Sometime in May I think, wifey opted to get a Total Gym...I'm usually wary of online gyms and things like that, thinking that the one real way to get in shape was to simply get off your ass and do it...I'm fairly out of shape...With my recent chronic asthma, playing ball and things like that have really limited what I can do...So, with the Total Gym sitting in the room collecting dust, I got it out today and did a variation of the 6-8 minute workout...I'm doing this as a diary to myself and for others as motivation of sorts...Videos of this workout for reference are probably available on YouTube, if not, I'll rip them myself or answer what questions there are...
Day 1
The workout (Done w/the wing attachment) calls for:
10 Pullups
10 Leg Curls
10 Situps
10 Chinups
And then
10 Leg Curls
10 Situps
3 variations of cardio (Done w/the cables) exercises:
10 squats
10 rotating squats
10 Iron Man squats
10 1 Leg Squats
10 1 Leg Squats
For the record, I did double what it called for, 20 of each...I wanted to feel pushed..! I already do 100 or so pushups a day, so I wanted to make sure I feel it in the morning headed towards the next day...Since I started on Tuesday, and not on Wednesday, I also thinking double is what it called for...So I will do Wednesday's workout on Wednesday, and get back on track that way...I also do not plan to doing a diet...If I'm going to work out daily, I'm eating what I want...Today I had a cup of coffee, cornbread, baked chicken wings, peas, and okra...I don't usually eat or do breakfast, just had a Twinkie between my coffee and dinner...I also had half a scoop of Butter Pecan ice cream...
Basically the inclined resistance is one thing, but the key is to do it controlled...I was vibrating like a dildo doing those 2 sets leg curls and situps, but I can gladly say that I did them...Downed a Vitamin water afterwards and called it a night... :)
Total Gym XLS
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AYHJA
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AYHJA
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Re: Total Gym XLS
Day 2
This was more of a day spent on the lower body...I am certainly going to feel this in the am...For those wondering, raising the bench of the total gym gives you a certain percentage of your body weight to work out...At my size, that's plenty to be doing as many reps as I'm doing...I am even in the zone when I'm working out again, I don't hear or see shit but me getting stronger...I also work out later in the evenings, usually around 9, 9:30 so that I can let my muscles rebuild in my sleep...Here's today's recommended workout, but once again I did double...
Level 6 of 6 difficulty
10 Heel Raises
10 Toe Raises
10 Single Leg Press (Right)
10 Single Leg Press (Left)
10 Single Leg Toe Raises (Right)
10 Single Leg Toe Raises (Left)
10 Single Leg Press (Right)
10 Single Leg Press (Left)
10 Single Leg Toe Raises (Right)
10 Single Leg Toe Raises (Left)
Level 4 of 6 Difficulty
10 Cross Cable Rows (Low)
10 Toe Touch Rows (Low)
10 Cross Cable Rows (High)
10 Toe Touch Rows (High)
:)
This was more of a day spent on the lower body...I am certainly going to feel this in the am...For those wondering, raising the bench of the total gym gives you a certain percentage of your body weight to work out...At my size, that's plenty to be doing as many reps as I'm doing...I am even in the zone when I'm working out again, I don't hear or see shit but me getting stronger...I also work out later in the evenings, usually around 9, 9:30 so that I can let my muscles rebuild in my sleep...Here's today's recommended workout, but once again I did double...
Level 6 of 6 difficulty
10 Heel Raises
10 Toe Raises
10 Single Leg Press (Right)
10 Single Leg Press (Left)
10 Single Leg Toe Raises (Right)
10 Single Leg Toe Raises (Left)
10 Single Leg Press (Right)
10 Single Leg Press (Left)
10 Single Leg Toe Raises (Right)
10 Single Leg Toe Raises (Left)
Level 4 of 6 Difficulty
10 Cross Cable Rows (Low)
10 Toe Touch Rows (Low)
10 Cross Cable Rows (High)
10 Toe Touch Rows (High)
:)
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AYHJA
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Total Gym XLS
Day 3
Another late night workout session...Today, I was thinking ahead enough to time my workout...Doing double the 6-8 minute workout, I finished my workout in 11 minutes, give or take...What I like about this machine so far is that I can't cheat, and am utilizing many more muscle groups than just doing pushups and sit-ups before a shower...Pausing at the end of each rep really puts the emphasis on a complete follow through, and I was able to breeze through the 2nd half cardio exercises w/o stopping...Breeze is the wrong word, it was work, but I did it...I also broke the second set of Oblique twists into 4 Sets of 5 back to back...
