What Went Right
1. I kept up the schedule.
Besides a few weeks I took off for GDC 2009 and needed breaks throughout the year, I continued my daily workouts. The schedule evolved over the course of the year, which I’ll talk about in more detail shortly, but I kept it up.
Overall, the good results that started in 2008 continued into 2009. I still have a bit of paunch, but my chest looks good, my shoulders are improving, my arms are bigger, my back feels better than it ever has, and my legs are becoming even less chicken-like.
NOTE: When weight training, it’s important to take a week off every 8-12 weeks. This allows the body to fully recover, which is good for continued progress. It also helps preserve the sanity of the weight trainer.
2. I adopted a “work smarter, not harder” approach.
After reading and researching, I realized that my workout could stand some streamlining. The workout plan I was following at the beginning of the year was comprehensive, but there were some muscles that were being exercised too hard/often. Plus there were some exercises that just didn’t seem to be effective for me (everyone is different).
In the late summer, one of my younger brothers loaned me his power rack to use while he was at school. I took that as an opportunity to reconsider my total workout. For example, I shifted some of the exercises (like bench presses and shoulder presses) from dumbbell to barbell to take advantage of the power rack. I also took advantage of the rack in a more traditional way, by going much deeper in my squats.
I’m planning to continue to evolve the workout in 2010, probably swapping out certain exercises over the summer.
3. I made room for some cardio.
I did no cardio at all in 2008. In mid-2009, I decided I wanted some cardio, since that would have a more direct impact on the accumulated (and only slowly dissipating) mid-section.
To that end, I bought a used bicycle from a friend of mine and got it all spiffied up at a local bike shop. But my weight training was taking 5 days a week–and I prefer to do as little as possible on my weekends.
To make room for some weekday neighborhood biking, I reshuffled and streamlined the weight training so that it took only 4 days a week.
4. I bought used free weights to fill out my collection.
For $75 I bought a very nice set of used Olympic free weights and barbell. I then sold the barbell to a friend for $35 (he had just found his own set of cheap, used Olympic free weights sans barbell).
I don’t expect to need to buy free weights again for a long, long time.
What Went a Bit Less Than Right
1. Sure I made time for cardio, but I didn’t do much of it.
I’m still in the process of getting the bike riding into the schedule. But I have a spiffy-nice bike and a workable helmet (our neighborhood streets can be kinda scary for the unarmored cyclist), and the weather won’t be tundra-like forever.
2. Wow, that takes up a lot of room.
First the power rack, and then a bunch of new free weights (which required a new rack to put them on) … my weight training equipment now takes up an 8′ x 8′ space in our family room.
On the upside, I don’t think it will get any bigger.
3. I still don’t look like Arnold.
In fact, after 2 years of weight training, I think I only qualify as a “novice”. And while I look fit, I don’t look like I lift weights on a regular basis (which my wife assures me isn’t a bad thing).
Weight training is another of those activities that build slowly–so it’s a perfect fit for me, since I seem unable to pick up hobbies or activities that I can become good at quickly.
Conclusion
Like last year, my goals for 2010 are:
- Get fitter.
- Get stronger.
And maybe getting 16 inch biceps.
-David
