02.04.12 Outwork Day/QvC: Day V
Shoulders and back hypertrophy“The last straw;” “the tipping point;” “over the edge.” These clichés are not typically part of my vernacular – their overuse has rendered them meaningless and, usually, when people employ them to preface a situation they’re about to describe, I immediately believe whatever it is they’re about to unveil isn’t really that bad. If it were, they wouldn’t need to use an idiom to explain its significance – their retelling, regardless of its simplicity or straightforwardness, would suffice. Today, however, was all of those things and, as I do not wish to go into great detail regarding why this was the case (as I don’t really want to be unprofessional), I am putting my foot in my mouth and allowing those clichés to speak for me. I suppose I can say this, though: today truly tested my ability to keep my head and, even though it was difficult, I believe I passed with decent marks.
Instead of flying off the cuff, I used what could have been a potentially nasty blow up and turned into energy to expel under the fluorescent lights of a nearly empty Saturday night gym session. I think this was the best choice.
Pre-OWPrevious night's sleep: 8 hours.
Motivation: Crush.
Energy: Kill.
Mentality: Destroy
Weight: 122lb flat
OutworkRack chins3x12
Notes: First set with the bar about a foot off the ground; second set with the bar just below my waist; last set with the bar just at my waist. Seated cable rows2x15x90
Notes: These feel better every time I do them and running them along with the one-armed dumbbell rows definitely makes saying goodbye (temporarily) to barbell rows a little easier.
Standing barbell shoulder press (speed work)5x45
4x3x55
1x55
2x55
Notes: Not 70% of my max but I’ve found that the more I push myself on these, they more progress I’ve been seeing. However, I really would like to hit higher numbers on my standing dumbbell press so I might be switching out for those on hypertrophy days.
One-arm dumbbell rows2x15x25
Notes: I actually really, really like these. I could probably handle higher weight but I’d rather not risk anything with my back until I’ve given myself proper time to recovery.
Close grip-lateral pulldowns2x15x70
Notes: I felt strong as fuck doing these because I used to struggle to get 35 down for 10 reps.
Dumbbell side lateral raise15x25
12x20
Notes: Definite improvement on these – ROM is so much better on the 25s than when I was previously using that weight.
Seated dumbbell shoulder press2x12x20
Notes: I cannot fucking get the 25s up for anything, most likely because of the barbell speed work. We’ll see when I switch out for the dumbbells, I guess.
Upright cable rows2x15x90
Notes: Cable anything always feels like a cop-out but doing these with dumbbells always tweaks out my elbows. Thinking about removing them altogether, to be honest, but I’m not sure what I’d replace them with.
Cable shrugs12x190
15x190
Notes: Okay, cable shrugs don’t feel like a cop-out because, in comparison to using the barbell, I feel these more since, like I’ve noted, I’m not using any part of my arms to pull. However, I’m going to try and start using the dumbbells to make sure these are “legit” numbers. Though I don’t really know how the fuck I’m going to pick up two 90lbers.
Shoulder press machine10x50
11x50
Notes: Because I felt like it.
Seated rows2x10x80
Notes: Because I wanted to see if these aggravated my lower back at all. They didn’t. But machines make me feel even dirtier than cables.Post-OW AssessmentThe v-log from today will highlight this but I was ravenously hungry before hitting the gym and ended up devouring my pre-WO Cap’n in about two minutes and I ended up hitting the gym about 17 minutes after the fact. It didn’t even occur to me that it could have affected my performance because, after such a brutal day, all I wanted to do was hit the iron and get in my zone. If anything, I had more energy today after working eight hours and slamming my pre-OW than I have any other day. Another thumbs up to the Cap’n for sure.
Macros/Nutrition55/140/200I’d also like to note that I’ve been getting hungrier, mostly after working out, but also upon waking – two time periods where, in recent months, hunger hasn’t been an issue.
Misc.I’ve become relatively obsessed with this website:
http://idigcerealkillers.blogspot.com/and would, if I were prone to such things, pick up a copy of the book when published. However, since I’m not, I’m just going to continue looking through the blog archieves when I feel like procrastinating from video editing. Definitely worth checking out for sheer entertainment/awesomness.
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"When in doubt, squat and run hills." - Jim Wendler
IRON MNTN //
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You are making some real progress and I love your updates. I wish this forum was around when I started lifting (about 20 years ago) it would have been nice to see other women that want to build muscle. Any just wanted to say hi, oh and I always eat right before I workout and these days it's usually a lot of fruit.
