My Workout Routine

Me all ready to go work out... blegh I need
new workout clothes! Xmas list for sure :)

This post is going to be a comprehensive week-long workout routine. I'm posting it mostly for me, so that I can write down everything I want to do and make sure I stick to a schedule, but any of you are welcome to read it and use it too if you don't already have something you like- feel free to leave me some of your own tips, too! I'm definitely not a workout connoisseur. 

So, this post will have three parts. Part one will be a weekly schedule that's sweet and simple without any lengthy definitions. Part two will be a list of different weight training techniques to work out each body part mentioned in the schedule. Part three will be explanations of each particular weight training technique mentioned in the list, so that if I (or you) don't know/can't remember what to do for a certain workout, we can remind ourselves! Alright, lets get going :)
 
Part 1. 

	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday
45-60 Min Cardio	Ellipticals	Treadmills	Ellipticals	Treadmills	Ellipticals	Treadmills
15-30 Min Strength Training	Abs Chest Back	Legs	Abs Arms Shoulders	Chest Back	Abs Legs	Arms Shoulders
Misc	Bike 30 Min	Bike 20 Min	Bike 30 Min	Bike 30 Min	Bike 10 Min	n/a

Part 2.
Abs
- plank
- crunches
- side crunches
- leg lifts
- bicycle
Chest
- incline chest press
- decline chest press
- incline chest fly
- decline chest fly
- push-ups
Back
- shrugs
- bent over row
- dead lift
- back extensions
Legs
- standing calf raise
- bridge pose
- leg curl
- squats
- lunges
- lying side leg raise
Arms
- hammer curl
- curl
- overhead extensions
- tricep kickbacks
Shoulders
- front raise
- shoulder press
- upright row

Part 3.
(images and descriptions taken from strength-training-women.com)
Abs

PLANK:

Start in an upper push-up position. Your hands are directly under your shoulders and your feet are together. Keep your back as flat as possible. Your head and neck are in line with your spine. Remain in this position for as long as possible. If you feel the pose in your lower back, life your derriere higher. When you cannot hold it any longer, slowly decline and stretch into child's pose.

   
 CRUNCHES and SIDE CRUNCHES: These are pretty self explanatory since I think we've all known how to do them since 6th grade gym class :)


LEG LIFTS:

Begin by laying on your back. Place your hands wherever they are comfortable. Lift your legs straight into the air.Very slowly begin to lower your legs so that they are almost touching the ground. Pause for one second and begin to lift back to start.

BICYCLE:

Begin by laying on your back. Place your hands wherever they are comfortable. Bend your knees to a 90 degree angle. Very slowly straighten your right leg up to the sky and lower it almost to the ground. Bring it back to start. Now slowly take your left leg straight up and slowly lower it to the floor. Take it back in to start.

Chest

INCLINE CHEST PRESS:

Begin by laying on an incline bench. Place your feet and knees so that you are most comfortable. Allow your head to lay back on the bench. This will support your spine and neck. Hold a dumbbell in each hand. Palms facing away from you. Lift the dumbbells up to the sky by extending your arms up. Don't lock your elbows. Pause here for one second and slowly lower the weight back to start.

DECLINE CHEST PRESS:

Begin by laying on a decline bench. Place your feet and knees so that you are most comfortable. Allow your head to lay back on the bench. This will support your spine and neck. Hold a dumbbell in each hand. Palms facing away from you. Lift the dumbbells up to the sky by extending your arms up. Don't lock your elbows. Pause here for one second and slowly lower the weight back to the start of the chest exercise.

 



 INCLINE CHEST FLY:

Begin by laying on an incline bench. Place your feet and knees so that you are most comfortable. Allow your head to lay back on the bench. This will support your spine and neck. Hold a dumbbell in each hand. Palms are facing each other. Lift the dumbbells up to the sky by extending your arms up. Don't lock your elbows. Pause here for one second and slowly lower the weight back to start.

DECLINE CHEST FLY:

Begin by laying on a decline bench. Place your feet and knees so that you are most comfortable. Allow your head to lay back on the bench. This will support your spine and neck. Hold a dumbbell in each hand. Palms are facing each other. Lift the dumbbells up to the sky by extending your arms up. Don't lock your elbows. Pause here for one second and slowly lower the weight back to the start of the chest exercise.

 



PUSH-UPS: once again, pretty self explanatory.

Back

SHRUGS:

Stand with your feet under your hips and knees slightly bent. Hold a free weight in each hand, palms facing your sides. Keep your arms relaxed and elbows extended. Pull your shoulders up to your ears. Pause for one second and lower back to start.

