HLSG Weight Training Challenge - Week of 1/15 - LEGS

[lindrusso]

Okay, Laura has challenged us with 3 sets of lunges, 15 reps each - with or without weights.

My original idea was to focus on a muscle area and have at least 4 people chime in with different exercises. Does this sound like a good idea?

I challenge everyone to work their calves with toe raises. Let's say 3 sets of 15 for each leg - I will be using five-pound weights. For this exercise you can do these on a stair or an aerobic step - or anything elevated. One leg is placed on the stair or step, the other on the floor. Then you raise up on the lower leg (the one on the floor) as high as you can go (so that you're sort of tippy-toe), contract the calf muscle and then lower.

So, so far we have:

Forward Lunges - 3 sets, 15 reps
Calf Toe Raises - 3 sets, 15 reps

We need at least two more exercises for the legs - anyone????

[This message has been edited by lindrusso (edited 01-17-2001).]

[Laura]

Oh I am so glad you added the toe raises. I really need to work on my calves. I will use 8 pound weights (since I don't have 5 and the fitness center I work out does not have free weights.)

[JLO]

Try doing Bulgarians. It is a version of a lunge. But you put one leg up on an elevated platform and then you walk your other leg out in front of you. Make sure that your knee does not go out beyond your toes on your fron leg. It is sometimes hard to keep your balance. You have one leg behind you and one leg out in front. Don't go past a 90 degree angle. Try this without weights first. It is a killer and really works your quads and hamstrings. Originally posted by lindrusso:
Okay, Laura has challenged us with 3 sets of lunges, 15 reps each - with or without weights.

My original idea was to focus on a muscle area and have at least 4 people chime in with different exercises. Does this sound like a good idea?

So, Laura has challenged us with lunges.

I challenge everyone to work their calves with toe raises. Let's say 3 sets of 15 for each leg - I will be using five-pound weights. For this exercise you can do these on a stair or an aerobic step - or anything elevated. One leg is placed on the stair or step, the other on the floor. Then you raise up on the lower leg (the one on the floor) as high as you can go (so that you're sort of tippy-toe), contract the calf muscle and then lower.

So, so far we have:

Forward Lunges - 3 sets, 15 reps
Calf Toe Raises - 3 sets, 15 reps

We need at least two more exercises for the legs - anyone????

[comabri]

I challenge you to do side kicks, 3 sets of 12
(You can see a picture and description of side kicks at http://www.cookinglight.com/special/hlgm_sept_workout.asp)

good luck!

[lindrusso]

I get an error message for comabri's link, so I'm trying to see if I can get the link to work here (I think the parentheses are throwing it off??):
http://www.cookinglight.com/special/hlgm_sept_workout.asp

So, now we have:

Forward lunges - 3 sets, 15 reps
Toe Raises - 3 sets, 15 reps
Bulgarians - I must confess that I can't quite picture this one - can anyone help here?
Side Kicks - 3 sets, 12 reps

Consider yourselves challenged!!




[This message has been edited by lindrusso (edited 01-16-2001).]

[HARRYET]

I to am visually challenged with the "bulgarian" lunges that JLO challenged us to do. could you be a little more specific?

already did the side kicks and toe raises today! woohoo!

Ann

[Pat58]

Maybe I can help with Bulgarians? I've done them before, I just didn't know that was their name. We do it in step class sometimes and the step is a good platform to start from:

Stand on a step set at the lowest level. Toes should be toward front of step. Step forward with the right foot and place it on the floor. Keep the left foot on the step with toes bent as usual in a lunge. Carefully lunge forward on the right leg, being sure the right knee doesn't go farther than the right foot. Be really careful about form. As originally suggested, start w/o weights - this is a killer! Thanks for suggesting it, I haven't done these in a while. Also, rather than alternating lunges, it's my experience that doing all your reps on one leg, then switching, is easier so that you can keep your rear foot properly aligned.

[This message has been edited by Pat58 (edited 01-16-2001).]

