Mixing it up

We all reach plateaus along the way in our exercise routines.  That's the key word: routine.  If we're not careful, we'll get stuck in a routine and our bodies will simply adapt to that routine.  The beauty of the internet and exercise nuts is that there is plethora of information out there for mixing things up.
So over the past couple of weeks, I've been adding in a few things along with my regular workout routines.  Here's what I've been up to since the Bike Ride.

9/20: Barbell complex, 70 lbs.  This is a pretty decent exercise, where I complete about 5 different exercises, 6 reps of each exercise.  But you do them all without putting the barbell down.  So the exercises I did were the Romanian deadlift, straight-leg deadlift, standing barbell row, barbell jump shrug, and barbell hang clean.  This isn't the exact complex I do, but it gives you a good idea:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gGCLljisR9w

I then worked on my back:
    1. Seated row, 200 lbs, 12 reps, 3 sets.
    2. Seated lat pull down, 180 lbs, 10 reps, 3 sets.
    I also added in a couple of core exercises.
    3. A cable exercise called the hatchet.  I use about 80 lbs, stand with my side facing the cable handle and pull down and across my body.  This works my arms, chest, and core.  Form is more important than weight.
   4.  I also did several ab exercises: crunches, planks, oblique plank.

9/22: YouTube is a wealth of information for exercising.  The barbell complex is a case in point.  A deadlift is a quick way to get yourself hurt.  Or worse yet, a hang clean.  And while I do have a very illustration-filled resource in my Men's Health Big Book of Exercises, it helps to see someone actually doing the exercise, and doing it right.  While cruising around on YouTube, I found this crazy exercise routine: the M100.  This is from sixpackshortcuts.com

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bkD9LwDBWW0

So I started out small, by doing one circuit of thirty reps, then "taking a break" by doing a barbell complex set.  After doing three sets of each, I worked on my chest and back.  I usually do my chest workout with dumbbells, but I decided to start working with a barbell.  So I put 70 lbs on for a total of 110 and did incline, flat, and decline press, 10 reps each, 3 sets each.  I really liked using the barbell, so I think I'll do this for a while.  I also worked on my back as well, with Seated Cable row, 200 lbs, 10 reps, 3 sets; and Seated lat pulldown, 180 lbs, 10 reps, 3 sets.

9/23: I started with the M100s, but did them in groups of 30, then barbell complex, then M100, then barbell complex, etc.  I did the cable hatchet, cable pull, and worked on my shoulders.  

9/27: Today, was a great workout.  I was finally able to do an entire set of M100.  It was brutal, but I got through it.  I also did two sets of barbell complexes.  Then I did the following workout: 

   1. Seated lat pulldown, 180 lbs, 10 reps, 3 sets. 

   2. Seated row, 180 lbs, 10 reps, 3 sets.  

   3. Cable Hatchet, 80 lbs, 10 reps, 3 sets. 

   4. Cable pull, 130 lbs, 10 reps each arm, 3 sets.  

   5. Leg raises, 10 reps straight, 5 each to the side, 3 sets.  

   6. Oblique raises, with 25 lb weight, 10 reps each side, 3 sets.  

9/28: 5.1 mile run in about 50 minutes, with a 1-mile walk to cool off.  For the first mile of my run, I incorporated some side-straddle hops and sprints.  It wasn't much, but it helped add that little edge that made my muscles remember it the next day.  

9/29: I wasn't able to work out at the gym, so once the little guy was down for bed, I decided to make up my own workout outside.  So here's what I came up with:

I did workouts in groups of threes.  I'd do workout 1, then 2, then 3 and then repeated each group three times.  

Group 1: 

  1. Dumbbell complex using two 25 lbs dumbbells, six reps each.   

      - Romanian Deadlift

      - Straight leg deadlift

      - Shoulder press

      - Squat

      - Bicep curl   

      - Jump shrug

  2. Wall jump, 36 inches, 15 reps. 

  3. Knee highs, 20 reps. 

  4. Crunches, 25 reps. 

Group 2: 

  5. Burpees, 10 reps

  6. Calf tabatas- These can be tough exercises.  I did 1 minute the first time through, then 2 minutes, then 3 minutes. Here's a video of the exercise:  

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SpI8sPP3Wcg

   7. Tricep extensions, 1st round: 10 lbs, 15 reps; 2nd round: 15 lbs, 15 reps; 3rd round: 25 lbs, 15 reps.  

Group 3: 

  8. Chair leg overs, 20 reps. 

  9. Chair dips, 10 reps. 

  10. Lateral jumps, 20 reps.  

Group 4: 

  11. Curl and dumbbell shoulder press: 25 lbs, 20 reps (10 for each arm).

  12. Forward dumbbell raise: 25 lbs., 10 reps. 

  13. Overhead tricep extension: 25 lbs, 10 reps.