 





 BENT OVER ROW:

Stand with your feet under your hips and knees slightly bent. Hold a free weight in each hand, palms facing each other, arms relaxed. Bend forward from your hips and keep your back as flat as possible. Your head and neck are in line with your spine. As you pull the free weights up, bend your elbows and keep them close to your sides. Lift the elbows up to the sky. Pause for one second and lower back to start.

 DEADLIFT:

 Stand with your feet under your hips and knees slightly bent. Hold a free weight in each hand, palms facing your shins. Bend forward from your hips and keep your back as flat as possible. Look directly at the floor so your neck is in aligned with your spine. Keep your arms relaxed and elbows extended. Very slowly lift your upper body to a standing position. Pause for one second and lower back down to start.

BACK EXTENSIONS:

Begin by leaning on either a bench or a stability ball. Allow your upper body to relax over the top part of the bench or ball. Your feet are at the 4 and 8 o'clock position. Place your hands where they are most comfortable. Slowly begin to lift your upper body by extending from your lower back and hips. Pause for one second at the top (as shown in the above picture) and then relax back to start.

Legs

STANDING CALF RAISE:

Begin with your feet directly under your hips. Simply lift up onto your tip toes. Pause for a second and lower back to start.

 






BRIDGE POSE:

Start by lying on your back. Hands are wherever they are most comfortable. Bend your knees and separate them hip width apart. Your feet are flat on the ground. Lift your hips to the sky. Press your feet into the floor. Pause for one second and lower back to start.

 LEG CURL:

Forearms are on the ground, knees under your hips and right leg elongated. Your head and neck are in line with your spine (look at the ground). Take your right leg and bend it at the knee. Pause for one second and then elongate it back to start.

 SQUATS:

Begin with your feet directly under your hips and hands by your sides. Keeping the majority of your body weight on the heels, begin to sit down as though sitting on a chair. Keep your back as upright as possible. Go as low as you feel comfortable, pause, and return to start.

LUNGES:

Begin with your feet directly under your hips and hands by your sides. Take one step forward with your left leg. Take your back knee down so it almost touches the floor. Pause for a second and lift back to start.

 





LYING SIDE LEG RAISE:

Begin by lying on one side. Keep your body as straight as possible. Place your hands where they feel most comfortable. Begin to lift your top leg into the air. Pause at the top for a second and slowly lower back to start.

 



Arms

HAMMER CURL:

Begin with free weights by your side, palms facing your sides. Your feet are directly under your hips and your knees are slightly bent. Start to lift the weight up towards your shoulders. Once there, pause for one second and slowly lower the weight back to your starting position.

 




 CURL:

Begin with free weights by your side, palms facing away from you. Your feet are directly under your hips and your knees are slightly bent. Start to lift the weight up towards your shoulders. Once there, pause for one second and slowly lower the weight back to your starting position.

OVERHEAD EXTENSIONS:

Hold a free weight between your right thumb and pointer finger. Cup your opposite hand under your right hand. Lift the weight so that your elbows are bent and it is behind your head. Begin to straighten out your arms by lifting the weight up to the sky. Pause for one second, and begin lowering the free weight back to your starting position.

 TRICEP KICKBACKS:

Begin by standing, feet under your hips and knees slightly bent. Bend at the hips until your back is parallel with the ground. Keep your gaze on the ground. You are holding a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing your sides and elbows bent to a 90 degree angle. Begin to straighten out your arms by lifting the weight up to the sky. Pause for one second, and begin lowering the free weight back to your starting position.

Shoulders


FRONT RAISE:

Stand so that your feet are directly under your hips and knees are slightly bent. Hold a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing your thighs. Keeping your arms straight, lift the dumbbells up until they are shoulder level. The only joint moving is your shoulder. Pause for a second and slowly lower back to start. 

SHOULDER PRESS:

Stand so that your feet are directly under your hips and knees are slightly bent. Your elbows are bent and shoulder level. Hold a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing away from you. Lift both dumbbells up to the sky and allow them to meet in the center (above your head). Pause for one second and lower back to the start position of the shoulder exercise.

UPRIGHT ROW:

Stand so that your feet are directly under your hips and knees are slightly bent. Your arms are relaxed in front of you and your palms are facing your thighs. Lift both dumbbells up to your chin. As you lift up, your elbows bend. Pause for one second at the top of this exercise. Slowly lower the weight back down to the start of the shoulder exercise.