At home, I use a stability ball instead of a bench. You can't step on it, but it is otherwise very versatile. I also have a Reebok step from back in the step aerobic days. I find that really useful both as a bench, and a step.
Anne, that is the same pullup bar I'm looking at on Amazon.com - is it hard to install?
Yes, that's the one. It's easy to install, with one concern. You really need a door frame approx. 1/2" wide. I didn't have one in the basement (where I wanted to use it). The only really suitable door frame was less than 1/4" and I really didn't feel secure with it (although it did hold). So between the laundry room and the bar I took of the thin trim and attached a 2x4 to the beam. It doesn't look pretty, but it's definitely secure. What I should have probably done is replace the trim on the bathroom door. However, that just seemed like more work (and painting the trim), so this seemed easier.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mel
At home, I use a stability ball instead of a bench. You can't step on it, but it is otherwise very versatile.
I do the same with a stability bar. I only do dumbbell presses though because I'm not that stable on it, and not sure that doing barbell presses would be safe (no spotter).
Wow - I don't know if I'm balanced enough to do dumbell presses on a stability ball... Sounds pretty cool though...
I found an adjustable Bowflex dumbell set that I want, so I'm saving my Christmas money for them. I picked up a $35 set last night at Target that has plates that you can take on and off to total up to 30 pounds, so I'm going to use that until after the holidays. I'm also going to try to use my Weider more, make the compound exercises I want to do work instead of the assortment of isolation exercises on the demo dvd.
I did stepups yesterday on the Weider bench, and they were harder than I was prepared for.
The step ups will become easier. Really. I promise. But when they do you can just use those new adjustable dumbells, place them on your shoulders and feel that challenge all over again. The best part is it makes everyday stepping up into places surprisingly graceful. You will not need to grap onto something to hoist yourself up and inside somewhere. In my everyday activities I have to step up and into my pantry about twenty times a day and I always get a kick out of how easy that is now. Lets here it for strong glutes, hamstrings, and quads.
In my everyday activities I have to step up and into my pantry about twenty times a day
As a photographer, I do a lot of stepping up and down too, and it really helps to not have to hold on to anything any more. When I've got 2 camera in hand, a bag over my shoulder, and need to just step up on a chair or whatever ... it's SUCH A huge difference.
When I first started working out, it was because I wanted to be able to keep doing my job for a long time. I never ever ever realized how these changes were going to make my job so much easier over the long haul.
It's so amazing to me every time I go out to shoot now, how different it feels.
Yeah, the stepups I did yesterday were weight free and as I did them I thought to myself that once I got used to these I would add weight and how much fun that would be. I don't have to stepup in daily life as much as I used to when I was in the restaurants every day, but I do it often enough that not having to hold onto something will be nice....
My hamstrings or hips or something are really tight - I can't lean over and touch my toes without bending my knees, even after exercising for an hour. Sometimes after a lot of yoga I can get down to where I can wrap my hands around my ankles, but not consistently. What can I do to increase flexibility there? Oddly, I have a great roundhouse kick - I can squarely hit the bag with the top of my foot/ankle at forehead height.
Does what I did last night look good? Any suggested changes or additions? Too much, too little?
-squats using the squat bar on the Weider, 2x15
-15 pushups, rest, 10 more pushups
-standing row with middle pulleys on Weider, 2x15
- 10 more pushups
- stepup - 2x15
- lateral pulldown (seated), Weider 1x15
- reverse grip lateral pulldown (seated), Weider 1x15
-chest fly, Weider, 1x15
- shoulder press, Weider, 1x10 - hurt my shoulder pretty bad so I stopped
- french press, Weider, 2x15
- ab crunches, Weider, 30
- oblique crunces, Weider, 30
- tricep dips, 20
In looking back at that, I don't know how that only took 35 minutes. I don't think I rested enough... I need to go into this with a plan written down so I have a focus instead of being all spread out...
I can definitely feel today that I worked out yesterday - I did 45 minutes of kickboxing after the above as my cardio, so got more legwork in there, too.
Here's what I did yesterday. I'm moving to logging in my Excel spreadsheet so I can keep better track.
12/8/2008
Upper Body
Dumbell Bench Presses 10x2 3/12
Wide Grip Lat Pulldowns 50 3/12
Military Presses 15x2 3/12
EZ Bar Barbell Curls 30 2/10
Overhead Tricep Extension 15 3/12
Chest Press Machine 35 3/12
Cardio Treadmill mixed / 5k 30 mins
The first number is the weight, then sets/reps. I do between 45-60 seconds rest between sets, depending on how shaky my arms feel.
