Rowing

Today was supposed to be a rest day, but my calves and shoulders felt tight, so I did some rowing to loosen them up.

Rowing (Concept 2) 3.5 km = 19.53

Nice and simple...

Cleans and presses

Power cleans
95lb x 5
105lb x 5
115lb x 5
125lb x 3
125lb x 4
115lb x 5
115lb x 5

Push presses
80lb x 5
90lb x 5
100lb x 5
110lb x 5
115lb x 4
110lb x 3

Weighted situps with twists
10, 10, 10

Shoulders and triceps

The three fittest women on Earth. And probably other planets, too.

Seated barbell press - 70lb x 5, 6, 5, 5

Seated Arnold press - 25s x 12, 10, 8

Barbell front raise - 35lb x 12, 12, 12

Dumbbell lateral raise - 40 reps x 15s, 10s

Close grip bench press - 105lb x 5; 110lb x 4

Seated French press - 17.5lb x 12; 20lb x 10

EZ bar skull crushers - 60lb x 10, 10

Cable tricep extension - 40 reps x 30lb

My calves are still sore as hell, following Ben's workout on Thursday morning. I played soccer Thursday evening - 10 adults vs about 30 kids, including Madi - and my legs felt fine then, but my lower back was starting to seize up from all the deadlifts. On Friday morning, my calves started to feel a bit tight. By Saturday morning, it was painful to walk. On Sunday, it looked like I was walking in high heels, because I couldn't get my feet flat on the ground. Then this morning, I bought a foam roller so I could work my calf muscles. This definitely worked, because following my bike ride to the gym in the afternoon, I was able to walk quite comfortably, even though I could still feel some doms. Four bloody days!

Chest and biceps

Bench press - 115lb x 5; 120lb x 5; 125lb x 4, 3

Incline bench press - 100lb x 10, 8, 6

Dumbbell bench press - 40s x 11, 8; 35s x 9

Dumbbell flies - 15s x 40; 17.5s x 40

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Pinwheel curls - 30s x 6; 35s x 6

Standing barbell curls - 60lb x 12, 8, 6

Barbell preacher curls - 45lb x 40

Back, calves and abs

It's bad enough having a teenaged trainer who's 30 years younger than me, but it's taking the piss when he sprints past me while I'm freewheeling downhill on my bike. Bloody kids.

Deadlifts (resetting)

Warm up - 135lb x 10
225lb x 6
275lb x 5, 5
225lb x 10

Bent over dumbbell rows; per arm
55lb x 12; 60lb x 10, 10

Bent over barbell rows, between legs
50lb x 12; 75lb x 10, 10

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Straight arm lat pull downs
70lb x 12; 80lb x 12, 12

Two-leg standing calf raises - 15, 15, 15

One-leg standing calf raises (per leg) - 15, 15, 15

Seated calf raises - 45lb x 12, 12, 12

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Crunches - 25, 25, 25

Scissor kicks - 30 seconds x 3

Planks - 30 seconds per side x 3 (continuous, no breaks)

Holy shit, that was a lot of work in 60 minutes!

Shoulders and triceps

Today I was pretty damn sore, following yesterday's new leg workout, which I guess means I've found something that's going to challenge me for a while. At midnight, I woke up with agonising cramp in my right inner quad. The worst thing was, I wanted to go to the washroom, but couldn't bloody move until the pain subsided.

Seated barbell press - 65lb x 6; 70lb x 6, 5, 5

Seated Arnold press - 25s x 12, 9, 8

Barbell front raise - 25lb x 12; 35lb x 12, 12

Dumbbell lateral raise - 15s x 40 reps (resting as needed)

Close grip bench press - 95lb x 5; 105lb x 5

Seated French press - 15lb x 12; 17.5lb x 12

EZ bar skull crushers - 55lb x 12; 60lb x 9

Cable tricep extension - 30lb x 40 reps (resting as needed)

Quads and hamstrings

Back squats - 165lb x 5, 5, 5, 5

Leg press - 250lb x 10; 255lb x 12, 12

Front squat - 115lb x 7, 7, 6

Leg press - 175lb x 40 reps (resting when needed)

Straight leg deadlift - 190lb x 5; 200lb x 5; 205lb x 5

Leg curls - 37.5lb x 12, 11, 11

Dumbbell traveling lunges - 40lb x 40 reps (total)

Back and biceps

Armed and dangerous

I decided to start a slightly different weekly routine, just because I've been following the same plan for several months now, and I don't want to plateau. My left adductor is a bit sore, and my last two workouts have been shoulders, traps and forearms, with chest and triceps yesterday. This means pretty much the only split I could work on today involved chest and biceps. My traps are still sore from Thursday, which didn't help today.

