MainPain Challenge – Day 59 | In Your Face!

It’s been a while since I’ve posted anything about my challenge that wasn’t just a workout post. The reality is, I’ve not been as dedicated to this challenge as I had been prior to injuring my back. Now that my back seems better, I have been getting back into my workout routine, though still not as intense as before because I now have a dreaded summer cold.

I had the pleasure of having an old co-worker approach me while I was walking into the gym and tell me she’s been following my posts through my LinkedIn and that she has been able to tell a real difference. Wow! I forgot I created the link to my LinkedIn account so having someone I actually know in person reading my blog really opened my eyes. It got me thinking about my commitment to this challenge, or lack thereof, and how I really need to kick it up a notch, or probably two.

I appreciated the kind words, and I appreciate the accountability she provided me as even more. I had a great workout after our quick chat, and tonight, I plan on going into the gym for an evening workout which I’ve typically been cancelling lately.

I really do appreciate everyone’s support. This encounter really was a reality check, an in your face moment, telling me, people care, and that’s pretty powerful stuff.

Day 58 Workout

Today was a leg day. After my Day 57 Workout yesterday, I was pretty excited for today’s workout and it did not disappoint. I added in the Squat and Deadlifts using dumbells so I still need to do some work here to determine the appropriate weights for each. I went pretty light. I know I could increase the squat, but the deadlifts didn’t feel super great for my form so I may need to record myself doing it at home to see if I’m using the right form before I do too many more. I also really feel my leg workouts are missing 1 to 2 exercises to give me a really solid workout. Any suggestions? I know I should be doing real squats and deadlifts, and I probably will start at some point, but I’m really taking it easy on my back right now. Anyway, here’s how it went.

• Leg Extension*
  • 10 @ 120 lbs
  • 8 @ 160 lbs
  • 6 @ 200 lbs
• Leg Curl
  • 10 @ 100 lbs
  • 8 @ 110 lbs
  • 6 @ 130 lbs
• Total Abdominal Machine
  • 12 @ 60 lbs
  • 8 @ 90 lbs
  • 8 @ 100 lbs
• Crazy Leg Workout (3 Sets of Each)
  • Squats (Dumbells) Final set 20 lbs
    • 10 @ 12.5 lbs
  • Back Lunges
    • 10 @ 12.5 lbs
  • Front Lunges
    • 10 @ 12.5 lbs
  • Stiff Leg Deadlift
    • 10 @ 12.5 lbs
• Calf Dip
  • 12 @ Individual
  • 12 @ Individual
  • 12 @ Individual
• Ab Wheel
  • 10
  • 10
  • 10
• Push Ups
  • 20
  • 15
  • 10

Day 57 Workout

It was arms and chest day today. What a great workout. Everything felt great during my workout. I even felt like I could see a difference. I know I’m way past due on an update/progress post and I’ll do that sometime soon, but man, it was such a great workout.

One complaint, and we’ve all had this at one point. People! If you’re using free weights, be they dumbells or whatever, put them away when you’re done. I don’t like to have to try to figure out if anybody is using the decline bench because you walked away without putting your plates back on the tree. The first time I was going to use the bench you had your weights and your towel there but you were gone so I assumed you were getting a drink or something. No worries. Next time I came over, the bar is still holding the same weights but your towel was gone. That was enough for me to move in and take over the bench. Have some courtesy and put your stuff away. It’s not that difficult, and is just another mini lift between your regular lifts anyhow. So annoying!

Well, here’s how my workout went. Like I said, everything went really well. No pain or weakness that isn’t expected during a workout which was awesome. Though, I did have a kink in my neck/shoulder area that I was a bit nervous about, but even that caused me no real issues. Whoo Hoo!

• Curl Bar (Sitting)
  • 12 @ 45 lbs
  • 8 @ 65 lbs
  • 5 @ 85 lbs
• Curl Bar (Standing)
  • 8 @ 65 lbs
  • 7 @ 75 lbs
  • 8 @ 65 lbs
• Triceps (Cable)
  • 12 @ 30 lbs
  • 8 @ 45 lbs
  • 6 @ 55 lbs
• Bench Press
  • 10 @ 115 lbs (35’s)
  • 8 @ 135 lbs (45’s)
  • 5 @ 155 lbs (45’s & 10’s)
• Arm Saw
  • 12 @ 30 lbs Right
  • 12 @ 30 lbs Left
  • 8 @ 35 lbs Right
  • 8 @ 35 lbs Left
• Shoulder Press
  • 10 @ 40 lbs
  • 8 @ 60 lbs
  • 6 @ 75 lbs
• Incline Press
  • 10 @ 65 (10’s)
  • 8 @ 95 (25’s)
  • 4 @ 115 (35’s)
• Lat Pull Down
  • 8 @ 110 lbs
  • 8 @ 120 lbs
  • 6 @ 140 lbs
• Decline Press
  • 8 @ 115 lbs (35’s)
  • 8 @ 135 lbs (45’s)
  • 5 @ 155 lbs (45’s & 10’s)
• Push Ups
  • 20
  • 4

Day 54 Workout

This is today’s workout. I thought at the start that I was just going to take it easy. It’s leg day afterall and since I can’t do the Leg Press anymore for fear of hurting my back again, I didn’t have a whole lot of exercises I could do. Turns out, you don’t need a lot of exercises to have your butt kicked.

