Workout Update: Lift 4: Day 24

Day 24 was the mid-week off day, so I did the stretching routine. It went well. I think I am slowly progressing in the amount of flexibility I have in my hamstrings, which is a good sign. 

Workout Update: Lift 4: Day 23

Day 23 was the back and biceps workout for week 4, which was a 50/50 workout. I was able to maintain using the heavier weight that I used in week 3 for all of the exercises, and increased the amount of weight that I used on full curls from last week. Since last week was a circuit format, by the time I got to full curls at the end of the workout I was spent. But this week, since there are fewer lifting exercises and you do get a little rest between the shorter blocks, I could use more weight. The HIIT portion was tough, but I was able to do some of the exercises unmodified for longer.  

Workout Update: Lift 4: Day 22

Day 22 was the chest and triceps workout for week 4. This week, it is a circuit workout. I was able to start with the heavier weights that I used last week, but I did have to drop set some of the exercises in block 2 (in the second and third sets) to finish. It is a tough workout, especially once you get to the burnout block where you alternate wide push-ups and triceps push-ups. Everyone in the cast was doing push-ups on their knees at some point. 

Workout Update: Lift 4: Day 21

On day 21, I again did the flexibility and mobility 1 routine from 25-Minute Speed Train. I again feel that my flexibility is improving, as is my balance, but neither is yet where I want them to be. 

Workout Update: Lift 4: Day 20

Day 20 was the second rest day of the week, and since it was post-leg day, I did the foam rolling routine. The twist is, I did it using the rumble roller for the first time in a long time. Needless to say, that was tough. I definitely could not go for as long as I could with the regular foam roller, but the rumble roller definitely worked a bunch of knots out of my muscles. 

Workout Update: Lift 4: Day 19

Day 19 was Legs, which is a 50/50 workout this week. I was able to increase the amount of weight I was using on all the weighted exercises. I was able to do unmodified versions of the HIIT exercises longer than I had in the past, but because I had increased the weight in the lifting portion, I did have to modify somewhat in the cardio portion, especially in the second and third blocks. And, of course, the workout ends with core and stretching. Overall, it was a good, but tough, workout. 

Workout Update: Lift 4: Day 18

Day 18 was the shoulders interval workout. I was able to increase the amount of weight I used for each exercise by 2.5 lbs, and felt that I had a pretty significant strength increase because none of the exercises were as hard as I expected them to be with the jump up in weight, given that my shoulders tend to be my weak point. I also did not have to modify any of the HIIT exercises in this workout, but I was definitely going slower than the cast members. 

Workout Update: Lift 4: Day 17

Day 17 was the mid-week off day, so I just did the stretching workout. No big changes in my flexibility to report from this one. 

Workout Update: Lift 4: Day 16

Day 16 was the back and biceps workout for week 3. This week, it is a circuit workout. So, you do three blocks, the first two consisting of four exercises that alternate back-biceps-back-biceps, back-to-back with no rest. Then, you have a burnout block in which you do back extensions and full biceps curls for 30 seconds. I did increase the amount of weight I used for each exercise (except the full biceps curls at the end, because my arms were shot at that point). I did have to drop set on a few of the exercises because the circuit format makes it much harder to maintain the heavier weight. Then, of course, the workout ends with three sets of core and a stretching cooldown.

Workout Update: Lift 4: Day 15

Day 15 was the start of week 3, which meant the Chest and Back workout. This one was another 50/50 workout. It was similar in format to the Back and Biceps workout last week: in block 1, you do two chest exercises; in block 2, you do a chest exercise followed by a triceps exercise; and in block 3, you do two triceps exercises. I did have to drop set skull crushers (which are in block 3).  I did 1.5 sets at 17.5 lbs, but because you are also doing triceps push-ups in that block, I had to drop the skull crushers down to 12.5 lbs to keep going. Otherwise, however, I increased the amount of weight I used for each exercise by 2.5 lbs from what I was using the first two weeks. 

The HIIT portion was hard and not set up correctly at all. Joel claims in the 50/50 workouts that the moves get harder as the time gets shorter. That is complete bullshit in this workout. You start by doing 180 squat jumps for 60 seconds, then do soccer runs for 45 seconds, then do jump lunges for 30 seconds. It should have been soccer runs for 60 seconds, jump lunges for 45 seconds, and 180 squat jumps for 30 seconds. But I got through it, and only had to modify the 180 squat jumps. I did a few of them in the first set, but mostly did the modified version. But, I was able to do soccer runs and jump lunges unmodified in all three sets. So, I am improving. And, of course, the workout ends with three sets of core exercises, followed by a stretching cooldown. 

Workout Update: Lift 4: Day 14

On Day 14, I did the Flexibility and Mobility 1 workout from 25-Minute Speed Train. I was also outside doing some yardwork, so while this was an off day, I was quite active. My hamstrings were very tight today, so the flexibility workout really helped.  