Wide grip pull-ups - 10, 7, 7

Lateral pull downs - 80lb x 10; 90lb x 10, 10

Straight arm lat pull downs - 30lb x 10; 35lb x 10; 40lb x 7

Machine reverse flies - 65lb x 10; 70lb x 10; 75lb x 9

Bent over row - 75lb x 12; 80lb x 10, 10

EZ bar curls - 55lb x 12; 65lb x 9, 8

Dumbbell preacher curls - 25lb x 8; 22lb x 8; 20lb x 9

Incline dumbbell curls - 17.5lb x 10, 9, 8

Chest and triceps

My shoulders and traps are sore as hell, following yesterday's first PT session with Ben.

Bench press - 110lb x 5, 5, 5; 115lb x 5, 4

Barbell incline press - 95lb x 8, 6, 6, 5

Dips - 12, 8, 7, 6

Incline dumbbell flies - 20lb x 100 (resting when needed)

EZ bar skull crushers - 50lb x 12, 10, 10, 9

Feet elevated parallette dips - 14, 13, 10, 7

Cable tricep extensions - 5 minute burn

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Abs

Shoulders, traps and forearms

That'll be me on the beach in Cuba next January
(in the trunks, not the t-shirt)

Had my first session training with Ben today. My trainers seem to be getting younger and younger; Ben's 30 years younger than me!

Today should have been a leg day, but my left adductor is playing up again. I did start to feel a slight twinge there while I was swimming a couple of days ago.

Seated dumbbell military press
30lb x 10; 35lb x 10; 40lb x 10 (some assisted)

One arm front raise - 20lb x 10, 10, 10

One arm bent over shoulder row
25lb x 10; 35lb x 10, 10 per arm

Barbell shrugs - 135lb x 10; 185lb x 10, 10

Cable shrugs - 60lb x 10, 10, 10 per side

Farmer's walk with dumbbells (to one end of gym and back) - 60lb x 1; 70lb x 1, 1

Wrist roller (controlled up then down) x 3

By the end of the session, I'd lost all feeling from my elbows to my fingertips! A good first workout with Ben.

Chest and triceps

Bench press - 110lb x 8, 7, 5

Incline dumbbell bench press - 35lb x 11, 7, 8

Dips - 11, 8, 7

Cable crossover  - 25lb x 15; 30lb x 8, 9

Chest press machine - 5 minute burn

EZ bar skull crushers - 50lb x 11, 10, 9

Dumbbell extensions - 17.5lb x 15, 12, 13 per arm

Cable tricep extensions - 5 minute burn

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Some ab work (crunches and twists)

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Afternoon: one hour swimming with Madi.

Back and biceps

I bloody wish.

Deadlifts - 230lb x 5, 5

One arm dumbbell rows - 60lb x 11, 8, 8 per arm

Wide pull-ups - 8, 7, 5

Dumbbell row - 35lb x 11, 10, 9

Cable rows - 5 minute burn

Standing EZ barbell curls - 55lb x 12, 10, 8

Supersets:
Alternating dumbbell curls - 20lb x 20, 20
Alternating hammer curls - 15lb x 20, 20

Cable curls - 5 minute burn

Abs and swimming

Stonecroft workout this evening

Bicycle crunches - 30, 30, 30 per side
Plank with feet on Swiss ball - 47 seconds, 36, 43
Weighted crunches with dumbbell on chest - 29, 19, 14
Dumbbell side bends - 15, 15, 10 per side
Lying scissor kicks - 15, 15, 15 per side

20 minutes of swimming

Shoulders, traps and forearms

Absolutely no energy left in my legs after yesterday's workout. Thankfully, I didn't need my quads other than for cycling to and from the gym.

Standing military press - 60lb x 9, 7, 6

Seated Arnold press - 22.5lb x 12, 9, 8

Dumbbell lateral raises - 15lb x 15, 13, 10

Machine shoulder press - 5 minute burn

Vertical row - 70lb x 12, 11, 10

Barbell shrug @ 100lb - 5 minute burn

Barbell wrist curls - 50lb x 14, 11, 10

Static barbell hold @ 120lb - 5 minute burn

Conditioning

Revisited one of Cosmo's personal training routines. Last time I did this, the weather wasn't as hot. The kettlebell part of this circuit was done in the parking lot, so I got some funny looks from people who were leaving the gym after their workouts. Dayum, I was sweating!

4 circuits with roughly 90 seconds rest in between:
30 x kettlebell swings
20 x kettlebell clean and presses
15 x kettlebell lateral raises per side
20 x kettlebell crunches
Run around the block

Liftin'

Just two routines today. This didn't really fit into my current programming, but they were just two workouts that I simply felt like trying again.

