Muscle Failure
*Note: This isn't the long journal entry I was talking about writing on Twitter.
*Second Note: Everything is in pounds, too lazy to convert today.
*Third Note: Notes are fun!!!
This morning, I went to gym and did something I haven't done in a really long, long, long time. I hit the weights.
Now, in weight training, there are two major types of training, Muscular Strength Training and Muscular Endurance Training. Normally I do endurance training, which is low-weight and high-reps and is meant to increase your endurance and tone out your muscles. But, today, I was snagged to do strength training. Strength training is the exact opposite, high-weight but low-reps and meant to increase muscle mass. However, we ended up doing what I like to call 'blowout'.
So, we started on the benchpress. Now, I haven't done real weight training in about 10 years. So, I started easy at 135 x 10 reps. No problem. Then 145 x 8 reps, once again, not too much of a problem. Next, 155 x 6. Yeah, this started to hurt. Now, back in the day, I never went above 155, I just am not able to do it. But, the next set was 165 x 4. And... boom goes the dynamite. I felt like I almost broke my arms on that one.
Oh, but we aren't done, next came reverse pyramids on the bench. Basically, you do as many as you can, then two more with the help of your spotter. We went back to 135, and I knocked out about 10 more. Then 125, and about 10 more again. Luckily, my spotter didn't realize I didn't do a third set, but honestly, I was already hurting.
On to free weights, basically a lateral press. It's where you lay on your back, a weight in each hand, arms perpendicular to your shoulders and push the weights up above your chest and touch them together. Now, this is an exercise I do all the time when I do free weights, and I usually use 20's. But, today, I started at 25(x2) x 10, then 30(x2) x 8, 35(x2) x 6, and finally 40(x2) x 4. Owowowowowow.
Finally, we moved on to the lateral pull. This is wear you're sitting down, and pull the bar down to your chest. And... I started at 95 x 20, 110 x 15, and finally 125 x 10... err... I mean 8. I seriously couldn't do anymore.
Well, we were done with exercises and stretched out and were ready to go home when I was challenged to do 15 push-ups. Now, I'm quite good at doing push-ups, but my chest, arms, and shoulders were all killing me, so I wasn't so sure. But, I tried anyways. Care to guess how many I did?? Yeah, 0. I simply just fell on to the ground, and was unable to get back up. I finally achieved true muscle failure.
PS - Driving home from the gym was a very painful experience.
*Second Note: Everything is in pounds, too lazy to convert today.
*Third Note: Notes are fun!!!
This morning, I went to gym and did something I haven't done in a really long, long, long time. I hit the weights.
Now, in weight training, there are two major types of training, Muscular Strength Training and Muscular Endurance Training. Normally I do endurance training, which is low-weight and high-reps and is meant to increase your endurance and tone out your muscles. But, today, I was snagged to do strength training. Strength training is the exact opposite, high-weight but low-reps and meant to increase muscle mass. However, we ended up doing what I like to call 'blowout'.
So, we started on the benchpress. Now, I haven't done real weight training in about 10 years. So, I started easy at 135 x 10 reps. No problem. Then 145 x 8 reps, once again, not too much of a problem. Next, 155 x 6. Yeah, this started to hurt. Now, back in the day, I never went above 155, I just am not able to do it. But, the next set was 165 x 4. And... boom goes the dynamite. I felt like I almost broke my arms on that one.
Oh, but we aren't done, next came reverse pyramids on the bench. Basically, you do as many as you can, then two more with the help of your spotter. We went back to 135, and I knocked out about 10 more. Then 125, and about 10 more again. Luckily, my spotter didn't realize I didn't do a third set, but honestly, I was already hurting.
On to free weights, basically a lateral press. It's where you lay on your back, a weight in each hand, arms perpendicular to your shoulders and push the weights up above your chest and touch them together. Now, this is an exercise I do all the time when I do free weights, and I usually use 20's. But, today, I started at 25(x2) x 10, then 30(x2) x 8, 35(x2) x 6, and finally 40(x2) x 4. Owowowowowow.
Finally, we moved on to the lateral pull. This is wear you're sitting down, and pull the bar down to your chest. And... I started at 95 x 20, 110 x 15, and finally 125 x 10... err... I mean 8. I seriously couldn't do anymore.
Well, we were done with exercises and stretched out and were ready to go home when I was challenged to do 15 push-ups. Now, I'm quite good at doing push-ups, but my chest, arms, and shoulders were all killing me, so I wasn't so sure. But, I tried anyways. Care to guess how many I did?? Yeah, 0. I simply just fell on to the ground, and was unable to get back up. I finally achieved true muscle failure.
PS - Driving home from the gym was a very painful experience.