In the gym

First proper workout in my new gym and great fun! I had forgotten how much I enjoy working out with weights and even though pretty tough, it really fires up your metabolism and gets those endorphins whizzing round the body! I try and keep my workout time down to a minimum and don't waste anything, keeping rest between sets as low as possible, making it more of an interval training session.

I am now getting back into some strength training for over the winter to supplement the bike and run training. So I started off fairly easy with a short workout, which works all muscle groups through only 5 main exercises.

Here it is:

Warm up for 5-10 minutes with various exercises, step ups and burpees, kettlebell swings, very light dumbells going through various moves to get the heartrate up and blood flowing. Then I set my interval timer to 40 seconds of effort with 20 seconds of rest. And I do 20 sets of those. ie. 20 minute session. 5 minutes cool down and stretch after.

5 exercises = 4 sets of each (40 on 20 off) Each rep, 2 secs up and 2 down lifting

1. Deadlift with 50kg olympic bar

2. Bench press 25kg bar

3. Squats with same 25kg bar, done at faster tempo

4. Single Arm row, 16kg kettlebell, work each side for 40 secs. ie. 40 left, rest 20, 40 right, rest 20 etc.

5. Seated shoulder press and seated lateral shoulder raise. 1 set press, 1 set raise and repeat. Press with 8kg kettlebells and raises with 5kg dumbells

5 minute cool down.

And that's it. I've not pushed the weight as I am starting back and I am only just better after a bit of a stiff neck/shoulder/chest injury. But it felt good. I hope to do two of these a week and keep adapting and mixing up the workouts to keep it fresh!