Weight Training for a Stay-at-home-mom

Yesterday I decided was the day to start my weight training. I’ve put it off long enough but I kept getting “signs” that I needed to start. So I flipped through the Women’s Health Big Book of Exercises once. I wanted to throw it against the wall because it was overwhelming. Weight training is not new to me but when you haven’t done it in a while it’s hard to know where to start. I thought to myself…this is not what I need to get started. These programs are too complicated to put together at home. I need to be at a gym. Flipping back and forth through the chapters is for the birds. I thought about blogging about how after careful review this book would only be good for a more seasoned gym goer or a trainer. Then I told myself that I’m a smart, capable woman and I can put together a rockin’ routine to do at home. So I pulled myself up by my “boot straps” and got to work. I used an outline to create my own workout by picking one exercise from certain chapters and then adding a finisher. After a little time I put pen to paper and hashed out the circuit. I am pleased with how it turned out because the first two exercises start you out on the floor and the remainder are standing (or nearly standing exercises). I can also do this workout on the road sans swiss ball. All I need is a pair of weights and I’ll be good to go. The swiss ball dumbell chest press can be subbed out for a different variation of the chest press.

I performed the following exercises in my living room right behind the couch to the oh-so-fabulous rockin’ beats of Dinosaur Train and the familiar smell of a poopy diaper which always appears at the most inopportune time. (that was the longest runon sentence known to man)

Amber’s Fall/Winter circuit #1

5 minute warm-up on the elliptical

I performed the following exercises in order three times. Each exercise was 12 reps except for the plank which I held for 30 looong seconds. After my circuit I finished up with what the book calls a finisher, a quickie cardio routine to finish off your weight training.

• plank
• single leg hip raise (12 reps for each side)
• dumbell row
• dumbell squat
• swiss ball dumbell chest press

Finisher

Squat : 36 reps

Alternating Lunge : 18 reps/each leg

Split Jump :18 reps/each leg

Body weight jump squat : 36 reps.

Disclaimer: I totally skipped the split jump because after the lunges I was DONE! I went right to the body weight jump squat and only did 21 reps before I called it good. Then I promptly crumbled to the floor.

I DID IT (for the most part)

Afterwards I changed a poopy diaper. Phew!

Then made myself some yummy breakfast.

I am super sore today but in a good way. I’ll probably continue to do this circuit 2-3 times/week for about a month and then I’ll switch it up.

Do you have a favorite routine for weights/toning?

Do you use workout videos?

My favorite toning video is the I Want That Body! Series by Tamilee Webb.  I’ve heard the Cathe Friedrich is good but never tried her videos before.