missionmightymom

Ask and you shall receive…

Recently, I have been getting questions regarding the strength training program that I am on and I love nothing more than sharing and hopefully encouraging others to jump on the health/fitness band-wagon.

So here it is…what I like to call the Super Quick-Super Effective-Get In & Get Out-Muscle Exhausting-Mom on a Mission Workout. Has a nice ring to it, don’t you think?!?

Because I have professional duties as well as the privilege of being Momma to the two sweetest creatures God ever created, I don’t have a lot of time to spend in the gym. I work out on my lunch break five days a week, so finding an efficient, results yielding workout was crucial, and because strength training builds muscle, and muscle burns fat, I had to be sure to incorporate some weight lifting into my “I’m a lover of cardio” plan.

The Plan: 35 minutes/5 days a week + Saturday

• Monday- 25 min. leg workout & 10 minutes interval training
• Tuesday- 30 min. core class & 10 minutes interval training
• Wednesday- 25 min. arm workout & 10 minutes interval training
• Thursday- 25 min. leg workout & 10 minutes interval training
• Friday- 25 min. arm workout & 10 minutes interval training
• Saturday- my date with cardio; 5 mile run

Leg Workout- A variation of any/all of these moves

• squats (some days single leg some days double) with 90lbs on barbell
• lunges (sometimes forward sometimes reverse and sometimes curtsy) with 10lb db or 20lbs on barbell
• Step-ups with 10lb db
• leg presses with 90lb
• calf raises
• leg extensions (sometimes single leg sometimes double) with 35lbs
• dead-lifts with 30lbs on barbell

Arm Workout- A variation of any/all of these moves

• Curls with 10lb db or 20lbs on cable machine
• over should presses with 10lb db
• kickbacks with 10lb db
• side arm extensions with 10lb db
• forward arm extensions with 10lb db
• pullbacks on cable machine with 25lb resistance
• overhead triceps extension
• I always end my set with push-ups

I typically choose four moves to concentrate on in a day. I alternate between working on sets (3 sets of 15 reps) or focusing on each move for one minute at a time, getting in as many reps as possible without sacrificing form. The key is muscle exhaustion. Your last set should be close to impossible to finish. I perform my strength training moves consecutively without much rest which also creates a cardio aspect. And I always do my interval training after my strength training. Why? Weight training depletes glycogen in muscles forcing your body to release fat from cells to be used as energy for a cardio workout.This is a great way to loose weight!

So there you have it! My plan. I am 4 months postpartum and this program along with maintaining a clean diet has given me tremendous results. I am looking and feeling better now than before becoming pregnant the second time. And if you don’t believe me…just ask my husband:)