Tag: push

Push With A Billion Reasons!

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Fitness Friday 08: Pushing Through The Limit

Happy New Year!

Fitness friday posts are back after lying dormant during Christmas and New Year. The last two weeks were really festive but I still managed to do four workouts to balance my holiday binge. Surprisingly, I didn’t gain much weight from the holidays. Coach switched my routine. Instead of doing cardio before lifting weights, we now do post cardio so I can be more productive while lifting. The combination of muscle groups being exercised per session were also changed so my body won’t get used to the routine.

The challenge for me as the year starts is to push through my limits. I’m amazed with the strength I’m gaining week by week and the amount of weight I’m losing but I wanted to level it up. In order to get better at something you need to do it over and over again until you master it. Even after mastering it, you can still go beyond that boundary.

We are unbounded and limitless. We just need to exercise our self-discipline, commitment, and determination to move forward so we can see the heights of our own potential.

Monday

Warm-up: 10 min. Stationary Bike

Workout Target Areas: Back & Core

Back:
12 Deadlifts (3 sets)
12 Barbell Row (3 sets)
12 Seated Row (3 sets)
12 T Bar Row (3 sets)
12 Reverse-Grip Lat Pull-Down (3 sets)
12 Dumbbell Row (3 sets)
12 Standing Behind-the-Neck Pull-Down (3 sets)

Cardio (3 sets of):
30 Sprint
20 Slam Ball
10 Burpees

Core (3 sets of):
20 Leg Raises
20 Ankle Touches

Notes:

  • My first workout this new year! I found it so refreshing after having a few days break.
  • I feel a hint of protest from my body since it got used to resting during the holidays.
  • Doing the cardio and core workouts after lifting really did improve my capacity to lift weights since I get to have more energy to attack the sets.
  • I’m striving to complete the repetitions continuously now per set unlike before where I stop at doing 5 to rest during the set.
  • I was really determined to burn all the calories and get back to choosing healthy.
  • Only exercising the back muscles takes a getting used to for me since I don’t actively engage them much in my daily activities.

Wednesday

Warm-up: 10 min. Stationary Bike

Workout Target Areas: Chest & Shoulders

Chest:
12 Incline Barbell Press (3 sets)
12 Lying Bench Press (3 sets)
12 Decline Dumbbell Bench Press (3 sets)
12 Dumbbell Pullover (3 sets)
12 Pec Deck (3 sets)

Shoulders:
12 Standing Military Press (3 sets)
12 Dumbbell Shoulder Press (3 sets)
12 Lateral Raise (3 sets)
12 Reverse Pec Dec (3 sets)
12 Face Pull (3 sets)
12 Upright Row (3 sets)

Cardio (3 sets of):
2 min. Sprint
1 min. Battle Rope
30 Crunches
30 Leg Raises

Notes:

  • The burn is real.
  • Coach has added more routines for me to do and I’m surprised my body is strong enough to take it now.
  • I still can’t get the hand of the standing military press. It’s one of the hardest routines for me to execute though I’m happy I still complete them.
  • My shoulders look edgier now compared to last time. I can now see the results of my hard work.
  • Doing 1 minute battle rope for cardio was extremely difficult! I can execute 20-30 fine but smashing the ropes on the floor for a minute was hard to keep up! I was sweating buckets!
  • It was a great session. I was tired but feeling accomplished.

Thursday

Cardio (3 sets of):
30 Side-to-side Jumping Jacks
30 High Knees
15 Burpees
30 Climbers
30 Plank Jacks

Finisher:
100 Leg Raises
2 min. Plank

Notes:

  • I was still feeling a bit sore so I exchanged the 30 running lunges with the side-to-side jumping jacks and 30 high knees. Running lunges were difficult for me to execute this day so I switched it with two exercises that I think have the same amount of intensity combined.
  • I still don’t like doing burpees.
  • Thank you body for doing what you need to do push your limits and become healthier.

Friday

Warm-up: 10 min. Stationary Bike

Workout Target Areas: Legs & Arms

Legs:
12 Dead Squats (3 sets) 90 kilos
12 Leg Press (3 sets)
12 Lying Hamstring Curl (3 sets)
12 Leg Extension (3 sets)
12 Calf Raises (3 sets)

Biceps:
12 Biceps Cable Curl (3 sets)
12 Hammer Curl (3 sets)
12 Standing Dumbbell Curl (3 sets)

Triceps:
12 Triceps Bar Pushdown (4 sets)
12 Triceps Row Pushdown (4 sets)
12 Dumbbell Overhead Triceps Extension (4 sets)

Cardio (3 sets of):
2 min. Bike (fast)
30 Elevated Climbers
15 Elevated Burpees

Notes:

  • My left wrist is a bit painful. I think I might have twisted it when lifting a weight. Coach recommended that I but wrist wraps to support it so it won’t be overexerted when lifting.
  • I’m still lifting 90 kilos when doing the squats. One thing I noticed this time is that I find it easier to lift it now and complete the last set without feeling like falling over.
  • When I squeeze my arms I can now feel more muscle than fat. Good gains!
  • The cardio session was intense! I’m glad to finish strong with this set

I’m really proud of where I am right now. It’s the result of hard work and determination to move an inch limit after limit. To go over and achieve something , we need to be intentional about it, whether it’s losing weight or mastering egg fried rice. Believe in yourself that you can do it.

Do you have “to lose weight this year” in your resolution?
Put a target number on it.
Put a healthy plan on it.
Put all of yourself into it.

Go beyond your limit.

Happy New Year! Stays safe and healthy
– Kalvin

Photo by Karsten Winegeart on Unsplash