Ok, started my CKD last week (love it!). Here is my question...I will be out of town for 5 days Monday-Friday in early August. My plan is to do a total body weight workout on Monday morning (plus cardio!), however the rest of the time I will be at a hotel and the odds are there won't be any weights available. Of course, I will do cardio all week with whatever is there but do I still do a carb-up on Friday? Or should I just remain in ketosis and carb up the following Friday, after a week of my regular (cardio/weights) routine?

-Good question. I would skip the 'carb-up' on Friday. Rather, once you get the chance to weight-train again- do another 'depletion type' workout and follow it with a 'carb-up' then.

If you travel a lot, you may want to invest in a thera-band. I bring Dan's when I travel just in case the hotel I stay at doesn't have any weights. Although the workout is not as strenuous as using the weights, I feel it gives me a chance to really work on my form and smooth, controlled movements.

Just a thought....
Linda

Thanks - I'll look into that. One of the hotels I frequent (that doesn't sound right) gives you a free pass to the local gym for the length of your stay - not so lucky this time.

You know, you can get a good workout without using weights AT ALL.

Push ups, Lunges, Chair Dips ... there's so many more. I'll dig 'em up and post them later when I get home. I think I have a good weightless workout article somewhere ... LOL ...

Hi everyone!!!!

Hey Zeus, a fellow Ohioian. Your the first person I have seen from Ohio.

If anyone has a minute I need a little advice. I was in an auto accident 3 yrs ago and have been down with my lower back after surgery. With being down I have gained about 50 pounds. I have been on the Adkins program for 4 months now and have lost 20 pds and 23 inches. Now that I have lost weight I want to start exercising, I have waited because I wanted to get some of the weight of my back because I did not want to reinjury it. I do walk on a treadmill 20 min every other day and try to walk in the pull 3 times a week. I have been hearing alot about Taebo and Palattes and also the Firm tapes. Which would be good to start with.

Any advise would be helpful.

Pammysue

Trainerdan-
Thanks - I would be very interested in your 'weightless' workout. Even if the hotel does have weights I prefer a set routine (why I like workout videos) - otherwise I'll be wandering the exercise room, aimlessly. (what's this? how often should I lift it? )

Pammysue--
I am not a big exercise video person but I say whichever you choose, start slow w/ a beginner level tape so you can work your way back into it. Check out this thread Favorite Exercise Videos . It is chalk full of people who use exercise videos and perhaps they could recommend some for you!

Best of luck!
Linda

Here’s a two-day rotation, which you can complete twice a week for upper-body and abdominal work.

Set and rep schemes are given for both strength and muscle-building cycles, depending on your goals and current training cycle. The only equipment required is a pull-up bar. A portable one that pops into any doorway fits easily into a suitcase and is pretty cheap.

If you want to do away with the pull-ups, then you could do modified one arm rows using the edge of your bed as a bench, and use something heavy as resistance. Hint: a full gallon of water weighs 8 lbs.

DAY 1:

Push-up

Strength: 2-5 sets, 5-7 reps.
Muscle building: 3-5 sets, 15 reps.

Elevated push-up

Strength: 2-5 sets, 5-7 reps.
Muscle building: 3-5 sets, 15 reps.

Shoulder push-up

Strength: 2-5 sets, 5-7 reps.
Muscle building: 3-5 sets, 15 reps.

Dip

Strength: 2-5 sets, 5-7 reps.
Muscle building: 3-5 sets, 15 reps.

Seated leg tuck

Strength: 3 sets, 15-20 reps.
Muscle building: 3 sets, 15-20 reps.

DAY 2 :

Pull-up

Strength: 2-5 sets, 5-7 reps.
Muscle building: 3-5 sets, 10-15 reps.

Wide-grip pull-up

Strength: 2-5 sets, 5-7 reps.
Muscle building: 3-5 sets, 10-15 reps.

Reverse-grip pull-up

Strength: 2-5 sets, 5-7 reps.
Muscle building: 3-5 sets, 10-15 reps.

Crunch

Strength: 3 sets, 20-25 reps.
Muscle building: 3 sets, 20-25 reps.

Bent-knee raise

Strength: 2 sets, 15-20 reps.
Muscle building: 2 sets, 15-20 reps.

Sets and reps vary with skill level; these are target numbers. While you may be able to perform more sets and reps than prescribed, try to put more effort into each rep so that you reach failure within these ranges.

You could also add in bodyweight-only lunges to one of the training days, or for even more fun, do one-leg squats.

If you can't so a pull-up, try hanging from the bar for a set length of time. 10 seconds per set, then increase from there.

Eventually, work into doing NEGATIVE pull-ups. To do these, get a chair. Start in the "up" position of a pull-up, then lower yourself SLOOOOOWLY until you hit the "bottom" position. It should take 4 seconds to lower yourself. Then get back on the chair and go back to the top. Do 5 of these per set.

After a few weeks of this, try doing a pullup. You'll be surprised. I used this technique on a kid who was smart enough to get into the Air Force Academy, but never worked out a day in his life.

He had a month to be able to do a minimum of 4 pullups. I trained the heck out of him, and he did 6. I also had to train him to do a shuttle run, and a push-up test.

He got in to the Academy.