Well the Spring Challenge has set me on a new path. Having become bored with simply maintaining my pant size, I've decided to kick it up and see just what I can do.
I need to get back on the grocer list, have probably been undereating because I didn't have my foods readily available lately.. this means I've had sushi 3 times in the last 4 days, starting to hurt the pocketbook!
Anyways, I had a session with one of the trainers today and had him go over the fine points of the deadlift, squat and bench when goals are to increase how much I can lift.
My form was pretty good on my own, but I had a tendency to round my back on the last couple sets - he made me reduce the weight and said I need to stick with the lower weight for a while until I feel more comfortable with keeping those shoulders back all the way through. I did a set of 12 at 65, only managed 4 at 85, settled on 75 but my strength had rapidly faded, still only got 4 out.. went back to 65 and did another 8 relatively cleanly.
Moved on to squats... I'm pretty comfortable with the bar, I do reverse lunges (off a step sometimes) on most leg days, sometimes with the bar sometimes holding 35 lb plates. 3 sets, 10 x 65, 8 x 75, 5 x 75 and lost form after that.
At this point I felt it necessary to explain that I had been to the Strokes concert the night before, had a few more Crown & Cokes than planned and was not in bed until 1 am. For some reason I believed this was why I was sweating so profusely?
Chest press - James knows my history of rotator cuff aggravation, and was concerned that I shouldn't push this too much. Happy to report I felt no discomfort at all from that.. but strangely my right arm seemed to just quit on me at the end of the third set, thought I could have done another rep or two but no, had to bail. Completed 10 x 65, 4 x 75, 6 x 65. Trainer wanted me to go back down to 65 and memorize where to bring the bar down to on my chest. Also explained about holding with a wide grip to keep pressure off my shoulder.
Oh this was technically yesterday.. off to see what I can accomplish today.
United StatesI need to get back on the grocer list, have probably been undereating because I didn't have my foods readily available lately.. this means I've had sushi 3 times in the last 4 days, starting to hurt the pocketbook!
Anyways, I had a session with one of the trainers today and had him go over the fine points of the deadlift, squat and bench when goals are to increase how much I can lift.
My form was pretty good on my own, but I had a tendency to round my back on the last couple sets - he made me reduce the weight and said I need to stick with the lower weight for a while until I feel more comfortable with keeping those shoulders back all the way through. I did a set of 12 at 65, only managed 4 at 85, settled on 75 but my strength had rapidly faded, still only got 4 out.. went back to 65 and did another 8 relatively cleanly.
Moved on to squats... I'm pretty comfortable with the bar, I do reverse lunges (off a step sometimes) on most leg days, sometimes with the bar sometimes holding 35 lb plates. 3 sets, 10 x 65, 8 x 75, 5 x 75 and lost form after that.
At this point I felt it necessary to explain that I had been to the Strokes concert the night before, had a few more Crown & Cokes than planned and was not in bed until 1 am. For some reason I believed this was why I was sweating so profusely?
Chest press - James knows my history of rotator cuff aggravation, and was concerned that I shouldn't push this too much. Happy to report I felt no discomfort at all from that.. but strangely my right arm seemed to just quit on me at the end of the third set, thought I could have done another rep or two but no, had to bail. Completed 10 x 65, 4 x 75, 6 x 65. Trainer wanted me to go back down to 65 and memorize where to bring the bar down to on my chest. Also explained about holding with a wide grip to keep pressure off my shoulder.
Oh this was technically yesterday.. off to see what I can accomplish today.