Body: Core, Lifting routine
In this post I will be sharing the core and weightlifting routine that I follow.
Core-wise, I do the following exercises, 2 sets of each. I do 2 sets daily as ‘upkeep’, but if I have more time/energy, I do 3 sets as ‘growth’.
Butterfly Sit-ups: 30 reps
Hollow Hold: 30 seconds
Bicycle Crunch: 30 reps total (15 each side, back and forth)
Leg raises: 20 reps
This core routine has been the best that I’ve followed. It hits upper, middle, lower abs, as well as obliques. It’s also tough enough for growth, but also not crazy enough that it can’t be done daily.
Weight-lifting wise, I follow a 3-day type of split. This means:
Chest/Tricep day
Back/Biceps/forearms day
Legs/Traps/shoulders day
I also take a rest day between each exercise day. This means that I would workout M-W-F, taking T-Th off. Sometimes given busyness, I lump the days — for example, M-Th-F for workout, and T-W for rest.
Going into detail for each of the days — starting out with Chest/Tricep:
Flat Bench Press, or Incline Bench Press (barbell or dumbbell): 15 reps, 12 reps, 10 reps, 8 reps, 6 reps
Tricep Rope pulldown (both arms), or isolated (1 arm at a time): 15–12 reps, 3–4x
Rear Tricep Dumbbell Kickback: 3x sets of 15 reps (light weight)
Dumbbell Flies: 3x sets of 15 reps
Body-weight Dips: 3x sets of 15 reps
The biggest exercises I do are bench press (w/good form — thank you Jeremy Ethier) and Tricep Rope pulldown. I avoid any tricep exercises that are ‘over the head’ due to potential injury (elbow pain).
Next, going into Back/Bicep/Forearm days:
Chin-Ups: 10 reps, ~6–8 reps, ~6 reps (doing as many as I can)
Preacher EZ curls: 3 sets of 12 reps (supersetted with Standing Reverse EZ curls, same Qty)
Farmer’s Walk w/dumbbells: ~20 seconds each way (40 seconds total)
I avoid deadlifts and too many complicated exercises. Chin-ups blast my back, while the EZ curls blast my biceps. Farmer’s Walks are new, but I really like how they make my back & forearms feel.
Last, diving into Legs/Traps/Shoulders:
Barbell Squat: 12, 12, 12, 10, 10, 8, 8 (high reps is great for injury prevention)
Dumbbell Lunges: 8 steps each way (16 total), and 3 sets of that
Barbell shrug (wider grip): 3 sets of 15
Dumbbell lateral raises: 3 sets of 15
Barbell squats are the ‘riskiest’ exercise due to injury risk (lower back, etc.), so I start very light (barbell only no weight) to warm up, and go up 10 pounds (per side) for every rep. I’ve also worked hard to ‘de-program’ what the right stance should be (lots of crap in the internet), and instead take a wide stance, toes pointing out (not straight), etc. — taking the natural stance that I do when I do a normal squat in yoga.
And that’s a wrap! As mentioned on my earlier post (Body: Exercise Routine), the idea is to keep the entire exercise routine (cardio/core/yoga/lifting) within 1 hour, so that it doesn’t take our entire day. Splitting up that way allows for every body part to be adequately given attention, at least once a week. Giving it blood, stretching, and strengthening.
As with my Alchemical holistic approach, Body is 1/3 of the whole, so the intention is not to surround the entire day around the Body. This is where bodybuilders and other fitness professionals may be doing too much — for their entire day/diet/time, etc. is focused on Body/Exercise.
And for some people that’s ok — that’s their passion. But other people may spend too much time ‘leveling up’ Body.
People are free to spend as much time as they desire in fitness-related activities. This includes working out, dieting, and avoiding habits to ensure peak physical performance. But when working with Alchemy, the student is safe to remember that we should strive towards balance & harmony. And that extremes may arise due to compensation in another area, or insecurity.
I stress this point to remind the reader to always strive for balance. Each one of us is unique, and our circumstances may be unique. So balance does not mean conformity. Each one of us has a tremendous Genius within us — something that makes us unique. Our split levels between Body/Mind/Soul may also be uniquely ours.
Having said that, balance should be the intention. God should be the goal. Each action should be from a place of balance & temperance to keep the universe happy — preparing our bodies for the influx of spiritual & holy energy that awakens from simple living.
One person may devote their entire life to fitness, and working out all day. That person can still be an Alchemist.
As long as one is aware of their individual nature, remembering the existence of their Three Bodies (Mind, Body, Soul), one can navigate life holistically. By balance mind/body/soul, one welcomes finer & higher energy into our aura (i.e.field of our mind/body/soul). This ‘light’ energy can then be dispensed into whichever area of our lives we want.
Having said all this, it is my personal take as an Alchemist to limit my exercise to 1 hour per day — to allow more time for other actions.
Al-Khem The Alchemist
