I like the new Brittany Spears song.
My life is over.
Its the first one on my workout play list, and since I feel like I'm at confessional, I might as well admit that I listened to it about 12 times today. I've reached a new low. Its not so much the fact that she went from slutty to completely nuts to a slutty, nuts mother of two...its more the fact that I might have an issue with being a fan of anyone whose first hit is "Oops!...I did it again." For a brief moment I'm not sure if she's making a sexual reference or if she crapped herself. Just saying, a little clarification in the title would've been helpful...Nonetheless, we rocked out together through one heck of a workout.
I had a PR today in the gym. My last set of flat db bench press was with 55's. Thankfully, Brian was there to set me up, otherwise I'm fairly certain I would have taken a dumbbell to the face. I was pretty pumped about that though. The pecs were working overtime.
Workout:
Squats 12x/ss split jumps 20x 3 sets
Hamstring curls on machine 3 x 15
Squat jumps 3 x 15
Hamstring pull-backs 3 x 15
Flat db bench press 4 x 6,6,6,4
Cable flys 4 x 6
Incline db press 4 x 6
Decline weighted sit-ups/ss pulse 3 x 12/12
Reverse crunch 3 x 15
Heel-touch 2 x failure
Cardio 45 minutes
Overall, it was a good workout day...light on the legs (which I am still struggling with mentally to wrap my brain around), ridiculously heavy on the chest, some core work, and then walking/jogging. I was pretty spent after that. 3:00 rolled around and the temptation to just lay down on the floor grew tremendously. Which would last about 2 minutes before "Meredith! How many reps on this?!"...."Meredith! Is this right?!"...."Meredith! What was my last exercise?!". You get the point. One day I'm gonna change my name just to mess with people. It would be something cool....like Pipa. Ok, that was a joke....no really....
So honestly, right now I feel pretty gross. My diet has been fairly steady, but not as consistent as I need. I have a sensitive system, so when I eat random foods which are not typically part of my plan, I feel like I'm about to explode, be sick, or have to chug Pepto until I'm flowing like the Nile. Back in the saddle tomorrow....can't have another bloated day...for my sake and everyone else as well.
Wish I had some more to talk about. Ok, honestly I do, but the arthritis in my right hand is cursing me right now and typing is slowly becoming painful. I am officially 27 going on 87. Have a lovely night, and prepare for hump day tomorrow!! Yeeeaaaahhhh...
Showing posts with label incline chest press. Show all posts
Showing posts with label incline chest press. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Friday, May 6, 2011
Needing sleep
Friday...glorious Friday.
It never fails that on Friday mornings around 5:40, our cat Oscar starts whining at our door. In his pea-size-mind, I should be up feeding him by that point. Fat cat. 12 minutes later I couldn't take it anymore...I was up. Cat food in bowl, and coffee brewing. No need for a meth-lab when you've got freshly ground Costa Rican coffee...mmmm...
I spent the majority of my morning cleaning before heading to the gym. Friday workouts are tough. My mind is tired, my body is fatigued, and I'm just ready for a couple of days to relax. I had chest, shoulders, and sprints today. My shoulder workout felt like a joke...a sick joke. I was struggling through the entire thing. It was a good struggle, but I felt that the weights were lighter than I'd like. Eh...
Workout:
30* incline DB press 3 x 12
Flat DB bench press 3 x 12
DB flys 3 x 12
Decline push-ups 2 x failure
DB shoulder press 3 x 12
Standing lateral raises 3 x 12
lateral-to-overhead raise 3 x 15
Sprints 20 minutes
Tomorrow will be some light cardio...I might jog...who knows. And then I think I might rest on Mother's Day...not because I am a mom (for the sake of my sanity and any small child), but because I am tired. Period. However, in honor of Mother's Day, I'd like to share a few things my mom has taught me. I've mentioned before that my mom and I are pretty different when it comes to our personalities, but I admire that woman more than words can express. So here are a few things Mama Parker has taught yours truly....
*Life is about relationships
*You teach people how to treat you
*Showers are not an option
*When you love, do it with your entire being
*Keep perspective...its all about perspective
*"Wait til your father gets home!" typically precedes an ass whoop'n
*Surround yourself with beauty everyday
*Be kind to yourself
I am truly blessed to have an amazing mom. Considering the number of mothers who freely contribute to the delinquency of a minor, I'd say she did a pretty good job. Way to go mom...I'm still alive...wearing clean underwear...and not drinking by myself...
