I think that all sounds really good.
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You’re another partial inspiration for the changed focus, with your posts about snow shoeing, hiking, and general woods rambling. You remind me of activities and experiences I strongly value and can choose to prioritize.
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7/1/25, Tuesday
Biking - 57:30
As with last year, I’m intentionally not tracking my distance. I don’t need to measure and quantify every physical activity.
6 Likes
7/2/25, Wednesday
OHP, curls, laterals, rear delts, tri ext x 10lbs x 15
HS row-downs
- 1 pps x 12
- 1.5 pps x 8
- 2 pps x 4
- 2.5 pps x 10
- 2.5 pps x 10
- 2.5 pps x 8
Low incline DB press
- 35 x 15
- 55 x 5
- 70 x 3
- 80 x 1
- 90 x 9
- 80 x 10
Pulldowns, med-neutral grip, behind head
- 140 x 9
- 140 x 9
- 140 x 8 (to chest)
Dips - bw x 13, 9, 8
Lateral raises machine - 60 x 2 x 16
DB curls - 22.5 x 2 x 16
5 Likes
7/5/25, Saturday
Exercycle - 5:00
Hack squats
- empty x 12
- .5 pps x 8
- 1 pps x 4
- 1.5 pps x 6
- 1.5 pps x 6
- 1.5 pps x 7
- 1 pps x 12
RFESS on Smith machine
- 5lbs/side x 8
- 15 lbs/side x 7
- 25 lbs/side x 6
Calf press machine - 170 x 65 total
Leg extensions - 130 x 2 x 12
Seated leg curls - 110 x 2 x 12
7 Likes
7/6/25, Sunday
Swimming
- 30:58, 1,000m / 0.62 mi, 1:1 freestyle: breaststroke
4 Likes
7/10/25, Thursday
Seated cable rows, medium neutral grip
- 100 x 10
- 120 x 5
- 140 x 5
- 160 x 11, 12, 9
Low incline DB press
- 40 x 12
- 60 x 5
- 75 x 3
- 85 x 1
- 95 x 6
- 85 x 8
- 75 x 9
BPAs - red x 2 x 20, supersetted w
Pec deck - 130 x 2 x 10
Pulldowns, medium neutral grip
- 130 x 10 (behind head)
- 130 x 10 (to chest)
Dips - bw x 15, 8, 6, 4
Cable curls - 45 x 2 x 14
Lateral raises - 15 x 2 x 15
5 Likes
7/11/25, Friday
Arc Trainer
- 40:05, 1.64 mi, 0-14 incline, 35-45 resistance
3 Likes
7/12/25, Saturday
Recumbent exercycle - 5:00
Hack squats
- empty x 12
- .5 pps x 8
- 1 pps x 4
- 1.5 pps x 8
- 1.5 pps x 8
- 1 pps x 15
Seated calf presses
- 170 x 5 sets x 80 total
Seated leg curls
- 140 x 2 x 8
Heavy flywheel exercycle
- 30:00, 3:30 seated / 1:30 standing
i was definitely more fatigued today, but the workout still felt good.
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Way to power through!!
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Thanks, Q-Squared! I was tempted to just ride an exercycle (it’s been too freakin’ hot to ride my real bike lately) but I didn’t want to miss the opportunity to make my “west Scotland” thighs grow a bit 
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Thats a really important piece of the puzzle that gets lost in the shuffle sometimes.
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So true. I’m moving in this direction, too. I don’t need my entire week ruined because I took a genuine rest day and now my step average is in the toilet. I can be pleased by an extra active day without it creating an ongoing pressure to keep up. Which goes back to the bit that @SkyzykS quoted above.
2 Likes
7/14/25, Monday
Swimming
- 57:38, 2,000m / 1.24 mi, 1:1 freestyle : breaststroke
- 52:04 for 1 mile
I’m blown away - this is the farthest continual distance and longest consecutive time I’ve swam in my life. Only one other time have I swam a mile without resting, and that was 15 years ago and dragging around 20 less pounds. My mile time was quite slow, especially for a pool, but I freakin’ did it! I’m grateful for the chance to exercise and swim, especially with the injuries I’ve been through. God is good, y’all. I want to reduce my mile time, which can be easily accomplished by getting in better shape and dropping the breaststroke. I also never learned to do kick flips, which would really help. Still, there’s something to be said for positive gains from inefficiency; I’m sure Dan John wrote about it a time or three. How are you guys’ weeks going, so far?
7 Likes
That’s awesome. When I was in Central Asia last month, I went to the best spa in the region. There was an option to go swimming. So, I swam for the first time in about a decade. It honestly made me curious about giving swimming a go someday. Have you always been consistently swimming in adulthood? Sorry if I missed that in your log!
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Happy cake day!
2 Likes
happy cake day
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7/19/25, Saturday
Recumbent exercycle - 5:00
Pulldowns, medium neutral grip
- 120 x 7 (behind head)
- 140 x 10 (behind head)
- 140 x 10 (to chest)
Low incline DB press
- 40 x 12
- 60 x 5
- 75 x 3
- 85 x 1
- 95 x 6
- 85 x 9
Seated cable rows
- 160 x 8 (close neutral grip)
- 140 x 8 (med neutral grip)
- 140 x 10 (med neutral grip) supersetted w
Dip machine
- 190 x 12
- 190 x 12
- 190 x 12
Cable curls, single arm - 20 x 2 x 15
Lateral raises - 15 x 2 x 20
5 Likes
I’d love to hear more about your trip to Central Asia at some point, if you’re willing to talk about it! I’ve always been fascinated with Russia and Central Asia. My last reading obsession was travelogue books by Americans and Europeans who traveled through those countries and regions.
After a decade of not swimming, how’d it feel? I don’t know if I’ve overtly written about my swimming endeavors, so no worries! I swam a lot as a kid and was on a swim team for a summer or two in middle school. As an adult, I go through phases of regularly swimming, mixed with months of none.
For five years after my first leg reconstruction, the only cardio exercise I could regularly do was swimming, including finning, so I swam two or three times a week consistently. My tibia healed after a second reconstructive surgery, so I started swimming less in lieu of everything I hadn’t been able to do.
These days, I’m drawn to swimming at opposite ends of the year - I love outdoor pools and sunshine in the summer and, for whatever reason, delight in swimming during the deep, dark winter. What’s your history with swimming?
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@ChickenLittle @throwawayfitness thanks for the cake-day wishes! It’s hard to believe I’ve been on this site (albeit to different degrees) for two decades! I was a regular reader when the site had a black background with yellow font, SAMA, and a while different vibe. I like what T-Nation is these days, but I miss some aspects of its past iterations.
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