Daily post, coming at you live from the gym!
I didn’t get a chance to write yet today, and it’s getting late in the day now… so, let’s kill two birds with one stone. Work out with me! Get ready for some likely unflattering pics. 😆
Today’s workout!
1- Dumbbell thrusters: 4 sets 10 reps
I used 20 lb dumbbells here. Dumbbells at shoulders, squat, then forcefully press overhead as you stand back up! Nice and powerful.
2- Dumbbell Bulgarian Split Squats: 4 sets 10 reps
25 lb dumbbells each hand. Oof these are always a burner. 😩
3- Dumbbell Chest Supported Row 4×10
*25 lb dumbbells in each hand
Oops cut my head off. Ha. (Propping phone up on a dumbbell rack!).
This is a good one to work both biceps and back at the same time.
4) Elevated Dumbbell Step-Back Lunge 4×10
Sticking with the 25#s a lot today!! 🤷♀️ Today I just elevated my front foot on 2 25# plates, but sometimes I’ve done a higher step. This was fine for today.
5) Dumbbell lateral raises: 4×15
A classic shoulder exercise.
*Started with 15 lb DBs; set 1 12 reps, set 2 10 reps. Then decreased to 10 lb for sets 3 and 4 (but upped reps to 15).
6) Bodyweight bench dips: 2 sets x 15 reps
No weight here. The straighter you make your legs, the harder. Or, bend your knees to make easier.
7) Bicycle crunches: 2 sets x 15 each side
This was a simple, effective, and fun dumbbell or bodyweight only workout, so if you need something to do in a hotel gym or even at home, this would work!
It’s pretty rare that my workouts don’t include at least a couple exercises with barbells or a machine or something, but I am honestly quite partial to dumbbells, overall.
With rest breaks, this would probably take me about ~50 min. (I did 4 sets on most exercises, plus a lot of single leg stuff…and the lower body exercises burn! My heart rate gets up with those and I make sure to rest enough in between.)
It also took me a bit longer today since I was fiddling around with taking videos. This is why I am not a fitness influencer. 😝 (Well, there are many reasons I’m not a fitness influencer.)
This was my last strength workout for April. Tuesday I’ll start my May workouts.
Honestly April was weak for me (the beginning, anyway). We didn’t get home from vacation until April 5th and then I had a verrrrry slow ramp back up to my regular routines.
The week of 4/6 I only did 1 of my planned lifts, of 3; the week of 4/13 I did 2.
But by weeks 4/20 and 4/27 I was back to all 3 (plus my home cardio other days).
Yay! Back on track.
I feel like I’m slowly regaining my strength after almost 2 weeks on vacation and then the basically 2 weeks that I barely lifted! It’s not that muscle just disappears instantly, but there is a noticeable difference when I’m not consistent for that long. The good thing is, muscle memory is real and I find I pop back quickly. Within a couple weeks I’m usually good as new.
Okay, off to go refuel! 🙂 Did you work out today? What’d you do?
See you tomorrow! 🙂
Daily Gratitude:
I am grateful for a quiet, relaxing Sunday today. Got some things done and also just enjoyed a very chill pace.
P.S. Thank you so much for all the sweet comments on yesterday’s post. I will be responding to each of you – just didn’t get there yet today!!
GRATEFUL KAE 