What a weekend.
I walked into the gym this morning already exhausted. Emotionally, I am beyond drained, but I cannot say that I've faced it alone. The amount of support and encouragement I've received over the last few days has been incredible. Tomorrow will be yet another long day...funeral and burial. Thus, I probably will not write...
I certainly did not feel like I was my best today...which is tough to deal with when you're surrounded by people who fuel off of your own energy and drive. While I felt distracted to some degree, I was still very much aware of my own internal struggles. Needless to say, it was a hard day with an even harder workout. Everything felt heavy.....very heavy. And starting a workout with bodyweight wide-grip pull-ups is kicking yourself in the crotch before a fight. It was brutal....but I pulled my tank-like-rearend up for 4 sets like a mad woman. Back, shoulders, biceps, then sprints....loooong workout to say the least.
Workout:
Wide grip pull-ups 4 x 8
Single arm DB row 4 x 8 each
Seated cable row 4 x 6-8
Seated BB shoulder press 4 x 6-8
Front plate raise 4 x 8
Lateral raise from neutral 4 x 8
Lat bar curls 4 x 8
Straight bar standing curls 4 x 8
Hammer curls 2 x 12
Sprints
My lats and upper back are getting strong as hell. I'm gonna need a new bra....38 A....which I'm sure doesn't exist. And for good reason, no woman was naturally created with lats like bat wings....one good flex and I will be out of this bra faster than a prom-whore. (Prom-whores: girls who slut themselves out only on prom night...thinking that since they are dressed up it somehow makes it less whore-ish. Nope, still slutty.) Anyway, point is that I am truly enjoying the strength gains from this new program design...more strength...more volume...overall good plan.
College kids are starting to roll back in town...always entertaining. Chad and Kelsey returned today...full throttle. It was great to have them in the gym though...I certainly needed the laughs and their enthusiasm.
Well, its late and I've got an extremely full day ahead.....a lot on my mind and just ready to have some closure...
Showing posts with label wide grip pull-up. Show all posts
Showing posts with label wide grip pull-up. Show all posts
Monday, May 16, 2011
Monday, May 9, 2011
Hold my hair please...
At 12am this morning I wasn't quite sure I'd make it through the day. I was hovered over the toilet spewing what was left of my dinner...lunch...breakfast...I think I may have even passed a major organ. I had some milk last night, which I think was the culprit. I'm now convinced that once I left the boob-feeding 27 years ago, milk is no longer necessary... I was cursing lactose.
Overall, it was a great and crazy weekend. I was able to relax by the pool for a little bit, clean, and then enjoy a "normal" meal at a local restaurant. I had salmon, veggies, a slice of bread, and a couple glasses of wine. Ah yes, it went down like sweet sweet goodness. And then there was Mother's Day...running all over God's creation to be with family, and ending the day at the hospital. Niece #2 arrived yesterday at Duke...so there was certainly much to celebrate on the 5th floor. It was BYOB. Bring Your Own Breast-milk. I could hardly contain myself in that room, and there I was crying more than the infant....and I didn't have the excuse that I was hungry or crapped myself. Ok, maybe the first...
What an amazing day.
So, I took yesterday completely off from any type of training, and I could tell from the moment I woke up that I seriously needed it. Today was back to the grind. I had back, biceps, shoulders, and finished with sprints. I kept the weights the same from last week on everything except for shoulder press. My arms were shot, so I had to drop the weight. Boooo
Workout:
Wide grip pull-ups 4 x 6-8
Seated cable row 4 x 6-8
Single arm lat pull-down 4 x 6 each
Narrow grip pull-down (trap emphasis) 3 x 6-8
Seated BB shoulder press 4 x 6-8
Bent arm lateral raises 4 x 6-8
Front plate raises 4 x 6-8
EZ bar curls 4 x 6-8
Single arm horizontal cable curl 4 x 6-8 each
Sprints
Sprints got pretty rough today. My traps were cramping so badly that I started feeling pain up the back of my neck and into my head. The absolute only time it wouldn't throb was when I was actually sprinting...so for 10 seconds I had relief....10 measly seconds. Blah....glad its over.
Tomorrow is a lighter leg day, heavy chest, core, and cardio.
Time to peel some eggs....then hopefully a vomit-free night....
