Break: Changing Jobs

In the run-up to changing jobs just over a week ago, I've let my weight training lapse rather badly. Kept up boot camp up until I left my old place, but that's obviously not enough to keep me in shape, as these numbers show:

Exercise	Warmup	Set 1	Set 2	Set 3
Chin-up	12×-40kg	12×-25kg	6×-15kg/4×-20kg	8×-20kg(-20%)
Decline EZ Barbell Curl	12×12.5kg	12×15kg	10×17.5kg	8×20kg
Dumbbell Bent-over Row	12×17.5kg	12×22.5kg	10×25kg	8×27.5kg(-23.6%)
Dumbbell Lateral Raise	12×5kg	12×7kg	10×8kg	8×9kg

The decline barbell curls are much harder than regular curls, especially at the top of the movement.

Even though I didn't come close to my PBs, this session was really punishing. I could barely lift my arms to wash my face afterwards, and they still hurt now!

Hopefully I'll be back on form in a couple of weeks.

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.

Supersets 3: Pecs, triceps, back and legs.

Pretty happy with these numbers, and the fact that I don't hurt much today.
Never tried weighted dips or push-ups before. The latter are tough, but still easier than I expected. The former are brutal; simply balancing a 4kg dumbbell between your feet makes the exercise much more difficult.

Exercise	Warmup	Set 1	Set 2	Set 3
Triceps Dip Chin-up	15×-20kg 15×-25kg	12×0kg 12×-20kg	10×0kg 10×-15kg	8×4kg 8×-10kg
Sled Seated Leg Press Sled Seated Calf Press	15×70kg 15×70kg	12×88kg 12×88kg	10×97kg 10×97kg
Cable High Push Pull Cable Pulldown†	15×56kg 15×56kg	12×70kg 12×70kg	10×77kg 10×91kg‡	8×82kg 8×82kg
Weighted Swiss Ball Crunch	50	50×5kg	50×5kg
Twisting Crunch	50	100	100
Weighted Push-up		13×20kg	13×20kg	7×10kg
Kneeling Push-up		11

†: Using a nautilus machine with one cable attachment in each hand, kneeling on a swiss ball.
‡: Andy put up the weight without me noticing.

Full-body supersets

Supersets are Andy's favourite new manoeuvre, which he inflicted to 'get me back up to speed'.
They hurt. A lot. Though caning my biceps the day before probably didn't help.

Exercise	Warmup	Set 1	Set 2	Set 3
Dumbbell Bench Press Dumbbell Bent-over Row	12×8kg	12×14kg	10×20kg	8×24kg
Push-up†		8
Dumbbell Arnold Press	12×6kg	12×10kg	10×12kg	8×14kg(+16.7%)
Cable Twist‡ Cable Kneeling Crunch	15×20kg 30×20kg	12×25kg 24×30kg	10×30kg 20×40kg	8×35kg 16×50kg
Push-up		10	8
Kneeling Push-up				10

†: Balancing exercise, with hands on a 3kg medicine ball.
‡: Holding a cable attachment with both hands, arms straight out in front of chest (as opposed to the lever illustrated).

Supersets are market with a khaki-coloured bar to their left.

Back and biceps

It was far too sunny and pleasant a day on Saturday to spend two hours of mid-afternoon in the gym, so I missed this week's Wu Shu Kwan class. I made up for it on Sunday, though, by really hammering the weights:

Exercise	Warmup	Set 1	Set 2	Set 3
EZ Barbell Curl	12×10kg	12×20kg	10×25kg	8×30kg
Barbell Bent-over Row	12×25kg	12×35kg	10×40kg	8×45kg
Cable Straight Backed Seated Row	12×40kg	12×70kg	10×90kg	8×102.5kg
Cable Underhand Pulldown	12×28kg	12×42kg	10×49kg	8×56kg(+33%)
Dumbbell Hammer Curl	12×6kg	12×9kg	10×10kg	8×12kg
Sled Seated Calf Press	12×79kg	12×106kg	10×115kg	8×124kg(+27%)

I'm particularly pleased with being able to pull the entire stack, plus a 7.5kg topper on the seated cable row. It does mean I should drop that exercise, though, and go back to dumbbell rows. No pain, no gain.