Level 4 of 6 difficulty
10 Overhead press
10 Oblique Twists (Right Arm)
10 Oblique Twists (Left Arm)
10 Overhead press
10 Oblique Twists (Right Arm)
10 Oblique Twists (Left Arm)
Level 6 of 6 difficulty
10 Bent Arm Pullovers
10 Bent Arm Pullover Twists
10 Iron Cross
10 Straight Arm Pullovers
10 Straight Arm Pullovers (Right Leg)
10 Straight Arm Pullovers (Left Leg)
1 Defense Vitamin Water
:)
Another late night workout session...Today, I was thinking ahead enough to time my workout...Doing double the 6-8 minute workout, I finished my workout in 11 minutes, give or take...What I like about this machine so far is that I can't cheat, and am utilizing many more muscle groups than just doing pushups and sit-ups before a shower...Pausing at the end of each rep really puts the emphasis on a complete follow through, and I was able to breeze through the 2nd half cardio exercises w/o stopping...Breeze is the wrong word, it was work, but I did it...I also broke the second set of Oblique twists into 4 Sets of 5 back to back...
Level 4 of 6 difficulty
10 Overhead press
10 Oblique Twists (Right Arm)
10 Oblique Twists (Left Arm)
10 Overhead press
10 Oblique Twists (Right Arm)
10 Oblique Twists (Left Arm)
Level 6 of 6 difficulty
10 Bent Arm Pullovers
10 Bent Arm Pullover Twists
10 Iron Cross
10 Straight Arm Pullovers
10 Straight Arm Pullovers (Right Leg)
10 Straight Arm Pullovers (Left Leg)
1 Defense Vitamin Water
:)
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AYHJA
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Total Gym XLS
Day 4
Another late night, after going to see Clone Wars (which was awesome BTW!) tonight...Before I go any further, let me say right now that I have 2 confessions...The first is that the trainer is the film is not doing 10 reps, he's doing 8...And this is the first night that I didn't go for double in one particular exercise, I did what I could...Still more than the recommended workout, but not double...I should have known something was up when the trainer in the video almost cursed at the end...
This was an all upper body workout, and I feel good, but like I've just been a a street fight...Shit is throbbing now that wasn't throbbing during the workout..! The front pullovers were absolutely murder...You do them by laying flat on your back, on an incline, and pulling your body up w/o bending your elbows...If that sounds easy, lay flat on your back, put a gallon of milk in each hand, and raise them...Now, instead of milk, imagine 120 pounds in each hand and doing it at about a 35 degree angle...It was awesome, but hard...If this is the more advanced stuff, I'm going to stop going for double and just do a little over the recommeded amount, but ONLY if I feel pushed...I know I was at my limit when after the workout and I had a bit of rest, I could not get on the board and do a single pullover properly...Mission accomplished...
Level 5 of 6 difficulty
8 Chest Press (Alternating Angles)
8 Front Pullovers
8 Inclined crunches
8 Chest Press (Alternating Angles)
10 Side Pullovers
10 Inclined crunches (Feet raised)
1 Revive Vitamin Water
:)
Another late night, after going to see Clone Wars (which was awesome BTW!) tonight...Before I go any further, let me say right now that I have 2 confessions...The first is that the trainer is the film is not doing 10 reps, he's doing 8...And this is the first night that I didn't go for double in one particular exercise, I did what I could...Still more than the recommended workout, but not double...I should have known something was up when the trainer in the video almost cursed at the end...
This was an all upper body workout, and I feel good, but like I've just been a a street fight...Shit is throbbing now that wasn't throbbing during the workout..! The front pullovers were absolutely murder...You do them by laying flat on your back, on an incline, and pulling your body up w/o bending your elbows...If that sounds easy, lay flat on your back, put a gallon of milk in each hand, and raise them...Now, instead of milk, imagine 120 pounds in each hand and doing it at about a 35 degree angle...It was awesome, but hard...If this is the more advanced stuff, I'm going to stop going for double and just do a little over the recommeded amount, but ONLY if I feel pushed...I know I was at my limit when after the workout and I had a bit of rest, I could not get on the board and do a single pullover properly...Mission accomplished...
