Quarantine Workouts

I know most of you probably have no interest in fitness, but my blog my rules. That said, if you go to the menu option at the top of the page, you can filter posts to what you want to see.

Recently, I purchased myself a home gym. The Y I go to only has one traditional squat rack and it's constantly in use, so I wanted a personal spot. My order was already in and being processed when gyms across the US shut down, and I am thankful I got the majority of what I'd like to have before everything sold out. Fitness equipment is being hoarded like toilet paper. You can find stuff for sale on Facebook or Craigslist but you'll be paying double the new price.

I was able to follow my regular training without any issues, hit my goal of squatting my body weight, and then decided to switch things up. I've been playing around with movements I can do with the equipment I have.

But first my 135lb squat.

Okay, I was training heavy three days a week on an every other day schedule, but I'm switching to training 6 days. Here's what I'm doing.

I have 3 strength workouts that I'm going to do 4 times a week.

Workout A on Monday, and Thursday

Workout B on Tuesday

Workout C on Friday

Cardio will be on Wednesday and Saturday

This past week I've been trying the actual workouts, figuring out weights that will work for me on these, making adjustments that I think are needed. So I'll call this "Week 0" and then do 4 weeks of this programming before I change it up. I'll share the workouts with you in a second, first I want to talk about my goals.

Goal number one, is to do one pull up. I haven't been able to do one for years and I used to be able to do over 10. Jeffery and I enjoy rock climbing, and while it can be very leg focused, there are times I really need more pulling strength.

Goal number two, I want to build a little bit more muscle so for this programming we're going to be looking at lower weights and higher reps. 

Before I begin each workout, I start with a warmup. I use the good ol' "RAMP" method of warming up. 

R - Raise (heart rate) 

A - Activate (get muscles working) 

M - Mobilize (stretch, leg swings) 

P - Potentiate (gradually stress)

For me, activation is the most valuable portion of RAMP. If I don't activate my muscles before I start working, they stay lazy through the beginning of my workout, especially the muscles of my lower body.

In between sets I take a 90 second rest. Now, lets get into the meat of the blog.

Workout A

Barbell Glute Bridge Superset A

3 Sets of 20 Reps - I'm lifting 65lbs in the video.

In this movement I'm focusing on starting my tilting my pelvis so my back is flat against the floor, and then driving through the heels. The range of movement is reduced by doing this, but the change makes this entirely glute focused.

Single Arm Landmine Row Superset B

3 Sets of 8 Reps (each side total of 6 sets)

This is where I have to get creative in my program. Normally I would use dumbbells and do a normal single arm row, however I do not have anything heavy enough for that so I used my barbell. 

  

Couldn't tell you have much weight it is, I'm lifting one side of a 45lb barbell and I have a 10lb plate on it, it felt like roughly 20lbs. If you're following along, make sure whatever variation of the row you're doing, you pinch your shoulder in at the top. The row is a shoulder movement, not an arm movement.

A superset is a combined set of two movements. Here I completed one set of bridges, did one set of rows (on both sides), then took my rest, before returning to my second set of bridges.

Barbell Bench Squat 

3 Sets of 8 Reps - I'm lifting 95lbs in this video.

Bench squats are a great reminder of form. 

They help me remember to engage with my legs first instead of my back. On my next go around of this workout I did 115lbs instead.

Bench Press

3 Sets of 8 Reps - I lifted 65lbs here

Although I've had a garage gym for a few weeks, I have only had the bench for a couple days. It's been about 3 months since I've done a bench press and my arm strength seems to be the hardest to increase and the first to disappear. Since I'm using an entirely different set up than I'm used to, this was a little difficult for me to figure out. I think my bench is a little too high for me, so I'm going to start putting plates in front of it for my feet. I like to arch my back pretty heavily in this lift. Here's an article about it that does a better job explaining than I can.

Deadlift

3 Sets of 5 Reps - This is 95lbs

95lbs is a light deadlift set for me but this was the first night I've really used my pointer finger in my lifts since I sliced it open, so I'm gaining the grip strength back slowly and trying not to hurt myself.

I like adding deadlifts toward the end of my programming. Even with my pre-activation I sometimes struggle to keep my glutes engaged in the lift. Not a problem after I've already done bridges and squats.

Weighted Side Lying Hip Abduction

1 Set of 20 Reps - 15lbs (each side total of 2 sets)

I messed around with this a bit and the best way I could find to do this was a 15lb plate.

Front Plank

1 minute

I'm not going to post a video, it's just me doing a plank for a minute, very boring.

