Week 8: Back

For what I need out of the gym, LA Fitness has been almost perfect. I have never waited longer than 10 minutes for a power rack, always had clips available, and up until recently, found the equipment preferable to other gyms (the plates have rubber linings and have nice texture). I realized a couple weeks ago, however, that some of the barbells are standard 45lb pars, and others, for unknown reasons, are slightly fatter, 55lb bars.

Why?

I can only imagine it's to offer the patrons of this gym the option of, maybe, working on forearm strength as it has an added 2-4mm in diameter. Other than that, it's nothing short of frustrating, when you don't realize until too late that what you thought was a 405 pound load, became 415. Ugh. Not that I should be that bent out of shape for a 10lb difference, maybe I'm just still disappointed in how far below 495 I am right now.

Barbell deadlifts:

• 145 x 10
• 285 x 8
• 415 x 2
• 395 x 2
• 395 x 3
• 325 x 3 (2 min rest)
• 325 x 3 (2 min rest)
• 325 x 3

Barbell shrugs:

• 235 x 5
• 235 x 5
• 235 x 5

Barbell bent-over row:

• 45 x 8
• 70 x 8
• 90 x 8

Reverse lat pulldown:

• 150 x 10
• 180 x 10
• 210 x 8