Balham Beast's Arms Race

[BalhamBeast]

I haven't logged my food the past few days and to be honest, I prefer it that way. It's very dull.
That aside, I have stuck to the keto diet really well. I miss sweet things, though. And carrots. I haven't carbed up yet - I haven't honestly felt any need to from a physical point of view. I may allow myself a cheat meal on the weekend of the 26th though as it will have been a month on the diet. I'll see how it goes.

[RyouBakua]

yeah, logging cutting food can get tedious

i usually cut out corn and carrots because of sugar

no wonder theyre the best ones

[BalhamBeast]

Saturday 19th January

I'm struggling to type here because my hands are cold! Yesterday the cold snap delivered some snow so we were sent home from school early. I guess I could have used that time to go to the gym but honestly, I felt too tired. When it comes to exercise I really am a morning person and it's hard to motivate myself to do anything even mid-afternoon. Anyway, I think I made up for it today.

I went to Artur's 8am circuit class (which wasn't as bad as the last two, but still pretty tiring) and met a fellow bb.com'er there, which was nice. After that I felt quite energized so I hoped on the treadmill for an incline walk but was bored stiff after two and a half minutes so I said screw it and went for a three mile walk in the snow instead. It's not deep snow and has melted into slush in places but wasn't that easy to walk in so it took me around an hour to do. It didn't feel too cold at first but either the temperature dropped or I just got tired because my hands were cold by the end despite gloves.

I did my weekly weigh in at the gym and have lost another pound. This finally takes me below 11 stone (and just below 70kg) to 10 stone 13, or 153lbs in American. I am impatient to lose more but it's typical for me to lose weight at this rate - I even did so when I tried the Velocity Diet, which was pretty tortuous.

One other thing I did today: I am a member of a chocolate tasting club and they send me boxes every three months (there are one and two month options as well but I went with the more moderate approach!). Next box was due in February but I have now delayed it until June (my birthday). The chocolates are expensive as well so my bank account will be as relieved as my waistline.

[BalhamBeast]

Sunday 20th January

Brrr, it won't get above -1 today but that's no excuse not to go to the gym. Especially as the gym is just around the corner.

Shoulders

Rear Delt Flyes

10kg x 20
12kg x 15
14kg x 12
6kg x 30

Military Press

2 x Bar (20kg) x 10 (shoulder was feeling gnarly. Needed an extra set to get some movement into it).
25kg x 10 (Unexpectedly hard. That circuit class yesterday must have fatigued me more than I thought).
30kg x 6
32.5kg x 5
35kg x 3 (Was going to knock out some reps rest-pause style but got to three and that was that. Going heavier seemed pointless).

Lateral Raises

6kg x 25
8kg x 15

Cable Giant Set

2 x

Rear Delt Cable Flyes: 5kg x 10
Lateral Raises: 2.5kg x 10 (per arm)
Front Raises: 2.5kg x 10 (per arm)
Single Arm Cable Upright Rows: 7.5kg x 10 (per arm)

Lateral Raises (Yes, more)

4kg x 40

About 45 minutes total. Then a 1 hour circuit class with the Polish lady instructor whose name I can't spell. She does a LOT of abs, which I didn't much like today as they were sore from Artur's class yesterday.

I realise I kind of suck at circuits - I am strong at some things but apparently I lack mobility and conditioning. I guess that's something I need to fix.

[BalhamBeast]

Monday 21st January

I felt a bit knackered after the last two days and didn't really feel like training at all but decided to make it simple and concentrate on form and ROM. Actually felt I stimulated the muscles a bit better this way.

Legs

Somersault Squats

Bar x 15
10kg x 10
12.5kg x 10
15kg x 8

It's weird with these - at first it seems easy but suddenly my legs don't want to work any more!

