Report: Day 6 [12-12-2011]

After yesterday, today feels great! All the aches and pains ('D.O.M.S' as its called) are gone. In its place I have a renewed sense of achievement. I need more. MORE!

I'm actually planning to go for resistance training again today. I plan to lighten it if necessary. I don't want to overwork it but I feel I need to continue the Fight to Fitness. I hope its not far wrong. I want to ask Raj but he's been so so helpful, I'm a little reluctant to bother him for something so minor. Or should I? Thinking aloud here... The importance of today is that I plan to incorporate the extensive stretching process to my routine. I hope I can recall it correctly and in totality.

A relevant observation: After working-out on Day 5, my entire body felt light. No soreness, nothing. In fact, besides some obvious endorphins, I didn't really feel like I did any work at all. On Day 6 I set out to change that. As I was warned before, when I stop having the D.O.M.S, I might miss it. I totally understand that now!

I read that one well known body-fitness athlete, Ava Cowan (hot stuff!) practices changing reps, weights and forms of exercise constantly. This is to ensure that her muscles do not ever adapt to any work-out, forcing the muscles to always improve. With that in mind, I quickly consulted Master Trainer Raj and proceeded to go out and kill myself. This is what happened:

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1. Leg Press

I went with 55 pounds today (from 45 pounds). 2 sets went of without a hitch, only slight difficulty towards the end of Set 2. Gold star for me!

2. Bench Press with the Olympic Bar - Chest

I'm starting to like the Olympic Bar. Getting used to it. But its not helpful to show off to the ladies currently since I bench press the Oly Bar without any weights. The 44 pound / 20kg bar is good enough practice for now.

3. Lateral Pull-Down - Back

I went all hardcore with the Lateral Pull-Downs. 2 sets of 15 reps @ 40 pounds (from 33 pounds) was inspiring. Although the last 2-3 reps of Set 2 I was already dying and broke my form slightly.

4. Dumbbell Bicep Curls

I switched this one today. Instead of Shoulders first, I decided to do biceps first. No reason for this change other than the outright fear of the shoulder press. Again, as before I went with 4kg dumbbells on each arm and went for 2 Sets of 15 reps each. By itself, the weights were reasonably light. However, when pumping to the 2-4 Second Rule, the burn starts to come in after about 8-10 reps for each Set. I did the best I could to consciously maintain my form throughout. Oh, and I was consciously keeping my knees slightly bent. Interesting what a trusted friend tells you that you keep remembering.

5. Dumbbell Shoulder Press - Shoulders

I struggled the most with this one, I think. Again, I kept the 4kg dumbbells on each arm and did 2 Sets of 15 reps each. The difference is the incredible burn. By rep no.10 for each Set, my arms were burning so bad, I virtually rushed the remaining reps, ignoring the 2-4 Second Rule. I didn't go all 'Energizer Bunny' on it, but it was still faster than the accepted practice thus far. I gotta check with Master Raj on what he thinks of that.

6. Tricep Pushdown w/rope

I was also terribly afraid of this tricep pushdown. Yesterday I did this exercise second to last as well, and I stopped HALFWAY the FIRST SET on 12 pounds. I couldn't do it! I reduced it to 5 pounds for the remainder 1.5 Sets. Today was better though. I went with 12 pounds all the way for 2 Sets of 15 reps. I can try for more soon. But perhaps not yet. 

7. Abdominal Crunches

I went for 35 pounds today (from 25 pounds) with the full intention of working that fat gut of mine to feel the pain of ab crunches the next day. 2 Sets of 15 reps each was doable, but I tell you, I almost died after hitting the 10th or 11th rep for each Set. The burn in my belly caused my eyes to water!

8. Cardio Run (Treadmill)

Once again, I arrived at the gym late, about 10pm. Plus I am yet to be particularly efficient in my exercises. I'm still taking about 2 hours, slightly longer maybe? As such, I had reduce my running time again, which I hate doing. I do love my running, but the resistance training is more important for now.

Warm-Up:

2 minutes - Fast walk @ 5.5 kmph

Cardio:

2 minutes - Fast jog @ 7.0 kmph

1.5 minutes - Medium Sprint @ 9.0 kmph

0.5 minutes - Run like Hell @ 11.0 kmph

2 minutes - Fast jog @ 7.0 kmph

2 minutes - Uphill Run @ 4.0 incline and 6.0 kmph

2 minutes - Fast jog @ 7.0 kmph

Warm-Down:

0.5 minute - Medium Sprint @ 9.0 kmph

0.5 minutes - Run like Hell @ 11.0 kmph

1 minute - Brisk jog to slow walk to stop

9. Warm-Down Stretches

I hope I hit all the major required stretches. Calves, Hams and Quads (3 for the legs), biceps and tricepes, the chest and back streches, as well as a side twist. Gotta go back and ask Raj about it!

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My rewards for all this? This morning, until right now, I've got slightly sore arms. There is a slight tightness in my chest but not much. My abs feel slightly numb but nothing much in particular. There is also slight soreness in my calves and quads, but not enough to slow me down, only enough to remind me of what I did yesterday.

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