My NROL Experience

[stingo]

A 3 Minute Dumbbell Plank - 3 stops

B Dumbbell Power Clean and Press with Saxon Side Bend - 2x10

C Single-Arm Seated Cable Lat Pulldown - 3x12

D Cable Column Squats - 3x20

E Machine Chest Press and a Half - 2x20

F Dumbbell Rows w/Twist - 2x20

A 3 Minute Dumbbell Plank - Just to be clear, the goal is 3 minutes straight, which I need to work up to. PF has circular dumbbells which is why we did it this way.

B Dumbbell Power Clean and Press with Saxon Side Bend - This took me a while to get what Tim wanted me to do regarding the side bend, but I eventually got it.

C Single-Arm Seated Cable Lat Pulldown - This was a good exercise, seated on the floor, with the non-working arm for support.

D Cable Column Squats - Not that I've been waterskiing, but I'm tempted to call these waterski squats. You hold on to the cable handles as if you were waterskiing, lean back a little and do the squat. Feels different for balance for sure.

E Machine Chest Press and a Half - This was the toughest exercise in the bunch. It was on the chest press machine, and the idea is to do a full press, followed by a half press to count as one rep. I got through the first set at the original weight but the second set I had to back down to all of 15 pounds to complete it.

F Dumbbell Rows w/Twist - Regular rows, but with an added small torso twist at the end of the pull.

Overall - Good workout here. Really felt the exercises, especially the chest press. I also signed on for six more sessions since what we're doing seems to be working.

[ToniL]

Well I'm gonna add my applause for your 6+ pound loss and improved health!! I like your variety in workouts. Seems like there is always something new and different you are doing. Keep an eye on that blood pressure tho, if you have a history of hypertension it can 'be normal' for awhile and then sneak back up even when the weight is lost. Best to check with your doctor. Anyhooters, thanx for the inspiration as always.

Toni

[stingo]

Originally Posted by Aoife

Nice numbers, dude. That some decent improvement in rather short order.

Thanks - I was pretty surprised myself.

Originally Posted by Espi

No , I actually offered a way on how to still enjoy Happy Hour by just decreasing the frequency of it. Most people don't do well on going somewhere knowing there's good food/booze to eat/drink. Avoidance works much easier.

It's something a lot of people have to decide on sooner or later when they are on a weight loss journey. Once the 'easy' weight has come off, tougher decisions are needed.

Like tcoy said: your blood pressure numbers are the most impressive actually. I mean: wt and size loss is great, but health improvement is the major goal. You were already getting really fit, but the BP is the best improvement on the list.

But blood pressure is kind of variable for me - I've seen 104/68 too.

Originally Posted by fengshway

yeah, she called you out! and you totally rose to the occasion. I agree, one of the coolest things for me was stopping my blood pressure medicine after losing the first 40 pounds. way to go tom!

Well we'll see what happens tomorrow when I weigh in.

Originally Posted by ToniL

Well I'm gonna add my applause for your 6+ pound loss and improved health!! I like your variety in workouts. Seems like there is always something new and different you are doing. Keep an eye on that blood pressure tho, if you have a history of hypertension it can 'be normal' for awhile and then sneak back up even when the weight is lost. Best to check with your doctor. Anyhooters, thanx for the inspiration as always.

Toni

Well recently I've been doing a kettlebell workout on Sundays because the corporate gym wasn't an option on two of the Mondays. Each personal training session is different too. Thanks for the encouragement.

[stingo]

230.75 - Yeah I was hoping to be under 230 too... I didn't really cheat this weekend either, other than for having a corn muffin on Sunday evening. I was at the grocery store, and for some reason I just wanted them because it'd been ages since I had one. Still, this is the lowest start of week weight I've had since I started tracking, which is definitely a good thing. Also too, a co-worker I'd not seen in a couple of weeks said I was looking thinner, so something is definitely working.

[Aoife]

Eh, you'll get there. Hell, scale error range alone could be to blame.

I've never much liked corn muffins. But I do love other kinds. That's prolly what helped me get into this little mess I'm in.

[stingo]

Originally Posted by Aoife

Eh, you'll get there. Hell, scale error range alone could be to blame.