Superset: Leg Extensions/Box Jumps

20kg x 10/10
30kg x 10/10
40kg x 10/10

I went slow on the leg extensions (right knee was a bit sore) and gave them a good squeeze at the top. Found the box jumps very hard after that. I only used a low box (step and three risers) but I am terrible at jumping. Probably for the same reason as I am terrible at squatting: impaired hip flexion and dorsiflexion.

I felt during the extension that my left leg wasn't working as hard so decided to throw in a few sets of single leg extensions.

Single Leg Extensions

20kg x 5 (per leg)
15kg x 8 (per leg)
10kg x 8 (per leg)

Quite interesting - it appears that my left quad is either stronger or has more stamina than the right. I know my right knee is prone to hyperextending to the extent that my popliteus gets tight and I have to release it using a hockey ball or (if I'm in the gym) the edge of a dumbbell. Had to do that twice today, in fact.

Straddle Box Jumps

2 x 20

Much better at these than the forward box jumps but I got tired during the second set and had to stop briefly a couple of times before I could continue.

Leg Press

2 x 40kg x 10

Slow, deliberate reps bringing knees back as far as I could. Even with such a pitiful weight, they felt challenging done this way. I do them with feet at the bottom of the plate to place more emphasis on my quads.

Single Leg Curl

10kg x 10 (per leg)
15kg x 10 (per leg)

Again, using a much lower weight than normal but really squeezing my hams.

I think lighter and slower is the better way to go for me as far as legs are concerned. I have so many issues with my legs (knees, ankle, achilles, hips) that muscling through heavy workouts is not the smartest thing. Get them working properly first!

One really good bit of news is that I notice the thickening in my achilles is much less noticeable. I was told that it would be permanent, but apparently not. It's still slightly grumpy at times but I think it's definitely much improved. I will be happy to get back out running again once the snow melts (which it appears to be doing - just hoping it doesn't freeze over tonight and turn the pavements into an ice rink).

[BalhamBeast]

Tuesday 22nd January

Well, ugh. I woke up feeling not quite right this morning - it was like I had a food hangover or something. I don't know! I did eat quite a bit of cheese yesterday. (Oops). The dreaded monthly visitor is due very soon and I have the symptoms: loss of motivation, more aches and pains and a desire to eat everything that isn't nailed down. Whilst I have managed to stay away from carbs, I've still over-eaten the last two days and I don't imagine I will drop any weight this week. Then again, stranger things have happened.

I almost didn't go to the gym today. Initially I decided not to (because my lower back and shoulder were achey and my tummy felt dodgy) and had breakfast. I was hungry quite early for me so ended up having bacon and eggs around 9am. But after a bit I felt somewhat better and I got to the gym around 11.45am. I wasn't going to push it as it takes me an eternity to digest anything, let alone fats, but I felt I had to do something. I ended up doing a moderate back workout but avoided deadlifts (because of my back) and cleans (because my shoulder was sore from the cleans I did in circuit class on Sunday).

Upper Back

Rear Delt Flyes

10kg x 20
12kg x 15
14kg x 12
16kg x 10 <--- New weight!
6kg x 30 (Burn!)

Low Cable Rows

30kg x 15
35kg x 12
37.5kg x 10
40kg x 8

Inside of my left forearm felt a bit strange on the second to last set so I did the last set very carefully.

Meadows Rows

2 x 10kg x 10 (per arm)

Was a lot more aggressive on the second set and it felt easier than the first.

Body Rows (on Smith Machines)

10, 5, 3

Short rest between sets but even so I was surprised how quickly my reps dropped. I am just not good at these.

Face Pulls

10kg x 20
15kg x 10

And that was that.

[MaliaBot]

Be strong!! Ugh carbs will be the death of me for sure.

[BalhamBeast]

Well, now that the day has progressed, I realise that it's more than PMS. I'm getting sick with something. Probably a cold, but I definitely feel poorly. Ugh!

[BalhamBeast]

Well I seem to be beating this bug, whatever it is - I am tired but I feel better than yesterday. It didn't develop into a cold which is a bonus. But we'll see how I feel tomorrow. I spent an hour coaching netball in the freezing cold after school and am still cold now!

