first iron

First iron at GVAC. Went fast, felt good, was sweating hard (unusual). Focused on really hitting my chest, shoulders and triceps. Looked for the pain, found it, sorta went through it. I always think I could have done better but today hurt good.

• dumbbell bench press
  
• 5 x 12 @ 65 lbs on the 2:00, feet up
  
• dumbbell flys
• 5 x 12 @ 25 on the 2:00, feet up
• dumbbell seated shoulder press
• 2 x 12 @ 30 on the 2:00
• 3 x 12 @ 35 on the 2:00
• cable press-downs
• 2 x 12 @ 40 on the 2:00
• 1 x 12 @ 55 on the 2:00
• 2 x 10 @ 55 on the 2:00
  

swimming is good stuff

I swam this morning. Loved it. Something about being in the water is rad. At the risk of sounding unmanly I feel I should have been born an otter or something. Something that swims around a lot like maybe a seal. Anyways, getting in and cranking out some laps felt really natural, like it hasn't been 10 years since I've done that. On the fitness end, however, things did not feel so smooth. One lap is about my limit. I did a 4 x 50 that killed me. Impressive, I know. This was at the UCSB pool. There's tons of space, like 12 long course lanes and 12 short course, with not a lot of people. The folks who show up at 6:30 AM are not sucky swimmers though. Unlike myself. There is no doubt I am leagues suckier than them which only adds to my frustration. In summary, swimming is great, I love it, I plan to do much more of it, probably incorporate it in to my training regimen, but I suck at it right now.

first iron at the Shed

Morning workouts at the Shed are extra fun. Just me and the weights. Hit chest, shoulders and triceps today. Felt OK.

• bench press
• 4 x 12 @ 155 lbs on the 2:00
• Fourth set was real hard.
• 1 x 6 @ 155 on the 2:00
• Yeah, that's how hard the fourth was. Total failure on the fifth set.
• behind-the-neck press
• 5 x 12 @ 65 on the 2:00
• 65 lbs sounds way light, I know. I was spent after benching, so this actually was an alright weight.
  
• skull crushers
• 1 x 12 @ 55 on the 2:00
• 1 x 12 @ 65 on the 2:00
• 2 x 12 @ 75 on the 2:00
• 1 x 10 @ 85 on the 2:00
• dips
• 1 x 14 on the 2:00

Going fast like this, on two minute splits, kills me. My triceps were spent. These recent routines are more focused on my arms, as this allows me to avoid the weight gain associated with lifting large muscle groups like my chest and back. Going fast and keeping the weights light also helps.

GVAC first iron

Ahhh, another Thursday, another shoulder routine.

• DB bench press
• 1 x 12 @ 60 lbs on the 2:00
• 3 x 12 @ 65 on the 2:00
• 1 x 9 @ 65 on the 2:00
• failure
• DB flys
• 5 x 12 @ 25 on the 2:00
• seated DB shoulder press
  
• 1 x 12 @ 20 on the 2:00
• 1 x 12 @ 25 on the 2:00
• 2 x 12 @ 30 on the 2:00
  
• 1 x 12 @ 35 on the 2:00
• dips
• 5 x 12 @ 2:00
• super easy

This was the first day in a long time I've drastically changed my Thursday routine. And it went really well - Monday was barbell bench, today I benched with dumbbells. Same thing with shoulder press. DB flys were a little light so I focused on the stretch, real slow. Then finished with some dips. Which felt super strong, sets of 12 on the 2:00 was too easy. My chest was visibly way pumped, looked like tits. Rad.

GVAC first iron

I mixed things up a little today. Still did sets on the 2:00 but focused more on triceps lifts. Things went well, my tri's were spent.

• bench press
• 1 x 12 @ 135 lbs on the 2:00
• 2 x 12 @ 155 on the 2:00
• 1 x 9 @ 155 on the 2:00
• 1 x 8 @ 155 on the 2:00
• This got hard. Last 2 sets were to failure. 155 may be a good weight for next time though.
• behind-the-neck shoulder press
• 1 x 12 @ 65 lbs on the 2:00
• 1 x 12 @ 75 on the 2:00
• 1 x 9 @ 75 on the 2:00
• 2 x 12 @ 65 on the 2:00
• I must have been extra spent from benching. This was not a lot of weight but felt real hard. The last 2 sets I bumped down the weight and went slow. Good shoulder burn.
• skull crushers
• 1 x 12 @ 45 lbs on the 2:00 (assuming the french-curl bar is 25 lbs, I think it is)
• 1 x 12 @ 55 on the 2:00
• 3 x 12 @ 65 on the 2:00
• Easy. Went slow, really hit my tri's.
• cable press-downs w/ rope
• 5 x 12 @ 40 lbs on the 2:00
• Kinda easy. Really felt this in my tri's though.

I'm thinking a shift of focus from big lifts to arm workouts will positively affect my weight. That is, I will lose some. I weighed 183 lbs, dressed, this morning at the gym. That's not a size that's conducive to efficient climbing.

GVAC first iron

Felt alright. Lifted light chest and shoulders on the 2:00. Did 2 sets on bench but 5 on DB flys, which felt really good. Good stretch with a light weight.

• warm-up
• bench press
• 2 x 12 @ 135 lbs on the 2:00
• DB flys
• 1 x 12 @ 25 lbs on the 2:00
• 4 x 12 @ 30 on the 2:00
• pretty easy. Good stretch
• work sets
• behind-the-neck press
• 1 x 12 @ 45 on the 2:00
• 1 x 12 @ 65 on the 2:00
• 1 x 12 @ 85 on the 2:00
• 1 x 10 @ 85 on the 2:00
• 1 x 8 @ 85 on the 2:00
• too heavy, maybe.
• Arnold press
• 1 x 9 @ 30 on the 2:00
• 3 x 12 @ 25 on the 2:00
• 1 x 12 @ 30 on the 2:00
• should have stuck with 30 lbs
• front raises
• 5 x 12 @ 12.5 on the 2:00

first shed

Lifted chest this morning at the shed. Went fast - lifts on the 2:00 for 40 minutes. Included dips at the end this time.

• bench press
• 5 x 12 @ 145 lbs on the 2:00
  
• close-grip bench press
• 4 x 12 @ 125 on the 2:00
• 1 x 10 @ 125 on the 2:00
• failed the last 2 reps
  
• incline bench press
• 5 x 12 @ 105 on the 2:00
  
• dips
• 5 x 8 on the 2:00
• easy

The first 30 minutes were brutal, throughout bench, CG bench and incline. Couldn't concentrate comfortably on form cuz I was just trying to get through the thing. Good workout, I'm liking the timed intervals.