Home at Last
G’day all
Well, we moved house and all went well apart from the ceiling fan. I was doing a little bit
of home movie installation when my wife pointed out that the ceiling fan was on fire!! So
I abruptly phoned the real estate to let them know about the problem. The receptionist
started with “ well its Friday afternoon…”. So I explained in a nice controlled manner
that I had a very expensive television and if it blew up I’d be sending her the bill. Ten
minutes later there was two electricians knocking on my door.
Now I have moved house I’m training at Crèche First, I mean, Fitness First. Ok, how
long is going to be before gyms become obsolete? I’ve noticed whilst training at a couple
of Fitness First’s that the place is full of Mums and babies. Now that’s fine by me until
they start standing around the equipment discussing the sleeping patterns of their little
one’s!! So is this fantastic idea of placing a crèche in a gymnasium just a stepping-stone
towards whole new evolution of in gyms. Soon it’s going to be a crèche with a gym
attached and most of us dinosaurs will be forced to adapt or perish. And another little
thing that’s been on my mind for a while, women only gyms! Imagine if we had men
only gyms? The uproar from feminist groups would be heard on the moon! Boo hoo, I’d
just like my sweaty old gym back.
Any hoo enough of my moaning and back to training. I trained back yesterday at Mona
Vale FF and enjoyed every minute of it. The hammer strength equipment is second to
none.
2 x Straight Arm Pull downs
2 x Close Grip Pull downs (hammer strength) 120kg
3 x Wide Grip Pull downs ( hammer strength) 120kg
2 x Iso-row ( hammer strength)140kg
My back was so pumped and it made me feel like I was carrying a roll of carpet under
each arm!
I trained legs this morning. I know I said before to not train legs in the morning but
weekends have been quite difficult lately so the mornings will have to do for now. My
lower back problem is still hanging around and preventing any heavy or deep squats.
4 sets Parallel Squats 1 warm up 3 sets at 140kgs
4 sets Hamstring Curls supersetted in between squats as any kind of bent over motion is
out for now.
3 sets Leg Press, 1 leg at a time, keeping my butt firmly pressed against the pad and
letting the weight slowly push my knee deep for the stretch. I continued with the
hamstring curls in-between the leg press. And that was legs done! Working the afternoon
shift means I have a time frame of around 1 hour max to complete my workouts, which
should be plenty.
One good thing that has come from moving house is that I get my desk back and I can
use the computer to my hearts content. Or in-between feeds if you know what I mean!
Tomorrow is chest day and I haven't used the hammer gear for chest for a while but I
must mention a trainee from Dee Why Fitness First! In all my years of training I’ve never
come across anyone who beats this!
Mr Trainee stroll's in to train his chest, for example, sets up the flat bench for his first set
at 140kgs. Yes 140kgs! Then he spends 5 minutes stretching and psyching himself up!
Now let me point out he weighs around 70 to 80kgs, not that this should matter. Then he
proceeds with his first set of 3 of the most ridiculous reps I have ever witnessed. His butt
is so high off the bench that the exercise becomes a decline press! So for the next set he
does the obvious- adds another 20kgs on each side!!
He couldn't even get 3 reps out with 3 plates a side so his next move is to look round for
a spotter. Then slowly but surely he makes his way over to me. Big mistake! So I help
him un-rack the bar and begin his first rep. At this point his butt starts to rise off the
bench so I lean over and yell “GET YOUR ARSE DOWN!!” Now his eyes are trying to
leave his head, so I give him a little touch and the bar struggles up towards the pins. Now
you’d think that any normal person would have decided, “Hmm this is a little to heavy”.
But not this guy. He begins his next rep and, yes, his butt slowly begins too rise! So I yell
“GET YOUR ARSE DOWN”, again and he responds quite well but it takes BOTH of us
to bring the bar back onto the pins! I felt like I had just done a shoulder workout and he
look like he'd just done a round with Mr Hatton. Mr Trainee said thanks for the spot and
wandered off towards the cable-crossovers. I'm still trying to figure out what he was
trying to achieve?
Well guy's I'd better get off to work don't want to be late!
Happy lifting.
Ian