Tonight could not have come soon enough.
It's almost 9:00 and I just sat down for dinner...I am exhausted. This week was just one thing to the next, and its a good thing I wasn't working near any sharp objects. So dramatic, but you get the point. This morning I threw on my clothes and realized I hadn't shaved in about 3 days. So I took a razor to my dry, bare legs. Not my brightest idea at 4:30 in the morning. My legs were on fire and by 2pm I was scratching like a burn victim. Next time I will just say to heck with it and be hairy.
But despite the tiring week, there were some high points. One of the highlights of my week was catching an old man doing a pretty intense air-guitar while running on the treadmill....it was hilarious and honestly so dramatic that I thought he was gonna hit a 3 minute guitar solo and just ride off the back. Sure I would have helped him up...after I stopped laughing. It was great.
Changing up my workout routine this week was awesome. I wasn't too sore from my power days, so hitting muscle groups twice has been very doable and felt great. Today I had back and shoulders...reps of 12 for each set. Shoulders were extremely tough after back, but went well. I will definitely be interested to see how my body responds. The plan is to stick with this routine for about 6 weeks.
Workout:
Lat pull-down 3 x 12
Seated cable row 3 x 12
BB row 3 x 12
Seated DB shoulder press 3 x 12
DB lateral raises 3 x 12
Front DB raises 3 x 12
Cardio 45 minutes
So the plan tomorrow is to speak as little as possible and sit in a lounge chair until the plastic strap things are practically ingrained in my rear. I will clean, workout, then head to the pool. I am beyond pale, and for the sake of everyone, need to get some serious vitamin D. I think my butt glows in the dark right now...no need for a black light in the Falcon house...I'll just drop my pants.
Completely out of control.
Getting up at 4am to catch the Royal Wedding? Ha...NOPE. Don't even get me started on that....although, it did make me wonder for a second,...what if I'd married royalty? Can you imagine?! I'd set the record for most people offended in one public appearance in the shortest amount of time. But I'd smile and wave like a champ...
Alright, time for bed....Friday awaits...
Showing posts with label front db raise. Show all posts
Showing posts with label front db raise. Show all posts
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Monday, April 4, 2011
Because duct tape is not clear...
Monday night already...wow. I honestly have more energy tonight than I normally do on a Monday evening. Part of it is because I made myself go to bed before 11 from Thursday night on...like I have anything going on after 11:00 anyway. I don't....and haven't for about 5 years now. Sad, but at 27 years old, I'm totally ok with that.
I went to a local competition this weekend to "get my mind right" if you will. The second I walked in I could smell the ProTan...ah yes, it was awesome. The lights, the stage, painted muscle-heads everywhere...like some freaky Avatar spin-off...it was great. At that moment I got chills...this is really it...I'm headed back to the stage. I sat off to the side by myself to take it all in and look at every competitor up and down like I was running my own security measure or something. There were some decent physiques there, but again, it was a small local show so it wasn't too competitive. One thing I kept noticing was lack of stage presence. Dear Lord, I know its nerve-racking, but there was this one chic who looked like she'd just witnessed murder...I honestly thought she was either going to have a heart attack or cry...or both. Hell, I almost cried...
I think for a lot of women who compete its simply about getting to the stage. Just to say they did it is a success in their mind. That's all well and good, but I'm just tad bit more competitive than that. Ha. Just a tad. Getting to the stage is good. Winning is better. I think I'm just wired that way. It always used to trip me out in high school when we would have team meetings for volleyball or softball, and there were always those few girls who would speak up and say "let's just all focus on having fun and enjoying the game". Blahhh...And its always the same people who bark about equal playing time. They sat the bench for a reason...and hopefully they "enjoyed the game" from there. Here's a thought...if we're winning while you're not playing, and the goal is to win, then let's not screw this up by putting you in the game. I'm a little harsh, I know....perhaps I'm not ready to coach little league just yet. Give me 5 minutes and I'll have a 7 year old crying and a pissed off mom yelling obscenities from the stands...
Down to business...
