Hey All!

Well, I am happy to report that as of my weigh in tonite, I have lost a total of – 16 POUNDS!! Happy Dance! So far for this month, I have lost a total of seven pounds. I would like to take off another three pounds before the end of the month. According to my online trainer Grant, (yep the same one!) 10 lbs a month for the first few months is a do – able month. Now, he didn’t say that it would be easy – apparently it involves a lot of sweating – but still an attainable goal. Next week, I start in with the weights! Oh Joy!

Because Mr. Grant has helped me in my greatest hour of need, and also cuz I am lazy and can’t think of anything funny tonite, I am going pass along some information that he gave me about weight training! Enjoy!

When do I add weights and how much? I’m glad you asked that question! Use the following guidelines: when you are able to do the scheduled number of sets and reps in a given exercise, increase the weight by the smallest increment possible, e.g., on the bench press if you can do all 3×15 with the weight of the bar only, add a 2.5lb weight to each side and use that until you can again do 3×15, then take the 2.5lb weights off and use two 5lb weights and start the whole process over again, and on and on. You will probably reach a point that you think you will never get beyond, but keep at it and you WILL eventually get to the next level.

Machines are a little more difficult, because the weight increments are usually in 10-20lb increases. In this case, again increase by the smallest amount of weight you can but you will probably have to reduce the number of reps you do because of the large increase in weight, e.g., on the wide grip pulldown, the lowest weight is probably 20 lbs and the next jump would be 40lbs-that’s a pretty big step so instead of doing 3×15-or 12 or whatever was specified, do 3×12, if that is still too much try 3×10 until you reach a spot where you can do at least two full sets and have to struggle to finish the last 2-3 reps of the last set. Make sense? By going in small increments and slowly you are less likely to injure yourself or to overtrain and get mentally and physically burned out.

The mental part of lifting is very important, it’s not just about beating your way through the next weight plateau, mentally push yourself along the lines that focus on the muscle that you are using to lift as well as the lift itself. For instance, when you are doing tricep kickbacks really concentrate on the contraction of the muscle all the way through the range of motion and also watching yourself in the mirror to make sure that you are moving the weight in a steady and controlled method-no swinging the weights and basically just flailing away-I’m sure you’ve seen some people doing that from time to time in your gym. Another thing, do not worry about how awkward you may feel when you first start doing and exercise or how much weight you are doing compared to what others may be doing-you have your own schedule and your own pace, concentrate on that-focus, focus, focus.

LISTEN TO YOUR BODY, my guess is that you will be pretty sore in the beginning-maybe even a little sore at me too, HAHA-that is to be expected and with time it will become less and less intense (but it ain’t never gonna go away, so get over it!!). Having said that however, as I said in my email, if you feel pain that is not muscle related stop the exercise immediately -ankles, knees, hips, elbows, necks, etc. Remember death is nature’s way of telling you to slow down when you don’t listen. And we don’t want that now do we?

Thanks Grant! Til next time, you can do it!!