If you missed my #1 post, these are a series of five exercise routines to be done each week, one/day.  I followed these routines prior to competing in the National Senior Basketball Championships this June in Houston and found them to be invaluable in getting me conditioned to compete against the best in the country.

The links to videos that show proper form often times have strong guys/gals pulling/pushing more weight than you and I can/should try to handle.  My recommendation is to start each exercise with almost no weight.  Get the feel of the exercise and increase your weight until you can do the exercise without losing your form and hit the recommended number of reps.

These workouts, I refer to as my Colorado Workouts, were developed by my nephew, Robbie and his Dad, Bob.  The key to the Colorado workouts is that one can use as light a weight as they need to achieve the number of reps recommended.  Form and reps are the key to success.

Robbie provided me with five workouts to be done each week.  One per day with two days off or for a good cardio burn…run, basketball, elliptical, or my favorite…the old-fashioned stair master…the one with the treads. This routine works five separate muscle groups once/week. The groups are: shoulders, back, arms, chest, legs.

I’ll post each workout separately, this week being  “arms”.  Each will have some links to videos that show proper form.  A great website that should provide good tutorials if you are unsure of an exercise is Link to Exercise Guide

Before starting, I also have found that it is advisable to invest in a good protein shake and if older like I, a drink with some L-Glutamine for muscle recovery.  Again, my nephew, who studies this as his major in college, recommended Max Muscle’s IsoExtreme.  It is mixed with water, tastes like a gatorade product, and helps to provide some energy during the workout and really helps with post-workout crashing.   I purchase mine from a distributor in Connecticut who doesn’t charge for shipping and gives you the second tub at 50% off.  If you are working out 5 x’s per week, this is a very attractive price structure.  Robbie recommended I take one scoop with 8-10 oz. of water 1 hour before a workout and 2 scoops with water immediately after a workout. Link to Connecticut Max Muscle Dealer Website

Arms-15 reps each set:

• 5 sets close grip tricep bench presses on the smith machine; super set with straight bar bicep curls (a “superset” is done immediately after the first exerecise without any  break in between.  It’s really like a double set.  You take a 15-30 second break in between the second or “superset”.)
• 4 sets over the head triceps extensions with dumb bells (can do laying on a bench or sitting); super set with seated dumb bell bicep curls (suggest using an inclined bench): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-yyQobXWDIo&feature=related
• 4 sets triceps extensions on cable machine with close grip or with rope (Utilize the cable machine that most people use to do extensions facing the weight stack.  Turn away from the stack, with the rope on top of your head, and take one giant step away from the stack.  Now, perform an isolated tricep extension from overhead.  Start with a very light weight to get the feel of this; super set with hammer curls  (No rest in between extensions and hammer curls!)
• 4 sets tricep kick backs: http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://images.myfit.ca/cache/images/kickbacks.gif&imgrefurl=http://www.myfit.ca/exercisedatabase/viewanexercise.asp%3Fexercise%3DTricep%2BKickbacks%26table%3Dexercises%26ID%3D26&h=287&w=270&sz=24&tbnid=fN_3JCZycznfsM:&tbnh=90&tbnw=85&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dtricep%2Bkickbacks%26tbm%3Disch%26tbo%3Du&zoom=1&q=tricep+kickbacks&hl=en&usg=__kGqump88jkKAbZ5Ux9bxOoUSvtQ=&sa=X&ei=CsIMTorcL-uw0AH4xJ3IDg&ved=0CDkQ9QEwBA ; super set with 21′s bicep curls (either bar or dumb bells)  A “21′s routine is where you break your range of motion into three parts.  The first 7 reps in the curl, you curl the barbell or dumb bells from full exesntion to parallel to the ground;  the next 7 reps are done from parallel to the ground up to your chest; the final 7 reps are full range of motion.  These really get the blood into your muscles and burn!
• Tricep machine – FT 7′s (7 sets, 15 reps, 15 sec rest)  “FT 7′s” are a burn out routine where you simply set the weight on any tricep machine in this case, to the level that allows you to do l15 reps; count to 15 seconds…not longer…and do another 15 reps; if you can’t quite get the 15th rep, lower the weights for your next set, wait 15 seconds, and do another 15.  Repeat until you’ve done 7 sets of 15 reps.  This will really burn if done correctly!
• Bicep machine – FT 7′s  I don’t wait long in between these two machines…maybe 30 seconds at the most.  The same routine…your biceps will be screaming at the end, no matter what your weight is.  Just set it so that you can to 15 reps and do 7 sets with 15 seconds in between each.

Once again, one great feature of these routines is that you can start with as little weight as you need to hit the desired number of repetitions.  Each of the above sets should hit 15 reps each set.  Arms are the toughest workout for me because of all the supersets and the end “FT-7′s”.  These really burn one’s muscles out.

Refer to Intense Workouts #1 for other tips on protein shakes that you might find helpful.  This routine burns a lot of calories if done properly.  There is no need to feel run down after working out.

Have fun!

Regards,

Vinnie Rua- Founder, Christopher’s Custom

If you missed my #1 post, these are a series of five exercise routines to be done each week, one/day.  I followed these routines prior to competing in the National Senior Basketball Championships this June in Houston and found them to be invaluable in getting me conditioned to compete against the best in the country.

The links to videos that show proper form often times have strong guys/gals pulling/pushing more weight than you and I can/should try to handle.  My recommendation is to start each exercise with almost no weight.  Get the feel of the exercise and increase your weight until you can do the exercise without losing your form and hit the recommended number of reps.

Strengthen your back!

These workouts, I refer to as my Colorado Workouts, were designed by my nephew, Robbie, and his Dad.  Robbie is a senior in college majoring in sports physiology who competes in all natural body building events.

