Workout C #4: Much Weight! Such Lifting! Wow! (Workout 21)

It isn't obvious from the log how awesome this workout was.
You just have to trust me. :D

We had a lovely Labor Day holiday today -- we spent most of the day playing board games with our friend Bill (via Skype). After two unexpected wins (we play cooperative games so all of us win or none of us do), Patrick and I said goodbye to Bill and headed off for the gym for our workout. It was really nice being there when it was so un-crowded. It was almost a pity that I wasn't doing the workout that involves the cable machines because there would have been so little competition for them. 

That said, this was such an amazing workout I refuse to wish that I'd done anything else. It was incredible. I don't really know what made it so great, but it was. I raised the weights on two of the exercises -- the rows and the deadlifts -- and still made my reps on both, which was cool as cool. I did 8 rounds of the insanity. I had sweat dripping off me and running into my eyes. It was really awesome! 

Today's workout was: 

• Side Plank - 2 x 40 seconds (for the most part) - I did 40 seconds both sides on the first set, 40 seconds on the left side on the second set, but only 32 seconds on the right because I was slipping and having trouble keeping my feet stable. I still can't figure out how to reduce my base of support -- but I'm almost up to 45 seconds each side with them regular and when I get to 45 I need to really figure out how to do that. 
• Squat Jumps - 2  x 8 - These are getting too easy and I need to figure out how to ramp them up some. I was winded after 8, but not after 5 or 6, so I don't think I'm working hard enough on them. 
• Alternating sets of: 
• Reverse Squats - 3 x 10 - I used a pair of 25 lb weights again. Last time I'd made all my reps at 25 lbs, but had to take a break between the left side and the right (because each set is 10 on each side). This time I didn't take the breaks between sides -- so I did better this time than last (which is always my goal). I found that it makes a huge difference whether I started with my left leg and my right leg. Next time, I'll move up to 30 lb dumbbells.
• 3-Point Rows - 3 x 10 - I used a 30 lb weight for these single-arm, single-leg supported rows. This was an increase over last time. This is another one where I found that which side I started with made a big difference. The first set (and my general pattern previous to this workout), I started with my right arm then did my left arm. I have found in the past that getting the reps in on the left arm was really hard. Today, I tried starting with the left arm and then doing the right arm and that was, oddly, much easier on both sides. I have no idea why. Even though I made my reps, I'm going to stick with this weight next time.
• Alternating sets of:
• Dumbbell Deadlifts - 3 x 10 - I used 40 lb weights for the first time ever on this one. It was cool. And it was good -- I made all my reps even at the new weight without ever putting any stress or strain on my back. Woot! I don't think I want to move up again right away, so I'll stick at 40 lbs for next time. 
• Push-ups Plus 3 x 10, 10, 8 -- I'm still working on the windowsill at the gym and working on remembering to keep my butt down and do that extra little push up at the end. I had a little trouble with my hands slipping, but just re-set my hands and made it work out okay. The last set I only made 8 reps and just about face-planted on the last one. At some point, I'll be moving down to one of the weight benches (and maybe will get a better grip on it) but I'm not there yet. 
• Cardio Intervals - 8 x 20:40 Intervals of Insanity - I'm still working out how to ramp these up, because this is supposed to be metabolic training for my cardiopulmonary system but my quads get fatigued first. Which isn't to say that the 20 seconds of Insanity don't push my heart rate way way up -- after a few rounds my heart rate is high and stays there the whole time. So it's working. I may try increasing the resistance on the elliptical machine, though I think that will just make the quad fatigue problem worse. 

Breaking it down like that really doesn't convey that it was a good, hard, excellent workout. I'm not sure what the words would be anyway -- how does one convey how cool it is  to be lifting weights and sweating and  working at the very edge of my physical abilities. How amazing it is to see those physical abilities improving in just a couple of months time.

Next workout is scheduled for Wednesday. It'll be round 4 with Workout D. That workout's biggest challenge is the Coordination Row exercise. Definitely a sign that I need to kick that whole workout up a notch. That's the goal for the workout -- kick it up a notch and make my next workout as awesome as this one was.