My Home Workout Program

Before I got sick, I used to work out at the gym 3x a week. Well, I'm not really muscular to begin with, just the lean type. But, I noticed that I lost some muscle mass starting late last year. I've read a post from Pozziepinoy's blog, where he wrote about muscle wasting or losing some muscle mass (especially on legs and arms) and the tendency to increase the waistline. Also, ARV's can cause increased cholesterol level. So, it's so damn important to start working out even before these conditions kick in, for health and aesthetic reasons. 

Since I still avoid public places like Fitness First, I just work out at home for the meantime. I do push-ups and dumbbell exercises. I also bought a yoga mat at Toby's for Php 400, so I could do sit-ups. Well, it seems like my home workout program is effective. Last month, when I met a close friend for the first time after I got sick (that's after 8 months), he said, "It's good you were able to maintain your built!" Good to know I'm getting back to how I used to be, like my weight. I already gained 18 lbs since I got discharged from the hospital. 3-7 lbs more, I'll be on my ideal weight again.  :)

Anyway, here's my program: 

Set A

1. Push-ups (4 sets of 25 reps, or more). Well, I tried following www.hundredpushups.com, but it's just too damn difficult to finish week 6. 

2. Flat Chest Press  

3. Bicep Curl / Hammer Curl

4. Overhead Triceps Extension

5. Sit-ups / 60-second Planking 

Set B 

1. Dumbbell Squat

2. Dumbbell Lunges

3. Calf Raise

4. Shoulder Press

5. Sit-ups / Plank Bird Dog

I alternate between Sets A and B on different days. Animated illustrations are available here. And my program can be completed in 45-60 minutes. Of course, stretching before and after working out is necessary to avoid injury. And, to address mass gain plateau, I need to change my program every 1-2 months, or increase the intensity by increasing the sets, reps or dumbbell weight.

I also plan to buy the equipment shown above, so I can do chin-ups and pull-ups again. The gym instructor at my former gym used to say that pull-up is good for biceps and abs. On www.sulit.com, I saw that this equipment costs only Php 400. And it can readily be attached to any door. Genius invention! Can't wait to get this item.