Week Sixteen: Motivation

I’m not talking the kind of “Get-up-and-Go” motivation of the mind, but the actual physical motivation of actually physically doing it.  Wednesday I woke up and my feet hurt thanks to the ulcer (the other foot is sprouting a tiny something as well, and plus it’s fucked from compensating for the other leg).

Tuesday, I had agonised through fifteen minutes of jogging on the spot, having to stop every twenty seconds or so to give my feet a rest.  Wednesday came, and I just couldn’t.  Even my footwear had to change as my trainers have become too uncomfortable because of it all.  I’ve actually been eyeing up my old wellies as my primary footwear.  Somerset, eh?

Your Motivation

Do any of you –my loyal followers- have any motivation tips? Mental and physical?  Any routines you go through to get the day started?  Unfortunately, I’ve got into some bad habits, having a “nap” on the sofa after my early morning breakfast, and then repeatedly hitting snooze on my phone… idiot.

A main motivation of mine overall has been the loss of size to fit into clothes that I already own, a Superman T-shirt, a Rogue One hoodie, even trousers I’ve had for years but never been able to wear.  I’d dearly love to walk into a Primark and be able to buy clothes and not be groaning and grimacing because they only go up to a size below mine, or that my sizes are more expensive than everyone else’s!

So, with a recent obsession with the Assassin’s Creed series (I’ve always been a fan, but I’ve had some of the trailer songs earworming my brain all week along with the imagery), I’ve come upon the idea of somehow dressing up as Ezio Di Auditore.  Probably the older version of him in Assassin’s Creed Revelations, with the grey costume.  My wife has expressed a liking for the games, especially Ezio, so why not?

 

This week marks the end of Phase 1 of the 12-Week Program.

Next week on to Phase 2:

Day 1 – Legs & Calves

Squats 5 sets X 12,10,8,6,4

Step-Ups 4 sets X 10 (each leg)

Trap Bar Deadlifts* 4 sets X 10 reps

Lateral Box Squats 3 sets X 10 reps

Romanian Deadlift 3 sets X 10 reps

Seated Calf Raises 4 sets X 12 reps

*HOME Alt exercise: DB Farmer Squats

 

Day 2 – Back, Trapezius & Biceps

Deadlift 4 sets X 10,8,6,4

Bent Over Row 4 sets X 8 reps

V-Grip Pull Ups 4 sets X 8 reps

Dumbbell Pull-Overs 3 sets X 12 reps

Dumbbell Shrugs 4 sets X 12 reps

Drag Curls 3 sets X 12 reps

Incline Bench DB Curls 3 sets X 12 reps

 

Day 3 – Chest & Triceps

Dumbbell Press 4 sets X 12,10,8,8

Incline Barbell Press 4 sets X 10 reps

Single Arm DB Press 3 sets X 10 (each arm)

Incline DB Fly 3 sets X 12 reps

Single Arm DB French Press 3 sets X 12 (each arm)

Cross Bench Dips 3 sets X 10 reps

 

Day 4 – Deltoids & Forearms

Overhead Press 4 sets X 12,10,8,6

Single Arm KB Press 3 sets X 10 reps

Reverse Upright Row 4 sets X 12 reps

Lateral Raise 4 sets X 12 reps

Reverse Curl 3 sets X 12 reps

Finger Curl 3 sets X 12 reps

 

Day 5 – Legs & Calves

Front Squats 4 sets X 12,10,8,6

Glute Bridges 4 sets X 12 reps

Split Squats 4 sets X 8 (each leg)

Single Leg Romanian Deadlift 4 sets X 12 reps

Standing Calf Raise 4 sets X 12 reps

 

DID YOU KNOW?

The Romanian Deadlift is not specifically Romanian, but named for the Romanian Olympic weighlifter Nicu Vlad, who was a medallist in 1984, 1988 and 1996.  He discovered the exercise by accident after performing a clean and jerk, and was asked what it was called.  He didn’t know, and it was forever called “The Romanian Deadlift”.