Today’s Workout – Chest
My weight is currently at 114lbs. Which is good, although ideally I'd like to lose 4 more pounds. Been feeling a little bloated lately, probably due to the fact that I haven't been drinking enough water and Aunt Flow is about to make her monthly visit. Goddamn water retention.
Anyway here's today's workout:
Warm-up: Cycling machine - 10 mins
Barbell Close Grip Bench Press – 5 sets x 8 reps
Lie supine on bench with upper chest under bar. Grasp bar with wide oblique overhand grip. Disengage bar by rotating bar back.Lower weight to upper chest. Press bar until arms are extended. Repeat. Keep your elbows close to the side of your body when lowering the barbell. Range of motion will be compromised if grip is too wide.
Alternatively, you can use dumbbells if you aren't confident about using the barbell.
Press dumbbells up with elbows to sides until arms are extended. Lower weight to sides of upper chest until slight stretch is felt in chest or shoulder. Repeat.
____________________________________________________________
Dumbbell Incline Fly – 5 sets x 8 reps
Lower dumbbells to sides until chest muscles are stretched with elbows fixed in slightly bent position. Bring dumbbells together in hugging motion above upper chest until dumbbells are nearly together. Repeat.
Keep shoulders internally rotated so elbows point downward at bottom position and outward at top position.
____________________________________________________________
Dumbbell Pullover – 3 sets x 8 reps
Lie upper back perpendicular on bench. Flex hips slightly. Grasp one dumbbell from behind or from side with both hands under inner plate of dumbbell. Position over chest and keep elbows bent slightly throughout exercise.
Lower dumbbell over and beyond head until upper arms are parallel to torso. Return and repeat.
Lower body extending off of bench acts as counter balance to resistance and keeps upper back fixed on bench. Avoid hips from raising up significantly. Actual range of motion is dependent upon individual shoulder flexibility. Keep elbows fixed at small bend throughout exercise.
If you find trouble balancing or maintaining your form, use a stability ball - that's what I do it.
____________________________________________________________
Dumbbell Decline Bench Press – 3 sets x 8 reps
Sit down on decline bench with feet under leg brace and dumbbells resting on thigh. Lie back with dumbbells. Position dumbbells to sides of chest with bent arm under each dumbbell.
Press dumbbells up with elbows to sides until arms are extended. Lower weight to sides of chest until slight stretch is felt in chest or shoulder. Repeat.
Stirrup should follow slight arch pattern, above upper arm between elbow and chest at bottom, traveling inward over each shoulder at top.
____________________________________________________________
End off with 15 mins on the rowing machine.
* * * * *
Making smoked salmon pasta for lunch, sooo looking forward to that after this workout!
Images & description from ExRx.net
9am Get Up: Shoulder + Triceps
My back is STILL a little sore from Monday's workout. Probably because I haven't done deadlifts in a while. Checked in the bathroom 6 times yesterday, I figured it wasn't the acid reflux acting up afterall but simply a case of bad food or something. Feeling much better this morning!
About to head to gym in an hour, but not without a game plan. Already did cardio yesterday so I'm gonna do shoulders today. If you're on the Explode Program, check out Day 6 - Shoulder & Abs . I'm switching it up a bit because my body's gotten used to that routine.
Kicking off with 10 mins on the elliptical machine to get the heart rate up, followed by Smith Shoulder Press:
Smith Shoulder Press – 3 sets x 8 reps
Sit on bench with bar positioned in front of shoulders. Grasp bar with wide overhand grip. Disengage bar by rotating bar back. Press bar upward until arms are extended overhead. Lower bar to front of shoulders and repeat. Pull head back slightly so bar does not head. Range of motion will be compromised if grip is too wide.
____________________________________________________________
Barbell Close Grip Bench Press – 3 sets x 8 reps
Lie on bench and grasp barbell from rack with shoulder width grip. Lower weight to chest with elbows close to body. Push barbell back up until arms are straight. Repeat. Grip can be slightly narrower than shoulder width but not too close.
____________________________________________________________
Cable Pushdowns – 5 sets x 8 reps
This will work on your triceps. Effective for getting rid of flabby arms!
Face high pulley and grasp cable attachment with overhand narrow grip. Position elbows to side. Extend arms down. Return until forearm is close to upper arm. Repeat. The elbow can travel up few inches at top of motion. Stay close to cable to provide resistance at top of motion.
____________________________________________________________
Cable Decline Tricep Extensions – 3 sets x 8 reps
Position legs under lower leg pad and lie back on bench. Grasp bar with narrow overhand grip. Position bar near forehead or top of head.
Extend elbows to raise bar attachment until arms are straight. As arms extended, position them vertically. Lower bar by bending elbows. As bar nears head reposition elbows back just enough to allow bar to clear around curvature of head. Repeat.