I was pumped for today. I was ready to hit the weights hard. I dropped my reps to lift for more strength today since I still have 2 weeks to go and my strength has been lacking....and it will help preserve muscle as I do one last calorie drop. My chest is going to be raw tomorrow. I was truly thrilled with how my weights went today and then it was time for sprints. I wanted to hit my legs pretty hard, so I warmed up for a few minutes and the went 15 seconds on, and 45 seconds off for 20 minutes...incline 7, then 8, then 9, and ending at 10 for the last 3. My heartrate stayed a little lower than normal, but my legs were taxed. I'll take it.
Workout:
Flat DB bench press 4 x 8
Inlcine DB press 3 x 8
Cable flys 3 x 8
Declined push-ups 2 x failure
Seated BB shoulder press (8x)/ss lateral raises (8x) 4 sets
Bent arm raises (10x)/front raises (10x) 3 sets
Sprints 25 minutes
I worked on my posing for about 15 minutes after sprints...trying to hold a good quad flex after that was a joke. I started cramping like a mad woman. Couple that with the callus' on my feet being squeezed into those shoes, and I was a mess. Just know that when you see me on stage, my feet are screaming, and I've got more glue holding that top to my breasts than you could imagine. Don't light a match within 10 feet of me...more specifically, my chest. Who knew A-cups could be a fire hazard??...
Its 9:00 and I need to be in bed ASAP. Leg day tomorrow....and I'm gonna go a little heavier...woohoo!! Get pumped. I'm more excited than I should be right now...I need a life.
And a quick note...I've been receiving the BEST emails, texts, and facebook messages from some of you about my show. Your encouragement means more than you know, and I am overwhelmed with gratitude! Training and contest prep gets lonely, exhausting, and beyond frustrating at times...and there have been numerous occasions when your words are in the back of my mind keeping me going. Thank you...I am blessed to be surrounded by so many amazing people :)
Have a lovely night....onward to Tuesday we roll...
I went to a local competition this weekend to "get my mind right" if you will. The second I walked in I could smell the ProTan...ah yes, it was awesome. The lights, the stage, painted muscle-heads everywhere...like some freaky Avatar spin-off...it was great. At that moment I got chills...this is really it...I'm headed back to the stage. I sat off to the side by myself to take it all in and look at every competitor up and down like I was running my own security measure or something. There were some decent physiques there, but again, it was a small local show so it wasn't too competitive. One thing I kept noticing was lack of stage presence. Dear Lord, I know its nerve-racking, but there was this one chic who looked like she'd just witnessed murder...I honestly thought she was either going to have a heart attack or cry...or both. Hell, I almost cried...
I think for a lot of women who compete its simply about getting to the stage. Just to say they did it is a success in their mind. That's all well and good, but I'm just tad bit more competitive than that. Ha. Just a tad. Getting to the stage is good. Winning is better. I think I'm just wired that way. It always used to trip me out in high school when we would have team meetings for volleyball or softball, and there were always those few girls who would speak up and say "let's just all focus on having fun and enjoying the game". Blahhh...And its always the same people who bark about equal playing time. They sat the bench for a reason...and hopefully they "enjoyed the game" from there. Here's a thought...if we're winning while you're not playing, and the goal is to win, then let's not screw this up by putting you in the game. I'm a little harsh, I know....perhaps I'm not ready to coach little league just yet. Give me 5 minutes and I'll have a 7 year old crying and a pissed off mom yelling obscenities from the stands...
Down to business...
I was pumped for today. I was ready to hit the weights hard. I dropped my reps to lift for more strength today since I still have 2 weeks to go and my strength has been lacking....and it will help preserve muscle as I do one last calorie drop. My chest is going to be raw tomorrow. I was truly thrilled with how my weights went today and then it was time for sprints. I wanted to hit my legs pretty hard, so I warmed up for a few minutes and the went 15 seconds on, and 45 seconds off for 20 minutes...incline 7, then 8, then 9, and ending at 10 for the last 3. My heartrate stayed a little lower than normal, but my legs were taxed. I'll take it.