[Lou1se]

Sorry to hear you have been struggling with a possible cold. It looks to me that your body has been sending clear signals it needs a chance to recover. Nice work with the military presses! It does make sense to drop the weight and focus more on form and concentrate on certain moves within the exercise. i get guilty of always pushing heavy, it's nice to go back and enjoy feeling the muscles work.

Sorry to hear about your folks, that would be hard, if only we could all avoid getting old lol Have to make the most of it!

Well done on getting to the gym early in the morning, the cold is awful...I like my nights, some badass people come in then, kinda spurs you on when you start getting tired. Have a lovely weekend BB!

[BalhamBeast]

Saturday 26th January

So I've been on this diet for four weeks now and although I didn't weigh myself today (I didn't have change for the scale I use at the gym) I'm pretty sure I didn't lose anything last week. I might even have gained because I feel quite bloated. I think I overate last weekend even if I was avoiding carbs, and that, plus PMS, has left me feeling a bit blobby.

Anyway, I decided today I would carb up. I hadn't had a carb-up yet and although energy levels were OK, I wasn't feeling too sparky.

Circuit training (lovely Artur's class) left me feeling knackered so I figure I'm due for one. Circuits are a pretty effective depletion workout anyway.

I must admit I've been concerned about bloating from carbs and also getting a binge reaction to the sugars so I decided my carbs would come from starchy veggies and some fruits. I have been missing carrots so I bought three nice ones and ate those after I got back from shopping (I had a whey protein shake with coconut milk after the gym). Then for my usual late lunch I had the lettuce/cabbage salad I usually have, but with vinegar only (no oil), tomatoes, some broccoli, turkey mince and a sweet potato. I chose sweet over regular because they soft and moist enough without butter.
A bit later I had an apple and later on I will have some dried apricots, blueberries and a few nuts. The apricots are mainly there to get my sluggish intestine to move. That's another reason I'm bloated.

Right now my stomach feels like a football! But it's nice to have some different veggies for a change!

[BalhamBeast]

I also ate some chocolate salted caramels that someone gave me for Christmas. That's my confession for the day. I should be nicely carbed up for the next couple of weeks, though!

Now to get myself back into ketosis...

[BalhamBeast]

Sunday 27th January

Started my diet one month today. Plan was to do some weights when the gym opened at 7.30am and then do the circuit class at 9am. Ambitious? Well I did it last week.

Problem was, Artur had left me feeling so beaten up after yesterday I couldn't face it. That and the dodgy stomach from my carb-up plus a really crap night's sleep and I just wasn't up for much at all. In the end I went for a run. I'd wanted to do that anyway at some point because last week's snow has melted and it's much warmer (warm being a relative term here...) if a bit wet. Did just over three miles, most of which was in the rain. It started when I was about a mile in and carried on for about 15 minutes. Oddly, I felt quite exhilirated by it. It wasn't too cold and aside from making my right eye sting like hell (I guess the rain washed some of my moisturiser in there or something) I rather enjoyed it. Then I went home and watched Murray lose to Djokovic in the Australian Open.

Food-wise I had some bacon and eggs around 10.30am and then turkey mince with veggies later. I may eat again if I'm hungry later, I may not. For now I'm OK.

In the past I've always struggled with getting on back after a carb-up or cheat day but today hasn't been a problem. I think the trick is just to have enough carb foods or cheat foods for one day so the temptation is not to keep going. As it is, I don't feel like keeping going, even with the chocolate I had last night. That's an incredibly positive step for me as I struggled with binge eating in the past.

[RyouBakua]

looks like youre doing pretty good on the diet front


i try my best to banish bad food from the house but they always seem to sneak their way in

[BalhamBeast]

That's one advantage to being single and living alone (well, that and the peace and quiet!) I don't have anyone else's naughty food to derail myself with. It's all down to me.

