Abdominal, Chest and Back Exercises

Abs
side leg lifts with stability ball: 3 sets/12-15 reps
reverse plank with stability ball: 3 sets/30 seconds - 1 minute
hands to toes: 3 sets/30 seconds - 1 minute


Chest
bench press: 3 sets/12-15 reps
inclined bench press: 3 sets/12-15 reps
declined bench press: 3 sets/12-15 reps
fly machine: 3 sets/12-15 reps




Back
t bar: 3 sets/12-15 reps
assisted chin ups: 3 sets/12-15 reps
straight arm pulldowns: 3 sets/12-15 reps
supermans: 3 sets/30 seconds - 1 minute

Legs and Glutes Exercises

Legs and Glutes Exercises
alternating leg extensions machine: 3 sets/12-15 reps/both legs
alternating kneeling leg curl machine: 3 sets/12-15 reps/both legs
glute machine: 3 sets/12-15 reps/both sides
donkey calf raises: 3 sets/12-15 reps
* set 1: toes pointed straight
* set 2: pointed inward
* set 3: pointed outward

Biceps, Triceps, Shoulders and Abdominal Exercises

Biceps
barbell curls: 3 sets/12-15 reps
preacher curls: 3 sets/12-15 reps
concentration curls: 3 sets/12-15 reps/both arms



Triceps
tricep kickbacks: 3 sets/12-15 reps/both arms
overhead extension with rope: 3 sets/12-15 reps
lying tricep extension with barbell: 3 sets/12-15 reps


Shoulders
upright row with barbell: 3 sets/12-15 reps
alternating dumbell press: 3 sets/12-15 reps/both arms
alternating bent over lateral raises: 3 sets/12-15 reps/both arms



Abs
plank: 3 sets/30 seconds - 1 minute
side planks: 3 sets/30 seconds - 1 minute
hanging leg raises: 3 sets/12-15 reps

Legs, Glutes, and Abdominal Exercises

Legs and Glutes
side step up on bench: 3 sets/12-15 reps/both legs
kickbacks with cable: 3 sets/12-15 reps/both sides
smith machine squats: 3 sets/12-15 reps
reverse lunges with dumbbells: 3 sets/12-15 reps
donkey calf raises: 3 sets/12-15 reps/toes pointed inward set, then pointed outward set, and pointed forward set.


Abdominals
wood chopper with medicine ball: 3 sets/12-15 reps/both sides
scissors: 3 sets/12-20 reps
ball crunch: 3 sets/30 seconds - 1 minute each

Chest, Back and Adominal Exercises

Chest
push-ups: 3 sets/12-15 reps
declined push-ups: 3 sets/12-15 reps
inclined push-ups
diamond push-ups

Back
reverse gripped lat pulldowns: 3 sets/12-15 reps
dumbbell pullbacks: 3 sets/12-15 reps
wide gripped seated row: 3 sets/12-15 reps
weighted back extensions

Abs
declined reverse crunch: 3 sets/12-15 reps
declined weighted crunch: 3 sets/12-20 reps
anke touch: 3 sets/30 seconds - 1 minute each

Legs, Glutes, and Abs Exercises

Legs and Glutes
plie' squat with barbell: 3 sets/12-15 reps with 10-15 pulses
squat with kick and medicine ball: 3 sets/12-15 reps/both legs
lying hamstring curls with stability ball: 3 sets/12-15 reps
bridge with stability ball: 3 sets/12-20 reps with 10-15 pulses
deadlift with barbell: 3 sets/12-15 reps

Abdominals
woodchopper with cable: 3 sets/12-15 reps
scissors: 3 sets/12-20 reps
weighted crunch: 3 sets/12-25 reps

Biceps, Triceps, and Shoulder Exercises

Biceps
21's barbell curls: 3 sets/7 low curl, 7 high curl, & 7 full curl
alternating inclined dumbbell curls: 3 sets/12-15 reps/both arms
concentration curl: 3 sets/12-15 reps/both arms



Triceps
tricep push-ups: 3 sets/12-15 reps
dips on a bench: 3 sets/12-15 reps
cable pulldown: 3 sets/12-15 reps




Shoulders
arnold press: 3 sets/12-15 reps

lateral raises: 3 sets/12-15 reps

bent-over lateral raises: 3 sets/12-15 reps

Lentil and Black bean with Carrots Soup Recipe

Lentil and Black bean with Carrot Soup Recipe

Ingredients:

1 onion, chopped

2 carrots, diced

2 stalks of fresh celery or 2 teaspoons of dried celery

5 cloves of garlic

1 teaspoon of dried oregano

1 bay leaf

1 teaspoon of dried basil

1 pound of Roma tomatoes, diced

1 cup of dry lentils

1 can of black beans

8 cups of water

1/4 of purple cabbage, sliced

olive oil spray bottle

2 tablespoons of vinegar

2 teaspoons of sea salt

cracked pepper, to taste

Directions:

Step 1: In a large pot, heat up some olive oil. Then, add the chopped onion, carrots and celery. Cook until the onion of tender. Next, stir in garlic, the bay leaf, oregano and basil. Cook for 2 minutes.

Step 2: Add the water, lentils, cabbage and tomatoes to the mixture. Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook from 45 - 60 minutes or until the lentils are cooked through. Stir in vinegar and add the sea salt and pepper for taste.

