Let’s Talk About Recovery…

Hey Guys!!

This blog post is going to be slightly different because I want to talk about easy workouts and ways to recover for when you just do not feel your best.  In this blog I am going to outline an easy recovery workout and then I am going to talk about important aspects of fitness that are often ignored. 

So Let’s get into it…

Recovery Workout (on the treadmill) 

  1. Start out with an easy walk at an incline of 5 for 5 minutes.  Try and focus on loosening up your joints and finding a good speed that you can maintain for thirty minutes.  This is just your warm up so this does not count towards your thirty minutes. 
  2. Next turn the incline up to 8% and walk for 3 minutes. Keep your speed the same but increasing the incline will make it more challenging.  
  3. Increase your incline to 12% and maintain the same speed for 2 minutes.  You should be working hard but this is not supposed to be a super hard workout. You should still be able to talk to the person next to you. 
  4. Drop the incline down to 10% for 3 minutes and remember to use your arms.  Using your arms will increase the calories burned and it will help you work at a higher speed.  
  5. Drop your incline down to 8% and work at this incline for 2 minutes. 
  6. Now, we are moving back into the higher inclines.  Turn your incline back up to 12% and walk at this incline for 3 minutes.  
  7. Drop your incline back down to 8% and walk at this incline for 2 minutes.  
  8. Increase your incline to 12% and maintain the same speed for 3 minutes.
  9. Next turn the incline down to 8% and walk for 3 minutes. 
  10. Increase your incline to 12% and maintain the same speed for 2 minutes.  
  11. Drop the incline down to 10% for 3 minutes and remember to use your arms. 
  12. Drop your incline down to 8% and work at this incline for 2 minutes. 
  13. Now, we are moving back into the higher inclines.  Turn your incline back up to 12% and walk at this incline for 3 minutes.  
  14. Drop your incline back down to 8% and walk at this incline for 2 minutes.  
  15. Increase your incline to 12% and maintain the same speed for 3 minutes
  • This workout should be challenging but it should not be so hard you do not think you could talk to your neighbor while completing it. 

Next, let’s talk about recovery… 

  • When we workout we should be eating enough protein to help either sustain or build muscle. 
  • According to the Mayo Clinic “the recommended dietary allowance to prevent deficiency for an average sedentary adult is 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight. For example, a person who weighs 165 pounds, or 75 kilograms, should consume 60 grams of protein per day.” However, if you are working out you should be eating more than the suggested amount for a sedentary adult. 
  • For example, I am 170 pounds and currently,  I aim to consume at least 140 grams of protein per day.  I do this because I am trying to gain as much muscle as possible.  
  • The next big factor that is often overlooked is water intake. According to the Mayo Clinic “In general, you should try to drink between half an ounce and an ounce of water for each pound you weigh, every day.” For example, if you weigh 150 pounds, that would be 75 to 150 ounces of water a day. 
  • Right now, I am 170 pounds and I aim to drink 200 ounces of water per day because I exercise heavily and tend to sweat a ton when I exercise. 
  • The last point I want to emphasize is sleep. 
  • National Sleep Foundation guidelines advise that healthy adults need between 7 and 9 hours of sleep per night. Babies, young children, and teens need even more sleep to enable their growth and development. People over 65 should also get 7 to 8 hours per night. 
  • Sleep is easily the most overlooked factor of recovery. It is so hard to find the time to go to bed at a normal time so that we are able to reach the necessary hours for recovery.  The CDC reports that 1 in 3 adults do not get enough sleep every single night.  Sleep is the time that our bodies recover the most and if you are not getting enough sleep then you are limiting that recovery time. 

I hope you enjoyed this blog post about recovery! 

Love,

Kyndal 

Lower Body Workout!!

Hey Guys!!

This is the new workout for this week! It is a heavy lower body day with some of my favorite exercises! This workout took me about an hour and 15 minutes. Good luck and I hope you enjoy this workout! 

