Exerbabble for 10-30-6

I limped into the gym, because it’s International Bench Day. Benching doesn’t use your legs unless you use it as a hamstring exercise. Amazingly, I think I was limping less when I walked out. I’m convinced getting the blood moving helps the entire body. Today’s Workout:

Close-Grip BB Incline Press:
5 @ 45 lbs
5×6 @ 85 lbs (+1 rep for all sets)

Single-Arm DB Row:
5 @ 15 lbs
5×5 @ 50 lbs (+5 lbs, PR)

DB Bench Press:
5 @ 50 lbs
5 @ 45 lbs
5 @ 45 lbs
5 @ 45 lbs
4* @ 45 lbs

Ab Rollout:
5×5 @ BW (from knees)

Shoulder Accessory Superset
Reverse Fly: 3×10 @ 10 lbs
Cuban Rotation: 8, 7, 6 @ 40 lbs

current bodyweight: 155.8 (-.2 lb, weekly average of 155.35 lbs)

Rather than start at 95 lbs for close-grips, I just did 85 for 6 reps instead of 5. It’s a pain putting four dimes on a bar in the middle of a set. I’ll start with 95 lbs next time.

I spanked those rows. Because I started at a lower weight, my form was just right. Body stable, controlled pull to the shoulder, pretend the elbow is being pulled up by a string.

I took one look at the barbell bench I typically use, and realized I had no desire to put myself in that situation. I just don’t feel comfortable being under a barbell right now. So I switched to dumbbells, because I can push it a little more without fear of dying. I just checked my logs from last June, and I apparently have lost a little bit of strength. Records show

DB Bench Press: 6, 6, 5 @ 50 lb; 5, 4 @ 45 lb

on June 27th. Don’t know what to say. It could just be a stabilizer weakness. I wasn’t expecting to row more than I bench. I lowered the weight to 45 lbs because I was struggling too much just to keep my arms steady. Fifth set, I went for that fifth rep, and hit failure halfway up. Not a problem – I’ll get it next time.

Paired reverse flies with cuban rotations, because it seriously doesn’t take much time to do either. I mean, my rest periods were maybe 60 seconds, no longer than 90. I did a third set for the same reason. I’ll have to check up on reverse fly form, I’m not sure how much elbow bend is allowed. I admit I was doing a bit of a power reverse fly. Overloads the muscle, but it’s better to use proper form, than just getting the weight up in any way possible. Felt stronger in cubans. I think I’m going to always add a shoulder health component to whatever program I’m in.

As for my ankle, I decided to just try to walk as normally as possible. If I can walk with 50 dumbbells in each hand, there’s obviously nothing seriously wrong with my ankle. That’s 255 lbs of force right on the ankle, and I didn’t really feel anything. I can rotate medially just fine. I had issues rotating laterally yesterday, but now it just feels like a tightness on the medial side when I rotate laterally. This is getting better, not worse, and I think it’ll just go away within a day or three.

Adjustments: Bump inclines to 95 lbs, and stick with it, even if reps drop to 4 or 3. Bump rows to 55 lbs, and prepare to push for each rep. Keep DB bench at 45 lbs, and try to have an upper rep range of 6. Look up reverse fly form, and execute with 8 lb DBs if necessary.