The Alpha Male Challenge – Week 8

Posted By elissa on Nov 16, 2009 | 1 comment

One… more… week… to… go…

Gonna make it to the finish line, but I can tell I’m ready for a training break.  I know the feeling: when I come back home after a workout, and feel drained emotionally as well as physically, it’s time.  The workouts themselves are going well, but lately, it’s been hard to reach for that extra “ooomph” needed to power out those last 1 – 2 reps in the last set(s).

So much of lifting is mental… it takes focus and determination – and lately, I’ve had a tough time summoning both. 

At any rate, this was the first of two “Power Boost” weeks, where the majority of exercises are focused on developing explosive power.  Admittedly, most of these were kind of fun – there’s a joyful aspect to plyo work, thanks to all the hopping and jumping around.  It also induced some muscle fatigue, however, which made this week’s 100 rep “Punisher” sets particularly excruciating.  There were Punisher sets for triceps (rope pushdown), back (seated machine rows), quads (walking lunges) and shoulders (dumbbell lateral raises).

We did the shoulders and quad Punishers earlier today.  I’m shredded.

I will say this for the program, though – my shoulders and upper back look harder and more chiseled than they did at the start, so – like it or not – the high volume and overall pounding have done me some good.  John has some pec and leg development going on, too.  So – while I’ll be glad when we’re done – I’ll also be glad we went through it.  I could see myself doing a version of this again, although I’d be inclined to make some exercise substitutions, as well as make it shorter (i.e., 6 weeks vs. 9).