Time for bed....on to the weekend,....Enjoy!
It never fails that on Friday mornings around 5:40, our cat Oscar starts whining at our door. In his pea-size-mind, I should be up feeding him by that point. Fat cat. 12 minutes later I couldn't take it anymore...I was up. Cat food in bowl, and coffee brewing. No need for a meth-lab when you've got freshly ground Costa Rican coffee...mmmm...
I spent the majority of my morning cleaning before heading to the gym. Friday workouts are tough. My mind is tired, my body is fatigued, and I'm just ready for a couple of days to relax. I had chest, shoulders, and sprints today. My shoulder workout felt like a joke...a sick joke. I was struggling through the entire thing. It was a good struggle, but I felt that the weights were lighter than I'd like. Eh...
Workout:
30* incline DB press 3 x 12
Flat DB bench press 3 x 12
DB flys 3 x 12
Decline push-ups 2 x failure
DB shoulder press 3 x 12
Standing lateral raises 3 x 12
lateral-to-overhead raise 3 x 15
Sprints 20 minutes
Tomorrow will be some light cardio...I might jog...who knows. And then I think I might rest on Mother's Day...not because I am a mom (for the sake of my sanity and any small child), but because I am tired. Period. However, in honor of Mother's Day, I'd like to share a few things my mom has taught me. I've mentioned before that my mom and I are pretty different when it comes to our personalities, but I admire that woman more than words can express. So here are a few things Mama Parker has taught yours truly....
*Life is about relationships
*You teach people how to treat you
*Showers are not an option
*When you love, do it with your entire being
*Keep perspective...its all about perspective
*"Wait til your father gets home!" typically precedes an ass whoop'n
*Surround yourself with beauty everyday
*Be kind to yourself
I am truly blessed to have an amazing mom. Considering the number of mothers who freely contribute to the delinquency of a minor, I'd say she did a pretty good job. Way to go mom...I'm still alive...wearing clean underwear...and not drinking by myself...
Time for bed....on to the weekend,....Enjoy!
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
31 Flavors
The universe was against me from 4:30 this morning. Actually, from about 2:46...which, was when I woke up and checked the clock...and then continued to wake up and check the clock about every 15 minutes until 4:30. It was like I was waiting for an evacuation call...I was wide awake and full steam ahead. Ever have those days when you get to work and it feels like you were just there about an hour ago? Yeah, today was one of those days. I had about 45 minutes to write up 12 workout plans so my morning would go smoothly. By the 8th one I was tempted to just write "squat til you bleed...then squat some more." My brain was on overload from little rest and not enough caffeine in the system just yet. But the day rolls on...
In general, my body feels less tense since the show. My strength has recovered quite a bit,...with help from the gradual 7 day carb load I did last week. Ha....that's the nice way of saying I ate some sugar-coated-crap along the way. But after 16 weeks of hard dieting, its amazing I didn't go straight to Baskin Robbins and stick my head in one of those ice cream buckets. Don't tempt me...cookies-n-creme is sweet sweet tub-o-love.
Workout today was good. I started with legs...lighter weight, less rest time, and not to failure. I actually wouldn't mind losing a little bit of muscle in my quads. Proportionally, they are big...a little too big. I'd rather dial them in a bit. But not going to lie, doing light weight is a struggle for me. I don't like it....but I gotta do what I gotta do right now. Next, I hit chest pretty heavy. Reps of 6-7 on all my lifts...felt great. Ended the day with some cardio...let's not even talk about it.
Workout:
Walking lunges 3 x 30 yards
Squat jumps 4 x 15, 30 seconds rest between sets
Hamstring curls 3 x 15
Leg extensions 3 x 15
Lunge jumps 4 x 20, 30 seconds rest between sets
Flat DB bench press 4 x 6-7 (*all 4 sets with 50's..PR!)
DB flys 4 x 6-7
Incline DB press 4 x 6
Cardio 45 minutes
So tomorrow is looking like cardio/sprints/core. Not too shabby...
