I would have paid good money to sleep in this morning. I stayed up last night until after 11, which proved to be a dumb decision....add it to the list. So I woke up already exhausted, eyes watering, and hardly ready for the day. Every time I had to get on the floor to demonstrate something to my 6am clients, I wanted to curse. Sounds horrible I know, but combined with the overwhelming soreness in my legs right now, and I was simply a mess. My rearend is one giant knot, and using the handicap rail in the bathroom got old pretty fast. Yesterday I felt old,...today I felt old and disabled.
By the time my workout rolled around I was beyond tired. To get going was the hard part. I had shoulders, biceps, and some cardio today. It ended up being a great workout. Lord knows I needed to burn some calories after yesterday....I'm sure I ate at least 1000 calories worth of cookie cake. Thank you Kelsey to contributing to my health. Oh but it was worth it. I had a headache this morning and am retaining a solid 1.5 pounds of water. Pretty awesome...
Driving home today was another headache. Traffic was absurd, and my normal 23 minute commute took over 50 minutes due to wrecks, detours, etc. I do not deal well with situations like that. Shocker. So I decided to squeeze in a couple of phone calls while I was essentially wasting minutes of my life on the highway. I called my mom. Ok, note to self: Do NOT call one of the happiest people you know while you are in misery, in your car, going 10 mph in a 65 zone. At one point she suggested I write a poem while stuck in traffic. I literally contemplated hanging up on my mom right then. I just had to laugh...that was indeed my mom for ya.
Ok, I am drained. I can't stay up any longer. The bed is calling my name and I desperately want to answer....Night!
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Here she comes....butt first...
Today was pretty much like Christmas....minus Jesus' birth, some tinsel, and presents for anyone but myself. I honestly had a fabulous birthday....I couldn't have asked for more. I've never felt more loved....well....except for that one time,...ok just kidding. I can't say thank you enough to everyone who made it special. Even birthday-cynic-Brian...who showered me with coffee, Under Armour, and a card with the word "bitch". Fitting. The funny thing is that, being the card-slut that I am, I told him what the inside said before I opened it. I'd picked it up before in the store. Its ridiculous, I know.
I woke up this morning 15 minutes before my alarm because I was so excited it was my birthday. You would think I was 7 years old. I love birthdays though. It might have something to do with the fact that I never got to celebrate my birthday at school when I was little because of summer break...no cupcakes...no "happy birthday" song....nothing. "Bitter, party of one." Perhaps a little, but nonetheless I've partied as necessary ever since. I like to remind myself every year just how little I've accomplished in 365 days, how small my list of friends is becoming, and the fact that I am going to bed earlier and earlier. Its awesome. Its way past my bedtime and clearly I should not be held accountable for anything I type at this point...the sarcasm just seems to pour out at an unbelievable rate...
All 3 Zimmerman boys and Kelsey stopped by today for a little birthday-bonding-time. That was awesome, and truly meant a lot. Kelsey made me a cookie cake with Duncan Hines frosting (the best), and I am seriously in a sugar coma right now. I can hardly feel my face and I am sweating head to toe. She even put m&m's on it...it was like sex on a cookie. I gladly ate it. My mom taught me at an early age that calories do not count on your birthday....I will not argue with mom. I took it to the face...as I should have...
The Zimm crew also surprised me with a new pair of shoes! It was like giving a heroine addict a new needle... New Mizunos, absolutely love them and they fit perfectly. Yes, I will excitedly rock them tomorrow. :)
My sister-in-law and 2 nieces also came by today...when Payton said "Happy birthday Mena, I love you" I nearly died. Those girls turn me into mush...almost makes me mad. Ha.
Mom and dad also stopped by and dropped off my new vacuum cleaner! Wooo!! It totally sucks,...I mean literally. I was more excited about an appliance than the average person should be. But I've managed to kill like 4 vacuum's already, so I'll take it.
Ahh...all in all, a complete day. Yes, I still worked out, but any accomplishment in the gym fell second to how great friends/family made me feel today. Honestly, I was flattered and beyond grateful. Thus, I will continue to celebrate through the weekend...at least, that's the plan. I'm 28, not 78...if you're gonna do something, got to do it right...
Goodnight people :)
I woke up this morning 15 minutes before my alarm because I was so excited it was my birthday. You would think I was 7 years old. I love birthdays though. It might have something to do with the fact that I never got to celebrate my birthday at school when I was little because of summer break...no cupcakes...no "happy birthday" song....nothing. "Bitter, party of one." Perhaps a little, but nonetheless I've partied as necessary ever since. I like to remind myself every year just how little I've accomplished in 365 days, how small my list of friends is becoming, and the fact that I am going to bed earlier and earlier. Its awesome. Its way past my bedtime and clearly I should not be held accountable for anything I type at this point...the sarcasm just seems to pour out at an unbelievable rate...
All 3 Zimmerman boys and Kelsey stopped by today for a little birthday-bonding-time. That was awesome, and truly meant a lot. Kelsey made me a cookie cake with Duncan Hines frosting (the best), and I am seriously in a sugar coma right now. I can hardly feel my face and I am sweating head to toe. She even put m&m's on it...it was like sex on a cookie. I gladly ate it. My mom taught me at an early age that calories do not count on your birthday....I will not argue with mom. I took it to the face...as I should have...
The Zimm crew also surprised me with a new pair of shoes! It was like giving a heroine addict a new needle... New Mizunos, absolutely love them and they fit perfectly. Yes, I will excitedly rock them tomorrow. :)
My sister-in-law and 2 nieces also came by today...when Payton said "Happy birthday Mena, I love you" I nearly died. Those girls turn me into mush...almost makes me mad. Ha.
Mom and dad also stopped by and dropped off my new vacuum cleaner! Wooo!! It totally sucks,...I mean literally. I was more excited about an appliance than the average person should be. But I've managed to kill like 4 vacuum's already, so I'll take it.
Ahh...all in all, a complete day. Yes, I still worked out, but any accomplishment in the gym fell second to how great friends/family made me feel today. Honestly, I was flattered and beyond grateful. Thus, I will continue to celebrate through the weekend...at least, that's the plan. I'm 28, not 78...if you're gonna do something, got to do it right...
