Day 3: Shoulders and arms

It is Day 3 and my upper and lower back are sore. Not so sore that I can't move, but I definitely feel it! I really enjoyed today's workout though. It was a slower pace after two days of hitting it hard. We worked on biceps, triceps, and shoulders. Here is what we did.

10 minute warm-up on the treadmill
     - I know by now you are probably wondering when we do cardio. Trust me....it is coming.
     - Set the incline to 5.0 and the pace to 3.0  This will always be my go to warm-up

Dumbbell shoulder press
     - 2 warm-up sets followed by 3 sets of 8-10 reps
     - My advice on this exercise is to keep the weight manageable. Don't try to lift too much since the dumbbells end up over your head. Nothing is more embarrassing than a gaping head wound in the gym. Girls, I suggest starting out with a 5-8lb weight then working your way up if it feels too light. Here is what your starting and ending position should look like:

     - Your arms should make an "L" shape. When you raise up make sure you raise up and in almost in a triangle shape. When you come back down you should be making the "L" shape again with your arms.

Lateral raises
     - 3 sets of 12-15 reps
     - You know how I always have one exercise I hate each day? This was it today. Lat raises are painful while your are doing them, but they show great results. Here is what your starting and ending position should look like:

     - Your arms should start down by your side with your elbow slightly bent. Raise your arms with your elbow still slightly bent. If it doesn't feel comfortable then you are doing it right!

Back lateral raises

     - 3 sets of 12-15 reps

     - This exercise is similar to lateral raises except that it works slightly different muscles. I almost hate these as much as I hate the regular lateral raises! But like Cory says, "Stop whining and just do it." Here is what your starting and ending position should look like:

     - Your feet should be shoulder width apart and your knees bent. Lean forward slightly. This is awkward, I know! Bend your elbows slightly again and do the same movement as you did before.

Bicep dumbbell curl

     - 3 sets of 8-10 reps

     - I love bicep curls. They make me feel so strong! It is one of the exercises that you can really see your muscle at work. There are two ways to do this exercise. Cory prefers that I do it the way shown in the picture below so that I don't get manly arms. I tend to agree with his choice:

     - Keep your arms straight down by your side. Pull the weight straight up towards your chest while keeping your elbows tucked. The inside of your wrist should be facing you. Guys (or girls) if you want those bulging arm muscles, you can do a hammer curl instead. Instead of keeping your wrists up, turn them in towards each other and make the movement of swinging a hammer.

Tricep extension

     - 3 sets of 8-10 reps

     - This is one of my favorite exercises! If you are a woman reading this I know that one of your most hated traits on your body is that weird swinging arm flab. Well this exercise blasts right through that! What you do is find a bench and lay flat on your back with the dumbbells extended straight over your head. You then move the weight towards the back of the bench. It's hard to explain so here is a picture:

     - See how your elbows should be pointed? You then raise the weight back up into your starting position. You really feel the burn after 8 reps! I only do 8lbs and I'm always sore the next morning.

Bicep cable curl

     - 1 set of 15-20 reps

     - This cable machine is the same machine you would use for the rope crunches. Lower the bar to the bottom of the machine. Make sure your palms are facing up. Just like with the dumbbell curl bring your arms straight up to your chest. The difference between this and the bicep curl with the dumbbell is that the cable keeps constant tension on the bicep. Here is what the exercise should look like:

Tricep push down

     - 1 set of 15-20 reps

     - Move the bar all the way to the top. Pull it down to your waist and place your hands palms down on the bar. Bring the bar up to your chest and push it back down to the starting position. If it is difficult to even pull the bar down drop the weight some. Here is what your starting and ending position should look like:

Notes from Courtney: That is it for Day 3. It is a lot of exercises, but they are all fairly quick. I like arm days because you can always see those muscles at work while doing the exercises. Form is important with these because you don't want to pull a muscle or injure your shoulder. Like always never try to use more weight than you are comfortable with. Keep up the good work! Sunday is a rest day for us. We will pick back up on Monday. Happy New Year!

Notes from Cory: Today was a quick one, but don't mistake its speed for a non-important training session. The shoulder complex is VERY important. A lot of American's bad posture can be attributed to lack of shoulder and back development. Balance, proportion and overall development should be paramount with the shoulders.There are actually three heads to the deltoid, which is why multiple movements are required to completely train them. They are, however a smaller muscle group..which means a huge amount of volume or intensity wont be required, just a solid effort will go a long way.