The key to the Colorado workouts is that one can use as light a weight as they need to achieve the number of reps recommended.  Form and reps are the key to success.

Robbie provided me with five workouts to be done each week.  One per day with two days off or for a good cardio burn…run, basketball, elliptical, or my favorite…the old-fashioned stair master…the one with the treads. This routine works five separate muscle groups once/week. The groups are: shoulders, back, arms, chest, legs.

I’ll post each workout separately,  this week being “back”.  Each will have some links to videos that show proper form.  A great website that should provide good tutorials if you are unsure of an exercise is Link to Exercise Guide

Before starting, I also have found that it is advisable to invest in a good protein shake and if older like I, a drink with some L-Glutamine for muscle recovery.  Again, my nephew, who studies this as his major in college, recommended Max Muscle’s IsoExtreme.  It is mixed with water, tastes like a gatorade product, and helps to provide some energy during the workout and really helps with post-workout crashing.   I purchase mine from a distributor in Connecticut who doesn’t charge for shipping and gives you the second tub at 50% off.  If you are working out 5 x’s per week, this is a very attractive price structure.  Robbie recommended I take one scoop with 8-10 oz. of water 1 hour before a workout and 2 scoops with water immediately after a workout. Link to Connecticut Max Muscle Dealer Website

Back:

• 4-5 sets of wide grip chins  (I have always had trouble doing full range chin ups.  I use the “cheater bar” in my gym.Link to Cheater Bar Video
• 4 sets bent over row reverse grip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zMXOsgFUN0o&feature=related
• 4 sets bent over row machine: http://www.fitness-equipment.com/acatalog/Fitness_Equipment_Row___Seated_Independent_Back_Row_525.html
• 4 sets seated cable rows: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ykUDTcpuJE
• 4 sets close grip cable pull downs:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QMVrP-7FP18
• 4 sets wide grip lat pull downs: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JEb-dwU3VF4
• 4 sets pullovers: http://fitbie.msn.com/exercise/standing-cable-pullover-men

Once again, one great feature of these routines is that you can start with as little weight as you need to hit the desired number of repetitions.  Each of the above sets should hit 15 reps each set.

Have fun!

Regards,

Vinnie Rua- Founder, Christopher’s Custom

A lot of my customers, young and old, talk with me about their “P90X” and Cross Fit workouts.   While I have seen each of these workouts in action, I haven’t actually tried either.  What I have tried, and what I have found to be very effective is a series of workouts developed by my nephew and brother-in-law, Robbie and Bob of Colorado (the Colorado Workouts).  Robbie is a senior in college studying sports physiology and competes in “all-natural” body building events.

Stronger Shoulders!

The key to the Colorado workouts is that one can use as light a weight as they need to achieve the number of reps recommended.  Form and reps are the key to success.

Robbie provided me with five workouts to be done each week.  One per day with two days off or for a good cardio burn…run, basketball, elliptical, or my favorite…the old-fashioned stair master…the one with the treads. This routine works five separate muscle groups once/week. The groups are: shoulders, back, arms, chest, legs.

I’ll post each workout separately, starting this week with “shoulders”.  Each will have some links to videos that show proper form.  A great website that should provide good tutorials if you are unsure of an exercise is Link to Exercise Guide

Before starting, I also have found that it is advisable to invest in a good protein shake and if older like I, a drink with some L-Glutamine for muscle recovery.  Again, my nephew, who studies this as his major in college, recommended Max Muscle’s IsoExtreme.  It is mixed with water, tastes like a gatorade product, and helps to provide some energy during the workout and really helps with post-workout crashing.   I purchase mine from a distributor in Connecticut who doesn’t charge for shipping and gives you the second tub at 50% off.  If you are working out 5 x’s per week, this is a very attractive price structure.  Robbie recommended I take one scoop with 8-10 oz. of water 1 hour before a workout and 2 scoops with water immediately after a workout. Link to Connecticut Max Muscle Dealer Website

Shoulders:

• 4-6 sets of rear delts on the peck deck machine (sit facing the machine)  15 reps
• 5 sets seated shoulder press (on either a machine or smith machine) 15 reps
• 5 sets seated dumb bell presses 15 reps; super set with seated bent over dumb bell lateral raise 15 reps (rear delt exercises including above on peck deck shown here: http://getthisripped.com/exercise/rear-deltoid-exercises
• 4 sets upright rows (or can do front lateral dumb bells raises some workouts too) super set with side lateral dumb bell raise  15 reps
• 4 sets of seated side lateral raise on machine 15 reps (example here: http://worldfitnessnetwork.com/exercises/shoulders/machine-laterals.aspx)
• 5 sets shoulder shrugs; use machine or straight bar with weight; super set with dumb bells and lighter weight for full range of motion.  For this exercise, I use the heaviest barbell or dumbbells I can handle and get 15 reps for the first set; for the super set with lighter weights I choose a weight I can do 20-25 reps with (I find that my super set weight is 50% of my max weight)

Old School!

Congrats to the Albany 55-59 team that just swept the Massachusetts Senior Basketball Tournament.  Playing against 50-54 year old teams, including the winner in the 50-54 Division two weeks ago in Boston, Albany went undefeated, controlling each game easily.

Chris Fagan, Albany, was an unstoppable force underneath…going outside when needed to keep his younger foes “honest”.  Andy George, Albany was a perfect complement…using a blistering quick drop step to school his younger foes.  Jim McCloud was awesome getting his shoulder in front of the youngest defenders and then elevating for a patented bank shot layup…also hitting the jumper when and as needed.  Dan Wine was unstoppable from beyond the arc and played tenacious defense against some younger bucks.  I did my thing, making it difficult for the younger guards and scoring now and then.

Now…it’s a month away for the Nationals in Houston.

Go Seniors!