That final set was the only video I recorded
during three days of natural strength training.
And looking back, those three workouts were
all pretty different.

Day One: Heavy Legs and High Repetitions

I started with trap-bar Romanian deadlifts
and leg presses, alternating between the
two exercises.

Once the leg presses got heavy, I stopped
supersetting and concentrated on the heavier
sets.

I enjoy lifting heavy, but I also enjoy
higher repetitions. That 30-rep set with
five plates on each side was a different
kind of challenge.

That’s something I like about training.
There isn’t just one way to challenge yourself.

Day Two: Dumbbells, Arms, Shoulders and Abs

The following day was completely different.
I used 25-pound dumbbells for a circuit,
moving between exercises and finishing
each round with sit-ups.

It was a good workout, but the only direct
shoulder exercise I did was the bent-over
lateral raise, which focuses primarily on
the rear deltoids.

I didn’t do shoulder presses or much other
direct shoulder work. That’s what I was
thinking about the next day.

Day Three: Chest, Heavy Presses and High Reps

Today’s workout was chest. The gym I used
only had dumbbells up to 50 pounds, so
I started with the Smith machine for my
heavier incline presses.

Something I found interesting was that I
actually increased my repetitions on the
second set of both dumbbell exercises.

I wasn’t taking every set to absolute
failure. I was paying attention to how
I felt and how many repetitions I thought
I still had available.

Between the incline presses, flat presses
and flyes, I completed seven chest
working sets and 95 repetitions.

Why I Added the Shoulder Press

After finishing all that chest work,
I remembered yesterday’s circuit.

I had trained my rear shoulders with
bent-over lateral raises, but hadn’t
done much else specifically for them.

So I adjusted the bench to a steeper
angle under the Smith machine and
loaded one 45-pound plate on each side.

That’s 90 pounds in plates, plus the
machine’s effective bar weight.
Smith machine bars vary, so I’m not
claiming a particular total resistance.

I wasn’t trying to set a personal
record. I wasn’t starting another
full shoulder workout.

I just wanted one pressing set
to supplement yesterday’s shoulder
work and rep it out a little.

And since I had already completed a
full chest workout, my shoulders
weren’t exactly fresh.

I recorded the set, something I
probably should do more often.
Watching myself afterward gives me
a different perspective on my form,
range of motion and positioning.

Even after years of lifting, there’s
always something to learn.

Three Different Workouts, One Approach

These three days are a good example of
how I enjoy training.

Some days I go heavy. Other days
I use supersets, circuits or higher
repetitions.

I don’t believe every workout has
to look exactly the same.

I want to continue building muscle,
maintaining strength, paying attention
to recovery and enjoying the process.

I wrote previously about

getting back on track after missing gym days
.
This feels like a natural continuation
of that story.

I’m back into a consistent rhythm,
experimenting with different workouts
and enjoying being in the gym.