Goodnight people :)
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Jumping hurdles
I can hardly feel my legs...honestly, my rear is one giant knot. Had a great leg workout today...and by great I mean brutal and not fun at all. My mom always asks me why I put myself through this. I don't know. I like to struggle,...because the feeling of overcoming is greater than the pain to get there. Everyone is different though. This is also coming from the person who likes to sleep with the fan blasting and the temperature so cold at night that it gives me nosebleeds. I'm a sick human being I guess...
So let me just say, my birthday started early today (which I won't argue with). I received a few cards in the mail and Lora stopped by to give me a card/gift. I was truly flattered. She joked about trying to find the perfect gift...everything from peanut butter to shoes to cottage cheese. Haha...I had no idea that I was hard to buy for. Truth is, I just love any reason for gifts....I have an entire "gift closet" at my house. Its already full with Christmas gifts for this upcoming December. Honestly, you could probably wrap up a fart and I'd be excited. Don't get any ideas...I have 2 brothers...I've tried it...somehow it always seeps out. But truly, what a great birthday week its been already...and yet the big hump day awaits...woohoo!!
On a more serious note...what a day.
There are some days in the gym that I am extremely grateful I had a good night's rest and am mentally ready to face the day. Because its more than showing exercises and trying to motivate each individual as they need it. Training...especially for athletic events/sports is extremely emotional. It demands ALL of you day in, day out...because the truth is, your opponent is training as well. And when it comes down to it, in the last few minutes of play, or the last strides of a race, heart and determination can only take you so far. Its the preparation, conditioning, and attention to details outside of the arena that will determine the winner. I read a great quote the other day that basically said that same thing, but the line that stood out to me the most was "You cannot will yourself to win." I agree. No matter how much you way want it, you have to be physically capable of achieving it. And be be physically capable, its pushing to be better than you were the day before....faster, stronger, and more willing to struggle when necessary.
It was tough to watch both Zimm and Kelsey battle this today. I think both of them are well aware of their talent, strength, and drive to be better. They are leaders at heart, but both faced a hurdle today...a mental hurdle. It left them both pissed off and just mentally tormenting themselves. I use the word torment because as an athlete, so much of one's identity and perception of self-worth is tied into personal performance and talent. That, to experience anything that causes him/her to question that or inflict self-doubt can be torture. But the main thing I wanted them to see is that "success", when it comes to training, has to go beyond the expectation of a coach/trainer...it must be a self-satisfaction that is personally defined according to an individual's strengths, weaknesses, and potential. I firmly believe these two athletes have an accurate perception of their potential and ability, which is why I know its hard for them to experience "off" days. BUT, the truth is we all have them...everyone. And your best one day might be a little better than your best on another day. But the point is that you give it everything you have at that moment...that day. Beyond that, your demands are unrealistic. So Kels and Zimm, let today fall in the category of an "off" day. You gave it what you could. Understand that today's struggle is just as valuable as tomorrow's successes, and move on. The goal is consistency....physically, yes, but mentally as well. The more you dwell on today, the more it invades tomorrow. Let it go, and I think you'll be amazed by your own resilience and strength...
Well, its been a long day...bedtime awaits, and in just a few hours yours truly will be 28 years old. A day that reminds my parents each year that one night of crazy passion and some Marvin Gaye will haunt you forever...
So let me just say, my birthday started early today (which I won't argue with). I received a few cards in the mail and Lora stopped by to give me a card/gift. I was truly flattered. She joked about trying to find the perfect gift...everything from peanut butter to shoes to cottage cheese. Haha...I had no idea that I was hard to buy for. Truth is, I just love any reason for gifts....I have an entire "gift closet" at my house. Its already full with Christmas gifts for this upcoming December. Honestly, you could probably wrap up a fart and I'd be excited. Don't get any ideas...I have 2 brothers...I've tried it...somehow it always seeps out. But truly, what a great birthday week its been already...and yet the big hump day awaits...woohoo!!
On a more serious note...what a day.
There are some days in the gym that I am extremely grateful I had a good night's rest and am mentally ready to face the day. Because its more than showing exercises and trying to motivate each individual as they need it. Training...especially for athletic events/sports is extremely emotional. It demands ALL of you day in, day out...because the truth is, your opponent is training as well. And when it comes down to it, in the last few minutes of play, or the last strides of a race, heart and determination can only take you so far. Its the preparation, conditioning, and attention to details outside of the arena that will determine the winner. I read a great quote the other day that basically said that same thing, but the line that stood out to me the most was "You cannot will yourself to win." I agree. No matter how much you way want it, you have to be physically capable of achieving it. And be be physically capable, its pushing to be better than you were the day before....faster, stronger, and more willing to struggle when necessary.
It was tough to watch both Zimm and Kelsey battle this today. I think both of them are well aware of their talent, strength, and drive to be better. They are leaders at heart, but both faced a hurdle today...a mental hurdle. It left them both pissed off and just mentally tormenting themselves. I use the word torment because as an athlete, so much of one's identity and perception of self-worth is tied into personal performance and talent. That, to experience anything that causes him/her to question that or inflict self-doubt can be torture. But the main thing I wanted them to see is that "success", when it comes to training, has to go beyond the expectation of a coach/trainer...it must be a self-satisfaction that is personally defined according to an individual's strengths, weaknesses, and potential. I firmly believe these two athletes have an accurate perception of their potential and ability, which is why I know its hard for them to experience "off" days. BUT, the truth is we all have them...everyone. And your best one day might be a little better than your best on another day. But the point is that you give it everything you have at that moment...that day. Beyond that, your demands are unrealistic. So Kels and Zimm, let today fall in the category of an "off" day. You gave it what you could. Understand that today's struggle is just as valuable as tomorrow's successes, and move on. The goal is consistency....physically, yes, but mentally as well. The more you dwell on today, the more it invades tomorrow. Let it go, and I think you'll be amazed by your own resilience and strength...
Well, its been a long day...bedtime awaits, and in just a few hours yours truly will be 28 years old. A day that reminds my parents each year that one night of crazy passion and some Marvin Gaye will haunt you forever...
Monday, June 27, 2011
I smell birthday cake...and other bodily fluids
You gotta love those days when you are constantly reminded why you love what you do...today was one of those days. From the young athlete who allowed me to push him to complete failure, to the man who blamed me as he dropped 4 f-bombs during the first 10 minutes of his workout....my day was fulfilled and complete. The latter was pretty hilarious...I've honestly never had anyone argue with me about why they curse during a workout...like I have control over what comes out of a 44 year old's mouth. I barely have control over what comes out of my own mouth....which, can be concerning at times...