[BalhamBeast]

Monday 28th January

Back to weights again. Shoulder (left) really didn't appreciate the circuit class on Saturday - push-ups seem to bother it a fair bit (push-ups really didn't bother the right one even when it was giving me hell, so I guess it's a different sort of problem). I trained them anyway but was a little more careful. I am having to avoid training chest, for the most part, but aside from a love of benching it's fine because my pecs grow very easily whereas shoulders and arms are stubborn.

Shoulders and Arms

Rear Delt Flye

10kg x 20
12kg x 15
14kg x 12
16kg x 10 (this is, admittedly, a struggle)
6kg x 40

Lateral Raises

6kg x 25
8kg x 15
10kg x 10

You know, I think I may have tried 12kg but I can't actually remember. Senior moment!

Military Press

Bar x 10
25kg x 10
30kg x 6 (felt quite heavy so didn't push for 10 reps)
35kg x 3 (skipped 32.5kg)
40kg x 2 (skipped 37.5kg. Very pleased with two reps at this weight. I have done it before, but not in a long while and certainly not when injured).

Delt Cable Meltdown

Went like this: lateral right, lateral left, front right, front left. No break.

#1
Single Arm Lateral Raise: 2.5kg x 12 (per arm)
Single Arm Front Raise: 2.5kg x 12 (per arm)

#2
Single Arm Lateral Raise: 3.75kg x 10 (per arm)
Single Arm Front Raise: 3.75kg x 10 (per arm)

The jump from 2.5kg to 5kg was too big so I hung a 1.25kg plate off the pin for the second set.

Rear Cable Delt Flye (reverse cable crossover)

5kg x 10
5kg x 8

Note that 5kg is the weight on each stack, not the total.

I don't think I've managed to add weight to these yet although I have got stricter. It's challenging enough without going heavier. Funny that I struggle with these and I'm a beast at rear delt flyes with dumbbells.

Barbell Curls

You know, I can't remember the last time I did these. Must be donkey's years ago. I almost always use dumbbells. However, I felt like a change, and the squat rack was free.

Bar x 10 (Bar = 20kg Oly Bar)
22.5kg x 8
25kg x 5

These challenged me, which means I need to stick with them. My biceps pretty much suck so maybe this is the exercise I should be doing.

Tricep Rope Pushdown, Strip Sets

20kg > 15kg > 10kg >5kg

#1 - 30 reps total, 10 reps on 20kg
#2 - 25 reps total, 8 reps on 20kg

Ouch.

I had considered doing more arms but honestly, this felt like enough today.

[IdaVictoria]

Good luck on your cut! Any specific reason for why youre doing it keto-style though? I remember I used to feel like utter crap on it.. If it works for you thats great though!

[BalhamBeast]

I always do better on low carb. I've actually felt pretty good on keto thus far. I did the Velocity Diet (protein shakes only apart from one solid meal a week) and felt like death on that - I guess the fats on keto really help. It's bearable as well - there are foods I miss but knowing I can have them for a carb-up really helps.

[BalhamBeast]

Tuesday 29th January

This time next month it'll be March!

I had a crap night's sleep. I woke up once to pee, which is normal, but then I woke up around 4.30am and whilst my eyes and body felt tired, my brain was wide awake. So I got up and got on with my day. I guess six hour's sleep is not condusive to good recovery but eh, what can you do? Also, Aunt Flo is late (nothing new there, I've been completely irregular for the last couple of years which, I guess, is a function of my age) and I feel really fat. I didn't even eat any carbs yesterday other than some broccoli and a big lettuce and cabbage salad. Mmph.

Anyway, after a lot of coffee I went to the gym to do legs. There was a girl there actually lifting properly - deadlifts, squats, pull-ups. I nearly died of shock. Actually I was more embarrassed for myself as I have to train pretty light when it comes to legs but that's that. I learned a long time ago to check my ego at the door.

