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 
This was such a fun post, Kae! I loved getting to see some behind-the-scenes action shots. You are my hero when it comes to strength training 🙂
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Love this routine! I do hate Bulgarian split squats with a fiery passion though.
I *did* workout yesterday, and will today too. I did a 20-minute wall Pilates video and then a 20-minute ab video, followed by a 35 minute walk. I miss my strength training but I am done pouting about it. There are other ways to stay strong while my arm heals.
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Bulgarians are the worst! I do them but do NOT enjoy it. I am at a work conference and so worked out in the hotel gym which I probably only do 1-2x/year. I did goblet squats, pullovers on the bench, sumo squats, tricep pushdowns, hip thrusts, and lateral and front raises. I hate how hotel gyms are often cramped and crowded!
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I loved this!!! If you want to do this again, I would be happy. This is definitely a workout I could do at the gym BUT WITH LIGHTER WEIGHTS. Kae, you are strong! I would have to take each of these down a notch- but this is a really solid workout. I’m going to make a note of it, to do once I’m done with the Iron Series I’m doing now.
Oh, to answer your question- today was a running day for me : )
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15 lb (12,5 kgs??) for lateral raises! For so many reps? That’s really impressive! And Bulgarians – I have a love/hate relationship with them but they’re such a good exercise.
I enjoyed seeing your workout! I love barbells but dumbbells are great and what I use for the most part when I train at home or in public gyms. Today is not the typical gym day for me but since it was a bank holiday yesterday and my PT had a free slot today, I’m off to the gym in 30 minutes.
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I so enjoyed this post and then I tried to copy your workout and DANG it’s a toughie! I enjoyed it but no way could I do step back lunges after split squats. Also, lateral raises with 15lbs! Amazing. I can barely do 6kg (which i guess is actually 13Lb, but I can’t do 40 of them.
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Ooh I’m glad you tried it!! I thought it was tough too but also fun!
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