Just Go

    The last thing that I felt like doing yesterday was squatting, but Fridays are for squats and only dumbasses skip leg day. So here's what got done:

••••••••••

BACK SQUATS:

75lb x10

95lb x8

115lb x6

(135lb x5) 3x

75lb x10 wide

SEATED LEG CURL:

80lb x10

90lb x10

100lb x10

LEG EXT.:

80lb x10

90lb x10

100lb x10

SEATED ADDUCTORS:

50lb x12

50lb x5

40lb x10

SEATED ABDUCTORS:

50lb x12

60lb x6

40lb x6

STANDING CALVES:

(+50lb x10) 2x

+50lb x8

••••••••••

     It was a fairly straightforward leg session. Like I said, I didn't even want to go but I know that the cure for not wanting to go is to go, so I went. 

     I had initially wanted to do some box squats because I haven't done those in forever. The only place to do them is at the back of the gym and when we got there, that area was pretty crowded. They don't have a "proper" box for squats but there were two options that we could've utilized. There is the foam covered box jump box that has a height of 24". That is a wee bit high for my liking. It's doable, but not ideal. But then, I figured out another option that would be adjustable to the correct height for me - the aerobic step! It's adjustable by adding more square risers, it's stable and strong and the width is narrow enough to not get in the way of my feet, but wide enough to sit comfortably on. Next Friday, you can bet your booty I'll be trying out my ideas. Dare I say, I'm excited?

     I had some knee pain after my working sets, that's why there is only one finishing set of 10. It wasn't crazy pain, but my left knee was starting to protest and I wanted to be able to finish the other stuff without injury. At this stage of the game, I've learned to listen when a part of me is getting angry. It's either go easy on one day and get back at it next time, or ignore the issue and screw myself up for the next 3 months while I heal. I prefer the first option. 

     As usual, I never regret a workout. I'm glad I pushed myself hard enough to go, but not so hard that I got hurt. A win-win.

Papa Swolio Gym GIFfrom Papa Swolio GIFs

Muppet Show

     I missed a couple of days this week and I forgot to upload Tuesday's session. So tonight, for your viewing pleasure, I present to you another TWO-FER!

••••••••••

Tuesday October 7

DB INCLINED BENCH:

25lb x10

(30lb x10) 2x

35lb x5

35lb x6

35lb x5 

DB FLAT BENCH:

30lb x10

35lb x8

(40lb x5) 2x

40lb x10

SEATED PEC:

80lb x10

90lb x7

(100lb x5) 2x

100lb x6

SEATED DIPS:

90lb x10

95lb x6

(100lb x4) 3x

SEATED CHEST PRESS:
50lb x6 narrow

50lb x6 wide

40lb x7 narrow

40lb x5 wide

30lb x10 narrow

30lb x10 wide

Thursday, October 9

OVERHEAD PRESS:

Bar x10 strict

45lb x10 behind head

55lb x6 strict, x6 push

65lb x8 push

75lb x6 push

(80lb x5) 3x push

EZ CURL SKULL CRUSHER / PULLOVER:

30lb x10 / x10

(40lb x10 / x10) 2x

ISOLATERAL SEATED O.H. PRESS:

(weight is per side)

+5lb x12

+10lb x7

+15lb left arm x3, right arm x1 (which is weird because my right arm should be the stronger one, you would think)

+10lb x3 left arm, x3 right arm

ASSISTED DIPS:

(90lb x10) 2x

90lb x6, x4

••••••••••

     I don't know where else you can go and get two nights of training logs in one post, but I hope you all appreciate it! I noticed tonight that the past two posts have had a whopping 17 views so I want to say hello to the whole gaggle of you. This must be how all of those fancy celebrities feel. I wonder, does this make me an influencer?? 

     But I digress. Training has been going well. I'm not stressing about missing days here and there. I have plenty of other things to stress over, I don't need to heap anything else onto my shoulders. I also think we may make Wednesdays a toss up. I personally hate a day dedicated to bi's and tri's so I don't care if we go or not. I can add that into other days during the week and I feel like having that day to rest is beneficial to me as I am almost a half a century old. 

     My physical well being is moving along and now I'm going to start working on my spirit again. I've neglected it lately and I feel it, so Frank and I will be experimenting with some new meditation techniques. We'll see how it goes, but it certainly can't hurt. Body...check. Spirit...check. Mind...well... I think I lost that a ways back. If I can find it, I'll work on that too.

     I have to say, before I let you all go, that something needs to be done about gym design. I think we need to have mirror free spaces in there. I mean, for hell's sake, I don't need to have a wall size mirror 3 feet in front of me on the iso machine. I know I look like a dirty old muppet, I don't need the Y reminding me of it. I want a plain wall. No mirrors. Maybe just some local take out menus so I know what to eat when I'm done. I'm starting a change.org petition. Who's in?!

Squats A Lot

     It seems like it's been forever ago that we squatted, but that squat drought ended today! Good things happened. Here's what got done:

••••••••••

BACK SQUATS:

65lb x10

95lb x8

125lb x5

135lb x5

155lb x2

175lb x1

135lb x1 - stopped due to left knee pain

Bar (wide/mid/narrow) x10 ea - no rest

45° LEG PRESS:

(240lbs x10) 3x

STANDING CALF RAISES:

(+50lbs x10) 3x

SEATED LEG PRESS (single leg):

40lb x10ea.

60lb x10ea.

80lb x6 ea.

