Good workout last night. Left the gym with more waddle than walk. Did Leg Press, Dead Lifts, Back Extensions, and Ab Machine (kinda like a weighted sit-up).
Started with Leg Presses. Warmed up with 10x370lbs. Then did 8x460lbs, 8x550lbs, 8x600lbs. Definitely was nearing my limit with the last few at 600lbs. That last set was 50lbs above where I'd previously gone. My hope is to build a good base and transition over to squatting, or at least a mix between the two. No additional leg extensions for this workout, with my legs telling me they'd had enough already.
Then went with Dead Lift. 8x225lbs, 8x245lbs, 4x265lbs, 6x265lbs. The last 6 felt good, but the 4 before that were feeling very heavy. By the end of dead lifting my legs were jello. I hadn't done much above 245 for a few reps, so this was a big jump. Pulling last 2 of the final 265 I could feel I was tiring out, though the went up just fine.
I then finished things off with some with some additional lower back and ab work to just make sure all of me was fatigued. Left the gym and had to get some things at Walmart and my legs were incredibly heavy while waddling around there. Even this morning my legs were heavy. A good heavy feeling, and thankfully not painful or cramping.
I probably should've added in some calves work, but I was tired and had more to do with the shopping.
Aches and pains of lifting
Had a really good workout again last night. The past 6-8 weeks I've been dealing with some lingering pain from weightlifting. My left elbow has had some mild pain in it - likely RSI - Repetitive Stress Injury. I felt it coming on early in the process and have been managing it. I adjusted my workouts to not include dips and a few other things that were really aggravating it. I've also been icing it regularly and using some Naproxen as needed. While it isn't 100% healed, it is slowly getting better and I'm still able to continue lifting.
The other issue has been my left shoulder. It has been hurting due to bench pressing, so again I modified my workouts and bought a new larger cold pack to ice it as well. I took the last 2 weeks off from flat bench pressing and have instead done all incline benching. I used to love incline benching, but haven't really done it since I began working out again last November. Unfortunately my gym doesn't have a decline bench so I have to improvise with a sit-up bench and either a squat rack or the Smith machine. Certainly not idea, but it is getting the job done.
So last night I hesitantly benched again. Warmed up with 135x8. Then 225x8, 245x8, then did 225+2 20lb chains (265lbs at full extension)x6, and 275x4 to finish. If I had a spotter I think I had 275x6 in me.
And the good news is that I have no shoulder pain today. The time off and the ice seemed to be enough. Since I am lifting for health as my primary motivation I'm trying to not push too hard through pain that I know isn't "good" pain. By letting my body heal early on I'm losing a bit in gains probably, but making up for it by preventing larger injuries that would force longer periods off.
So I'm pleased with my progress even if my bench still isn't to where it was before my intestinal blockage back in late June/early July.
The other thing I've been really happy with is my pump I have been getting when lifting arms. This might be the biggest my arms have ever been quite frankly. Certainly some fat to lose there, but it looks good in the mirror when I'm lifting. Not my motivation, but is a nice added bonus.
The negative is that my weight loss has stopped completely, and maybe even regressed a bit. Hectic schedule, big life changes with my wife getting a new job and some other things have all led to bad eating and fewer workouts plus more stress. Hoping the next few weeks level back out and I can really work on it again. I've been reading up on some dietary thinking by John Kiefer and am thinking of trying out some of his ideas myself (in a form it is a CKD - cyclical ketogenic diet). I already (unintentionally) am doing quite a bit of it, I just need to get disciplined with my carbs and see what happens. If it does work, it is a very sustainable thing for me I think.
The other issue has been my left shoulder. It has been hurting due to bench pressing, so again I modified my workouts and bought a new larger cold pack to ice it as well. I took the last 2 weeks off from flat bench pressing and have instead done all incline benching. I used to love incline benching, but haven't really done it since I began working out again last November. Unfortunately my gym doesn't have a decline bench so I have to improvise with a sit-up bench and either a squat rack or the Smith machine. Certainly not idea, but it is getting the job done.
So last night I hesitantly benched again. Warmed up with 135x8. Then 225x8, 245x8, then did 225+2 20lb chains (265lbs at full extension)x6, and 275x4 to finish. If I had a spotter I think I had 275x6 in me.
And the good news is that I have no shoulder pain today. The time off and the ice seemed to be enough. Since I am lifting for health as my primary motivation I'm trying to not push too hard through pain that I know isn't "good" pain. By letting my body heal early on I'm losing a bit in gains probably, but making up for it by preventing larger injuries that would force longer periods off.
So I'm pleased with my progress even if my bench still isn't to where it was before my intestinal blockage back in late June/early July.
