Workout Update: Lift More: Day 6

Day 6 was the first of two back-to-back rest days in Lift More. So, I tried the upper-body recovery routine, which is a mix of stretching and foam rolling. Even though it primarily stretches or foam rolls the muscles of your upper body, you do some hip stretching in this routine as well as your back, shoulders, and arms. It was a much-needed recovery routine.

Workout Update: Lift More: Day 5

Day 5 of Lift More is a shoulder circuit workout consisting of two quad blocks of quad sets and three burnout sets. Some of the moves are familiar if you did Lift 4, and some are new. You will very likely have to use much lighter weights for most of the exercises than you are used to because you are doing quad sets, 12 reps in each set, and performing a lot of longer-lever exercises. I had to drop-set many of the exercises because by the second and third sets, I could not use the weight that I started out with. The burnout block is tough. There are only two exercises in the burnout block, but because you do both exercises for 45 seconds and only get 15 seconds between them, it is hard to get through. Then, of course, you finish with core and stretching. 

Workout Update: Lift More: Day 4

Day 4 was another leg workout, this time focused on glutes and hamstrings. It is a Lift and HIIT combo workout and follows the same format as the workout two days ago. There are four blocks of weighted exercises, with two exercises in each block. Then, there are three hit sets in which you alternate two exercises for 45 seconds with 15 seconds between them. Finally, you finish with core and a stretching cooldown. 

I really like having the second leg day in the program. Legs are a big muscle group, so you get a big calorie burn twice a week. Tomorrow is shoulders, so that will be intersting doing twelve reps of all the shoulder exercises.

Workout Update: Lift More: Day 3

Day 3 of Lift More, instead of being an off day like in Lift 4, is another circuit workout. This time, working back and triceps. The format is the same as day 1. You do two blocks of work, each with three sets. In each block, you do two back exercises followed by two triceps exercises, performing 12 reps of each exercise. The rest time is again minimal. You get just enough time between exercises to transition from one to the other. Then, you get 15 seconds between sets and a minute between blocks. After the two blocks, you have a burnout block in which you do three sets of superman pulldowns followed by triceps dips. Then you finish with a brutal core component and stretching to cool down. So, it is another tough workout. 

Workout Update: Lift More: Day 2

Day 2 of Lift More is a leg workout. This one specifically works your quads and calves. It is also a HIIT workout, similar to the 50/50 workouts from Lift 4. In this one, you do four blocks of weighted exercises, followed by three rounds of HIIT. In blocks 1 and 3, you do quad-specific exercises, and in blocks 2 and 4, you do calf exercises. Then, in the HIIT portion, you alternate two exercises, performing each for 45 seconds. As with yesterday's workout, you get 15 seconds between exercises, 30 seconds between sets, and one minute between blocks. In the HIIT portion, you get 15 seconds between exercises and 30 seconds between sets. Then there is a core component alternating between two exercises, each for 45 seconds. Finally, you finish with stretching to cool down. It is a tough workout. It is also longer, coming in at 45 minutes. But it is effective.

Workout Update: Lift More: Day 1

Lift More is the follow-up program to Joel Freeman's program Lift 4. This one was filmed during the pandemic, so it is set up like some of the other workouts filmed at that time, with a small cast (just two people working out with Joel) and a video wall showing people working out at home.

This workout does require a sturdy weight bench and a selection of dumbbells. The day 1 workout is called Lift Chest and Biceps. It is much like the circuit-style workouts in Lift 4. It has two blocks of quad sets, each consisting of two chest exercises followed by two biceps exercises. The difference is that in this workout, you do three sets of 12 reps instead of three sets of 10 reps. Then you have a burnout block in which you alternate push-ups using the bench with biceps curls. The difference between this program and Lift 4 is that, instead of doing each burnout exercise for 30 seconds, you do them for 45 seconds. Then, you finish with core (alternating two exercises for 45 seconds) and a stretching cooldown. 

As in Lift 4, there is very little rest between sets or blocks. You basically get enough time to transition between exercises, and that's it. It is very challenging, but if you are used to doing Lift 4, it is not all that new, just a little different.

Workout Update: Lift 4: Day 56

Day 56 was the final day of Lift 4. It was another rest day, so I did the first flexibility and mobility routine from 25-Minute Speed Train. I feel like I made a bit more progress from when I did it last week. I finally got down under 200 lbs in this round of Lift 4. Hopefully, I can get down to about 190 during the 8 weeks of Lift More, which will be the perfect weight to start P90X again. 

Workout Update: Lift 4: Day 55

Day 55 was a rest day, so I did Lift 4's stretching routine. There was nothing major to say about this one. It was about the same as when I did it on Wednesday.