A group of baseball players are coming in the gym now 3-4 days a week...play with the Dirtbags. Its generally 6-7 of them, and truly a good group of boys. And to be honest, if I were coaching, I'd probably prefer to coach guys rather than gals. Even if they are not crazy about training, there is a certain level of competitiveness that I personally do not have to try to cultivate in them. Its instinctive. And put them in a group setting like that and the testosterone is flying. I love it. Sure I have to listen to more than enough crude comments, and watch them "adjust themselves" too often to count, but they let me push them, respond to my critique, and want to get better. I can work with that.
As I said last week, my focus during this week's workouts is to maintain strength, but keep all reps a littler higher (mainly 12-15) to kind of unload if you will. I did back/shoulders/bis today, and had all intentions of running sprints. But by the time I got to that point, I was done...I had absolutely nothing left in me. Part of it may have been the fact that I didn't exactly take Saturday or Sunday completely off. I did intervals yesterday P90X style for 30 minutes...I was hating life by the end, but it was great. And Saturday was my 4.5 mile run...blah. So my legs were pretty much shot today.
Workout:
BW pull-ups 3 x 10-12
Close grip lat pull-down 3 x 12
Single arm DB row 3 x 10 each
BB row/ss rear flys 3 x 12 each
BB shoulder press (drop set)/ss front raise 3 x 15 each
Lateral raise and pulse 3 x 12 each
Preacher curls 3 x 12
Standing BB curls 3 x 12
Alternating incline curls 3 x 10 each
Its amazing I can still move my arms. Tomorrow is leg day, and the fat on my inner thighs is about to drive me nuts. Its like a fat cell camp going on down there...
Anyway,
so as you know, I have a garden. Tomatoes, peppers, squash, etc....well, this one particular bug is completing taking over my squash and zucchini. Its the ugliest creature, and I pretty much hate it because of that fact alone. So I haven't had time or energy to run to Lowes to get bug spray and what not, so I figured it was simply time to mark my territory out there. Yes, I poured urine on my plants. If it killed the bugs, great. If it killed the plant, whatever. If my neighbors knew what I did and I crossed their line of decency, even better. At this point, if I knew it would kill crab grass, I would be hosing down the cul-de-sac with it....which would take forever...my bladder is small...
Well, its almost 9:15 and I am about 10 steps behind myself tonight...ugh...Tuesday here I come. BTW, only 1 day til the birthday....yes, I accept gifts....yes, its the thought that counts, but no one really means that....they are lying and you owe them a gift asap...
Niiiiigghhhtttt!!!
A group of baseball players are coming in the gym now 3-4 days a week...play with the Dirtbags. Its generally 6-7 of them, and truly a good group of boys. And to be honest, if I were coaching, I'd probably prefer to coach guys rather than gals. Even if they are not crazy about training, there is a certain level of competitiveness that I personally do not have to try to cultivate in them. Its instinctive. And put them in a group setting like that and the testosterone is flying. I love it. Sure I have to listen to more than enough crude comments, and watch them "adjust themselves" too often to count, but they let me push them, respond to my critique, and want to get better. I can work with that.
As I said last week, my focus during this week's workouts is to maintain strength, but keep all reps a littler higher (mainly 12-15) to kind of unload if you will. I did back/shoulders/bis today, and had all intentions of running sprints. But by the time I got to that point, I was done...I had absolutely nothing left in me. Part of it may have been the fact that I didn't exactly take Saturday or Sunday completely off. I did intervals yesterday P90X style for 30 minutes...I was hating life by the end, but it was great. And Saturday was my 4.5 mile run...blah. So my legs were pretty much shot today.
Workout:
BW pull-ups 3 x 10-12
Close grip lat pull-down 3 x 12
Single arm DB row 3 x 10 each
BB row/ss rear flys 3 x 12 each
BB shoulder press (drop set)/ss front raise 3 x 15 each
Lateral raise and pulse 3 x 12 each
Preacher curls 3 x 12
Standing BB curls 3 x 12
Alternating incline curls 3 x 10 each
Its amazing I can still move my arms. Tomorrow is leg day, and the fat on my inner thighs is about to drive me nuts. Its like a fat cell camp going on down there...
Anyway,
so as you know, I have a garden. Tomatoes, peppers, squash, etc....well, this one particular bug is completing taking over my squash and zucchini. Its the ugliest creature, and I pretty much hate it because of that fact alone. So I haven't had time or energy to run to Lowes to get bug spray and what not, so I figured it was simply time to mark my territory out there. Yes, I poured urine on my plants. If it killed the bugs, great. If it killed the plant, whatever. If my neighbors knew what I did and I crossed their line of decency, even better. At this point, if I knew it would kill crab grass, I would be hosing down the cul-de-sac with it....which would take forever...my bladder is small...
Well, its almost 9:15 and I am about 10 steps behind myself tonight...ugh...Tuesday here I come. BTW, only 1 day til the birthday....yes, I accept gifts....yes, its the thought that counts, but no one really means that....they are lying and you owe them a gift asap...
Niiiiigghhhtttt!!!
Saturday, June 25, 2011
Moving....barely
Its 8:00 Saturday morning and I am truly enjoying a quiet house along with my 3rd cup of coffee and a egg white/ground turkey concoction. As far as workout goes, all I had today was cardio. I wanted to get it out of the way, so by 6:10 I was out the door jogging through the neighborhood.
Since my body is used to having 2 meals under my belt and a few hours to "wake up" before my usual workout time, jogging first thing in the morning is not on my top 10 list of things to do...or top 20. Its just hard for me to find any sort of rhythm when I haven't had caffeine or time to get my mind right. I couldn't think about it...just go...
The first mile was comical. I looked like an old woman. Tight hamstrings, tight calves, not fully awake,...I'm sure it was a sight. I could definitely feel my right calf from my hill sprints yesterday (incline 15, speed 12...needless to say, I was pushing this tank with all I had). I was quickly well aware that I'd not run this loop in quite awhile. There are many gradual hills that, for me, (non-endurance athlete who can barely can stand to run more than 10 minutes), proved to be pretty brutal. Then there were the geese....its like an obstacle course around here I swear. There are so many geese around this area and I seriously look forward to them flying south every year. Last year 2 of them were camped out in our cul-de-sac because neighbors thought it was cute to feed them. Oh it was cute alright....cute until they were crapping on my patio. At that point I was curious as to how much damage a paintball gun could really do.
