Gym regimen - October 2010

A3 workout: Back and hamstrings: 50 mins
92kg, BMI 26.5

Warmup: stationary bike, stretching, leg curls, deadlifts, lat pulldowns, lever rows

Leg curl: 10, 10, 10 @ 30kg, 40kg, 45kg

Stiff-leg deadlift: 12, 9, 6 @ 60kg, 65kg, 70kg

Deadlift: 12, 9, 6 @ 60kg, 65kg, 75kg

Lever pulldown: 12, 9, 7 @ 80kg, 100kg, 120kg

Lever bench row: 12/6, 9/4, 7/4 @ 65kg, 90kg, 110kg
[I did 4 reps of hammer-grip rows after the underhand-grip rows. The hammer-grip handles are closer together, which works the middle back more, while the underhand handles are wider so as to work the outer back (latissimus dorsi). I may have had the seat too high. I'll need to think/read about how the angle works various muscles.]

One-arm dumbbell bench row: 12, 8, 6 @ 18kg, 22kg, 32kg

Abs:
30 alternating incline crunches [Call an ambulance, folks!]
40, 40 Russian twists [Call the ambulance back!]

+ + +

As you may notice, I took it rather easy on the stiff-leg deadlift and conventional deadlift. This is the first time I've done the deadlift--arguably the Queen of Exercises to King Squat--and I didn't want to risk lower back strain. I want to get a feel for good technique and gradually build the weight. Plus, two forms of deadlifting one after the other can easily be too much for the lumbar if you're not careful. My lower back felt huge--a great pump--after my first set of stiff-leg and regular deadlift, so that was a mental boost.

Apart from my caution with those exercises, I did go rather heavy on the leg curls and took it to the base with my back exercises. Pulling 120kg on the lever pulldown was one of the rare occasions when I've actually wondered if I could do it. Tomorrow is triceps, shoulders, and traps, then I'll be off to Yilan for the weekend.