Had a 72 year old woman want me to help her get a "nice shapely booty" as she put it. Ha...I hope I still desire a nice ass at that age. Heck, I hope my ass can still move at that point. I'll probably be the old bitter woman in the corner complaining about the weather, family members, my teeth falling out, etc... Either that, or entertaining everyone with crude comments. Gotta love older folk who have no filter...just saying whatever they want. And who is going to be the one to call them out on it? No one wants to offend the only person in the group who is one step away from a busted hip and meeting Jesus. Let them live their dream...talk on my dear old friend, talk on...
Well, I've got to cook some veggies, measure out some fish, and then hit the bed. In 9 hours I will be back at work...there's no telling what form I'll be in tomorrow...here we go...
In general, my body feels less tense since the show. My strength has recovered quite a bit,...with help from the gradual 7 day carb load I did last week. Ha....that's the nice way of saying I ate some sugar-coated-crap along the way. But after 16 weeks of hard dieting, its amazing I didn't go straight to Baskin Robbins and stick my head in one of those ice cream buckets. Don't tempt me...cookies-n-creme is sweet sweet tub-o-love.
Workout today was good. I started with legs...lighter weight, less rest time, and not to failure. I actually wouldn't mind losing a little bit of muscle in my quads. Proportionally, they are big...a little too big. I'd rather dial them in a bit. But not going to lie, doing light weight is a struggle for me. I don't like it....but I gotta do what I gotta do right now. Next, I hit chest pretty heavy. Reps of 6-7 on all my lifts...felt great. Ended the day with some cardio...let's not even talk about it.
Workout:
Walking lunges 3 x 30 yards
Squat jumps 4 x 15, 30 seconds rest between sets
Hamstring curls 3 x 15
Leg extensions 3 x 15
Lunge jumps 4 x 20, 30 seconds rest between sets
Flat DB bench press 4 x 6-7 (*all 4 sets with 50's..PR!)
DB flys 4 x 6-7
Incline DB press 4 x 6
Cardio 45 minutes
So tomorrow is looking like cardio/sprints/core. Not too shabby...
Had a 72 year old woman want me to help her get a "nice shapely booty" as she put it. Ha...I hope I still desire a nice ass at that age. Heck, I hope my ass can still move at that point. I'll probably be the old bitter woman in the corner complaining about the weather, family members, my teeth falling out, etc... Either that, or entertaining everyone with crude comments. Gotta love older folk who have no filter...just saying whatever they want. And who is going to be the one to call them out on it? No one wants to offend the only person in the group who is one step away from a busted hip and meeting Jesus. Let them live their dream...talk on my dear old friend, talk on...
Well, I've got to cook some veggies, measure out some fish, and then hit the bed. In 9 hours I will be back at work...there's no telling what form I'll be in tomorrow...here we go...
Monday, April 11, 2011
Scrambled please...
I'm about 1 egg white away from going to the bathroom and laying my own...
12 egg whites today, some tilapia, chicken, and an ungodly amount of asparagus and spinach...welcome to peak week. I feel pretty weak, but mentally on point. Getting through today's workout was tougher than I expected because 20 pounds felt like 30, and 30 felt like 50, and the 35's felt like Aunt Bertha was sitting on my chest. Honestly, the entire experience was not very pleasant, but it is what it is.
I've had many clients/friends ask me how I'm doing today...let's "go there" shall we...
I'm nervous, excited, extremely tired, eager, focused, and dealing with all sorts of thoughts that I haven't quite sorted out just yet. Its been 5 years since I've stood on that particular stage, and I can vividly remember looking at the pictures afterward and being disappointed. I didn't work hard enough...I didn't want it bad enough. I was one place away from qualifying for nationals, and I knew that I didn't deserve that spot. I am bombarded with images from that last show...like it was my moment of "falling off the bike"...and now sometimes I fear going on stage and looking the exact same...not prepared...not to my potential...simply mediocre. Its not logical, I know, because I look so different, and so I acknowledge them and then move on. Because its not about being fearless, but how you respond to that fear that matters. It moves you in one direction or another...towards a greater sense of self and success or towards complacency and the mind-numbing thought of "what if". I saw this quote the other day and it really stuck with me, it said "Whatever you fear, go there." Here I go...
Chest/shoulders/sprints today....this will be my 6th week of sprint work...amazing my knee caps are still intact. Despite the fact that everything felt much heavier than I'd like, it was a good workout. Right now it is maintenance...just getting to Saturday feeling confident, hard, and ready.
