Gym Analysis

[Admiral Huddy]

Anyone ever recorded and analysed your gym workout?

I've always meant to but never remember. Anyway, after a lengthy lay of from the Gym I returned a few weeks back and thought I'd record progress on my shoulders.

However, on looking back, I'm a little confused as to what the figures are telling me.

Although my weights have increases slightly, my reps have lowered. What does this mean?

Here's a sample..

Standing Uni-Shoulder Press (Fwd)

set - date -------- reps/kg - reps/kg - reps/kg - reps/kg
4 -- 28/11/2011 -- 12/25 ---- 12/30 --- 12/35 --- 10/40
4 -- 05/12/2011 -- 12/25 ---- 12/35 --- 12/40 --- 10/42
4 -- 12/12/2011 -- 15/27.5 -- 12/37.5 -- 9/42.5 -- 8/45


Is the 8/45 progress on the week before or not?

Thanks

 

[Admiral Huddy]

Cheers for displaying that in the most awful format possible

It's hard to say, your loading up weights/reps are all over the place, you don't seem to follow a set routine. Do you just pick up whatever weights you fancy and aim for the same amount of reps?

What do you mean by set routine? The illustration i gave above is actual, not what i was aiming for.. Is that what you mean? Surely a program suggests that each week you should strive to improve on the previous. I start from a 12 rep set and and work up a 8 rep set on the 4th or to failure..

Confusing.

What's your actual routine?

For shoulders i combine with biceps:

4 x Standing Uni-Shoulder Press (Fwd) superset with Lateral / Forward raise combo

4 x Standing Arnolds (dumbbell) super with Standing Bicep Curls (Dumbbell)

4 x Standing Bicep Curls (EZ) - Wide Grip superset with Concentrated Deep Bicep Raises

I can't sit on a bench at the moment as I've had an operation in a rather precarious place

 

[Admiral Huddy]

I'm still a little confused sorry

On the 12/12/2011 I performed 15/27.5 then 12/37.5 then 9/42.5 then 8/45

The weight has increased whilst the reps have decreased which is surely to be expected.

edit - I've just noticed an error the entry for the 5/12 first set should have been 12/25 not 12/22.5

 

[Admiral Huddy]

I think I understand now.. so I'll stick to the same reps.. But going in my previous example of set 4 .. is lifting 8 reps of 45 better than 10 of 42?

 

[Admiral Huddy]

Reading this further.. I guess what you saying is always stivk to the same reps 12, 10 , 8 6 for example, and lift what you can within each.

 

[Admiral Huddy]

Ok I think I have you..

So if I maintain the 12, 10, 8 and 6 reps, I should then only increase the weight never the reps. If i can't do the 6, for example, i should lower the weight so that each set is always achieved but not necessarily with ease?

Or if I find the opening set too easy.. I should aim for a weight where 12 is just about achievable.

Thank you both for your input btw