Workout N#6 and the Phase 8 Walkthrough

I finished Phase 7 on Monday and did the walkthrough for
Phase 8 on Wednesday. I am ready to go forth and rock. 

Monday evening, Patrick and I went to the gym and I had a great workout. It was only Patrick's second time back and he still had stitches, so he didn't push so hard. But really, he probably shouldn't have, so no worries.

This was my last workout in Phase 7, which has been a phase I've immensely enjoyed. Workout M was a blast every single time and N was good, though not quite as good.

Monday's workout was:

• Push Aways - 3 x 12 - These may have been one of the things that has kept me from enjoying Workout N quite so much. They're *really* rough -- strenuous and I have to concentrate a lot to keep my back from collapsing. So they're strenuous and tough (which normally I like) but not much fun. 
• Dumbbell Push Press - 3 x 12 - I used a pair of 20 lb dumbbells for these, which is (I believe) the same weight I've been using for a couple of times. Even so, I just barely made my reps the last set. Shoulder presses where the weight goes straight up from my shoulders are tough for me. It's tough. 
• Coordination Rows - 3 x 15 - These were really good. I love how much I've improved at these since I started doing them last fall. I'm so much more stable than I was -- not just when I'm doing these. I'm looking forward to doing something that involves being on one foot and adding a twisting component because that's going to be my next challenge. That won't be in Phase 8 though. I lifted 30lbs again. 
• Alternating sets of:
• Dumbbell Front Squat - 3 x 15 - Still at two 20lb dumbbells for these. When I was working out with Travis the first time he showed me a trick for keeping my back straight (rather than sort of crumpling forward) when doing squats -- do them right in front of a wall, so you have to keep your torso up even while squatting down. That helps so much with these front squats, because it's so easy to let the weight pull my shoulders and chest forward, which isn't good. It probably looks a little weird that I'm doing squats with my toes just a few inches from the wall. 



This is the type of step-boxes at
the gym. More layers can
be added to make them higher. My
preference is 3 layers.

• Pullovers - 3 x 15 - I'm going to be doing these in a different way in Phase 8 because I definitely like the move and I can feel that I'm working the muscles in my back that I want to be working. Which is always a good thing. :D I'm pretty sure I ended where I started weight-wise, at 30 lbs. It was always hard and I never felt like I was ready to move up. 
• Alternating sets of:
• Offset-Loaded Step Ups -  3 x 15 - I went up to a 25 lb weight and that made for a good workout the last time. I also was able to use the step at the height I preferred, which makes for a better workout as well. 
• Alternating Press and Twist - 3 x 15 -  I've enjoyed these immensely as a shoulder exercise. The way these presses work, there's no straight up kind of movement which, as mentioned above, kind of stresses my shoulders. They're not in my Phase 8 workouts, but I'll be coming back to these again. 
• Cardio Intervals - 5 x 40:20 Kettlebell Swings Intervals of Insanity alternated with 5 x 30:30 Step Ups Intervals of Insanity - I love doing Intervals of Insanity. The kettlebell swings were with a 15lb bell -- since I'm doing them for speed rather than muscle development the lighter weight works better. 

On Wednesday (yes, I had gotten almost a whole week behind on posting. Sigh!), I did the Phase 8 walkthrough. I'll save the detailed information about Workouts O and P for when I do the first workout in each of them. That wound out being a weird workout -- the walkthrough always is -- it goes slowly because I'm figuring out what I'm doing but I don't get that sweaty because I'm having to figure out what I'm doing. I didn't really have time for insanities afterwards, either, which was a bit disappointing. 

After the walkthrough, I changed a couple of exercises, to make things flow more smoothly. I have hope that I'll like both of these. :D