Workout Update: Lift 4: Day 54

Day 54 was the final regular workout of Lift 4, which was Full Body HIIT. It used the same format as last week; three blocks each with two exercises, one focused on the lower body and one focused on the upper body. In block 1, you do the exercises for 60 seconds; in block 2, for 45 seconds; and in block 3, for 30 seconds. In each block, the rest time between exercises reduces (from 20 seconds in the first block down to 10 seconds in the third block), and there is only 30 seconds of rest between blocks. So, for all intents and purposes, you are constantly moving the entire workout. Then, you have a burnout block doing all six exercises for 30 seconds with no rest between them. And, of course, you finish with core and stretching. This was another tough workout, but I got through it, and I modified less than I did last week. I am going to do the recovery routines for the next two days and then begin Lift More next week.

Workout Update: Lift 4: Day 53

Day 53 was the final weight workout of Lift 4: shoulders and arms circuit. It was tough, but I reduced the amount of weight I tried using last week by a couple of pounds for each exercise, and I was able to get through it without drop setting. And, on the final set of swimmers, I could actually go up a couple of pounds. So, it was a good workout.

Workout Update: Lift 4: Day 52

Day 52 was the mid-week off day, so I just did the roll-and-recover routine. I had a bunch of knots in my legs, so this one was really helpful. 

Workout Update: Lift 4: Day 51

Day 51 was legs again, and it was brutal again. Not so much because of the lift portion, but the HIIT after the lift, even though all of the HIIT exercises were 30 seconds long, it was tough. Mainly because it included triple bear and catchers' jumps. I could do some unmodified, but was definitely modifying in sets two and three. 

Workout Update: Lift 4: Day 50

Day 50 was the start of week 8 (the final week) of Lift 4. It was again the chest and back circuit workout. This week, I dropped the weight I used for the exercises by a couple of pounds, and that helped a lot. It was still a struggle, but I did not have to drop-set any of the exercises (although I had to take a couple of mid-set breaks). The push-up bonus block was brutal, as I had little to nothing left by the time I got to that point. But, I persevered and got through it.

Workout Update: Lift 4: Day 49

On day 49, I did the Flexibility and Mobility 1 routine from 25-Minute Speed Train.  I actually made appreciable progress from last week. I could get much deeper into many of the stretches, including ones that I had not been able to get into for quite a while. 

Workout Update: Lift 4: Day 48

Day 48 was a rest day, it was also a busy day, so I just did the roll and recover routine from Lift 4. I definitely had some knots in my legs, so it helped, but it was not the best version of the routine I have done. 

Workout Update: Lift 4: Day 47

Day 47 is the Full Body HIIT workout. It consists of three blocks, each with two moves.  The first block consists of single-leg lunge jumps for 60 seconds (30 seconds per leg), followed by in-and-out push-ups for 45 seconds. The second block has jump squats for 45 seconds and triple-bear for 30 seconds. The final block has double plyo push-ups (triceps and regular) for 30 seconds, followed by square squats for 15 seconds. You do three sets in each block, then you do a burnout block, doing all six exercises for 30 seconds with no breaks. So, it is a quick workout, but it is hard. It is even difficult to get through the core block because you are wiped from the "main" portion of the workout. That said, I was able to do more unmodified exercises in this workout than I have in any of the other workouts in this round of Lift 4, so I am definitely improving. 

I have one more week of Lift 4, then I will move on to Joel's follow-up program, Lift More. I have been waiting to try Lift More since it requires a bench. In my old townhouse, I did not have enough space to assemble and use my weight bench, but my new workout room does, so I will be trying Lift More for the first time.

Workout Update: Lift 4: Day 46

Day 46 was shoulders and arms, which was a circuit workout. I tried to increase the weight I used on some of the exercises, but I found I had to drop set many of the exercises after the first set, especially in blocks 2 and 3. It was a challenging workout and I was not really feeling like working out today, but I got it done. 

Workout Update: Lift 4: Day 45

Day 45 was the mid-week rest day, so I just did the stretching routine. That one does not have as many of the stretches that I can use to gauge my progress, but to the extent that I can figure out how I am progressing, I do think I made some slight improvements over last week.  

Workout Update: Lift 4: Day 44

Day 44 was Legs. In the shred weeks, the twist to Leg day is that in the lifting portion, you do triple sets, consisting of three exercises without any breaks between them. Then, instead of the 60-45-30 format for the three HIIT moves in the cardio blocks, you do each move for thirty seconds. So, this is a cross between a circuit workout and a 50/50 workout. Either way, it is tough as hell. I do not sweat a ton in any workout (aside from taekwondo classes), and I was sweating during this one. 

Workout Update: Lift 4: Day 43

Day 43 was the start of week 7, which is the first of two "shred weeks". Joel changes up the workout sequencing, so today was chest and back. He indicated that you can use  the same weight as you used in week 5, but I increased the amount of weight I was using for the various exercises. I did have to drop set in the second block, however, when you essentially do 20 reps of presses in a row without stopping. In block 2, you do rotating chest presses followed by decline presses. I used the increased weight for the first set, but had to drop it for sets 2 and 3. Then, there is a push-up and back extension burnout, and then you finish with core and stretching. It was a challenging workout, but good.