Legs

Somersault Squats

Bar x 12
10kg x 10
12.5kg x 10
15kg x 8

I actually had to grunt aggressively to get the last couple of reps on the last two sets. Good job I was on my own at that point. Didn't sound pretty.

Leg Extensions

20kg x 10
30kg x 10
40kg x 10
50kg x 10 (made this a strip set so went back down, 40, 30, 20. Didn't count total reps this time).

Reps (other than the strip set reps) were slow and careful. Legs felt wobbly after.

Bulgarian Split Squats

8 x 20kg (10kg DBs in each hand)
2 x 10 bodyweight only

Couldn't find the body bar to do overhead BSS so used the dumbbells first set. Although 10kg DBs aren't heavy, they were perhaps a bit too heavy for these. I was able to control the movement better and squeeze my glutes more without any weight.

Leg Press

40kg x 12
60kg x 10
80kg x 8

Grief! It's amazing how doing a full ROM (knees to chest) makes these so much harder. It wasn't long ago that I was using 80kg as my warm-up set and progressing up to 4 or 5 plates a side. However, my ROM was very short. This is definitely a better way to go even if the weight is rather embarrassing. Felt like bloody hard work.

Single Leg Curls

10kg x 10 per leg
20kg x 10 per leg

Explosive on the way up, slow on the way down. My popliteus is giving me grief so I have to be super careful not to hyperextend my right knee (I have hypermobile knees - they bend backwards and I have a nasty tendency to stand like that which is why my popliteus tries to lock up and I have to get in there with the end of a dumbbell or a hockey ball to release it. Doesn't hurt but it's annoying).

Straight Leg Deadlift

2 x 6 x 60kg

Single Leg Hip Thrusts (foot on a box)

2 x 10 per leg (no rest between sets).

Fin.

[RyouBakua]

looks like a ton of volume in that shoulder workout

That's one advantage to being single and living alone (well, that and the peace and quiet!) I don't have anyone else's naughty food to derail myself with. It's all down to me.

thats true. its a double edge sword.

its not doing me any favours but i know id miss it if it was gone

[BalhamBeast]

School day today and dear god my bum is sore! Those Bulgarian Split Squats kick ass in a very literal sense.

Also, after the Saturday carbs I am back in ketosis (only light pink, but still, pink).

I am going ultra strict for the next couple of days to see what happens. Fingers crossed for a new weight on the scales on Saturday.

[IdaVictoria]

I always do better on low carb. I've actually felt pretty good on keto thus far. I did the Velocity Diet (protein shakes only apart from one solid meal a week) and felt like death on that - I guess the fats on keto really help. It's bearable as well - there are foods I miss but knowing I can have them for a carb-up really helps.

Ahh, I might be forced to do the velocity diet myself now, purely for financial reasons. Damn you, chrismtas! :P I guess you always want what you cant have, im doing good ol' lowcal diet right, taking in carbs like there was no tomorrow and staying away from the fats and I swear ive never missed cheese so much. Ended up hating cheese after a few bouts with keto, however. Btw, we're the same height, weight (almost 2lbs +/-) and we also have the same waist measurement. Race you to 138lbs?

[BalhamBeast]

You're on.

[BalhamBeast]

Saturday 2nd February

I was very strict the last three days. On Thursday and Friday I semi-IF'd - I had Bulletproof Coffee around 6am before work and then didn't eat until lunch time. Kept intake low and was expecting to see a drop on the scales this weekend. However, I STILL weight 153lbs! This was after a very tough circuit class (feeling very depleted) so I feel a bit discouraged. (The two low calorie days were really just to shock my body and I don't intend to do that every day for obvious reasons - I'm not an idiot. At least, I hope not!) It could be that I am holding water, I don't know.

Anyway, I have decided not to carb up today. I didn't buy any treats while out shopping (that's to say cheese or cream or any carbs) unless you count a jar of olives.