I added in the back lunges and front lunges and that pretty much did me in at the end of my workout. I found a great video on youtube (below) that walked me through it to make sure I did them right before I started. I’m a bit of a perfectionist (though I rarely achieve it) so I wanted to make sure I was doing these right as I’ve never really done them before.

I’ll likely incorporate the squats and dead lifts into my future workouts. The explosive jumps, perhaps not. Anyway, my hamstrings are pretty well destroyed right now. It’s a good thing though.

• Leg Extension*
  • 10 @ 120 lbs
  • 8 @ 140 lbs
  • 8 @ 180 lbs
• Leg Curl
  • 10 @ 90 lbs
  • 8 @ 100 lbs
  • 8 @ 120 lbs
• Back Lunges
  • 20 @ 12.5 lbs
• Front Lunges
  • 20 @ 12.5 lbs
• Push Ups
  • 20
  • 20
  • 10

Day 53 Workout

I’ve not posted a workout post in quite a while and this workout post is for yesterday’s workout. I had a really good workout last night though and I wanted to make sure I noted it here for my own sake, since I haven’t had all that many workouts lately.

• Curl Bar (Sitting)
  • 12 @ 45 lbs
  • 8 @ 65 lbs
  • 5 @ 85 lbs
• Curl Bar (Standing)
  • 8 @ 65 lbs
  • 6 @ 75 lbs
  • 8 @ 65 lbs
• Triceps (Dumbell)
  • 12 @ 35 lbs
  • 8 @ 45 lbs
  • 8 @ 50 lbs
• Bench Press
  • 10 @ 95 lbs (25’s)
  • 8 @ 115 lbs (35’s)
  • 8 @ 135 lbs (45’s)
• Incline Press
  • 8 @ 65 (10’s)
  • 8 @ 95 (25’s)
  • 4 @ 115 (35’s)
• Decline Press
  • 8 @ 115 lbs (35’s)
  • 8 @ 135 lbs (45’s)
  • 4 @ 155 lbs (45’s & 10’s)
• Arm Saw
  • 12 @ 30 lbs Right
  • 12 @ 30 lbs Left
  • 8 @ 35 lbs Right
  • 8 @ 35 lbs Left
• Lat Pull Down
  • 8 @ 100 lbs
  • 8 @ 110 lbs
  • 5 @ 130 lbs
• Swimming
  • 250 Yards @ 14 minutes

Day 45 Workout

I had an awesome workout today. Still not at 100%, but very close. I still kept my lifts below where I left off, and they were starting to feel a little too easy on some of them. My back also didn’t have that little reminder feeling I get that tells me, “Hey, I’m still here, and I’m still really weak and might go at anytime so be careful.”

Here’s how my workout went down. It was arms and chest today.

• Curl Bar (Sitting)
  • 12 @ 45 lbs
  • 8 @ 65 lbs
  • 8 @ 75 lbs
• Curl Bar (Standing)
  • 8 @ 65 lbs
  • 6 @ 75 lbs
• Triceps (Dumbell)
  • 12 @ 35 lbs
  • 8 @ 45 lbs
  • 7 @ 50 lbs
• Bench Press
  • 10 @ 95 lbs (25’s)
  • 8 @ 115 lbs (35’s)
  • 8 @ 135 lbs (45’s)
• Incline Press
  • 8 @ 65 (10’s)
  • 8 @ 95 (25’s)
  • 6 @ 115 (35’s)
• Decline Press
  • 10 @ 95 lbs (25’s)
  • 8 @ 115 lbs (35’s)
  • 8 @ 135 lbs (45’s)
• Arm Saw
  • 12 @ 35 lbs Right
  • 12 @ 35 lbs Left
  • 8 @ 40 lbs Right
  • 8 @ 40 lbs Left
• Lat Pull Down
  • 10 @ 90 lbs
  • 8 @ 110 lbs
  • 6 @ 130 lbs
• Push Ups
  • 25
  • 15
  • 10

Day 44 Workout

Today was supposed to be a leg day workout. I did do some legs, but not nearly as much as I used to. I needed to cut a few lifts out because of my back, not that it was hurting, but I’m just being careful right now, but also because some of the areas were completely full of people. I went after lunch thinking nobody would be there between 2pm and 3pm. I was way wrong. I still got a pretty good workout in. Here’s how it went.

