Clover Lane

Ok I am NO expert, do this at your own risk, that is my disclosure. I also SO SO SO DO NOT have a Pinterest bikini body so I won't guarantee results either.  BUT this is hard, and it has helped me lose a lot of poundage and get stronger than I have since a long enough time ago that I can't even remember.

Also, when I started this on January 2nd, I could hardly do a thing.  By that I mean not ONE boy push-up, maybe 3 girl ones. EVERYTHING was hard, really difficult. I started with lighter weights (maybe 10 pounds?) and worked up to 15 pounds.  I was in the worst shape I've ever been in when I started this, and never thought I'd be where I am now. I am glad I persevered and didn't give up. Sometimes for lunges I didn't use weights at all. The good thing was I never was too sore, and I swear it was Whole30, and the water I was drinking and the healthy food.  I have been really amazed at how my body has become stronger.

I have never liked gyms (too much time, feel awkward working out in public, having to leave kids). I am a firm believer in doing whatever exercise you love. If it's running, taking exercise classes, etc...it won't work if you hate it or it makes you stressed or it doesn't work with whatever season of life you are in. The sunmer before I was married, I was living with my parents and did a Cindy Crawford VHS tape every day when I came home from work-that is such a fond memory of mine, I don't know why, but it just was so nice to be home one last time and I was determined to feel good on my honeymoon.  After that I would sometimes do The Firm (the one with the yellow leotard and leg warmers). I don't really like watching exercise tapes-especially after I had kids, because it was constant pausing, or not going fast enough for me, or a few parts I wanted to skip (the jogging in place in The Firm.)  So I would memorize my favorite exercises and just do my own routine. After I had four kids, I stopped almost all exercise all together because I just couldn't work it in. In fact probably in the 21 years I've been a mom I've been consistent with exercise in super short bursts that could amount to maybe a couple years.  If that isn't proof that I have no business posting exercise routines on my blog I don't know what is.



That is what I do now. I listen to music and sometimes "Abbey Downtown" (Janey-speak).  Janey plays with toys in the basement but most often just jumps on the sofa the entire time. For me afternoon workouts always work best. Mornings I like to get all my duties finished. I get ready for the day in the morning, and then I keep my workout clothes in my workout area, change, and then change back when I am finished. I don't sweat much so I'm ok with that, and it's a major time saver.

I try to get through leg days in about an hour, and arm days in a little less (I do not rush, I'm sure others can go faster!)

Right now I alternate legs and arms, abs everyday.  So M W F legs. TR(S if I can) arms. I might change as I need to switch something out for a yoga day.

I use 15 pound weights, and I worked up slowly, sometimes even switching back to lighter weights on days when I feel like it.  When I change weights, I start with 8 reps and then work up to 12, and the change to a heavier weight.  In my mind I divide this routine into little sections, which helps me get through it.

LEGS

First Section-Squats and Lunges-get the torture over first.

- One set of regular lunges 8-12 reps.

-Then:


-This squat routine...all of them in a row-8-12 reps EACH.
 Repeat both lunges and all squats three times.

After that is finished I do:
-Side lunges without weights 10 reps.
-Squats with exercise ball in between my lower back and wall-these are really low squats 10 reps.
Repeat three times.

Floor work with ankle weights:

Now I put three ankle weights on each leg(started with one, worked up):

Using a 20 pound weight, I rest on my knee in addition to ankle weights, I do these:


I do 20, then do 10 touching my knee to front and kick back to a straight leg, and then 10 more holding my leg straight behind me.
I alternate that with laying on my back, legs straight up, opening and closing, 30.

Repeat three times.

Then these (with ankle weights), 20 each leg, then alternate with-


-glute kick backs, 20.

Repeat three times.

I then stand up and do 60 each kickbacks, just tiny ones, standing up right.

Take off ankle weights.

Floor work with resistance band:

This is the kind of band I use, it's medium resistance. Bought it at Meijer for about ten dollars. These are small movements, I put the band about around my ankle.

Leg's straight:
Laying on back, V's with band, 50.

Leg lifts (alternating legs) semi-reclined, on back, legs straight, lift one leg up and down, the other leg stays still, 50.

Lay on side, leg lifts like above, 50 each side.
Repeat 3 times.

Stand up, legs straight, band on, pulse leg 50 to front, 50 to side, 50 to back.
Repeat 3 times.

This can be as hard or easy as you want it to be depending on how much your stretch band. (Sometimes I can only do 30 reps if I am pushing hard.)

Last:
These:

With 20 pound weight resting on top of thighs.
100 reps.

And these:

Weight resting on inner thigh, 50 each leg.

And these:

3 sets of 10.

Arms is almost this exactly, again 3 sets, working up poundage. In place of bench I use the ball.
I also do 3 sets of 10 push-ups.

Stomach, I do everyday.  I do 100 reps of these three things, but I usually take a quick breather in between each 20 just to stop the burning.

100 sit ups on exercise ball.


100 leg lifts squeezing a ball (just one of those play balls in the toy dept) right above my ankles. I do 20 normal leg lifts, then alternate the next 20 with leg lifts, but also bring ball down to floor and back with straight legs.

100 twisting bicycles.

Planks-I either try to do one for as long as possible, or hold one for 60 seconds, take a break, do again about 5 times.   I printed out a plank challenge from Pinterest at first to push myself when I first started out.