Workout Update: Lift More: Day 21

 On Day 21, I did the lower-body recovery routine from Lift More. This one combines lower-body stretching and foam rolling, and the foam rolling targets some of the same parts of the legs as the Lift 4 roll and recover routine, but swaps rolling the hamstrings for rolling the inner thighs. So, they are good to do back-to-back. Next week, I may do both routines on the same day, then combine the stretching routine from Lift 4 with the upper-body recovery workout from Lift More. 

Workout Update: Lift More: Day 20

Day 20 was a rest day, so I did the two recovery routines from Lift 4. I did the stretch routine first, then the roll-and-recover routine. Both felt good, but I did not notice a big change in my flexibility from last week. But I definitely had some knots in my legs that felt good to work out with the foam roller. 

Workout Update: Lift More: Day 19

Day 19 was the shoulders workout, which was a Lift format this week, meaning two blocks of quad sets followed by a burnout block. Then, of course, finishing with core and stretching. I did increase the weight initially for all exercises, but did drop-set some of them in the second and third sets. As with all the workouts, the minimal rest, which sometimes seems non-existent, makes this workout a challenge. Even the exercises that require using very light weights are hard by the third set.

Workout Update: Lift More: Day 18

Day 18 was the second leg day of the week, hamstrings and glutes LIFT/HIIT. I was able to increase the amount of weight for the weighted exercises and stick with it for each set. The HIIT was bench mountain climbers and pulsing (or jumping) step lunges. Of course, you end with core and stretching. The lifting portion was not horrible, but the lunges in the HIIT portion, even modifying them, were tough. It was a good Christmas workout, especially since I did not eat well today. 

Workout Update: Lift More: Day 17

Day 17 was the back and triceps workout for week 3, which was a circuit workout with a burnout at the end. The burnout was probably the easiest part of the workout, and it included three sets of 45 seconds of dips. I was able to increase the amount of weight for the weighted exercises, but I did have to drop set the single arm triceps extensions in the second and third sets. It was challenging, especially because of the limited amount of rest between sets and blocks, but good. 

Workout Update: Lift More: Day 16

Day 16 was the first of two leg days for the week. This was the quads and calves workout. It is the LIFT/HIIT format, so you do four blocks of lifting (two blocks of calves and two blocks of quads). Of course, there is almost no rest between sets or blocks, so by the time you get to the HIIT block, you are already exhausted. HIIT is kind of brutal (even if the Lift part hadn't been as challenging), and then you finish with core (no joy there either) and stretching to cool down. I increased the weight I used for each exercise in weeks 1 and 2. It was a good workout, but it was definitely harder than any of the Lift 4 leg days.

Workout Update: Lift More: Day 15

Day 15 was the beginning of week 3, so it was the chest and biceps workout. This one goes back to the circuit format in which you do two blocks of quad sets, and then a burnout block, alternating between push-ups using the bench and variations of bicep curls. I increased the amount of weight that I used in weeks 1 and 2, but I did have to drop-set some of the exercises, as did all three of the people in the video, including Joel. Of course, it ends with core and stretching. It is a good workout. There is still not a lot of rest once you get going, but you do get used to the pace. I did have to pause the video after the first block to get weights set up for block 2, because of the minimal amount of time between the two blocks, which is really my only criticism of the program up to this point.

Workout Update: Lift More: Day 14

On day 14, I did the lower-body recovery routine from Lift More. I absolutely had some knots in my legs, so the foam rolling helped a lot. I also found that I had more flexibility and mobility this week than I did last week. So, my flexibility is getting better.

Workout Update: Lift More: Day 13

Day 13 was a rest day for Lift More, so I did the stretching routine from Lift 4. I was not able to get to it until later in the day, so I did not do either of the longer Lift More recovery routines.  

Workout Update: Lift More: Day 12

Day 12 was the end of week 2. It was shoulders again, but this time it used the Lift/HIIT format. There are four blocks of lifting, alternating two exercises and then three rounds of HIIT alternating two exercises. Most of the weighted exercises are the same as last week, but you do swap out one of the exercises to do trap openers (the shoulder flys from Lift 4). And, of course, you finish with cardio and stretching. This is another challenging one. You get a bit more rest than in yesterday's workout, but that is not saying much since there was almost no rest in that one. So there is little to no rest in this one. But, it is a good way to end the week.

Workout Update: Lift More: Day 11

Day 11 was the hamstrings and glutes workout. You do all the same exercises as in week 1, but the order of the exercises differs, and it follows the quad-set circuit format. Then there is a burnout block using power loops at the end (and of course the core and stretching cooldown to finish).  This is a very challenging workout, both because you do four exercises back-to-back and because there is no rest throughout the workout, and even the transitions between exercises (if you can call them that) are extremely short. Basically, there is no rest except for a short one between the two blocks of weighted exercises. Both core exercises are performed lying on the bench, so that is kind of a break, but that is it. 

Workout Update: Lift More: Day 10

Day 10 was the Back and Triceps workout, and is a Lift/HIIT combination. It includes a couple of new exercises not in the first week's version of the workout, but most are the same. It is set up with four blocks, each with three sets of 12 reps per exercise. Blocks one and three are the back blocks, and blocks two and four are the triceps blocks. The HIIT portion is tough, as you do plank and jumping-jack variations, then you get more planks in the core component.  So, it is not easy, but it feels good to get through it.

Workout Update: Lift More: Day 9

Day 9 was the week 2 version of Quads and Calves. This one is a circuit workout, doing two blocks of quad sets and then a burnout round consisting of three sets of two exercises. This workout includes bench step-ups. The ceiling in my basement is too low to step onto my bench, but I do have one of those aerobic step platforms that I placed on a one-inch-thick mat, and that got the job done. In each block, you do two quad exercises followed by two calf exercises. In the burnout block, you need the resistance loops (the fabric kind used in the 645 program, for those who have done it). If you have the rubber resistance bands, you could use those as well. And, of course, you finish with core and stretching.

The workout was good. I was able to use the same weight for the quad exercises that I used last week, and bumped up the amount of weight I used for the calf exercises by  5 lbs. Doing quad sets is more difficult than supersets, but in this one, not having the HIIT portion is nice.

Workout Update: Lift More: Day 8

Day 8 was the start of week 2, so it is chest and triceps again. However, the format is different (this is a Lift-HIIT workout) and the exercise switch up a bit. Some of the exercises are carried over from week 1, but others are swapped out. Even though you are doing super-sets with two moves in each block, they are difficult and you will almost certainly have to drop set in the second and third sets of blocks 2 and/or 3. Both cast members (and Joel) dropped weight in the later sets. The HIIT portion is hard, but not impossible, and then you finish with core and stretching. 

Workout Update: Lift More: Day 7

On day 7, I did the lower-body recovery routine. Like the upper-body routine, this one is a mix of stretching and foam rolling. Most of what you do in the routine will be familiar if you have done Lift 4 or 25-Minute Speed train. Some of the foam rolling exercises are a bit different than what was in the roll and recover routine in Lift 4, but they add to the foam rolling quite well.  

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.