• Leg Extension*
  • 12 @ 100 lbs
  • 8 @ 120 lbs
  • 8 @ 140 lbs
• Leg Curl
  • 12 @ 80 lbs
  • 8 @ 90 lbs
  • 8 @ 90 lbs
• Push Ups
  • 20
  • 20
  • 10
• Calf Dip
  • 12 @ Individual
  • 12 @ Individual
  • 12 @ Individual
• Elliptical
  • 1.9 miles @ 15 minutes

I’ve also begun using a foam roller on my hips and quads. My chiropractor recommended I start doing that to try to loosen up my hips. Every time I go in for my adjustment he points out just how stiff my hips are. Yeah, I know, I need to do something about that. Yesterday I did my first foam roller session. It was not fun. I didn’t feel good at all, but I did it and I expect it should help over time.

Day 43 Workout

Today was another step forward, another step towards 100%. My back felt pretty good throughout my workout, though there were a few times I could tell I needed to back off just a bit so I wouldn’t overwork my back. Here’s how my workout went.

• Curl Bar (Sitting)
  • 12 @ 45 lbs
  • 8 @ 65 lbs
  • 5 @ 75 lbs
• Curl Bar (Standing)
  • 8 @ 45 lbs
  • 8 @ 65 lbs
• Triceps (Dumbell)
  • 12 @ 30 lbs
  • 8 @ 40 lbs
• Bench Press
  • 10 @ 95 lbs (25’s)
  • 8 @ 115 lbs (35’s)
  • 4 @ 135 lbs (45’s)
• Decline Press
  • 10 @ 95 lbs (25’s)
  • 8 @ 115 lbs (35’s)
• Lat Pull Down
  • 12 @ 80 lbs
  • 8 @ 100 lbs
  • 8 @ 110 lbs
• Push Ups
  • 20
  • 15
  • 10
• Elliptical
  • 1.8 Miles @ 15 minutes

Day 40 Workout

I finally made it to the gym, and actually worked out. Wednesday I checked into the gym, got dressed, went out onto the floor, walked around the track a few times and then said “Meh” and left. Today, I actually worked out. I worked up a sweat even. By no means am I 100%. Everything is still quite stiff.

My chiropractor, who by the way, works with quite a few local athletes, recommended I get back in the gym and start getting my muscles moving which should help with both strengthening and loosening my muscles. I did find I felt a slight twinge in my back when I’d bend over, so that got my anxiety up, but nothing bad happened. It felt so nice getting back in there and feeling my muscles firm up during my couple of lifts I did. Yeah, I didn’t do much, I lowered my weight considerably, but it was still a huge success.

I have a pressing need to get back into the swing of things with this challenge. Yes, I’m coming up on day 50 soon, but also, I’ve promised my wife I will start (and complete) a landscape project in the backyard. I’m hoping to do it the weekend of the 25th of July, so, I need to be back up to near 100% in order to do that sort of work. Luckily, there isn’t any big rocks that need to be moved and we’re doing mulch instead of landscape rock, but still, pulling the sod up and installing the landscape edging are pretty hard jobs. I know better than to think I can sit around doing nothing after this injury and then just one day pick up a shovel and start digging without causing more damage. So, I’m giving myself a week.

Here’s how the “workout” went today. I put that in quotes because it wasn’t much of a workout as it was a tentative review of where my body is at.

• Bicep Curl (Cable) – Together
  • 12 @ 25 lbs
  • 8 @ 30 lbs
  • 8 @ 35 lbs
• Triceps (Cable) – Together
  • 12 @ 25 lbs
  • 8 @ 30 lbs
  • 8 @ 35 lbs
• Bench Press
  • 12 @ 65 lbs (10’s)
  • 8 @ 95 lbs (25’s)
  • 8 @ 115 lbs (35’s)
• Elliptical
  • 1.5 miles @ 15 minutes

MainPain Challenge – Day 37 | Getting There

This challenge has been railroaded badly by my back injury that happened near the end of June. The positive side of this is I haven’t gained too much weight. Just a couple pounds really, which isn’t too bad.

I’ve been going to the chiropractor which I think is helping. It’s not causing me more issues, so that’s at least good. I think I’m actually ready to start back on my workouts again. Possibly this evening I’ll so a small workout. We shall see. No matter what, I’m going to do a workout on Wednesday.

There’s a good possibility because of the lost time, I may extend this challenge from 100 days to 150 or even 200 as it seems the first 40 or so days are almost cancelled out because of my back. Anyway, there’s no need to dwell on the negative. Wish me luck. Hopefully in a week or so, I’ll be fully back in the swing of things and then on day 50 I’ll do a full measurement update to see where I’m at. Until then, have a great day and stay safe.