Glute-Ham Raises Win Most Challenging Exercise Award for Phase 1!

Today’s Workout Log

Warm-up

30 minutes of dynamic stretching and soft-tissue work

Workout

Front Squats – 135 pounds – Sets: 6/6/6 (2-minute rest between each)
Knee-Height Deadlifts from Rack – 175 pounds – Sets: 6/6 (2-minute rest between each)
Dumbbell Bulgarian Split Squats – 37.5-pound Dumbbells – Sets: 6/6 (90-second rest between each)

SuperSet (Do the two exercises back to back, rest 60 seconds, then repeat)

Glue-Ham Raises (Heavily Assisted) – Bodyweight – Sets: 10/8
Hanging Straight-Leg Raises – Bodyweight – Sets: 7/5/5

Cool-down

Dead Hang (elongates spine) – 57 seconds

Workout Journal Notes

Having yesterday off threw me off a little bit, and I ended up getting to bed later than usual.

So, I was a little sluggish in the morning and got a bit of a late start for my workout, but I didn’t cut corners on the warm-up and actually felt great after a few minutes in the gym.

Again, this “Low Load” week certainly doesn’t mean completely “easy,” but I am enjoying the lower reps/sets, though I’m still increasing the weights each week, keeping the exercises challenging.

Speaking of challenging, tomorrow is the last workout of Phase 1 of “Maximum Strength,” but I’m already crowning “Glue Ham Raises” as the most challenging exercise of Phase 1.

Those things are monsters!

I feel my hamstrings working more on that than anything else, because they have to work so hard to control my body on the way down and bring me back up.

They are still pretty heavily assisted, but I’ve improved big time over the last few weeks, and I’m controlling the descent a lot more each time.

I also set a new personal best on Hanging Straight-Leg Raises today at 17.

Tomorrow is the last day of Phase 1, so I’m looking forward to completing it, then getting ready for Phase 2 of 4 on Monday!