Overall, it was a great and crazy weekend. I was able to relax by the pool for a little bit, clean, and then enjoy a "normal" meal at a local restaurant. I had salmon, veggies, a slice of bread, and a couple glasses of wine. Ah yes, it went down like sweet sweet goodness. And then there was Mother's Day...running all over God's creation to be with family, and ending the day at the hospital. Niece #2 arrived yesterday at Duke...so there was certainly much to celebrate on the 5th floor. It was BYOB. Bring Your Own Breast-milk. I could hardly contain myself in that room, and there I was crying more than the infant....and I didn't have the excuse that I was hungry or crapped myself. Ok, maybe the first...
What an amazing day.
So, I took yesterday completely off from any type of training, and I could tell from the moment I woke up that I seriously needed it. Today was back to the grind. I had back, biceps, shoulders, and finished with sprints. I kept the weights the same from last week on everything except for shoulder press. My arms were shot, so I had to drop the weight. Boooo
Workout:
Wide grip pull-ups 4 x 6-8
Seated cable row 4 x 6-8
Single arm lat pull-down 4 x 6 each
Narrow grip pull-down (trap emphasis) 3 x 6-8
Seated BB shoulder press 4 x 6-8
Bent arm lateral raises 4 x 6-8
Front plate raises 4 x 6-8
EZ bar curls 4 x 6-8
Single arm horizontal cable curl 4 x 6-8 each
Sprints
Sprints got pretty rough today. My traps were cramping so badly that I started feeling pain up the back of my neck and into my head. The absolute only time it wouldn't throb was when I was actually sprinting...so for 10 seconds I had relief....10 measly seconds. Blah....glad its over.
Tomorrow is a lighter leg day, heavy chest, core, and cardio.
Time to peel some eggs....then hopefully a vomit-free night....
Monday, May 2, 2011
Driving nowhere...
Holy moly this morning was off to a rough start.
For whatever reason my body decides that 1:45 is a great time to wake up..(which, for the record, its not)...so after looking at the clock and realizing I've got a whopping 2.75 hours to sleep, I roll over and wake up even more tired at 4:30. It was all down hill from there. I was detoured from getting on the highway, took a wrong turn and ended up at a farm, finally made it to my exit and sat at a red light for 4 minutes....4 m-i-n-u-t-e-s....that was an eternity at 5:30 in the morning. My anger was out of control at that point. My heart rate was through the roof. So ridiculous....and the people who are completely calm in situations like that blow my mind. I want what they're smoking...
Once I was at work I was good to go. Zimm came back in town this week, which was AWESOME....he definitely brought me some sanity during my workout. Speaking of, this was week 2 of my new routine. Felt great, kept everything heavy for reps of 6-8 and then some sprints at the end. My IT band is back to its A game. Thank God. So I took advantage of it and did short, hard sprints. Incline 8, speed 12, 12 seconds, for 20 minutes. Heart rate was 204, but as long as I keep the music loud enough that I can't hear myself sucking wind, I'm fine. I tell my clients all the time, you just have to get comfortable with being uncomfortable.
Workout:
Wide grip pull-ups 4 x 6
Seated cable row 4 x 6
Single arm lat pull-down 4 x 6 each arm
Seated BB shoulder press 4 x 6
Bent arm lateral raise/ss partials 4 x 8/8
Standing EZ bar curls 4 x 6-8
Alternating DB curls 4 x 6 each
Sprints 20 minutes
Almost bedtime and I'm stuck in the recliner....story of my life. Tomorrow I will have more to write about....right now I've to peel 20 eggs before hitting the bed. Fun...
For whatever reason my body decides that 1:45 is a great time to wake up..(which, for the record, its not)...so after looking at the clock and realizing I've got a whopping 2.75 hours to sleep, I roll over and wake up even more tired at 4:30. It was all down hill from there. I was detoured from getting on the highway, took a wrong turn and ended up at a farm, finally made it to my exit and sat at a red light for 4 minutes....4 m-i-n-u-t-e-s....that was an eternity at 5:30 in the morning. My anger was out of control at that point. My heart rate was through the roof. So ridiculous....and the people who are completely calm in situations like that blow my mind. I want what they're smoking...
