My First Trip Back to the Commercial Gym for 2010

First time to take a trip to the commercial gym. Was expecting a huge crowd at exactly 9am...but that wasn't the case this am. Parking wasn't a hassle either...

So I walk in and I see guys doing one arm dumbell cleans, guys doing pull ups, some doing supersetting routines, some fit girls doing stab ball rotational exercises and a few doing planks. I mean the stab balls were all taken in the gym this morning. Not that I was planning on using any of them today - but the fact that I see more and more people resorting to free weight exercises versus machines I guess is a good thing.

One thing I saw was the ego lifters going half way down on a leg press machine with a good amount of weight on it. None of my business but I couldn't help watch their form. Was it right or wrong? I don't know, haven't done them in a while, but it sure didn't look right to me. It's those things that make you wonder I guess. Oh well.

And then you see the guys and the girls hanging out leisurely...guy A who appears to sweat coming down his forehead and the girl A with her little sippy cup of water chit chatting for minutes on end. Then you have guy b with girl b - helping out girl b with an exercise and a few giggles in there as well. Yep the meathouse mentality set in again for me once again.

It doesn't bother me - but geez man - take it Starbucks if all you want to do is mess around in a gym.

Anyway, here I am - in my gym observation mode this morning entering in...observing, watching as I start my own routine. I'm not one to train much at my commercial gym anymore unless I need a change of scenery...and I'm glad I did this morning. But I slowly realized the why's as to why I like to workout at home or at work vs commercial gyms.

Less drama.

Anyway, here's how my workout went this morning, loads getting up there ~

a) Strength
Squats 95x5x5
Bench Press 95x5x5
Inverted rows 15, 13, 12
Push ups 12, 12, 8
* skipped the core for later

b) Intervals

Treadmill Sprints for intervals for 8 cycles 45 s work/60 s recovery

c) Core Training (2 circuits)

Planks (yep, more planks)
Windmills
ab wheel roll outs (using olympic bar and some plates)
side Planks
Reverse ab crunches

Less than 45 minutes was all it took for this routine. After that it was steam and a nice trip back home. Took a nice little power nap after 2 pm which helped. But my nutrition has been getting much better. I know so because the body just feels like it's in "cleansing" mode right now. I love it!

Cool Shirt!

Ok for those reading my blog and wanting to figure out what new program I'm doing...again, it's called MBodyStrength's Fat Loss and Strength and Conditioning Program which I've been doing since last week and loving every minute of it.

First and foremost, sorry to Marcus (Martinez) and Mark (de Grasse) for getting their names interchanged in my blogposts. My bad and my apologies for murdering their names...totally unintentional guys!

Anyway, I signed up to Mark de Grasse and Marcus Martinez's Mbodystrength online website for some free kettlebell programs and I tell you - these workouts will really kick your butt. Click here for more details on how to sign up for some free, effective workouts and these guys know how to do it and make it fun. This will be my 2nd week in and I'm really re-finding my love for kettlebell conditioning circuits and the unforgiving tabata protocol (which I will say with some sarcasm because they're only as tough as you want them to be).




I also got a free MbodyStrength T shirt which I'm currently sporting on the picture here as well as a picture of my youngest 2 year old son Gio (his nickname btw) as I was getting ready to do my Tabata training for the day. I did 5 tabata approaches using a med ball and my own body weight. So it was 5 exercises in 4 minute blocks with 20 active work and 10 second rest. Between each tabata I took 2 full minutes rest before going to the next block of tabatas. Here are the exercises I did right after bringing my twin boys to school this morning and my before and after shirt picture...dang this workout was hard. At least my son was able to behave while daddy was working out. He's a good kid. =)

Time: 9am
Garage workout

warm up

Tabatas
1) Alternating Off Set Push Ups (hands on med ball) (4 minutes - 20s:10s x 8 cycles)
2) Deck Squats with med ball to OH Press (4 minutes - 20s:10s x 8 cycles)
3) 2 hand KB swings using a 32 Kg KB (4 minutes - 20s:10s x 8 cycles)
4) Fast twitch mountain climbers hands on med ball (4 minutes - 20s:10s x 8 cycles)
5) Burpees to jump (4 minutes - 20s:10s x 8 cycles)



BAM! A 30 minute, shirt drenching workout. Workout B tomorrow....








Train smart...train safe!

Andy