* Beans and Cabbage can cause a lot of gas, for a natural gas suppressant, use Fennel seeds. I tried it and it works! I added 1 teaspoon of Fennel seeds to my serving of soup. They taste like liquorice candy.

Chicken with Green beans and Pistachio Stir-Fry Recipe

Chicken with Green beans and Pistachio Stir-Fry Recipe

ingredients:

1 pound of chicken breast, cubed

1-1 1/2 pound of green beans

4 scallions, cut into inch pieces

2 tablespoons of minced ginger

1 tablespoon of minced garlic

1 red pepper, minced

1/4 cup of roasted pistachios, coarsely chopped

2 tablespoons of oyster sauce

1 tablespoon of olive oil

Directions:

Step 1: Heat olive oil in a pan. Add the green beans and cook for about 2 minutes. Add the cubed chicken and cook for 4 minutes, constantly stirring.

Step 2: Add ginger, scallions, garlic, oyster sauce and pepper to the mix and cook until chicken is not pink. Next, stir in the chopped pistachios and cook for 1-2 minutes more.

Legs, Glutes and Abdominal Exercises

Legs and Glutes
clock (squat w/ lateral lunges): 3 sets/12-15 reps
single leg squat: 3 sets/12-15 reps/both legs
skies with barbell: 3 sets/12-15 reps/both sides
stiff-legged deadlift: 3 sets/12-15 reps
bent-over calf raises machine: 3 sets/12-15 reps/toes pointed straight, inward and outward/1 for each set



Abs
reverse plank w/ stability ball: 3 sets/30 seconds - 1 minute
alternating toe touch: 3 sets/30 seconds - 1 minute
standing cable crunch: 3 sets/15-30 reps


* only do weighted crunches to make you abdominal muscles thicker and pop out. If you do
not have a flat stomach, you are only going to make your waist thicker.

Back, Chest, and Abdominal Exercises

Going Back To The Beginning of My Fitness Career
A lot of you all do not know this but, I started blogging about fitness all the way back in 2009! I had lost the weight and I had too many ladies wanting to talk to me about what I have done. At the time, I was going to college, working, and taking care of the household choirs. As a result, I did not have a lot of time for chat so I started this blog: A Raven In The Rio Grande Valley

It is really awesome to be able to go back and see how far I have come. Plus, I did not look back either! Once I lost the weight and got toned up, I did not want to lose all the I have worked for. So, I first got certified in Zumba. Then, I became a NASM Certified Personal Trainer and now I own Fit Science LLC, Private Personal Training Studio!

Here are some of the tips are started out giving my friends, family, & acquaintances. If you do not know the name of exercises and how many sets and reps to do, then you are probably not reaching the goals you want. Here are some exercises that are done for the back, chest, and abs.



Back
lat pulldown: 3 sets/12-15 reps
reverse grip bent-over row: 3 sets/12-15 reps
standing 1 arm cable row: 3 sets/12-15 reps/both arms
back extension: 3 sets/ 12 - 15 reps with 10 second hold



Chest
bench press: 3 sets/12-15 reps
inclined bench press: 3 sets/12-15 reps
declined bench press: 3 sets/12-15 reps
bench dumbbell fly: 3 sets/12-15 reps



Abs
bicycle: 3 sets/30 seconds - 1 minute
declined crunch: 3 sets/30 seconds - 1 minute
birddog: 3 sets/30 seconds - 1 minute hold each side

Legs and Glutes Exercises

Legs and Glutes
bench step up: 3 sets/12-15 reps/both legs
walking lunges w/ dumbbells: 3 sets/12-15 reps
1 legged stiff legged deadlift: 3 sets/12-15 reps
declined 45 degree leg press: 3 sets/12-15 reps
calf raises: 3 sets/12-15 reps/toes pointed straight, together, and outward/1 for each set

Biceps, Triceps, Shoulders and Abdominal Exercises

Biceps
preacher curl: 3 sets/12-15 reps
high cable curl: 3 sets/12-15 reps
alternating hammer curl: 3 sets/12-15 reps

Triceps
tricep pulldowns w/ rope: 3 sets/12-15 reps
tricep dumbbell kickbacks: 3 sets/12-15 reps
overhead tricep extension w/ rope: 3 sets/12-15 reps





Shoulders
barbell front raises: 3 sets/12-15 reps
shoulder press w/ barbell: 3 sets/12-15 reps
seated lateral raises: 3 sets/12-15 rep
bosu ball kneeling bent-over lateral raises: 3 sets/12-15 reps



Abs
plank: 3 sets/30 sec. - 1 min.
side plank: 3 sets/ 30 sec. - 1 min./ both sides
hanging leg raises: 3 sets/12-15 reps

Adominal Exercises

Abs

reverse crunch on a bench: 3 sets/15-25 reps

weighted cross jab crunch on stability ball: 3 sets/15-25 reps

standing weighted crunch: 3 sets/15-25 reps

If you really want abdominal muscles to show, lots of cardio and eating clean are key and not lots of abs exercises. Only do weighted abdominal exercises when you want your abdominals to pop out. If you do not already have a flat stomach, weighted abdominal exercises will only make you waist thicker. In addition, abdominal muscles and just like any other muscles. Train them 2-3 times a week, every other day.