Every girl I've ever met wants to be toned but not muscled up. I "think" the set & rep scheme with the movements I've picked out will deliver that. With the exception of Danielle Black, I've NEVER seen a girl who could build up her arms to a degree in which people noticed without EXTREME training and supplementation (legal and illegal) Let's hope I'm right :)

Day 2: Upper Back

Yesterday's workout was no joke! My whole back is sore. It's a good sore though. It shows that I did some work. Today we focused on the upper back for me and upper back and chest for Cory. Here is what my workout looked like today:

5 minute warm-up on treadmill
     - I set the incline to 5.0 and the pace to 3.0

T-bar rows
     - 2 warm up sets followed by 3 sets of 8-10 reps

     - I hate t-bar rows about as much as I hate deadlifts, but they are awesome for upper back development.

      - If your gym does not have a machine like that, you can do the same movement with a dumbbell row

Push-ups

     - 3 sets of max reps

     - Until I build up my back I will do "girl" push-ups. Form is very important when it comes to this exercise. If you don't do it correctly you might as well not do them at all. Your starting position should always be with your hands at least shoulder width apart and your back straight.

     - Once you go down your back should NOT look like this

     - Notice how my back arches down? Your back needs to stay straight all the way down. It needs to look like this

  Pull downs

     - 3 sets of 8-10 reps

    - Form is also important with these. Make sure your back is stretched and open up your shoulder blades when you are at the beginning of the movement. Squeeze your shoulder blades together as you bring the bar straight down in front of your face.

Inverted Rows

     - 3 sets of max reps

     - These are difficult. They are a good challenge for the end of your workout. Every gym should have a machine like this. It is called a Smith Machine. Move the bar to the lower-middle of the rack. It is awkward at first, but you will get the hang of it. Grip the bar more than shoulder width apart and stretch your legs out in front of you. Your starting position should look like this

     - Slowly pull yourself up towards the bar. Do not jerk yourself up. Once you get to the top of the bar your position should look like this

Notes from Courtney: That's it for Day 2! This workout doesn't take quite as long as the lower back, but it is still intense. Like I said before, take it one step at a time. Never try to lift more weight than you think you can safely handle. Always start a low weight and work your way up it is too light. If you are pressed for time and don't think you can make it to the gym. Grab some hand weights and a mat. You can at least do the dumbbell row and the push ups at home. Don't forget your form! If you have any questions never hesitate to ask.

The Dreaded "Before" Picture

I guess since this is a blog about my "transformation" I have to show you what I look like now. These pictures were taken by an iPhone in a poorly lit room so forgive the quality.

 Courtney Sellars

Height: 5'2

Weight: 125

Calf: 13¾

Thigh: 21¾

Hips: 38

Waist: 30¼

Chest: 32½

Arm: 10½

Goals

Weight: 118 (-7lbs)

Calf: 13¼ (-½ in)

Thigh: 20½ (-1½ in)

Hips: 37 (-1 in)

Waist: 29¼ (-1 in)

Chest: 33 (+½ in)

Arm: 11 (+½ in)

If you read the blog yesterday you will notice a difference in my weight. That was water weight and different workout clothing. If you have a scale at home the most accurate weight can be obtained in the morning while fully or partially naked. Do not weigh yourself everyday because you will probably get discouraged. We all fluctuate in our weight especially depending on how much water we are holding on that given day. Try weighing yourself once a week or every few days. Also, for the females reading this...don't even look at the scale during that time of the month. You'll just want to throw it out the window.

When it comes to measurements it is typically more accurate to have someone else do it for you. Here is a guide I found online.

Bicep - Measure at its largest girth, can be taken relaxed with arms at side, relaxed with arm bent, flexed with arm bent or all three.

           - I chose to relax my arm at my side

Chest - Standing, measure with breath out just above the nipple.

Waist - Standing, measure at the narrowest point or at the midway point between the top of the hip bone and the bottom of the rib cage.

           - I chose to measure right at my belt line since that is where I notice the tightness of my pants.

Hips - Measure at the largest girth, where the butt is protruding the greatest.

Thigh - Standing, measure at the largest girth, just below the butt.

Calf - Seated if you are measuring yourself or standing if you have a partner, measure at its largest girth.

I plan on doing a measurement update in 4 weeks. Cory is hopeful that his program will have created change by this time. I might not be at my goal by then, but there is no time limit on this workout program. It happens when it happens. It is the gradual change over time that gives you the satisfaction!



Day 1: Lower back and abs

Today was Day 1 of my 2012 transformation! My starting weight is 127 pounds. I did not have a chance to take a picture, but there should be one up tomorrow along with my measurements. What I plan on doing each day is giving you a run down of what we did in the gym and provide videos and diagrams so you can do the workout too! We worked on the lower back and abdominal region today. Remember ladies, I work out with a guy. This is not going to be girly circuit training. Here is what the workout looked like today:

10 minute warm-up on treadmill
     - I set the incline to 5.0 and set the pace to 3.5. It was a good brisk walk to get my heart rate going.

