July 2, 2026

A Birthday Session

Birthdays do not automatically make a workout more important, but they do make it easier to remember. This one was a good session.

I was cautious with a minor right-side issue that made itself known during the warm-up. It stayed in the background rather than dictating the session, and I was able to complete the planned work without feeling overworked.

Controlled Deadlift Work

The deadlifts progressed from 135 pounds for five repetitions to three sets of three at 335 pounds. The final three sets moved from RPE 7 to 7.5 and then 8. RPE is my own 1-to-10 rating of how difficult a set felt.

I added my belt at 275 pounds, continued using it at 305, and used both the belt and straps for the three sets at 335. The effort increased gradually, but none of the sets turned into an all-out test.

After deadlifts, I moved through kneeling leg curls, two 25-second farmer’s holds with 100-pound implements, and reverse back extensions. A short treadmill walk finished the session.

Overall, the workload landed where it needed to. I did not leave feeling drained or as though I had pushed beyond what the day called for. For a birthday workout, that was more than enough.

Workout Log

The RPE column records my personal rating of the difficulty of each set.

Exercise	Set	Weight / Settings	Reps / Time	RPE
Elliptical Cross Trainer	A	BW; Resistance Level 2; Incline Level 2	7 minutes
Crocodile Breathing	A	BW	5 breaths	0
Cat Cow	A	BW	8	1
Glute Bridge	A	BW	10	1
Deadlift	A	135	5	2
Deadlift	B	185	5	3
Deadlift	C	245	5	4
Deadlift	D	275; Belt	4	5
Deadlift	E	305; Belt	3	6
Deadlift	F	335; Belt; Straps	3	7
Deadlift	G	335; Belt; Straps	3	7.5
Deadlift	H	335; Belt; Straps	3	8
ISO Lateral Kneeling Leg Curl	A	55/side	10/side	5
ISO Lateral Kneeling Leg Curl	B	65/side	10/side	6
ISO Lateral Kneeling Leg Curl	C	70/side	10/side	7
Farmer’s Hold	A	100s	25 sec.	7
Farmer’s Hold	B	100s	25 sec.	8
Reverse Back Extension	A	BW	12	3
Reverse Back Extension	B	BW	12	4
Treadmill	A	BW; 2.4 mph; Incline 0%	6 minutes