Once I was at work I was good to go. Zimm came back in town this week, which was AWESOME....he definitely brought me some sanity during my workout. Speaking of, this was week 2 of my new routine. Felt great, kept everything heavy for reps of 6-8 and then some sprints at the end. My IT band is back to its A game. Thank God. So I took advantage of it and did short, hard sprints. Incline 8, speed 12, 12 seconds, for 20 minutes. Heart rate was 204, but as long as I keep the music loud enough that I can't hear myself sucking wind, I'm fine. I tell my clients all the time, you just have to get comfortable with being uncomfortable.
Workout:
Wide grip pull-ups 4 x 6
Seated cable row 4 x 6
Single arm lat pull-down 4 x 6 each arm
Seated BB shoulder press 4 x 6
Bent arm lateral raise/ss partials 4 x 8/8
Standing EZ bar curls 4 x 6-8
Alternating DB curls 4 x 6 each
Sprints 20 minutes
Almost bedtime and I'm stuck in the recliner....story of my life. Tomorrow I will have more to write about....right now I've to peel 20 eggs before hitting the bed. Fun...
Monday, April 25, 2011
It was only just a dreeaaammm!!
Dear Lord, did anyone else come down off an extreme Easter-induced-sugar-high that left you wanting to bang your head against the wall by 7am? Just me? Awesome...
It was a rough start to the day. I didn't get enough sleep last night...as I unfortunately got hooked on an episode of the Real Housewives of Orange County. Yes, I watch that crap. You're never smarter after watching that show...only keenly aware of just how small your breasts are. Thank you ladies, because I needed to be reminded that C is the new B, D is the new C, and A cups are for an 8 year old with a dream. Your twins are huge, we get it...
SO anyway, after little sleep, and indulging in some Easter candy this weekend, today was a loonnngg day. I was pretty pumped about changing my lifting routine though. Today I did back, biceps, and shoulders...very heavy, for reps of 6-8. I want to try to hit almost every muscle group twice a week, one heavy/power day, and one lighter day....by lighter I mean reps of 12ish. However, I will still only have 1 day of leg training since I am still sprinting. I loved lifting heavy today, and 6 reps is great for my ADD...by rep 6 I am bored and ready to move on. Ha. So it worked out great. Oh, and I was also able to go harder on my sprints today. My left leg is still hurting a little, but not nearly as bad as last week. Onward I roll...
Workout:
Wide grip pull-up 4 x 6
Seated cable row 4 x 6-8
Single arm lat pull-down 4 x 6 each
Seated BB shoulder press 4 x 6
Bent arm lateral raises 4 x 6-8
Standing EZ bar curls 4 x 6-8
Alternating DB curls 4 x 6 each
Sprints
Awesome workout, very spent by the end. Tomorrow will be legs and core...can't wait.
Getting back in gear this past week was tough....there's always sort of a "let down" after a big event...tired, mentally and physically, and just this sense of "ok, now what?" By Friday of last week I was ready for some rest and refocus. This week will be better.
Not much to elaborate on today...its late and I need to get in bed asap. If I have another morning like this morning I might have even less sympathy in the gym than I already do....very sobering thought for a lot of people...
Night!
It was a rough start to the day. I didn't get enough sleep last night...as I unfortunately got hooked on an episode of the Real Housewives of Orange County. Yes, I watch that crap. You're never smarter after watching that show...only keenly aware of just how small your breasts are. Thank you ladies, because I needed to be reminded that C is the new B, D is the new C, and A cups are for an 8 year old with a dream. Your twins are huge, we get it...
SO anyway, after little sleep, and indulging in some Easter candy this weekend, today was a loonnngg day. I was pretty pumped about changing my lifting routine though. Today I did back, biceps, and shoulders...very heavy, for reps of 6-8. I want to try to hit almost every muscle group twice a week, one heavy/power day, and one lighter day....by lighter I mean reps of 12ish. However, I will still only have 1 day of leg training since I am still sprinting. I loved lifting heavy today, and 6 reps is great for my ADD...by rep 6 I am bored and ready to move on. Ha. So it worked out great. Oh, and I was also able to go harder on my sprints today. My left leg is still hurting a little, but not nearly as bad as last week. Onward I roll...