____________________________________________________________
Dumbbell Arnold Press – 3 sets x 8 reps
Stand with two dumbbells position in front of shoulders, palms facing body and elbows under wrists. Initiate movement by bringing elbows out to sides. Continue to raise elbows outward while pressing dumbbells overhead until arms are straight. Lower to front of shoulders in opposite pattern and repeat.
*Important: Movement should emphasize shoulder abduction while minimizing forearm pronation as this exercise attempts to combine lateral raise like motion with shoulder press. Lean forward slightly when lifting dumbbells.
____________________________________________________________
I'll most likely do some lateral raises and dumbbell shrugs to end things off if I still have the energy...
If you're not confident with using the Smith machine or bar bell (especially if you don't have a trainer/someone supervising), it's best and safe to work with free weights. There are plenty of other routines where you can use dumbbells, that's why the Explode Program (Shoulders + Abs) was made easy for beginners.
Ladies, you will not get buff from these routines unless you have sumo's eating habits.
Follow these routines carefully and eat right - you WILL become toned and lean. Strong and lean is the way to go, not thin and frail!
Burn Off Fats From Your Thighs & Strengthen Your Quads
Want sexy legs?
Wall sits are great for strengthening your quads and toning up your glutes and hamstrings. It's a simple yet effective workout and all you'll need is yourself, a wall and a timer.
Stand about 2 feet away from your wall and sit on an imaginary chair. Steadily adjust your position until your legs are at an 90º angle like so:
Make sure your weight is evenly distributed on your feet (not on your toes or the balls of your feet). Maintain your position for 45 seconds and continue with another leg workout. You can incorporate this as part of your leg workout in the Explode Program, in between sets.
When doing legs, I prefer to start with the Smith Machine Squats. This was what I did yesterday. (Started off with 10 mins warm-up on the cycling machine.)
____________________________________________________________
Smith Machine Squats – 5 sets x 8 reps
There's a lot of argument about how doing squats with the Smith machine is bad for your knees as it restricts your body's natural groove and puts too much pressure on your joints and back, especially if the weight is too heavy, but I personally find this effective. If it's your first time doing this, never, ever try doing it yourself, you might injure yourself in the long run if you don't get your form right.
It's OK to get help from a personal trainer or somebody who has better knowledge about weight training. Otherwise, I suggest sticking to the basics and using only dumbbells - which is just as effective (some other examples below)!
With bar upper chest height, position bar on back of shoulders and grasp bar to sides. Place feet slightly forward. Disengage bar by rotating bar back.
Bend knees forward slightly while allowing hips to bend back behind, keeping back straight and knees pointed same direction as feet. Descend until thighs are just past parallel to floor. Extend knees and hips until legs are straight. Return and repeat.
*Tip: Keep head facing forward or up, back straight and feet flat on floor; equal distribution of weight through forefoot and heel. Knees should point same direction as feet throughout movement.
____________________________________________________________
Dumbbell Squat – 4 sets x 8 reps
This is also another one of my favorite workouts. If you want a nice, toned butt, do this workout right and you'll see results.
Stand with dumbbells grasped to sides. Bend knees forward slightly while allowing hips to bend back behind, keeping back straight and knees pointed same direction as feet. Descend until thighs are just past parallel to floor. Extend knees and hips until legs are straight. Return and repeat.
Use the same tip for the Smith Machine Squats this workout.
____________________________________________________________
Dumbbell Single Leg Split Squat – 3 sets x 8 reps
Stand with dumbbells grasped to sides facing away from bench. Extend leg back and place top of foot on bench. Squat down by flexing knee and hip of front leg until knee of rear leg is almost in contact with floor. Return to original standing position by extending hip and knee of forward leg. Repeat. Continue with opposite leg.
____________________________________________________________
As I've mentioned before, DO look up the Exercise & Muscle Directory on ExRx.net. Its super useful, descriptive and easy to follow. I can't find any other example as easy and direct as this.
The Quick 100 Workout
Sup guys, I'm up early for a morning work call. Feels good and refreshing to be fully awake at this hour and literally watch the sun come up. I could get used to this and it's probably the best time to hit the gym now, but the warm, soft bed beckons. Lazy Fay is calling me back to bed and Fit Fay wants to hit the mill. Decisions, decisions.
Perhaps I'll kill two birds with one stone and workout and THEN go back to bed. Here's The Quick 100 Workout, for you 'sorta' lazy bums. GET UP, and WORK OUT, NOW!
100 jumping jacks
90 crunches
80 squats
70 leg lifts
60 jumping jacks
50 crunches
40 squats
30 leg lifts
20 jumping jacks
RUN for 10 minutes
Your body will thank you.
