My Total Gym Transformation

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Well, the jury is still out, after all, on whether the gloves are helping, at least with the curls/rows. My hands were burning again by the time I got to eight reps today. I stuck it out and did ten, but they weren't happy. I suspect that it is the "row" aspect, which causes tension in my hands along the direction of my forearms -- whereas if I did classic bicep curls, the stress would be perpendicular. I have no idea whether that would be better or worse, it's just an idea.

Mostly I just held steady today, picking up one rep on the ham curls, and figuring out a way to level-up on the crunches. I got sixty pounds on there, by putting a third ten on what was left of the bar on each side, and then clamping it down with a Quik-Grip. The photo shows it set up with 50 pounds, which is what Dana used today on that set. Worked out just fine, and I was able to get down to a more reasonable nine reps. Still going side-to-side on those.

Workout Stats:  SetLevelWeightRepsChange Squats620210 Curls/Rows620210 Hamstring Curls6907+1 Pullups6906 Shoulder Press6906 Flies6155 Pullovers6506 Dips61826 Crunches609level-up weights-clamp.jpg

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Again, a big welcome to the folks who found me from yesterday's "Low-Carb Conversations" podcast! And if you haven't checked out the show yet, I hope you will go over and give it a listen.

I finally picked up a pair of lifting gloves at Dick's Sporting Goods this week, and they seen to have helped with the curls/rows. My hands were still pretty sore once I finished that set, but I got back to doing ten reps, so I'll call that success.

Plus, I picked up one rep on pullovers, and leveled-up on four other sets, as promised.

I also unlocked the swivel on the crunch machine, and alternated center-left-center-right so as to get the oblique abs as well as the central core work. Still managed twelve reps. I might try to find some heavier iron plates so I can go over 40 pounds. The machine seems like it should be capable of handling that much added weight.

Workout Stats:  SetLevelWeightRepsChange Squats620210 Curls/Rows620210+2 Hamstring Curls6906level-up Pullups6906level-up Shoulder Press6906 Flies6155level-up Pullovers6506+1 Dips61826level-up Crunches4012 lifting-glove.jpg

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First, I want to welcome the folks who may have found my blog after hearing me on the "Low-Carb Conversations" podcast! It was a lot of fun to chat for an hour with Kevin Kennedy-Spaien (Jimmy's and Dana's producer, who is sitting in for Jimmy this month), his co-host "Dietician Cassie" Bjork (RD), and their other guest, Jessica Kempf, also an RD. In fact, after we were finished recording, Kevin made the strong suggestion that I should co-host with Dana on her "Low-Carb for Life" show, when she starts podcasting again, which we hope will be soon this Spring.

I improved on about half the workout today, held steady on the other half, but my hands still would not let me get more than eight on the curls/rows. I did get some lifting gloves, but not before this session. We'll see how they help on Saturday.

I was happy to level-up on pullovers, even though it was partially accidental. I had been stuck at six reps with 45 pounds for a few weeks, but managed seven last time. So when I realized that I had 50 pounds on the bar, and didn't feel like re-doing it to get 45 instead, I just left it on there and did the set, managing five reps, which is right where I like to be after leveling up.

With twelve crunches, I do think it's time to modify that set by enabling the plat form to swivel, so as to work out the side abs more effectively. And with seven reps on each of the ham curls, pullups, and flies, Saturday is shaping up to be a good day for lots of "leveling-up."

Workout Stats:  SetLevelWeightRepsChange Squats620210 Curls/Rows62028 Hamstring Curls6857 Pullups6857 Shoulder Press6906+1 Flies6107 Pullovers6505level-up Dips61727+1 Crunches4012+2

Well, I was sick with some 24-hour bug on Tuesday, much better but didn't want to push it on Wednesday, and... I got no excuse for Thursday! But why is it that I so often get more improvement on days when I have gone longer since the last time? I improved on six things, and even added weight on shoulder press. Maybe I just have a longer "stride" with this stuff, but I still would rather be more regular about going 4-5 days.

I know I could have done more curls/rows, but my left hand is what gave our first. I'm going to pick up a pair of lifting gloves at Dick's tomorrow, and see if they help next time. This has been an ongoing problem on that particular exercise, and for all I know, they will help with some of the others as well.

Workout Stats:  SetLevelWeightRepsChange Squats620210+1 Curls/Rows62028-2 Hamstring Curls6857+1 Pullups6857+1 Shoulder Press6905level-up Flies6107+1 Pullovers6457+1 Dips61726 Crunches4010+1