Man, that’s a tough one! I’m not familiar with that brand and I’m kinda skeptical of all-in-one machines like that. The leg press and leg extensions don’t seem awesome.
On the other hand the price is good and it would probably be worth it for the cable pushdown and pulldowns.
I guess tiebreaker would depend on the wife. Do you think she’d be fired up to use it? If so jump all over it!
Happy wife, happy life 
That’s good to know, one of those “too-good-to-be-true” machines. They retail for over $4000 new, so I thought it may be decent.
I do remember maxing out the leg press on the machine I used, but I still got some good quad DOMS out of it from doing a lot of high rep sets when I was away for work.
I can definitely find cheaper and smaller versions of this machine if I was only interested in the high/low cable on it.
Honestly? No. I think she would be more inclined to use it, but she is definitely not going to ever be motivated to workout. She has stellar genetics, her Mom is fit and her sister worked out for like 6 months and then did a bodybuilding show. My wife works out for 3 weeks and is happy with the progress and then stops for a year…and she is a 5’4" ~110lb, so not in need of maintaining her weight or anything.
Thanks for the comments!
No idea about this particular machine and generally sceptical about all in one solutions but I do have experience with Hoist equipment and the things I have used were really good quality.
Pics or we don’t believe you.
(Just KIDDING.)
Don’t forget that Spud Inc make a cable/pulley attachment.
Are you into Canadian chicks? You got the Maple Fever?
2-29 Hamstring Legs
Get Loose
Deadlift Isometric, Conventional, Pin 2 x a couple good efforts
Then do 8 reps of 45 degree back raises x 3 sets
Deadlift iso and single leg ass blasters x 8 x 3 sets
Leg Extensions x 15
Standing Leg Curl, bottom half x 15
3 pairs
Abs, seated calves, standing calves.
Little late maybe, but I feel there is a big difference between liking training, and having fun while training. I’m never more present than I am while training, which honestly feels more important than fun itself.
Had no clue that was a thing…should I have it? I don’t know any Canadian girls.
More on training fun.
Good music makes individual workouts more fun. Especially good music that I didn’t pick that is like a pleasant surprise.
Training outside can be a nice change.
New moves are fun and make training more interesting. Even the super serious Russian weightlifters improved their results when their interest in training sessions went up after doing new stuff.m
3-1 Shoulders
Arm circles and half kneeling KB presses to get going
Smith Machine Bench x 6 x 4 sets
Standing 1 arm KB Press x 6 x 4 sets (landmine was occupied)
DB combo delt raise x 10 side, front, rear x 3 rounds
Close Grip Bench, tuck elbows, Pause above chest x 8 x 4 sets
Close Grip Bench in Smith Machine, elbows flared (Kaz Press) x 10 x 3 sets
Rope Pushdown, hands out x 14 ish
PJR Pullovers x 12 ish
2 rounds
Hard sets of 6-8, Straight meat head! Much satisfaction!
3-2 Mid Back Thickness Traps
Incline DB Shrug x 20
Incline DB Row x 20
Standing DB Shrug x 20
Bent DB Row x 20
DB RDL x 20
2 times through the trap circuit to get going
Chest Supported T Bar Row x 6 x a few warm-ups and 2 hard sets
Dumbbell Shrug, 5 count eccentic x 6 x 2 warm-ups and 2 hard ones
DB lateral kinda shrug move x 20
Machine Shrug, elbows way up behind back x 12ish
3 pairs
Barbell Curls + Fat Gripz x 8 x 4 sets ramping up
Bonus JM Press with the bros x 12 x 3 sets
Arnold Concentration Curl x 12
Seats Alternating DB Curl x 12
3 pairs
Jesus music at the gym today. Solid workout.
3-4
I fell asleep minutes after dinner last night and woke up at like 2 am starving. I ate some slop and laid down for a couple hours then got up early, wide awake a vaguely anxious. Decided to go to the gym and felt hype and strong. Like adrenalized so all weights felt light but breathing and pulse were through the roof. Basically from working out to intensely for too long and pushing into the overreaching zone. It was kind of a frustrating workout because I felt like I could do any amount of anything, but I knew the harder I lifted meant a longer time backing off to get back to normal.
So I can go 4 weeks before I blow up on straight sets vs 3 weeks on antagonist paired sets/giant sets. And 3 weeks is probably a good length of time to push. Groundbreaking!
Leg Day
Get Loose
Peterson Step Ups x 10
Get on glute/ham bench in top position then lower like 5 inches x 5
3 pairs
Step Ups 6 x 6
Leg Extensions x 20
Standing Too Half Leg Curls x 10
3 pairs
Leg Raises off bench x 15
Coan side barbell holds x 5 count
4 pairs
Calf junk
An interview with Athlean X, who is a cool slender guy. I’ve seen tons of his videos for posture and back stuff and lately some bodybuilding technique kinda stuff. Always specific info, never him talking about the big picture. I’m about 20 minutes in. The first 10 or so minutes were like blah blah blah social media blah blah blah. Then he got rolling on how everybody is loving powerlifting and linear, full body routines focused on the big lifts right now and they are forgetting about all the other good stuff like body part splits and isolation exercises. And how when you chase numbers you can cheat and compensate develop problems. Then using assistance moves to fix issues. Honestly he sounded a lot like Louie. Pretty cool so far.