Anyway, I ran into the little feathered crappers this morning and sure enough had to dodge goose poop like land mines for about 100yds on the sidewalk. That was fun...until the mother goose starts squawking at me flaring her wings and what not. The sad part was that I was running so slow that I was fairly certain she would catch me, and then I'd be left to explain some bizarre battle wounds. I'd probably fight back....right there in the street, in our quaint little neighborhood beside the sign that says "Slow down, We love our children". I want to put one right beside it that says "Now speed up, We hate our geese". So wrong, I know.
So, long story short, I made it through my 4.5 mile run without any injuries or goose-mishaps. I headed straight to a lukewarm bath with my coffee in hand. Today I am really trying to take it easy and "treat" myself by relaxing. With my husband away, the to-do list is always long and would keep me slammed everyday if I let it. Not today. I am headed to the pool for a few hours. My plan is to sleep, read a magazine, and try not to yell at any children...or their parents for that matter. I can tell my body is just worn out. Zimm and I were agreeing yesterday that by the end of the week, there is definitely a need for some down time and rest. Ryan is always preaching to me about the need for rest....and I totally agree with him. It's just hard for me to take it.....but today I am going to take it.
I firmly believe in pushing yourself beyond what you think is possible/comfortable. But I also believe in listening to your body. I watched my dad do this for years...go and go...until he had to retire before the age of 56 because of chronic adrenal fatigue. The doctor told him that if he continued the same route, it would most likely kill him. So now he encourages me to do the same....just slow down. He says I'm 27 and should feel 27. I'm trying dad, one step at a time...
Alright, going to read for awhile and then head to the pool. Enjoy the weekend folks...work hard...and rest easy :)
Since my body is used to having 2 meals under my belt and a few hours to "wake up" before my usual workout time, jogging first thing in the morning is not on my top 10 list of things to do...or top 20. Its just hard for me to find any sort of rhythm when I haven't had caffeine or time to get my mind right. I couldn't think about it...just go...
The first mile was comical. I looked like an old woman. Tight hamstrings, tight calves, not fully awake,...I'm sure it was a sight. I could definitely feel my right calf from my hill sprints yesterday (incline 15, speed 12...needless to say, I was pushing this tank with all I had). I was quickly well aware that I'd not run this loop in quite awhile. There are many gradual hills that, for me, (non-endurance athlete who can barely can stand to run more than 10 minutes), proved to be pretty brutal. Then there were the geese....its like an obstacle course around here I swear. There are so many geese around this area and I seriously look forward to them flying south every year. Last year 2 of them were camped out in our cul-de-sac because neighbors thought it was cute to feed them. Oh it was cute alright....cute until they were crapping on my patio. At that point I was curious as to how much damage a paintball gun could really do.
Anyway, I ran into the little feathered crappers this morning and sure enough had to dodge goose poop like land mines for about 100yds on the sidewalk. That was fun...until the mother goose starts squawking at me flaring her wings and what not. The sad part was that I was running so slow that I was fairly certain she would catch me, and then I'd be left to explain some bizarre battle wounds. I'd probably fight back....right there in the street, in our quaint little neighborhood beside the sign that says "Slow down, We love our children". I want to put one right beside it that says "Now speed up, We hate our geese". So wrong, I know.
So, long story short, I made it through my 4.5 mile run without any injuries or goose-mishaps. I headed straight to a lukewarm bath with my coffee in hand. Today I am really trying to take it easy and "treat" myself by relaxing. With my husband away, the to-do list is always long and would keep me slammed everyday if I let it. Not today. I am headed to the pool for a few hours. My plan is to sleep, read a magazine, and try not to yell at any children...or their parents for that matter. I can tell my body is just worn out. Zimm and I were agreeing yesterday that by the end of the week, there is definitely a need for some down time and rest. Ryan is always preaching to me about the need for rest....and I totally agree with him. It's just hard for me to take it.....but today I am going to take it.
I firmly believe in pushing yourself beyond what you think is possible/comfortable. But I also believe in listening to your body. I watched my dad do this for years...go and go...until he had to retire before the age of 56 because of chronic adrenal fatigue. The doctor told him that if he continued the same route, it would most likely kill him. So now he encourages me to do the same....just slow down. He says I'm 27 and should feel 27. I'm trying dad, one step at a time...
Alright, going to read for awhile and then head to the pool. Enjoy the weekend folks...work hard...and rest easy :)
Thursday, June 23, 2011
"And the award goes to..."
My morning actually started at 3:08 am.
I woke up in cold sweats breathing like a smoker because I dreamed that I was being stabbed. I had to check to make sure I didn't wet the bed. What in the world is wrong with me?...Needless to say, I didn't sleep too well after that. Up by 4:30, coffee brewing at 4:33, shower soon after...
I was sweating all day. The heat is out of control right now, and I seriously want to get botox injections in my sweat glands. Anyone know how much that would cost? Anyone want to sponsor? Ha, only kidding....sort of. I was talking to Lora about it after her workout today, and how frustrating it is during the summer not being able to wear certain clothes because it always looks like I just ran a half marathon. Which, everyone knows is not true...I would quit after mile 4...ok, 3...
So, my mom worked out with me today. Ok,...let me rephrase that. She worked out at the same time as me. She is the only family member who comes in the gym and actually wants to workout. No, she does not necessarily enjoy every minute, and maybe she does do it just to see/talk to me for awhile, but I appreciate it either way. But holy crap she talked the whole time. At one point I had to apologize for not saying much because I was too out of breath. She just smiled and said "That's ok! Just listen!" So there I was, trying not to drop a dumbbell on my face while my mom is telling me the latest family news. It was comical. She is one of the happiest people I know....and while I don't understand it, I definitely love her for it.
Workout today...chest, shoulders, and some core at the end. I decided to start with chest instead of shoulders...just wasn't feeling the doing-shoulders-first thing. 45 seconds between each set, reps 12-15 for chest and 8-10 for shoulders. I didn't have much time after my weights before I needed to shower and take my next client, so I just did 1 minute repeats on the treadmill at a 6:40 pace with 30 seconds rest in between for 20 minutes. I was tired, but I didn't want my legs to be complete jello by the end because I need to do some leg work/sprints tomorrow. All in all, good workout. Thanks mom for the motivation,...or distraction...whatever it was it helped...
