Tag: Gym Workout

On Rehab

On By kingofpotsIn Insights, Jogging, Runners Injury, Runners' Training, Running, Stretching8 Comments

For the past one week, I’ve been regularly going to the Gym to strengthen my knees, quadriceps and calf muscles. In short, I’ve been trying to to cure my injury which I incurred during my “West To East” Run. The problem lies on my left leg which I think had been my more dominant running leg in my workouts and road/trail races.

Since I’ve finished my latest adventure run, I rested and recovered for about 16 days without any run or physical activity. My daily activities were geared to my rest by doing some light stretching exercises, walking, and browsing on the Internet. I did not have any massages but I concentrated more on my intake of natural foods rich in carbohydrates, proteins and fats. However, every two days, I have to take one capsule of Alaxan FR.

After 16 days of no running, I decided to go to the gym and start trying to bring back some “action” to my legs. After 16 days of no activity, I’ve observed that my leg muscles were soft and tender. I missed those times that my legs were full of “lumps” or “rocks” of hard muscles.

I have been doing lots stationary cycling/biking maintaining an rpm of not less than 100; doing also fast rpm on elliptical machines of at least 120 rpm; and lastly, on the rowing machine trying to maintain at least 22-24 strokes per minute. All these exercises are done with an elapsed time of at least 30 minutes. I hope these exercises will result to something better for my running legs.

The core and upper body muscle routine is still there but the emphasis in my gym works are now concentrated to my legs.

To top it all, I’ve been drinking Ensure as my nutrition drinks. Lots of water intake during gym workouts.

We will see in the coming days what would be the result of my gym workouts. I hope my legs will be better.

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Gym Workout @ Gold’s (LA) #1

On By kingofpotsIn Insights, Jogging, Runners' Training, RunningLeave a comment

7:30 PM 21 July 2008 (Los Angeles)

My son, John, and I had our gym workout at Gold’s Gym at Downtown, Los Angeles which is 5-10 minutes drive from the house.

Using my “travel pass” (which I requested days before my departure from Manila) from Gold’s Gym Glorietta, my entry to the facility was fast and efficient. The people at the Gym just told me to sign-in my name & signature on a tabulated form. Thanks, Emil for the “travel pass”.

I did my dumbbell exercises with my arms and chest. I used also some of the machines for my abdominals and back muscles and later for my leg muscles. I did a lot of lunges with 25-lbs dumbbels on my hands. No cardio machines this time as my workout was focused to the bigger muscles of my body, most especially my legs.

Before going to the gym last Monday (while at home), I did 6 X 15 reps Push-Ups using the Nike Push-Up Grips which my son bought and recommended as part of our home workout. I did the push-ups with at least 15- minute rest interval between sets (while reading the LA Times). The Nike Push-Up Grips really work as you can extend your body drop all the way to the floor with more resistance. I am recommending this simple gadget to all the runners.

We ended our workout with a set of machines which I haven’t seen in any of the Gold’s Gym in Manila and I did not mind getting the name/brand of the machine. The machines isolate each muscle group using small weights with string attach to the set of weights. I like the machine that strengthens the ankles.

We finished our workout in 2 1/2 hours and walking to the parking area was our cool-down exercise.

Gym Workout #3; “24 Hours”; & Coach Jim

On By kingofpotsIn Insights, Jogging, Runners' Training, Running5 Comments

7:15 AM 20 May 2008

This is the beauty of being retired from the service. I can have all the time to do what I would want to do without any pressure or responsibility in mind except to myself. It does not matter what day of the week is or if there is a typhoon coming or not, what is important is to be able to sleep soundly at night and prepare my road race for the next weekend. Simply stated, I should “enjoy life” after retirement!

Yesterday was a rest day for me and I could hardly access my Dashboard with WordPress. I really do not know the reason with the “traffic”  and the slow response I am getting from my laptop. I could hardly upload the pictures from my computer to my posts. It took me for a while to access my blogsite and instead of wasting my time waiting for my laptop to respond and post my pictures,  I decided to watch the DVD (original, of course!) of “24” Hours’ Season 6. Well, it was great watching Jack Bauer (my favorite TV series character) again. The first 3 episodes motivated me to have my gym workout today.

After my routine stretching exercises, I started with my dumbbell routine exercises for my biceps, triceps, shoulders, chest muscles using lighter weights (7.5, 10, 15, 35 lbs). After few minutes of my dumbbell drills, I started to perspire because the gym was using big industrial fans as vetilation. The gym is inside a mall and the regular air-conditioning system starts at 9:00 AM. Anyway, I like what I was experiencing inside this gym. I did some abdominal curls with the machines available; side bends with 25-lb weights on each hand on the side, calf raises with such weights, knee bends, lunges, and ladder steps. I did also some inclned bench press for my upper chest muscles.

This morning, I observed that the “Classic Gym” section was full with tall guys who I believed are basketball players/athletes. I could see that their eyes were glancing at my ASICS Gel-Kinsei 2 shoes and one of them approached me and asked where I bought them and how much I paid. And I answered him about Athlete’s Foot Store at Glorietta and its expensive price. This guy introduced himself as “Coach Jim” who is a biomechanical sports expert whose expetise is to make an athlete more efficient and scientific in his body movements in any sports. In return, I introduced myself as the “Bald Runner”, pointing at my head and invited him to visit this blogsite. I told him also that I posted a Shoe Review of the ASICS Gel-Kinsei 2 in my blog. It was nice talking briefly with Coach Jim and hope to see him again.

Time flew so fast inside the gym if you are busy with your exercises and drills. Actually, I don’t talk so much and socialize with others while I am inside the gym. The faster I do my drills, the better for me. But this morning was my longest stay inside the gym, two hours & 15 minutes.

Music—Metallica; Barry White; & Abba

I am on my way to Baguio City.

Gym Workout #2

On By kingofpotsIn Jogging, Runners' Training, RunningLeave a comment

6:30 AM 14 May 2008

This is my second time to have my gym workout for this week and it lasted for one hour & 45 minutes. I did the following exercises:

Calf Raises with Barbell (30 lbs) on my shoulders: 3 sets X 30 reps

Squats (Full & Half) with Barbell (30 lbs) on Shoulders: 3 sets X 30 reps

Lunges with  Barbell (30 lbs) on Shoulders: 50 times

Dumbbell Pullovers: 35 lbs @ 3 sets X 15 reps

Arms Curl w/ Dumbbels: 15 lbs @ 3 sets X 20 reps

Shoulder Shrugs: 15 lbs @ 3 sets X 20 reps

Lateral Supine Raises: 15 lbs Dumbbells @ 3 sets X 20 reps

Abdominal Machine: 40 lbs @ 3 sets X 20 reps

Sit-Ups w/ Rubber Ball: 100 reps

Arms Extension w/ Dumbbells: 15 lbs @ 3 sets X 20 reps

Bench Press: 50 lbs @ 3 sets X 10 reps

Lateral Pull: 90 lbs @ 3 sets X 10 reps 

I did some stretching before and after my gym workout. My workout ended with 50 reps of “jumping jacks”.

It was a nice gym workout and I did not had any runs for the day.