Phase 2, Week 2, Day 6...

I have successfully completed Phase 1 of my transformation. In total, I lost over 35 pounds in my first phase which ran for 12 weeks, ending the week of May 21st. I planned to do this in phases so that I can properly measure results and make any changes that are required.

My concentration for this phase is still my lower back and my stomach, but I have added some additional exercises that allow me to increase my fat burn. For the next 8 weeks, I will adding a circuit training complexes regiment. I did it on Tuesday for the first time and I thought it was kind of easy. But, when the pain came on Wednesday I knew it is not messing around.

Complexes are basically quick burst exercises that really make your body work hard for brief periods of time. The objective: Move between exercise series as quickly as possible, only resting as you move from one series to the next.

First, I started off with Squats. I lifted 330 pounds in 1 set of 6 reps.

I then quickly moved on to Chin Ups, also running 1 set of 6 reps.

Then, I moved on to using a set of 12.5 dumbbells, doing Lunges with a Overhead Press (basically: 1. Stand with weights over your head; 2. step forward with one leg; 3. Bend the leg you stepped forward with until the other leg is parallel with the ground; 4. Return to start position, quickly, pushing the weights back up over your head.) I repeated these in 2 sets, 1 for each legs, with 6 reps.

The exercise I was most interested in seeing if I could do was next. Push ups, on barbells, with a row in between. A normal push up but you are holding onto the barbells. Once you have completed a push up, you lift the weight up with one hand, then change hands on the next push up. I quickly knocked out 12 push ups (with the rows), of course almost falling over a few times!

Lastly, I did Cable Wood Chops, 6 per side. (Pulling the cable as if you were, well, chopping wood!)

All in all, this whole thing took me less than 10 minutes to run through. I felt a little guilty, like I wasn't working out hard enough, so I did a complete abs package. But, as I wrote above, the complexes really work, because on Wednesday and Thursday I was incredibly sore in places I haven't been sore yet.

Bring on week 3!

Peace out... :)

JH