Easy Muscle B: Week 4

2/16

Chinup - 30 total reps
Dips - 30 total reps

2/18

20kg Clean+Press - 20 total reps
Double 16kg Front Squat - 48 total reps

2/20

Chinup - 36 total reps
Dips - 36 total reps

Thus ends Phase 1 of Schedule B. For the final KB session I actually did 19 reps with the right arm. On one of the reps, my technique was so sloppy that I wasn't able to press the KB all the way up. For the final calisthenic session, I went ahead and did 2 more sets of dips and chinups after the 20 min. timer rang. Week 4 is supposed to be a high effort week, so for this last session I increased the effort by simply increasing the training time to ensure I did more work than usual.

One change I made to my dip technique was to fold my legs in front of me instead of behind as I descend into the dip. I practice the dip on rings that hang from a doorway. The rings cannot really be set high enough to ensure I can keep my legs straight at the bottom of the dip. I'd been folding my legs behind me like most other people I see doing dips, but that seems to cause my body to swing on the rings. With the legs in front I can engage more core more easily.

Another change I made this week was the choice of single leg exercise for my warmup on my calisthenics days. I changed my single leg exercise to ring-assisted pistol squat. I like the greater range of motion for the glute and knee compared to hover lunge/shrimp squat variations. However I also found 1 set per leg to be enough for a warmup. 2 sets per leg left me feeling more tired than I would like to be for the start of a main workout.



I had unexpected DOMS from the 2/17 side plank micro workout, especially in the obliques. So on 2/20 I began to attempt a single leg deadlift with the 20kg KB as my last warmup exercise before beginning Easy Muscle training, but the DOMS made me reconsider.