2026-04-20 — light full-body, first back after hamstring strain

First session back after a right-hamstring strain last Thursday. The whole workout was built to move blood through the leg without re-tweaking it — which meant light weight, full range, and early bail-out on any set that started to pull.

Notes before the lifts: pre-workout hit hard, because it's been months since I took any. Drank half a scoop. Sat in the car a couple blocks from Powerhouse for maybe ten minutes before walking in, which is the part of going to the gym I like most.

Seated hamstring curl

Warmup and feeler — the injured leg was the whole reason this exercise went first.

• 55 lb × 12
• 70 lb × 12
• 70 lb × 15
• 85 lb × 12

The 12th on the last set was the only rep that felt close to the edge. Hamstring was quiet through the range, tight only at the fully-lengthened end. I could feel fibers moving in the right leg in a way the left didn't, which is probably what a week-old strain feels like when you drag it awake. Nothing sharp.

Hammer Strength iso-lateral incline press

Handles set about an inch above the shoulder line, aimed at the upper chest. I like the iso-lateral version because the machine catches the instability I don't want to bring into a lift right now. Narrow-ish grip, with a pad behind the back so the stretch at the bottom doesn't get capped by the seat.

• plate / side × 8 (warmup)
• plate + 25 / side × 8 (warmup) — left anterior delt felt a touch over-stretched, angle was slightly off
• plate + 35 / side × 6 / 8 / 6 (working sets)

The middle set going for 8 was weird — probably a little faster than the others, and I made a point of squeezing the legs into the floor for a firmer base, which seems to matter more than I give it credit for.

Squat

Back on barbell squats. Slow, light, with a plan to not even flirt with the hamstring.

• bar × 5 (warmup)
• plate × 5 (warmup)
• plate + 25 × 3
• plate + 25 × 5

The first working set at 3 reps probably had one or two in the tank. Kept the second set at the same weight rather than chase a PR on the first session back. Bending down after I racked the bar, the hamstring felt actually sore for the first time — not the injury talking, I think, but months of not squatting under load.

Pull-up (bodyweight)

• BW × 5 (warmup)
• BW × 6
• BW × 6
• BW × 6

Clean sets. Nothing to say.

Overhead cable tricep extension

• 35 lb × 12
• 42.5 lb × 11
• 42.5 lb × 12

Always feel this in the elbow on overhead triceps. Not bad, just present.

Flat head curl

• 70 lb × 8
• 70 lb × 8
• 70 lb × 9

Ended the session here. 1:26 PM out the door.

Retrospective

Finished feeling like I left reps on the table — which is how I finish most sessions for the last two or three years. The conservative framing is that this was the correct call for a first-week-after-injury session. The honest framing is that I could have held 5% more across every set and still been safe. Today the conservative answer wins. The pattern is worth naming, though.