Highlight of the day....hmmm...probably a client telling me they wanted a gold metal for doing 10 minutes of cardio. Ok, even I can do 10 minutes....furthermore, this isn't the Olympics. Instead, they'll get the "Most Improved" award....which is the one no one wants, let's be honest. It just means you were bad before, and now you're just not as bad. Harsh reality, sorry. I remember the little league softball days, you're sitting there crossing your fingers that you didn't get that award. You'd rather walk away with a plaque that said you were most likely to pee in the outfield than to get that award. Even at a young age, we get it...
Its almost 10 and I am drained. Time for sleep...much needed sleep....night!
I woke up in cold sweats breathing like a smoker because I dreamed that I was being stabbed. I had to check to make sure I didn't wet the bed. What in the world is wrong with me?...Needless to say, I didn't sleep too well after that. Up by 4:30, coffee brewing at 4:33, shower soon after...
I was sweating all day. The heat is out of control right now, and I seriously want to get botox injections in my sweat glands. Anyone know how much that would cost? Anyone want to sponsor? Ha, only kidding....sort of. I was talking to Lora about it after her workout today, and how frustrating it is during the summer not being able to wear certain clothes because it always looks like I just ran a half marathon. Which, everyone knows is not true...I would quit after mile 4...ok, 3...
So, my mom worked out with me today. Ok,...let me rephrase that. She worked out at the same time as me. She is the only family member who comes in the gym and actually wants to workout. No, she does not necessarily enjoy every minute, and maybe she does do it just to see/talk to me for awhile, but I appreciate it either way. But holy crap she talked the whole time. At one point I had to apologize for not saying much because I was too out of breath. She just smiled and said "That's ok! Just listen!" So there I was, trying not to drop a dumbbell on my face while my mom is telling me the latest family news. It was comical. She is one of the happiest people I know....and while I don't understand it, I definitely love her for it.
Workout today...chest, shoulders, and some core at the end. I decided to start with chest instead of shoulders...just wasn't feeling the doing-shoulders-first thing. 45 seconds between each set, reps 12-15 for chest and 8-10 for shoulders. I didn't have much time after my weights before I needed to shower and take my next client, so I just did 1 minute repeats on the treadmill at a 6:40 pace with 30 seconds rest in between for 20 minutes. I was tired, but I didn't want my legs to be complete jello by the end because I need to do some leg work/sprints tomorrow. All in all, good workout. Thanks mom for the motivation,...or distraction...whatever it was it helped...
Highlight of the day....hmmm...probably a client telling me they wanted a gold metal for doing 10 minutes of cardio. Ok, even I can do 10 minutes....furthermore, this isn't the Olympics. Instead, they'll get the "Most Improved" award....which is the one no one wants, let's be honest. It just means you were bad before, and now you're just not as bad. Harsh reality, sorry. I remember the little league softball days, you're sitting there crossing your fingers that you didn't get that award. You'd rather walk away with a plaque that said you were most likely to pee in the outfield than to get that award. Even at a young age, we get it...
Its almost 10 and I am drained. Time for sleep...much needed sleep....night!
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Running on E
Whoever had the brilliant idea of honey roasted peanuts is an absolute genius, and I'd probably kiss them on the mouth. Maybe. I had some last night and I'm still thinking about them. This cannot be normal at all...
So there I was, its almost 6pm and I'm loading up my things while chatting with Kelsey. (I look like death by this point.) She looks up at me and says, "Do you feel like this everyday?" Yes. The answer was yes. But today was definitely a much harder day than usual. I was beyond tired this afternoon...I stood up a couple of times and got extremely dizzy, and the ride home looked like a one man NASCAR race. I was all over the place. I may have chuckled when Kelsey asked me that, but the truth is I am struggling by the end of the day 98% of the time. My mom gets on me all the time about it, and I admit that its very hard for me to slow down. I go and go and go until I crash. Monday through Thursday is survival-mode, and Friday through Sunday is anti-social-regroup-so-I-don't-hurt-anyone mode. Right now I just want to sleep. There are kids playing in my cul-de-sac right now and I am angry at them for just having the energy to run around after 7pm. Ridiculous.
Workout today was just sprints, thank God. My back is so sore today that bending over to put on pants is borderline not worth it. I'd rather go pantless. And that's not even a word...eh...whatever. I did 28 minutes worth...started out with 20 on, 40 walk for 8, then switched to 15 on, 15 off, 15 on, 45 walk. That did me in. My hamstrings will be killing me tomorrow. I was pleased with my speed though...good workout. Tomorrow I have heavy shoulders, lighter chest, and core. I'm going to start with shoulders...we'll see how bad my chest suffers after that. And after this week I think I'm going to use next week as an unloading week...reps all 12-15, no strength/power training...give my muscles a week to sort of regroup and rest a little. It will be my birthday week, so I will pretty much do what I want..ha. That's how it works...or it should work. Brace yourselves...
Speaking of, I'm fairly certain my parents are buying me a vacuum cleaner for my birthday. I am excited and angry at the same time. Yes, I need it, but that in itself irritates me. A gift that sucks....literally. Awesome. Whatever happened to asking for the latest pair of NIKE's, some perfume, and a few movies? The whole growing-up thing is depressing at times. Next year I'll be asking for nothing...because that's what old people do...they ask for nothing and leave you wandering around the store trying to find the perfect gift for someone who wants nothing. Thus, you end up getting them the most generic, stupid gift in the store....leaving them wondering if you even KNOW them and why you "disobeyed" the rules of getting them nothing. Its absurd. Get them a plant. No one turns down a fern. They'll take it, it will die, and they will ultimately be left with nothing, just like they wanted...
I think I just successfully solved the gift-giving dilemma for many people.
My work here is done...
Ok, its 8:10 and I can't stay awake any longer. I am DONE. Have a few stories for tomorrow....
oh the anticipation...
So there I was, its almost 6pm and I'm loading up my things while chatting with Kelsey. (I look like death by this point.) She looks up at me and says, "Do you feel like this everyday?" Yes. The answer was yes. But today was definitely a much harder day than usual. I was beyond tired this afternoon...I stood up a couple of times and got extremely dizzy, and the ride home looked like a one man NASCAR race. I was all over the place. I may have chuckled when Kelsey asked me that, but the truth is I am struggling by the end of the day 98% of the time. My mom gets on me all the time about it, and I admit that its very hard for me to slow down. I go and go and go until I crash. Monday through Thursday is survival-mode, and Friday through Sunday is anti-social-regroup-so-I-don't-hurt-anyone mode. Right now I just want to sleep. There are kids playing in my cul-de-sac right now and I am angry at them for just having the energy to run around after 7pm. Ridiculous.