Workout:
Incline DB press 4 x 10, drop set on 4th
Flat DB bench 3 x 10
DB flys 4 x 12, drop set on 4th
Push-ups to failure 2x
Seated BB shoulder press/ss lateral raises 4 x 12/15
Seated Arnold press/ss front raise partials 3 x 10/15
Sprints 25 minutes
The latest question in the Falcon house is when to start painting. Originally, I was thinking Thursday night...now I'm thinking Wednesday. I'm extremely pale right now, (I'm pretty sure I glow in the dark when I'm naked),...and so I'm thinking I might need at least 5 coats of paint...which takes F-O-R-E-V-E-R. Hell, we might as well start right now.
Alright, I've gotta cook dinner for the hubby....he's getting velveeta shells and cheese with ground turkey...that dish is like fatty-sex-goodness in your mouth. Why do I let him eat that? Because if he had to eat the eggs and asparagus that I just ate, the fine line of domestic violence might be crossed.
Have a wonderful night!! Moving forward....always moving forward...
12 egg whites today, some tilapia, chicken, and an ungodly amount of asparagus and spinach...welcome to peak week. I feel pretty weak, but mentally on point. Getting through today's workout was tougher than I expected because 20 pounds felt like 30, and 30 felt like 50, and the 35's felt like Aunt Bertha was sitting on my chest. Honestly, the entire experience was not very pleasant, but it is what it is.
I've had many clients/friends ask me how I'm doing today...let's "go there" shall we...
I'm nervous, excited, extremely tired, eager, focused, and dealing with all sorts of thoughts that I haven't quite sorted out just yet. Its been 5 years since I've stood on that particular stage, and I can vividly remember looking at the pictures afterward and being disappointed. I didn't work hard enough...I didn't want it bad enough. I was one place away from qualifying for nationals, and I knew that I didn't deserve that spot. I am bombarded with images from that last show...like it was my moment of "falling off the bike"...and now sometimes I fear going on stage and looking the exact same...not prepared...not to my potential...simply mediocre. Its not logical, I know, because I look so different, and so I acknowledge them and then move on. Because its not about being fearless, but how you respond to that fear that matters. It moves you in one direction or another...towards a greater sense of self and success or towards complacency and the mind-numbing thought of "what if". I saw this quote the other day and it really stuck with me, it said "Whatever you fear, go there." Here I go...
Chest/shoulders/sprints today....this will be my 6th week of sprint work...amazing my knee caps are still intact. Despite the fact that everything felt much heavier than I'd like, it was a good workout. Right now it is maintenance...just getting to Saturday feeling confident, hard, and ready.
Workout:
Incline DB press 4 x 10, drop set on 4th
Flat DB bench 3 x 10
DB flys 4 x 12, drop set on 4th
Push-ups to failure 2x
Seated BB shoulder press/ss lateral raises 4 x 12/15
Seated Arnold press/ss front raise partials 3 x 10/15
Sprints 25 minutes
The latest question in the Falcon house is when to start painting. Originally, I was thinking Thursday night...now I'm thinking Wednesday. I'm extremely pale right now, (I'm pretty sure I glow in the dark when I'm naked),...and so I'm thinking I might need at least 5 coats of paint...which takes F-O-R-E-V-E-R. Hell, we might as well start right now.
Alright, I've gotta cook dinner for the hubby....he's getting velveeta shells and cheese with ground turkey...that dish is like fatty-sex-goodness in your mouth. Why do I let him eat that? Because if he had to eat the eggs and asparagus that I just ate, the fine line of domestic violence might be crossed.
Have a wonderful night!! Moving forward....always moving forward...
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...
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!
Monday, March 14, 2011
I got a feel'n...
Back to the work week.
It was a stressful start to the week...as my backup alarm went off 7 minutes late. Yeah, yeah 7 minutes...but because I am a CHRONICALLY scheduled person, I nearly flipped out. I don't think I calmed down until I got off the highway...I even caught myself yelling at a man only going 82 in the fast lane...which, apparently to me at 5:15 in the morning was too slow. Not even 6am and I was already being ridiculous...
