The last part of Week #1 of my new programme featured some intensive training for the legs. It was in the “7’s” format, of which you should be familiar by now: Seven sets of increasing reps until I reach a maximum weight on the 5th set followed by two lighter sets to finish each exercise with, as many reps as I possibly can within each set.
I’ll get straight on with the details and add notes as I go along…
Sunday 6/1/19 Time: 1hr. 05mins.
Week 1/Session 4: Legs. “7’s”: 7 sets – light-heavy-light; as many reps as possible.
(All weights in kgs; I’ve also noted the type of apparatus used)
Sled leg press (stack-type machine):
35x160, 22x170, 20x180, 18x190, 17x200
30x150, 43x100
*With a starting weight well in excess of the usual 100-120kgs and finding that now I can push more weight than I have for many years, this is probably my best sled press effort in a very long time. Due to the sled machine only containing weights totalling the maximum 200kgs (which now seems like a walk in the park) I simply had to keep the reps going until I reached ‘failure’ point. Very happy with this progress.
Incline leg press (plate-adding machine):
20x150, 15x200, 10x250, 8x300, 6x350
12x250, 40x120
*As with sled I’m finding myself able to go very heavy indeed with my leg pressing, so next time I do this I’ll have to add weight (as I can do with this plate-type machine). Really feeling the work done especially on the sides of the thighs, this was another very pleasing achievement for me today. I could actually lift more than the 350kg but with that old knee problem at the back of my mind (or leg!), I won’t. I’ll just go for reps at that max weight next time I do this routine (Week #3).
Seated ham curls (stack-type machine):
25x40, 20x50, 12x60, 8x70, 5x80
15x55, 100x30
*As with the tops and sides of my quads, the hamstrings are now stronger than they have been for ages. Reaching 80kg was a nice goal and the final 100 reps was just mind-blowing – I just kept going, surprising myself! Heavier weights all round on this next time.
Adductor (stack-type machine):
25x40, 25x45, 20x50, 15x55, 12x60
Abductor (stack-type machine):
25x40, 25x45, 20x50, 15x55, 12x60
*No, I didn’t write it down twice, they are two different machines. I didn’t bother with the final two light sets as this machine only goes to 60kgs anyway, so it’s pointless and I’d have to be doing over 100 reps to make any discernible different to my progress.
Leg extensions (stack-type machine):
25x50, 15x65, 12x80, 10x100, 8x100
10x75, 20x40
*Reaching the max of 100 again on this, I need to amend some details on my next template. I’ll possibly do more reps on the lighter sets but start at 60kg or thereabouts.
I absolutely loved doing all that. I feel very strong, my legs are looking really fit and defined without being overly bulky and I managed to fit everything into the week without any major problems. It looks like it’s going to be a very interesting programme.
All in all it’s been a really good week. My lifts have all been very encouraging with the higher-rep based “40-30-20-10” sessions great for high rep/cardio weights. Plus the cardio itself was okay despite fighting my cold.
Next week sees me enter Week #2 whereby everything is changed around…the 100’s become 7’s and vice versa, thus enabling me to employ the exercises which were utilised on the opposite routines. There will also be some different exercises too which haven’t been seen yet in this new programme. All will become apparent on Tuesday when the first session begins.
Thanks for reading.
for it to become part of their lifestyle. You are one of the people who got me back into yoga, so thank you.
Work before play though, next report from North Carolina.
I managed to project myself round a quiet eight mile route out in the country but never really got into my stride. It’s been one of those runs that takes more out of you than it puts back…Never mind it keeps me honest…:-D…Where’s me ladders…
