Online Fitness Journal - Week of 28 December 2009

[ZenLefty]

So, I've got a pulled muscle in my groin. It only hurts every time I move my leg. I'll have to go a little easy on it until it heals up. No taking the stairs at work, no 20 rep squats, no leg press. I've worked through injuries before, though. It's not about what you can't do, it's about what you can do. No matter what your injury is, there's always *something* you can do. Unless you're in a body cast or have a bunch of limbs amputated or something.

The gyms have been pretty empty last week, and they'll probably be pretty empty this week too. Just us die hard gym rats. Next week it'll be crowded like a night club, when everyone and their pet goldfish decides to make a new year's resolution to work out more. I see it every January. It lasts about a month and tapers off as the weather gets cold and the snows start to pile up.

Tonight's a well deserved night off. I might stretch a bit but I really can't do a lot of leg work. I'll see what I can do.

[ZenLefty]

1. Tuesday, 29 December 2009

Chest Day! :D

Bench Press
Warmup set: 135, 16 reps
245 - 8, 8, and 8 reps
225 - 8, 8 reps
Wide grip bench
185 - 3 sets of 10 reps
Bench felt good and didn't bother my pulled groin.

Overhead Barbell Press
135 - 8, 7, 7, 6 and 6 reps
Bar felt heavy tonight. Worked to failure the last four sets.

21's - 70, 1 set of 21

I tried some leg raise, but even that could be felt in my pulled muscle so I decided against it.

Dips
Body weight - 4 sets of 12 reps
Man, my arms were tired!

Decline bench, Hoist Machine
230 - 5 sets of 10 reps
Man, my arms were still tired.

Dumbbell Chest Flye
40 - 5 sets of 10 reps
Went a bit lighter as I was feeling a bit more tired than usual. Got it done, though.

21's - 70, 1 set of 21
Just one more set of 21's before I hit the locker room.

I actually took the stairs up at work today, just once, and I took it slow and easy. It felt good, but I really want my leg to heal up so I can get back to doing some squats. Maybe another week or two on the mend, then a week of light weights. Tomorrow would have been a squat day but I'll be doing good to muster up 45 minutes on a cardio machine.

[ZenLefty]

2. Wednesday, 30 December 2009

AMT Machine
45 minutes. 640 calories.
It's frustrating not being able to lift weights. May as well take it out on some cardio equipment.

Rear Deltoid Flye Machine
180 - 5 sets of 10 reps

Lat Pulldown (supinate grip)
150 - 12 reps
162.5 - 10 reps
175 - 8 reps
187.5 - 6 reps
200 - 6 reps

That's about it for tonight.

[ZenLefty]

3. Thursday, 31 December 2009

Groin is feeling a little better but I can still feel some pain when I move my leg a certain way so I'm not ready to work it just yet. On the brighter side, an injured tendon in my forearm seems like it's ready for some light exercise. Always convenient when one injury heals up when another is on the mend.

AMT Machine
20 minutes + 5 cooldown, 357 calories, resistance 12.

Treadmill
20 minutes; ran for 15 of them at a 5.5 clip. 220 calories according to Precor.

Rear Deltoid Flye machine
180, 5 sets of 10 reps

Seated Cable Row
90, 1 set of 15 reps
180, 4 sets of 10 reps
These felt good. I went pretty light just to see how the forearm would respond. Even now, the next morning, no pain there.=

[ZenLefty]

4. Friday, 1 January 2010

Happy New Year everyone!

Gym wasn't too bad today, just us die hard regulars. I weighed in today - I'm about a pound lighter than I was a month ago. Yay! Weight loss isn't really one of my goals, but it's nice to get through the december holidays and not gain a bunch of weight. I've done that in a lot of years past.

Bench Press
Warmup set: 135 - 1 set of 16 reps
245 - 3 sets of 8 reps
225 - 8, 7 reps

Wide grip bench
185 - 3 sets of 10 reps

I like doing wide grip right after bench press. It really seems to make the pectorals do some work by giving the triceps less leverage and by stretching the muscle a bit wider than usual.

21's - 70, 1 set of 21

Seated Overhead Barbell Press
135 - 8, 8, 8, 7, 6 reps

Decline Bench, Hoist Machine
230 - 8, 7, 7, 8, 8 reps

Cable Chest Flye
60 - 4 sets of 10 reps
I see people do these by crossing the cables in front, which gives the chest better range of motion that you don't normally get with dumbbells. I did a couple sets this way but it just doesn't feel comfortable. I prefer to just push the two handles together and squeeze hard in the pecs. Gives a pretty good burn.

I tried some sit ups but they just aggravate my pulled groin. :(

[ZenLefty]

5. Sunday, 3 January 2010

Treadmill - 40 minutes, ran for 30 of them at a 5.5 clip. Covered 3.something miles, and the Cybex algorithms say I burned about 330 calories. Go me!

Skullcrushers
95 - 12 reps
115 - 10 reps
135 - 6 reps
135 - 7 reps
115 - 10 reps

Ran out of time, had to get going or I would have done a bit more.