Workout:
Wide grip pull-up 4 x 6
Seated cable row 4 x 6-8
Single arm lat pull-down 4 x 6 each
Seated BB shoulder press 4 x 6
Bent arm lateral raises 4 x 6-8
Standing EZ bar curls 4 x 6-8
Alternating DB curls 4 x 6 each
Sprints
Awesome workout, very spent by the end. Tomorrow will be legs and core...can't wait.
Getting back in gear this past week was tough....there's always sort of a "let down" after a big event...tired, mentally and physically, and just this sense of "ok, now what?" By Friday of last week I was ready for some rest and refocus. This week will be better.
Not much to elaborate on today...its late and I need to get in bed asap. If I have another morning like this morning I might have even less sympathy in the gym than I already do....very sobering thought for a lot of people...
Night!
Friday, April 22, 2011
Dying eggs and Diabetes...Happy Easter..???
Its Friday morning and I just finished a little bit of breakfast and cleaning...2 of my favorite things. I was completely drained last night, and once the Office came on blogging just simply was not going to happen. By Thursday night I've usually met my word limit and can hardly find a dose of sanity to continue brain activity beyond 7pm. Sounds worthless doesn't it? Ha...
Workout yesterday was good...tough, but good. I got Brian to look at my leg before I started, and basically make sure I wasn't about to die or have to amputate the dern thing. Its my IT band...tight, pulling, and just painful right now. He said I could push through what I could handle as far as running...so I wanted to try sprinting again. I am so hard headed. I remember when I went to get both big-toe toenails cut out a few years ago and they said "no running for about 2 weeks". OOKKKK....so I got up the next morning and got on the treadmill. I had to throw away the shoes because they were covered in blood by the time I was done. I don't listen very well...BUT, truthfully, if I knew it would seriously injure me, I wouldn't do it. I don't think it was about being a "Billy-badass" or anything, just basic instinct to do something you've been told not to do. Like standing too close when you're brother is swinging a croquet mallet....took one to the jaw and learned the hard way...thank you David...
Anyway, I had back and sprints yesterday. Lifted heavy on back,...reps 8-10 and today my traps are screaming. I am working on getting my back width in proportion with how thick my back is. So, yesterday was more emphasis on my upper back, mainly lats. Sprints went ok, I didn't go faster than 11mph because my leg would start throbbing too bad....so I had to keep my rest time short to keep my heart rate up. I did 20 minutes worth and then did 20 minutes lighter cardio. Overall, it was a solid workout.
(Thurs) Workout:
Wide grip pull-ups 4 x 8
Close grip pull-backs 3 x 10
Single arm DB row 3 x 8 each
Bent over rows 3 x 10
Rear flys 3 x 10
Sprints 20 min, incline walk 20 min
Today I will do shoulders and chest...sort of a reverse-workout from Monday. And then I am going to head out for some last minute Easter-basket shopping. I'm doing one for my niece...I spoil her like its my job...it is my job. I adore that child. She adds some "fresh water" to the polluted gene pool we all swim in. And I can say that because I came from it....yours is polluted too....I promise....
Well, its been a great work week....long, but good. Not sure if I'll get around to blogging tonight or tomorrow, so if I don't I hope you all have a fabulous Easter weekend! And if I wake up to find an Easter basket full of airplane bottles and chocolate, don't judge me...I live in Mebane...that's how we roll around here...
Workout yesterday was good...tough, but good. I got Brian to look at my leg before I started, and basically make sure I wasn't about to die or have to amputate the dern thing. Its my IT band...tight, pulling, and just painful right now. He said I could push through what I could handle as far as running...so I wanted to try sprinting again. I am so hard headed. I remember when I went to get both big-toe toenails cut out a few years ago and they said "no running for about 2 weeks". OOKKKK....so I got up the next morning and got on the treadmill. I had to throw away the shoes because they were covered in blood by the time I was done. I don't listen very well...BUT, truthfully, if I knew it would seriously injure me, I wouldn't do it. I don't think it was about being a "Billy-badass" or anything, just basic instinct to do something you've been told not to do. Like standing too close when you're brother is swinging a croquet mallet....took one to the jaw and learned the hard way...thank you David...
