Holding 8

Sep03
by Duf on September 3, 2015 at 5:32 pm
Posted In: Daily Workouts

hqdefault[1]So today when I was doing my standing behind the back shoulder shrugs on the Smith machine I finished with just a static hold with 4 plates on each side (around 400lbs).  I couldn’t shrug that much weight with any significant ROM but I just stood there with my traps under tension and held it until my grip started to go after 20 seconds or so.  Sometimes it is good to just make your body hold very heavy weight.

I also did some reps of 70 pound dumbbell seated overhead press.  I was surprised when one of the guys who saw me squeeze out 5 reps at that weight commented that I had very strong shoulders.  I was surprised to hear that from him because he is significantly stronger than me in pretty much any lift I ever see him do. He said he struggles with 50’s.

When you start getting heavier with dumbbell shoulder press the most difficult part of the movement is getting the weights to the starting position followed by getting started on rep number one.  I start with each dumbbell on my thighs, near my knee.  I then use a leg bounce combined with a half curl to get each dumbbell above my shoulders.  It’s a bit tricky and if you do it incorrectly you have a good chance of hurting yourself.  I learned the technique from my co-worker whom I used to go to Gold’s Gym with when I first moved here.

Today’s Workout

5 minutes cardio stretching

20 pull ups

Seated dumbbell shoulder press – 40lbs x 12, 55lbs x 10, 65lbs x 6, 70lbs x 5

Seated dumbbell bicep curls – 25lbs x 12, 40lbs x 8, 55lbs x 2

Standing cable machine 1 arm tricep push down (both arms) – 40lbs x 10, 47lbs x 10, 50lbs x 7

Behind the back standing smith machine shrugs – 225lbs x 10, 315lbs x 8, 365lbs x 3, 405lbs x 20 second static hold

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Toxic

Sep02
by Duf on September 2, 2015 at 5:26 pm
Posted In: Daily Workouts

hungover3[1]Last night was my fantasy football leagues draft party which I hosted.  For whatever reason I always over indulge during this event and I once again did this year.  The end result was me waking up this morning exhausted and feeling like shit from all the alcohol and food I consumed.

I originally hoped to run some of it out of me but my IT band was feeling extra cranky today so I opted for a row/elliptical brick.  Sure I may have burned off 400 calories between the two but that still left 2500 calories from last night unaccounted for.

I felt absolutely 0.0 excitement about working out today.

Today’s Workout

20 minutes Concept 2 rower – 4567 meters covered

10 minutes Cybex elliptical – 102 calories burned

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Last legs

Sep01
by Duf on September 1, 2015 at 6:28 pm
Posted In: Daily Workouts

65_1[1]I wanted to have a somewhat decent last day of legs since I will be out of town for a couple weeks. I jumped on the Smith machine to get some squats in.  My IT band felt irritated  during the reps sending pain down my right leg and knee but it was tolerable.  I didn’t do a ton of reps due to not feeling great.

The rest of leg day was unexciting but necessary.

Today’s Workout

5 minutes cardio/stretching

Smith machine squats – 135lbs x 10, 185lbs x 8, 225lbs x 3, 135lbs x 12

Seated leg extension – 110lbs x 12, 130lbs x 10, 210lbs x 5

Seated leg curl – 100lbs x 10, 120lbs x 10, 140lbs x 10

Leg press calf extensions – 190lbs x 12, 270lbs x 10, 350lbs x 8

 

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Weirder than me, x 7

Aug31
by Duf on August 31, 2015 at 5:45 pm
Posted In: Daily Workouts

finding-your-perfect-bench-press-with-eric-spoto-graphics-find-your-grip[1]So despite my years of observations of what I classify as weird or annoying behavior of gym goers, I have no doubt that some of what I have done at the gym would also be viewed as weird by others.  Quite often when I did things like floor wipers, handstands, skin the cat, muscle ups or lever progressions I got a lot of “what the fck is he doing” looks.

Well there is a young asian guy that has been coming to PF for a few months that seems even odder although I think what he does is good overall. He socializes with no one and does not speak a word the entire workout.  The one day he took over the spot I normally use for my warm up stretching for no less than a half hour, doing nothing but stretches, some of them looking almost contortionist in appearance.  He gets on some machines and uses them in ways other than they are intended to work his muscles at odd angles.  Today he was doing reverse grip bench pressing with a big rubber mat rolled up and placed under his lower back, forcing his body into an upside down U shape.  At times I wonder about what exactly is the idea behind some the odd movements, like today, but don’t care enough to try to ask.  All I know is I can still do more pull ups than him which is all that matters.

Today was my last bench pressing session for a couple weeks since we will be on the road next week starting off our western road trip.  I wanted to have something in the session to hang my hat on.  It was getting 7 reps at 205 pounds on the way down from a 1RM of 235.

Today’s Workout 

Barbell bench press – 135lbs x 10, 185lbs x 5, 225lbs x 1, 235lbs x 1, 225lbs x 3, 205lbs x 7, 205lbs x 5, 185lbs x 8, 185lbs x 7, 185lbs x 6, 135lbs x 12 (mix of dead stops and regular), 135lbs x 8 (mix of dead stops and regular)

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Pull high

Aug28
by Duf on August 28, 2015 at 5:56 pm
Posted In: Daily Workouts

pullhighDuring my mostly core day at the gym today I did high explosive pull ups instead of the mundane variety.  The goal is to explosively pull as high as you can.  Of course much more energy is put into each rep so the rep numbers are low.  Good high pulls are one of the building blocks of muscle ups.

Today’s Workout

5 minutes cardio/stretching

8 high pull ups

50 push ups

30 hanging knee raises

Dragon flags x 5

Standing 45lbs one arm oblique crunches x 12

5 high pull ups

Dragon flags x 5

Standing 45lbs one arm oblique crunches x 12

5 high pull ups

Dragon flags x 5

Standing 75lbs one arm oblique crunches x 10

5 high pull ups

30 hanging knee raises

Frog stand x 60 seconds

Elbow planche x 30 seconds

Frog stand x 60 seconds

Elbow planche x 30 seconds

30 hanging knee raises

 

 

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