The Fitness Routine: An Evolving Process of Strength and Resilience

Your approach to health is a mirror image of your self-esteem. And, your fitness program is a merciless reflection of your present character. It quickly reveals your current level of self-discipline, perseverance, resilience, and self-determination. A reliable way to find and measure these personal qualities in someone else is to simply observe his or her fitness routine… Here comes the big disclaimer in a question format: do they have one? 

This post is intended to answer a handful of questions I get all the time. I am constantly asked what I do to stay fit, how come I am officially past forty-five now and don’t need to wear makeup (there is none on the professionally made pictures for this website, to everyone’s astonishment), and where I find the energy to do everything I do. My favorite question is how I find the time, which is heavily and somewhat abrasively discussed in the third chapter of my book, so I will not go there today. 

As the post’s title suggests, the routine described below is an evolving process. This doesn’t imply that I skip parts of it as I please. It means that it took me time to get to where I am right now, and it will take some more time to gradually make this routine more demanding. What you see below is today’s state of affairs between my mind and body. Their assignment is to collaborate by keeping each other accountable at all times. I am the one responsible for decision-making. I can blame nobody for my decisions. I can only become a victim of my own laziness, my own ignorance, and my own poor decision-making.

Here we go: 

MONDAY

Right before the gym, on a yoga mat: 

Reclining 360-degree leg rotations, two seconds per rotation. 30 to the left (60 seconds total) and 30 to the right (another 60 seconds)

Scissors for 60 seconds

Reverse plank for 2-3 minutes

20 leg-raises, pelvis included 

At the gym:

Pull-ups with a full range of motion: starting from extended elbows, up until my chest touches the bar and the legs get to a horizontal position with each pull-up. Sets: 11, 9, 9, 8, 8, and 7 = 52, could vary slightly but I go beyond 50 during this first series.

Between the pull-up sets, I perform one-kettlebell single-leg deadlifts with a 45-50-pound kettlebell, holding it on the side opposite of the standing leg. 8 repetitions per leg, so by the time I am done with the first series of pull-ups (52 or so total), I have already done 48 deadlifts with each leg.

I move on to the leg-press machine and press 260-400 lbs. I used to do up to 530 lbs. but toned it down a little for the sake of good form. 

2 sets of 10 presses at 260 lbs.

2 sets of 10 at 310 lbs.

2 sets of 10 at 350 lbs.

2 sets of 10 at 400 lbs. 

Back to the pull-up bar and the kettlebell for the second series, I perform at least 30 more pull-ups to pass 80 for the day, unless I have the extra time to get past 100. The sets are usually 9, 8, 8, and 7. And again, one-kettlebell single-leg deadlifts with a 45-50-pound kettlebell, holding it on the side opposite of the standing leg, 8 reps per leg between the pull-up sets, a minimum of 4 sets per leg to reach 32 deadlifts on the second series, or a total of 80 deadlifts per leg between the two series (10 sets of 8 reps per leg).

Finally, on the stationary bicycle, I perform 8-12 miles at the highest incline (resistance) that the bikes at the gym allow. I have a favorite bike — the one hardest to pedal at resistance 25. The computers in these bikes are hard to calibrate equally. How do I know? I’ve had several discussions with the maintenance man at the gym. He tries his best for me… I have conditioned my body to seek the resistance, so I use the highest resistance from start to finish. There are no water or sweat-wiping breaks. I learned in karate that, if you stop during a fight, you will likely become a statistic and people will be reading about you in the newspapers. So, I adopted the same mindset with my bicycle routine. I never use the seat height that is most comfy for me (my long legs love 9). I always use a lower height (8) and alternate days to bring the seat lower (7) and make the routine more challenging.

TUESDAY

Right before the gym: same as Monday

At the gym:

100 full-range-of-motion dips, in 8 sets: 15, 13, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, and 12. 

Between the dip sets, I perform squats with the weight bar on my shoulders. I use a 44-pound bar and starting weight 25 or 35 lbs. on each side. I do sets of 8 reps in between the dip sets and may end up with 50 or 55 lbs. on each side of the 44-pound bar by the end. I am not a heavy weightlifter. But I like to be able to squat with slightly more than my own body weight (I currently weigh 127-130 lbs.). 

