(no subject)

[rachelmanija]

Used assisted pull-up machine for first time yesterday. (In Adrian's gym, mine doesn't have one.) Set assist to 50 lb (ie, am pulling remainder of my weight-- 115 - 50 = me lifting 65 lb pull-up style, if I understand it correctly.)

I feel bad-ass (and also waiting to see if tomorrow I will feel like I was hit by a truck.)

Comments

[buckeyealum.livejournal.com]

Good job! I could never do those in gym class and haven't tried since!

[laurashapiro.livejournal.com]

Dude. I have to set it at 80. How many reps did you do?

[rachelmanija.livejournal.com]

Two sets of five. You?

[laurashapiro.livejournal.com]

Three sets of eight. Maybe I should try fewer reps and see if I can pull more weight. It'd help me bulk up faster, that's for sure. Hmm...

[rachelmanija.livejournal.com]

What has worked very well for me is doing shorter (and fewer) sets with heavier weights. I also drink a protein shake (100% dried whey plus a flavoring best described as "Fruit Loops") immediately after working out.

[laurashapiro.livejournal.com]

I usually have a couple of eggs and/or cottage cheese after a workout, yeah. I can't handle protein shakes, though. They gross me out.

I know short sets with heavy weights is the best way to bring the bulk, but I get really worried about the wobbliness I experience in my form when I am really struggling with the weight. I'm terrified of re-injuring my back, so I tend to work out really conservatively.

I wish I could afford more than one session with a trainer.

[rachelmanija.livejournal.com]

I started very conservatively because of back injuries, elbow RSI, and a knee problem. But I've been able to gradually work up to relatively heavy weights. (Not on my knees, I'm still in the "gradually strengthen with light weights" phase with that.) If it hurts in a bad way, I stop immediately.

I also gained a lot of confidence in terms of pushing myself when I discovered that Adrian can quickly fix minor back kinks before they start a sort of cascade reaction leading to major pain.

My YMCA has on-staff trainers, and the membership is $50/month. I suspect there's a lot of variation in terms of how good their trainers are, though.

[klwilliams.livejournal.com]

Good for you. I haven't been able to do a pull-up since I was about ten. For some reason I just don't seem to have those muscles anymore. No, I'm not getting old, why do you ask?

[lady-ganesh.livejournal.com]

Dude, you are badass!

[wijsgeer.livejournal.com]

WOW great !!!
We don't have an machine that assists you, I would have to do it all myself and I never get 1 inch into the air.

[rachelmanija.livejournal.com]

That's what the pull-up machine is for-- lots of people can't do one unassisted (I can't.) And if you can't do it at all, it's very hard to work up from there without help.

[wijsgeer.livejournal.com]

yeah, I googled and saw a video clip but we don't have the machine at my gym :-)