focus on using the right form. The knee should never cross the plane of your foot. Hold each lunge for thirty seconds and then switch sides. I then switch from lunging to walking, jogging, or running (depending how Lazy I am currently feeling) for the next five minutes. You’ll want to build up your intensity and then slow it back down at the end of those five minutes.

For my last two exercises in this circuit, I would recommend doing pushups for about a minute. You don’t need to do 100 pushups like I’m trying to do. I then finish off with some jumping jacks. Congratulations - you’ve just completed one circuit!

Your options for circuit two will depend on how experienced you are with strength training. If you’re just starting out, you can repeat the same exercises above, but add a few light weights. The plank is also a great exercise for this circuit as is the back extension. Remember, each circuit should be identical in the amount of time spent.