Down with Canada!

Workout of the Day:

8 sets strict pullup variations

3 sets lateral toes to bar

3 sets back extension

After staying up til 5am watching the U.S. beat Canada in Olympic hockey, I was feeling a little rough this morning. There were quite a few celebratory shots taken at the Great Canadian Pub in Paris so today’s workout was more of a recovery effort than anything else.

I decided to take a page from my friend and pullup aficionado Frank Passanante @ Steelfit and spend the evening getting creative with various strict pullups. I did 2 sets pulling as high as possible, getting my sternum to the bar. I did 3 sets with a towel thrown across the support beam and using it to pull myself up until my head cleared the bar on either side. I did the next 2 sets pulling away from the bar so that my legs and hips raised up as my head and chest peeled back. This variation was cool because it engaged a different part of the back entirely. The last 2 sets were L-sit chin ups. I was getting between 6-10 repetitions for all of these.

Continuing in the creative vein, I worked 3 sets of lateral toes to bar. This is where you try to pull your legs up at an oblique angle. I couldn’t get close to the bar but felt the effects nonetheless. I also did a few sets of hanging rotational L-sits, continually rotating from side to side without dropping the thighs below parallel.

Finishing up with the back extensions put the finishing touches on my hangover. I walked out of the gym feeling much better than when I walked in and I’m always happy with that. Tomorrow I’m going to try to snatch in the cramped space available, but I may need an alternate plan just in case. Fingers crossed.