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sunshine jen: The Fat Pat Workout
Recently, I have become inspired by Fat Pat's posts especially as he upped the ante on the physical training. Because I view going to the gym like going to a lab (where you experiment and try different things for optimum results), I decided to try my variation on the Fat Pat Workout yesterday. My intention was not to parody, but to find a new addition to my old gym routine.
A few notes before I go into the workout. . .
I'm in pretty good shape. I ran my first 10K in San Diego on St. Patrick's Day. Also running the 10K were some hard core military guys with heavy packs. Now, I'm not that hard core. I no longer run with a discman because it's too heavy.
I have no intention of joining the military---sorry guys. I grew up watching MASH and that great comedy, Stripes, and reading Catch-22. I also do not like the idea of getting shot at. Yes, I am a big ninny.
By the way, please, do not turn the Sunshine Jen comment field into a testosterone fueled politico debate like you guys did to Miss Solstice's wearing black post. For the record, I wear black almost everyday, but that's because I'm in mourning for my life.
The purpose of this post is to spread exercise and fitness throughout happyrobotland. Yes, let's get healthy even if it kills us.
I began my Fat Pat Workout with a 10 minute run on the treadmill while listening to the XM station, 80s on 8. David Bowie's Let's Dance filled the majority of the time. My abs were still burning from Monday night's pilates class, but I kept good form.
I then did fifteen minutes of arms and chest with free weights. I did one set of each exercise with my best weight (aka the weight I can get 12-15 reps out of):
Bench press - 30lb dumbbells for 11 reps
Wide press (a press which begins and ends with the palms facing eachother) - 25 lb dumbbells for 12 reps.
Bench press at a 45 degree angle - 25 lb dumbbells for 12 reps.
Wide press at a 45 degree angle - 20 lb dumbbells for 12 reps.
Standing overhead press - 15 lb dumbbells for 12 reps
Straight outfront (straight arm, start with arms down at hips, then raise to shoulder height, never bending elbow) - 15 lb dumbbells for 15r/15l reps
Pulldown bar - 80lbs for 15 reps, slow pull
Then, on a lower back rack, I did a wide press while straightening back -15lb dumbbells for 12 reps. I recently learned this from the owner of my gym. It works the chest as well as the lower back. Also, if you do the reps slowly while sucking in the abs, you will definitely feel it working. Good stuff, good stuff.
Next onto the mat work. I had printed up Fat Pat's Monday PT, so I used that as a guide. I skipped the pushups. I don't do pushups, sorry, I don't. I don't even like doing the girlie ones.
First up, I did 2 sets of 40 crunches. Nailed those. I usually do one set of a hundred crunches, but I like breaking it into two sets. It's mellow. It's kind of hippy. I dig it.
Next, Flutterkicks. I looked up Flutterkicks on the Internet and found many interpretations of the Flutterkick. I settled on the hardest of the options and one that did not require a swimming pool. Lying on my back, I raised my legs about 8-10 inches off the mat, then kicked up one leg and then the other---slowly. Basically picture yourself kicking while you're swimming and you've got the basic motion. I did 2 sets of 30 reps for the flutterkicks. Woohoo!
Next, Leg Spreaders. If Flutterkicks are up and down, then Leg Spreaders go horizontal, out and in. Picture your legs as shrubbery clippers. Again, I aimed for slow and controlled, but I had to put the feet down halfway through, so I only did one set of 12 and 8 reps.
Finally, I decided to end with a bang, so I did two sets of 50 reps of bicycles. Then I was done. Yeehah. I put the mat back, tossed the gym towel, and went home to make cocktails. Thanks Fat Pat.
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