Disappointing Workout?

I hit the gym this morning but had a disappointing workout.  It was a Chest/Shoulder/Triceps day, and I just didn't seem to have the strength that I would like.  The Bench Press was a struggle.  I know, I know, the trainer said not to do benches just yet, but hell, as soon as you mention to any guy that you've started lifting weights the first question is always, "oh yea, whadaya bench?"  I had been working on the bench pretty well before joining Lifestyle, lifting at home on my Smith Machine.  At the gym though, maybe it's the atmosphere, maybe it's lifting alone without a spotter, but I just seemed to lack explosiveness. 

It couldn't have been the Pizza and Chicken Strip party I threw for myself last night while watching the Steelers get their asses handed to them, could it?  And it certainly could not have been my beloved Zaya Rum that brought me down!  No, that's just crazy talk.  Zaya is my friend!  The next couple of days will be the test to see if my "shock the system" with more food pays off.  I weighed just a little more this morning, but that was to be expected.  Tomorrow and Thursday will be the real proof, or disproof, of my theory.  We shall see.

Maybe it's because I have lost almost 10 pounds in only two weeks.  I could be losing a little strength while the pounds are coming off, but that's okay because the ultimate goal isn't to get bigger and stronger, although strong isn't a bad thing, but the goal is to get leaner and more fit for running, my favorite fitness exercise.  The human body was just made to run.  Just look at children soon after learning how to walk.  Do they walk?  Not the ones I've seen.  They run!  Those little legs just can't get moving fast enough for them.  Running is a beautiful thing.  I watch people either on the treadmills in the gym, or out on the roads, and it truly is a wonderful sight to see the body in motion, doing what comes so naturally.

Looking at my training log now, it seems that the bench was really the only thing that I struggled with today.  I hit the Hammer Strength machines for chest and shoulders at about the same levels or even higher than my previous workouts were, and I did a good job with the close grip benches and machines for my triceps workout.  I even added a few reps on the dreaded abdominal machine, my very least favorite exercise, probably because it's the one I need the MOST!

I then did a very good 45 minute treadmill workout, doing 5 min. by 2.5 min. intervals between walking and running.  It worked up a good sweat and elevated my heartrate between fat burning and cardio levels.

So, all in all, as I said in the beginning of this entry, I had a GREAT workout today!!  I got to the gym, I did my full workout including an increase in my cardio workout, and I feel really good right now.

LIFE IS GOOD!