I had trouble falling asleep last night...tossing and turning until 11:30...meaning that I only got 5 hours of sleep. Its amazing I didn't go nuts on anyone before 10am. Ready or not, I had a big workout coming...had to grab it by the horns and ride like a champ. Chest, shoulders, and sprints. I felt strong throughout my lifts, but the sprints were harder than I expected...probably because I couldn't feel my arms, and my legs were in complete rebellion of any type of running. How is that different than any other day, I don't know. Shoulder workout was just plain brutal after lifting chest. At one point I finished a set of lateral raises, dropped the weights, and just said "I hate you!"...haha...what a freak show. As if the weights A) had any control over moving themselves or inducing pain independent of ME , or B) could even hear me or remotely care what I thought at that moment. I'm slowly losing my mind.
Workout:
Flat DB bench press 4 x 10
DB flys 4 x 10
Incline DB press 4 x 10
Standing BB shoulder press 4 x 12
Seated bent arm lateral raises (10x)/ss lateral raises (8-10x) 4x
Front DB raises 4 x 15
Treadmill sprints 30 minutes
My strength has maintained pretty well, but much of it has simply been mind over matter. I am definitely more tired, especially from all the cardio, but it is what it is.
Today I was on a serious mission. I had to bump up my water intake. Its one of those things that can easily lag if I'm not careful...well, not today my friends. I'm sitting at roughly 115 oz of water for the day and my bladder is about to explode. After 8am it was pretty comical how often I had to go, so I started to keep count. A little over 12 hours at the gym today...27 trips to the bathroom. I wish I were kidding. I tell any guy with prostate issues to beat that. By round 15 I wanted a diaper. Good thing Brian isn't a tree-hugger because I killed some toilet paper today...oh wait... For those of you who don't know Brian, he would recycle his poo if he could. Which is fine and the world needs those people, just don't yell at me for not wearing recycled t-shirts....I recycle my beer cans...you're welcome.
On to a more serious part of my day.
I had a client come to me today after taking some time off. She was pretty upset and said that she simply lacked motivation. She felt as if she'd "fallen off the wagon" and just kept beating herself up over it. The truth is that she is an incredibly athletic woman, great runner, and strong....but somewhere along the way she got discouraged. I was totally caught off guard when she said she just felt like a failure in the gym because she struggled with the weights and felt like everything was hard. For a moment I was actually relieved....I just never put 2 and 2 together. She just had a total misconception of "success" and "failure" in the gym. I explained that struggling, yet completing a set with good form, is a GOOD thing...it needs to be hard, challenging, and push you to new limits. And as you get stronger, faster, more conditioned...guess what?...you make it harder. THAT is succeeding in the gym. Because you're ultimately competing against yourself...your weaknesses, and complacency we often find in our strengths simply because they are our strengths.
And as far as lack of motivation? Sometimes you just got to DO. Feelings come and go. Heck, if we only did what we felt like doing all the time, we'd drink more, go to church less, and probably be fired from our jobs for giving people a piece of our mind. Sometimes action will breed the feeling. Its a delicate balance....mentally we push ourselves physically,...and physically we boost ourselves mentally....back and forth. I think the key is knowing that everyday will be a little different and we have to adjust accordingly, yet approach it with the same confidence in our ability to be better than we were the day before. And the truth is, we are able.
Alright folks, I've written a book and my arthritis is screaming....early bedtime and then on to Tuesday...
Face tomorrow boldly!
It was a stressful start to the week...as my backup alarm went off 7 minutes late. Yeah, yeah 7 minutes...but because I am a CHRONICALLY scheduled person, I nearly flipped out. I don't think I calmed down until I got off the highway...I even caught myself yelling at a man only going 82 in the fast lane...which, apparently to me at 5:15 in the morning was too slow. Not even 6am and I was already being ridiculous...
I had trouble falling asleep last night...tossing and turning until 11:30...meaning that I only got 5 hours of sleep. Its amazing I didn't go nuts on anyone before 10am. Ready or not, I had a big workout coming...had to grab it by the horns and ride like a champ. Chest, shoulders, and sprints. I felt strong throughout my lifts, but the sprints were harder than I expected...probably because I couldn't feel my arms, and my legs were in complete rebellion of any type of running. How is that different than any other day, I don't know. Shoulder workout was just plain brutal after lifting chest. At one point I finished a set of lateral raises, dropped the weights, and just said "I hate you!"...haha...what a freak show. As if the weights A) had any control over moving themselves or inducing pain independent of ME , or B) could even hear me or remotely care what I thought at that moment. I'm slowly losing my mind.
