Lifting for 4-4-9

You know, I like getting up early. I just hate getting up early when I can’t fall asleep adequately the night before.

NROL, Fat Loss I
Day A, Workout VII

Rest: 60 sec between exercises

Alternating Sets
BB Squat: 12, 12, 12 @ 145 lbs
BB Bent-over Row: 12, 11, 10 @ 100 lbs

Alternating Sets
Supine Hip Extension: 3×12 @ BW
DB Push Press: 3×12 @ 35 lbs

Alternating Sets
Rotational Lunge: 3×12 @ 10 lbs (+10 lbs)
Swiss Ball Crunch: 3×15 @ 25 lbs (+10 lbs)

Metabolic Overdrive: 3 rounds on elliptical (1 minute hard, 2 minutes recovery)

I got myself through the squats by telling myself, “I’ll just leave it at the same weight when the rep range/rest periods drop. Gotta lie to yourself sometimes to push yourself. I’ll man-up and increase to 155 lbs. As long as I focus one repetition at a time, I’ll be okay. I checked my logs and last time I did the 3×10/45 second rest segment, I was using only 135 lbs. So, doing the same program with 20 lbs more is an improvement. :: nods ::

I’ll increase the rows anyway. I’ll be using the heaviest preloaded barbell, at 110 lbs. The book says to be doing cable rows, probably to avoid lower back fatigue. But, I seriously hate risking losing a piece of equipment. Better to just grab freeweights. It’s valid substitution, as I’m technically making things harder for myself. I’ll probably use t-bar rows for Fat Loss II.

People kept grabbing my balls. …:: laughs :: Swiss balls, I mean. I’m not looking forward to the weight increase. Pushing things overhead metabolically really winds you very suddenly at the end of the rep range.

My right foot kept trying to turn outward when I lunged with my left food. I’ve known that my right hip externally rotates way more than my left hip externally rotations. The byproduct of this is that when I sleep, both my feet tend to turn to the right. I’ve been consciously trying to get them to both lead to the left. If I’m on my back, of course. Having been trying to do this the past couple nights, my right ankle’s feeling a lot better.

Only two more workouts of this day until I move to a harder phase.

The elliptical I used today actually felt just right. I could push myself hard with my arms without my legs feeling like they’d fly off the machine. Sure, it burned to keep up, but that’s kind of the point.

It feels pretty good that I’ve made a plan and am following through. Speaking of which, I’m almost feeling a letdown having finished my paper and presentation. I try to remind myself, “You DESERVE to celebrate!” I think soon enough my eyes will have to be forward on the next tasks at hand.