If there was ever a day I didn’t feel like working out it was today. However, I reminded myself that no matter what the circumstance, you have to focus on your health being one of your top priorities. As difficult as it was to focus, I went in to the gym and did work… and felt much better after.
As usual, SFF sent me to the mill for a quick mile. I had some new shoes on and they felt great, lightweight and comfortable. (Look for a review in a few weeks).
Once off the mill we dove into the workout. It was actually a very simple progression. 50 wall ball, 20 step-ups onto a tall bench with a 20lb plate either held over my head or straight out in front of me (once the over the head thing became impossible due to fatigue), 20 around the worlds and finally 20 incline chest presses (straight out from the chest to increase shoulder activation). Then the next round started with 50 wall ball, 20/20/20. I managed 3 rounds total, so 150 wall balls and 60 reps of each of the other movements. Oof.
The toughest part was by far the step ups. A 20lb plate held over your head or even straight out in front of you is no joke, and with my knees as shot as they are, big steps like that take careful consideration. The around the worlds were easy by comparison. To do them, hold a plate by your hip, turned to that side. swing it up towards the opposite shoulder, then behind your head and back across your chest to the other hip. That’s a rep. Just don’t konk yourself like I almost did about 50 times.
The chest presses are an excellent example of taking a fairly common workout movement and twisting it up a bit. Usually you would press straight upwards. By angling more forward, you activate the delts and stress muscles that would normally not fire. It doesn’t feel “normal” but is actually more along the lines of how our shoulders are functionally used. There is nearly always a downward shear when we lift things.
Last but not least, wall ball. The first time I did wall ball, I thought I might die. It was rough. Now we’re old pals and I enjoy it. It played the part of “cardio initiator” in this workout, forcing my heart rate up between lifting sets. I believe the ball was a 20lb but I’m not sure. After 50 tosses it felt like 200lbs though. When doing this many sets it is critical to focus on form, not allow your chest to drop and most importantly to keep the core strong. And remember, what goes up, comes down faster. 🙂
