Posts Tagged ‘personal trainer’
7/14/10 Personal Trainer at 7AM – Building Endurance
So, this week, I met my personal trainer, Melissa, at 7AM on Wednesday morning. We immediately got to work with pushups first. This time the push-ups are on the weight bench, not the Smith Machine. I figured that would not be much different from using the Smith Machine, but I was totally wrong! It is much harder to do the push ups on the weight bench because it changes the angle of your hands and, thus, the muscles that you use. I was able to do 12, though, which is a number I am very proud of 🙂
Then, on to squats, of course. The weight for the squats this time was a 45lb barbell (no extra weight on the barbell – yet!). I have to do 18 reps and 3 sets. Yes, my butt hurts.
Then an exercise for the shoulders and a fabulous exercise for my hamstrings. Also, 18 reps on all and 3 sets 🙂
Next set – starts at Smith Machine, but this time, I start resting on my elbows and my knees. Then, I put my foot on the bar (pick one – left or right an switch for the next set) and push up. That is it. It is perhaps one of the best glute exercises ever! However, I had difficulty with my left hamstring working instead of the glute. I swore up and down that it was not sciatica, but later that night I had the familiar static-electric feeling in the hamstring/calf muslces. So, it was sciatic. However, Travis gave me another exercise, but I think I can do it on the Smith Machine too (same thing with leg bent at a 90 degree angle). Also, 18 reps. Working on Endurance!
Then onto the weight weight bench where I do one arm flies with my knees off the bench at a 90 degree angle and my opposite arm hugging my stomach. This is a very difficult move because you cannot counterbalance yourself. You must stay centered. 18 reps on each arm at 10lbs. Very challenging – especially for the left side.
BAck to the floor for some skull crushers, which work the triceps. 10lbs in each hand and you start laying down holding the weights xtended straight over your chest. Then you lower on either side of your head (not touching your ears or skull in any way – this is why it is called the skull crusher b/c if you are not careful you can crush your skull). Push back up to the ended position and then lower to where the top of your arms are on the floor and forearm is at a 90 degree angle from the upper arm. Then push up again. Very challenging. Also 10lbs. Also, 18 reps.
Finally, take a 9lb bar weight and lay on a side with under leg bent and upper leg straight. Lay bar weight on top of straight leg and hold slightly in front of hip. Lift top leg 18 reps. Feel the BURN!
Repeat 3 times.
This is not a difficult as last week as far as lifting the weight, but the 18 reps are the kicker. Melissa said that last week was to help build muscle, and this week is to work on giving that new muscle some endurance and speed. So far, I’m very sore on Day 2 after the workout. I’ll be doing the workout again tomorrow.
Personal Trainer and Super Sets! 7/7/10
On Wednesday of last week, Melissa gave me the beginnings of my first super set, which is when you lift heavy weights quickly with multiple exercises in a row (I think). It is definitely a “big girl” exercise as I was exhausted and sore afterward and the next day.
I was extremely pleased with what I was able to accomplish because I was doing a squat with a press starting at the middle of the up movement with a 12KG (approx. 26 lbs.) kettle bell. I squatted with 26 lbs! That might not sound like a lot, but just five weeks ago I was having a hard time squatting without any weights. Now I not only squat, I press!
I am also down to the second rung on the Smith Machine for my assisted pushups.
I feel stronger, and I think I look stronger. I am still having a hard time riding my bike up the 8th Ave hill, but that will come.
I am also continuing my physical therapy exercises for the back and foot. Total it takes about 45 minutes to get through all of them. Thus, I do them approx every other day.
Whew! Still more to do! More success to be had 🙂
Personal Trainer – Wonderful and Creative 6/3/10
So, after all that Physical Therapy/Chiropractor/Massage day, I found out no flexion, meaning very few of my old workout moves could be done. For example, no sit-ups, no dead lifts, no twisting movements (for good measure) and no lunges (also for good measure). What was I going to do for a workout?
I let Melissa, my personal trainer, know of these restrictions in advance so that she could have ample time to figure things out. Well, she was quite ready, and she told me that she has clients who have back problems all the time. So, no biggie!