Workout today was just sprints, thank God. My back is so sore today that bending over to put on pants is borderline not worth it. I'd rather go pantless. And that's not even a word...eh...whatever. I did 28 minutes worth...started out with 20 on, 40 walk for 8, then switched to 15 on, 15 off, 15 on, 45 walk. That did me in. My hamstrings will be killing me tomorrow. I was pleased with my speed though...good workout. Tomorrow I have heavy shoulders, lighter chest, and core. I'm going to start with shoulders...we'll see how bad my chest suffers after that. And after this week I think I'm going to use next week as an unloading week...reps all 12-15, no strength/power training...give my muscles a week to sort of regroup and rest a little. It will be my birthday week, so I will pretty much do what I want..ha. That's how it works...or it should work. Brace yourselves...
Speaking of, I'm fairly certain my parents are buying me a vacuum cleaner for my birthday. I am excited and angry at the same time. Yes, I need it, but that in itself irritates me. A gift that sucks....literally. Awesome. Whatever happened to asking for the latest pair of NIKE's, some perfume, and a few movies? The whole growing-up thing is depressing at times. Next year I'll be asking for nothing...because that's what old people do...they ask for nothing and leave you wandering around the store trying to find the perfect gift for someone who wants nothing. Thus, you end up getting them the most generic, stupid gift in the store....leaving them wondering if you even KNOW them and why you "disobeyed" the rules of getting them nothing. Its absurd. Get them a plant. No one turns down a fern. They'll take it, it will die, and they will ultimately be left with nothing, just like they wanted...
I think I just successfully solved the gift-giving dilemma for many people.
My work here is done...
Ok, its 8:10 and I can't stay awake any longer. I am DONE. Have a few stories for tomorrow....
oh the anticipation...
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
CHUG CHUG CHUG!!
Boy was I tired this morning. Staying up past 10 last night proved to be a dumb idea...shocker. I was driving to work pretty sure that the guy behind me thought I'd been drinking. At that point, the only thing I was taking to the face was my smooth, beautiful, protein-infused coffee. Sucking it down like a pixie stick. Some old school 50 cent blaring and my hot 12 ounces, and my day was off to a rolling start...
Every time I hear a 50 cent song I think about my sophomore year in college...and more specifically face-planting at this house party when I slipped on spilled beer. The best part was that I did it as I was stepping out the door...so not only did the people inside get to see me eat floor, but I also gave a show for the people outside as well. Again, you're welcome...
Today I was pretty pressed for time...I had quite a bit to get done during my workout time before my next client. Legs, back, and biceps. It was like a weight room death wish. I started with back because I knew that bodyweight wide grip pull-ups would most likely not happen after an entire leg workout. I kept my rest time to 45 seconds between sets...which is tough on power/strength days. Its only enough time for me to suck some wind, curse, and wonder how in the world I am capable of sweating through dry-fit shorts within 15 minutes of starting a workout. Mind-boggling. I went for sets of 15-20 on legs, and mixed things up a bit from my normal routine. It went well, but I can definitely tell I've lost some strength in my legs...not surprising.
Workout:
WG pull-ups 4 x 8-10
Lat pull-down 3 x 6-8
Seated cable row 3 x 6-8
BB row/ss rear flys 3 x 8 each
Leg press 3 x 15
Step-ups 3 x 15 each leg
Hamstring curls on machine 3 x 15
Leg extensions 3 x 20
Glute raise on ball 3 x 15
Standing BB curl 4 x 8-10
Alternating DB curls (drop set) 3 x 8 each weight
Overall, decent lift today.
Had a couple of former athletes stop by to say hello today. I immediately felt old....to be at a job long enough to watch students go from a junior in high school, all the way through college, and now finding a career for themselves. Holy crap, I will soon be in depends, eating oatmeal through a straw, and going to bed at 7. Hell, all I need is the diaper and I'm practically there. It was great to see these guys more grown up, finding their way, and ultimately starting to discover that the world does not revolve around boobies. Ok, fine, only partly true. Seriously though, it means a lot when these kids, (I should say adults), cycle back around and stop in to see us. Just as much as we teach and strive to influence them, they certainly impact us. If anything, training a group of teenagers on a regular basis is excellent birth control. And when they're in RARE form, I'm pretty much ready to sign up for the earliest hysterectomy possible. Only kidding...sort of...they are awesome and keep me laughing constantly :)
New food love: egg whites, ground turkey, spinach, vanilla extract, and a spoonful of cottage cheese...whisk, pour in muffin tin, and bake for 30 mins. LOVE IT. Its been a great alternative to my oatmeal the past few days. Brian and them make fun of the stuff I eat because it often looks like vomit. Ok, fine, I get it. But this is coming from a man who will make these "green" smoothies with kale, spinach, banana, blah blah blah...it looks like diarrhea in a bottle. No kidding. It might taste ok, but I literally feel like I'm on Jackass about to drink #3. I'll pass, and stick to my vomit...thanks...
Ok, time for bed. I am exhausted...early day coming tomorrow. Night folks!
Every time I hear a 50 cent song I think about my sophomore year in college...and more specifically face-planting at this house party when I slipped on spilled beer. The best part was that I did it as I was stepping out the door...so not only did the people inside get to see me eat floor, but I also gave a show for the people outside as well. Again, you're welcome...
Today I was pretty pressed for time...I had quite a bit to get done during my workout time before my next client. Legs, back, and biceps. It was like a weight room death wish. I started with back because I knew that bodyweight wide grip pull-ups would most likely not happen after an entire leg workout. I kept my rest time to 45 seconds between sets...which is tough on power/strength days. Its only enough time for me to suck some wind, curse, and wonder how in the world I am capable of sweating through dry-fit shorts within 15 minutes of starting a workout. Mind-boggling. I went for sets of 15-20 on legs, and mixed things up a bit from my normal routine. It went well, but I can definitely tell I've lost some strength in my legs...not surprising.
