Pyramid Workout Progress: Week 1

I figured I'd post once a week during the cycle and update everyone on modifications and my own personal progress and opinions on the workouts, since I'm doing them all with you!

So, here it goes:
I AM SO DEAD! These workouts are tough, man.  I've been isolating one muscle group (i.e. just doing triceps or just doing chest) for a while now, but nothing compares to supersetting a pyramid workout.  I'm not kidding.  I finished the tricep workout on Tuesday, and just opening my laptop was so difficult, I may as well have been doing weighted dips. But no matter how painful the workouts are, after every single one, I have felt like I actually targeted the muscle group that I was going for (which is sometimes hard for me, especially for shoulders!). 

So far, so good! Keep it up, and let me know how your first week went!

Workouts...FINALLY! 2/9/15-1/1/15

AH you guys, I finally made a new workout schedule. So here's what's going to happen: we're gonna use the same workouts for three weeks.  They say that it takes 21 days to make a habit/see a change/many other positive things for a healthy you, and that's how long each workout "cycle" is going to last.  We'll do these 6 workouts for three weeks, track our progress, and then switch it up to keep our bodies guessing.

So, without further ado, here is this cycle of workouts! I decided to make it into a spreadsheet so you can track the weights you use, as well as input notes of how the workout went and what you want to improve upon.

Also, I didn't include an ab workout in the spreadsheet, nor did I insert any cardio; feel free to tweak and add as you see fit! I've just been doing some crunches and leg lifts at the end of every other day.

ENJOY! :)

This week's workouts 6/9-6/14

You guys. My shorts don't fit me...AGAIN. Literally, this is the third time since, like, September that I've had to buy new shorts because my thighs and my butt are too thick. Usually that wouldn't really be a problem because it's all muscle. But three times?? That's a little excessive. So, I'm still doing legs, but I'm trying to lean out, so you'll see a difference in the routine for leg day! You can find this week's workouts HERE
Have fun!

This week's workouts: 6/2-6/7

You guys. This week was a rough one for me, motivation-wise. For some reason, I found it really difficult to get my butt to the gym once I hit the halfway mark for the week. But, I'm so glad that I did; it was well worth it! This week's workouts were pretty tough, but so good!

Enjoy!!

This week's workouts: 5/26-5/31

Here's the workouts for the week; enjoy!

This week's workouts: 5/19-5/24

Yikes, I know I'm a week late posting any kind of workout...finals are really kicking my butt this semester! But...yay for the fourth week of the blog! (and it's OFFICIALLY summer!)

Here's the week's routine! I really want everyone to focus on the weight that they're using.  Don't worry too much about how many reps you're doing (unless it's less than 6.  If you're doing less than 6 reps, you should probably definitely use slightly less weight). Go heavy this week. Now let's go kick some butt!

April 30, 2014-Shoulders and Back

Okay, I don't know about anyone else, but shoulders are the hardest for me to feel like I actually did anything the next day-I never feel sore.  But, we work 'em anyway, right?!  Right.  I also feel like shoulder and back exercises go well together...hence today's workout.  (I also included pictures of each exercise so you know what you're doing! Sorry some of them are of real people...it's a little creepy, I know) So, here we go!

NOTE: This is A LOT of reps.  Go slightly lighter than you would on a normal day.  If you don't know how heavy to go or even where to start in the least, don't hesitate to ask!!

500 rep workout:
Each exercise: 5 sets of 10 reps.  Do all sets of one exercise before moving on.
Seated barbell military press-sitting on a bench, press a barbell from your chest to above your head and bring it back down.

Close-grip lat pull-down-at the lat pull-down machine, bring the bar down to your chest, keeping your hands about shoulder-width apart.

Car drivers-holding a plate like a steering wheel, twist it to the right and left 'till hands are "stacked" perpendicular to the floor.  R-L is one rep.

Wide-grip lat pull-down-same thing as before, but this time keep your hands wider than shoulder-width apart.

Front incline dumbbell raise-sit/lay on an incline chair (your back on the pad) and do front raises with a dumbbell.

Seated cable rows-either at a rowing machine or at the cable machine, sit with your feet pressed against the foot pad and, keeping your back as flat/straight as possible, pull cable in towards your chest (imagine your shoulder blades being pulled down and together).

1-arm side lateral raise-normal raises, keeping arms straight and only bringing weight to shoulder height-DO NOT raise above parallel. One arm at a time.

Incline (or just normal/bent over) T-bar row-if on incline, pull bar up to chest, "tucking" shoulder blades in and down.  If doing bent over, keep back flat and pull shoulder blades in and down.

normal bent over T-bar row

Incline T-bar row

Cable rear delt fly-on the cable machine that has two cables on the same side, grab the left one with your right hand and vice-versa, crossing them over one another. Pull them back, keeping arms as wide as possible.

Back hyper extension-on the "back hyper extension" machine (shown below), start from completely relaxed over the pads and use your lower back to pull yourself up to a hyper extended state, where the lower back muscles are contracted.

*This workout might be a little longer than you're used to (a.k.a., it might take about an hour or so), because of the increase in sets, so plan accordingly!*

What do you think? Any tips to make the workout that much better?