Regression Depression

Today was Chest Day.

My lifts regressed here as well. I didn’t feel weaker, necessarily, but I wasn’t capable of generating the intensity on a mental level. I’m considering altering my routine to include more machines to have less mental toll derived from form. I don’t really like the way that sounds from a macho standpoint, but it’s going to be kicked around the brainstorm notebook over the weekend and we’ll see where I come out on Monday or Tuesday.

Scheduling-wise, however, this workout played out beautifully. I woke up around 7AM, had two protein bars. I think fasting so much before workouts is what is causing this lull in vigor. My original intent to never fast on workout days was probably the better idea, and the test-fast workouts for me will be seen as workable-in-emergency in the future, but not as something to carry repeatedly long-term.

Got into the gym around 9AM. I don’t know how she does it, but the girlfriend always manages to wake up and text me on my second warm-up set. I’m pretty sure it’s not the same days or times or anything either. Flat Bench warm-ups go fine and I load up my top set. I’m not expecting magic here, though I’ve optimistically penciled in a goal of three reps. I barely manage one rep.

I deload, rest, and again manage only one rep. Now I know something is up, so I empty the bar and go over to the machine chest press. I do three sets here and I’m fried. I rest, manage to move nothing on the incline press machine (making me relieved I didn’t try free weight version) and move over to the dumbbells.

I can’t extend the 20lbs. for flys, so I grab 15 and slow-go three sets of 5. At least, even though I stepped back, I made all three sets all the way through, which is what I have to do before I increase weight with this specific exercise. So I’ll be back on 20s next week.

I shouldn’t have skipped workouts over Thanksgiving.

My quads were itching for some attention, so I tried the StairMaster for the first time. 11 minutes at level 5, burning apparently 100 calories. I didn’t really do this for any other reason than to shut up my quads and put myself back into a positive mood.

Which it did! Post-workout meal at a decent restaurant with my dad afterward. Shrimp and pasta. Yum.

The embarrassing numbers:

Flat Bench

1. 100lbs. x 1
2. 90lbs. x 1

Horizontal Chest Press (I cringed typing this)

1. 100lbs. x 1
2. 90lbs. x 3
3. 80lbs. x 5

Incline Chest Press

1. 75lbs. x lol
2. 65lbs. x wtf
3. 55lbs x gtfo
4. 50lbs x nvm

Incline Fly
3×5 @ 15lbs.

StairMaster: 11 minutes @ level 5

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