Level 5 of 6 difficulty
8 Chest Press (Alternating Angles)
8 Front Pullovers
8 Inclined crunches
8 Chest Press (Alternating Angles)
10 Side Pullovers
10 Inclined crunches (Feet raised)
1 Revive Vitamin Water
:)
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AYHJA
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Total Gym XLS
Day 5
After my last workout (on Friday) I felt an unusual tenderness in my right arm only...Figuring it to be a slight strain from my last attempt to be superhuman, I decided to rest down 3 days...Today I can only slightly feel it, so I resumed my workout at high noon today rather than waiting to late at night...I am definitely getting stronger, I worked out good today and I am not sore anymore...Of course, by working out in the middle of the day, I'm hoping sporadic movements will prevent the buildup of lactic acid, as I may resume coaching soccer this fall which gives me a nice workout as well...Today's workout was a good all around, most working on biceps and triceps, with a quick sitting aerobics run at the end...I've decided to simply do my 10, only a notch above the recommended reps...This is a marathon and not a sprint, and I'm not 21 anymore...So, I worked more on control and technique today instead of trying to get ripped so to speak...And just to clarify, the seated aerobics are done with the wing attachment, and consist of using your legs rather than your arms to pull yourself up and down the board, and using your arms to keep the rope taught...
Level 3 of 6 difficulty
8 Seated fly pulls
8 Triceps pulls
8 Seated fly pulls
8 Triceps pulls
8 Seated Bicep curls
8 Upright row pulls
8 Seated Bicep curls
8 Upright row pulls
8 Seated Aerobic pulls (Out)
8 Seated Aerobic pulls (Up)
8 Seated Aerobic curls
8 Seated Aerobic reverse curls
8 Seated Aerobic Upright rows
8 Seated Aerobic Surfer rows
1 Focus Vitamin Water
:)
After my last workout (on Friday) I felt an unusual tenderness in my right arm only...Figuring it to be a slight strain from my last attempt to be superhuman, I decided to rest down 3 days...Today I can only slightly feel it, so I resumed my workout at high noon today rather than waiting to late at night...I am definitely getting stronger, I worked out good today and I am not sore anymore...Of course, by working out in the middle of the day, I'm hoping sporadic movements will prevent the buildup of lactic acid, as I may resume coaching soccer this fall which gives me a nice workout as well...Today's workout was a good all around, most working on biceps and triceps, with a quick sitting aerobics run at the end...I've decided to simply do my 10, only a notch above the recommended reps...This is a marathon and not a sprint, and I'm not 21 anymore...So, I worked more on control and technique today instead of trying to get ripped so to speak...And just to clarify, the seated aerobics are done with the wing attachment, and consist of using your legs rather than your arms to pull yourself up and down the board, and using your arms to keep the rope taught...
Level 3 of 6 difficulty
8 Seated fly pulls
8 Triceps pulls
8 Seated fly pulls
8 Triceps pulls
8 Seated Bicep curls
8 Upright row pulls
8 Seated Bicep curls
8 Upright row pulls
8 Seated Aerobic pulls (Out)
8 Seated Aerobic pulls (Up)
8 Seated Aerobic curls
8 Seated Aerobic reverse curls
8 Seated Aerobic Upright rows
8 Seated Aerobic Surfer rows
1 Focus Vitamin Water
:)
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AYHJA
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Total Gym XLS
Day 6
Today is supposed to be the last day of the scheduled workout...It was fast, but hard hitting...Even more so for me because I was not doing the exercises at the recommended level, I had mine on 4 instead of 3...As usual, I did not notice until I was near death..! I did only the recommended amount, and then lowered the bar after a brief minute, I did the exercises at the recommended level and number of reps w/much better results...The Front Delt raises kick some SERIOUS ass...
Level 3 of 6 difficulty
8 Front Delt Raises
8 Iron Man Delt Raises
8 Side Cable Dips
8 Front Delt Raises
8 Iron Man Delt Raises
8 Side Cable Dips
1 Essential Vitamin Water
:)
Today is supposed to be the last day of the scheduled workout...It was fast, but hard hitting...Even more so for me because I was not doing the exercises at the recommended level, I had mine on 4 instead of 3...As usual, I did not notice until I was near death..! I did only the recommended amount, and then lowered the bar after a brief minute, I did the exercises at the recommended level and number of reps w/much better results...The Front Delt raises kick some SERIOUS ass...
Level 3 of 6 difficulty
8 Front Delt Raises
8 Iron Man Delt Raises
8 Side Cable Dips
8 Front Delt Raises
8 Iron Man Delt Raises
8 Side Cable Dips
1 Essential Vitamin Water
:)
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AYHJA
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Total Gym XLS
Essentially, this marks the start of my 2nd week of workouts, seeing that I missed a few days...I feel good though..! I think that I will continue on this pace for a while, and then kick up the pace...The first day workout, with those inclined sit ups still kick ass, but I was able to repeat my initial day 1 workout and then some...
