More Free Exercise Circuit Ideas for Building Lower Body Strength

I love all these exercises my personal trainer designed for me. They are interested and varied to work the different parts of my muscles. With my trainer, the one hour exercise program goes fast.

Without her, I would never be able to do the one hour program. She is a professional and she knows what she is doing. Therefore, I would like to record them, share with my blog readers and also to remind myself what I can do when she is not around. Today's exercises included the following

Circuit A

Seated Leg Press

1.Leg Press - 45 lbs and did for 12-15x

This is an easy and relaxing exercise that people don;t usually have a lot of problems. I enjoy it!

2. Hip Adductors - 50 lbs - 15x

A relaxing exercise for me. I can read a magazine while doing this. Very good to build the strength of inner thigh muscles. I specifically asked my trainer to help me build up these muscles as I age, I find that I lost certain muscles mass faster than the other in my body.

3. Seated Leg Curl - 75 lbs - 15x

The seated leg curl is an easy and relaxing exercise that doe not tire me out easily in the exercise routine.
I am building my muscles now and up to lifting 75 lbs on this machine. Not bad!

4. Buso Ball - 15X

This was a new exercise for me today. It took me a little while to coordinate my jumps on the ball. After a few tries, I got it and I liked it.
It will become one of my favourite exercise as it works on my hamstrings as well as being a cardio exercise.  A really enjoyable exercise for me!





Circuit  B

1. Hamstring Walk out - 10X

This is always an exhausting exercise for me.
I find this exercise exhausting. I have to be in top shape when I do this otherwise I feel dizzy after a few times.




2. Lat Pull Down - 45 lbs

3. Core Exercise on Total Gym machine , 10x -  this is very similar to a push up exercise on the mat. I found it quite challenging.









4. Dead Bug - 25X 

My most favorite exercise. It works my muscles but it does not tire me out like the others. I can do 25 of this exercise without killing myself.

R.T.
Women's Gym
Toronto

Mi Primera Entrada de Blog en Español

Estoy muy feliz hoy.

Mi familia ha estado viviendo en nuestra casa durante casi cuarenta años.

Nuestro hijo menor nació en esta casa

Nos encanta nuestra casa de Don Mills mucho.

Muchos de nuestros amigos se mudaron a los suburbios por casas mas grande.

Nos insistió en quedarse aquí en nuestra Casa.

Hemos hecho mucho trabajo de renovación dentro de la Casa.

Tenemos una nueva puerta instalada hoy.

Una nueva puerta de garaje!

La nueva puerta de garaje se instaló en la actualidad.

Estoy muy feliz hoy!

R.T.

Toronto

Free Personal Training Exercise Ideas

Step up on  riser with weight

My personal trainer is wonderful! She encourages me, motivates me and most of all, she pushes me to do what I think I cannot do.

I am thankful for having her as my personal trainer as I do feel the difference since I started training with her a couple of months ago. I lost a few pounds already and my tummy has started to tightened up a little. Best of all, I can fit into my beautiful clothes! When I went to a recent shopping trip,  everything I tried on, looked great on me!

Lunging with weights

Besides going to my personal trainer a couple times a week, I also attend 2-3 Zumba and She-bam classes. I find that attending both a Zumba and personal training session on the same day is a little too much for me. Therefore, Kelsey, my trainer designs two separate programs for me each week. The first session is for training my upper body and the second session of the week is for building my lower body strength.

Seated leg curl

Each  personal training session in Canada cost between $50.00 - $100.00. I am writing down these exercises to share with others in my blog, so that those who need to build their strength can have an idea what they can do .  My program today involved the following two circuits:

1. Stepping on a riser with 1 leg holding a 10lb ball, then change to the leg
2. Lunging with a 10 lb ball for 25 steps
3. Seat leg curl - first time at 45 lb - 15X
                            second time - at 50 ld - 15 x
                            third time - at 60 - 15 x

Planking for 1 minute

4. Plank on a mat for 1 minute

I found this exercise one of the hardest as it required much strength. But I also know that it is an important one.





The second set of exercises contained the following exercises:


1. Lying on Mat - Place ball under calves then roll ball under hips

Dead Bug Exercise

2. Dead Bug

This is one of my most favorite exercises. It does train me in the coordination department. But it feels so good when I am lying there on my back while doing this.

Squat with leg to side

3. Squat and then raise 1 leg to the left, then to the right

Hamstring Stretch

4a. Stretching exercises on bar - hamstring stretch

Calves Stretch against a wall

b. Stretch exercise -  against wall with bottom of 1 foot, then change to the other foot

R.T.
Toronto
Picture Sources - Google Search

Justin Trudeau - Newly Elected Prime Minister - A Great Day for Canada!

Canadians elected a new prime minister tonight

A stunning evening for Canada  and a great triumph for the Liberal Party ! Justin Trudeau has just been elected as the new prime minister of Canada!

My husband and I were clutching our hands as we watched the election results this evening. This has been the longest election campaign in Canadian history - a total of 78 days! We learned about the three leaders' campaign and their promises each day on the daily news.

 It finally came to an end this evening. In fact it ended for us and for more than one million Canadians as many flocked to the advance polls during the Thanksgiving weekend. It was reported that the voter turnout was very heavy.

