Struggle City

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Today the struggle bus arrived in Struggle City.

Pushups:
20 Pushups

Plank:
~2 Minute Plank

Squat:
5 minutes staring unsurely at the barbell
5 reps with 30lbs
5 reps with 40lbs
5 reps with 45lb

Lateral pulldown:
12 reps with 55lbs
10 reps with 55lbs
10 reps with 55lbs

Bicep Curl:
8 reps, both sides, with 15lbs
2 sets of 5 reps (failure), again both sides, with 17.5lbs
10 reps with a 15lb bar

Inner thigh machine:
3 sets of 10 reps at 70lbs

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Plank:
~2 Minute Plank

Squat:
5 reps with 80lbs
5 reps with 80lbs
5 reps with 80lbs

Lateral pulldown:
10 reps with 70lbs
10 reps with 70lbs
10 reps with 70lbs

Might lower the weight, it didn't feel like I had good form.

Bicep Curl:
8 reps, both sides, with 15lbs
10 reps with a 15lb bar
extra reps with 12lbs for my left arm, because I was favoring it

Inner thigh machine:
3 sets of 10 reps at 70lbs

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Yesterday

Plank:
~1.5 Minute Plank

Back Squat:
3 sets of 5 reps @ either 125 or 135 lbs
I was not accounting for the bar's weight previously, and I don't remember if I increased by 10lbs yesterday. I might've.

Front Squat:
3 sets of 5 reps @ a humble 65lbs

Bench Press:
3 sets of 5 reps @ 65lbs
I might've done the last set with 85lbs. I'm not sure why my memory is so weak.

Bicep Curl:
8 reps, both sides, with 15lbs
10 reps with a 15lb bar
2 sets of 10 reps with a 12.5lb dumbbell, left side only

Calf Raises
3 sets of 12 reps with 17.5lb dumbells

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Lat pull down:
8 reps @ 85lbs
5 reps @ 85lbs
4 reps @ 85lbs
7 reps @ 70lbs

Couldn’t do 3x8 @ 85lbs. Next time I’ll do them all at 70.

Bicep Curls:
2x10 @ 12.5lbs
Couldn’t physically do the last rep with my left arm, so I used a 7.5lb (next lowest we have)

Squat:
3x5 @ 80lbs

Bench Press
3x5 @ 65lbs

Improvised Pendalay Row
2x5 @ 42lbs

Calf Raises
2x12 @ 20lbs

What I’m currently doing is insufficient to meet my goals. I will need to go to the regular gym at some point, track my eating, and do the other F5 exercises. As a complete newbie, I think I’m getting a better sense for what weights I should start with.

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Yesterday:
- 2 minute plank
- 20 pushups

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2 minutes of planks yesterday, and went ice skating for an hour and a half

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45 pushups
2 minutes of planks

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It’s finals week so I’ve been giving myself some slack, though in theory going to the gym is a good idea.

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Back Squat:
3x5 @ 125lbs

Pendalay Rows:
3x8 @ 50lbs

Gonna shoot for 60lbs next time. This was easy.

Bench Press:
3x5 @ 70lbs

Gonna shoot for better form next time at the same weight.

Bicep Curl (Dumbbell):
2x10 @ 12lbs
1x5 @ 5lbs

These are ****ing impossible and I don’t know why they give me so much trouble. I literally can’t use my arms halfway through the second set. Should I drop the weight? I’m 5’10” and weigh 180lbs. I feel insane not being able to curl 12lbs.

Leg raise machine:
3x8 @ 90lbs

I could barely walk afterwards.

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2 min plank
2 min banana
100 pushups

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Weight: 179.2lbs

Bench Press:
3x5 @ 80lbs

Pendalay Row:
3x8 @ 55lbs
5 reps @ 70lbs just to try it

60 seems like what I should do next time. I said that before, but this gym doesn’t have a 60lb bar. It has 50, 55, and 65 — but not 60.

Calf Raises:
2x15 @ 20lbs

Bicep Curls:
2x10 @ 10lbs

Might as well lower the curls if I couldn’t do it before.

Front Squats:
2x5 @ 75lbs
1x5 @ 85lbs

I had the weights wrong.

Overhead Press:
3x5 @ 20lbs (probably 20lbs? was unmarked)

Today was my time trying an overhead press.

Back Squat:
1x5 @ 125lbs
2x5 @ 130lbs

I want to increase my back squat — I’ve been doing 125lbs for a while now. 130lbs was noticeably harder than 125 today, but that might be because I a) did it at the end of my routine today, instead of at the start b) I didn’t eat enough before going to the gym or c) I had a weird night’s sleep.

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Calf Raises:
2x15 @ 24lbs

Bicep Curl:
2x10 @ 10lbs (Each side)

Pendalay Rows:
3x8 @ 65lbs

Overhead Press:
3x5 @ 25lbs

Face Pull:
3x10 @ 15lbs

First time. What’re the best type of handles for this? Mine were ropes.

Also, after doing it I realized the importance of setting the correct height.

Back Squat/Smith Machine:
1x5 @ 130lbs
2x5 @ 135lbs

I have to remember to start with my chest up.

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Pulldown
3x8 @ 70lbs

Smith Back Squat
3x5 @ 135lbs

Bicep Curl
2x10 @ 12.5lbs

Calf Raise
2x15 @ 20lbs

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Smith Back Squat:
3x5 @ 140lbs

Don’t think I got low enough until the third set.

Seated Row Machine:
2x10 @ 110lbs

Bicep Curl:
1x10 @ 12.5lbs

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Front Squat (Smith):
3x5 @ 90lbs

Bench Press (Smith)
3x5 @ 85lbs

Bicep Curls:
2x10 @ 15lbs

Calf Raises:
2x15 @ 40lbs (two twenties)