My Workouts – Week 8

This week started off great. I consistently lifted heavy weight and spent time making sure I was getting good workouts in. I also ensured I had enough time to complete each exercise I wanted to do. On Wednesday I decided I would not have enough time to do a full shoulders/chest/tricep workout, so I broke up my day in two and went to the gym twice. I was so happy I found the motivation to go in the afternoon. If I hadn’t have gone I would’ve felt off. I am at the point in my fitness journey where going to the gym is a habit and if it is not a part of my day I feel like something is missing. I am glad that it has become a part of my regular routine, but I hate the feeling of failure I get when I do not go, even though I know my body needs a break. I just need to keep reminding myself that it is part of the process and that it only helps with muscle growth.

At the end of the week I did a leg workout. When I was doing my RDL’s (Romanian Deadlifts), I hurt the right side of my lower back. I had decided that I was going to try to lift 105lbs instead of 95lbs. As soon as I tried to lift the bar, I pulled something in my back. I immediately stopped and knew there was something wrong. I tried to stretch it out and continued to do RDL’s with 95lbs, although looking back that was a terrible idea. I was still only at the beginning of my workout and I wanted to continue on. I tried to do exercises that would not use my back as much. When I got home, I used a hot water bottle to soothe the pain and I rested for the remainder of the day. I also took the next day (Sunday) off.

I am not sure how long I will have to take off from the gym but I am hoping it will not be long. I will see how I feel this upcoming week but I will do my best to listen to my body and not push myself too hard.

Monday

• Lat pull down (70lb) 4 sets of 8
• Assisted chin up (10lb decrease) 4 sets of 5, 1 set to failure 
• Assisted pull up (17.5lb decrease) 4 sets of 3, 1 set to failure 
• Face pulls (84lb) 3 sets of 10
• Bent over barbell row (75lb) 3 sets of 10
• Barbell bicep curls (32lb) 3 sets of 10
• Hammer curls (15lb x 2) 3 sets of 10 

Tuesday 

• Hip thrusts (185lb) 3 sets of 8, 1 set to failure 
• Barbell RDL’s (95lb) 3 sets of 8, 1 set to failure 
• Bulgarian split squats (25lb x 2) 3 sets of 8
• Seated leg curl (60lb) 4 sets of 8
• Leg extension (80lb) 4 sets of 10
• Calf raises (96lb) 3 sets of 10 

Wednesday 

Morning

• Bench press (110lb) 4 sets of 3, 1 set of 5 (100lb)
• Dumbbell shoulder press (30lb x 2) 2 sets of 8, 1 set until failure 
• Incline bench (30lb) 2 sets of 8, 1 set to failure 
• Cable one arm lat raise (10lb) 3 sets of 10
• Machine flys (96lb) 3 sets of 8
• Front raises (25lb weight) 3 sets of 10

Afternoon

• Tricep extension (57.5lb) 3 sets of 12
• Overhead tricep extension (57.5lb) 3 sets of 10
• Skull crushers (35lb) superset bench tricep dips 3 sets of 10 
• Incline walk (20 mins) incline 15 speed 2.5

Thursday 

• Rest day 

Friday 

• Assisted pull ups (17.5lb decrease) 4 sets of 3, 1 set to failure 
• Assisted chin ups (10lb decrease) 4 sets of 5, 1 set to failure 
• Delt fly machine (84lb) 2 sets of 8, 1 set to failure  
• Half-kneeling cable pull downs (77.5lb) 3 sets of 8, 1 set to failure 
• Straight arm bent over pull down (85lb) 4 sets of 8
• Lat pull downs (70lb) 1 set of 8, 1 set of 6, 1 set of 4
• Bicep curls (15lb x 2) 3 sets of 10
• Bent over rows (85lb) 4 sets of 8

Saturday 

• Hip thrusts (185lb) 4 sets of 8
• Barbell RDL’s (95lb) 3 sets of 8
• Single leg press (110lb) 4 sets of 10
• Leg curl (60lb) 4 sets of 8
• Leg extension (80lb) 4 sets of 10

Sunday 

• Rest day