Back and biceps day! I know that my form isn’t perfect in these videos, but I’m going to use them anyway to discuss lat pull-downs and dumbbell bicep curls. For pull downs, place your hands a little wider than elbow-width apart. Pull the bar down to your chest, hold for a second, and then bring it back up slowly. Let your shoulders relax at the top before pulling back down so that your lats fully extend. The “shimmy” that I do toward the end where one side pulls down slightly before the other is something you should try to avoid. It’s because the exercise was getting difficult for me. For bicep curls, be sure to extend all the way down until your bicep relaxes before starting the next rep for maximum extension. Try to keep your elbows tucked into your sides. I didn’t do that as well as I should have, so there was some unwanted movement. If having your back up against the wall will help to make sure most- if not all- movement is in your forearms, do that. You can see the point where I start getting tired and my form begins to go. That’s okay because I’m going until failure so not every rep will be as perfect as the first, just be careful that you don’t hurt yourself, and don’t be afraid to go down in weight if need be. The purpose of lifting here is to build muscle, not lift as much weight as possible. Again, I know my form isn’t the best here, but I’ve only been lifting for a little over a year, so I’m still working on it. Also, this is the first time I’ve recorded my workout, so I apologize about my hair hanging in the way for my back. I’ll figure out something to do about that for next time :). -Hannah :) Watch my workout videos here.
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We all have those times where we really just don’t feel like working out. But, we know that if we skip it, we will be regretting it tomorrow. Here are 6 great tips to try if your self-motivation just isn’t quite enough: 1. Create a good playlist. The music I’m listening to while working out makes or breaks it. Create a playlist with music that pumps you up AND you enjoy. This is harder to do with some music preferences than others, it’s possible. I almost always start my workout with a song called “Devour” by Shinedown. The beat starts off fairly simple and quiet, but picks up within the first minute or so and without really noticing, my pace picks up to match the beat. My other favorite cardio song is “Burn It to the Ground” by Nickelback. The best of this song stays loud and steady throughout. As far as lifting goes, anything LOUD works for me. If you can, blast your music through a speaker while you workout for the maximum impact. If not, just put on your headphones and crank it up! If you enjoy rock music and own Apple Music, search “djhlehrfeld” and find the playlist entitled “Hannah’s Cardio.” That’s my playlist, and I’m constantly adding new songs. 2. Take a supplement. If music doesn’t get the dopamine and adrenaline flowing for you, try taking supplements to boost your energy and mood. I always take a B-12 tablet right before I workout for a little extra push. If I’m really not feeling up to working out, I have a Monster Zero energy drink. Some people say these are bad for you, but as far as I know, they’re perfectly fine. These never fail to wake me up and put me in a good mood so that I’m ready to hit it hard in the gym. 3. Make yourself a promise. This sounds strange, but another thing you can try is promising yourself something. Food is always one of my best motivators, so sometimes I force myself to get up and workout by saying that I can eat once I’m finished. This makes me practically sprint up to the gym and get started because who doesn’t want more food? You could also try prohibiting yourself for doing something you enjoy like watching tv or reading a book until you’re done. 4. Treat yourself. Buying new workout clothes, gym equipment, supplements, etc. can also be a motivation to workout. I know that when I get something new, I can’t wait to use it, even if it means getting up and putting in the effort to workout. 5. Change up your timing. Maybe now just isn’t the right time to workout. Maybe you need to wait until after your next meal when you have some energy, or when you’re finished with a looming project that is stressing you out. Or, if you feel like you just don’t have time to workout, make it shorter. Try out a circuit or a more intense form of cardio. I’ve gotten sore from 15 minute workouts before, and so can you. 6. Make sure your workout is something you love. Pick exercises that you enjoy doing. We will all always have body parts we enjoy lifting and ones that we don’t, but finding exercises that we at least don’t despise as much as other ones can really be a great motivation to workout. I really hope these tips help you to get on your game when you’re not feeling up to going to the gym! Stay tuned for more motivation and tips! -Hannah :) I recently got asked a question about my routine, so here it is: Monday: Shoulders: Seated Shoulder Press (8-10 reps) Front Raises (10-12 reps) Lateral Raises (12-15 reps) Bent-Over Lateral Raises (10-12 reps) Upright Rows (10-12 reps) Shrugs (15-20 reps) Tuesday: Cardio HIIT (high intensity interval training) Elliptical (1 minute high intensity @ 12 resistance, 1.5 minute cool down @ 8-10 resistance) (25 minutes) OR High Incline Elliptical (ramp at 100%, 12 resistance) (25 minutes) Wednesday: Chest and Triceps Chest- Bench Press (flat or incline)(8-10 reps) Cable Crossovers (10-12 reps) Flys (12-15) Triceps- Push-Downs (8-12 reps) Overhead Rope Extensions (10-12 reps) Overhead Triceps Extensions (10-12 reps) Kick-Backs (10-15 reps) Thursday: Cardio Same exercises as Tuesday Friday: Back and Biceps Back- Lat Pull-Downs (close or wide grip) (8-12 reps) Seated Rows (close or wide grip) (8-12 