and guess what's new in my park

The park next to my building has a new acquisition:

Yup: as if it had been sent by the gods in response to my silent wishes, my park has a new lat-pulldown machine. I tried it out tonight, cranking out 30 reps. I can easily do 40 reps, I think, maybe even 50. (And with this rig, it's easier to keep my feet off the ground!) 

This machine is set at a slightly higher difficulty level than the one near the Han River. I can also do the reps much more slowly as a way to increase strain and activate the muscles for longer. This machine will help me take my first baby steps toward eventually doing pullups. I probably won't be able to crank out any bona fide pullups until next year, though, so your patience is appreciated.