First workout: upper body

I've decided that I'm going to do the machine-based workouts, since the goal is really to work out until you fail. If I'm doing overhead lifts, failure means there's some real risk of dropping free weights on myself, and I don't have a regular spotter that I can rely on. So even though machines are arguably less effective, this is gonna be my direction.

I went to the gym to try the first workout. There are only two lifts: close-grip supinated pull-down and machine shoulder press. For the pull-down, I used a standard lat pulldown machine, and for the machine shoulder press, I used an isolateral Hammer machine (each arm moves independently). I used a straight bar on the pulldown. My bench setting on the Hammer was 7, and starting resistance on the Hammer was 10 lb unloaded.

The first time through each of the workouts is focused on determining your starting weights. I started with the pulldown. To determine starting weight, he suggests doing a set of five with a fast pull and two-second release (the "f/2 cadence"). If you can complete that set, increase the weight by 10% or 10 lb, whichever is less, wait 60 sec, and do the next set. Continue to increase the weight until you can't complete a set.

I started with 90 lb on the pulldown, and was able to get up to 140 lb before I failed to complete the set. The instructions say to take 70% of the weight of the last set you did complete and start there for workouts going forward. This means I started at 90 lb, and did my first "set to failure" with a five sec pull and five second release (the "5/5 cadence"), seven reps, at 90 lb. I was able to complete this set, and will move up to 100 lbs next time I do this workout.

On the shoulder press, I started with 25 lb plates on each side (60 lb total resistance), and repeated the same process. I got to 110 lb total resistance before failing at the f/2 cadence, and the reduction was 60% instead of 70% for this lift, so that means my starting weight was 65 lb total resistance on the shoulder press. I did a 5/5 set of 7 reps, and was able to finish that set, so I'll increase the weight to 70 lb for the next workout.

I did the myotactic crunch and the charmingly-named "cat vomit" exercise for abs, and called it a day.