8 exercises in a 10, 9, 8…reps per set inverted pyramid circuit.
Squat/Curl/Press combo (25 lbs)
Pushups
Vertical Leg Crunches
Side Plank Lifts (left)
Side Plank Lifts (right)
Hip Thrust with 5-count pulse (25lbs)
Bench Dips
Inverted Rows
Notes:
Not a bad workout. I know I’ve gauged it right when the last rep of each exercise is as hard as the last rep in the previous circuit, even though it’s one rep less. At least until you get down to the 3, 2, 1 stage, anyway, where it starts to feel like a nice dynamic cool-down. Did a quick, gentle hang-test to see how the left arm was doing, and got told in no uncertain terms that it’s recovering, but not ready for free-hangs yet. So I nixed the hanging leg raises I had planned and replaced them with the crunches. Worked on keeping an obtuse wrist angle and getting better at fist pushups during that exercise, as well.
Today was a short, light workout focusing on abs and ass because, quite frankly, that’s all I’ve got left that’s not injured. Luckily, whatever I did to my left tricep Monday seems to be fleeting. I tested it out today with a bit of yoga and a few pushups and it seemed sore but functional. So booyah. That’s one injury that hopefully won’t be a long-term thing. Also working on my hand positions for the pushups. I think the problem I’m having with my wrists is less the weight on the heel of the hand where the meridian nerve crosses and more that I tend to be hyperflexing the wrist (hands too far back) and over stretching it. They felt better further forward, so that’s something I’ll have to keep an eye on. We’ll see if this adjustment makes a long-term difference.
7 exercise circuit (8 if you count both one-arm swings) in 10, 9, 8…rep inverted pyramid sets.
Curl and Press (two handed – 25 lbs)
One Arm Kettlebell Swings (25 lbs)
Goblet Squat (25 lbs)
Hip Thrust (25 lbs with 5 sec hold at top)
Tricep Dips
3-point Hanging Bent Leg Raise (straight, right oblique, left oblique = 1 rep)
Pullups (foot assist up, free negative)
Notes:
Holy fucking crap this was a miserable workout. Just one of those days when I had no oomph, no power and no “feeling” for the exercises. So it ended up being one miserable, hateful slog that I almost gave up on after the first circuit. But I stuck it out, even if I did have to grit my teeth every damn minute of it. On top of that, I’m desperately hoping that outright disturbing shooting pain along my left tricep turns out to be a spasm or just a twinge from a poorly-gripped hang instead of an injured tendon, because goddamn it, the left arm is the only uninjured appendage I have left. Icing it at the moment, even though it’s not overtly sore. We’ll see.
Part of the problem is that I’m really pushing the limits of DIY/McGyvered equipment trying to challenge myself with what I’ve got, so I’m doing more and more things that are forcing me into crappy form and potential injury just to keep up with my physical improvement. And since I can’t do anything jumpy or lungey, I’m losing a lot of cardio endurance, which isn’t helping. I really need to get some better equipment or find a way to afford a gym membership and the gas to use it, or I’m gonna hit a wall and end up hurting myself trying to feel it.
Yes. Another pyramid. But this one is almost two workouts in one, because I got the wild hair up my ass to see if I could modify the Hot Girls Sweat 17 exercise circuit (originally designed to be gone through once, in 50 sec intervals) into a pyramid workout (taking out the jumpy/lungey/other things I can’t do and subbing a few exercises back in to hit those muscle groups). Here’s what I came up with:
13 exercises (17 if you could both sides of unilateral exercises) in a 10 reps, 9 reps, 8 reps, and so on inverted pyramid circuit.
T-Pushups
One-Arm Kettlebell Swings (25lbs) R
One-Arm Kettlebell Swings (25lbs) L
One-Arm Bent Over Rows (45lbs) L
One-Arm Bent Over Rows (45lbs) R
Sumo Squat/Leg Lift combo (L+R lifts +2 squats = 1 rep)
Pushups
Woodchoppers (20lbs) L
Woodchoppers (20lbs) R
Squat and Press (20lbs)
Elevated Pushups
Tricep Dips
Side Plank Lifts L
Side Plank Lifts R
Reverse Crunch (Butt-Lifts)
Inverted Rows
Sumo Deadlift (45lbs)
Notes:
This beast of a workout took me almost 2 hours, counting warmup and cooldown. As I told the hubby, I’m gratified to discover that I could, indeed, complete this workout. And equally gratified to know I have absolutely no reason to do it again.
So, over on Fit I’ve literally put my ass on the line in two separate ways.
1. I’ve joined the 40″+ Butt group (my official measurement is 46.5), which requires photographic proof. Purely for verification, of course. nudgenudgewinkwink
2. Another group I’m in has an Epic Ass Quest challenge coming up, a prerequisite for which is before and after pics.
So, la, I’ve spent the last few days taking photos of my butt with my laptop camera and posting them for the whole world (or at least this part of it) to see. So I figured, what the hell. I’ll post them here, too.
10, 9, 8… inverted pyramid, 9 exercises per round.
Curl and Press (10 lbs each hand)
Chest Flies (on yoga ball, 10 lbs each hand)
Weighted Yoga Ball Crunches (20 lbs)
Thrusters (20 lbs)
Sumo Deadlifts (est. 45 lbs)
Bench Dips
Let Me Ins
Hanging Frog Raises
Pullups (foot assist up, free negative)
Notes:
This was grueling, but in a good way. In other news, I’ve only got one good extremity today – the right wrist is shot, the toe is broken and the left ankle is twingy. WTF. Not helping.
Also today – 1 hour of yoga on the porch, 2 sets each of 20 squats and 10 incline pushups to warm up and 15 minutes of post-workout yoga stretching.
Yes, kiddies. It’s another Pyramid Power Hour! Today’s inverted pyramid was a 10, 9, 8, etc. rep circuit of 8 exercises:
Dumbbell Curl and Press (10 lbs each hand)
Side Lunges (L+R = 1)
Decline Pushup/Stability Ball Crunch
Thrusters (20 lbs)
One-Arm Kettlebell Swing (L+R = 1, 20 lbs)
Bent-Over Row (L+R = 1, 20 lbs)
Inverted Rows
Hanging Bent Leg Raise
Notes:
I’ve been doing the inverted rows using the pullup bar in the kitchen doorway with my feet on a chair, but I wanted to find a way to get them more horizontal for extra challenge, and today I figured it out – I moved the bar to the laundry room door and put my feet up on the washer! Voila – back and shoulder death.
In addition to this circuit, I also got in an hour of yoga in the sun, 2 sets of 20 squats and 10 incline pushups for warmup, and 15 minutes of yoga stretching afterward. No extra pushups today – pissy wrist is pissy.
