Round 6: Day 31: Just Arms

I was not in the mood for working out today, having overslept by a half-hour, and awakened feeling groggy. It's been a little humid here in sunny Toronto recently and, without air conditioning, the heat and humidity takes a toll on your energy level. Oversleeping is another matter. I forgot to set my alarm clock, and my internal alarm was off by a bit. Nevertheless, one must stir from one's slumber, and get to the business at hand.

I was reading a post by Steve Edwards (BeachBody) the other day about his Workout From Hell (WFH) and his note about how he exercised to failure. Tony also mentions at one point during the Just Arms workout about using heavier weights and doing fewer repetitions with them, even with slightly sketchy form, so that the last 3 reps are killers, rather than picking a lighter weight, maintaining perfect form, and cranking out more reps. The objective of that approach is to increase size. Of course, there I was, with a slightly lighter weight, doing more reps with perfect form. I suspect that Tony was addressing me. Note to self: increase the weights.

Although I felt a bit fatigued, the workout went well, and moved along at a nice pace. I managed to keep up with Tony for most of the workout, but took a couple of pauses near the end, specifically during Side-Tri-Rise and Hammer Curls. My body did give up during the Hammer Curls, where I was only able to complete 6, using 35 pound weight. That's a new low for me, but some days are going to be like that.

Side note: I've been more careful recently not only about what I'm eating, but when I'm eating. I had slipped a little bit into a habit of snacking at night, which resulted in a bit of a weight gain. I was trying to convince myself that I was gaining muscle, but it didn't look like it, and there's no use trying to fool yourself. I'm now becoming more strict with the timing of my meals: I'm not eating anything after I finish dinner. I find that if I get a little hungry later, I drink a glass or two of water, and my hunger pangs subside. Sometimes, especially during hot weather, I tend to get a little dehydrated, so I'm making sure to keep up with my water consumption throughout the day, which also helps with feelings of hunger.

My body is still sore in places from the 30-15 workout I did a few days ago; my leg is still bothering me, although I'm capable of riding my bicycle, and my arms are worn out from today's workout. It sounds like I'm ready for some yoga.