I agree - glad to see the reps down and the weight up, and you were wobbly afterward, so it SOUNDS like you got a decent workout in LOL!

I also agree with liftnlady about splitting it up - maybe upper and lower, alternating workouts. You can concentrate more on your parts, and maybe not feel so "wobbly" after you train. Makes it more managable to get in a little post-lifting cardio if you're trying for that, too.

And as you start feeling brave, gradually work your way into free weights. Have a look here and see if you can replace one or two of your movements with a free-weight equivalent. http://www.exrx.net/Exercise.html

Maybe introduce one new replacement a week until you wean yourself off most of the machines (not all - you'll always need SOME machines, like leg curl, but for biceps, shoulders, chest, quads, hams - nothing like dumbbell curls, arnie press, bench, squats, deadlifts)
And my guess is you'll be FEELING this workout for a while.

Don't be afraid to switch it up from time to time and do the occasional higher-volume day. Or do your workout "backward", or do your worst part FIRST when you're all juiced up.

Good job. Glad you tried this.

- Built

Question: Anyone wanna comment on the relative merits of pyramids vs. three straight, short (8 reps) sets to failure?

Cheers,

Friday

Friday,

I've never done it. I do a lot of DROP sets, but not pyramids.

Bump for Trainerdan?

*puts on newbie hat for a moment* What's a drop set?

Lift a weight to failure, then drop it and pick up a lighter one, do it to failure, then drop it and pick up the lightest one and totally burn out the muscle.
I do them for a lot of my rear-delt stuff.

Ahh, bingo. Like depletion. *barf* lol

Built - did you have any comments on whether I can do this at home? My orginal post is a few back.

Thanks
Jenny

*sound of wheels turning and gears grinding* So if it's like depletion, this means I could selectively deplete certain muscle groups just before that bi-weekly carb meal..... Yes?

Oh - sorry. Liftnlady and corianin answered far better than I could have. I just use basically a community centre, but I would LOVE to train at home. We just don't have the space.

Good luck with your goals - post up what you discover you can do at home so the others can get ideas.

- Built

I don't know. Maybe. TRAINER DAN - BUUUMMMP!

Thanks everyone for your comments on workin' out at home.

Built - You really inpire me. I just feel though that I workout so much now and dont' look nearly as good as you and I think maybe I'm just destined to be sorta chunky lookin' even if I do start weight lifting more. And the other thing is, giving up Cardio is really weird feeling to me. Are you sure you don't have to have that (even if you still have some fat hangin' on).

Liftinlady - I'm currently bidding (EBAY) on the Cathe workouts you mentioned. If I don't win I'll just bite the bullet and buy them on her site.

Corianin - And I'm getting the bowflex out of storage...don't really have the space for it but I'm considering setting it up in the barn, it will be excruciatingly hot out there but maybe if I do it in the early morn it wouldn't be so bad.

I'm going to try and concentrate on heavier free weights then I currently use though and see how that goes. My only thing though is I'm already strugglin' to pyramid my 10's, 12's and 15's. I hope the Cathe workouts will help me up the weights.

jenny

Yanno, I still do some cardio, and I intend to get back into doing some HIIT later this summer. I think SOME is beneficial. I just don't rely on it for weigh loss, beyond maybe a few percentage points. That will come from your diet and your lifting.

And THANK you.

Regarding chunkiness - you will note the conspicuous absence of leg pix....

... and front double biceps shots ... since everyone is in the mood to make requests. :P

I can do those!

I'll get hubby to take some snaps.

***waits in anticipation****