"A" is for Awesome Suprise Workout

Squat 3x5 200
Bench 3x5 135
Deadlift 1x8 180
Dips 3/3/2
Curls 3x5 DB 30

I wasn't actually expecting to workout at all (aside from doing some running) while in the Great Brown North, but my Big Brother (not actually related, met via the Big Brother program when I was 8 or so, we're basically family) and his family had a guest pass to the Pacific Athletic Club which is here in Redwood City and is apparently about as snazzy as gyms get. Apparently the joining fee for this place is $1500 and a club membership runs in the several-hundreds of dollars a month.

So I was expecting more than I got, but I really shouldn't have been surprised. As far as weightlifting goes they actually had less equipment than the ARC of both the free weight and the machine varieties. What was funny is that what they did have was the exact same brand of machines that the ARC has too. Even the same plates. Their Olympic bars were old and rusty to boot. This was likely due to the lack of use. The only people aside from me actually using the bars were Brosiefus and his Bromans doing bench press endlessly. One of the guys in there had what appeared to be a competition ready set of arms and shoulders with a skinnier waist and legs than Joe. He had to be around 6'4" too, so it looked like a stiff breeze would knock him over.

I can't knock the locker room though. Plush benches, spa and steam rooms, hot tub, complimentary shaving cream and good razors, and the showers were clean with nice soap, shampoo, and conditioner in dispensers. Oh, and a lounge area with a big screen HDTV with ESPN turned on. Apparently this is what you pay for since the weight area was overall disappointing. Of course this makes me sound like a snobbish prick (I am actually), but they didn't even have many more elliptical/treadmills/wtfever than the ARC does. They must e making huge bank given the membership fees at this place.

The saddest thing I saw in there had nothing to do with the gym itself however. It was two little Bros in the making. They looked to be about 8th Grade/HS Freshmen and I saw them come in about the time I was finishing dips and saw them beeline for the dumbbells. Over the course of time I spent finishing dips, doing some curls, and giving my Big Brother a small serving of shit for only using the machines I didn't see these guys do anything other than curls and DB bench. Looking at them it was pretty obvious they're new to this, but they had started to make gains in arms while still having legs like toothpicks. As douchey as Joe and I sound about lifting and people who only focus on arms/chest it really is pretty sad given that they could be pretty killer lifters if they started now.

Anyways, enough bitching about others. On to bitching about myself (or auto-fellating depending on the lift).

Squats were fucking awful. It felt like I had zero energy and my form was as bad as it was the first time I deloaded off of 185. I'm chalking this up to simple exhaustion after a 7ish hour drive the day before and am looking forward to taking the rest of the week off to rest up. Back to it Monday.

I had Brosidon (the only bro there who looked like he did leg work, actually looked pretty good overall) spot for me on bench. Possibly never having seen anyone actually doing a full and complete bench he went in to spot at my first rep since the bar actually touched my chest. He also came in and took off way too much weight way before I started to hit failure, but whatever. He was willing to help and spot for a random stranger and I always appreciate it.

Deadlifts actually felt fucking amazing. I did an extra three reps with good form to make up for the shitty performance on the squats. I also suspect I was the only person to do deadlifts in that gym in a long, long time since all the trainers who were having people curl 5lbs DBs were looking at me like I was insane. Not to mention the looks I got loading up the squat rack with 200lbs and actually going sub-parallel even if the rest of my form was shit.

Curls are curls, what can I say. Well, I do have the sinking feeling of hypocrisy every time I do them, but at least I'm getting the rest of my body in there too.