Deadlifts
     - Two warm-up sets followed by 3 sets of max reps (I usually hover around 8 reps)
     - I'm not going to lie. I hate deadlifts! However, they are one of the best exercises to tone up your lower 
        back and butt. Here are a few pictures of what deadlifts can do for you!
 

     Do you see the way their butts are so firm and round? Yup, that's what you get with deadlifts! Most

     women tend to do sumo deadlifts which means they keep their feet far apart while men keep their feet

     closer together. It's really about what feels comfortable. Watch this video of the sumo deadlifting

     technique.

      I don't know if you can tell in the video, but her right hand is over the bar and her left hand is under the
      bar. Like this:

     It is important to do a deadlift properly. If you are new to deadlifts make sure you research the proper 
     technique and never try to lift more weight than you can handle. A typical weight lifting bar is 45lbs. That
     is a good starting weight.

Abdominal cable machine
     - 3 sets of max reps
     - I have only been a member at two gyms, and the first one did not have this type of cable machine. I  
       couldn't even find a picture of it! So here is a machine you will be able to find at any gym. It will work 
       too.

Hyper-extensions
     - 3 sets of 15 -18
     - I love hypers. They leave your back feeling like jell-o, but they are what you give you those defined
        muscles in your lower back.

     - If you are unsure what hyper-extensions are, here is a video.

Rope crunches

     - 3 sets, 2 minutes per set

     - These give you a good burn in your lower back and abs. It will take a few times to get the weight right and your balance set. If you fall forward the weight is too light. If you fall backwards the weight is too heavy. Here is a video of what this exercise looks like:

     - Make sure your feet are at least shoulder width apart to keep your balance.

     - Make sure the cable arm is as high up as it can go. Here are a few pictures of the machines you would use:

Pull throughs

     - 3 sets of 15-18 reps

     - These burn! These are also a great lower back/butt workout. You feel toned after the first set! The

        important thing to remember about these is that your feet need to be shoulder width apart to pull

        everything through comfortably. You use the same top two machines as rope crunches, but just make

        sure the arm is all the way down instead of all the way up.

     - Start with a comfortable weight. Do not try to do too much and pull a muscle. I hover around 55, but I

        suggest 30 for beginners!

Exercise ball crunches

     - 3 sets of max reps

     - You feel this exercise in your top abdominal muscles. It really starts to burn after your first set.

        Just keep going! There are multiple exercise ball crunches you can do, but I like this one the best:

Notes from Courtney: Going into this workout with a positive attitude is a must. It's a difficult workout, but just remember that all this can be done in moderation. Push yourself, but don't hurt yourself. Know your limits, and know when your body is telling you that it's done. If you think 5 is all you can do for one set then stop at 5. Do your best and feel proud of what you've done.

Notes from Cory: Stay focused! Body re-comp is not easy. If it were, everyone would be posting pictures of themselves on Pinterest. Get some good food in you and some rest. Get ready for upper back tomorrow!

New Year, New Body

For those of you who do not know me, my name is Courtney. I am a 23-year-old college graduate working at a police department in my hometown. I have a few goals and aspirations that have led to the making of this blog.

I decided a few weeks ago that I wanted to make a significant change to my body. I'm not talking about weight loss. I'm talking about toning up, building strength, and gaining some much needed self-confidence. Here is a little back story: I had a trainer a few months ago and during that time I could lift a lot of weight, but my body was not where I wanted it to be. I turned to my boyfriend for advice. Once we started working out together he began thinking about creating his own personal training service. This had always been a dream of his, but he never had the chance to really focus on it. After a few weeks of working out with me, he decided that he wanted to put all his fitness ideas and workouts to use. So now I am the official guinea pig for CSC Personal Training. This blog is not only going to be about my journey into the world of fitness, but also about CSC Personal Training and what it can do for you!

Cory Cook, my boyfriend and trainer, is working towards his Personal Training Certification. He wants to build a business that focuses on his client's personal goals and not just what society thinks he/she should look like. CSC Personal Training has three main objectives:

1.) Create a comfortable environment at home or in a gym in which the client feels at ease to meet hi/her own personal goals.
2.) Instill confidence in the client by creating noticeable change in his/her health and body with strength and conditioning training.
3.) Encourage and assist the client in achieving the personal goals he/she wishes to meet.

I hope that you join me on the path for a healthy 2012. With Cory by our sides we can meet all those goals we never had the drive to meet before. Everyday that Cory and I workout, I will post a blog of what we did that day. Also, I will be posting tips on healthy eating and at home exercises. Stay tuned for Day 1!