Finally Back In The Gym!
The last time I worked out was before Christmas! Had been down with cough+flu and my body was so weak that I even fainted in the train once that weekend (it didn't help that I skipped breakfast AND was on my period). It was the worse feeling EV-ER.
Been starting to feel a little flabby and this persistent cough+flu is definitely taking its time to go away. That didn't stop me from hitting the gym yesterday though, finally! My first workout of the year! Did 10 mins cardio, shoulder workout and 12 mins rowing. Woke up this morning with my body thanking me with soreness.
Question of the day comes from Sophie:
She asks: What is the best exercise to flatten belly?
The best way is less carbs, more cardio and overall resistance training. Abs workouts should be a primary exercise while you work on the more important muscle groups such as legs, back and shoulders. Check out the Explode Program and you will notice that I didn't set a day for just doing abs. You need to work on your whole body to flatten your tummy. Ever seen a guy with flabby arms and a flat tummy? Nope. Best exercise? Ab workout of the month for October. If that's too hardcore for you, try using the workout ball.
KettleBlock – World’s SMARTEST Dumbbell
Homie Mark Enriquez back from Singapore was doing some window shopping when he stumbled upon the KettleBlock™ at the AIBI store in Parkway Parade.
I had actually been thinking about purchasing a Kettlebell for a while now but they come separately in different weights - 5, 10 & 20 pounds - which isn't ideal for me as I'd like something more versatile like the Bowflex®.
So when I saw the KettleBlock™, it was like a dream come true. Now I'm not a hardcore weight trainer or anything but this is something I'd definitely like to experiment and train with.
But with a price tag of SGD348 for this baby, I think I'll stick to the free weights at the gym for now.
The Secret Of Getting Ahead…
♡
The secret of getting ahead is getting started.
- Mark Twain
Are you ready for 2011?
I've decided to surprise you with the *new blog* a day in advanced (also because, realistically speaking, I will be out partying on New Year's eve...)!
How do you like it? I have so much planned for 2011 and I can't wait to share it with you on my blog.
Thank you to my loyal readers who keep me stoked and always wanting to learn and share new things on this blog. This blog is for you as much as it is for me.
I am soooo ready for 2011, which seems to be yet another promising year for the Rabbit (holla to those born in '87)!
2010's resolution was to 'Be One With Nature', in 2011 it will be all about 'Progress For Success' 
Happy New Year Everyone! Enjoy the fireworks. I'll be back to with more inspiration and motivation for you in the new year.
What Are Americans Eating?
It's interesting to read some of the visual statistics on VisualEconomics.com . From 'Financial Habits of The American Youth' to 'How The World Spends Its Time Online', the simple graphs show a clear perspective on what and how much we consume in our daily lives. While some of the statistics are somewhat trivial and less important than others, I couldn't help but share this rather predictable statistic on how much food and beverage the average American consumes over the course of ONE year...
I am surprised that we consume more dairy products than corn/corn syrup and cereal products combined. After watching 'Food Inc.', you would think we drink more soda (aka corn syrup) than milk. I am surprised they didn't include 'Beer' in a separate category on the graph. In short, this diagram (especially the summary at the bottom) is trying to tell us that Americans consume a lot of french fries, pizza, ice-cream, soda and caffeine in our daily diet. Interesting, isn't it? I'd really like to see a graph on 'How Much We Exercise/Spend Our Energy' next.
Recipe Of My Life
I summed up this equation after a reader added me on BBM to ask if I did mostly cardio or weight training.
Here's your answer: 30% cardio + 20% weight training + 40% diet + 10% passion + 100% dedication.
Oh yes, I just bought me a Blackberry. Still keeping my iPhone though!
Have a lovely week, everyone!
When You Feel Like You Don’t Have A Home…
♡
There are days when you feel like you don’t have a home. No family or anything to lean on. Your best friend can’t even spot you a buck. That is why the gym is my true home. The bench is always there for me to lean on, and a complete stranger will always spot me.
Speaking of having a home, wouldn't you want to have a home like this?
The good news is, you can actually turn your study room into this:
Anything is possible!
Chasing the sun across the globe, starting from Singapore to California, Florida, and now Kuala Lumpur.
About
Latest Feeds
Twitter Updates
Sponsors
Must-Reads
Categories
- Advertorial
- Advice
- Beauty
- Blog
- Contest
- Events
- Explode Program
- Fashion
- Feature
- Fitness
- Food
- Food Diary
- Gym Jam
- Health
- Just For Fun
- Motivation
- Movies
- Party
- Quicktips!
- Quotes
- Recipes
- Reviews
- Routines
- Shopping
- Snapshots
- Thoughts
- Travel
- Videos
- Wishlist
- Work