SEATED LEG CURL:

70lbs 3 different foot positions x10 ea. - no rest

90lb x10

100lb x10

SEATED LEG EXTENSION:

70lb x12

90lb x10

110lb x5, x3, x2

MULTI HIP MACHINE:

Abductors: (23lb x10 ea.) 3x

Adductors: (23lb x12 ea.) 3x

••••••••••

     My intention was to go slow and keep it light tonight for a couple of reasons. First, it's been a couple of weeks since I squatted. Second, I'm dog friggin tired. Now, they say that the road to hell is paved with good intentions, but I'm fairly certain I didn't visit hell today. In fact, my accomplishments, one could say, were heavenly.

     I started light and was feeling stiff and heavy but as I kept increasing the weight, I started limbering up and feeling pretty good. I methodically plugged my way along to a one rep max of 175lbs; not a PR, but certainly better than anything that I've moved in a long while. I am actually proud of myself. 

     Everything else was straightforward and went well. The single leg presses killed me the last time and I have no doubt that they will again this week. I had heard that pointing your toes in different directions on the leg curls will hit different parts of the hamstrings so I tried it out. I didn't really enjoy it. It seemed to put some weird stress on my knees of all things. I think I'll just stick with the toes straight. 

     I utilized the multi hip machine tonight. I love that friggin thing. I like it much better than the seated inner/outer thigh. Plus nobody ever uses it, so it's always open!

     We went out for seafood after we killed our legs and I don't care if that was not the best choice. It made me happy. I'm beyond tired and tomorrow I will be sore, but that pride will still be there too and that makes it all worth it.

SIR SQUATS A LOT

Shouldering My Way In

     It was much quieter tonight in the gym, also more boring, but not every day can be a hoot nanny. Despite the lackluster crowd, here's what got done:

••••••••••

SEATED O.H. PRESS:
Bar x15

65lb x7

75lb x1, 65lb x3

(65lb x5) 3x

STANDING O.H. (PUSH PRESS):

65lb x10

75lb x5

(85lb x3) 2x

DB FRONT/LATERAL RAISE:

(10lb x10 ea.) 3x

DB BENT ARM LATERAL RAISE:

(10lb x10) 3x

DB REAR FLY:

(10lb x10) 3x

STANDING DB PULLOVER:

(20lb x10) 3x

SEATED PULLDOWNS (FRONT & REAR):

Behind the head: 55lb x20

70lb x10 ea. no rest

85lb x5 ea. no rest

SEATED CONVERGING SHOULDER PRESS (Pronated/Neutral Grip):

40lb x10 ea.

45lb x10 ea.

50lb x5 ea.

••••••••••

     Needless to say, I had trouble drinking my water after tonight's work. I guess it was effective. Not much else to say so I'll leave it at that.

Psych Ward

     Bench day was...interesting. Lots of characters, lots of laughs. Here's what got done:

••••••••••

INCLINED BENCH:
65lb x10

75lb x8

(85lb x5) 3x

FLAT BENCH:

75lb x15

95lb x10

(115lb x3) 2x

115lb x4

(65lb wide/narrow x10 ea.) 2x

DECLINED BENCH:

(95lb x4) 2x

95lb x5

SEATED CABLE FLY:

70lb x15

80lb x10

(90lb x7) 3x

••••••••••

     It was another busy night in the gym. I don't know if people's schedules have changed with the changing seasons or what, but there's been a lot of people in the weight room this week. With more people comes more laughs as Frank and I people watch while we lift. And let me just be clear here, I may be having fun and cracking jokes on people, but I'm sure they're all good people. I know I'm just as much a character as anyone else and this is all in good fun.

     As we were doing the flat bench, we noticed this young lady sauntering in in her teensy weensy barely there shorts. She went to the cable machine and started doing some leg stuff. She seemed to be doing the 1 set then rest method of training. One set, and then she walked out. A few reps on our bench routine and she was back, this time, doing leg raises. One set, and then out. She looked to be in good shape, so maybe she's on to something. 

     When we really started losing our shit was when some guy made his appearance at the back of the gym. He was doing what looked like some sand bag squats but they must have been causing some sort of regurgitation issue because there was a lot of "throat clearing" going on. We called him Hacky Sack. It was around that time that I decided for my own physical well being, and to keep me from having some regurgitation issues, to move out to get the flys done. 

     The fly machine that we prefer is up against the wall, looking out at the whole room. There was no way I could miss the young Lass sitting on the end of a treadmill, smacking her thigh and shaking. Or maybe she was dancing. I'm not sure 'cause she was singing along to something only she could hear (I hope she had earbuds in).  Directly across from Twitchy Terry was a big dude in fluorescent yellow work pants with those funky reflective stripes on them. He may have just come from road work, or maybe a trash truck. I don't know. I do know that he was making some very, shall we say, adult noises while he was lifting. I get that people make noise, but I myself have never made any noise that could easily qualify as a moan while in the gym. He was like some sort of X-rated janitor. 

    We were in tears at various points throughout last night. It was while I was sitting on that fly machine, absorbing everything and taking it all in that I said to Frank,

     "I feel like I'm in some sort of psych ward."

It fit perfectly and made us laugh even more. Like I said, I'm not dogging on anybody. We're all there, being weird, just trying to make ourselves better. I can only imagine how I look to people - some chubby old broad, sweating her ass off looking like she's ten seconds from death while her man with the long orangutang arms makes crazy faces and inappropriate motions to her to make her laugh. 

     We're all a little psycho to be doing what we do.