Plus, despite the restrictions, this was no easy workout! She said that without lunges, that pretty much leaves squats, but it is not a problem because there are tons of those 😉
Well, good.
I can also do plank, which she took advantage of by adding the side plank. Whew, I tell you, it is really a workout, now.
I am starting to really feel stronger in every day life, and I can see the changes in my body. Finally!
Now, to get all this cleared up so I can run!
Continued Workouts!
So, I am very happy to say that I have been taking myself to the gym on days when I don’t have an appointment with Melissa! I have also realized that I need a good 1.5 to 2 hours to complete each workout she has given me (this would also include 20-30 min cardio). So far, I have only managed to get up early enough to do one hour before I must leave to get ready for work. This will not do. I think I might need to go back to afternoon workouts because I am really not willing to get up at the requisite 5:00am that getting a whole workout in before work would require.
Anyway, I have been getting through 2/3 of Melissa’s workout with my new favorite exercise being the “Smith Machine Push-up”. It is really much better for me than the traditional push-up in that you are standing at the Smith Machine (the assisted squat bar) with the bar set just above your waist. You lean down to grab the bar with your body in a straight plank leaning about 45 degrees. Then, you do a push-up with the FULL range of motion. This is the part that is fantastic because you really use your pectoral muscles as well as stretch them at the same time. I am very tight in the shoulders and pectorals, and this exercise gets into the muscles and your small muscles in your back. LOVE IT! I can do three sets of 18!!! Woohoo!
Notable improvements:
I can deadlift 45 lbs. (up from 35 lbs three weeks ago).
I can do 3 sets of 18 Smith Machine Push-ups.
I increased my ability to hold the plank from 1 minute to 1.5 minutes!
I can do 3 sets of 15 prisoner lunges (so difficult for me because I am so wobbly and week in the legs).
Overall, my body feels stronger and much more agile. I do not favor certain muscles when walking or climbing stairs, which I did not realize I was doing until I wasn’t doing it anymore 🙂
My final thought – go to the gym and do something!!! You will be amazed how much better you feel.
Run #3 – 5/5/10!
Posted by admin in Training (running, cycling, etc.) on May 6th, 2010
A blog on time! Watch out!
So, this morning, I struck out on the bigger run – Day 3: Walk 1/4 mile, Run 1/4 mile, Walk 1/4 mile, Run 1/4 mile, Walk 1/4 mile.
Yes, I could tell I was running an extra 1/4 mile. My right leg took to it like a duck out of water. However, my left leg made it great the first 1/4 mile, but I could tell it was lagging on the second. Talk about foot slapping the sidewalk on that side. I am thinking that I might stick with this run for more than prescribed if my left leg doesn’t respond any better than this quite soon.
Otherwise, I am feeling really good! Between my running, foot Physical Therapy exercises, and Personal Trainer exercises, I am beginning to feel very strong for the first time in a very long time. It is such an exhilarating experience!
Stay tuned because the video will be up before the weekend!!! It’s finished and waiting for me to pick it up 🙂
Personal Training #3: 5/3/10
The butt kicking continues! After a really awesome weekend, which truly circumvented any working out, I jumped on the opportunity to have an appointment today, Monday, to start my week off right.
After having dragged myself out of bed too late to do actual gym work, I was elated to discover I could have Melissa driving me to work super hard this afternoon! She is really fantastic.
Today, we concentrated on my back muscles. I have a new way to do pushups. I’m up to 45lbs on dead lifts! Hooray! I started at 35 lbs three or so weeks ago. We also did some balance moves and more core work. I am really excited as my list of exercises continues to grow!
I also did not feel nearly as wobbly during the workout. Of course that might have been because we were not really doing my legs 😉
Anyway, all continues to go well. I am happily icing and then I plan to be up and at ’em for an early start in the morning to continue my physical therapy and personal training exercises! So much to do!
Personal Training Session #2, 4/29/10
So, on Thursday night, I dragged my not so peppy self to the gym to meet Melissa for my first paid training session. Boy did she make me work! It was so exhilarating! She expanded my workout, which was fantastic because I was getting bored with the exercises from the previous session several weeks before. I have 11 more sessions with her.
