I started my exercise routine and workouts on September 1st and this blog will follow me until the end of the month.
September 1, 2024
Today I went on my stationary bike. I have a road bike that was at my son-in-laws house but I was able to get it back. I had an indoor trainer but it was almost as old as I am so I bought a new trainer. This is the type that hooks onto your back axle and uses a magnet to change the resistance. There are five levels of resistance but at the moment I am only using the first two levels during my exercise routine.
Bike Computer
I have a bike computer that measures speed and cadence but it also is old and I couldn’t get it to consistently give me a reading. It would capture my Wahoo heart rate monitor though. (Everything is old like me. My cycling shoes are around twenty years old. Like the Ever Ready Bunny though, we keep on ticking!
I am taking my cycling workouts slow due to my left knee so mostly I have just been spinning at around 90 rpm. Today I decided to add some interval training and after warming up on level 1, I did sets of 1:30 at level 2 followed by 30 sec at level 1. Then I did a 4 minute cool down at level 1. My average heart rate (HRave) was 110 bpm and my maximum heart rate (HRmax) was 123
September 2, 2024
This was a weight day and for me right now that means mostly upper body exercises. I have been feeling my change in diet and it caught up to me in this workout. I started by using the TRX. The TRX is a suspension training system that allows you to do a multitude number exercises. If I was only allowed one piece of equipment this is what I would get. I will explain how to use it in another post.
TRX for an all rounded workout
I did back and chest exercises on the TRX using my body weight for 12 reps of 3 sets
I then switch to my dumbbells which ones made by PowerBlock. There is the ability to go from 5 lbs to 90 lbs just by moving a pin. I have one set that goes from 5 – 90 lbs and a smaller set that goes from 5 – 20 lbs.
Power Block Dumbells
My routine was to do two sets of 12 reps using 60 lbs in each dumbbell. I did chest press, shoulder shrugs and one arm bent over rows with about 60 seconds rest between exercise. Then I used the smaller dumbbells at 15 lbs and did 2 sets of 12 reps of “L” shoulder raises (one dumbbell is lifted to the front and the other to the side switching for each rep). In between I used my 25 lb kettle ball to do 20 forward swings
September 3, 2024
Today I was back on the bike. I purchased a cycling app for my phone and I had ordered a cadence meter from Amazon but they sent the wrong meter. Nevertheless, I paired by Wahoo heart rate monitor and used the Cyclemeter app to record my workout. I also use my Apple watch and the heart rates were basically the same between the Wahoo chest strap heart rate monitor and the heart rate measurement on the Apple watch. By having my heart rate visible in front of me was great help so I could readily see where it was.
I did 20 minutes on the bike again with a warm up and cool down at level 1. I also did some intervals of 1:30 at level 2 and 1:00 at level 1. My cadence when in level 2 was approximately 85 rpm and my cadence at level 1 was around 110 rpm. With my heart rate displayed on the phone app, I was able to keep myself in the heart rate zone by pedaling fast in level 1 I was able to maintain an average HR of 119 for 13 minutes. My HRave for the whole time was 113 with a HRmax of 128
September 4, 2024
Besides these workout that are recorded, I also walk Opy twice a day for a kilometer or so each time. This is just a meander so I don’t really count it as exercise.
My workout tonight was for 43 minutes. On Monday I was absolutely beat after two sets of dumbbell exercises with 60 lbs each. Part of that was because of my change in diet and partially because I did three sets of 12 on the TRX prior to the weights. Tonight I only did one set on the TRX to warm up. My routine tonight was as follows:
| TRX Chest | Body Weight (BW) | 12 X 1 |
| TRX Back | BW | 12 X 1 |
| DB One Arm Row (L/R) | 60 lbs each DB | 12 X 3 |
| DB Chest Press on Bench | 60 lbs each DB | 12 X 3 |
| DB Shoulder Shrug | 60 lbs each DB | 12 X 3 |
| Elastic Band | 30 Sec | X 3 |
| TRX Rollouts | 30 Sec | X 3 |
| TRX WITY* for rotator cuff | BW | 2 X 6 |
| Sloppy Psoas ** | BW | 3 sets @ 5 sec each |
| External Tibial Rotation** | BW | 5 @ 10 sec ach |
| Monster Band Walk** | Elastic Band | 4 X 10 steps |
| * four exercises in one lifting arms in a “W’, “I”, “T” and “Y” | ** to help with ITB strength |
Chronic Injuries
I need to be mindful of the right knee and my left elbow (tennis elbow) when I lift. The knee is also sore and the elbow it sore tonight. The last three exercise I started to try to help the sore knee by starting to strengthen the adductors … those muscles pull the leg toward the body.