Workout:
WG pull-ups 4 x 8-10
Lat pull-down 3 x 6-8
Seated cable row 3 x 6-8
BB row/ss rear flys 3 x 8 each
Leg press 3 x 15
Step-ups 3 x 15 each leg
Hamstring curls on machine 3 x 15
Leg extensions 3 x 20
Glute raise on ball 3 x 15
Standing BB curl 4 x 8-10
Alternating DB curls (drop set) 3 x 8 each weight
Overall, decent lift today.
Had a couple of former athletes stop by to say hello today. I immediately felt old....to be at a job long enough to watch students go from a junior in high school, all the way through college, and now finding a career for themselves. Holy crap, I will soon be in depends, eating oatmeal through a straw, and going to bed at 7. Hell, all I need is the diaper and I'm practically there. It was great to see these guys more grown up, finding their way, and ultimately starting to discover that the world does not revolve around boobies. Ok, fine, only partly true. Seriously though, it means a lot when these kids, (I should say adults), cycle back around and stop in to see us. Just as much as we teach and strive to influence them, they certainly impact us. If anything, training a group of teenagers on a regular basis is excellent birth control. And when they're in RARE form, I'm pretty much ready to sign up for the earliest hysterectomy possible. Only kidding...sort of...they are awesome and keep me laughing constantly :)
New food love: egg whites, ground turkey, spinach, vanilla extract, and a spoonful of cottage cheese...whisk, pour in muffin tin, and bake for 30 mins. LOVE IT. Its been a great alternative to my oatmeal the past few days. Brian and them make fun of the stuff I eat because it often looks like vomit. Ok, fine, I get it. But this is coming from a man who will make these "green" smoothies with kale, spinach, banana, blah blah blah...it looks like diarrhea in a bottle. No kidding. It might taste ok, but I literally feel like I'm on Jackass about to drink #3. I'll pass, and stick to my vomit...thanks...
Ok, time for bed. I am exhausted...early day coming tomorrow. Night folks!
Monday, June 20, 2011
Thanks Dad
Dear Lord, its way past my bedtime.
Monday came with a rude awakening after a busy, but great weekend. Yesterday was Father's Day, and of course I have to give a little shout out to my dad. I'm allowed to say shout out because I'm from Durham.
My dad is truly amazing. Perhaps I'm a little bias, but I am extremely grateful for his influence and direction in my life. He's been a father, coach, mentor, and friend. In regards to athletics, he's probably had the greatest impact on my perspective of practice, play, and focus. Partly because he was a coach himself for so many years. I'll never forget one time in high school...it was the day before a softball game, and I was asking my parents if they were coming. (There were 3 of us, all involved in sports at different locations during the same season, and the fact was my parents couldn't be in various places at once). Well, I remember my dad saying he might not be able to make it to the game and I immediately felt disappointed and dropped my head. This is what he said: "Meredith, you play hard no matter who's watching, and especially when no one is watching." That still sticks with me to this day. Many days I train alone in the gym...no accountability but my own...those are the dig-deep moments that my dad was talking about. Honest moments. Thanks dad.
Speaking of digging deep, today's workout was harder than expected. I switched my normal Monday routine around a bit so that I would be doing chest, shoulders, and cardio. I was drained by the end. Totally drained. I've hit a strength-plateau here lately. The majority of my lifts have been the same weight for the last 3 weeks. Not cool.
SO, I officially survived the coffee challenge. One full week with only 1 cup in the morning and none in the afternoon. There were only a handful of suicidal moments and times when I could have seriously injured someone or myself. But it was good for me to do. Just to let me know I don't really NEED everything that I think I do. And amazingly, I didn't even have my afternoon coffee today! I know, the world will now implode at any minute. I was pretty darn proud of myself.
This week I am giving up TV....well, as much as possible. I'm on this ridiculous "give up random crap in your life" kick, that, I'm hoping will end shortly before I throw crazy stuff in there like baths, makeup, or being sarcastic. The world is not ready for any of that. Period.
Ok, I seriously need to get some sleep. Long day ahead....night people!
Monday came with a rude awakening after a busy, but great weekend. Yesterday was Father's Day, and of course I have to give a little shout out to my dad. I'm allowed to say shout out because I'm from Durham.
My dad is truly amazing. Perhaps I'm a little bias, but I am extremely grateful for his influence and direction in my life. He's been a father, coach, mentor, and friend. In regards to athletics, he's probably had the greatest impact on my perspective of practice, play, and focus. Partly because he was a coach himself for so many years. I'll never forget one time in high school...it was the day before a softball game, and I was asking my parents if they were coming. (There were 3 of us, all involved in sports at different locations during the same season, and the fact was my parents couldn't be in various places at once). Well, I remember my dad saying he might not be able to make it to the game and I immediately felt disappointed and dropped my head. This is what he said: "Meredith, you play hard no matter who's watching, and especially when no one is watching." That still sticks with me to this day. Many days I train alone in the gym...no accountability but my own...those are the dig-deep moments that my dad was talking about. Honest moments. Thanks dad.
Speaking of digging deep, today's workout was harder than expected. I switched my normal Monday routine around a bit so that I would be doing chest, shoulders, and cardio. I was drained by the end. Totally drained. I've hit a strength-plateau here lately. The majority of my lifts have been the same weight for the last 3 weeks. Not cool.
SO, I officially survived the coffee challenge. One full week with only 1 cup in the morning and none in the afternoon. There were only a handful of suicidal moments and times when I could have seriously injured someone or myself. But it was good for me to do. Just to let me know I don't really NEED everything that I think I do. And amazingly, I didn't even have my afternoon coffee today! I know, the world will now implode at any minute. I was pretty darn proud of myself.
This week I am giving up TV....well, as much as possible. I'm on this ridiculous "give up random crap in your life" kick, that, I'm hoping will end shortly before I throw crazy stuff in there like baths, makeup, or being sarcastic. The world is not ready for any of that. Period.
Ok, I seriously need to get some sleep. Long day ahead....night people!
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Clean up on aisle 4
Its 9:09 and I'm just now sitting down for dinner....what is wrong with this picture?!
It ended up being a longer day than expected, and I finished it with a trip to super Wal-mart. Now there's a way to end your week...the Wal-mart in Mebane on a Thursday night. Shoes, shirts, and a full set of teeth are optional...(for both men and women in case there was any question).
Overall, it was a good day. I had my best workout of the week today. Kept rest period between sets 45 seconds, and was just gassed by the end. I stuck to core, back, and biceps. Reps 10-12.
