Chest session at gym.

Incline flyes with twist 10 x 3kg, 8 x 4kg, 5 x 5kg
Barbell Chest Press – 10 x 30kg, 8 x 35kg, 5 x 40kg
Dumbbell Pullover – 10 x 6kg, 8 x 10kg, 5 x 14kg
Dumbell Chest Press – 10 x 12kg, 8 x 14kg, 5 x 16kg
Upright Flyes (cables) – 10 x 2.5kg, 8 x 3.75kg, 5 x 5kg

Once again I was doing each set until near failure, apart from the pullover, which I need to up the weight on so I did the whole thing again.

Same as before except the pullovers went up to 10kg, 14kg and 18kg.

I really pushed it with the new weights program today. As I have now signed up for a half-marathon with 3000ft of climbing I need to make sure the legs can hack it. As with all strength and size programmes I ensured I was maxing out at the end of each set.

Warm-up
2000m row, level 10, 7:58

Squats – 40kg x 10, 50kg x 8, 55kg x 5
Front Squat – 20kg x 10, 25kg x 8, 30kg x 5
Leg Curl – 40kg x 10, 50kg x 8, 52.5kg x 5
Walking Lunges with Dumbbell – 10kg x 10steps, 12kg x 8, 14kg x 5
Calf Raises – 40kg x 15, 40kg x 15, 45kg x 15

Then Repeated the whole thing.

Long run on Saturday as running on Mother’s Day would be a big no! Got up at 4:30 and left at 5:00 and it was a lovely morning as I ran up to Letchworth and halfway down the hill into Hitchin before turning round and retracing my steps. 10 miles at 8:50 pace and 67% WHR is a great result for me at this stage of big race training and an indication that I can start speed training soon as the base is built.

One of the simplest ways to maximise your workout is to make sure you are working the muscles on both the contraction and relaxation phases of the exercise. For example on a bicep curl, bring the weight up to a count of 2, but lower down to a count of 4. This ensures that you are working the muscle to lower the weight, not just letting gravity do the work for you.

I’ve been seriously weight training now for 3 months so it was high time I actually figured out what my maximum weights are. This is important as it will dictate what weights to life for strength training, and what to lift for endurance.

I went to Letchworth gym, and the plan was to warm up then do 2 reps on a machine at a lowish weight and then increase the weight, one setting at a time until I could not do 2 controlled reps any more.

5 mins rowing for a warm up as it is whole body and then hit the machines. The results were actually quite surprising.

Leg Extension – 50kg
Leg Curl – 52.5kg

Abductor – 70kg
Adductor – 70kg (This is the maximum on the machine, I think I could do another 5-10kg)

Leg Press – 140kg

Smith Machine:
Squat – 75kg
Bench Press – 60kg

I will repeat the test every 4 weeks I think and monitor progress.