Gym regimen - July 2010

21 July 2010
88kg, BMI 25
A1 workout: Biceps and Quads, 90 mins

Warmup: Calisthenics/stretching... lots of stretching, Ski machine

Leg extension: 12x @ 30kg, 10x @ 35kg, 8x @ 45kg, 8x @ 55kg
[I love working my quads and I know I can go heavier on these––notice that I added 2 reps to my 6x set––but I treat them each set like a warmup for the squat, so I must be patient and disciplined, without, however, following the numbers by rote.]

Decline leg press: 12x, 10x, 8x, 6x @ 100kg-220kg
[My max weight for my 6x set went up 50kg from last week and I love the feeling of power in the decline leg press, a machine, I will add, that I have no recollection of seeing anyone else use for anything besides what I call "calf flicks" or quarter-extension presses. Sigh. What a wasted machine!]

Squat: 12x @ 50kg, 10x @ 55kg, 8x @ 60kg, 8x @ 65kg
[I did my best to squat deep, keep good form, inhale on the way down and exhale on the way up. In fact, I went deeper than I ever have on squats, past parallel, closer to a true natural squat, and it felt very good, even though my weight was lower than last time. Patience, Humility. Discipline.

Actually, since my foundation is in rowing, which is all about high rep, high power fluid motion, I may eventually shift to the 20-rep squat routine. Truly, not for the weak-minded! I realize that's why my cooldown set of 32x on the decline leg press felt so good: it reminded my body of rowing.]

Barbell curl: 12x, 10x, 8x, 6x @ 30kg-40kg
[I didn't max out as high on these as last time but my form was much tighter. I used a short barbell last time, but I prefer the long barbell, as I used this time.]

Chinups: 10x

Incline dumbbell curl (per arm): 12x, 10x, 8x, 8x @ 10kg-22kg (?)

Hammer/Underhand curl (per arm): 10x, 9x, 8x, 7x @ 10kg-22kg (?)

Cooldown:
Leg extension: 30x @ 30kg (to failure);
Decline leg press: 32x @ 100kg (to semi-failure);
Squat: 20x @ 30kg (to semi-failure);
Chinups: 10x, 10x;
Underhand wrist curls: 25x @ 30kg, 22x @ 25kg (to failure), 20x @ 25kg (to failure)
Stretching and bicycle machine

+++
A satisfying workout. No morbid thoughts. I finished quickly, which left me extra time for the bike machine, chinups, and wrist curls. Once again I was struck by how many dudes there are with mad chicken legs! Upside-down bowling pins.