Preface
So it's my first gym session, and I didn't have any real expectations (grounded in relevant experience). I did have a couple of targets for this trial session, and while I didn't meet all of them, I was pretty satisfied about how I did.
My main goal: to improve my fitness both generally and specifically in ways that benefit fencing. So I thought bodyweight/free weight compound exercises would be appropriate. But I added isolation exercises and bench presses for the upper body, because you know, it'd be kinda neat :P Strength and size aren't priorities - and I'm not looking to look huge either - I'm looking to make my muscles work better as a team. I pay attention to my form and my movements are generally 2 sec up 2 sec down. If I can't make a good form movement I cut my losses and move on. I generally wait 1 minute between sets (or more if I'm not comfortable), and I'm practicing footwork or jumping in while I wait.
So without further ado, this is how it went, notes are in square brackets:
Session
A note: My goal for most of the dumbbell and bodyweight exercises are 3x15. Exceptions are noted below. Didn't have any expectations for powerlifting exercises, just went with the flow there.
Pullups: 2 sets of 8, 1st set had 4 good pullups and 4 assisted ones, 2nd set had 2 good pullups and 6 assisted ones. [I was aiming for 3 sets of 8, didn't matter how many assisted ones, but I couldn't do a single good pullup after the second set so I moved on.]
Situps: 3 sets of 15. [hit all of them, noted that while the 1st half (crunch) was good, my back muscles were struggling to get my torso all the way up.]
Lunges, back foot elevated 1 foot: 3 sets of 15, each leg. [hit all of them, though last 5 lunges (both legs) for the final set were done with the back foot level on the ground. I wanted to challenge myself by putting more weight on the lifting foot.]
Pushups: 3 sets - 15, 12, 12 [first set was good, the last two sets had me doing knee pushups for the final 4 in each set.]
Bicep curls, each arm by itself, 10 lbs: 3 sets - 15, 15, 12 [was concentrating on form, I couldn't stop my shoulder and elbow from compensating by the 12th rep in the final set.]
Lateral shoulder raises, 7.5: 3 sets of 15 [arms were bent at 90 degrees]
French press, both arms together with dumbbells, 7.5: 3 sets of 15 [arms were starting to shake noticeably at this point]
Squats, 115: 3 sets of 10 [tried out 65 and 85, but 115 felt reasonable and I settled with 10 reps instead of 15]
Bench Press, 85: 3 sets of 4 [tried out 65 before 85. Arms were shaking like mad by the end, I tried my best to keep the focus on the chest area though]
Stability ball planks: skipped this, arms were too shaky
----10 minute break----
Some cardio to warm up again
Plyometric lunges: 2 sets of 20 [was going for 3 sets, but my friend showed up and we left the gym]
Plyometric jumps: 4 sets of 10 [there are these ledges that look like enlarged stairs, and each ledge is 50-60cm high (~2 feet?). Did some variations, but overall it was really comfortable. Would've done 5, but she had to leave]
Jogged it off.
Nutrition
I ate a peach and a banana 1 1/2 hour before the workout, drank a cup of milk after the strength session and right after the plyos. I had a chicken wrap half an hour after the workout ended. This amounts to 31 grams of protein and 631 calories over 4 hours (protein obviously post-workout). I like the way my macros look today, and I'll be eating as much as planned by tonight.
In the ballpark of how many calories would this workout have burned? It lasted 1 1/2 hours, and hopefully I've given enough details to judge its intensity. Would ~300 be a reasonable number? I weigh 150 lbs.
Edit: Would my shakiness have to do with glycogen depletion? I'm also feeling strangely cold right now, going to have a banana. Also somewhat tired. Perhaps ~300 is too low an estimate.
Comments, criticism, advice, and alternatives all welcome.
So it's my first gym session, and I didn't have any real expectations (grounded in relevant experience). I did have a couple of targets for this trial session, and while I didn't meet all of them, I was pretty satisfied about how I did.
My main goal: to improve my fitness both generally and specifically in ways that benefit fencing. So I thought bodyweight/free weight compound exercises would be appropriate. But I added isolation exercises and bench presses for the upper body, because you know, it'd be kinda neat :P Strength and size aren't priorities - and I'm not looking to look huge either - I'm looking to make my muscles work better as a team. I pay attention to my form and my movements are generally 2 sec up 2 sec down. If I can't make a good form movement I cut my losses and move on. I generally wait 1 minute between sets (or more if I'm not comfortable), and I'm practicing footwork or jumping in while I wait.
So without further ado, this is how it went, notes are in square brackets:
Session
A note: My goal for most of the dumbbell and bodyweight exercises are 3x15. Exceptions are noted below. Didn't have any expectations for powerlifting exercises, just went with the flow there.
Pullups: 2 sets of 8, 1st set had 4 good pullups and 4 assisted ones, 2nd set had 2 good pullups and 6 assisted ones. [I was aiming for 3 sets of 8, didn't matter how many assisted ones, but I couldn't do a single good pullup after the second set so I moved on.]
Situps: 3 sets of 15. [hit all of them, noted that while the 1st half (crunch) was good, my back muscles were struggling to get my torso all the way up.]
Lunges, back foot elevated 1 foot: 3 sets of 15, each leg. [hit all of them, though last 5 lunges (both legs) for the final set were done with the back foot level on the ground. I wanted to challenge myself by putting more weight on the lifting foot.]
Pushups: 3 sets - 15, 12, 12 [first set was good, the last two sets had me doing knee pushups for the final 4 in each set.]
Bicep curls, each arm by itself, 10 lbs: 3 sets - 15, 15, 12 [was concentrating on form, I couldn't stop my shoulder and elbow from compensating by the 12th rep in the final set.]
Lateral shoulder raises, 7.5: 3 sets of 15 [arms were bent at 90 degrees]
French press, both arms together with dumbbells, 7.5: 3 sets of 15 [arms were starting to shake noticeably at this point]
Squats, 115: 3 sets of 10 [tried out 65 and 85, but 115 felt reasonable and I settled with 10 reps instead of 15]
Bench Press, 85: 3 sets of 4 [tried out 65 before 85. Arms were shaking like mad by the end, I tried my best to keep the focus on the chest area though]
Stability ball planks: skipped this, arms were too shaky
----10 minute break----
Some cardio to warm up again
Plyometric lunges: 2 sets of 20 [was going for 3 sets, but my friend showed up and we left the gym]
Plyometric jumps: 4 sets of 10 [there are these ledges that look like enlarged stairs, and each ledge is 50-60cm high (~2 feet?). Did some variations, but overall it was really comfortable. Would've done 5, but she had to leave]
Jogged it off.
Nutrition
I ate a peach and a banana 1 1/2 hour before the workout, drank a cup of milk after the strength session and right after the plyos. I had a chicken wrap half an hour after the workout ended. This amounts to 31 grams of protein and 631 calories over 4 hours (protein obviously post-workout). I like the way my macros look today, and I'll be eating as much as planned by tonight.
In the ballpark of how many calories would this workout have burned? It lasted 1 1/2 hours, and hopefully I've given enough details to judge its intensity. Would ~300 be a reasonable number? I weigh 150 lbs.
Edit: Would my shakiness have to do with glycogen depletion? I'm also feeling strangely cold right now, going to have a banana. Also somewhat tired. Perhaps ~300 is too low an estimate.
Comments, criticism, advice, and alternatives all welcome.
