Workout E #4 (Modified): Getting better! (Workout 33)

Still no single-leg quad exercise, but my quad is feeling a
lot better and I'm planning on giving reverse lunges a try
next time in Workout E.

Yesterday was an awesome day on many fronts -- we had pizza and beer for brunch, which just kicked things off to a totally happy start. Fortunately, several hours after brunch, I also had a fantastic workout! I'm still babying my quads, but was able to do a hard workout anyway. Loved it! 

I wrote down a new single-leg quad exercise -- Single-leg bench Stand Up (you can see a video here, though the book had it start from sitting rather than standing) that I thought I could maybe do because it wouldn't put any sort of stretch on my quads. On the other hand, I couldn't even begin to figure out how to make it work as far as center of gravity and making any part of my butt move off the bench. So that was a scratch, though an intriguing one that I want to try more of because it seems like a great exercise and one that's *functional* movement, which I love.

Despite that disappointment, I worked hard and had a great workout! 

Yesterday's workout was: 

•  Cable Half-Kneeling Chop - 2 x 10 - I did these at 20 lbs again, moving as fast as I could so I gave my core more work to do holding me stable as I move the weight. I'm still not really feeling these where I think I should be, but at this point, 2/3ds of the way through this phase, I'm going to stick with them and re-evaluate when I start planning my next two workout. I'm sticking with 20 lbs and moving as fast as possible next time.
• Dumbbell Squat Jumps - 2 x 8 - I did these with a pair of 20 lbs dumbbell and it's time to move up. I've been doing squat jumps (body weight) as part of my cardio Intervals of Insanity and I think I'm getting better at them because of it. So when doing it as part of my strength workout, I need more weight to really be working the explosive muscle fibers in my legs. 
• Alternating sets of:
• Romanian Deadlifts - 3 x 12 - I did these with a 60lb fixed-weight barbell again and it is definitely time to go up with the weights. Unfortunately (sort of) that means I'll be going to dumbbells, because they don't have a heavier barbell (unless I start working on the Smith machines, which I don't want to do). The dumbbells are a bit more of a pain, but it'll be fine. And it'll be especially fine to be working harder with these. :D 
• Scaption and Shrug - 3 x 12 - Still at 10 lbs and that's still a *hard* weight. I can't say I especially enjoy these, but I definitely work hard and I'm glad to be doing something other than Shoulder Presses. But they are *hard*. 
• Kneeling Cable Lat Pulldowns - 3 x 12 - This is where I *tried* to do alternating sets of these with the Single-leg Bench Stand Ups, but couldn't actually *stand up*. I am still trying to figure out why sometimes the Lat Pulldowns are really, really hard and sometimes they're very doable. At the same weight, which has been 72.5 pounds for like a month. I thought it was the wide-grip bar, but that doesn't seem to be entirely it. My current hypothesis is that it has to do with which of the high stations on the cable machine I'm using. The high pulleys come in two varieties on the machine -- the fixed ones that stick out on an arm from the top of the machine and the ones on the adjustable pulleys. It seems that the fixed ones would be more of a straight down pull for a pulldown and the adjustable ones would have a bit of an angle (pulling toward me and down). I think the adjustable ones may be the easier ones. I used the fixed high pulley today and it was hard, but I could do it. Next time I do these (Thursday), I'll use one of the adjustable pulleys and see if that makes a difference. 
• Coordination Rows (Single-Leg Single-Arm Cable Rows) - 3 x 12 - I came very very close to being able to do these without having to stop to regain my balance. I am *almost* there. And as I'm getting more stable, I'm able to be more rhythmic and powerful and all the other goals for these. I love these because I'm seeing So Much Improvement! 
• Cardio Intervals -- 10 x 20:40 Intervals of Insanity - I'm still doing these as 20 seconds on, 40 seconds off with the on-intervals alternating between jumping jacks and squat jumps. I was really focusing on doing them both fast fast last time, so I was completely blown by the end of these. But boy are they good. I love it! 

As I said, I've put the Offset Loaded Reverse Lunges back into the workout for Wednesday, because I think my quad is better now. I'll be super gentle and tentative with them though, until I'm absolutely sure I'm not hurting. That said, I'm also going to be seeing if I can work out the Single-Leg Bench Stand Ups because those seem like they'll be awesome. 

Next workout is scheduled for Monday. I've got the day off but Patrick doesn't. I do have about a million projects in progress that I want to work on. So there's going to be a busy, full day before we even get to the gym. Goal for the workout: Make it as awesome as the rest of the day is shaping up to be.