Fit On Tracker: Progress Report 6

Workout Date:  Monday, August 20, 2012

Time: 7:00-9:30 pm

Warm Up: Full body stretches

Target Areas:

Chest

Machine Used: Fly—I followed my suggestion from last entry and performed 2@30 and 1@50.

Analysis:  I definitely did not feel as much discomfort and pain as when I did 3@50.  I will stay 2@30 and 1@50 until I really get comfortable with this machine.  Another adjustment I may make is to play around with the width of the levers.  However, I’m afraid that if I adjust the span too low I won’t have the major benefit that I need to have with the machine.  I will only play with that if necessary, but for now, I’ll just manipulate the weights accordingly.

Back

Row (Seated):  I performed 2@40, then challenged myself to do 1@55. 

Analysis:  Doing 1@55 wasn’t bothersome, but by the time I got to the last 3, I started to feel the challenge.  I will keep it on this set up for right now.  I’m where I need to be with the resistance for the time being.

Shoulders

Machine Used: Rear Deltoid—This is another machine I feel awkwardness with.  I did 2@30 and 1@50.

Analysis:  I thought about doing 2@50, but even cranking out 1 at that weight caused a bit of burn.  I’m not going to push my luck.  I just have to be accepting that my shoulders and chest need to build up strength at a slower pace than the rest of the body.

Alteration:  My body seems to have a harder time when I am doing the Rear Deltoid exercises and the Seated Row exercises in the same setting.  What I may end up doing temporarily is to do lat pulldown (close, wide) along with rear deltoid and seated row with overhead press. 

Biceps

Machine Used: Arm Curl (no bar)—I was able to do 2@30/1@50. 

Analysis: I am developing comfort on this machine doing 30lb. Curls.  For next setting I may either stay put or perform 1@30 and 2@50. 

Triceps

Machine Used: Arm Extension—I was able to do 2@40 and 1@55. 

Analysis:  For right now, I will stay put.  The 40 and 55 are levels I can handle with burn, but not a whole lot of pain.

Legs

Because it was so crowded in this area, I ended up working out on one extra machine while waiting on the other one.  I did 3 machines:  Leg Press, Hip Abductor, and Leg Extension.

Leg Press—I was feeling ambitious.  I was going to go for 2@70 and 1@90, but tried 1@70 and 2@90.  My legs seemed willing, but I am going to give it another week before maintaining it at the higher resistance. 

Leg Extension—I did 2@30/1@50.

Analysis:  I am feeling a bit more at ease with the 30lb. Weights.  It may be time to just do 1@30 and 2@50.  Perhaps to see if I’m ready to handle 70, I may break down the next set into 1@30, 1@50, and 1@70.  If not overly painful, I will implement; if not, I will hold off.

Hip Abductor—I did 2@90/1@110.

Analysis:  I’m getting adjusted to the 90.  I will stay put here and probably in a week, adjust it to 1@90 and 2@110. 

Abdominals

Machine Used: Ab Crunch (ab row): I performed 2@30 and 1@40. 

Analysis: I noticed this machine is in increments of 10, not 15 like the others. 

Lower Back Extension:  I did 1@30, 2@50.

Analysis:  The 30lb. Weights are starting to feel too easy.  I will adjust 2@50 and introduce 70lb. Weights in the next setting.

Additional Machines Used:

Torso Twister/Rotation (for working the love handles)—For each side, I did 2@70, 1@90.  The 70lb. Weights are getting easier but not enough to where I want to alternate it to the higher weight.  Not just yet; I’m going to give it another week and see what happens.

Ab Coaster: Did 3@12 for front, left, and right.  Maintained 40lb. Weights.

Side Note: Was going to do the Glute instead but it was occupied, so I passed.

Cardio/Cool Down

Arc Trainer/Cross Trainer (Quick Start)—I was able to perform 3 minutes.

Treadmill—I did 35 minutes on the treadmill (includes 5 for the cool down).  I opted for the Quick Start option.  The highest incline I achieved was 1.5 and highest speed was 3.2mph (which I did for the last 5 minutes before the cooldown).  My lower body definitely felt the burn.

After my workout, I definitely welcomed the Hydromassage bed.  I have to ask them if a person can use the bed for an additional 10 minutes, provided no one else is waiting on it.  I definitely felt like I could have used 20 minutes.

Side Notes:

I guess my body has to be in the mood to do the cross trainer.  Before, I was able to do the 5 minutes.  I initially wanted to do the bike, but all of the bikes were in use. 

Initially, I was frustrated, but I have to remind myself that besides the bike and the treadmill, none of the other machines I had ever been on previously in life.  I had to tell myself for someone who was just starting out, I was doing rather well and to applaud myself for having the discipline to go the gym, even on days which are more uncomfortable than most.

What I mean by “uncomfortable” is that I really don’t like it when the gym is overly crowded.  First, there’s an increased chance you have to wait on a machine.  Second, there are some people who are doing more talking than working out, and you can’t tell whether they are going to continue on the machine or not.  Plus, it’s too tempting to try to compare your success with someone else’s.  Like, seeing someone perform on a machine with ease, and it’s a machine you constantly struggle with…that sort of thing.

I just have to keep reminding myself that it’s unrealistic to compare myself to someone who looks like they could be on the cover of Muscle & Fitness.

I’ve concluded that Wednesday is Women’s Day, since there are more women than men in the gym (from what I’ve noticed) and Tuesday is Bodybuilders’ Day—they monopolize the gym.  Now that I’ve been here on Monday, I guess Monday must be Boot Camp Day, for there were trainers from Boot Camps in with others to do work outs, but most of them cleared out by 8:30.

In the articles I read, I didn’t initially understand why a lot of them stated that between 4-8pm on the weekdays is the worst time to work out in the gym.  It does start to make sense now. 

I will expand more on my thoughts in a separate entry, since I want the Fitness Progress Reports to mainly focus on the results of my workouts.

Peace.