I've never much liked corn muffins. But I do love other kinds. That's prolly what helped me get into this little mess I'm in.

Corn bread and corn muffins are favorites for me. The muffins I bought were ok but I might try to make some but not for a while.

Thanks. I'm not too concerned about the weight now as I know I'm doing things that are working for weight loss. When I'm good and weight doesn't go down, it's my body preventing it.

[kfisherx]

OMG I LOVE corn muffins. Sometimes reading your log kills me!! I actually end up with serious cravings. LOL!!

Hey Tom are you really doing 3 min planks? WTH do you think about while doing all that time? I don't do planks because once I made it past the 3 min time I just felt like my core was not really benefiting anymore and I was bored as hell.

[Aoife]

Originally Posted by kfisherx

Hey Tom are you really doing 3 min planks? WTH do you think about while doing all that time? I don't do planks because once I made it past the 3 min time I just felt like my core was not really benefiting anymore and I was bored as hell.

That's when I go to multiple sets of them.

Personally, they're boring if I have no music. But I've been known to go an entire song here and there... Odd, I know. At least it's not a song like Freebird...

[stingo]

Originally Posted by kfisherx

OMG I LOVE corn muffins. Sometimes reading your log kills me!! I actually end up with serious cravings. LOL!!

Hey Tom are you really doing 3 min planks? WTH do you think about while doing all that time? I don't do planks because once I made it past the 3 min time I just felt like my core was not really benefiting anymore and I was bored as hell.

Umm no.. the goal is 3 minutes, which I did with three rests in between. The goal of course is no rests, but I'm nowhere near that. Actually, with this variation, within 15-30 seconds, I was concentrating on how the top of my abdominals were on fire. I've not done planks in a while so this was kind of surprise that we started the workout with them. I swear all the exercises he gives me work the abdominals in one way or another.

Originally Posted by Aoife

That's when I go to multiple sets of them.

Personally, they're boring if I have no music. But I've been known to go an entire song here and there... Odd, I know. At least it's not a song like Freebird...

I can't wear anything on my head like headphones or earbuds when working out - it just irritates me and drives me bonkers.

[Aoife]

At home we have speakers. At the gym... well besides not having been to the gym in a bit... their music is TRES BAD and therefore ANYTHING is better than that crap.

[stingo]

Weights are per hand except for B1, where a weight stack is used, C, where a dumbbell is held with both hands, and E where a cable machine is used.

A1 Unilateral Bench Press - 3x12@55
A2 Squat - 3x20@55
A3 Unilateral Bent Over Row 3x12@55
(+2 light warmup sets)

B1 Assisted Pull-up - 3x8@-160
B2 Step-Up w/Shoulder Press - 3x10@20 each leg
(+1 light warmup set)

C Reverse Lunge w/DB Clean 2x8@20

D DB Curl - 3x17.5@17.5

E Tricep Pushdown - 3x15@140

A1 Unilateral Bench Press - These felt much better today, with better stability and better control.

A2 Squat - Lightheadedness, but could still move on to the rows after a few seconds.

A3 Unilateral Bent Over Row - These felt better today too.

B1 Assisted Pull-ups - Stronger in this as well - the third set was still a challenge, but slightly less so than in previous workouts.

B2 Step-ups w/Shoulder Press - Legs were a bit wonky in the third set, but I made it through these.

C Reverse Lunge with DB Clean - Did pretty well here, even though I had to reset once.

D Bicep Curl - Just barely got the third set, and that with very poor form.

E Tricep Pushdown - These were tough today, but I think it's because I shortened the rest period between sets.

Overall - A very good workout brought to you by the power of carbs. (Or so I think anyhow.) I felt much stronger than in last week's workout, which I think is due to my having carbs (that corn muffin) the night before, and another this morning. I am considering trying to move up the weights for Wednesday, or doing the same again to see if it wasn't a fluke.

[dillytl]

Just poppin in to say havent stopped by for a while (darn that work!!) - looks like you are doing awesome!!!

[tcoy777]

Nice workouts. I would bump up the weight on the first sets. If it seems too much drop down on the next sets. I bet the carbs had a little to with it, but its probably more that your getting a lot stronger with these great workouts you have been doing.

[L'ilJ]

hi!

[stingo]

Progress pics taken and posted today.