Workout:
Flat DB bench press 4 x 10
DB flys 4 x 10
Incline DB press 4 x 10
Standing BB shoulder press 4 x 12
Seated bent arm lateral raises (10x)/ss lateral raises (8-10x) 4x
Front DB raises 4 x 15
Treadmill sprints 30 minutes
My strength has maintained pretty well, but much of it has simply been mind over matter. I am definitely more tired, especially from all the cardio, but it is what it is.
Today I was on a serious mission. I had to bump up my water intake. Its one of those things that can easily lag if I'm not careful...well, not today my friends. I'm sitting at roughly 115 oz of water for the day and my bladder is about to explode. After 8am it was pretty comical how often I had to go, so I started to keep count. A little over 12 hours at the gym today...27 trips to the bathroom. I wish I were kidding. I tell any guy with prostate issues to beat that. By round 15 I wanted a diaper. Good thing Brian isn't a tree-hugger because I killed some toilet paper today...oh wait... For those of you who don't know Brian, he would recycle his poo if he could. Which is fine and the world needs those people, just don't yell at me for not wearing recycled t-shirts....I recycle my beer cans...you're welcome.
On to a more serious part of my day.
I had a client come to me today after taking some time off. She was pretty upset and said that she simply lacked motivation. She felt as if she'd "fallen off the wagon" and just kept beating herself up over it. The truth is that she is an incredibly athletic woman, great runner, and strong....but somewhere along the way she got discouraged. I was totally caught off guard when she said she just felt like a failure in the gym because she struggled with the weights and felt like everything was hard. For a moment I was actually relieved....I just never put 2 and 2 together. She just had a total misconception of "success" and "failure" in the gym. I explained that struggling, yet completing a set with good form, is a GOOD thing...it needs to be hard, challenging, and push you to new limits. And as you get stronger, faster, more conditioned...guess what?...you make it harder. THAT is succeeding in the gym. Because you're ultimately competing against yourself...your weaknesses, and complacency we often find in our strengths simply because they are our strengths.
And as far as lack of motivation? Sometimes you just got to DO. Feelings come and go. Heck, if we only did what we felt like doing all the time, we'd drink more, go to church less, and probably be fired from our jobs for giving people a piece of our mind. Sometimes action will breed the feeling. Its a delicate balance....mentally we push ourselves physically,...and physically we boost ourselves mentally....back and forth. I think the key is knowing that everyday will be a little different and we have to adjust accordingly, yet approach it with the same confidence in our ability to be better than we were the day before. And the truth is, we are able.
Alright folks, I've written a book and my arthritis is screaming....early bedtime and then on to Tuesday...
Face tomorrow boldly!
Monday, March 7, 2011
Stacked
Into 6 weeks out and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't nervous, excited, tired, a little emotional, and the list goes on...
At this point, the diet will tighten up a little more, I will transition to more high intensity cardio, and then bump up my steady-state cardio time...for the sake of everyone, don't let me near anything sharp over the next few weeks...
The weekend was good. I was able to get in moderate cardio both days for 45 minutes. Saturday felt better than Sunday, that's for sure. I was glad to get it over with early though so I could enjoy the rest of my day. I needed some time for myself so I went for some retail-therapy. Buying clothes is always a trip because my measurements are not exactly your standard female. I tried on a couple of shirts that looked like a defensive back squeezed into a piece of cotton and was about to drill someone. Needless to say, my shoulders cause some "issues" when buying tops. The best moment came when I was in the dressing room at Target and because of their efforts to put as many mirrors in one room at a time, I was able to get a full-rear shot. There, in Target, I discovered a flaw on my backside. I know, I was shocked too. Kidding,..but seriously, my right cheek is bigger than my left. How exactly does that happen?! I nearly lost it, and then all of a sudden a young teenage girl starts freaking out in the room next to me because she didn't want her mom to see her change clothes. So between my ass-anxiety, and wanting to tell miss princess that it wasn't too long ago that her mom wiped crap from her rear and she should get over her mom seeing her in a bra, the dressing rooms at Target were well stocked with entertainment. What a day...
