Day 33: Legs and Back, Ab Ripper X

I can understand why this program is supposed to get your back ripped. This is the second back workout this week. I tracked my results, as usual:

12 Reverse grip chin ups
10 Wide grip pullups
11 Close grip overhead pullups
10 Switch grip pullups
12 Reverse grip chin ups
10 Wide grip pullups (5 unassisted, 5 assisted)
8 Close grip overhead pullups
12 Switch grip pullups (assisted)

Looking back to Day 19, the last time I did this routine, my numbers got a bit stronger. My numbers never dipped, I used less assistance from a chair, and in some cases even added a rep. Last time I went through this I used bands for that final switch grip pullups set, but today I burned through as much as I could unassisted, then used a chair.

I haven't discussed the leg workouts too much. I guess definition in leg muscles doesn't come through as noticeably as the upper body, so outside of my calves I'm not too concerned of the physical appearance. That being said, I definitely feel stronger. Wall sits aren't as dreaded as they used to be. Lunges of all sorts hurt but in a good way.

The move I felt the most were Calf Raises: Stand with your legs shoulder width apart, feet pointing out. Lift yourself up onto your toes, hold for a second, then down. Repeat 15 times, then do 10 quick ones. Then make your feet run parallel to one another, and repeat, 15 slow, 10 fast. Then point your feet in towards one another, and perform 15 slow, 10 fast. At the gym I was used to doing 3 sets of 10-15 calf raises with a minute break in between. This was 75 total reps with no breaks in between. Felt this from my Achilles heel all the way up to my arse.

Finished up with ab ripper X. "I hate it ... but I love it"

Here's my math:

Ab ripper X is 16 minutes long. It's done 3 times a week, for 10 of the 13 weeks. That's 30 times, at 16 minutes each, or 480 total minutes. 8 hours. If I told you that you could have a 6-pack 8 hours from now, wouldn't you work as hard as you could for those 8 hours? It's really not that long, so I'm trying my hardest to get the most of this workout. And yes, I think it's working.

Tomorrow's Kenpo. If anyone would like to find me a life-size cardboard cutout of Tony, I'd love to use him as a target for that routine.