Once I am done with the dips and squats, I proceed to dragon flags: I am currently at 7 sets of 8. The goal is 10 sets of 10. Thank you, Bruce Lee!

I end the session with the stationary bicycle: same routine as Monday. Lower seat height (7) than Monday (8). 

WEDNESDAY

Right before the gym: same as Monday and Tuesday

At the gym:

Triceps rope pull-downs and cable gluteus kickbacks in the following order and weight increments: 

Rope pull-downs: 2 sets of 10 reps with 80 lbs. 

Kickbacks: 2 sets of 10 reps for each leg with 90 lbs., alternating legs. 

Rope pull-downs: 2 sets of 10 reps with 90 lbs. 

Kickbacks: 2 sets of 10 reps for each leg with 100 lbs., alternating legs. 

Rope pull-downs: 2 sets of 10 reps (or sometimes 3 sets of 7 reps) with 100 lbs. 

Kickbacks: 2 sets of 10 reps for each leg with 110 lbs., alternating legs. 

Rope pull-downs: 2 sets of 10 reps with 90 lbs. 

Kickbacks: 2 sets of 10 reps for each leg with 100 lbs., alternating legs. The last series is purposely not my heaviest with these. 

Shoulder presses using 27.5-30-pound dumbbells, 5 sets of 10 reps per arm, may alternate arms. If feeling easy, I do doubles. May squat between each rep for more cardio intensity. 

Dragon flags: working towards the goal of 10 sets of 10 reps!

Bicycle routine as Monday and Tuesday, except for on Wednesdays it is the longest one, because I am now in the groove. If I have biked 8 or 9 miles on the previous two days, I add a mile on Wednesday, but bring the seat up to height 8. I’ve gone to 16 miles at a resistance 25. It’s very good to make yourself do more every once in a while.

THURSDAY

Right before the gym: same as Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday

At the gym:

Series of pull-ups — deadlifts — pull-ups — dips — deadlifts. I aim at ending my four-day stretch with a minimum of 50 pull-ups, 50 deadlifts, and 50 dips. I am able to accomplish this within 3.5 to 4 of the above-mentioned series. The deadlifts start at 135 lbs. and end at 175 lbs. right now. Again, I’m not a heavy lifter. Deadlift sets vary between 6 and 8 reps. Dip sets are 13, 13, 12, and 12 = 50. I do the pull-up sets until failure, so they start bigger and gradually get smaller. I do feel the impact of the previous days’ workouts on Thursday. 

Stationary bicycle: a minimum of 8 miles at resistance 25, lowering the seat height to 7 again. Can it get tiring, you may ask, especially at the end of a four-day stretch? It could, but I do not compromise the mileage, much less the resistance. I may slow down my speed, but the miles and resistance are non-negotiable. 

It is also possible to combine the squats and deadlifts in a single-day session and do it for two days. That way, there would be less volume for each per day, but both will be practiced twice instead of just once a week.

I use my fitness days to recuperate from work, and my workdays to rest from the fitness exercises. If I ever go to the gym on a Friday, I only use an elliptical machine for 3-4 miles to change the pattern a little bit. During work, there can be plenty of sitting-around in a 12-hour shift while driving from patient to patient or on a couch (or chair) in a patient’s home. It is easier to keep active if the patient demands more hands-on work than paperwork, but it’s not always predictable before I walk through the door. 

I have no favorite routine. I love each and every one of these, because they contribute to my well-being in so many ways! I have crafted them to fit my goals, needs, and current abilities, but it is important to understand that demanding more each time is the key to the next breakthrough point. After all, my nursing experience has taught me that every day above ground is a great day, and so the best strategy is to utilize my days to the fullest. 

As you can see, I am by no means a professional athlete. I do not practice all day, just spend 2.5-3-hours per day. Therefore, if I can do these organized routines, which started out simple at some point, so can you!