Look at These Pipes!

Well, I had my first dedicated leg workout tonight (well, second counting the one I did with K in Edmonton a few months back). For this, I did the following:

• Run at 6.3mph for 20 minutes, every two minutes sprint at 8 mph for 20 seconds.
  
• Break, stretch.
  
• Squats
  
  
  
  • Set 1: 10 @ 180lbs
    
  • Set 2: 10 @ 270lbs
    
  • Set 3: 10 @ 270lbs
    
  • Set 4: 10 @ 180lbs
    
  
  
• Leg Extensions
  
  
  
  • Set 1: 10 @ 120lbs
    
  • Set 2: 10 @ 135lbs
    
  • Set 3: 10 @ 135lbs
    
  
  
• Leg Curl
  
  
  
  • Set 1: 10 @ 80lbs
    
  • Set 2: 10 @ 90lbs
    
  • Set 3: 10 @ 90lbs
    
  
  
• Calf Raises
  
  
  
  • Set 1: 10 @ 135lbs
    
  • Set 2: 10 @ 155lbs
    
  • Set 3: 10 @ 155lbs
    
  
  

It all went really well. This is the first time in a while that I’ve come out of a workout with that head-rush-about-to-puke-almost-falling-over feeling that indicates you were working really well 🙂 Well, maybe not quite that bad, but it was good.

In between each of the sets above I did 10 reps of some upper body exercises, pull ups, push ups and dips. All in all it felt great!

The reason I did this was prompted by an email from an un-official trainer that I’ve been bouncing questions off of:

First of all, it’s useless to work your upper body without your lower, as
you will only achieve about 40% (if that) of your potential gains without
working legs. I suggest that you dedicate at least one workout per week to
squats and deadlifts (and don’t forget about calves either).



You see, when you work legs, you will burn more calories overall, not just
during the workout, but for days after when your body is recovering (Being
the largest muscle group in the human body). Not only that, but performing
squats in particular stimulates the release of growth hormone and other
hormones that promote muscle growth (and greater metabolic stimulation) not
only in your legs, but over your entire body.

(Quoted without permission of course).

While trolling around for the right names for the exercises I did, I found some good info at http://www.intense-workout.com. Among other interesting articles they have a good explanation on why you should do cardio first thing in the morning, weight loss and the truth about abdominal exercises. The stuff in diet and nutrition is worth note as well, I know this is an area that I have to am working on.