Some of you may know this, but I am in the introduction weight training class at our school and it’s a 45 min class usually, if I’m lucky. Whenever I go to the gym on my own, working out can last 2-3 hours sometimes. I would be doing upper body and then leg day, every other day.
I somehow have to make a workout that I can do and still get some results within less than a hour. In this class period I usually am able to work out two body muscles and about 3-4 exercises each. One day I do chest and triceps, back and biceps and then legs and shoulders. It is all about time management, you have to be in full focus mode so you can get through all, if not you will not get anything done.
On chest and tricep day, I always start my day with bench press and go up either 2.5 or 5 lbs with every set, I then move to incline bench and do the same thing for sets. Depending on the time, I go ahead and move to triceps.
I start with tricep extensions and do the same amount of weight for the first 3 sets and then on my last one, I push myself and go up in weight. Then I go and do skull crushers, I push myself a lot with this exercise and make sure I have my partner behind me incase it does get too much for me. Lastly, my favorite is kick backs, it really shows off my arms.
Back and bicep day is next, and I probably work my hardest on this day because my goal is to get nice back muscles. I start with lateral pull and seated rows, both can be very hard and you have to make sure that you keep your back straight or you will hurt yourself. Next I go to rows, which show off your arms a ton, with this you also have to make sure your back is straight and pull all the way up to your chest.
Biceps, with these you do a lot of curls. Hammer curls, barbell curls, one arm curls. Stay around the same weight for each one and only use your arms and core, it will also help strengthen that as well.
Last and final day is leg and shoulder day, this is the hardest day out of all. For legs, I start everyday with squats, always have to make sure that your back is straight and that you do not buckle your knees. Next is hamstring extensions, for me I have to do very light weight because I have bad knees. Then I move to my hip thrusts with weight, this helps me because it strengthens my hips. Then lastly for legs I do calf raises.
Shoulders, I do military press with about 15 lbs dumbbells, also making sure my back is straight. Then it goes to shrugs with about 25-30 lbs depending how I am feeling, which you only shrug your shoulders, you don’t bend your elbows at all. Then lastly I do front barbell raise with light weight.
Enjoy your 45 minute workout in class, but definitely workout more out of class like I do!