I have also changed my diet to cut out most sugar (read – no more desserts). I am also eating more protein to help beef up my muscles, which are sadly small at present. This small muscle thing was very evident when Melissa had me doing 10 lunges on each leg. At one shaky point, I’m in the lunge ready to start pushing myself back up when I find that I can’t. Yeah, it’s pretty sad when you’re in a lunge with no extra weight and standing is too much. I will say that this was lunge #10 on set #2. I think that saves face a little 😉
Anyway, I will be so glad to be out of this wobbly leg phase. I hope it is soon-ish. Stay with it! Strength will come…
Workouts! Woohoo!!!
Yeah! I am working out, now! I go to the gym with a plan. It is awesome, and it makes me actually want to go to the gym since I have a purpose.
I have worked out Monday and today. Today, I had a limited amount of time. So, I only did my physical therapy exercises. I think I might get up in the morning and do the personal trainer exercises. I have been noticing since starting to stretch and roll my hip flexors and quadriceps that my hamstring has begun to stop doing all the work it was doing. I can actually feel my glutes getting some action. Whew! That’s another success!
My wonderful husband has graciously offered to get me up in the morning. I hate mornings, which means that this will not be an easy job for him 😉 We shall see how it goes. Morning workouts would be more reliable since evening workouts happen after school, and a hard day at school usually does not end with a barbell in my hand.
Physical Therapy Visit 4/8/10
Wow! It has been four weeks since starting physical therapy! And guess what?! Travis had me push my foot against his hand today, and he said that it was definitely stronger! Hooray! It’s working! I’m not ready to run, yet, but things are looking up. Not to mention, I’m very close to running 🙂
Ok, this visit I was so sore from my personal training session with Melissa, that I was really in sad shape to do much for Travis. He kept it simple, but definitely challenging. First, we started with the bridge with a twist – my feet were on a big ball. However, Melissa had made me hold a bridge on one leg for one minute each leg. It was too good of an exercise, and my sore muscles rebelled.
So, Travis, then moved through a series of exercises. My homework is to do them as close to everyday as possible. I took the weekend off, but I started tonight (Monday) with a bang! I did Melissa’s workout combined with Travis’s! Man, was it ever nice to walk into the gym with a plan.
Also, Travis did have me run in my super stiff running shoes with orthotics for 2 minutes. He told me that I picked my feet up at neutral, which does indicate a tight hip flexor, as Melissa had found. So, he said to continue stretching those. He also said that my right foot looked great, while my left foot continued to fall around the arch/ posterior tibialis. So, more work is needed.
Next time I go in, Travis is going to record me running in my super stiff running shoes and my Vibram’sâ„¢. I cannot wait! He said that I might be able to put it up on the blog. So, stay tuned! You might be lucky enough to witness my feet in motion!
Until next time….
Personal Trainer 4/5/10 – Introducing Melissa!
So, I have added to The Village. Everyone meet Melissa! She is my personal trainer at All Star Fitness Executive Club where I workout. Up until this visit with her, my workouts consisted of me riding the stupid bike for 20 boring minutes. Then, on to the mat where I completed all of my physical therapy workouts, which are not that strenuous for the rest of my body (they certainly are for the tendon, though). After that, I’d do some Pilates led by yours truly, and maybe some push-ups. Then, I’d decide it was time to go home.
Well, not anymore!
I have a plan and Melissa to thank for it!
It was a great evening! The interesting part came at the end when I was doing some 90 degree leg raises using just my leg. My left leg was no problem on flexibility for this one, but my right leg was really hard for me to extend fully due to tightness in my hip. Melissa said we’d stretch that out and see if it felt better. However, while stretching, I discovered that my left leg was very tight in the hip flexor (muscle that runs down the front of your leg right where it bends at the hip). Even more interesting, the left hip flexor was tighter than the right. By a lot! Hmm.
Anyway, I now have a nice workout regimen as well as some really good stretches.
Thanks, Melissa! I shall be seeing you soon! Welcome to The Village!