Liz Thinks I'm Stronger Than I Am

Today was a session with Liz. I knew it would be rough because I've been gone and not exercising for so long. It was a standard Liz session--challenging, but not clearly punishing me. :) She's still recovering from her shoulder surgery and at one point she did say that I had to do ridiculous things because she couldn't and someone had to. Thanks?

The lifting:

Lying Leg Curls: 60/15, 70/15, 80/12

45° Leg Press (15 right leg, 15 left leg, 20 both legs): 180/15:15:20, 270/15:15:20, 360/15:15:20
DB Lunges: 20/15, 20/15, 20/15 (superset, she drew a smiley next to this...don't know why...probably because it sucked.)

Assisted Negative Pull-Ups: 55/8, 45/8

Hammer Shoulder Press: 35ea/15, 45ea/15, 55ea/12
Reverse Pulldowns: 50/15, 50/15, 50/15 (superset)

Push-Ups: BW/15, BW/20, BW/20

The negative pull-ups were supposed to be unassisted. Negative pull-ups are when you start with your head above the bar and lower yourself down slowly. I've never done these. Devon had me do negative chest presses before and it is a similar concept. This makes you work harder and use more force during the eccentric contractions. I like them because you can do heavier weights than the normal way and I feel so tough. :) For these, Liz had me standing on the very edge of a plyo-box and jumping up into a pull-up and slowly lowering myself down. This plan has so many flaws. Allow me to enumerate:

1) I am not strong enough for any part of this;
2) I lack coordination (picture me missing the box and falling to my painful injury--death would be over-dramatic and I am never that...);
3) I irrationally fear hurting myself in simple scenarios due to my complete lack of coordination (reminder of past scenario)

I tentatively jumped the first few times making no real attempt to hold myself up--the focus was more about *not* falling off the edge of the box. I then gave it a real try. I swear *I* noticed a difference in the amount of time in the air. Liz did not. Apparently, I cannot even hold myself above the bar. FOR SHAME.

I thanked Liz for having more faith in my ability than was appropriate and we relocated to the assisted pull-ups machine. I did much better with 55 and 45 lbs of assistance. It was still tough, but actually doable. :)

Another explanation of a new workout: reverse pulldowns. These are not reverse-grip pulldowns--those I have done many times before. For reverse pulldowns, I sit backwards at the lat pulldowns machine and bring the bar behind my head to the middle of the back of my head, a.k.a. my ponytail. Liz kept instructing me to keep my 'c-spine' straight. Like I know what that is. She then said, "It's your neck." Why not just say that, Liz?

Gotta get myself back in the workout zone. I hate how I feel right now. Hate it! I owe Liz a new goals email and my current goal is to write that. :)