reps) Straight Bar Pull-Downs (8-10 reps) Hyperextensions (15-20 reps) Biceps- Bicep Curls (8-10 reps) Hammer Curls (8-10 reps) Concentration Curls (8-10 reps) Saturday: Cardio and Abs Cardio- Fasted (before eating) HIIT (25 minutes) Abs- Crunches (50+ reps) Hanging Leg Lifts (straight and bent)(12-20 reps) Leg Raises (25-35 reps) Toe-Touch Crunches (25-30 reps) Hyperextension Bench Crunches (25-35 reps) TRX Crunches (12-15 reps) Planks (60+ seconds) Sunday- Legs Squats (8-10 reps) Bulgarian Split Squats (20 reps) Landmine Reverse Lunges (20 reps) Leg Extensions (10-15 reps) Hamstring Curls (10-12 reps) Deadlifts (15-25 reps) Kneeling Half-Squats (20 reps) Glute Bridges (12-15 reps) Every lifting day, I do a minimum of two exercises, 3 sets each, per body part on days in which I lift multiple parts; and a minimum of 4 exercises, 3 sets each, on days where I only lift once. This list is not at all exhausted and of you have any really good exercises that aren’t listed, let me know and I’ll be happy to try them out! Likewise, if you’re not sure what these exercises are, let me know and I’ll post a video. I hope this helps out any beginner lifters! -Hannah :) You’re not always going to be able to be on a strict diet. I’m normally pretty good about my macros, but sometimes I go over. Sometimes my calories are way too high and I’m way off my macronutrient goals. Whether it’s for your sanity, because you’re not at home, or just because you feel like it, having cheat meals is okay, and even good for you! Just try to stay away from doing it all of the time.
This weekend, I’m out of town and won’t have a car, much time, or a lot of money, so eating clean will be hard. But, I’m going to try. If you find yourself in this situation, just try your best. Research before you go about what food places will be near you. Look at your options and come up with a meal plan. If you don’t have the time or patience for that, play it by ear. If your breakfast was high in carbs, maybe find something lower for lunch. Ask for egg whites or low oil. If you’re eating out a lot, it’s very likely that your fat will be high for the day. It doesn’t eliminate all of your progress. I need to remind myself of this sometimes when I’m too obsessive over my diet. The most important part about eating right is being accountable. I track my food in an app called MyFitnessPal. If you don’t have it, I can’t stress enough how highly I suggest getting an account. It not only allows you to plan out your food for the day, but it teaches you about the approximate calories and macros in foods. It is super helpful for beginners who want to become aware and accountable. Anyway, the point is- don’t stress about one bad weekend! It’s not the end, just do your best to stay on track. And if you don’t? Oh well, live your life and get back on once you’re done! -Hannah :) Although the change has been gradual and it’s not very noticeable on a day to day basis, when I compare where I used to be with where I am now, the difference is stark. These pictures were taken 21 months (almost 2 years) apart, 15 months (a little over a year) of which I’ve been working out. The main change shown in this comparison is the loss of body fat and gain of abdominal muscle. That was my main aim when I began this journey. But, I have done so much more than that. Here you can see that my overall physique has changed dramatically as well. But, the biggest and most important change is one that you can’t see: my confidence. Working out has given me something to be proud of myself for. It’s something I can be happy about. Instead of looking in the mirror and seeing someone who is unhappy with her weight but continues to eat junk and not exercise regularly, I see someone who is strong both physically and mentally. I see someone who is working at all hours of the day to achieve her goal. It’s the same suit, same unconscious tilt of the head, and same genetics, but these are totally different girls. -Hannah :) Just a reminder that half of progress is posture. I’ve always struggled with my posture, which tends to make me insecure about my stomach bloat. As I’ve been working out more, my posture is slowly improving, which definitely helps with confidence. These pictures were taken roughly 5 seconds apart, and the difference between them is enormous! The picture on the left when I’m slouched hides my progress, while the posed one on the right accentuates it. Pictures on social media are almost always taken when the person is posed/flexed. What you perceive as progress is all based off of what you see, so a pose and a smile can make all the difference (even though the photo on the right still looks VERY posed)! Your body also changes drastically throughout the day, so timing has a huge impact on how you look as well. In the morning, you’ll almost always appear thinner, while once you’ve had some water and sugar, your muscles look more full. Working out also temporarily pumps your muscles due to increased blood flow. What I want you to take away from this is that perception is everything! We can alter our bodies in so many ways to make ourselves feel better or worse about ourselves. The biggest thing I’ve learned through my workout journey so far is that confidence is key. Feeling good about yourself can make you push yourself harder, have a better workout, keep you from binge-eating, send positive and healthy hormones through your bloodstream and so much more! Stress hormones and sleep deprivation only get in the way of you reaching your goals, so however you need to pose in order to accentuate your progress and make you feel good, do it! -Hannah :) |
AuthorMy name is Hannah Lehrfeld and I am a high school student with a strong passion for fitness. Archives
January 2019
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