Gym regimen - January 2011

A2: Chest and Calves
(THURSDAY): 90 mins
97kg, BMI 27.5

Warmup: step machine, bench press, stretching

CIRCUIT:

Bench press: 12, 9, 6, 5 @ 75kg, 85kg, 92.5kg, 95kg
[Spotter helped me with, let's say, up to one-third of my 3rd and 4th sets. No shoulder pain.]

Alternating seated calf raise: 30, 32, 36, 40 @ 60kg

CIRCUIT:

Incline bench: 10, 7*, 6 @ 60kg, 65kg, 60kg
[Used a narrower grip to work more of my middle pec. Had to "sprawl" a few times to get the final reps of 2nd and 3rd sets up. 8th rep of 2nd set failed into my lap.]

Standing cable calf raise: 36, 36, 36 @ 30–50kg
[Stood on a platform and held the handle at lowest extension, like a leash, to add resistance.]

CIRCUIT:

Dumbbell flye: 12, 9, 6* @ 22kg, 26kg, 32kg
[Felt good, tried to keep my elbows more "flared" so as to isolate the pecs. Last rep of 3rd set was a failure into a negative. I should have dug deeper. I could have done it, I felt that even as I gave in to the negative, but I had been distracted all night. New PR for flyes, at least!]

Step machine: 2+ mins, 2+ mins, 2+ mins

Dumbbell pullover: 15, 12, 9 @ 22kg, 26kg, 32kg

"Cooldown":

Oblique cable tucks: 15/15, 20/20, 30/30 @ 30–50kg
[Stand on a platform, hold the grip at your side, tuck over to the opposite side. Good stuff!]

Pec deck: 12, 12, 12 @ 40kg
[Seat very low to work upper pecs.]

+ + +
Why did it take me 90 minutes tonight? Talking. (Well, that and I intentionally did more aerobic to burn off some fat I've recently picked up.) At one point I asked a trainer what angle I should use on my cable flyes and he explained I should use free weights. He then went on and on and on and on about the different regions of the pecs I need to work to make them "beautiful". He gave me some good tips, granted, and I appreciated his emphasis on proper form and patience versus heavy weight and forcing things.

Also, twice during the workout, my "stalker" chatted with me about his animals and dangerous exercises over the long term. We are friends, and I want to show him Jesus' love, but I was also chafing a bit to Get On With It! Heheh. Fortunately, I got to Central early tonight, so I wasn't in a big rush. It was a night of experimenting, which is a necessity now and then, espcially for a "trouble area" such as my chest is for me.

Adoration was so wonderful tonight. God help me to live Jesus' Sacred Heart in the classroom, weightroom, and everywhere!

Onward!

P.S. I was a little disappointed, like last week, that I still need a spot for my bench… but it dawned on me that my goals aren't exactly lightweight anymore. I mean, a "warmup" set of 12 reps at 165lb, then 9 reps at 187lb, and then 5 or 6 reps at over 200lb––I have come a good ways from my college limits!

I'm not happy with the way creatine seems to be disrupting my sleep––or is it my cat doing cat-things when I sleep?––but it does seem to be increasing my size and strength. Interestingly, despite how hard my A1 workout was Monday, my quads and biceps have not been terribly sore. I think the creatine and good nutrition are literally making me stronger, such that I can train harder and recover faster. Yeah, I know: No Duh, right? But, hey, I'm just reporting from the front.