And I always finish with 100 of something for my core - last night it was a combination of ball crunches, oblique crunches, leg lifts, and 2 20 second planks.
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Last edited by PhotoChick; 12-09-2008 at 02:29 PM.
My hamstrings or hips or something are really tight - I can't lean over and touch my toes without bending my knees, even after exercising for an hour. Sometimes after a lot of yoga I can get down to where I can wrap my hands around my ankles, but not consistently. What can I do to increase flexibility there?
How often are you stretching them, with what stretch, and for how long?
I started out *very* inflexible, and Monday I actually touched my forehead to my shins (doing that forward stretch, sitting on the floor)! I was kinda stalled at the same flexibility in my hams for a long time, and then recently it improved again. Kinda like weight loss . But I really work the heck out of my legs and hips, yoga stretching wise.
Sometimes with those forward bends, if you're not careful, you're stretching your back more than your hams. If you have a hard time not doing that, try lying on your back, and then raising one leg to vertical to stretch your hams. While you're inflexible, use a strap over the sole of the foot because you won't be able to reach the toes/foot to grasp them. This pose forces you to keep your back straight (don't lift up off your shoulders). See:
With the forward bends (standing and especially sitting), I hold a good long time. Used to be 20 breaths (which would be over a minute), then 30, then 45. I'm up to 60 breaths now in the sitting forward bend. But I focus on stretching different aspects during that time, including the back.
If you have a hard time not doing that, try lying on your back, and then raising one leg to vertical to stretch your hams. While you're inflexible, use a strap over the sole of the foot because you won't be able to reach the toes/foot to grasp them. This pose forces you to keep your back straight (don't lift up off your shoulders).
Oh that's a great tip. I need to start doing that. Thanks!
* off mumbling to myself looking for those damn straps that I know I tucked under the bed with my old Reebok step stuff *
I'm horrible at evaluating good/bad workouts. I've been using Power Training to build mine recently. What I did today took me 75mins including the rest time.
Julie - I'm not stretching long enough, I know. I do a lot of standing forward bends, but usually only the ones in the yoga routines that move quickly to something else. I don't do a lot of the sitting bends because I usually can't bend sitting. I do have straps - I need to use those. I just did the vertical leg raise for the first time on Sunday - another yoga video, this one was a Rodney Yee AM video that actually holds each pose for longer. It sounds like you have a yoga routine of your own without videos, right? I think to increase the flexibility I need to do that sometimes instead of going so fast. On the standing forward bend - I read that you can put a book under your feet to raise your heels as a beginner step in the forward bend, I've also read put a strap under your feet and do the bend. What do you think would do better for the hamstrings?
Photo - do you work different parts of the body on different days?
Anne, it does look impressive!
Photo - do you work different parts of the body on different days?
Yeah. I alternate upper body and lower body. Although, technically the lower body stuff is a little more whole body than the upper body, if that makes sense.
ON lower body days I do squats, deadlifts, lunges, stepups, leg presses, etc.
Then I do core work every day, even on non-lifting days.
Shannon, yeah, I pretty much cobbled together my own routine, and it's changed over time too.
I don't know about using a strap with the standing forward bend. Seems like that would encourage a lot of pulling and back-rounding. Do you have yoga blocks? I think I would use those by your feet. Even a chair - rest your forearms on the seat, and concentrate on keeping your lower back unrounded. I find it helps a little to think not so much of trying to reach the floor or your feet, as to think of lifting your seat higher. That seems to encourage more of the hip flexing instead of the back. Same tip when doing Downward Facing Dog. Which, by the way, is also great for the hams if you try letting your heels drop.
I know I never realized this, but most people who aren't naturally flexible or not trained don't have more than 90 degrees of flexion at the hips, if even a full 90. It seems like we do, until you take out the rounding of the back! The supine stretch really shows you how much flexion you have truly from the hips.
The best part is it makes everyday stepping up into places surprisingly graceful. You will not need to grap onto something to hoist yourself up and inside somewhere. In my everyday activities I have to step up and into my pantry about twenty times a day and I always get a kick out of how easy that is now. Lets here it for strong glutes, hamstrings, and quads. 
I don't have to stepup in daily life as much as I used to when I was in the restaurants every day, but I do it often enough that not having to hold onto something will be nice.... 
. But I really work the heck out of my legs and hips, yoga stretching wise.
