April's workout schedule

[April]

Well, Lori, I promised you I would post here, and I don’t like to break my promises. Sorry that it has taken some time. Between my job, family, and household duties, there isn’t a lot of time left over. Lately it has been especially busy.

I like to have a structured system. The following is what I have been doing, although I plan to modify it somewhat in the next few days. I will eventually post again with the modified schedule and the reason for it. I don't think it will be radically different...

Daily:
M7 Tiger Moves, 1 set of 10 each, no breaks between sets, max tension. By the time I finish the Wrist Twist – third exercise, I am already sweating.

A variety of exercises chosen from the following:
Furey Push-up; Panther Stretch; Table-Top Push-Up; Hinge; Vertical Leg Raise; Atlas Push-Up; Furey Squat; Brenner Calf Raises; High Stepping, C*A*T; various Push-Ups; a few from Wendie’s section on Chest/Pecs, page 41 in EWGTPP; various other DVR exercises that I’ve read about in this forum on the VRT side.


7 Day Rotating Cycle:

I do one of the following each day, in a seven-day cycle. The exercises from Wendie’s book are the ones that are not found in M7, so that I do not repeat any exercises from the two books.

Day 1: Upper Body
M7 page 73
Wendie’s Book, DVR arms, page 66, exercises 2,8,9

Day 2: Quads
M7 page 111
Wendie’s Book, Thighs, page 120, exercises 3,5,6,12,15,16

Day 3: Arms, Back, Neck
M7 page 93
Wendie’s Book, Biceps, page 107, exercises 1,2,3,4,5,6,8,9,10

Day 4: Abs
M7 page 129
Wendie’s Book, Abs, Page 76, all the abs exercises

Day 5: Push-Ups
M7 page 185 (may modify)

Day 6: Shoulders/Triceps
Wendie’s Book, Shoulders, page 91, exercises 3-13
Wendie’s Book, Triceps, page 113, 1, 3,5-11

Day 7: Legs
M7 page 165
Wendie’s Book, Thighs, page 120, exercises 20, 22, 23
Wendie’s Book, Calves, page 131, all exercises

I do one set at max tension, then see if I want to do more. Sometimes I will do another set at max tension, but from what I have read here, one set at max tension is enough. I am trying to limit my workouts to ½ hour. It may seem like I am packing a lot into that time. Sometimes it has gone to 45 minutes, but I am trying to increase the tension and lower the sets so that I am getting more bang for the buck and the workouts can be shorter. I just don’t have the time in the mornings for so much now that I am working again.

I still run or power-walk every morning. I find that the power walks (walking with tension in lower body/legs) combined with high stepping is quite challenging, and I return home feeling like my lower body has had a workout.

Occasionally, when I don’t have time to do everything in the morning, I try to finish later in the day.

I also do some DVRs or push-ups during the day if I feel like I need a boost, but maybe one set or two at a time. I would like to add some VRT eventually for a change. I am considering some other changes which I will try to post about another time.

I think I should state here that my exercise goals are to prevent osteoporosis and aging problems (long-term) and to stay physically fit (short-term). I am not a body-builder. I like this method because it uses no equipment and yields better results than anything I've tried before (Pilates, dumbbells, etc.).

Comments are welcome, as are suggestions and innovative ideas.

Wishing you well,
April


Psalm 16:8 (King James Version)
I have set the Lord always before me: Because He is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.

[Lori Newton]

Hey April I am so glad you started posting here it will be nice to have someone to talk with. I understand about not having alot of time with having to take care of family and work it is hard to do everything that needs to be done before the day is over. I also try to keep my workout within 45 minutes and when it is warmer here I love to walk also. I will also continue to post my workouts it has been busy for me and I felt bad for not posting my workouts each day. The exerises you do sound like a great workout I also am not a body builder but want to be healthier and be fit and also to prevent aging problems. So I look forward to exchanging ideas and will post again soon. Lori :smile:

[April]

Hi Lori,
I am glad we can talk here. It is really hard to post the workout every day. I understand completely.

You have an advantage that I don't have: You have your own personal trainer, in Greg. It must really help to be able to ask him questions sometimes and get ideas from him. In fact, I wanted to tell you that the Brenner Calf Raise that he posted some time ago has been really great for me. It took me a while to figure out how to do it, but once I got the gist of it, I started doing it every day. I have always had really shapeless, thin calves that embarrassed me. The Calf Raise has really helped to fill out my calves. I do it several times a day. Greg mentioned that it is one of his main leg exercises. I can see why.