Workout:
Flat DB bench press 4 x 8
Inlcine DB press 3 x 8
Cable flys 3 x 8
Declined push-ups 2 x failure
Seated BB shoulder press (8x)/ss lateral raises (8x) 4 sets
Bent arm raises (10x)/front raises (10x) 3 sets
Sprints 25 minutes
I worked on my posing for about 15 minutes after sprints...trying to hold a good quad flex after that was a joke. I started cramping like a mad woman. Couple that with the callus' on my feet being squeezed into those shoes, and I was a mess. Just know that when you see me on stage, my feet are screaming, and I've got more glue holding that top to my breasts than you could imagine. Don't light a match within 10 feet of me...more specifically, my chest. Who knew A-cups could be a fire hazard??...
Its 9:00 and I need to be in bed ASAP. Leg day tomorrow....and I'm gonna go a little heavier...woohoo!! Get pumped. I'm more excited than I should be right now...I need a life.
And a quick note...I've been receiving the BEST emails, texts, and facebook messages from some of you about my show. Your encouragement means more than you know, and I am overwhelmed with gratitude! Training and contest prep gets lonely, exhausting, and beyond frustrating at times...and there have been numerous occasions when your words are in the back of my mind keeping me going. Thank you...I am blessed to be surrounded by so many amazing people :)
Have a lovely night....onward to Tuesday we roll...
Friday, April 1, 2011
Streaking...
3am and you would've thought an internal siren went off. I was wide awake and seriously about to get up and just start cleaning something...because what else is there to do at 3am? My mind was racing, and it truly had to do with the competition. Its literally JUST around the corner, but there I was having a mental freak-out too early to even justify getting up to do anything about it!...What a nut job. I eventually fell back asleep and got up at 5:50...way to sleep in Mer. At that point I had to get up and start sucking down coffee like it was my job. Because it is.
I was pretty pumped for my workout today. I had shoulders, core, and sprints. My legs felt pretty good so I wasn't necessarily dreading the sprints as much as usual. I started with shoulders, and discovered that my "pump" will last about 30-35 minutes and then start to fade. And its definitely more obvious in my shoulders than anywhere else. Here's why this is important info....before you go onstage, you actually "pump up". There are weights backstage and you literally stand back there in your ridiculous heels and nearly-thong and lift weights to get the blood flowing to your muscles so that you look "full" on stage. But the thing is that the pump will only last so long...so its beneficial for me to know about how long I have so I'm not wasting time before I go on. You learn something new everyday...there ya go.
Since my legs were feeling pretty good, I went for harder sprints on the legs. I allowed a little more rest time between runs,...15 seconds on, 30 seconds rest, incline at 5, speed 11...20 minutes worth after a 5 minute warm-up. Legs were spent and I was sucking wind by the end. The last 4 minutes were probably some of the toughest I've had during any sprint workout.
Workout:
Seated DB shoulder press 4 x 10
Seated lateral raise (drop set 8/8) 4 sets
Front raise (drop set 8/8) 4 sets
Sit-ups, legs over bench 2 x 15
Sit-ups on BOSU 2 x 15
Reverse crunches 3 x 30 seconds
Oblique crunches on decline 2 x 20
Sprints 25 minutes
It was so nice to be done with today's workout. I get 2 days to "breathe" if you will. Tomorrow is cardio, rest on Sunday, back to the grind on Monday.
It was April Fool's Day today and yet I did not do ANYTHING. What is wrong with me?! The best one was in college when I got a guy to call my parents at midnight saying he was the campus police and I just got arrested for streaking. Of course my parents immediately believed it. I was always the naked kid of the group. My mom was in tears and my dad was ready to ring my neck. It was awesome. I was not the favorite child for awhile after that one...oh but it was worth the laughs. Today I just didn't have the motivation to put together a good scheme. And you can't even joke about the whole pregnant thing...that will bite you in the rear every time. Lie about it on April 1st,...find out you're the next Oct-o-mom 3 weeks later...