The workout (Done w/the wing attachment) calls for:
10 Pullups
10 Leg Curls
10 Situps
10 Chinups
And then
10 Leg Curls
10 Situps
3 variations of cardio (Done w/the cables) exercises:
10 squats
10 rotating squats
10 Iron Man squats
10 1 Leg Squats
10 1 Leg Squats
1 Power-C Vitamin Water
:)
The workout (Done w/the wing attachment) calls for:
10 Pullups
10 Leg Curls
10 Situps
10 Chinups
And then
10 Leg Curls
10 Situps
3 variations of cardio (Done w/the cables) exercises:
10 squats
10 rotating squats
10 Iron Man squats
10 1 Leg Squats
10 1 Leg Squats
1 Power-C Vitamin Water
:)
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Chuckiedoo
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Re: Total Gym XLS
Is that it.... I hope you do like 3 sets, because that seem like a walk in the park....
No matter how smart a man gets, he will never understand a woman...
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AYHJA
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Re: Total Gym XLS
A workout doesn't have to be hard to be effective...Consider that you've been working out like a fiend for a few years, and a decent breeze can still blow you down the street... :D
Repetition is nothing compared to consistency...
Repetition is nothing compared to consistency...
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AYHJA
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2009 Total Gym Update!
OK, so, I don't know how many of you read this or follow it or care, but I just thought I'd bump it to state my progress...
I'm holding steady at 240, but developing some good muscle tissue as well as maintaining my integrity and rocking a belly...Hey..! THE Girlfriend likes it, so screw you..!
At any rate, I am no longer on that schedule...I now work out twice a week, as hard as possible...Tuesdays and Fridays...I alternate workouts in those two days...Exercises 1 and 2 first week, 3 and 4 second week, 5 and 6 next week, rinse and repeat...
So, for today, I did 12 repetitions of the Day 6 exercises (man those front delt raises are MURDEROUS) for 4 sets on decending levels...
12 Front Delt Raises (Level 6)
12 Front Delt Raises (Level 5)
12 Front Delt Raises (Level 4)
12 Front Delt Raises (Level 3)
12 Iron Man Delt Raises (Level 6)
12 Iron Man Delt Raises (Level 5)
12 Iron Man Delt Raises (Level 4)
12 Iron Man Delt Raises (Level 3)
12 Side Cable Dips (Level 6)
12 Side Cable Dips (Level 5)
12 Side Cable Dips (Level 4)
12 Side Cable Dips (Level 3)
The workout is twice as long, twice as hard...I usually take 1.5 minute breaks in between sets to focus my breathing...Unfortunately I'm out of Vitamin water, so I washed it down with some tap water in the fridge today...I may get some hoops in tomorrow if the weather is as nice as it is today cause I know I'm going to be hurting a little tomorrow...
I'm holding steady at 240, but developing some good muscle tissue as well as maintaining my integrity and rocking a belly...Hey..! THE Girlfriend likes it, so screw you..!
At any rate, I am no longer on that schedule...I now work out twice a week, as hard as possible...Tuesdays and Fridays...I alternate workouts in those two days...Exercises 1 and 2 first week, 3 and 4 second week, 5 and 6 next week, rinse and repeat...
So, for today, I did 12 repetitions of the Day 6 exercises (man those front delt raises are MURDEROUS) for 4 sets on decending levels...
12 Front Delt Raises (Level 6)
12 Front Delt Raises (Level 5)
12 Front Delt Raises (Level 4)
12 Front Delt Raises (Level 3)
12 Iron Man Delt Raises (Level 6)
12 Iron Man Delt Raises (Level 5)
12 Iron Man Delt Raises (Level 4)
12 Iron Man Delt Raises (Level 3)
12 Side Cable Dips (Level 6)
12 Side Cable Dips (Level 5)
12 Side Cable Dips (Level 4)
12 Side Cable Dips (Level 3)
The workout is twice as long, twice as hard...I usually take 1.5 minute breaks in between sets to focus my breathing...Unfortunately I'm out of Vitamin water, so I washed it down with some tap water in the fridge today...I may get some hoops in tomorrow if the weather is as nice as it is today cause I know I'm going to be hurting a little tomorrow...
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