Anyway, I had back and sprints yesterday. Lifted heavy on back,...reps 8-10 and today my traps are screaming. I am working on getting my back width in proportion with how thick my back is. So, yesterday was more emphasis on my upper back, mainly lats. Sprints went ok, I didn't go faster than 11mph because my leg would start throbbing too bad....so I had to keep my rest time short to keep my heart rate up. I did 20 minutes worth and then did 20 minutes lighter cardio. Overall, it was a solid workout.
(Thurs) Workout:
Wide grip pull-ups 4 x 8
Close grip pull-backs 3 x 10
Single arm DB row 3 x 8 each
Bent over rows 3 x 10
Rear flys 3 x 10
Sprints 20 min, incline walk 20 min
Today I will do shoulders and chest...sort of a reverse-workout from Monday. And then I am going to head out for some last minute Easter-basket shopping. I'm doing one for my niece...I spoil her like its my job...it is my job. I adore that child. She adds some "fresh water" to the polluted gene pool we all swim in. And I can say that because I came from it....yours is polluted too....I promise....
Well, its been a great work week....long, but good. Not sure if I'll get around to blogging tonight or tomorrow, so if I don't I hope you all have a fabulous Easter weekend! And if I wake up to find an Easter basket full of airplane bottles and chocolate, don't judge me...I live in Mebane...that's how we roll around here...
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Man down...
I honestly do not know where to begin...I am pretty amazed that its only a couple of days away from show time. My brain is on overload and my body is practically breathing a sigh of relief. After my workout this morning I laid down on the floor and just recapped the last 4 months...every workout, every God awful sprint, every moment I wanted to scream, cry, curse, or all of the above. Amidst all the random thoughts, I was able to lay there confident in my training/preparation...and that was enough. My sprints were hard today...very hard. My legs are exhausted and ready for a few days break. I've sprinted for 6 weeks straight...something I honestly haven't done since high school. And then it was for doing something stupid like mooning people on the bus....this time around I haven't even dropped my pants and I'm running like I'm in trouble with the law. Wrong on so many levels...
Workout:
Wide grip pull-up 3 x 10-12
Seated cable row 3 x 12
Single arm lat pull-down 3 x 10 each
BB row 3 x 12
Rear flys 3 x 15
EZ bar curls 4 x 10-12
Alternating DB curls 3 x 10 each
Bicep pull-down with lat bar 3 x 10-12
Sprints 25 minutes
Overall my day was pretty long...cramming clients in so I could take tomorrow off. I thought I would start painting tonight, however its after 9 and I'm tired and haven't done any of the pre-paint preparations...so it looks like I will be up painting my ass at 6am tomorrow morning...literally. I can do pretty much anything with a few cups of coffee under my belt. My prime is from 7 to 8:30 in the morning...after that, its all downhill...which explains so much.
My upper right trap is killing me. I have to complain about it right now because its been throbbing since 6am and pulling so hard through my neck that I've had a headache off and on all day. Stupid traps...between that and my post-waxing-trama, my body is cursing me. Thankfully tomorrow will only be a light circuit workout. Light workout? What the heck is that?...
Well, I am drained. I will have more to write tomorrow I'm sure. After a nail appointment and being naked with my mom and a paint brush, I'm sure I'll have stories. 2 days out...here we go...
Workout:
Wide grip pull-up 3 x 10-12
Seated cable row 3 x 12
Single arm lat pull-down 3 x 10 each
BB row 3 x 12
Rear flys 3 x 15
EZ bar curls 4 x 10-12
Alternating DB curls 3 x 10 each
Bicep pull-down with lat bar 3 x 10-12
Sprints 25 minutes
Overall my day was pretty long...cramming clients in so I could take tomorrow off. I thought I would start painting tonight, however its after 9 and I'm tired and haven't done any of the pre-paint preparations...so it looks like I will be up painting my ass at 6am tomorrow morning...literally. I can do pretty much anything with a few cups of coffee under my belt. My prime is from 7 to 8:30 in the morning...after that, its all downhill...which explains so much.
My upper right trap is killing me. I have to complain about it right now because its been throbbing since 6am and pulling so hard through my neck that I've had a headache off and on all day. Stupid traps...between that and my post-waxing-trama, my body is cursing me. Thankfully tomorrow will only be a light circuit workout. Light workout? What the heck is that?...