So, I'm going to a competition tomorrow morning to kind of "get in the mood"...its a smaller show that's actually being held at my old high school. Nothing like starting off your Saturday with some half-naked strangers... That will be me in 2 weeks...yikes...
Alright peeps, time for bed....have a great weekend and we'll be back on go in 2 days...
I was pretty pumped for my workout today. I had shoulders, core, and sprints. My legs felt pretty good so I wasn't necessarily dreading the sprints as much as usual. I started with shoulders, and discovered that my "pump" will last about 30-35 minutes and then start to fade. And its definitely more obvious in my shoulders than anywhere else. Here's why this is important info....before you go onstage, you actually "pump up". There are weights backstage and you literally stand back there in your ridiculous heels and nearly-thong and lift weights to get the blood flowing to your muscles so that you look "full" on stage. But the thing is that the pump will only last so long...so its beneficial for me to know about how long I have so I'm not wasting time before I go on. You learn something new everyday...there ya go.
Since my legs were feeling pretty good, I went for harder sprints on the legs. I allowed a little more rest time between runs,...15 seconds on, 30 seconds rest, incline at 5, speed 11...20 minutes worth after a 5 minute warm-up. Legs were spent and I was sucking wind by the end. The last 4 minutes were probably some of the toughest I've had during any sprint workout.
Workout:
Seated DB shoulder press 4 x 10
Seated lateral raise (drop set 8/8) 4 sets
Front raise (drop set 8/8) 4 sets
Sit-ups, legs over bench 2 x 15
Sit-ups on BOSU 2 x 15
Reverse crunches 3 x 30 seconds
Oblique crunches on decline 2 x 20
Sprints 25 minutes
It was so nice to be done with today's workout. I get 2 days to "breathe" if you will. Tomorrow is cardio, rest on Sunday, back to the grind on Monday.
It was April Fool's Day today and yet I did not do ANYTHING. What is wrong with me?! The best one was in college when I got a guy to call my parents at midnight saying he was the campus police and I just got arrested for streaking. Of course my parents immediately believed it. I was always the naked kid of the group. My mom was in tears and my dad was ready to ring my neck. It was awesome. I was not the favorite child for awhile after that one...oh but it was worth the laughs. Today I just didn't have the motivation to put together a good scheme. And you can't even joke about the whole pregnant thing...that will bite you in the rear every time. Lie about it on April 1st,...find out you're the next Oct-o-mom 3 weeks later...
So, I'm going to a competition tomorrow morning to kind of "get in the mood"...its a smaller show that's actually being held at my old high school. Nothing like starting off your Saturday with some half-naked strangers... That will be me in 2 weeks...yikes...
Alright peeps, time for bed....have a great weekend and we'll be back on go in 2 days...
Monday, March 21, 2011
Duck, duck....
Oh Dear Lord it feels good to sit down...this is honestly the first time today I've sat down for more than 2 minutes. It was just back to back today and the only relief I got was when I went to the bathroom. By 3pm I was ready to fake a major colon blowout just to have some down time. Needless to say, my legs are pretty tired right now.
The weekend was good, but went by too fast. I remember waking up on Saturday morning thinking "holy crap, I only have 4 weeks!"...it was a moment of temporary anxiety. I did 45 minutes of moderate cardio that morning and then took yesterday off. I literally sat almost all afternoon in the recliner...my body needed it. Since I was completely inactive yesterday I truly struggled to even get in all my calories. I was hardly hungry...but I was forcing down chicken and asparagus like it was my job...
I was able to get in bed a little earlier last night so today wasn't such a punch in the face. I honestly felt a little off-focus going into my workout. I feel like these last few weeks are what my husband calls "the grind"...one day to the next...eat, sleep, train, repeat...and repeat...and repeat. While I love it, I'd be lying if I said it wasn't hard. Energy is low, and change is slow...tough combination...and the fact that that just rhymed is a little irritating, not gonna lie. Shocking that I never liked Mother Goose...its just a GOOSE...even if she had great rhymes, they crap everywhere...
