Gym - 10th August

Interval workout:

Treadmill

15 minutes interval running - 3mins speed 10, 2mins speed 13.5 - repeat

5 minute rest

15 minutes interval running again - same as above.

Spinning

35 minute interval spinning - 'hard' level. 20.6K. 

Weights

All 3 sets, 10 reps

- leg press - bicep curls - weighted arm abduction and adductions

Gym - 6th August

So, I've been doing long runs to keep my cardiovascular endurance up for a while now and I think it's about time for a change. I'm starting to incorporate interval training into my workouts. Interval training involves short bursts of intense exercise, with recovery periods in between. High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is an extremely effective form of exercise that makes your body work hard and burns calories quick. In fact, researchers at the McMaster University in Canada found that three 20 minute sessions of HIIT a week provided the same benefits as 10 hours of steady exercise over a two week period!

Workout

Interval run: 6.01K - 31:06 minutes - Steady speed 10 for 3 minutes, high speed 14 for 2 minutes. Keep on switching between the two intensities for the workout duration. 

Bike: 6.06K - 16:45 minutes - Resistance setting 15.

Bicep curls: 10kg, 3 sets of 10 reps.

4 minute light jog home and stretch. 

Gym - 2nd August

Workout

1hr bike - resistance 15 - 20km (av. heart rate, 136bmp)

20 minute treadmill run - 3.68km (av. heart rate, 158bpm)

Weights

Bicep curls - 10kg - 3 sets, 12 reps

Deltoid abduction - 20lbs - 3 sets, 10 reps

Bench press - the bar - 3 sets, 10 reps

Gym - 29th July

I'm now a member of a new gym and it is so good! It's full of enthusiastic people who are highly motivated which has created a really great atmosphere to workout in.

Workout

3K erg (rowing machine)

5.1K run (30 minutes)

11K spinning (20 minutes)

Gym - 26th July

Workout

45min Run

I started at a steady pace (speed 9.5) for about 20 minutes then upped the speed to 10 for 10 minutes, 10.5 for 10 minutes then sprinted for the final 5minutes (getting to speed 15.4). 

The run totalled 7.52k

25 min Bike 

I set it at resistance 15 for 15 minutes. R16 for 5mins and R17 for 5 minutes. 

Total distance: 7.27k 

Weights

Leg press: 250lbs - 10 reps, 3 sets 

Chest press: 170lbs - 10 reps, 3 sets

Gym - 24th July

This morning I watched the Commonwealth Games and saw England's Jodie Stimpson take the triathlon gold. It is an event which involves a 1,500m swim, 40km cycle, 10km run, a hell of a lot of endurance and will power. It was such a remarkable achievement and motivated me to challenge myself in the gym. I did this by starting my workout with a steady 10km run. 

Workout:

10km run

- 16 minutes speed setting 9.5, 14 minutes speed 10.0, 15 minutes speed 10.5, 15 minutes speed 11.

- 1km sprints

Weights 

Chest press: 70lbs - 3 sets, 10 reps 

Row: 70.15lb - 3 sets, 10 reps 

Leg press: 250lbs - 3 sets, 10 reps

Bike (4.04km)

Duration: 14 minutes

Resistance setting: 17

Gym - 22nd July

Workout: 

Run (5.27K)

- Level 9.5 for 5 minutes then upped the speed to 13 for 2 minutes. This equals 1 set.

- Repeat the set 3 times until you've been running for 28 minutes .

- In the last set, I made the 2 minute sprint harder by running for 1 minute at speed 13 and 30 secs speed 15.5 then 30 back at speed 13.

- For the last two minutes of the run, keep running at 9.5. In the last 10 seconds, do a full out sprint. I did this at speed level 16.

- Stretch to prevent injury

Weights

Chest press: 70lbs - 3 sets, 10 reps 

Leg press: 250lbs - 3 sets, 10 reps - my heaviest yet!

Bike (5.04K)

Duration: 17:45 

Resistance setting: 17

Gym - 21st July

There were two reasons I had to go to the gym today: 

1) My gym attendance last week was awful - It resulted in my energy levels hitting an all time low and not sleeping very well. This is why exercising is so addictive! It enhances your mood, makes you sleep much better and just makes you feel a lot better about yourself. 

2) I definitely had one too many raw chocolate brownie fingers today… 

Workout: 

35 min run (6.02K): 

- I started at speed level 9.5 then increased it by 0.2 every 5 mins for half an hour.

- After this, I reduced the duration and increased the intensity for the final push! 

- Increase the speed from 10.5 to 11.0 for 1 minute

- level 11.5 for 1 minute 

-  12.5 for 1 minute

- 13 for 3o secs

- Finally, as fast as you can go (15.5) until you feel like you're going to fall off the treadmill. 

- Rapidly decrease the speed to a low jog to warm down. 

Weights:

Chest press - 70lb 31.5kg 3sets 10reps

Row - 3 sets, 10 reps 90lbs

Legs Press - 2 sets 10 reps at 190lbs,  1 set 10 reps 210lbs, 1 set 10reps 230lbs, 1 set 10 reps 250lbs (112.5) 

Bike (8.69K): 

30 minutes - resistance setting 17

Rowing Machine

500m sprint to finish the workout

Feeling good! 

***

Below is a photo I took this evening (Monday 21st), whilst taking my dog on a walk through the sweetcorn fields where I live. It was such a beautiful evening. There is no place I rather be when the English countryside looks like this. Simply idyllic. 

Gym - 15th July

Get back to the gym! I've been trying to avoid the erg (a rowers 'best friend') for too long now, so decided to get back on it and boy it was painful! 

The erg (rowing machine) is very often the neglected, unused, lonely machine in the gym often placed next to a busy line of treadmill users. I was interested to see what workouts people do on the erg in my gym by looking at the 'memory' setting. I noticed that my 5K erg was by far the longest distance anyone at my gym has done. In fact, the longest erg I saw was 5 minutes at a very low intensity and really, that should be the duration of a warm up before the actual work out begins! Therefore, it's important to try and stick with it for at least 10 minutes minimum or you wont be getting a proper workout. I would recommend setting the resistance to the top of level 5 and doing interval sprints. Try doing 6x500m sprints with a 5 minute rest in between each 500m. Push yourself, it will hurt, but 'pain is temporary' - thank you Mr Armstong!

Workout: 

10K Challenge: 

- 30 minute run 

- 20 minute erg 

Total duration: 50 minutes

Gym - 7th July

I recently purchased a Polar FT7 Heart Rate Monitor to ensure that I'm training at the right intensity and also tell me whether the main effect of my training is fitness improvement or fat burning. Although this gadget is no way essential for a workout, I love it and find it very motivational. 

Workout:

Treadmill 40 minute ending with a 3 minute sprint

 Outside cool down 10 minute run - Total running distance overall = 8.4K

Bike - 13minutes 28sec

190lb leg press, 3 sets 10 reps

70.15lb chest press, 3 sets 10 reps

70lb Row, 3 sets 10 reps

Total Duration: 1hr30mins

Gym - 28th June

I wasn't going to go to the gym..until I sat down, watched Wimbledon and ate one too many delicious Oat Rounds SO of I went and had it all to myself - again! 

Workout:

Treadmill -  3.38km - 20 minutes

Bike -  20 minutes

Chest press - 3 sets 10 reps - 70lb

Row - 3 sets 10 reps - 50.15lb

Weighted squats - 10 reps - 15lb weights each end.