[BalhamBeast]

Sunday 3rd February

This morning was one of those rare mornings where I didn't want to get out of bed. Normally I'm all "bored of sleeping now - is it time to get up?" (and I often do if it's after 4am). But not so much today. Think I hauled my carcass out around 6.30am which is what constitutes sleeping in. After a warmer week it's got quite cold again, so there's that.

Anyway, I didn't feel great and didn't really feel like running at all, which my first plan for today. Went anyway and ended up running much further than I'd planned. I thought I might shuffle around my usual 3 and a bit mile circuit but when it came to the point where I could choose to turn right, back down my road, to home, or left, for another half-lap of the common, I went left. And funny thing was that it felt OK. I ended up running about 5 miles. Considering I only started again at the end of December, that's pretty decent. My body is obviously able to run off fats pretty well. I am contemplating doing a 10K a lot more seriously than I was a month ago.

Am contemplating the gym later, but it's busy on Sundays unless you hit it before 10am so I'm going to have a bath and see how I feel.

[IdaVictoria]

You're on.

Awesome ;D Lets go!

[BalhamBeast]

So I didn't get to the gym. I realised how physically tired I was after that and decided to make a start on my school reports. Next half of term is going to be crazy busy with a swimming gala to organise, reports, parents' evening, a Saturday open day and a netball tournament. More I get done now, the better.

I am giving serious consideration to entering a 10K on the 3rd March but I wonder if it's too soon. I'm sure I can get the distance but whether I should is another matter. I've only been back running a month...

[BalhamBeast]

Monday 4th February

Yesterday I was feeling frustrated because, not only had my weight not changed since 19th January but my hips and waist were the same measurement as well. Today I measured again and have lost half an inch off each! I was eager to get to the gym and weigh myself to see if I'd had a whoosh. Did my workout, then hopped on the scale. SAME goddam weight! Argh! I'm hoping it's just a hormonal thing (time of the month and all that) and I'll be lighter next weekend. Anyway...

Shoulders/Arms

Rear Delt Flyes

12kg x 20
14kg x 12
16kg x 10 (bit of a struggle!)
6kg x 30

I usually start on the 10s but one was missing (turns out it had rolled right under the weight rack and I couldn't see it. Never mind) so I went straight for the 12s. It was fine.

Military Press

Bar x 12
25kg x 10
30kg x 5
35kg x 3
40kg x 2
42.5kg - FAIL (I've done this before but I guess it was too much to hope for being so carb depleted and all that).
30kg x 8

Lateral Raises

6kg x 30
8kg x 20
10kg x 10

Superset: Rear Delt Cable Flyes/Cable Crossover

5kg x 10/10kg x 10 (10kg felt a bit too heavy for the crossovers)
5kg x 10/7.5kg x 10 (and that felt a bit too light! Can't win!)

Weights are per stack.

Single Arm Cable Laterals

2.5kg x 10
3.75kg x 10
5kg x 10 (bit of a struggle that, and right shoulder didn't like it much).

Cable Front Raises

2.5kg x 10
3.75kg x 10

Superset: Tricep Cable Pressdown (Breakdowns)/Barbell Curls

#1 20kg > 15kg > 10kg > 5kg (30 reps total; 8 on heaviest weight) / 20kg x 10

#2 20kg > 15kg > 10kg > 5kg (30 reps total; 6 on heaviest weight) / 22.5kg > 20kg (15 reps total, 5 on heaviest weight. Obviously the time I spent stripping the plates off allowed my biceps to recover enough to get another 10 reps with just the bar).

So that was that. Then after the disappointment of weighing myself, I went home, had a coffee and then thought what the hell, it's a nice day (well, it's mild and sort of sunny) so I went for another run.

Run: 3.5m (approx).

Felt harder than yesterdays but then I'm really depleted. (Why am I so fracking heavy?!!)

[BalhamBeast]

Tuesday 5th February

A bit of a crappy workout today - I just wasn't feeling. Energy levels were not good and I admit I struggled. I guess we all have days like this; more so when in a caloric deficit.