I also had another go at caning my calves. I reckon they can cope with being trained twice a week; it's been a while since I've ended up hobbling around for three days after overtraining them.

Partnered training

If anyone's in any doubt as to how much difference training with a partner makes, have a lot at these stats from my session last night with Andy - the numbers in brackets after the third set are the percentage improvement over my previous PB:

Exercise	Warmup	Set 1	Set 2	Set 3
Smith Bench Press	12×27kg	12×47kg	10×57kg	8×62kg(+32%)
Dumbbell Arnold Press	12×5kg	12×7kg	10×9kg	8×12kg(+33%)
Decline Skullcrusher	12×15kg	12×25kg	10×30kg	8×35kg (+113%)
Chin-up		5	5	5
Incline Crunch		20	25	30

As you can tell, we really pushed ourselves, and each other. His exercise log shows a similarly impressive improvement.
Tonight, we're going to pummel our legs. Tomorrow I suspect will be a day of rest - I probably won't even be able to climb stairs.

Update: After some discussion, I'm going to count the smith machine bar as 7kg, not 18. Though means my lifts aren't as impressive, it means my gains are more so, so it's all good.

I know Kung Fu

This Saturday finally saw me recommence martial arts training, at the Fitness First on Seven Sisters Road. The bank holiday studio schedule had dropped their usual Saturday Wu Shu Kwan class, so I decided to try Andy's evil biceps workout. Quite punishing, really gets you pumped, recommended. I should be able to myself harder, as I still had energy at the end - so threw some hammer dumbbell curls to finish off. Stats:

Exercise	Warmup	Set 1	Set 2	Set 3
EZ Barbell Curl	12×10kg	12×20kg	10×25kg	5×30kg
Barbell Bent-over Row	12×15kg	12×25kg	10×35kg	8×45kg
Dumbbell Bent-over row	12×15kg	12×25kg	10×27.5kg	8×30kg
Cable Underhand Pulldown	12×21kg	12×28kg	10×35kg	8×42kg
Dumbbell Hammer Curl	12×6kg	12×8kg	10×9kg	8×10kg

As I was walking back to the changing room, I noticed some Wu Shu Kwan guys in the studio and asked if the class was just starting. They said yes, so I fell in and spent the next two hours falling somewhat short of keeping up with a class composed about three quarters of black belts.
Somewhat gratifyingly, after the class the instructor asked me which martial arts I'd done before since it was clear that I'd done something. He reiterated what I knew already - that my body needs to be retrained to be able to do what I remember being able to, and until it catches up, I risk overexerting and injuring myself; so should only train at 70% for the first six weeks or so. Despite knowing this already, I somehow managed to hurt my left index finger (I assume while sparring), and spent Sunday worrying that I'd fractured it. I'll take it easier next week.

I'm also going to avoid doing weights beforehand. Not that I think training biceps interfered with the class - punching uses your triceps - but because it meant I spent three hours in the gym, which makes something of a mockery of the Tom Venuto diet. I was ravenous when I left!

Injuries

It's been an accident-prone couple of days in the gym. Tuesday night was a yoga class and biceps / back. Which was fine, until just before I left, when I stumbled into an open footlocker door, which ripped into my tensed calf muscle, sideways. It still hurts, though thankfully, last night it proved no handicap to doing calf presses (new PB, 79kg).
Yoga does seem to leave me feeling relaxed, yet interfere with my balance. I guess they must hit stabiliser muscles in a way that I'm not - yet - used to, so after a decent class they're ready to give up.

Last night was triceps / chest. It started badly - I dropped a 18kg dumbbell while warming up for the bench press, and decided to ditch the exercise rather than risk damaging my shoulder. Must space arm workouts farther apart.
I realised I was probably too knackered for a serious workout, so decided it might be a good idea to experiment - with skullcrushers.
There are two versions of this exercise I've seen - one with a barbell; and one where you dangle a dumbbell vertically over your head, cupping the top plate under your hands, with your thumbs and forefingers circling the grip. The latter is more common, presumably because you can tweak the weight in smaller increments than if you're using a bar, and also because you don't have to worry so much about balance.
It does, however, have a certain disadvantage - namely that it's far too easy to misjudge the movement and smack yourself in the face with the lower plate. Won't be doing that again (hopefully).