SAD (seasonal affective disorder)

chest rug

Fortunately, I'm very fair haired so what body hair I do have doesn't particularly stand out, and just gives me a 'fuzzy edge' if you look at me from a distance. Saying that, I don't like it. Particularly as it starts to grow at a faster rate than the hair on my head (one of life's painful ironies).

A few of my friend's bought intense pulse laser ('IPL') treatments through Groupon a few months ago. I need to learn more about the science behind it, but it essentially permanently removes unwanted body hair!

The procedure sounds like it involves a reasonable amount of pain, and can cause some blistering, but in the long term it sounds like a sensible solution for hair removal. My friends are going through their treatments and are pleased with its success.

Another offer on Groupon for IPL came up for a salon in Islington, and in a rash but swift action I bought six appointments for £119 instead of £1,800 (I do love a bargain). This offer is for one large area and two medium areas, which according to the offer should cover my chest and I'm hoping I can get a bit more done too (possibly my lower stomach or my arms).

There is a chance that I can't have it done, as apparently it doesn't work for fair hair, but as I shaved my chest hair for many years, it grew back dark and is definitely noticeable - I think it makes my chest look dirty.

Understandably, I'm a little nervous about booking an appointment. And there's a good chance I might forget and never have it done, but I'm excited about the opportunity to move forwards with my plan to achieve body perfection (of sorts).

I'm determined to pump up my chest a little bit more before having this done, so will wait until the New Year to book. Until then, I might do a bit more research so I know what to expect!

Here goes!

...back for good...

Friday nights never put me off a workout. So with that attitude, I headed to the gym again after work today.

In order to achieve the all round body, I need to work all around my body, i.e. my back! (which is annoying to work out as it's the least easy to see the immediate benefits).

Today I did the following:

• lat pulldown - Set 1: 25kg for 15 reps, Set 2: 30kg for 10 reps, and set 3: 30kg for 11 reps
• cable seated low row - 10kg for 15 reps, 15kg for 20 reps, and set 3: 20kg for 13 reps
• cable straight arm pulldown - set 1: 20kg for 10 reps, set 2: 20kg for 9 reps, and set 3: 25kg for 8 reps
• one-arm row - set 1: 6kg for 10 reps (each side), and set 2: 8kg for 12 reps (each side)
• dumbbell bent-over row - set 1: 6kg for 10 reps, and set 2: 8kg for 12 reps
• shrug - set 1: 14kg fir 10 reps, and set 2: 16kg for 10 reps

I'm not sure if I'll (ever) notice the difference from these workouts, but think a strong back is an important element of the improvements to my physique, both aesthetically and for my long term back-health.

Laters!

abs-olutely amazing!

Well, I found myself at the gym again this evening, facing the dilemma of "what body part should I work out?" I chose abs again, as they've been neglected for a little while, and are the core of my muscle gaining programme so need to be as strong as possible.

So, tonight I did the following exercises:

• traditional crunch - 30 reps
• twisting crunch - 8 on each side
• rollback - 20 reps
• side crunch - 10 on each side
• plank - 120 seconds
• side plank - 60 seconds on each side
• cycle crunch - 30 reps with 8kg weight, 20 reps with 10kg
• dumbbell side bend - Set 1: 16kg for 10 reps, Set 2: 16kg for 10 reps
• bridge crunch - 10 reps
• modified v-sit - 10 reps

Looking at that list of exercises, it was quite an exhausting workout tonight. Go me!

I'll need to bravely start loading photos to track the progress soon, but for now we'll stick with pictures of my inspirations!

DanMan

I want to ride my bi... ceps

I had another very small workout window this evening so do a quick biceps routine.

I'm very disappointed by how much strength I've lost in my biceps since I stopped working out. My chest and triceps appear to have picked up where I left off pretty quickly, but I'm really struggling with my biceps.

Today, I managed:

• dumbbell biceps curl: Set 1 - 10kg for 4 reps, Set 2 - 8kg for 9 reps, Set 3 - 8kg for 6 reps
• dumbbell biceps curl: Set 1 - 6kg for 8 reps
• concentration dumbbell curl: Set 1 - 6kg for 10 reps, Set 2 - 6kg for 8 reps

With such a poor workout, I'm never going to gain back the strength! Nor am I going to look like Jacob!

Tri harder

This evening, I tried an all round triceps, shoulders and chest workout. I figured I should work out these muscle groups together as they're related and exercise from my tri's in to my chest.

It sort of worked, but I felt incredibly tired by the time I got to my chest, so didn't do too many sets on it.

My exercises were as follows:

• arnold press - 1 set, 6kg, 7 reps
• bench dip - 1 set, 10 reps
• cable front raise - 2 sets, 5kg, 8 reps
• cable triceps overhead extension - 1 set x 10kg for 10 reps, 1 set x 15kg for 7 reps, 1 set x 15kg for 4 reps
• cable triceps pushdown - 2 sets x 40kg for 10 reps, 1 set x 45kg for 8 reps
• decline pushup - 1 set x 12 reps
• dumbbell bench press - 1 set x 28kg for 8 reps,1 set x 24kg for 7 reps
• dumbbell upright row - 1 set x 6kg for 11 reps, 1 set x 6kg for 7 reps

I'm not sure if I worked hard enough to feel any burn tomorrow, but hopefully there'll be some.

Pecs like Becks

So I did a quick twenty minute chest workout this evening whilst waiting for a colleague to finish work I was waiting for. My workout consisted of:

• dumbbell incline bench: 10kg x 10 reps; 12kg x 7 reps
• dumbbell flye: 2 sets of 10kg x 10 reps
• decline push-up: 10 push-ups (this was a killer)
• dumbbell bench press: 12kg x 14 reps; 14kg x 8 reps; and 14kg x 4 reps (my last exercise)

And just as as my workout was short, this blog post is also short!

Auf wiedersehn!

Bad memories of P.E. teachers

Today I had enough time to swing into the gym for a quick abs workout. I was excited about carrying on my great workout from last week but was thwarted from doing a proper interview for two reasons:

1. Change to the equipment layout

The equipment in the gym has been moved all over the shop so that the running machines can be re-arranged to stop making so much noise for the other floors. If only THE running girl didn't pound her feet so loudly when she sprints EVERYday, there would've been no need for this! Anyways, consequently, there was no 'private' place to do an abs workout.

2.Interfering gym go-ers

I was happily minding my own ab-busting business when another gym go-er rocked up next to me and decided to show off his own ab techniques. I was trying out a new exercise when he then started to tell me how I was doing it wrong and how I should be doing it better. Well, I assume this was the case, although he was mumbling so much he could've been talking about the snow.

So, today I only managed:

• plank - 120 seconds
• pulse up - 6 (this is where I was most interrupted, at one point he lifted my legs up higher than they should go)
• side plank - 60 seconds on each side
• traditional crunch - 25 reps
• twisting crunch - 8 reps on each side.

I don't think I'll be in as much pain as last week after ab-busting, but hopefully there'll be an improvement!

Project D(anman)

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