[Laura]

Okay. I did 3 sets of lunges 15 reps (no weights), 3 sets of single calf raises w/8 pounds, 3 sets of calf raises (using both feet) 15 reps w/8 pounds and 3 sets of side kicks (12 reps). I did not do the Bulgarians, but I did do 3 sets of hamstring curls w/40 pounds (10 reps each) and 3 sets of the quad machine (don't know the technical term) w/90 pounds and 12 reps each. I don't really have the right step to do the Bulgarians but I might be able to work something out. Great motivator Alysha!

[lindrusso]

Thanks for the extra description Pat58 - clear as a bell now! I'll be doing leg workouts tomorrow and then probably whining the rest of the week about being sore!

And way to go Laura - now I have your example to live up to in the gym tomorrow!

[This message has been edited by lindrusso (edited 01-16-2001).]

[Natasha]

I think the weight training challenge is such a cool idea, and was looking forward to doing the exercises.

Unfortunately, I m going to bail this week. Now that I m getting over one injury, I seem to have hurt my knee. I can t believe it; my whole body seems to be falling apart all of a sudden http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/rolleyes.gif I m getting to know the sports doc really well, that s for sure! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/wink.gif Oh, well, hopefully next week I can join you guys. I ll make a note of these exercises to try in the future, though!

Good luck to all...

[lindrusso]

Natasha - hope you can join in next week. To make sure you can, just let us know what part of your body is okay and we'll go from there http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/wink.gif .

But seriously - hope you are on the mend and stay that way!

My husband can relate. I always worry when he goes running and takes a long time. He has a hard time with his ankles and often twists them hard and ends up limping home - ouch! That usually puts him out of commission for a while. Maybe I'd better have him take a cell phone when he runs or something...

[Natasha]

Originally posted by lindrusso:
Natasha - hope you can join in next week. To make sure you can, just let us know what part of your body is okay and we'll go from there http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/wink.gif .

I'm scared to choose a body part for fear that something might happen to it http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/wink.gif

But seriously - hope you are on the mend and stay that way!

Thank you! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

My husband can relate. I always worry when he goes running and takes a long time. He has a hard time with his ankles and often twists them hard and ends up limping home - ouch! That usually puts him out of commission for a while. Maybe I'd better have him take a cell phone when he runs or something...

Poor guy! A nice lightweight cell phone would indeed be a good idea - I would love one myself, for that matter! Hey, and my birthday's coming up...maybe I should start dropping hints? http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/wink.gif

Have a wonderful day.

[lindrusso]

Whew - boy are my legs wobbly! And I only did 2 of the exercises. Hey, whose idea was this anyway???? Bet I'll be good and sore tomorrow...

I got through the forward lunges (using 5 pound weights) and the toe raises (using 5 pounds as well), but since I was doing biceps and triceps as well, I ran out of time. Thank God! I don't think I could have done the Bulgarian lunges - my legs were too worn out. So, I will do the Bulgarians and the side kicks on Friday. How did you do it all Laura????

Well, I knew this is what I needed and I proved it to myself today. I get so automatic in my workout routines and rarely try new things. It's no good when you can do your routine in your sleep! This will definitely be good for me!

I didn't realize how long it would take to do those lunges - a total of 90 lunges takes quite a while to do. So let me ask a dumb question. When we say lunges, 3 sets, 15 reps - that means 15 reps per leg right???? Doesn't hurt to hope.....

[Pat58]

Poopie! I have a sinus infection just when I wanted to join our leg challenge. Maybe I can jump in if I feel better this weekend.

[Laura]

Originally posted by lindrusso:
[b]How did you do it all Laura????
B]
First let me say that I did my lunges without weights, and I did my sidekicks when I got home. I have also changed my workout routine so that I am alternating upper and lower body. Right now I am doing cardio the same day I am doing weights so unless I want to spend 2 hours at the gym(even if I wanted to, I can't fit it in) I need to alternate. So today is upper body and cardio. I am sore today, but not too bad. I was surprised at how wobbly my legs felt when doing the side kicks. I think those will really help in the hip area. Alysha don't forget to stretch. It really helps with the stiffness and pain.