Well, I am drained. I will have more to write tomorrow I'm sure. After a nail appointment and being naked with my mom and a paint brush, I'm sure I'll have stories. 2 days out...here we go...
Thursday, March 24, 2011
100% organic.......maybe
Just got home from the grocery store...
16 dollars worth of cottage cheese, 4 pounds of asparagus, 4 pounds of snow peas, and 3 different kinds of lettuce...the most expensive bowel movement ever...
Morven got me hooked on this organic cottage cheese...which is absolutely amazing, but its organic so its over 4 bucks for a pint. That lasts me about 2.5 days...and I'm not even concerned about the "organic" aspect of it. The truth is, the same guy out in Montana who is sitting by his tub bottling water and labeling it "purified" is probably churning this cottage cheese...and I'm the idiot paying over $4. Awesome.
It was a long day....I felt good going into my workout and honestly looked forward to a measly 45 minutes on the treadmill after sprinting like I was out of my mind yesterday. My legs still hurt. I had back and then cardio today. I can tell my strength is starting to suffer a little and truly struggled to even maintain the weights I was doing just 2 weeks ago. I dread next week.
Workout:
Wide grip pull-ups 3 x 12
Seated cable row 3 x 10
Lat pull-down 3 x 12
BB row 3 x 12
Rear flys 3 x 15
Cardio
I worked on my posing for a little while afterward, but its definitely harder to do after a workout. You feel/look "soft", so trying to hold a flexed position for more than a few seconds is difficult. I am still struggling with my back pose. I have such an extreme arch in my low back that its hard to get a good flex without giving the judges and audience a ridiculous rear-shot. They'll get plenty of that with the Bikini competitors. Why they started that division is beyond me. Size 2 with DD's (that are not technically yours of course), and you're in the top 3. Anyway, I just need to practice my posing more. Stage presentation is everything....I've even had to practice smiling for longer than 2 seconds. I know, its amazing my face doesn't just get stuck or something. I do have a problem with my lip twitching though...after about a minute it starts moving like I've got turrets of the face. Got to work on that.
Well, I better call it a night. Shoulders, core, and sprints tomorrow. Big day...need some rest.
Here's to one more day of life and one more opportunity to be great...night folks!
16 dollars worth of cottage cheese, 4 pounds of asparagus, 4 pounds of snow peas, and 3 different kinds of lettuce...the most expensive bowel movement ever...
Morven got me hooked on this organic cottage cheese...which is absolutely amazing, but its organic so its over 4 bucks for a pint. That lasts me about 2.5 days...and I'm not even concerned about the "organic" aspect of it. The truth is, the same guy out in Montana who is sitting by his tub bottling water and labeling it "purified" is probably churning this cottage cheese...and I'm the idiot paying over $4. Awesome.
It was a long day....I felt good going into my workout and honestly looked forward to a measly 45 minutes on the treadmill after sprinting like I was out of my mind yesterday. My legs still hurt. I had back and then cardio today. I can tell my strength is starting to suffer a little and truly struggled to even maintain the weights I was doing just 2 weeks ago. I dread next week.
Workout:
Wide grip pull-ups 3 x 12
Seated cable row 3 x 10
Lat pull-down 3 x 12
BB row 3 x 12
Rear flys 3 x 15
Cardio
I worked on my posing for a little while afterward, but its definitely harder to do after a workout. You feel/look "soft", so trying to hold a flexed position for more than a few seconds is difficult. I am still struggling with my back pose. I have such an extreme arch in my low back that its hard to get a good flex without giving the judges and audience a ridiculous rear-shot. They'll get plenty of that with the Bikini competitors. Why they started that division is beyond me. Size 2 with DD's (that are not technically yours of course), and you're in the top 3. Anyway, I just need to practice my posing more. Stage presentation is everything....I've even had to practice smiling for longer than 2 seconds. I know, its amazing my face doesn't just get stuck or something. I do have a problem with my lip twitching though...after about a minute it starts moving like I've got turrets of the face. Got to work on that.
Well, I better call it a night. Shoulders, core, and sprints tomorrow. Big day...need some rest.
Here's to one more day of life and one more opportunity to be great...night folks!
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