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See that icon? Yeah, I'm nowhere near that.
These numbers will be a little embarrassing, but I want to record for posterity what I'm lifting here at the start of my exercise regimen, on the principle that I can then feel proud when I look back and see how far I've come. (In theory.) So here is what I'm doing for strength training right now.
So there you have it. I'm not doing lower-body stuff as yet; leg muscle has never been a problem for me, and my cardio work alone will give me some of that. I think I may add "pullups" on the lat machine, though, as a step toward doing proper pullups, since those always look cool.
I don't have any particular goals regarding what I want these numbers to be in six months; I don't have enough experience with weights to know what's reasonable to aim for. But I'll be keeping an eye on the stats, and reporting back in when I feel like I've made progress.
These numbers will be a little embarrassing, but I want to record for posterity what I'm lifting here at the start of my exercise regimen, on the principle that I can then feel proud when I look back and see how far I've come. (In theory.) So here is what I'm doing for strength training right now.
- Bench press: 2 x 12-15, 12 lbs. (It was disappointing to discover that the bar alone on the normal bench is heavier than I feel capable of. Not sure how much that thing weighs. Fortuantely, they have these nice, padded weight bars in a variety of numbers. I'll start with those and work my way up.)
- Shoulder press: 2 x 15, 12 lbs. (See above about the weight bar. I quite like those things.)
- Row: 2 x 15, 5 lbs. (Nothing like a single-digit number to make you feel pathetically weak, but since I do the exercises in this order, by the time I get this far, those muscles are already tired.)
- Lat pulldown: 2 x 15, 30 lbs. (A higher weight, at last! And I'm going to add to this one the next time I do it; it isn't tiring me much at all, at the current weight.)
- Back hyperextensions: 2 x 12, no weight. (Today's addition to the regimen. I really need to strengthen my lower back more.)
- Crunches: 2 x 15. (God, I hate crunches.)
So there you have it. I'm not doing lower-body stuff as yet; leg muscle has never been a problem for me, and my cardio work alone will give me some of that. I think I may add "pullups" on the lat machine, though, as a step toward doing proper pullups, since those always look cool.
I don't have any particular goals regarding what I want these numbers to be in six months; I don't have enough experience with weights to know what's reasonable to aim for. But I'll be keeping an eye on the stats, and reporting back in when I feel like I've made progress.
no subject
Date: 2007-02-15 10:20 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-02-15 10:25 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-02-16 12:44 am (UTC)If it makes you feel better, you know the bar-squat exercise that's on Stumptuous, where you put a bar across your shoulders and squat straight down? Yeah, i can barely do that *without* the bar.
I'm cheered to know that i'm not the only one lifting 15 pounds at a time.
no subject
Date: 2007-02-16 12:48 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-02-16 04:13 am (UTC)The bar weighs 45 pounds. Unless you have at your gym something that isn't the standard weight bar.
no subject
Date: 2007-02-16 04:18 am (UTC)I may have to switch to the nearest thing we have to a bench-press machine when I get between 24 lbs. (the heaviest body bar we have) and 45 lbs, unless some of the other barbells are intermediate. Because I think adding 21 lbs. in a go is probably a bit much. Of course, I have to get to 24 first, ne?
no subject
Date: 2007-02-16 04:24 am (UTC)As you get to higher weights (and really just in general), you'll want a spotter when you do your bench presses and squats. That's why I haven't done free weights in so long - no spotter. ;_;
no subject
Date: 2007-02-16 04:27 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-02-16 07:18 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-02-16 04:06 pm (UTC)I might switch to dumbbells at some point, but for now I do the first two exercises with a bar; it means there's one less thing I have to pay attention to as I work.
no subject
Date: 2007-02-16 01:46 pm (UTC)I promise you that it'll get a smile from you if not a righteous guffaw.
You're doing everything right. Start slow, build slow, and stay persistant.
You'll be doing one-armed pushups in no time. When you do, I promise that I'll come take a picture of you doing them and you can use THAT as your icon.
Cheering you on!!!
no subject
Date: 2007-02-16 04:04 pm (UTC)I appreciate the vote of cofidence, 'yote, but "one-armed pushups in no time" seems just a hair on the optimistic side.
I won't be sealing these numbers in an envelope, but I've tagged this post so I can find it again, which will serve the same purpose.