Legs

Somersault Squats

Bar x 12
10kg x 10
12.5kg x 10
15kg x 10 (+2)
17.5kg x 5 <--- New weight today. Ran out of steam on these.

Leg Extensions

20kg x 10
30kg x 10
40kg x 10
50kg x 10

These seemed extra hard today. Legs were very wibbly wobbly afterwards.

Leg Press

40kg x 10
60kg x 10
80kg x 5 <--- Just completely ran out of steam.

I do these slow, max ROM (I have tricky hops so I'm working on the mobility, hence lower weights than I used to use, but much bigger ROM), no lock-out. My legs just failed me today. Perhaps it's the running? I don't know. I have an issue with the back of my knee locking up which I think is related to my popliteus. It used to be just the right one but now the left is doing it as well! Rolling it on a hockey ball or even the end of a dumbbell fixes it up but it keeps doing it. Not painful but very annoying.

Box Squat

2 x Bar x 10
30kg x 10

Just working my form today. It was surprisingly tiring. The weight wasn't heavy at all but the actual effort of doing the squatting movement knackered me out. Wanted to lie down afterwards (and why I stopped at 30kg, for that matter).

Single Leg Hip Thrusts

Foot on a bench for these.

20 reps per leg, one set each.

And I was done.

[BalhamBeast]

Saturday 9th February

Some good news finally! Came down with a sore throat (that's not the good news, obviously) and decided to skip circuits and just do some steady work in the gym. Shoulders mostly. I did notice, in my dodgy bathroom mirror, that I was starting to shape up a bit. I lose weight from the top down so whilst my hip and waist measurements haven't changed much, I'm starting to see shadows of upper abs and delt separations.

Shoulders and Arms

Rear Delt Flyes

10kg x 25
12kg x 15
14kg x 10 > 5 > 5 > 5 > 5

Last set was a kind of rest pause deal so I did 10 reps, paused 5 seconds (well, I counted to five), did another five and so on. Only exception was I got up to tell some guy to put his plates away because he left a fully loaded bar on the power rack and started to walk out the door. Not on my watch you don't, Mister! So that was more than 5 seconds. (He did put his weights away though).

Anyway, I wanted the rack next for millies.

Military Press

Bar x 10
25kg x 10
30kg x 5
35kg x 5
40kg x 1
42.5kg x 1 (ish...there was a little knee bend)

Anyway, decided to move to push press.

Push Press

45kg x 1
47.5kg x 1
50kg - FAIL

I haven't push pressed in about, uh, four years and I never got 50kg even when I was doing it more often, so I wasn't disappointed but I know it's probably psychological. I'm also sick and I haven't had any carbs for three days, so there's that.

Lateral Raises

6kg x 20
8kg x 15
10kg x 10

Left shoulder was hurting a bit. Left shoulder is the reason there's no chest workouts in my log, but fortunately my pecs are very responsive whereas my arms and shoulders are not.

Superset: Tricep Rope Pushdowns (Strip Sets)/Barbell Curls

2 x

20kg > 15kg >10kg > 5kg (only 6 reps at 20kg on each set, and 25 reps total)/.
20kg x 8 (curls)

I rather suck today. I notice strength in terms of weights isn't down much but I just can't do as many reps.

Single Arm Cable Tricep Extension

10kg x 8 per arm
7.5kg x 8 per arm
5kg x 12 per arm

No rest at all - going from one arm to the other.

So I decided to weigh. Unfortunately, of my gym's two scales, one gives wildly inaccurate readings (it keeps telling me I'm a stone lighter than I am) whilst the other has a jammed coin slot. So I walked to Boots the Chemist and weighed myself there.

New weight, after a three week stall, is 10 stone 11lbs (151lbs or 68.6kg). Well thank goodness for that.

I shall now eat today's carb-up with a clean conscience.