Sprint 2 the Table

Appetites and Adventures

Arm Yourself For Summer – Workout & Protein Refuel

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It’s no secret that bicep day is my favorite.

My trainer says it because I’m a “dude.”

When I needed to drag myself back to the gym after 2 weeks in Greece, the most appealing workout to me was my favorite – biceps and triceps.

This workout was just what I needed – challenging and focused on the muscles I wasn’t able to work while I was away.  I think most of these moves are self-explanatory.  In case you aren’t familiar with it, this is what an EZ bar looks like:

EZ bar

There’s a similar looking crimped bar for use with the cables.

… 

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Work It Out: Post-Augmentation Exercises

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Resting makes me restless.

I tried to be good.  Really.

After my surgery I was forced to rest.  I knew it was good for me as my body healed, but as my energy returned I got anxious.  Today’s Work It Out is dedicated to easing back post-surgery.  Patiently.

These tips may be applied to other types of recovery as well.  Use at your discretion. 🙂

sprint2table-workitout

Disclaimer: I am NOT a doctor.  Don’t do any of this without asking a doctor. Don’t sue me if you hurt yourself.  This plan is mine and mine alone.  What works for you will vary by your fitness level and how your body heals.

 

The main concern with working out after a breast augmentation is overusing the pectoral muscles – particularly with those who have implants are underneath the muscle.  The actual muscle needs time to heal.  After surgery there is a capsule that forms in the pocket holding the implant.  Think of it as the body’s way of protecting against a foreign object (this could be any implant).  Doing too much too soon can cause the capsule to become hard.  The goal is to allow the capsule to form in such a way that it is undetectable.

Breast-Implant-Capsular-Contracture-Dr-Barry-Eppley-Indianapolis

If the capsule thickens too much, is causes capsular contracture.  This is what makes the implant feel like a rock and can make the shape look wonky.  Bottom line: Avoid overuse of the pectoral muscles.

Below is a summary of what I’ve been able to do at different points post-augmentation.  Again, consult a doctor before you do ANYTHING!  Be sure to wear a super supportive sports bra when doing any activity.  For the first time in my life I am actually wearing 2 bras at once!

Post-Augmentation Exercise

First 4-5 days 1: Rest  (seriously).  It’s good to move around a little to keep blood flowing, but I’m talking walking from the couch to the kitchen.  Even that will probably wear you out on days 2 and 3.

Next 5-10 days: I started light cardio in the form of walking.  I probably went further than they would have liked, but I wasn’t moving to fast and I kept it to the cooler times of day.  You don’t want to get hot or elevate the heart rate to avoid infection and swelling (which increases risk of contracture).  The girls need to settle!

Week 3-4: After you regain energy, work with a doctor and – if available – a knowledgable trainer to outline an exercise regimen for you and your specific needs.  This is my plan:

  • Low-impact cardio is ok here.  My doctor said I could run as long as it was cool and I kept it to 50-70% of maximum effort.  There is no sprinting anywhere.  The elliptical (without arms) and stationary bike are also good choices.
  • I was released to do leg work.  We have to start slow with mostly body weight.  Barbell squats are a no-no.
  • SOME isolated upper body weight lifting – I was warned that it must be light weight and limited to isolated biceps and triceps.
  • Lower abs are free and clear!

 

So with all those limitations what do I do?!  Since the exercises I can do are limited, I keep the reps varied.  You can go one day for strength (8 to 10 reps) and one day for endurance (15 to 20 reps).

Moves that are easy on the chest:

Leg Extensions seated

Legs:

Single Arm Preacher Curl

Upper Body:

Note: Chest, overhead, and any jumping around (high impact) exercises should be avoided like the plague!  Damn – no burpees for me.

pulse ups

Abs:

Weeks 5-6: TBD!  I go back to the Dr and should be cleared for a little more. 🙂

To give you an idea of how I’m using these moves, here’s a workout I did last Friday.

From the above menu of options, I choose 5 leg/butt moves, 2 biceps, 2 triceps, and a series of abs.  I adjust the amount of abs based on how I’m feeling at the end of each workout, but 3 ab exercises seems to be a good number for me so far.

