This will be a long one. I am keeping track in excel, and printing yesterdays page to take to the gym. I make sure I do at least as much as yesterday. Any advice would be appreciated. Keep in mind, I recently went from exercise-is-evil to I-actually-like-this. So, my knowledge base is minimal but growing fast. For weights, I am currently trying a pyramid approach I read about ay Bally's. I lower the weights for each set. Here is what I am currently doing.

Cardio: 30 minutes on elliptical with the arms keeping heart rate at or above 150. I had been up to 37 minutes when I was using the treadmill at an incline, but the elliptical seems to tire me faster.

Stretches:
arm circles
triceps
upper back and chest (handcuffs)
spine twist
hamstring
groin
quads
calf


Loose Weights/Rope reps
pounds left / rt / together
LOOSE - overhead 10 10 /10 /10
LOOSE - kickback thing 10 15 /15 / 0
ROPE - bicep 30 15 /15 /10
ROPE - angle pulldown 30 0 /0 /15
ROPE - rope pulldown 30 0 /0 /20


weight/rep weight/rep weight/rep
ROTARY TORSO 60/12 50/12 40/12 30/12
LATERAL RAISE 30/15 15/15
VERTICAL ROW BACK 30/25 15/15
INCLINE CHEST PRESS 30/10 20/12 15/12
PULLDOWN BACK 60/10 50/10 40/10

GLUTS on MUTLI-HIP 280/10 270/10 260/10
HIP ADDUCTOR 90/15 80/15 70/15 60/15
HIP ABDUCTOR 85/10 75/10 65/10 55/12
LEG EXTENSION 90/10 75/10 60/12
SEATED LEG CURL 105/10 90/10 75/10 60/12
CALF MACHINE 160/10 150/10 let calves stretch
LEG SLED 100/10 80/10 60/10 40/12


I read a book that says you sould warm up, stretch, main workout, then cooldown. I have been doing cardio then weights then stretch. I think I might try 5 minutes on the treadmill, stretch, weights, then cardio, then 5 minutes of slow walk.

I strarted a few months ago. Some have changed dramatically. The hip exercises used to be 60 pounds now they are 90. Others like legs haven't changed. My arms are obviously weak. Only recently added arms.