The hamstring is also affected as it joins into the outside of the knee near where the IT Band joins. My knee pain is probably mostly nerve damage but because I haven’t been training my legs, the hamstrings are weak as are the adductors. I have also become a little bull-legged in my later years which puts a lot of strain on the knee.
September 5, 2024
Today was an aerobic day and since I can’t run anymore I did a 20 minutes HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training). This consisted of 7 exercise in a circuit. I would exercise for 45 seconds, rest for 15 seconds and then move onto the next one. I did three sets but it looks like I missed on exercise in the last set.
This type of training is to get your heart rate at a higher level which drops as you rest but then goes back up again. My HRave was 127 bpm with a HRmax of 140 bpm. This is higher than my previous sessions.
The circuit I did was:
| Double ended bag | Slam ball 30 Lbs | Carioca Steps | Head Circles 15 lbs | Step ups | Kettle Ball Swings 25 Lbs | Switch Steps |
Cycling
I also went on my bike for 5 minutes as I installed my cadence monitor and a phone holder so I could put my phone on the bike and observe my cadence and heart rate. The heart rate reading wasn’t working but I also had my Apple watch recording the session. I was wearing a Wahoo heart rate monitor and I think having the two of them on at the same time confused my Cyclemeter program. When I finished the ride the app informed my that all the data from my watch didn’t transfer so once I did that, the Heart rate max and Ave both showed up
Rest Days
I will mention rest days here briefly as they are very important. When we start out on a program we need to ensure that we are not over stressing the body. When we are younger the body can handle the stress longer but whether young or old if we do too much, too soon, too fast then our bodies will eventually break down. Rest days allow the body to do just that … REST … and recuperate.
As you can see, I have exercised for five days in a row which for me is actually a no-no. I would normally have rested today and done this workout tomorrow but I have something on tomorrow so I switched them up. My plan for the rest of the week is to rest tomorrow, weights on Saturday and rest on Sunday. Upcoming posts will be coming on exercise programs and how to set one up.
I have not weighed myself or tested my % BF. I will be doing this once a week, usually on the Sunday. My weight will fluctuate throughout the week and it could mean one day I am excited and the next day upset. When I do weigh myself it will be first thing in the morning after having a pee. I will not wear any clothes as those boxers could add another few grams of weight!!
September 6 & 7, 2024 … both rest days
September 8, 2024
I did a 40 minute workout concentrating on my biceps and triceps. The TRX was used and I was going to use my dumbbells but my left elbow didn’t like the strain of the dumbbells. I also did WITY on the TRX. I also worked my legs doing dumbbells squats to my bench with 30 lbs each hand and one legged Romanian squats with 20 lbs. To finish, I did anti-rotation with an elastic band and TRX rollouts
September 9, 2024
My workout was back to working out my chest and back and shoulders with dumbbells. I did one set of 12 reps with 50 lb dumbbells and then three sets of 12 reps with 60 lbs. Then I used the TRX to do three sets of 12 reps for both back and chest. I finished up with 3 sets of 12 reps of “L” Raises for my shoulders and lateral walks with the elastic band
September 10, 2024
Tonight I road my bike indoors for 25 minutes. I stayed mostly in level 1 but did four sets of two minutes in level 2. Average cadence was 89 with a max of 102. Heart Rate Average was 122 bpm with a high of 136 bpm
September 11, 2024
My workout today was another chest/back workout but I added squats to the bench and one leg Romanian squats. I used 50 lbs on the dumbbells to warm up with the chest, one arm rows and shrugs and then did three sets of 12 with 60 lbs for each dumbbell. I did three sets of 12 for the squats with 40 lbs and three sets of 12 for the Romanian squats with 20 lb dumbbells.