SO...chest, shoulders, and sprints today. Had a great chest day and kept my volume higher than last week. Shoulders were tough, and still struggling with a hard flex on my left side, but overall solid workout.
Workout:
Incline DB press 4 x 10
Flat DB bench press 4 x 10
Cable flys 4 x 12
Wide push-ups to failure 2x
Standing BB shoulder press 4 x 12, drop set on #4
Bent arm lateral raise 4 x 15
Front DB raise with rotation 3 x 15
Treadmill sprints 25 min
My hamstrings are really taking a hit right now from all these sprints. They are tight, need to be stretched, and need someone to beat on them like a drum and have me crying for my mama. I'm thinking a massage this weekend...
Ok, I've got to make some dinner for the hubs...yes, I make 2 dinners. If he had to eat what I ate he certainly wouldn't be 215 pounds, and divorce papers might be on the counter in the morning. Its ok, I get it.
I am beyond tired right now...more to come tomorrow folks...GO HARD!
The weekend was good, but went by too fast. I remember waking up on Saturday morning thinking "holy crap, I only have 4 weeks!"...it was a moment of temporary anxiety. I did 45 minutes of moderate cardio that morning and then took yesterday off. I literally sat almost all afternoon in the recliner...my body needed it. Since I was completely inactive yesterday I truly struggled to even get in all my calories. I was hardly hungry...but I was forcing down chicken and asparagus like it was my job...
I was able to get in bed a little earlier last night so today wasn't such a punch in the face. I honestly felt a little off-focus going into my workout. I feel like these last few weeks are what my husband calls "the grind"...one day to the next...eat, sleep, train, repeat...and repeat...and repeat. While I love it, I'd be lying if I said it wasn't hard. Energy is low, and change is slow...tough combination...and the fact that that just rhymed is a little irritating, not gonna lie. Shocking that I never liked Mother Goose...its just a GOOSE...even if she had great rhymes, they crap everywhere...
SO...chest, shoulders, and sprints today. Had a great chest day and kept my volume higher than last week. Shoulders were tough, and still struggling with a hard flex on my left side, but overall solid workout.
Workout:
Incline DB press 4 x 10
Flat DB bench press 4 x 10
Cable flys 4 x 12
Wide push-ups to failure 2x
Standing BB shoulder press 4 x 12, drop set on #4
Bent arm lateral raise 4 x 15
Front DB raise with rotation 3 x 15
Treadmill sprints 25 min
My hamstrings are really taking a hit right now from all these sprints. They are tight, need to be stretched, and need someone to beat on them like a drum and have me crying for my mama. I'm thinking a massage this weekend...
Ok, I've got to make some dinner for the hubs...yes, I make 2 dinners. If he had to eat what I ate he certainly wouldn't be 215 pounds, and divorce papers might be on the counter in the morning. Its ok, I get it.
I am beyond tired right now...more to come tomorrow folks...GO HARD!
Friday, December 10, 2010
More tough love...
Sleeping in this morning was absolutely amazing. I rolled over at 5:00 and fell back asleep until 6:15. Yes, to me that is sleeping in. By 8:30 I already enjoyed 2 cups of coffee, did my grocery shopping, and was solving world problems. Ok, the latter is probably a small fib, but I do what I can.
I was surprised that I was not more sore this morning, but I definitely felt it in my biceps by the time I had to workout. I am extremely tight and in much need of a massage. If I had the money I would hire someone just to rub my rear everyday. Seriously, the last time I had a massage she found a knot in my bottom the size of a golf ball. I was screaming obscenities at the woman once she dug her elbow into me.....it was great, but you would've thought someone was trying to kill me.
Friday workouts are a struggle. I love working chest, but hamstrings...not so much. Not to mention, I am tired and ready for a little break by the end of the week. I stuck with 12 reps again today, and honestly struggled on many lifts. Of course the weight was lower than when I do 8 or 10 reps, but my time under tension was greater...so my heart rate stayed elevated and my muscles were ready to stop at 10. I was eager to switch out walking lunges for step lunges, but my left hip-flexor kept trying to dominate the movement like a control freak, so I went back to walking lunges. Its funny that sometimes you're really feeling an exercise, and sometimes you're not. Step lunges just weren't in the cards today. It was a long workout to say the least.
