A Great Workout for Boomers!

I am not an athletic person and I don’t enjoy doing exercises.  But as a retired boomer, I need to exercise regularly as I have found that some of the pains I  experienced recently was caused by my inactivity.

I have been going to a gym every week if possible working with a personal trainer. I don’t really enjoy the experience but I have no choice if I want to control the pains on my body.

Today, I had a great workout session and I truly enjoy the exercises that my personal trainer designed  for me. I did the following exercises in my hour long workout this afternoon:

1.       Warm up with circling my arms – 2 minutes

Eccentric Pull Up

       1. Eccentric movement on the pull up bar

First with underhand grip –  2 sets  of 10

Followed by overhand  grip – two sets of 10

I loved this exercise as I could feel that my grip strength improved after only two sessions  with Joyce.

Clean Weight Exercise While Stepping up on the Risers

      

2   2.   Step up with 6 risers – a set of 10

Step up with weight ,  a 15 lb dumbbell on each hand-  a set of 10

Clean the weight.; step up with weight on shoulder – 2 sets of 10

I was running out of breath by the end of each set of exercise. My coach told me  a short rest of 1 ½ minutes was important and needed to regain my strength.

   

  3    Renegade Row 

   

      First with  a 12 lb dumbbell . alternating hands, a set of 10

Followed by  15lb, alternating hands, a set of 10

Followed by 20 lb, one hand at a time, a set of 10

There was a 30 seconds rest after each set.

      4/   3 sets of Burpee – Each set was 1 minute and I was asked to do this exercise without stopping within the duration. It was not easy. I was a little dizzy after each set and needed more than the 30 seconds of rest allowed.

     5.   Body Weight Squats

     

       A set of 10 squats, as fast as I could do it.

    3 sets of 10 squats, a 30 seconds rest after each set.

 

Instead of feeling exhausted and defeated after some workout sessions, I felt energized and accomplished this time.  I did something that I never thought I could do before. I never thought I could ever pull my own body upward on a pull up bar. But I did! ( With Joyce’s spotting me.)

I really enjoyed my workout session today!!! I never thought I would ever say that. I now look forward to the next workout session with Joyce, my personal trainer.

R.T., Toronto

Dec. 2012