Partial back squats
5 x 30% = 100lb
5 x 40% = 130lb
3 x 50% = 165lb
3 x 60% = 200lb
2 x 70% = 230lb
2 x 80% = 265lb
1 x 90% = 295lb
1 x 95% = 315lb
1 x 100% = 335lb - F
1 x 325lb - F

No improvement on my same attempt more than a year ago, but then I haven't been concentrating on heavy lifts recently. I managed to lower myself down under control at both failed attempts, but I simply couldn't stand up again.

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Hang cleans x 3 reps
85lb, 105lb, 115lb, 125lb, 130lb, 135lb (1)

Chest and triceps

Bench press - 110lb x 9, 7, 5

Incline dumbbell bench press - 35lb x 12, 9, 9

Dips - 10, 8, 7

Cable crossover  - 25lb x 14, 10; 20lb x 12

Chest press machine - 5 minute burn

EZ bar skull crushers - 50lb x 12, 9, 9

Dumbbell extensions - 17.5lb x 14, 12, 10 per arm

Cable tricep extensions - 5 minute burn

Back, biceps and abs

Deadlifts - 230lb x 5, 5

Pull-ups - 12, 8, 8

Dumbbell rows - 55lb x 10, 9, 9 per arm

Barbell row - 75lb x 11; 80lb x 9, 9

Row/rear delt machine - 5 minute burn

Standing EZ barbell curls - 55lb x 12; 60lb x 8, 7

Supersets:
Alternating dumbbell curls - 20lb x 11; 22lb x 10, 10 per arm
Alternating hammer curls - 15lb x 10; 17.5lb x 7, 8 per arm

Machine curls - 5 minute burn

Kristen met me at the gym to do cardio and ab work, so I did some of the ab work with her.

Conditioning and Abs

I had a fun, active morning today. I was cycling to the gym and as I went past Madi's house, she shouted out to me from her bedroom window. When I doubled back, she'd come downstairs, and she asked if I wanted to go for a bike ride with her. So before I even got to ABsolute Fitness, I'd already had a 45 minute warm up! I can't believe how quickly Madi's grown up. She can cycle without supervision now, as long as she doesn't go further than around the block.

4 circuits:
12 x parallette jumps
30 x kettlebell swings
30 x ball slams
2 minutes skipping
10 x sprints (one end of the yoga room and back equals one sprint)

I was one sweaty bastich by the end, and my quads were burning.

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Ab roll-outs - 3 x 10
Decline sit ups - 24, 15, 14
Bicycle crunches - 3 x 50 per leg

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I should be mowing the lawn, but I don't have any energy left.

Shoulders, traps and forearms

Standing military press - 55lb x 12, 9, 8

Seated Arnold press - 22.5lb x 12, 9, 8

Dumbbell lateral raises - 15lb x 13; 17.5 x 12, 9

Push press @ 55lb - 5 minute burn

Vertical row - 70lb x 11, 10, 10

Barbell shrug @ 95lb - 5 minute burn

Barbell wrist curls - 50lb x 15, 10, 10

Static barbell hold @ 115lb - 5 minute burn

My forearms felt like Popeye's, and I had no grip strength left. Thankfully, I didn't need to use my bike's brakes too much on the way home, because I'm not sure I would have been able to pull the levers in all the way.

Quads, hamstrings and calves

Back squats - 140lb x 10, 10, 10

Leg presses - 270lb x 10, 10, 10

Barbell lunges - 95lb x 10, 10, 10 per leg

Leg extensions - 5 minute burn

Stiff leg deadlifts - 135lb x 10, 10, 10

Standing calf raises on step - 125lb x 14; 130lb x 12, 12

Cycling home was bloody slow and painful.

Conditioning

I got to the gym late this afternoon and made up a conditioning session on the spot, to make up for yesterday's excessive eating.

Hang cleans; relative max reps
95lb x 12, 10, 9, 7, 6

My forearms and failing grip forced me to quit each time.

3 circuits; 90 seconds rest between sets:
Kettlebell figure of 8s x 10 for each side
Alternating dumbbell snatches x 10 per arm
20 burpees

I was a heaving puddle of sweat by the end.

3 sets; 60 seconds rest between sets:
10 x barbell twists
15 x decline sit-ups

Chest and triceps

Happy Canada Day!

Bench press - 100lb x 12, 10, 7

Feet elevated push-ups - 11, 9, 8

Dips - 11, 7, 7

Cybex eagle flies - 70lb x 12; 75lb x 7; 70lb x 8

Chest press machine - 5 minute burn

EZ bar skull crushers - 50lb x 12, 9, 8

Parallette dips, feet elevated - 14, 10, 10

Cable tricep extensions - 5 minute burn