Strength I, Workout B-3
Warm-up - CP2:
--hip crossover (Alwyn calls it "lower-body Russian twist"), 5 reps each side
--scorpion twist, 5 reps each side
--lateral lunge, 5 reps each leg
--crossover lunge, 5 reps each leg
--sumo squat-to-stand, 5 reps
Work:
SUPERSET
--bent-over BB row (6/1/6/1/10-12, 311, 180RI) - 6 @ 115lbs, 1 @ 145lbs, 6 @ 125lbs, 1 @ 165lbs*, 12 @ 115lbs
--BB bench press (6/1/6/1/10-12, 311, 180RI) - 6 @ 145lbs, 1 @ 185lbs, 6 @ 165lbs, 1 @ 205lbs, 12 @ 145lbs
SUPERSET
--close-grip lat pulldown (2x6-8, 311, 120RI) - 6 @ BW, 6 @ BW
--DB shoulder press (2x6-8, 311, 120RI)** - 8 @ 45s, 8 @ 45s
lower-body Russian twist (2x10, 101, 90RI) - 10 @ BW, 10 @ BW
* denotes 2 three-quarter reps (got pissed at not completing the first attempt but just couldn't tap my torso at the top with this load, but my form was awesome)
** denotes neutral grip (will repeat in next week's workout as well; had been using pronated grip)
Notes:
--My back continues to improve. No pain today, just some very minor discomfort that I mostly ignored and therefore upped my bookend loads a tad. The workout-ending hip crossovers had my back popping pretty good, but that's just from residual muscle tightness (biological protection of the injured area). I'm very nearly at 100% strength-wise, and my regular SMR work should continue to facilitate quicker recovery. No issues with scorpions today, either. Every now and then when standing from being seated for awhile, it takes me a couple steps to get fully upright
--I could probably increase my 1RM bench press load, but I'll likely keep it at its current level since there's such a discrepancy between my horizontal push and pull numbers right now.
--I can't decide if I like my gym for the scenery or hate it for the sad entertainment (read: watching trainers continue to put clients at high risk for injury, if they come back at all from the unnecessary beating they're taking). I do now know that Mondays suck, and I'm not there on the second-worst day (Wednesdays). The other three days of the work week seem to be void of too much assholiness. I could've sworn Monday, Wednesday, and Friday were National Mirror Muscle Days. Maybe it's just Mondays now.
--Being the cynical pessimist that I am (or is that pessimistic cynic), I'm waiting for something bad to happen. In the past twenty-four hours: my best friend informed me that she's moving back here this spring, the
Essentials stuff actually started to click after getting through the terminology, and my boss floated the possibility of paying me an all-cash equivalent to the cash-and-housing deal I have now, meaning I could realistically start looking for a house.
--I just had a "holy shit" moment in looking down at my shoulders. Is that size and definition I'm beginning to see? (This from someone with an extensive history of shoulder issues, meaning subpar development and subsequently small arms relative to body type.)