Workout:
30* incline chest press 3 x 12
Flat DB chest press 3 x 12
Cable flys 3 x 12
Front DB raise 3 x 12
SUMO squats 3 x 12
Walking lunges 3 x 20 yards
Hamstring curls on machine 3 x 12
Straight-leg deadlift 3 x 12
Single leg glute raise on ball 3 x 12 each leg
So, I've got to talk about something for a minute...yeah, brace yourself.
I was standing in line at Sam's Club today and just stared in amazement as these two women unloaded their cart in the checkout line...industrial size container of cheese balls, chips, Alfredo sauce, laffy-taffy, 5 lb. bucket of cookie dough, and I could go on and on. The more I looked around, the more I noticed this was the norm. But what should I expect in a nation that is over 60% obese?! What is wrong with us? We know the difference in an apple and an apple pie, and yet we continue to make poor choices and then point the finger to advertising, convenience, or any other excuse besides our own lack of self-control or laziness. The last I checked, we are not being force-fed fast food and Little Debbie Cakes. Time to take some responsibility folks, have a little self-respect, and pursue a healthier, happier life. Yes, I am a little more bent towards tough love....but life's too short to beat around the bush. I left the store pretty riled up...
Well, its late Friday night and I'm ready for a day off. My goal is to sleep in, finish Christmas shopping, and perhaps even grab a nap in there somewhere...
I was surprised that I was not more sore this morning, but I definitely felt it in my biceps by the time I had to workout. I am extremely tight and in much need of a massage. If I had the money I would hire someone just to rub my rear everyday. Seriously, the last time I had a massage she found a knot in my bottom the size of a golf ball. I was screaming obscenities at the woman once she dug her elbow into me.....it was great, but you would've thought someone was trying to kill me.
Friday workouts are a struggle. I love working chest, but hamstrings...not so much. Not to mention, I am tired and ready for a little break by the end of the week. I stuck with 12 reps again today, and honestly struggled on many lifts. Of course the weight was lower than when I do 8 or 10 reps, but my time under tension was greater...so my heart rate stayed elevated and my muscles were ready to stop at 10. I was eager to switch out walking lunges for step lunges, but my left hip-flexor kept trying to dominate the movement like a control freak, so I went back to walking lunges. Its funny that sometimes you're really feeling an exercise, and sometimes you're not. Step lunges just weren't in the cards today. It was a long workout to say the least.
Workout:
30* incline chest press 3 x 12
Flat DB chest press 3 x 12
Cable flys 3 x 12
Front DB raise 3 x 12
SUMO squats 3 x 12
Walking lunges 3 x 20 yards
Hamstring curls on machine 3 x 12
Straight-leg deadlift 3 x 12
Single leg glute raise on ball 3 x 12 each leg
So, I've got to talk about something for a minute...yeah, brace yourself.
I was standing in line at Sam's Club today and just stared in amazement as these two women unloaded their cart in the checkout line...industrial size container of cheese balls, chips, Alfredo sauce, laffy-taffy, 5 lb. bucket of cookie dough, and I could go on and on. The more I looked around, the more I noticed this was the norm. But what should I expect in a nation that is over 60% obese?! What is wrong with us? We know the difference in an apple and an apple pie, and yet we continue to make poor choices and then point the finger to advertising, convenience, or any other excuse besides our own lack of self-control or laziness. The last I checked, we are not being force-fed fast food and Little Debbie Cakes. Time to take some responsibility folks, have a little self-respect, and pursue a healthier, happier life. Yes, I am a little more bent towards tough love....but life's too short to beat around the bush. I left the store pretty riled up...
Well, its late Friday night and I'm ready for a day off. My goal is to sleep in, finish Christmas shopping, and perhaps even grab a nap in there somewhere...
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