September 12, 2024
This was a rest day
September 13, 2024
At 2:30 am I did three sets of 30 reps with my 25 lb kettle ball (swings, two handed for one set and single handed for the other two)
My legs were really tired throughout the day. I was planning on doing a HIIT workout in the evening but instead switched to an arms/shoulder workout. On the TRX I did three sets of 12 biceps, triceps an WITY (6 reps). The I used my smaller dumbbells and did three days of 12 head circles (20 lbs), “L” raises (15 lbs) and bent over flies (15 lbs). I finished with some core work consisting of anti-rotation with elastic bands for two sets of 30 seconds on each side, supine side crunches 2 X 20 and lying on my side crunches 2 X 20 and 2 X 12 back raises
September 14, 2024
I did a HIIT routine today which is only 21 minutes long. I work for 45 seconds and then rest for 15 seconds. My average HR was 127 with my Max HR being 141 bpm.
The routine is working the double bag, slam ball (30 lbs X14), Carioca, step ups, head circles (20 lbs X 11 each side), Kettle Ball swings (25 lbs X 25) and Tae Kwon Do switch steps
September 15, 2024 – Rest day
September 16, 2024
This was similar to the Sept 11 one but I used 55 lbs for a warm up for the chest, back and shrugs and then 2 X 65 lbs X 12 for the main set. For my legs I did 3 X 45 X12 for the squat and 3 X 20 X 12 for the Romanian Squats. Progression was One Arm Row (each side), Squats, Chest Press, Shrugs, Romanian Squat (each side)
September 17, 2024
I was going to get on my bike and do 20 – 25 minutes but my knees were sore so I did the same HIIT program that I did on Sept 14th
September 18, 2024
This was a biceps, triceps , shoulder and core day. I worked on the TRX doing 3 sets of 12 Triceps extensions, bicep curls and WITY. Scattered in between were “L” raise and bent over flies. I used 17.5 lbs for 12 reps and 3 sets. I then did anti-rotation exercises with an elastic cord, crunches, side crunches and back raises.
September 19, 2024
Today I finally got on my bike and did 20 minutes. My HR ave was 22 BPM with an Average cadence of 95.
September 20, 2024
I was going to d my chest and back today but decided to rest as I have to go away next week so I want to train tomorrow and Sunday.
September 21, 2024
I decided to take today off as well. Both my knees and my left elbow were sore
September 22,2024
Since I missed yesterday and going away on Monday I did double duty today. At 6:30 am, since I couldn’t sleep I did my chest and back routine. I lowered the weight to 55 lbs and did four sets but with a 4 sec eccentric stage. I also did core work with anti-rotation with a band of three sets of 30 sec
Then at 9:30 pm I did a HIIT consisting of three sets of punches in horse stance, slam ball, switch steps, head circles, double ended bag, kettle ball swings and the the other side of head circles. I did 45 sec on and 15 rest Total time was 21 minutes with HR ave: 122 and HRmax 141
September 23, 2024
I went to Kamloops for a three day conference so I didn’t work out today and I won’t tomorrow either.
September 24 – 29, 2024
I went to Kamloops as mentioned above. My hotel had no gym. I arrived home on the 25fh but both knees were really sore and the damage to my left elbow was acting up. I decided to rest until I went on the cruise on Sept 29.
September 30, 2024
On board cruise ship. I did my normal chest, shrugs and rows. Warm up was 45 lbs X 12 X 1 and then 60 lbs X 12 X 3. Then I did HIIt consisting of 45 sec work and 15 min rest. Exercises were horse stance punch, head circle with 25 lbs to right, switch foot and the head circles to the left… 3 sets Max hr was 135 bpm. Ave hr was 110 bpm. Total time: 33 mins