Zen and the lifting of heavy things.

From July 12th, apparently the first time I added crunches to my routine:

Ab crunches, 2×30.

So I’ve added 10 kilos resistance, made them harder by lifting my legs, and I’m still doing more in my first *set* than I used to do in total.

Like I say to Jess, one day your rest days will be harder than your current workouts.

db rows: 2×8 @76.

db flies: 2×8@32.

Front raises: 2×8@32.

Trap shrugs: 3×8@32.

Bicep curls: 2×8@30.

Squats: 2×8@108. Back to the dumbells. There is no way I’m putting a bar on my shoulders while the right one is still twinging, and I can load the dbs heavier anyway.

kb lifts: 2×20@54.

Raised leg crunches: 80/40/30@22

So, not bad. I keep forgetting everything went up last week, so I’m doing ok. Rest helps. Still thjinking of mixing the routine up, but I’m in a pretty happy place at the moment.

Of course, it’s important to realise when you really *do* need a day off. For the last couple of days, especially yesterday, my right shoulder has been sore – I suspect bruising from the bar on the squats. This morning it felt ok, so I went to lift. Started my first row, and the shoulder twinged. So I thought about a day off. But I had a rest day yesterday, so I just dropped the weights and cut the rest time instead. Which makes it quite an interesting – and fast – routine.

db rows: 2×8 @66.

db flies: 2×8@27.

Front raises: 2×8@27.

Trap shrugs: 3×8@27.

Bicep curls: 2×8@27.

I was, however, really not in the mood for squats or kb lifts, and I did crunches yesterday. Next week, I will have a new routine. yay!

db rows: 2×8 @76.

db flies: 2×8@32.

Front raises: 2×8@32.

Trap shrugs: 3×8@32.

Bicep curls: 2×8@30.

Squats: 2×8@66. So did not want to squat today.

kb lifts: 20/15@54.

Raised leg crunches: 50/40/25@22

I’m down to an hour without Jess interrupting me This was so hard today though. An example of the power of habit, which is what I’m trying to impart to Jess. I get up on Thursday, I lift. I can’t *not* lift anymore, if I’m well enough to get up. Even if I start the day with a soothing lemon drink because I’m sniffly. There’s no excuse strong enough to get me through the day of guilt I’d have if I didn’t lift.

db rows: 2×8 @76.

db flies: 2×8@32. Nice. Hard, but managed.

Front raises: 2×8@32.

Trap shrugs: 3×8@32.

Bicep curls: 8/7@30. It occurs to me, also, that every increase in the exercises before this makes this harder as well. So that’s pleasing, that I can increase in the shoulder and back and still increase the biceps.

Squats: 2×8@66.

Then I paused to play with Jess for a bit: 5 minutes skipping, decline pushups (20/15). I’m liking the decline pushups, nice burn, but not going to failure – not with my feet 18 inches off the floor.

Raised leg crunches: 50/30/30@22

kb lifts: 20/15@54.

This took a very long time – 90 minute workout! I blame Jess, but it is more fun with her than alone.

db rows: 2×8 @76.

Squats: 2×8@66.

Front raises: 3×8@30. So up to 33 next week.

db flies: 2×8@30.These were powerful and controlled this week. No more nasty noises from the left shoulder. So I’ll try these at 33 as well next week.

Trap shrugs: 2×8@30. Might as well keep the db loaded at 33 for these as well.

Bicep curls: 8@30, 8@27. Yay!

kb lifts: 20/15@54.

Raised leg crunches: 50/30/30@22. My quest to get that burn back has paid off. Lifting the legs, rather than resting them on the ground, made these fucking agony.

So, again, very happy. the routine is working, the new rest day pattern seems to be helping, and it’s possible that the more relaxed boot camps (Ji is injured) have meant I have more to give to lifting. On the less bright side, and this is purely anecdotal and possibly speculative, it feels like I’ve stalled on losing inches around the waist. So, more cardio on off days, but crucially, I really need to start cutting calories.

On the really bright side, it was very hard to actually honor yesterday as a rest day. Prodding Jess to skip made me want to do just a quick powerlifting set to practice form…. So I’m back at the point of needing more discipline not to lift….

db rows: 2×8 @76. Up up up!

db flies: 2×8@30. Still really hard on the left shoulder, but progress.

Front raises: 2×8@30.

Bicep curls:5@30, 2×8@27. Aw yeah.

Trap shrugs: 2×8@27

Squats: 2×8@66. 66 *is* a good compromise….

kb lifts: 20/12@54. Did I really used to do 20 of these in a set? Apparently so. And then throw another one on. I don’t get why some things are hard one day and “easy” the next. But I’m not complaining.

Crunches: 80/40/40@22. Abs of steel, I tell you.

So very happy today! Up in many things. I need to do the shrugs before I unload for the curls, I think, they also could go up. But I’m pleased! Next week, I might swap this routine out and do powerlifts instead for one day….

Same hill. Felt harder to start, but easier overall. Might have gone running a little soon after dinner, though the fact that I came home from work, fell into bed and had to drag myself out to go running may have contributed.

No obliques, no stepups, but I did do the number-writing thing to 25 again. Crunches and obliques yesterday and tomorrow. If Jess doesn’t have to, I don’t have to.

I do need a watch, though, so I can see the run getting faster. A pink, shiny Hello Kitty watch….

jai.

.

db rows: 2×8 @74. Up up up!

db flies: 2×8@30.

Trap shrugs: 2×8@27

Bicep curls:4@30, 8/4@27. Up a little.

Front raises: 2×8@27.

Squats: 5@88, 2×8@44. I thought 88 was a lucky Chinese weight. Maybe 66 is a good compromise….

kb lifts: 15/12@54. Did I really used to do 20 of these in a set? Looking back at August, I seem to have become weaker. Mind you, I’ve added the curls and flies, and it’s the upper body that’s failing on the kb lifts. And I could probably manage 20 if I pushed it, but not 20 *and* a second set.

Lower ab number writing in the air: 1-25

Obliques: 2×30 per side

Crunches: 70/45/30@22

And I threw 20 pushups in to keep Jess company. And 8 diamond pushups while I was on a roll. Overall, I dunno. Sticking with this workout for another few weeks – it feels good. But I want bigger numbers, dammit! Every week!

Next week I go back to the hundred pushup challenge, Monday Wednesday Friday. I think I was making better gains when I was doing more, in the long term.