My Secret Workout!

I can say I am in the best shape of my life! Not because I am a fitness personal trainer and not every personal trainer is in the best shape of their life. My fitness training has come a long way. This is how it began for me. When I was ten years old, my grandfather was the first one who taught me how to do push ups in my small bed; and when I was 14 years old, my father had bought me my first two pairs of dumbbells. At 19, I was in the Taiwanese army for two years and we ran 5kms almost every morning at 6am and 100 push ups every night before we slept.

At 25, I picked up my first barbell and I fell in love with body building style weight training, I became a certified personal fitness trainer when I was 28 and continually lifting heavy weights in the gym had caused subsequent shoulder joint injury and back pain for many years. I can bench 120 KGS and squat 120 KGS at the time. (I only weighted 70kgs).

Nowadays I abandoned traditional body building style training (sorry Arnold but you are still my hero!) I developed my own style workout which I call hybrid workouts and I have no routine! I still bench and do squat but I mix it up with different type of techniques like jerk, clean and flips. I also mix it up with interval training technique but other then that, I do cross training! (a link to cross training page) I would play tennis for an hour (a great method for muti-dimension functional training!). I would do boxing for an hour (great cardio workout - exercising coordination and functions!). I would also include swimming in my workout once a week (I don't play in the swimming pool like children. I do swim to sweat out!). I have also included biking in my workout routine but not for a whole hour - it all depends on how I feel. Like I said, I do not have a routine but the idea is to mix everything into a good workout. By the way, I would attend a yoga class if my body feels like it!

My point is that if you have hit a plateau or has an injury, don't feel you can't exercise, just simply change your routine and make comprise with your workout, learn a new technique for your new workout! I only learn to play tennis this year (hey I paid for a tennis coach too!). And I never learn how to swim until the age of 33. I can now do breadth stroke for an hour, without stopping!

After all, you don't have to play tennis or kick boxing like I do, but you can simply alternate your workout by using a stationary bike or even go out for a bike ride on a Sunday! Once a week, go for a run in the park or treadmill at least! Attend a yoga class occasionally! If you don't have a swimming pool at home, try the public swimming pool or join a health club! You can also jump rope for half an hour in the gym or in the park.

Here are a few suggestions for a routine I've tried out lately and you can use it as your own.

Monday - weight training whole body

Tuesday - swimming 30 min non-stop

Wednesday - break

Thursday - running on treadmill for 15 min. Speed at 12-14kms then lower body part workout alternate with upper body part workout

Friday - break or try something different like tennis

Saturday - stationary bike 15-20 min on level 10-15 then core muscle training

Sunday - running and sprinting in the park with body weight training like push-ups and pull-ups

Russell Lee is an international qualified fitness personal trainer. He?s trained people from 14- 80 year olds all over the world. He has more then 6,000 hours hands one on one personal training experience. 2,000 hours of group fitness training with over 800 clients from all over the world. He speaks through his professional experiences. He is the founder of Revolution Fitness ? bangkokpersonaltraining.com bangkokpersonaltraining.com