I stole this from Chris Ottawa. Some nerd says 5- 10 sets per workout is a good. That’s good, I’ve been doing 6, 8 or 10 sets per workout(who knew Fred Hatfield was so smart?). In this study they used a Light/Heavy/Medium Light/Medium Heavy weekly rotation. Then a push/pull/legs routine. Just a real natural way to cycle through lifting sessions. I was just complaining about Light week, medium week, heavy week giving me problems and look what appears! Glorious!
https://www.instagram.com/p/B9TcaYGDPe8/
This is from Nick Tumminello, talking about variety in training. As long as you do the same number of sets you can switch around exercises and still build the same muscles. And be more hype in the gym.
“As long as you focus on training volume, you don’t have to stay consistent with the exercises you use if you’re looking to increase hypertrophy. This is demonstrated in a 12-week study comparing constant intensity and constant exercise, constant intensity and varied exercise, varied intensity and constant exercise, and varied intensity and varied exercise (13). The study found that muscle hypertrophy is similar regardless of the training intensity and exercise variation.”
“While both programs (fixed and randomized) elicited similar improvements in muscular adaptations, it was varying exercise selection that had a positive effect on enhancing motivation to train (14).”
Sciences!
3-6 Chest Push
Get loose
Slight Incline DB Press, 1.5 reps x 6 x 2 hard sets
Decline Pushup + Monster Mini Band x 6 x 3 sets
Pec Deck, 5 count Eccentric x 6 x 3 sets
DeFranco Shoulder Shocker x 15 x 2 rounds
Rear Delts on Reverse Pec Deck x 12ish x 3 sets
Close Grip Decline Bench x 12ish x 3 sets
Cable Pushdowns x 15+
PJR Pullover x 12+
3 pairs
Band Pushdown x 25+
Overhead band extension x 20+
3 times
Bumper plate hold
35 x 1 minute
45 x 1 x 2 holds
The stuff I did last chest workout (Smith machine and cables) were taken so I did DB bench and pec deck instead. I was consistent with volume, so the lab-coats say I’ll be OK. Reassuring!
This guy is becoming one of my favorites. He’s a Water video. Even being a little dehydrated messes up everything from digestion of protein to absorption of testosterone. From force production to rate of perceived exertion during workouts. Studies show most fat people are dehydrated an that you can loose more fat by drinking 16oz of water before meals. So drink some water, “you dry lipped motherfuckers.”
Water is massively overlooked. I noticed once I got over 240 lbs or so that it is so easy to dehydrate. I need to get around three litres of fluid into me within two hours of waking to not feel dried out, especially if I’m moving around.
I’ve been slacking on water during the winter. It’s cold so I kinda forget. Now the weather is warming up it’s starting to matter.
3-8 Hvy Lats/ Light Biceps
Get loose
1 arm machine pulldowns x 6 x 2 easy sets, 2 hard sets
1 arm DB Row x 6 x 2 hard sets
Cable Pulldowns, Medium Overhand Grip, 5 count eccentric x 6 x 2 hard ones
Cable Curls x aim for 20 x 3 sets
Incline DB Curls x 15+ x 3 sets
Band Curl, band behind body, arm flexion/lower bicep x 35
Band uppercut, shoulder flexion/upper bicep x 30
3 pairs
Ab stuff, easy like McGill curl ups and psoas eccentrics. Into “pre stretch crunches”, leg raises off bench.
Estrogen must be high, I saw one of the ducks sitting off to the side, all by itself and it made me sad.
My Bros were talking about biceps, bicep problems and the two functions of the bicep, arm flexion and often forgotten shoulder flexion. Like your bicep curls your forearm up and it also raises your arm up in front of your body. I realized I mostly ignored shoulder flexion and rarely trained or practiced that motion, like only the few times I’ve messed with band uppercuts for bicep tendonitis. Today I put the curls with the uppercuts for a nice little superset that felt a little less like rehab and a little more like nice, useful work.
Band curls with band behind body, for lower bicep and arm flexion
Band uppercut for upper bicep or shoulder flexion (1:00)
Before I forget, I saw this other video of band tricep Pushdowns the other day and tried it Friday, Tris have been sore sore. At like :54 seconds dude wraps his hands through the band in a neat way that adds some nice outward, push your hands apart action to the pushdowns. Similar to John Meadows two D handle cable pushdowns. I’ve not seen it anywhere before.