Oh yeah....unfortunately it does end up being 45 lunges per leg with just the forward lunges. Let me tell you I HATE lunges, so if I can't find the right machine to do the Bulgarians, I won't be too disppointed.



[This message has been edited by Laura (edited 01-17-2001).]

[SusieO]

Just did my lunges and toe raises. I'm loving this challenge!

[HARRYET]

o.k. i did the toe raises, lunges, and side kicks tuesday and my legs were a little wobbly, but today (wednesday) it hurts to sit, my thighs are burning, this was certainly a great idea, just what i needed to get me kick started again.

hopefully i can work through the burn to do another set of the above tomorrow.

unfortunatly i can't do the bulgarians, no step or anything of like to use for balance. when i get back to the gym (i just found my membership card that i lost awhile ago, so now i can return http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/biggrin.gif) i'll give the bulgarians a try.

Ann

[phantomcg]

I want to thank all of you for providing me with some motivation. I've been lurking for awhile and I REALLY need to get back into an exercise routine. I had gall bladder surgury last year and just never seemed to be able to get back into the exercise habit. Well, for the last couple of weeks I've been working out once or twice a week, but this week I decided to "take the challenge". I've already gotten in two (longer than normal) workouts and did 2 sets of the lunges and calf raises last night. I can't find a suitable gym in my area, but I have a couple of machines at home (a "total gym" and one of those gliders) and I dug out a bunch of my old tapes (step classes taped off of ESPN long, long ago and "Body of Steel").
Anyways, sorry this is so long, I just really did want to say "THANK YOU!"

Cheryl

[Laura]

Okay did this workout this afternoon. I should have gone yesterday but life got in the way (I did bike though). Anyway, my legs feel pretty good and I think I will keep all the exercises in my routine for a while. (I never did start doing the bulgarians though, didn't have the right step and I don't think my legs would have handled it too well.) How about everyone else?

[lindrusso]

I still have to fit in the side kicks and Bulgarians this weekend to finish our challenge. "Life" got in my way yesterday in the form of a stomach thing, so I didn't make it to the gym. Darn - I was on my way to making it 5 times. It will still end up being 5 times with a trip this weekend, but I HATE going on the weekend - no motivation. And I wasn't as sore the next day as I thought I'd be...

Can't wait to see what we'll be working on next week!

[Pat58]

God bless antibiotics. I was able to go to the gym for the first time in a week, armed with our first workout challenge. I started out with an easy 30 minutes on the t'mill just to make sure I could move, then did a few upper body sets because I've hardly moved all week. I set up a step in the aerobic studio since there wasn't a class (which was a great place to do this) and here's my challenge:

Lunges: 1st set alternating w/5 lb. dumbells
2nd set stationary w/8 lb. dumbells;
3rd set same as first (15 reps each leg for all sets)

Bulgarians: 3 sets of 12 each leg, using 3 lb. dumbells for the middle set only (YOWZA)

Side kicks: I did these like we do in kickboxing class. Alternated sides for the warm-up set, 15 each side. Then I did some front kicks, then 2 sets each of 12 reps, all on the right then all on the left. In between these I added some side knee raises just to stretch.

For the toe raises I went back out in the weight room and did 4 sets on the seated calf raise: 15 reps at 25 lbs.; 12 reps at 50 lbs.; 12 reps at 35 lbs. with heels in; 12 more at 35 with heels straight.

I love this idea! I was aerobicized and sweating more doing our challenge than in 30 minutes on the treadmill. Doing those Bulgarians, I was making faces like a salmon swimming upstream !-0 I hope everyone remembered to stretch real good! This was a great workout, I love that it was cardio and toning in one.

[This message has been edited by Pat58 (edited 01-20-2001).]