Workout Update: Lift 4: Day 13

Day 13 was the foam rolling recovery routine. This one felt very good. I did not feel as many knots in my legs as I did last week, which was a bit surprising. I had to do quite a bit of work today, so I did not do both the stretching routine and the foam rolling routine.

Workout Update: Lift 4: Day 12

Day 12 was the first HIIT leg day of the program. It consists of four exercises — high-knee runs, triple bear, catchers jumps, and lunge jumps — that you do for 60, 45, 30, and 15 seconds, respectively, for three rounds (with minimal rest between them). Then, you have two burnout rounds, each with 30 seconds of each exercise with no rest between them. Then you finish with core and stretching.

Again, I can tell my cardio fitness is getting better. I can do the unmodified versions of each exercise for a longer period of time than I did the last time I did Lift 4 (back in May, before life went crazy for a few months). I still can't keep up with the people in the video, but in this workout, they were all modifying at some point. So, it is a tough one, but good. 

Workout Update: Lift 4: Day 11

Day 11 was the week 2 shoulders workout, which was an interval workout. So, you do three blocks, alternating to weighted shoulder exercises (some form of a raise, followed by presses in the first block, flys in the second, and upright rows in the third), followed by a 30-second HIIT exercise. In the first block, you do soccer runs, in the second, you do catchers, and in the third, you do squat jumps. Then, you finish with core and stretching. This is the workout in which you do 30 extra seconds of core because the cast messed up the first move. Overall, I felt my cardio was improving as I was able to do more unmodified exercises in this workout, so I am making progress. 

Workout Update: Lift 4: Day 10

Day 10 was the mid-week rest day. I did the stretching routine, which did help with some of the soreness, and I do think that I had a bit more mobility today doing it than I did last Wednesday. If all goes according to plan, I will do the foam rolling routine on Saturday, and then the fist flexibility and mobility routine from 25-Minute Speed Train on Sunday.

Workout Update: Lift 4: Day 9

Day 9 was back and biceps. In week 2, this is a 50/50 workout. It has three lifting blocks: the first consists of two back exercises, the second is composed of one back exercise and one biceps exercise, and the third consists of two biceps exercises. Then, you do three blocks of cardio, following the 60, 45, 30 format, doing one-leg jump lifts, twisted mountain climbers, and 180 squat jumps (or squats with heel lifts) for the respective times. Then, you finish with core and stretching.

I was a bit surprised that my upper body was as sore as it was today, but the chest and triceps workout was kind of brutal. I definitely had to modify the cardio, but I did try to do at least a couple of unmodified moves before I dropped into the modifications. I am definitely looking forward to the rest day tomorrow.

Workout Update: Lift 4: Day 8

Day 8 was the chest and triceps workout for week 2. This week, it is a circuit workout, so you do two blocks of four exercises, doing each exercise (one chest, one triceps, one chest, one triceps) back-to-back with no rest. Then you do a bunrnout block alternating wide push-ups and triceps push-ups. Then you finish with core and a stretching cooldown. 

Even though many of the exercises in this workout are the same as in the week 1 workout, it was tough, because of the change in format, to use the same amount of weight for the exercises. I had to drop set a few of the exercises by the time I got to the second or third set in each block. So, it was definitely a challenge, but good nevertheless.

Workout Update: Lift 4: Day 7

On day 7, which was the second rest day in a row, I did the stretching routine. I had intended to do both the stretching and foam rolling routines, but the evening got away from me a bit as I was working, so I just did the one.  

Workout Update: Lift 4: Day 6

Day 6 was a rest day in Lift 4, so I did the roll and recover workout, which is an approximately 10-minute foam-rolling routine. It had been a while since I did that one, and I definitely had knots in my thighs and hamstrings, but not as bad as I expected. And, my legs were not as sore as I expected them to be. We will see if that is still the case tomorrow, however. 

Workout Update: Lift 4: Day 5

Day 5 was the fourth and final regular workout of the first week of Lift 4, which was the Legs workout. This week, it is a 50/50 workout consisting of three blocks of weighted exercise, in which you alternate two exercises, and then three rounds of cardio, performing three moves for 60, 45, and 30 seconds, respectively, with 15 seconds of rest between each exercise and thirty seconds of rest between each set. Then you finish with three sets of core (alternating two exercises) and stretching to cool down. I again found that the exercises were much easier after doing 25-minute speed train, especially because I had the tempos (which Joel alludes to in Lift 4, but does not really stress) ingrained. And, doing 10 reps is easier than doing 60-second sets (which usually amounted to 15-20 reps). But, I will say that when you do the lifting portion correctly, the cardio portion is very tough, especially in the third block.