Challenge 12 – 52 weeks exercising

Today I had an induction at my local gym.  First time I’ve ever been in a gym and my main worry is to remember what each machine is for and how to use them all!  But I guess there will be other people using them too in turn so I should be able to look at what they do, plus I’ll be able to find staff members if the explanations on the machines still don’t help me remember!  🙂 I also have an appointment on Friday for an “MOT” to take my measurements and hopefully notice some progress in a few months time.  And I also booked myself for a programme session on Saturday which, if I understood correctly, should help me design a workout routine.  Because, let’s face it, when you have never been to a gym before and you see all this equipment, it is a little bit overwhelming and you don’t know where to start (well, at least for me!).  But I can definitely see the advantages of going regularly and doing different kinds of exercise. After my induction, I stayed on and exercised a little bit.  I got a feeling that even though it was short, I might feel it tomorrow, but it’s all good!  I did only the following: walking 10 min, then 7min on the leg press machine and then 11 min on the cross-trainer.  But I think just trying out the various machines has already reminded some muscles in my arms that they are still there!  At some point I might consider trying to run… but as I told the trainer – who accepted after my explanation that I might be better off just walking at a good speed – the last time I ran to catch my bus, I fell over and ended up with 5 stitches on the elbow!  🙂 Well, this exercise business might even help me sleep at more reasonable hours!  I feel exhausted! So, to summarise this first exercise session, I am excited about the prospects, a bit overwhelmed too, a bit worried, but also looking forward to trying more stuff and adding a couple of classes if I can! The plan for now is to exercise at least three times a week.  For now the most important thing will be to achieve this, irrespective of lengths of sessions or intensity of the workouts.  Just getting into the habit of exercising regularly is the first thing I need to achieve.  I shall keep a running record of my (non-running) workouts on this page and in my weekly updates emails.

Week 1:

• Workout 1: exercised 25min
• Workout 2: 20 min
• Workout 3: 30 min
• Workout 4: Prog 1: 7½min B, 4×15 LP, CP, SP, SR, LPD, 3×10 LR, 3x30sec P, 13min CT level 2

Programme 1:

• Warm up on the bike (B)– 5-10 min at the speed and level I choose
• Leg press (LP) – 4 sets of 12-15
• Chest press (CP) – 3 sets of 10
• Shoulder press (SP) – 3 sets of 10
• Seated row (SR) – 3 sets of 10
• Lateral pull down (LPD) – 3 sets of 10
• Leg raises (LR) – 3 sets of 10-15
• Plank (P) – 3 times 30sec-1min
• Cross-trainer (CT) – 20 min at level 4 at a speed of 8.0

Week 2: Having “felt” my calves quite a lot on Sunday and Monday and considering how much my biceps were hurting on Monday, I decided to lower the weights I used last week (15 kg) to 10 kg and to do for now the minimum recommended by the trainer.  Whilst it kind of feels that some of it is far too easy, I prefer to start low and increase if I cope with it rather than possibly get an injury.

• Tuesday: Prog 1: 5min B, 4×12 LP, CP, SP, SR, LPD, 3×10 LR, 3x30sec P, 20min CT level 1 – yeah, finished the 20 min!  🙂  (I did get confused by the machines again though and didn’t do it all in the right order…)
• Thursday: Prog 1: 5min B, 4×12 LP, CP, 1×10 1×9 1×8 1x3SP, SR, LPD, 3×10 LR, 3x30sec P, 20min CT level 2
• Saturday: Prog 1: 5 min B, 4×15 LP, 10kg CP, 7.5kg SP, 10kg SR, 9.5kgx2 LPD, 3×10 LR, 3x35sec P, 20 min CT level 3

Week 3: Was on business trip from Tuesday to Thursday, which disturbed my schedule a bit.

• Tuesday: at the hotel “gym”: 5 min B, 8 min CT
• Friday: Prog 1: 5 min B, 4×15 LP, 10kg CP, 7.5kg SP, 12.5kg SR, 9.5kgx2 LPD, 3×10 LR, 3x40sec P, 20 min CT level 4
• Saturday: Prog 1: 10 min B, 12.5kg 4×15 LP, 10kg CP, 7.5kg SP, 12.5kg SR, 9.5kgx2 LPD, 3×10 LR, 3x45sec P, 20 min CT level 4

Week 4:

• Monday: Prog 1: 10min B (4.16km), 12.5kg LP 4×15, 10kg CP 2×10 + 12.5kg 1×10, 7.5kg SP 3×10, 12.5kg SR 2×10 + 15kg 1×10, 9.5kgx2 LPD 2×10 + 13kgx2 1×10, 3×15 LR, 3x50sec P, 20 min CT level 4 3.2km