Overhand Vertical Pullapart - 2 sets - 3 springs
Underhand Vertical Pullapart - 2 sets - 3 springs
Horizontal Pullapart - 1 set, followed by mechanical drop set of Underhand Vertical Pullapart - 2 springs
Horizontal Pullapart - 1 backoff set w/ 1 spring
Back Press - 1 set - 5 springs - Was worried I might fail do do a rep, but I ended up doing 5
Back Press - 1 back off set - 4 springs - .
Sideway (Tricep) Extension - 2 sets - 3 springs - Did 14 reps first set.
Overhead Tricep Extension - 1 set - 2 springs
Reverse Curl - 1 set - 3 springs - Managed 7 reps per arm
Reverse Curl - 1 back off set - 2 springs
Deltoid Raise (scapular plane/Y raise) - 1 set - 2 springs
Deltoid Raise (scapular plane/Y raise) - 1 back off set - 1 springs
I went back to doing the overhand version of the Vertical Pullapart first. I tried doing the underhand version first with 4 springs and failed. I had been doing the underhand version first because it felt easier to do than the overhand version. The overhand version felt more awkward. I've realized the overhand version felt more awkward because I was trying to make the expander move in the same way it moves when I do the underhand version. In the underhand version, all the springs end up against my chest. I was trying to force all the springs to touch my chest in the overhand version, just like in the underhand version. However, there's no real reason to try to force this to happen. When I try to force it to happen, the shoulders internally rotate too much, which in turn leads to the uncomfortable feeling in the shoulders. I notice when Alex Leonidas does the overhand version, his palms end up facing the floor. This is probably the best ending position for the overhand version. Turning the palms away from me would just put some springs up in my face. Turning the palms towards me would be too much internal rotation.
If I focus on executing the Overhand Vertical Pullapart with a feeling of pressing out to the sides, and not just pulling the handles apart, anf finishing my palms down, I should be able to avoid shoulder discomfort and more effectively leverage my triceps. The triceps are the difference makers in the amount of force that can be applied to the vertical pullapart with the overhand grip, compared to the underhand grip, which does not allow the the triceps to be used as effectively. Thus, I should have a better chance of doing the Vertical Pullapart with 4 springs with the overhand grip rather than the underhand grip. For the next session I will not attempt the overhand vertical pullapart with 4 springs. By not expending effort on such an attempt, I should have more gas in the tank to do more reps of the overhand version, and thus get more practice. Hopefully that will stimulate enough strength and muscle gain to a successful 4-spring attempt on the following session.
Being able to do 15 reps in one set proved to be a more reliable indicator of readiness to move up a spring, than being able to do 2 sets of 12 reps. I did 15 reps for my first set of Back Press, with 4 springs, last Friday, and today I was able to do 5 reps with 5 springs. Today I did 14 reps of Sideway Extension with 3 springs. I will see if I can do at least 1 rep with 4 springs next session.
Each spring supposedly has 10kg of tension. So I am apparently able to Back Press 5 springs for 50kg of tension, which is 25kg per arm. So I was curious about whether that meant I can now press my 24kg kettlebell overhead. I quickly found the answer was no. I was not surprised as I have an understanding that stretching springs that have 50kg of resistance is not the same as lifting a 50kg weight. Springs deliver more resistance as you stretch them, with the most resistance being at the end range of the movement. A weight delivers the least resistance towards the end range because at that point it is moving at a high enough velocity that the muscles do not need to exert much force to keep it moving. The muscles have to more force at the beginning of the movement to change the weight's velocity from zero to some positive value. So if/when I move up to a 6-spring back press, I will once again attempt to press the 24kg KB. Anyway, I'm still pretty happy to move up from 4 springs to 5 springs
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