Justin Trudeau and his wife greeting well wishes

This night's election results are special as this is the first time in Canadian history that the son of a former prime minister becomes a prime minister!

Congratulations, Mr. Justin Trudeau!

As I am writing this blog entry, Stephen Harper is giving his concession speech. He is gracious, polite smiles on his face as he addresses his Conservative supporters in Calgary, Alberta. Following Mr. Harper's speech is Mr. Trudeau's.

Prime Minister- elected addressing his supporters

Mr. Trudeau, in his speech thanks our current prime minister - Stephen Harper, and reminds his audiences that " the Conservatives are not our enemies, but our neighbours."

 As well, he acknowledges the hard work of Tom Muchiur, leader of the New Democratic Party.

Justin Trudeau - second youngest Canadian Prime Minister elected

Our second youngest prime minster in history, Justin Trudeau encourages Canadians to have faith, compassion, and embrace diversity of Canadians, an inspiring speech that brings optimism and hope to Canadians.






Unlike so many countries in other parts of the world where a change of government could be violent, bloody and disastrous,  for Canadas, a change of government is peaceful, civilized and a joyous event fo. It also brings with it - faith, hope and change for us.

Once again, we count our blessings living in Canada where we can exercise our democratic rights every four years and elect our leaders.  I truly thank God for this privilege!

R.T.
Canada
Federal Election Night

Enjoying a Morning Walk at the Toronto Harbourfront

Recently, we spent a couple of nights at a waterfront condo in Toronto.

Toronto in the morning light - seen from Harbourfront

We took advantage of this great opportunity and enjoyed an early morning walk about in this beautiful part of Toronto.


There were few people walking about at this early morning hour.

Walls in the Ireland Park, Toronto

We walked towards the water near the island airport and accidentally discovered a little park with sculptured stone walls right on the water's edge!

Statues depicting the plight of the Irish immigrants to Canada

Instead of statues of heroes splendidly dressed in their military wear,  riding triumphantly on horses, we were greeted with
sculptures of statues of people dressed in tattered clothes from another era.

They looked downtrodden and the expressions on these sculptures looked frightened, desperate and crying out for help.

The sculptures included a pregnant woman and a child who looked impoverish and malnourished.


We were really curious of the stories behind these sculptures. What did they represent?

Upon finding out the name of the park, we understood the history and histories of these figures.

This is a small park located on the western side of the Toronto harbourfront called Ireland Park.
This park is to honour the Irish immigrants who came to Canada during the potato famine.

After the Ireland Park, we continued our walk and past by the pet shop.

Some big creatures guarded the front store entrance.

 There were so many beautiful places on the harbourfront!

Recycled tires used as flower containers in front of the Boatel

We saw recycled tired being put to good use on the harbourfront.

These old tires were painted in vibrant colours with bright flowers growing out of them. They looked very attractive sitting by the dock.

Many boats docked by the water. On one of them was a group of about six people sitting and enjoying breakfast in this early hour.

This was a Boatel! Toronto's only Bed & Breakfast Afloat by the water. How about that?

The Simcoe Wave Deck

We also walked by a tall ship. 

Sugar Beach at the Toronto Harbourfront

A new and interesting discovery we made during our morning walk was the Sugar Beach!

Redpath Sugar Company, Toronto

The Sugar Beach got its name from the Redpath sugar company nearby.

Sugar Beach, Waterfront, Toronto

The Sugar Beach was recently created and opened not long ago.

It cost the city a whooping fourteen millions to haul all the sand to create this beach with about two dozens pink umbrellas and Muskoka chairs dotting the beach.

The promenade on the Sugar Beach, Toronto

This is a public beach created for the enjoyment of residents in Toronto and its visitors. It is accessible by public transportation by taking the subway to the Unions Station and getting on to the bus to Queens Quay.

There is no admission to the beach! Another  beautiful and free place to go for everyone in Toronto!

R.T.
Sugar Beach/ Ireland Park
Toronto Harbourfront

Exercises for Building Lower Body Strength

Circuits for Lower Body Strength

Step with weight and leg up

Yesterday I had an hour of upper body strength building exercise and then I went to an hour of Sh’bam class afterwards. It was a good workout, but today, my body has not fully recovered and I felt tired.

Squat with a Ball

My trainer always designs two circuits for me in my personal training program targeting the part of my body that hurt. She is really good. However, this afternoon, it took me much longer to finish the first circuit which was composed of the following:

Seated Leg Curl

1. Step up with leg up to my chest carrying wt on each hand – 15 x with each leg up.
2. Squat with a 10 lb ball – 15 times
3. Seated Leg Curl machine – 45 lbs – 12 times (This is a really good exercise for weak hamstring!)
4. Walk out on the mat then bring each leg to the chest 2 times – 10 times ( I found this exercise the hardest in this circuit. I felt light headed each time as I brought my body back up from the mat. I had to breath between each time really hard and I found this exercise strenuous.

Walk out on Mat

I had to repeat this circuit of exercise three times and this took more than half an hour! I must improve my time!!!


R.T.
Women's Gym
Don Mills, Toronto
Picture Source - Google Search