Looking for a workout that's a little less stressful on your chest after an augmentation or injury? Try this routine!

INTERESTED IN LEARNING MORE?

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Don’t miss my free Macro Calculator, which helps time your meals to get the most out of your workouts.

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I wrote this with the “twins” in mind, but this workout is good for anyone – especially those who’ve had upper body injuries.

Do you have any moves to add to the list?  Isolated triceps are not easy to do!

What is the exercise you’re most excited to get back to after a forced rest?

Work It Out Away From Home

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Everyone likes a routine.

I love change, but not when it interferes with my workout.

In my job I have to travel a good amount.  Airports, hotels, and packing ridiculous amount of food don’t really bother me.  What DOES get under my skin is trying to fit a good workout in, and having to do it in a hotel gym.

sprint2table-workitout-BLUE

After long days in conference rooms and meal times being thrown off, it’s sometimes hard to motive to leave the hotel room for a workout.  Then there’s the problem of having to figure out how to work it out in a small hotel gym next to some stinky dude practicing karate kicks.

I’ve learned to be flexibly inflexible.  I’m NOT flexible in that I refuse to skip my workout.  Being sedentary all day is all the more reason TO workout.  The flexibility comes in with my routine.  I have to change-up my planned workout and adapt to the situation.

I will not be confined

Many of my workouts require squat racks, simpler machines, and barbells.  The gym on my last couple of trips had only free weights, a bench, and a stability ball.

I managed to adapt 2 shoulder/glute days, 1 chest/bicep day, and 1 back/tricep day.  The back and tricep workout was the hardest for me to create, but it also was my favorite!  I get a lot of questions about my workouts, so I wanted to share this one with you today.  Simple to do with minimal equipment!

Back and Triceps To-Go

For each exercise, do 3 sets of 10-12 reps.  If you are lifting heavy, do 4 sets of 6-10 reps.   Click the links below for a written explanation of each move.

If you need an added challenge, consider incorporating active recovery between each set.  Tina wrote a great post on active recovery options here.  My favorite are jumping jacks!

Back

One Arm Rows

one arm rows

Dumbbell Clean and Press

Dumbbell Clean and Press

Prone Reverse Flys

(can be done on a ball or a flat bench)

prone reverse flys

Bent Over Two Arm Rows

(I did these as fulls and partials)

Bent Over Rows

Standing Dumbbell Upright Rows

upright row

Triceps

Single Arm Nose Busters

Nose Busters

Two Arm Overhead Extension

overhead extension

Bench Dips…

superset with Diamond Push-ups

Bench Dips

One Arm Kickbacks

dumbbell kickback

***As usual, here’s the disclaimer: I’m not a professional.  Use common sense and don’t actually bust your nose doing Nose Busters.  And if you do mess up your pretty face, don’t sue me.  Please.**

***

No equipment?  Try one of my Top 5 Favorite Tabata-Style Workouts!

Has anyone else been working on the rump after last week’s post?

Do you workout while you’re traveling?  Running is a great way to see a city… when it’s not snowing.

Work It Out with Jody

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New moves are my favorite.

 

I’m doing many right now and I point my toes down some ski slopes.

Today’s Work It Out post features one of my biggest inspirations – Jody @ Truth2BeingFit.  She is a big fan of changing up workouts to keep things interesting and effective, and her positive energy is contagious.  Take one look at her picture and you’ll see she clearly knows what she’s doing.  AND this amazing lady just celebrated her 55th birthday!

 

 

I’m Working It Out this week in a few different ways.  Saturday I went hiking at Red Rocks with Heather and Lauren!

Heather, Me, and Lauren at Red Rocks

 

________________________________________________________________________________________

I want to thank Laura for inviting me to guest post today!  She is an amazing young (Editor’s Note: It’s so nice to be called young…) woman who knows how to kick some “arse” in the gym! 😉

For those that don’t know me, my name is Jody and I blog over at Truth2BeingFit.  I have been working out for over 30 years & turned 55 on the 15th of this month.  YIKES! Where did the time go!  (Editor’s Note: I sure hope I look half this good at 55!)


