Drop sets

For variety, we tried drop sets this session - a set where you go to failure, then drop (reduce) the weight, and go to failure again; until you're practically lifting air.
We probably didn't set the initial weight high enough for the lat pull-downs, but I don't think Andy was impressed. It was an interesting variation, but I doubt we'll be doing it again.

Exercise	Warmup	Set 1	Set 2	Set 3
Triceps Dip	15×-25kg	12×2kg	10×4kg	8×6kg
Barbell Curl	15×20kg	7×35kg / 5×30kg / 10×20kg / 15×10kg
Dumbbell Arnold Press	15×6kg	12×8kg	10×10kg	8×12kg
Cable Rear Pulldown		12×56kg / 10×42kg / 12×28kg
45° Side Bend †		25×10kg	25×10kg

†: Dangling a weight plate with lower arm.

Last Saturday's workout.

This was a long way off the best workout. I lacked the energy or motivation to push myself really hard, so the numbers are pretty disappointing. I didn't even dare the last set of chins/dips, as my arms felt like they were about to give way. In retrospect, the lack of energy may have been an early sign of the illness that has laid me out for most of this week.

Also; the triceps press-up is from a youtube workout vid that Andy forwarded me. I can't find any other references to it though, so the image is pretty inaccurate.

Exercise	Warmup	Set 1	Set 2	Set 3
Sled Seated Leg Press Sled Seated Calf Press	15×88kg 15×88kg	12×106kg 12×106kg	10×124kg 10×124kg	8×142kg 8×142kg
Close Grip Chin-up Triceps Dip	15×-20kg 15×-20kg	12×-15kg 12×-15kg	10×-10kg 10×-10kg
Dumbell Curls(21s)		21×6kg	21×7kg	21×7.5kg
Dumbbell Lateral Raise	15×7kg	12×8kg	10×9kg	8×10kg
Dumbbell One Arm Triceps Extension	15×6kg	12×7kg	10×8kg	8×9kg
Stability Push-up †		12	7
Tricep Push-up ‡		8	8

†: Starting with both hands on a medicine ball; doing one push up, placing right hand two feet to the right, doing another, placing right hand back on the ball, doing another, placing left nad two feet to the left, doing another, and so on.
‡: Withg knees down, fists together under the body, palms facing each other, knuckles facing forwards. Push up from there.

Supersets 2: Triceps, Chest, Legs and Abs

I was dead chuffed with this session. I'd under-slept the night before, and wasn't even sure if I would make it to the gym, between that and how much my muscles still ached from the last session. Though knackered when I arrived, by the time we hit the skull-crushers adrenalin had kicked in (or perhaps the CEE I'd munched just before leaving the office), and the rest of the workout was brilliant. Never thought I'd lift that 40kg bar, even if my muscles gave out one shy of a full set. We were there for two hours, and even got in some boxing in the end. Class.

Today, I've got a burn in my chest, abs, and bizarrely, my upper back - but the part that really canes is my quads. I can barely walk!

Exercise	Warmup	Set 1	Set 2	Set 3
Cable Pushdown	15×20kg	12×45kg	10×50kg	8×55kg
Triceps Dip		12×-40kg	10×-30kg	10×-20kg
Dumbbell Fly Barbell Decline Triceps Extension	15×6kg 15×20kg	12×12kg 12×30kg	10×14kg 10×35kg	8×16kg 7×40kg
Medicine Ball Incline Crunch†		30×3kg	30×3kg
Weighted Lying Straight Leg Raise		20×2kg	20×2kg	20×2kg
Overhead Medicine Ball Lunge‡		20×4kg	20×4kg	20×4kg

†: Throwing the medicine ball and catching it between crunches.
‡: With a medicine ball held overhead (rather than a barbell on shoulders as illustrated). Last set with eyes closed to increase core stability work.

The numbers for the triceps dip are low because I was concentrating on perfecting my form, and using a full range of motion. My shoulders are sufficiently inflexible that I can't hold a barbell behind my neck comfortably - so this was hard work, and I felt it almost entirely in my shoulders rather than my chest or triceps.

Chest and triceps

Another training session with Andy, and another set of impressive gains:

Exercise	Warmup	Set 1	Set 2	Set 3
Dumbbell Bench Press†	12×12kg	12×18kg	10×20kg	8×26kg(+30%)
Barbell Military Press	12×15kg	12×25kg	10×30kg	4×35kg
Dumbbell One Arm Triceps Extension	12×3kg	12×6kg	12×8kg	8×10kg
Triceps Dip	15×-25kg	12	10	8
Medicine Ball Incline Crunch‡		30×3kg	35×3kg	40×3kg

†: On a Bosu Ball, rather than a bench.
‡: Throwing the medicine ball and catching it between crunches.

After utterly caning our triceps with the presses and extensions, I have no idea how I managed 3 sets of dips. I practically fell off the bars at the end, my arms were so close to failure. We can push ourselves much harder than we often think.
In the last set of medicine ball crunches, I felt tired after fifteen, knackered after twenty, and ready to give up at twenty-five. At thirty, adrenalin took over, and I hammered out the last ten reps with even more energy than I started.