Weight Training for the Week & Life Update
The past week was incredibly busy and productive. From gym life to personal daily chores, things are starting to look up for me – I am happy. Besides a great week, I was unable to get back online to post my workouts. Moving forward, I have plans to make this blog better for my readers and myself.
Family-Life
In a previous post, I told you how my father wasn’t well. He spent about two months in a hospital. Some of that time, he was in a coma. I spent countless hours in the hospital with my mother to support and keep my father company.
He started physical therapy with home health. They come to the house and get him up and moving. His strength is coming back. I am so happy to see him moving around by himself. He still has a ways to go, but his recovery has been excellent. I am proud of him and his determination to get better.
Work-Life
In that same post, I told you how I was unhappy with a job that I lost. I made the mistake by sticking around as long as I did. However, I learned from that experience. It taught me what I want out of a career. That led me to finding another opportunity that I believe to be perfect for me. I start my new job Wednesday.
If you are interested in learning more about my new job, you can visit jacquelynmarks.com.
Gym-Life
There was a lot to learn from that bad job experience. When working in a position, where I am not happy, this encouraged a lazy, depressed behavior. It was affecting my whole life. Since I can put that experience behind me, I was able to regain my momentum.
I have been at the gym about six days a week. If I am not in the gym, I am going for a run or doing something active. I’ve lost weight, and I feel great. My triceps started to show again without flexing! Before you ask me how, I am going to go with eating a plant-based diet, exercise, and genetics.
This time allowed me to regain my happiness. It also led me to a new friend. I met this girl at the dog park. She works out at the same gym. I showed her my workouts with a full disclosure how I plan everything out a week in advance. She hasn’t called me crazy yet.
We started to workout together, and she is a great gym partner. Jackpot!
The Workouts
I have received emails asking for the rest of the workouts for the week. Since I can’t always post daily, I am going to post my entire week’s workout here. If you have questions, just comment below.
Monday – Back & Cardio
| Exercises | Sets | Reps | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wide grip overhand pullups | 3 | 10 | |
| Superset: | |||
| Bent over barbell row | 3 | 8 | |
| seated cable row | 3 | 8 | |
| Back to normal: | |||
| Wide grip lat pulldown | 3 | 10 | |
| One-arm dumbbell row | 3 | 8 | |
| Hammer strength lat pull down | 3 | 10 | |
| Back extension | 3 | 8 | |
| 30 mins cardio | medium intensity |
Tuesday- Chest & Abs
| Exercises | Sets | Reps | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wide grip barbell bench press | 5 | 8 | |
| pushups | 3 | 15 | close and wide hand positions |
| cable crossover | 3 | 10 | |
| smith machine incline bench press | 3 | 10 | |
| side to side pushups | 3 | 10 | |
| Superset: | |||
| Toe touchers | 3 | 20 | |
| Crunches | 3 | 20 | legs straight in the air |
| Back to normal: | |||
| Knee/hip raise on parallel bars | 3 | 10 | (roman chair) |
| Cable crunch | 3 | 10 | |
| 30 mins cardio | medium intensity |
Wednesday- Legs
| Exercises | Sets | Reps | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leg extensions | 2 | 30 | light weight – this is warmup |
| Wide stance barbell squat | 4 | 15 | 2 lighter sets of 15 reps, 2 heavier sets to failure |
| Leg press | 4 | 8 | shoulder width stance |
| Walking barbell lunge | 3 | 20 | baby steps |
| barbell step ups | 3 | 10 | |
| plie dumbbell squat | 3 | 15 | |
| standing calf raise | 3 | 20 | |
| leg press calf raise | 3 | 20 |
Thursday- Arms, Abs & Cardio
| Exercises | Sets | Reps | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barbell curl | 3 | 10 | |
| Superset: | |||
| Overhead cable curl | 3 | 10 | |
| cable hammer curls | 3 | 10 | with rope |
| Back to normal: | |||
| Alternate hammer curl | 3 | 10 | |
| dips | 3 | 15 | |
| skullcrushers | 3 | 10 | |
| seated triceps press | 3 | 10 | |
| tricep pushdown | 3 | 10 | with rope |
| air bike | 3 | 25 | |
| jackknife sit-up | 3 | 10 | |
| hanging leg raise | 3 | 10 | roman chair |
| 30 mins cardio | medium intensity |
Friday- Shoulders & Cardio
| Exercises | Sets | Reps | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smith Machine Military Press | 4 | 10 | Set 1 – go light (warmup) Sets 2-4 give it your all |
| Superset: | |||
| upright dumbbell raise | 3 | 10 | |
| standing dumbbell military press | 3 | 10 | |
| Back to normal: | |||
| Incline bench front dumbbell delt raise | 3 | 10 | |
| Rear delt cable flyes | 3 | 10 | |
| lateral raise | 3 | 10 | |
| rear delt raise | 3 | 10 | |
| 30 mins cardio | medium intensity |
Saturday- Legs & Cardio
| Exercises | Sets | Reps | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Superset: | |||
| Seated leg curl | 3 | 10 | |
| Leg extensions | 3 | 10 | |
| Superset: | |||
| Barbell lunge | 3 | 20 | long strides |
| Abductor machine | 3 | 20 | |
| Superset: | |||
| Lying leg curls | 3 | 15 | |
| Adductor machine | 3 | 15 | |
| Back to normal: | |||
| Stiff-legged deadlift | 3 | 10 | |
| single leg barbell squat | 3 | 10 | |
| leg press (wide stance) | 1 | 1 giant drop-set to failure | |
| seated calf raise | 3 | 20 | |
| standing calf raise | 3 | 20 |