When the gray days of winter settled over Seattle last year, I found my self-esteem slipping, depression rising and my body sliding into poor health.
I needed a big-time mood booster, and a disciplined exercise routine seemed to be the most effective, and inexpensive, solution to my increasingly surly and self-deprecating attitude.
Although I realized the goal of exercise is to improve your quality of life by making physical activity a life-long habit you'll enjoy with friends and family, I didn't really know how to competently and confidently go about the business of getting in shape.
Fortunately I stumbled across Hugo Rivera and James Villepigue's book, "The Body Sculpting Bible," which will teach you nearly everything you need to know about proper exercise technique and form.
What follows is a workout rotation I've adapted from Rivera and Villepique's tome of muscle tone.
As always, check with your doctor and, if you have one, personal trainer to see if the work-out routine that has worked for me will work for you.
Break yourself in
If you haven't been to the gym in a while, you will definitely want to take yourself through a two-week break-in period. This will allow your body and mind to adjust to the work of a safe, efficient and fulfilling exercise habit - without feeling like you're going to die in the process.
The following three-day rotation should be done twice a week for two weeks. Each day features eight exercises paired into modified compound-supersets.
Days 1 and 4
Warm up: 20 minutes of cardio, 10 minutes of stretching, finishing with 25 lying leg raises and 25 crunches.
First modified compound-superset:
BACK: One-arm rows, two sets of 15 to 20 repetitions each with 90 seconds rest.
CHEST: Incline dumbbell press, two sets of 15 to 20 repetitions with 90 seconds rest.
Second modified compound-superset:
BACK: Dumbbell pullovers, two sets of 15 to 20 repetitions each with 90 seconds rest.
CHEST: Incline dumbbell flys (pushups on day 4), two sets of 15 to 20 repetitions each with 90 seconds rest.
Third modified compound-superset:
BICEPS: Dumbbell curls, two sets of 15 to 20 repetitions each with 90 seconds rest.
TRICEPS: Lying dumbbell triceps extensions, two sets of 15 to 20 repetitions each with 90 seconds rest.
Fourth modified compound-superset:
BICEPS: Concentration curls (hammer curls on day 4), two sets of 15 to 20 repetitions each with 90 seconds rest.
TRICEPS: Triceps kickbacks (overhead dumbbell triceps extensions on day 4), two sets of 15 to 20 repetitions each with 90 seconds rest.
Days 2 and 5
Warm up: 10 minutes of cardio, 10 minutes of stretching, finishing with 25 lying leg raises and 25 crunches.
First modified compound-superset:
THIGHS: Dumbbell squats (ballet squats on day 5), two sets of 15 to 20 repetitions each with 90 seconds rest.
HAMSTRINGS: Leg curls (lunges on day 5), two sets of 15 to 20 repetitions each with 90 seconds rest.
Second modified compound-superset:
THIGHS: Ballet squats (leg extensions on day 5), two sets of 15 to 20 repetitions each with 90 seconds rest.
HAMSTRINGS: Lunges (leg curls on day 5), two sets of 15 to 20 repetitions each with 90 seconds rest.
Third modified compound-superset:
CALVES: One-legged dumbbell calf raises, two sets of 15 to 20 repetitions each and 90 seconds rest.
SHOULDERS: Dumbbell shoulder press (dumbbell upright rows on day 5), two sets of 15 to 20 repetitions with 90 seconds rest.
Fourth modified compound-superset:
CALVES: Two-legged dumbbell calf raises, two sets of 15 to 20 repetitions each with 90 seconds rest.
SHOULDERS: Bent-over lateral raises, two sets of 15 to 20 repetitions each with 90 seconds rest.
Days 3 and 6
CARDIO: 20 minutes done outside, if you can.
ABDOMINAL: 25 lying leg raises and 25 crunches.
STRETCHING: 10 minutes from toes to top.
A six-week progression
Aside from consistency, changing your workout every two weeks is the key to getting into great shape. Our body's adaptability is the reasoning behind this pattern. After two weeks your muscles get used to your routine and your body's fat burning capabilities plateau.
Next week, I will present a three-day rotation that should be done twice a week over a six-week period before starting over without the break-in routine. As always, the emphasis will be not on how much you can lift, but how you lift.
Erik Hansen is Editor of The South District Business Journal and Beacon Hill News. Coming next week, the main body of the work out![[In-content Ad]]