Let’s get into it…

  1. 10 minute walk warm up –  I usually start out with a walking warm up on the treadmill. I usually set the incline on 10% and I set the speed on 2.5-3.0 whatever makes you feel like your legs are getting warm and you have worked up a little sweat. 
  2. Dumbbell Step Ups 3×5-8e – Grab a box or a bench that is shorter than your knees.  You do not want it to be too high because it will put pressure on your back. Next grab a heavy dumbbell that you can hold in your non-working hand. Lean forward over your working foot on the bench then Step up with the workingt foot, pressing through the heel to straighten your leg. Now lower your back foot back towards the ground carefully keeping all your weight on the front foot on the bench.  Your non working leg should not be supporting any weight, it is just there for balance.  Go until your back leg gently touches the ground and then press back up through your working foot heel to your starting position. Now do the same thing on the other leg. I did this for three sets of 5 to 8 reps on each leg. 
  3. RDL 4×8-10 — Honestly I hate this exercise but it’s an awesome exercise for not only your glutes but also your hamstrings. So grab your bar and the rack and let’s get started. Start from the rack: set the bar between the top of your knee and midthigh. Add a good amount of weight and put it on both sides. Next keep your back flat and your core engaged and gently lift the bar from the rack into standing position. Push your hips back, slide the bar down your legs and slightly bend your knees to engage your glutes.  Imagine that you are trying to close a door with your butt. When you feel like you cannot push your hips back any further push back up into standing position. I did this for 4 sets and I did 8-10 reps per set. I finished with a 25lb weight on each side. 
  4. back extensions 3×12-15 — Back extensions are a great exercise for strengthening your lower back while also working your glutes and hamstrings. When setting up for a back extension on a bench the first thing to do is set up the pads so you can lie forward with freedom to bend at the waist. The machine should be set around 45 degrees. Next either grab a light dumbbell or no weight. I switch back and forth between using weight and not using weight just depending. Ensure your feet are secure against the pads, then bend forwards, keeping your back flat. Fold forwards until you feel a stretch in your hamstrings, then slowly bring your torso back up. I used a 15lb dumbbell and did 15 reps for all 3 sets
  5. Calf raises 2×15 –  Find your calf raise machine in your gym or grab two dumbbells that are relatively heavy. Stand up straight, then push through the balls of your feet and raise your heel until you are standing on your toes. Then lower slowly back to the start. It is important to slightly bend your knees while engaging your core so you do not hurt your lower back. I performed this exercise for two sets of 15 reps. 
  6. 1 min plank finisher — I always do something quick for my core at the end of a workout because it helps my back not hurt when I am lifting. To set up for a plank position your elbows directly under your shoulders and rest your forearms on the ground. Stretch your legs out behind you and lift your hips off the ground. I usually hold this for a full minute but sometimes I will hold it for a little longer. 

I hope you enjoyed this workout and make sure you are subscribed to my email list to get updates on my workouts!

With Love,

Kyndal 

Workout Must Haves!!

 

Lifting 

  • Creatine (PEScience) 
    • Oral creatine use allows an athlete to do more work during reps or sprints, leading to greater gains in strength, muscle mass and performance. Creatine is often used by athletes involved in high-intensity intermittent activities that require a rapid recovery during training and competition.  (Mayo Clinic) 
    • My favorite Oral Creatine to take is by PEScience  https://pescience.com/products/trucreatine?variant=39839286952011

Running 

HIIT 

Heavy Lower Body Workout

Hey Guys! 

Here is our second workout of the week. It is a glute-quad workout and I can definitely tell it is the end of the week because I was exhausted after this workout. Before this workout I did take my dog Ollie on a mile and a half walk because walks are my favorite way to workout and clear my head.  

So let’s get into it… 

  1. 10 minute walk warm up –  I usually start out with a walking warm up on the treadmill. I usually set the incline on 10% and I set the speed on 2.5-3.0 whatever makes you feel like your legs are getting warm and you have worked up a little sweat. 
  2. Heavy high and narrow leg press 4×6-10 – Find yourself a leg press machine and add a heavy weight to it. Placing the feet higher up on the foot pad encourages the hamstrings and glutes to activate. Your feet should only be as wide as your hips.  You should push through your heels and focus on using your glutes to push the weight back to the starting position. Do not worry about the death of your squat since we are targeting our glutes; it will not be as deep as a regular squat. I finished at 456lbs for 7 reps. 
  3. Dumbbell Step Ups 3×5-8e – Grab a box or a bench that is shorter than your knees.  You do not want it to be too high because it will put pressure on your back. Next grab a heavy dumbbell that you can hold in your non-working hand. Lean forward over your working foot on the bench then Step up with the workingt foot, pressing through the heel to straighten your leg. Now lower your back foot back towards the ground carefully keeping all your weight on the front foot on the bench.  Your non working leg should not be supporting any weight, it is just there for balance.  Go until your back leg gently touches the ground and then press back up through your working foot heel to your starting position. Now do the same thing on the other leg. I did this for three sets of 5 to 8 reps on each leg. 
  4. Super Set  Bulgarian split squat 3×5-8e weighted – Stand 2 to 3 feet in front of a knee-high platform. Reach one leg back on the platform while keeping your front leg planted on the ground. Make sure you keep your hips and shoulders squared. With the dumbbell in the hand that is opposite the front leg you lean forward so all your weight is on the front leg. Lower your body toward the ground bending at the front knee.  Return back to standing position by pressing through your heels. I used a 50lb dumbbell for 3 sets with 5 to 8 reps on each leg.  Straight into 3×8 body weight Bulgarians – Repeat the same steps as above but do the exercise without the weight in your hand.  (These exercises should be completed back to back without rest in between them then proceed to perform the super set on the other leg)  
  1. Calf raises 2×15 –  Find your calf raise machine in your gym or grab two dumbbells that are relatively heavy. Stand up straight, then push through the balls of your feet and raise your heel until you are standing on your toes. Then lower slowly back to the start. It is important to slightly bend your knees while engaging your core so you do not hurt your lower back. I performed this exercise for two sets of 15 reps. 
  1. 1 min plank – I always do something quick for my core at the end of a workout because it helps my back not hurt when I am lifting. To set up for a plank position your elbows directly under your shoulders and rest your forearms on the ground. Stretch your legs out behind you and lift your hips off the ground. I usually hold this for a full minute but sometimes I will hold it for a little longer. 