I hope this form of exercise will catch on more with women. I don't know how well Wendie's book is selling. Maybe women prefer to do group exercises at a gym or maybe they just have never been introduced to this kind of exercise system. What do you think?

More another time. Have a nice day, Lori.

Other people can jump into our discussion too. :)

[Lori Newton]

Hey April, you are right about being lucky having Greg to help me, except when I am feeling bad and he still makes me workout! I don't feel so lucky then! just kidding, he helps me to keep going even when it feels so hard to keep going. I really admire you doing it by yourself and still trying to do your job and taking care of your home.

That is wonderful that the Penner calf raises has helped you, it also helps me. Greg was so glad that you were able to get an exercise that he has had great results with and be able to have such good results also. That is what is so wonderful about this forum, people can get ideas from each other and also encourage one another.

I think if more women saw how much they can benefit from these exercises and that it is not just for guy's. Even though Greg and I work out together the things we do helps him to be more muscular and for me it helps to make me more toned and we both do a lot of the same exercises, he just does more than what I do. It really can help anyone. So I do hope more women will post and I am also glad that we can exchange ideas too. I hope you have a wonderful Passover celebration. Talk with you soon. LORI :bashful:

[April]

Hi Lori,
How has it been going for you lately? I notice you haven't posted in a while. Neither have I. I was sick for a few days last week and couldn't do anything. Now that I am feeling better, I've cut back to the summer schedule. It is just too hot to exercise a lot. And it isn't even really summer yet.

I am doing a 20 minute run/walk before the sun comes up, then 20-30 minutes of exercise as follows:

Every day Tiger Moves, 1 set of 10 reps at high tension with no breaks; push-ups - a few sets of 10; hindu squats, 30-40, with as much tension as I can muster; 30 Penner calf raises with tension; some high stepping with tension; maybe some leg-lifts; a few crunches; and maybe a couple of other things that I might think of. Then I continue with a more abbreviated schedule of the other M7 routines and Wendie's exercises according to what I already posted. I will do maybe 5-10 reps only per exercise at max tension, but the real number will vary according to the kind of exercise, for some I may do a few sets. I do push-ups throughout the day and various DVRs or DSRs during the day as well to recharge.

I am reconsidering what I am doing because I don't have time in the morning for an extended exercise session AND because of the heat of summer. Plus Royce's words keep reverberating in my brain: SHORT, INTENSE, INFREQUENT. I am going to take more time off, but when I do exercise, it will be at high tension in short sessions. I will be experimenting with how much time off is best. If Royce would like to make recommendations, I am all ears (or eyes, since I am reading this forum). I will take off at least one day a week, maybe more, and maybe a few days in a row as a test sometimes. I can get really fanatic about "consistency" but I think at times I have pushed myself too much as a result. If anything interesting happens on this journey, I'll let you know.

[April]

June 1

Had surgery on May 8. After a good week of bedrest, it has been slow-going getting back into the swing of things, workout-wise. I am trying to get back to where I was, but it is taking time. The summer heat is not helping matters.

This is where I am now:

This morning -

20 minute run, then:

35 Furey push-ups
35 Panther stretch push-ups
21 Table maker push-ups
21 Spinal stretches (lean back from knealing position)
20 Leg raises
20 Atlas 1 push-ups
10 push-ups with legs elevated
40 Penner calf raises
30 Squats
M7 routine
6-8 exercises from Wendie's book

The exercises took 1/2 hour. Then add another 10 minutes to write this down.

I do various push-ups during the day, and DVRs when possible, in particular the M7 at noon and before bed, although I don't always get to it, but I am TRYING.

I am trying to get my mind and body back on progress, meaning somehow adding challenge to my workouts each day. In about another month there will be another surgery, which means another set-back.

That's it for now.

[April]

I've decided that I like DVRs and push-ups the best.
As long as it is so hot out that it is miserable to exercise at all, I am only going to do what I love doing.
This is it:

Early morning run or power-walk, while it is still relatively cool out - or at least the coolest it will be all day.

Sets of push-ups throughout the day. Furey, Panther Stretch, Atlas I, regular, and feet elevated.

Tiger Moves and several other DVRs three times/day - morning, noon, and night (my three exercise "meals" per day).

Squats with tension several times/day.

Penner calf raises with tension a few times/day.

Leg raises (laying down).

Assorted other exercises as the spirit moves me (as they say).

I am also trying some VRT exercises that I have read about on that side of the forum.