The other thing I've been really happy with is my pump I have been getting when lifting arms. This might be the biggest my arms have ever been quite frankly. Certainly some fat to lose there, but it looks good in the mirror when I'm lifting. Not my motivation, but is a nice added bonus.
The negative is that my weight loss has stopped completely, and maybe even regressed a bit. Hectic schedule, big life changes with my wife getting a new job and some other things have all led to bad eating and fewer workouts plus more stress. Hoping the next few weeks level back out and I can really work on it again. I've been reading up on some dietary thinking by John Kiefer and am thinking of trying out some of his ideas myself (in a form it is a CKD - cyclical ketogenic diet). I already (unintentionally) am doing quite a bit of it, I just need to get disciplined with my carbs and see what happens. If it does work, it is a very sustainable thing for me I think.
Legs got smoked tonight
Added in a new element to my routine tonight. Leg presses & calves. Not ready to start squatting quite yet - knee issue - but need to get moving that direction.
I started off in the Leg Press machine (we used to call it a hip sled) with 463lbs x10 then did 3x8 of 513lbs. The odd number is due to the weight of the Leg Press machine being weird. I try to make sure each one is "deep" with my heels nearly touching my butt - mimicking a good deep squatting range of motion.
I then did alternating sets of leg extensions (machine) and calf raises. 3x10 on both exercises. I finished with machine back extensions alternating with machine abs.
I'll definitely feel it in my abs tomorrow. Probably in my thighs as well. Should be fun.
I started off in the Leg Press machine (we used to call it a hip sled) with 463lbs x10 then did 3x8 of 513lbs. The odd number is due to the weight of the Leg Press machine being weird. I try to make sure each one is "deep" with my heels nearly touching my butt - mimicking a good deep squatting range of motion.
I then did alternating sets of leg extensions (machine) and calf raises. 3x10 on both exercises. I finished with machine back extensions alternating with machine abs.
I'll definitely feel it in my abs tomorrow. Probably in my thighs as well. Should be fun.
Buffal Wild Wings & CrossFit don't mix
There needs to be a bouncer stationed outside of our local Buffalo Wild Wings on nights I'm planning on doing CrossFit. That bouncer should be instructed that under no circumstances am I to enter the premise on those night.
That's either the 2nd or 3rd time I've made this mistake. Didn't quite feel like puking it all up tonight, but still unpleasant.
3 Bars of Death (Linda) modified again tonight. Push press + Hang clean + Dead lift.
PP & HC 155lbs. on the bar for 1st set of 8 - but only did 6 each. Not fun. Too big of a jump up in weight. Moved back down to 135lbs. and did 6/5/4/6 to finish out the workout
DL with 225lbs. and did 8/6/5/6/6. I thought about adding some weight tonight, but was really feeling worn our before lifting. I do feel better after lifting, so that's a bonus.
Last night I went at it hard on chest/arms/back/shoulders. Added in some single arm barbel triceps extensions that definitely added some soreness in my arms today that I haven't felt in quite some time. A good soreness, but they are definitely letting me now I lifted hard yesterday.
The other part of the reason I was tired tonight was that I helped out with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) camp at our local high school all afternoon. News article here - with the picture of the girls kicking the large red football being at my station. Lots of running after the ball, cheering on students, and standing in the surprisingly hot sun. Got a bit of sunburn on my left side of my face and a bit on my chest below my neck. Nothing major, but it all sapped me of energy for my CrossFit workout. But I'm glad I pushed on and finished it out.
That's either the 2nd or 3rd time I've made this mistake. Didn't quite feel like puking it all up tonight, but still unpleasant.
3 Bars of Death (Linda) modified again tonight. Push press + Hang clean + Dead lift.
PP & HC 155lbs. on the bar for 1st set of 8 - but only did 6 each. Not fun. Too big of a jump up in weight. Moved back down to 135lbs. and did 6/5/4/6 to finish out the workout
DL with 225lbs. and did 8/6/5/6/6. I thought about adding some weight tonight, but was really feeling worn our before lifting. I do feel better after lifting, so that's a bonus.
Last night I went at it hard on chest/arms/back/shoulders. Added in some single arm barbel triceps extensions that definitely added some soreness in my arms today that I haven't felt in quite some time. A good soreness, but they are definitely letting me now I lifted hard yesterday.
The other part of the reason I was tired tonight was that I helped out with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) camp at our local high school all afternoon. News article here - with the picture of the girls kicking the large red football being at my station. Lots of running after the ball, cheering on students, and standing in the surprisingly hot sun. Got a bit of sunburn on my left side of my face and a bit on my chest below my neck. Nothing major, but it all sapped me of energy for my CrossFit workout. But I'm glad I pushed on and finished it out.
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