Outfit Details 

Shorts (Aurola from Amazon) 

Socks (Lululemon) 

Sports Bra (Aoxjox from Amazon) 

T-shirt (Old Navy) 

  • Men’s oversized T Shirt wearing a size XXL (no longer sold on their website) 

Shoes (No Bull) 

Glute/Hamstring Workout

Hey Guys! 

First Blog Post Wooo!!! Okay but to be serious the first workout I am posting is a glute-hamstring workout. It took me a little over an hour to complete it and it is a tough one. 

So let’s get into it… 

  1. 10 minute walk warmup — I usually start out with a walking warm up on the treadmill. I usually set the incline on 10% and I set the speed on 2.5-3.0 whatever makes you feel like your legs are getting warm and you have worked up a little sweat. 
  2. heavy hip thrusts 4×5-8 – This is one of my favorite exercises and it is a powerful tool when trying to grow your glutes. So grab a box or a bench and let’s get set up. The bench you pick should not be taller than your knees. You might also need to grab a bar pad and of course grab a 45 pound bar. Start out with a good moderate weight that you can add onto as you continue the workout. Start seated on the floor, knees bent, feet slightly wider than hip-distance apart. The toes can be turned out just slightly. Tuck your chin and keep your back straight while you raise your hips up towards the ceiling. Squeeze your glutes at the top and pause and then lower your hips back down. Repeat this 5 to 8 times.  I did 4 sets of this exercise and I finished at 275lbs for 5 reps.
  3. RDL 4×8-10 — Honestly I hate this exercise but it’s an awesome exercise for not only your glutes but also your hamstrings. So grab your bar and the rack and let’s get started. Start from the rack: set the bar between the top of your knee and midthigh. Add a good amount of weight and put it on both sides. Next keep your back flat and your core engaged and gently lift the bar from the rack into standing position. Push your hips back, slide the bar down your legs and slightly bend your knees to engage your glutes.  Imagine that you are trying to close a door with your butt. When you feel like you cannot push your hips back any further push back up into standing position. I did this for 4 sets and I did 8-10 reps per set. I finished with a 25lb weight on each side. 
  4. back extensions 3×12-15 — Back extensions are a great exercise for strengthening your lower back while also working your glutes and hamstrings. When setting up for a back extension on a bench the first thing to do is set up the pads so you can lie forward with freedom to bend at the waist. The machine should be set around 45 degrees. Next either grab a light dumbbell or no weight. I switch back and forth between using weight and not using weight just depending. Ensure your feet are secure against the pads, then bend forwards, keeping your back flat. Fold forwards until you feel a stretch in your hamstrings, then slowly bring your torso back up. I used a 15lb dumbbell and did 15 reps for all 3 sets. 
  5. lying DB hamstring curls 2×15-25 – this exercise is awesome for your hamstrings because it works them while in a shortened position. When setting up for this workout lie on your stomach with your legs straight out behind you. Support your upper body with your forearms.Position a dumbbell vertically in between the arches of your feet. Gently lower your feet towards the ground (keep your feet flexed the whole time towards the ceiling). Squeeze your glutes and then bring your feet back towards your butt. You should feel this in your hamstrings and slightly in your glutes. I used a 40 pound dumbbell for both sets. 
  6. 1 min plank finisher — I always do something quick for my core at the end of a workout because it helps my back not hurt when I am lifting. To set up for a plank position your elbows directly under your shoulders and rest your forearms on the ground. Stretch your legs out behind you and lift your hips off the ground. I usually hold this for a full minute but sometimes I will hold it for a little longer. 

Outfit Details 

Tank Top (Gymshark) 

Shorts (Aurola from Amazon) 

Sports Bra (Lululemon) 

Socks (Lululemon) 

Shoes (Nike) Nike mid 77 blazers wearing a mens size 11 https://www.nike.com/t/blazer-mid-77-vintage-mens-shoes-nw30B2/BQ6806-100

Welcome To My Blog!!

Hi Guys!

My name is Kyndal Patterson and I am a senior at Belmont University. My goal for this blog is that you can gain a better understanding of the health and fitness industry while also enjoying the workouts that you are doing.

My workout post schedule is every Wednesday and Friday. I will be posting step by step detailed workout plans with details to my workout “fit” and details on the foods I am eating that day in order to fuel my body. Make sure to follow my social media platforms for more in depth workouts and videos on how to preform each exercise! I cannot wait to get started and welcome to my fitness family!

With Love,

Kyndal

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