Legs

Big workout tonight, which was a good thing. After recovering from the other night's mistake with doing too many abdominal crunches and then getting a muscle spasm through the entire rectus abdominus, you would think that I had learned my lesson. But no...I did it again tonight. Grrrr...

Been reading (bit surprise there) a bit about structuring sets to not do too many during warm up, and only doing a few to work up to near max weights. Thought I might try that tonight, but think that there is a bit more reading and planning to be done before integrating it.

On the note of integrating new things, tonight was the first time EVER that I did lunges. Strangely, I had been thinking earlier in the day that I might like to try them. I ultimately didn't, since I was looking forward to squats and leg presses. Matt, though, said he just wasn't up for squatting (both he and I have had some lower back spasms and general discomfort. He thinks that he might have a compressed disk. I'm sure that mine is simply an imbalance between stabilizing muscles in the lower back and abdominal region). So, he suggested lunges, and I figured that the universe was telling me that the time had come to try them out. DAMN...those are difficult. Moreso the balancing than the weight. Doing two sets of 10 at low weight tuckered me out almost as much as a round of heavy squatting. We'll see for how many days I stay sore.

At any rate...here's the workout and the numbers.

Wednesday, April 2, 2008 - Legs

Exercise	Cory	Matt
Lunges (barbell)	65 x 10 x (L/R) x 2	65 x 10 x (L/R) x 2
Leg press	530 x 4 : 800 x 7 : 980 x 1 : 890 x 8	530 x 10 : 620 x 9
Leg extensions	190 x 12 x 2	190 x 10 x 2
Hamstring curl	190 x 10 x 2	190 x 10 x 2
Seated calf raise	180 x 15 : 180 x 20	180 x 10 : 180 x 14
Glute kickbacks	160 x 10 x (L/R) : 180 x 10 x (L/R)	Skipped
Hip abduction	250 x 16 x 2	210 x 10 x 2
Hip adduction	260 x 16 x 2	190 x 12 x 2
Abdominal crunches	100 x 25 x 2
Torso rotation	150 x 20 x (L/R) x 2
TOTAL	72,880	34,160

Back

Wow...we haven't had a real back day in a while, and I could totally feel it. The weights are down on several exercises, so I need to build back up. I think that Matt could feel it too.

I still haven't hit my upper limit on the GoodMornings. I did a second set of 5 at 315 pounds. I could have kept going without a problem, but realized that I had set the rack one notch too high, and I didn't want to get to failure and not be able to re-rack the bar. This led me to wonder, though - at what point should I start using a weight belt? I've never used one before, and I suspect that I should start using one before a major injury tells me, "Oh...I should have been wearing a weight belt when I tried that!" I'll have to do some research on that one. I own a weight belt, but just never thought I needed it. I asked one of the head trainers at Gold's, and got an answer of, "I don't know, but it's a good question. I'll ask around and get back to you." That's the kind of response I like to hear, and gives me a lot of respect for the person delivering it.

At any rate, here are today's numbers:

Sunday, March 30, 2008 - Back

Exercise	Cory	Matt
DL/GM	225 x 10 : 315 x 5	225 x 5 x 3
Assisted WG pull-up	60 x 10 : 45 x 8 @ wt=230	90 x 10 : 85 x 9 @ wt=230
Seated cable pull	240 x 10 : 120 x 30	160 x 7 : 140 x 3 : 140 x 10
Bent-over barbell row	155 x 10 : 225 x 10	155 x 10 x 2
Lateral raise	90 x 10 : 50 x 25 (M)	17.5 x 12 x 2 (DB)
Posterior deltoid deck	145 x 10 : 85 x 14	130 x 5 : 115 x 5 : 115 x 7
RCStackSet	7.5 pounds	5 pounds
TOTAL	22,585	16,460

Legs

Wow....grueling leg day, but I loved it. This is going to hurt for days (but in the good way.) I've noticed (*knock on wood*) that my knee problem (patello femoral syndrome) has subsided. Perhaps the prescription strength naproxen worked!

Today's numbers:

Wednesday, March 26, 2008 - Legs

Exercise	Cory	Matt
Squats (Smith)	275 x 10 : 315 x 10	185 x 10 : 225 x 10
Leg press	630 x 10 : 720 x 10	450 x 10 : 540 x 10
Leg extensions	170 x 10 : 190 x 10	230 x 10 : 230 x 9
Hamstring curl	135 x 10 : 140 x 10	190 x 10 : 170 x 10
Seated calf raise	135 x 15 x 2 (cramp)	135 x 25 : 135 x 22
Glute kickbacks	140 x 10 x (L/R) : 160 x 10 x (L/R)	140 x 10 x 2 x (L/R)
Hip abduction	220 x 10 : 240 x 10	215 x 10 : 240 x 10
Hip adduction	220 x 10 : 240 x 10	220 x 10 : 240 x 10
TOTAL	45,000	42,065