Follow Me Through My Week!

Get to know what my workout routine looks like during the week

Everyone will have a different workout routine than others, but it can also be encouraging to hear what other people do to stay in shape. What are their routines like during the week? What are they eating and drinking? Where do I even start? A quote I learned from a classmate (from the Capstone Course I am in that involves this project) was fascinating to hear: “The heaviest thing at the gym is the front door.” This can be true for many people, as they may not know where to begin. Here, I want to give you the day (or week) in my life of me, Joey Pistonetti, and what I like to do for my workout routine. If you are looking for some quick recommendations that are not covered here, check out this page.

For starters, I aim to go to the gym at least 5 days a week, ranging anywhere from 60 minutes to 90 minutes. Of course, this may be different if you are just starting, so if you need to aim for 3 or 4 days a week and go up until an hour, that can still work. I recommend if you are trying to build muscle or lose weight that you have a consistent routine in place to make a habit of it. I also aim for different parts of the body each week; having a day where I try to aim for every part of the body is what I used to do; however, this may not be effective as you may not be giving enough focus on a certain part of the body. For example, you can mix working out your chest a lot, but miss out on your quadriceps. I recommend separating the days. Make a day dedicated to chest/shoulders, for instance, then do a leg day! 

With that said, let me show you what each day may look like. Keep in mind, that it does not have to be on a specific day, but it will alternate. On another note, not every workout will be mentioned or shown here; every gym will have different machines, but will still make it clear how to use them based on diagrams; I hope that this will help split up different parts of the body to work out and get an idea from the clips (boomerangs) as well!

Day 1: Upper Body - Chest, Shoulders, Traps (Upper Back)

If you are looking to build up a stronger chest and back, this is a great day to be at the gym. These can include the bench press or using dumbbells on a bench and doing some lifting that way. Other machines will help with working your chest, as shown in the pictures. Many gyms will have demonstrations on how to use machines, or you can learn from others, or use workout methods you have found. The heaviest I have bench press is 205 pounds, but be sure to have someone that will spot you or not overexert yourself the first time. Start small, have a little challenge, and build up endurance. 

Day 2: Lower Body - Hamstrings, Glutes

It is a leg day today! I like to use a squat rack and get 3-4 sets in, challenging myself to break my record of reps, usually around 8-10 reps if I am lifting over 200 pounds. Many machines can also work your glutes and hamstrings. Some simple routines also include squats with dumbbells or lunges, so be sure to mix in both of those for a good workout. A key point though is to lift with your legs, not your back. If you lift with your back, you will run the risk of hurting it and it can put you out of the gym for some time, so be careful as you are doing this!

Day 3: Upper Body - Biceps and Forearms

Back to the upper body, focusing on the arms this time around. I recommend wrist curls to strengthen your forearms and wrists. This can be done with dumbbells, either forward or backward wrist curls. Lifting one dumbbell with both arms placed on it is a good quick routine to use. Other machines will help with this, but I also try to get on the bench press again this day, so I can continue building up muscle there and hitting the upper body. 

Day 4: Lower Body - Quadriceps

While this day can also be used to work on your glutes as well, giving your quads are good workout is also important. There are leg extension machines that are useful for this; I also try to do deadlifting on this day (taking the bar you use on say, a bench press or squat rack, and lifting with your legs while it is static on the floor. This is a more challenging one and I would try to keep it separate from squats. However, some have the energy for it; be sure to not lift with your back and start small, with a hint of challenge, until you can work your way up. Other machines in the gym will be helpful for this as well!

Day 5: Upper Body - Triceps, Traps (Upper Back), Possibly Shoulders

Working on your triceps (behind the biceps on your arm), there are machines that are great for this. Pulling down with your arms and having a certain weight set is always helpful. If you feel you need to do a bench press, do that as well! Use a bar from the bench press or squat rack, and lift it! This will help strengthen your arms a bit more!

Day 6: Calves, Glutes

Typically the shorter workout in my week, this one can be helpful, but also a bit challenging. Leg days are usually difficult for people, but they matter as you should be balancing and working out different areas of the body. For example, to work out your calves, Bulgarian Squats are helpful. Grab some dumbbells, a bench, and place one foot on the bench, another one on the ground, and do a squat that way. They are a bit more challenging, but a good workout for this day! 

Day 7: Rest Day!

Be sure to get some rest. It is also okay to not go to the gym every single day. Your body needs to recharge and recover, so going every day will not be good for your body and does not allow for time in between. 

I hope the clips and days of the week can help you with establishing your own routine! If you are looking to read more on cardio, stretching, or abdominal workouts, please check out this page for more tips! If you have any questions, feel free to reach out!