Saturday, September 13, 2008

I suprise myself!

I'm using red font today because I am on fire!!! Let me tell you the story of the leg press....the SEATED leg press.

When I had my first leg workout (or any workout for that matter) I guessed and threw some weight on. I had no idea what I could move/lift. I didn't even know where to start. It took a little while to figure out the right combinations. I'm sure you've all been there...Tony says if he gives you 20 reps and you can do all 20, then you need higher weight. Well, I have found myself MANY TIMES, getting to the end and doing all the resp. How the heck am I supposed to know that the weight is too light until I get to the end? Anyway...

I remember bragging to my husband that I did 6 reps at 80 lbs. I was thrilled. Then he pointed out that I should be able to do my own body weight--after all, your legs do carry your body weight. Well, several months later, I get on the seated leg press and I put it on 190 lbs and have at it. The past few weeks I was doing my 15 count at 190. Today I did 19 at 190 and for my 15 count I did 210. But that's not even the good part of the story. For my 6 count, I did 290 lbs five times. I had one more 6 count to do, so I bumped it up to 300 and slammed it!!! My goal was to get to 300 lbs by the end of the month--I was thinking AT THE END OF THE MONTH.

But it gets better....

Sit down because this part is UNBELIEVABLE.

Tony always has me working on the other leg press...the one where you are kind of laying down. I typically don't use this one because A-it's occupied or B-There's limited weights because someone else has them on another contraption. Well, today it was free. I wanted to see what I could do. Now, there was a sign that read "Carriage weight: 125 lbs." And there was a 45 lb weight on top of the carriage. Not sure if that was included in the 125 lb figure they had or if that was additional 45 lbs. So I put four 45 lbs weights on there. I moved it like it was nothing. I stuck 2 more on there. SIX 45 lbs weights (NOT COUNTING THE ONE ON TOP). This was 395 lbs, IF the carriage was really 125 lbs--and NOT counting the 45 lbs weight. I did 6 reps WITH EASE. HUH?? Now, I couldn't have knocked out 12 of those bad boys. NO WAY. But I did 6 with no problems.

I was stoked. I couldn't believe it. I really wanted to go home and get my camera and record it for all of you. I texted Tony and asked if he thought the carriage really weighed 125 lbs. He said not typically UNLESS it was an old machine. Well this thing wasn't new--that's for sure. So, here's what I KNOW. I know I moved AT LEAST 315 lbs---the seven 45 lbs weights. We know the carriage weighs SOMETHING. Dunno if it it really weighs 125 lbs and I dunno if it includes that 45 lb weight. But, presuming my gym isn't lying, (and NOT considering the 45 lbs on the carriage as additional weight) I did 395lbs on the leg press....

I am She-Ra!!!

This totally blows my mind. Hell, 300 lbs on the seated leg press blows my mind as I wasn't expecting to be there until the end of the month. It goes to show that you can do ANYTHING when you set your mind to it.

On a similar but different topic, how is it that with different equipment, you can do different weights. For example, you may be able to do 50 lbs on the chest press machine, but if you are using free weights, you might only be able to do 30. Why is that???




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