I know some may look at my pictures & think I can’t relate BUT I can!  I was heavy as a kid.  I lost weight in high school but did many things wrong on this lifelong journey.  My mantra: ALWAYS LEARNING & ALWAYS A WORK IN PROGRESS.


Laura asked to me to share a couple of workout moves that are different from the norm to help you mix it up in the gym & work your body in different ways.  I am a “change agent” in the gym.  I LOVE mixing it up!

I first want to link you to a couple recent posts of mine.  Many people are stuck in a rut using the same attachment for the same move all the time.  Check out this post, Variety is the Spice of Life, Cable Attachment Love!  I also have a post on a variation of drop sets here.  Drop sets are a more advanced move so if you are a beginner, leave this until you have a few months under your belt.

 

One move I love to do is using a seated row machine for bicep curls with a rope (hammer curls w/rope), straight or cambered bar or even a single D handle.  You will have to use a LIGHTER weight for this move.  Grab the bar, rope or D handle & lie back on the seat of the row machine.  Curl away.  The fact that you are lying & you can’t cheat really stresses the biceps – LOVE IT!  You can also do this by placing a mat on the floor by the bottom rung of a cable machine.  With your feet closest to the cable machine, grab attachment, lie back & curl!  (Editor’s Note: This is how I do them – SO effective!)

 

 

Another move is to place a bench by the cable machine.  Place one of the attachments in the paragraph above on the lowest rung of the cable machine.  Grab the attachment & lie back on the bench with your head closest to the machine.  From here, you can do lying cable triceps extensions/skull crushers.  Use a stability ball to engage the core or if there is not a bench available.  Always use proper form!  It is easy to hurt the shoulders if you are not very careful with form!

 

I would like to finish by saying that always be true to you!  There is no “my way or the highway.”  Find what works for you.  Of course, if you are new to lifting, you want to learn the traditional way of lifting with proper form.  Learn to listen to your body and how everything feels from day one – get that mind/muscle link!

Once you become more advanced, you can start putting programs together that meet your needs – not that friend or other person in the gym.  Life changes, we change, our body changes, our goals change along this lifelong journey.  Always work toward finding that best for you.  This does not mean we can’t learn from others BUT it does mean that we learn to recognize what works best for ourselves.

Thanks again to Laura for inviting me to guest post!  Please feel free to email at jody @ truth2beingfit.com with any questions… although Laura knows her stuff! 🙂

***

Thank you for showing us some new moves, Jody!  I’ve never thought to use the row machine for curls… can’t wait to get back and try it out!

Did anyone try last week’s 1 1/2s?

Has the way you workout changed over time?  How so?

 

Tank-Top Ready Triceps

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It’s a big day.

  1. We are just a few loooong hours from a long weekend
  2. I’m going to pick up my first jug or local raw milk and straight-from-the-farm eggs
  3. This is my first post by request (never mind that the request is from  family member… thanks Aunt Teresa!)

Recently I posted a shoulder workout sure to leave you shoulders lookin’ good.  My aunt commented that she would like some ideas for triceps as well.  Ask and you shall receive.

Triceps are my favorite body part to work.  Thoughts of tight tris = awesome motivator!  Since Memorial Day Weekend marks the official beginning of tank top season, I worked mine big-time last night. 🙂

I always work my chest and tris on the same day.  There are a lot of opinions out there, but I subscribe to the primary/secondary theory.  Triceps are secondary muscles in chest exercises; therefore I like to work my triceps on the same day as my chest.  I find it goes a long way in my being able to totally exhaust the muscles.

  • I like to keep my heart rate up.  I sprint to rest my arms.
  • Grouping exercises is an easier way for me to organize/write a routine when I’m using sprints.
  • My first group incorporates non-chest/tri muscles.  It’s more of a warm-up.
  • Almost every workout I do ends with abs (albeit some days are lighter than others).

I ALWAYS end with a green protein shake… and after particularly hard days, I end with a glass of vino.

To me, from me

This is my go-to tight-tri workout.  It may seem long, but remember you are just 11 moves (14 if you do the abs) and 1 quick mile from a shake (and maybe some wine).

