Workout(s) of the Day: Traveling Man

Heading out to Middle America after 6 weeks of steady workouts, I figured on relaxing for a few days. It's always good to get out of the gym to let your body and mind rest and recuperate. Instead, I ended up working out in two states three days straight! Ah well...

Starting things off Sunday in Oklahoma at a very nice fitness center attached to a medical facility was a quick Upper Body workout since we were going to be sitting in a car for roughly 6 hours on the way to Austin. It's better to work out hard and fast versus plodding and overlong. Keeping rest to a minimum between sets turns sessions into weight training and cardio. Anytime you doubt that philosophy, just think of how muscular a sprinter is compared to a marathoner.  It might be more work to run a mile but your body works harder per minute to run a 100 yard dash, got it?

Pre-Lionheart roadtrip: Dumbbell Swing/Chins/Neck Press (bench but lower the bar to your neck with elbows wide)/Spider Curl/Pullover and Press/3-Part Larry Scott Lateral Raises/Low Decline DB Fly/Dive Bomber V Bar Triceps Extensions/1-Arm Preacher Curl. 9 exercises, 3 sets each followed by some jump roping and forearm work.

It was a late night at the Alamo Drafthouse Ritz as we didn't get back to our hotel until nearly 1:00AM. Throw in the road trip and half a dozen cocktails, we crashed hard then had to sweat it out the next morning at the Hilton's 24-Hour gym complete with separate rooms for cardio and weights. Luckily, seeing yoked and shredded Van Damme and Mark Dacascos helped motivate the morning session:

Goblet Squat/Leg Press/Leg Curl/Calf Raises/Front Squat on Smith Machine x 3

Legs pumped, I followed more jump roping with some abs and towel twists. When you don't have a pole to hold across your back, just grip a towel between your hands and pull apart. You'll work your shoulders and forearms along with trimming up your obliques. I tend to jump rope for 300 reps a set alternating footfalls every 50 skips. So feet together, running in place, high knees, alternating feet every 2-5 jumps, side to side, front to back, backwards, etc. When I want to kick it up, I just jump 50 reps as fast as I can then do 20 normal and repeat for that interval action.

We meant to stay in Austin an extra night to kick it but I'm not really one for sight seeing and we'd already slayed the beast (attended the films, hung out with Sheldon Lettich and company) so it was time to get the hell out of town. Returning to Oklahoma City, Tuesday morning's Shoulders and Arms consisted of:

DB Press/Preacher Curl/Lying DB Extension/Rear Delt Raise/Low Incline DB Curl/Standing 1-Arm Extension/Upright Row/Concentration Curl/Dive Bomber Rope Extensions x 3 followed by forearms, rowing machine and yet more jump rope!

Now that I'm home, I'm finally taking time off to focus on other things and let my mind and body get hungry for training again. See you Saturday!

Great use of the theme from Lionheart: