Lifting with Chewie!

Today I lifted with Rebecca (a.k.a. Chewbecca, a.k.a. Chewie, a.k.a. Chew-Chew) in Fredericksburg, VA!!! After battling Northern VA I-95 traffic, I was pumped and ready to kick some gym butt. We went to Rebecca's gym, American Family Fitness. It's a fairly good gym--I'd say better than most, but no Lifetime Fitness in Columbia. Chewie hung with me like a champion!

Here is the lifting Devon assigned:

Seated Leg Extensions x 3s x 12r @ 90-100lbs (2 seconds up, 2 seconds
down) (100 lbs.)
Overhead DB Squats to Calf Raise x 3s x 12r @ 15-20lbs
(hold the dumbbells above your head, 2 seconds up, 1 second hold, 3 seconds
down) (20 lb DBs.)

Lying Leg Curls x 3s x 12r @ 90 lbs (2 seconds
up, 2 seconds down)
Reverse DB Lunge to Balance x 3s x 12r @ 25 lbs (hold
the dumbbells at shoulder height, 2 seconds up, 1 second hold, 3 seconds down)

Flat BB Bench Press x 3s x 12r @ 65-75lbs (Smith Machine, 2 seconds up,
2 seconds down) (75 lbs.)
Push-ups with hip abduction x 3s x 12r @ BW (one
leg of the ground and to the side, 2 seconds up, 1 second hold, 3 seconds down)

Pull-downs x 3s x 12r @ 55-65lbs (2 seconds up, 2 seconds down)
(65 lbs.)
Stability Ball Dumbbell Pullover x 3s x 12r @ 25-30lbs (lying on
stability ball 2 seconds up, 1 second hold, 3 seconds down) (35 lb weight
plate.)

Standing DB Shoulder Press x 3s x 12r x 15-20lbs (2 seconds up, 2
seconds down) (20 lb DBs.)
Alternating Arm Bent-over DB Flyes x 3s x 12r @
7.5-12.5 lbs (2 seconds up, 1 second hold, 3 seconds down) (10 lb DBs. They had
no half sizes.)

Cable Rope Hammer Curl x 3s x 12r @ 25-35lbs (use a rope
instead of a straight bar, 2 seconds up, 2 seconds down) (35
lbs.)
Overhead Staggared Stance Cable Rope Triceps Extensions x 3s x 12r @
25-35lbs ( face away from a cable machine, lean forward and extend the rope over
you head 2 seconds out, 2 seconds in) (note: if they don't have a cable machine,
you can do this while sitting on a stability ball and using a dumbbell. Don't
lean, sit up straight) (25 lbs.)

Alternating Sides Stability Ball
Crunch 3s x 15r @ BW (hands over chest, crunch up towards one knee and then the
other, both sides count as one, 2 seconds up, 1 second hold, 3 seconds down)

Rebecca, as always, was an excellent weight lifting partner! She even claims there were two different men hitting on me, but I think they were just being polite. Either way, it boosts my ego a bit...

Speaking of boosting my ego...(my favorite thing to do!)...Rebecca gave me some excellent feedback for perspective on my progress. Way back in June 2009, Rebecca came to the gym and lifted with me. She was able to do everything I did--weights the same and all. This time, she considers herself in comparable shape and she did lighter weights for a bunch of the exercises. What a great way to measure a little over a year's worth of progress! If all is going well, this *should* happen given her being constant.

We did get scolded by one of the personal trainers that we are not allowed to take dumbbells off of the Man-Land mat. I *FREQUENTLY* do this to do supersets. Luckily, it was about a 10 foot walk to the mat, so I asked if we could just drop them on the edge and he said sure. He even laughed at how stupid a rule it was. Chewie is looking for a personal trainer. Watching him interact with his client, we think he may be a good fit--even though he scolded (nicely) the Double Shot. *Clearly* the legend has not made its way as far south as Fredericksburg. ;)

Tomorrow I rest and drive to VA Beach for the Rock n Roll Half Marathon!!!!