You'll notice in my programming I don't add a lot of dedicated ab work. I'm using my abs in most of my movements and I don't want to add any bulk to my abs. The plank is less of an ab exercise for me and more an exercise in perseverance because they're boring and I give up because I have better things to do.

Workout B

One Leg Bodyweight Hip Thrust Superset A

3 Sets of 20 Reps 

This is just a one leg variation of the normal hip thrust I did on Workout C. I'm still exhausted from my day yesterday so these were hard enough to get 20, but you can make it harder by pushing off the ground with your heel to jump at the top of your rep.

Chin-up Superset B

3 Sets of 5 Reps

I programmed a chin up into this 4 week rotation and I'm hoping I get to at least one real chin up by the end of it. I'm really doing Scap Pull-ups here, but I'm definitely getting better at them. Hang from the bar and just retract your scapulas down, come back to full extension and repeat until you fall off the bar.

Weighted Step-up Superset A

3 Sets of 10 Reps

 I've never done barbell step-ups before so I started with the 45lb bar. I like to do step-ups on something that gives me a 90 degree angle when I put my foot on it. Reviewing the footage, I should have put another plate on my stack. Next time. When I get to the top of the movement I try to squeeze my glutes together. Don't cheat your way up with the other leg, just press through the heel of the elevated leg.

Barbell Overhead Press Superset B

3 Sets of 8 Reps - 45lbs

I stuck with just the bar here since that's what I was using for step-ups and it would be easier. I just lifted it up over my head after my step-ups, did my set, and then went back to step-ups. My arms are toast now.

Hip Extension (Back Extension)

3 Sets of 12

Some people train these for lower back, but for the same reason I don't train specifically core very much, I also don't train lower back. My compound movements are enough to keep strength there, and I'm not looking to add muscle bulk. Instead I use these to specifically target my glutes. I like to do this movement before I train deadlifts. You can set this up like I did, or you can use a bench built for it. Keep your feet pointed away from the body, round your body over the bench, and squeeze with your glutes, keeping the back rounded, lift only until your glutes won't lift you anymore. (Don't lift with your back)

  

Banded Hip Abduction

1 Set of 20 

Depending on the type of shoe you have, these might be difficult for you to do. You could use a couple of those sliders people use for core work. My converse slide easily across the floor. 

 

Sit-ups

1 set of 20 Reps

I used a couple weight plates to hold my feet down. Sit-ups seem self explanatory.

  

Workout C

Barbell Hip Thrust Superset A

3 Sets of 12 Reps - 65lbs

This is a lot like the glute bridge, but the range of motion is larger. 

Like the bridge, positioning is key to targeting the right muscle groups. At the top of the movement your legs should be at a 90 degree angle and your upper body should stay as stationary as possible. Squeeze at the top because no pain no gain is an appropriate saying. 

I'll post a video of my working set but first, here's me crushing most of the plates I have at my disposal. I'm calling this 205lbs my one rep max, anything more than this wouldn't have had enough of a squeeze at the top to count.

Here's a working set.

Inverted Row Superset B

3 Sets of 8 Reps

These will help me build muscle for an eventual pull up. They're essentially a pull up you do laying down.

Landmine Squat

3 Sets of 5 Reps 

(I put 25lbs on the end of my barbell, not sure what the weight was)

Not to be confused with a landmine row, this is a type of squat. The weight is held in the front, so it's hard for me to use my back strength in the lift like a traditional squat. You might see the, "Emily needs to work on quad strength" theme here. An alternative here could be a goblet squat or a front squat, I'm not equipped for goblet squats so I went for this.

I'm trying to only move my arms to get the bar out of the way and not to take weight off my legs.

Bench Press

3 Sets of 8 Reps - 55lbs

I reduced the weight from yesterday's sets because I was still sore from them. 

Kettlebell Swing

3 Sets of 12 Reps - 25lbs

So, I don't have a kettlebell, I decided to use a plate instead, it worked fine. If you're following along, make sure to keep your back neutral and move with your hips and legs, squeeze your glutes.

Banded Seated Clamshells

1 Set of 30 Reps

Stay seated with your feet close together, use a band appropriate for you I used one labeled "heavy"

Front Plank

1 minute

I didn't like it today either.

Anyway, that's my plan for the next 4 weeks. I'll check back in at the end to let you know how I improved, and what the new plan is. Please note: I am not a fitness professional, I just do this for fun. If you want to start working out, consider seeing a personal trainer to help you form a plan, and work on your form. At the very least, please do your research, watch some YouTube videos on form. Don't hurt yourself.

Thanks for stopping by!
-Em

P.S. A round of applause for my brother David who came over and hit a 125lb squat PR.