4.20 Lifts

Man. I’m really feeling that light deadlift work today.

Workout for FOH TWENNY, 2010

Lat Pulldown

1. 45lbs. x 5
2. 45 x 5
3. 65 x 5
4. 85 x 3
5. 105 x 2
6. 125 x 5 (this was really hard)
7. 110 x 6
8. 105 x 7

Pulldowns are a bitch. I don’t think I could pull these poundages if I had this exercise anywhere else in the routine. I’m tempted to bump the weight to 130lbs. on the top set and just do a single next workout. The drop sets I’m going to keep the weight though and work up to eight reps on each before I bump the weight further.

Incline Bench

1. 45lbs x 5
2. 45 x 5
3. 65 x 5
4. 90 x 3
5. 120 x 2 (had help, it was probably more like 110-115)

I just thought I’d try to go back to free weights. Bad idea without doing a 5rep test. Luckily a Joe offered to spot me, and I got stuck. Probably more performance anxiety than lack of ability, but fact is I didn’t get the bar up on my own. Four fingers of help. I’ll be going back to the machine next workout.

Don’t say you can’t at the bottom, or you never will.

Thanks Joe.

Lateral Raise

1. 40lbs x 4
2. 55 x 3
3. 75 x 6 (cheated a little towards the end, somehow my back got in on it)
4. 70 x 4 (dead)

Didn’t get the volume I would have liked. Still working to sets of eight on all work sets. I’m pretty sure it was because of doing incline bench… my bench form is shit. I’m feeling my shoulders (front and laterals) and triceps waaay too much today. I fucked up.

Straight-Leg Deadlift (SLDL)

1. 45lbs x 10
2. 45 x 10

That’s all I did. Got a decent stretch to the hamstrings, definitely feeling it in my lower back today. I should have never stopped deadlifting. Oh well!

Then I tried hanging from a chinning station to stretch my back. Could barely hold on for five seconds. I think instead I’ll just hold the very last rep of pulldowns at the eccentric portion next workout, or something.

Body Weight: 164lbs.
Body Fat Percentage: 16.7%

Condition: B-

I could have gotten more rest, but I got just-enough. I also took some preworkout ephedrine/caffeine which helped immensely. I’ve definitely developed a dependency on it… I took another dose postworkout, around noon, and the final dose, around 5. Around 8PM I had a large salad, a full rack of bbq ribs, and a slice of garlic toast. Yeah buddy!

After I left the gym I did some job applications, but only turned in the one for Potbelly’s because I have a pal working there that might help me in the door. I also want to try to get the job at the chocolate warehouse (seriously) in town, and if I do and wind up part-time, that will at least leave me able to better determine my availability for other work.

AFTER THAT, I bought some HeroClix and got some Magic Draft Tourney information. More on that in another post.

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Beat of the Rhythym of the Night

Not a great workout, but I’m not too ashamed of it.

My carb-up last night didn’t go great. It did the job, I guess, but there was way too much fructose/sucrose going on. I should have just made some pasta but I just wanted to eat and go to bed. It was a stressful fast. It’s working great for getting my numbers back up but I don’t know if I want to keep periodizing my eating in this way if I can’t be sure I’ll have the food sources I’ll need to make it work.

Especially since my protein powder is running low.

Numbers:

Body Weight: 159lbs.

Flat Bench:

1. 1×1 @ 100lbs. (failed halfway through second rep and barely made it to the low pins)
2. 1×4 @ 90lbs. (aw.)

This is the first workout this year that I didn’t get a text message. Holy crap I can start wearing a watch.

Incline Bench:

1. 1×5 @ 75lbs.
2. 1×5 @ 60lbs.

Looks like both of my sets on incline bench are going up next workout. They’re going to catch up to my flat bench quick if this keeps up.

Incline Flys

1. 1×5 @ 20lbs.
2. 1×4 @ 20lbs.
3. 1×5 @ 20lbs.

Not sure what to make of this. First set came easy, second set felt like my eyes were going to fall out, and the third set was a “just right” challenge. I don’t know if I want to wait until all three sets come easy or if this was just a mental thing and I should just bump it up another five pounds.

—

Made a pretty nice friend though. Lynn saw me screw myself on the second rep of the top set of flat benching and offered to spot me on my next one. I declined (making me sort-of wish I did more sets at a weight I wasn’t sure I could handle), but I really appreciated the offer. Turns out she went to my old Bally’s, only before I was born, haha! She was really fit though, turned out she used to be an aerobics (spin?) instructor. She was working back/bi’s in no particular fashion, unless she can keep meticulous records in her head.

I think I’m going to try dumbbells next workout though. I’m not feeling any activation in my chest on flat benches, it’s all arms it feels like. Which is probably why I’m stalling, the weak suckas! They’re also looking a lot better than my chest, in no small part to their relatively lower fattiness. I used to hate dieting down because of how small I’d feel in my arms and calves. When I first started training with dad, forearms and calves got beaten like crazy. Dad had me training them and abs every workout.

Now I’m doing two work sets per exercise and I’m smaller than I’ve ever been since I started weight training.

I should just have him train me again, what am I screwing around by myself for? :P

(Just kidding.)

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