Today's been a great day thus far. I was a little tired headed into my workout, but knew I couldn't focus on that. I really tried to stay more engaged with each lift, each rep, and not let outside thoughts/worries invade my training. Its hard to do, but I wish more clients understood the importance of leaving everything at the door. Training should be pure. No worries, no emotion, just every ounce of drive and focus you've got to physically push to the next level. Today's training was just that...it was heavy, but everything seemed to just flow...even the sprints...I was pleased.
Workout:
Incline DB press 4 x 10
Flat DB press 4 x 10
DB flys (10x)/ss push-ups to failure 4 sets
Seated BB shoulder press 4 x 10-12
Seated lateral raises 4 x 10
Front raises (10x)/ss plate rotations to failure 3 sets
Treadmill sprints - tabata style 25 minutes
I spent some time this weekend going through pictures from the Arnold Classic. Its one of the biggest professional shows in the US, and includes bodybuilding, figure, fitness, and now bikini divisions. The top placers set a standard that trickles down to the state level. So, its important to see what judges are looking for at that level...as far as shape, muscularity, etc...especially since Figure has changed so much over the last 10 years. Here is Nicole Wilkins-Lee. She placed first in figure...looks a lot softer than Monica Brandt and Jenny Lynn did a few years back when they used to dominate the stage. Believe it or not, she is well over 140 pounds....solid as a rock though. She looks great.
Well, on to the afternoon,...few clients and then home for some much needed rest. Go hard...rest later...
At this point, the diet will tighten up a little more, I will transition to more high intensity cardio, and then bump up my steady-state cardio time...for the sake of everyone, don't let me near anything sharp over the next few weeks...
The weekend was good. I was able to get in moderate cardio both days for 45 minutes. Saturday felt better than Sunday, that's for sure. I was glad to get it over with early though so I could enjoy the rest of my day. I needed some time for myself so I went for some retail-therapy. Buying clothes is always a trip because my measurements are not exactly your standard female. I tried on a couple of shirts that looked like a defensive back squeezed into a piece of cotton and was about to drill someone. Needless to say, my shoulders cause some "issues" when buying tops. The best moment came when I was in the dressing room at Target and because of their efforts to put as many mirrors in one room at a time, I was able to get a full-rear shot. There, in Target, I discovered a flaw on my backside. I know, I was shocked too. Kidding,..but seriously, my right cheek is bigger than my left. How exactly does that happen?! I nearly lost it, and then all of a sudden a young teenage girl starts freaking out in the room next to me because she didn't want her mom to see her change clothes. So between my ass-anxiety, and wanting to tell miss princess that it wasn't too long ago that her mom wiped crap from her rear and she should get over her mom seeing her in a bra, the dressing rooms at Target were well stocked with entertainment. What a day...
Today's been a great day thus far. I was a little tired headed into my workout, but knew I couldn't focus on that. I really tried to stay more engaged with each lift, each rep, and not let outside thoughts/worries invade my training. Its hard to do, but I wish more clients understood the importance of leaving everything at the door. Training should be pure. No worries, no emotion, just every ounce of drive and focus you've got to physically push to the next level. Today's training was just that...it was heavy, but everything seemed to just flow...even the sprints...I was pleased.
Workout:
Incline DB press 4 x 10
Flat DB press 4 x 10
DB flys (10x)/ss push-ups to failure 4 sets
Seated BB shoulder press 4 x 10-12
Seated lateral raises 4 x 10
Front raises (10x)/ss plate rotations to failure 3 sets
Treadmill sprints - tabata style 25 minutes
I spent some time this weekend going through pictures from the Arnold Classic. Its one of the biggest professional shows in the US, and includes bodybuilding, figure, fitness, and now bikini divisions. The top placers set a standard that trickles down to the state level. So, its important to see what judges are looking for at that level...as far as shape, muscularity, etc...especially since Figure has changed so much over the last 10 years. Here is Nicole Wilkins-Lee. She placed first in figure...looks a lot softer than Monica Brandt and Jenny Lynn did a few years back when they used to dominate the stage. Believe it or not, she is well over 140 pounds....solid as a rock though. She looks great.
Well, on to the afternoon,...few clients and then home for some much needed rest. Go hard...rest later...
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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