1. Warm up for 5 mins (jogging or elliptical)

2. Group 1

20 Diamond Push-Ups

Your hands should form a diamond (to target tris) like this:

Diamond push-ups

20 Skull Crushers

Skull crushers

Lie flat on your back with a dumbbell in each hand.  Bend your elbows, lowering barbell toward your forehead.  Be sure your weights aren’t too heavy… otherwise you may actually crush your skull. Straighten elbows (without locking them!) and repeat.

20 Seated Leg Tucks

Leg tucks

30 Seconds of Fast Squats

Important Note: get low, but be SURE not to let your knees go over your toes.  That’s how you hurt you knees.

3. 1/4 Mile Treadmill Sprint

4. Group 2

Dumbbell Press with Twist – 3 sets of 15

dumbbell twist

Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat on the ground.  Hold a dumbbell in each hand slightly above chest, with your elbows slightly bent out to the sides and palms facing forward.  Extend your arms over chest (without locking your elbows!), and turn each palm to face your head.  Reverse motion to return to starting position and repeat.

Bridge Fly – 3 sets of 12

Lie on a stability ball (you can also use a flat bench) with a dumbbell in each hand.  Dumbbells should be slightly above upper abdomen with elbows to your side.  Lower dumbbells to sides until chest muscles are slightly stretched. Bring dumbbells together in hugging motion until dumbbells just touch. Repeat.

Note: Hold your butt up, keeping your body in a straight line.  This will give the added benefit or engaging your glutes and abs.

5. 1/4 Mile Treadmill Sprint

4. Group 3

Overhand Push-Down – 3 sets of 12

Place hands 6-10 in apart on straight bar with an overhand grip (palms down).  Pull down until your forearms so they are parallel to the floor. This is your starting point.  Be sure to keep your elbows close to your body and feet slightly bent, shoulder width apart and bend your knees slightly.  Push the bar down slowly toward legs until arms are fully extended (don’t lock elbows!).  Your elbows should still be close to the body and your core should be tight.  Repeat.

Underhand Push-Down – 3 sets of 12

reverise grip tricep pushdown

Same as above, but with hands holding the bar in an underhand position.

Straight Arm Pull-Down – 3 sets of 15

Straightarm pulldown

Stand facing the cable machine with your feet shoulder-width apart (or with one foot slight in front of other).  Using an overhand grip on the straight bar, place hands shoulder-width apart.  At the start, the bar should be slightly higher than shoulder level.  Keeping your elbows slightly bent, tighten core and pull the bar down until it reaches your upper thighs.  Be sure to keep your arms straight (again, without locking your elbows) throughout.  Slowly allow the bar to raise back to shoulder height, maintaining your tight core.

5. 1/4 Mile Treadmill Sprint

6. Group 3

Tricep Kickbacks – 3 sets of 12

dumbbell kickback

Place left knee and left hand on a bench.  With your right hand, hold a dumbbell keeping elbow against body.  Straighten the lower part of the arm all the way, then bend back to a 90˚ angle. Do not move the shoulder.  Repeat 12x with each arm to complete a set.

Tricep Push-Backs – 2 sets of 15, 1 set to exhaustion

Holding a dumbbell in each hand, stand with feet shoulder-width apart and knees slightly bent.  Arms should start straight down at sides with palms facing back.  Lift arms straight back (~2 ft behind you), pausing for a second before return to sides.  Repeat.

On your third set, repeat as many times as possible (to exhaustion).

7. 1/4 Mile Treadmill Sprint

8. Abs (a.k.a. Bonus Round)

Decline Crunches – 2 sets of 25

Bicycles – 2 sets of 30

Second best flat-ab exercise, in my opinion

Planks (click for times/tips) – best ab exercise ever for flat abs (in my experience)

If you aren’t tired after all of that… I’m seriously impressed.  Don’t skip  your 20g of protein post-workout!

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After this crazy work week, I couldn’t be more ready for 3 days off.  AND I’m kicking it off right with a massage this afternoon. 🙂

What is your favorite body part to work out?

How are you kicking off the long weekend?!

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