Workout:
Seated cable row 3 x 12
Lat pull-down 3 x 12
BB row(12x)/ss Alternating hyperextensions (16x) 3 sets
Single arm DB row 3 x 10 each
Rear flys 3 x 12
EZ bar curls 4 x 12
Seated alternating curls 3 x 10 each
Single arm horizontal cable curl 3 x 10 each
I even polished off the workout with a jog. Whoa, whoa, I know. I am seriously going to try to start telling myself to enjoy cardio....hoping its a self-fulfilling prophecy. Sounds more like individual brain washing...but at this point, I'm pretty much willing to try anything. We'll see how this goes. If it works, I'm trying it for breast-enlargement purposes.
My hamstrings are still killing me. Right one is throbbing at this moment. I need a massage.
Birthday is less than 2 weeks away. I count down like a 10 year old because I can. I enjoy birthdays because the alternate option leaves you without gifts, cake, and about 6 feet under. Umm...I choose another birthday. My mom asked me today what I wanted. When I said a vacuum cleaner she laughed in my face. For the record, our interactions are generally the other way around. She asked. I was honest. What I really wanted to say was shoes. There is no such thing as too many shoes. Do not argue with me on this one, I will win. Period.
I need to be in bed. In about 4 minutes I will lose all motivation to even get up from this recliner.
And I'm out....have a great night folks!
It ended up being a longer day than expected, and I finished it with a trip to super Wal-mart. Now there's a way to end your week...the Wal-mart in Mebane on a Thursday night. Shoes, shirts, and a full set of teeth are optional...(for both men and women in case there was any question).
Overall, it was a good day. I had my best workout of the week today. Kept rest period between sets 45 seconds, and was just gassed by the end. I stuck to core, back, and biceps. Reps 10-12.
Workout:
Seated cable row 3 x 12
Lat pull-down 3 x 12
BB row(12x)/ss Alternating hyperextensions (16x) 3 sets
Single arm DB row 3 x 10 each
Rear flys 3 x 12
EZ bar curls 4 x 12
Seated alternating curls 3 x 10 each
Single arm horizontal cable curl 3 x 10 each
I even polished off the workout with a jog. Whoa, whoa, I know. I am seriously going to try to start telling myself to enjoy cardio....hoping its a self-fulfilling prophecy. Sounds more like individual brain washing...but at this point, I'm pretty much willing to try anything. We'll see how this goes. If it works, I'm trying it for breast-enlargement purposes.
My hamstrings are still killing me. Right one is throbbing at this moment. I need a massage.
Birthday is less than 2 weeks away. I count down like a 10 year old because I can. I enjoy birthdays because the alternate option leaves you without gifts, cake, and about 6 feet under. Umm...I choose another birthday. My mom asked me today what I wanted. When I said a vacuum cleaner she laughed in my face. For the record, our interactions are generally the other way around. She asked. I was honest. What I really wanted to say was shoes. There is no such thing as too many shoes. Do not argue with me on this one, I will win. Period.
I need to be in bed. In about 4 minutes I will lose all motivation to even get up from this recliner.
And I'm out....have a great night folks!
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Number 2
My day literally began and ended with a handful of feces.
How's that for an intro? I'm completely serious. Let me paint you the picture...
I woke up from an amazing 7.5 hours of sleep...(rare for me during the week, so I was pretty much ready for anything...well, maybe). Since I had some extra time, I leisurely strolled downstairs to enjoy what little coffee I am allowed right now...in a ceramic mug, as it should be. Its dark, I'm still half asleep, and wondering why coffee takes more than 2 seconds to brew. Nonetheless, I look towards the living room and see some of Oscar's hair on the floor. You would think my cat gets attacked during the night because the amount of hair that feline sheds is absurd. Anyway, I go over to just pick up some of the bigger mounds of hair. I bend down, grab the first clump. Nope,...not hair...its wet cat poo. Awesome, its 5:45 in the morning and I've got cat shit on my hands. I knew that if this were any indication as to how my day would go, I was in serious trouble...
I washed my hands like it was 500 b.c. and I'd just touched a leper. Then, in my typical 0 to 60 style, I turn to Oscar and yell at him about how he's a moron for not realizing the litter box is for all his business, not just some of it. There I was, yelling at an animal with a brain the size of a peanut...who's really the moron??...
And that was only the beginning of my day.
Round 2 came when I returned home. I was ready to settle in, eat, and enjoy some quiet time. Weeellll, the little crap-shooter made his way upstairs to keep me company as I washed the war paint off my face. Purring away all innocent....I bend down to pet him and he turns his back to me, hikes that tail in the air, and proceeds to rub himself against the doorway. I nearly died. There it was...more feces...stuck in his hair. All I could do was curse....and laugh. Oscar was trying to be all cute, and I wanted to be like "Hey...idiot...all you have to do is eat, sleep, and lick your butt clean, and you haven't managed that too well today. And I'm surprised you haven't broken a sweat from hauling around that half pound of crap you failed to fully dispense." Eh, he didn't care. And so there I was 13 hours later from the first poop episode, cutting poo off my rectum-challenged cat. I can't believe I just wrote all that while eating...just crossed my own line of decency. Took a while, but I got there.
Wow, more than enough #2 talk.
For my workout today, all I had to do was sprint. Easier said than done. No inclines since leg day was rough yesterday, and my hamstrings are extremely tight. I started with 20 on, 40 walk for 10 minutes, then switched to 15 on, 15 off, 15 on, 45 rest. That was very tough by the end. After 25 minutes, my legs were shot. I was glad to be done, and pleased with the workout. Tomorrow I may have to switch things up and do back, bi, and core. My shoulders are still sore, so I'll have to move them to Friday.
Had a pretty sad moment today. Perhaps sad is the wrong word, but it was very sobering for me considering the field I'm in.
I was training a young athlete (freshman), and we were talking about his sport, the schedule, competing, etc. He's incredibly talented, nationally ranked, and has so much potential. But in the middle of our conversation he pauses, looks at me, and says "Yeah....sometimes I wonder why I even do it". For a second I didn't know what to say. Here I am, as a trainer, helping these athletes see their potential and achieve the highest goals possible. We push and push, and yet some of these kids simply get lost....lost in their own strive for perfection...lost in their parents' dream for them to be great...lost in the mental and physical exhaustion of it all. I felt for him in that moment. He was feeling at 14, what some athletes do not feel until they are in college and after. They're given talent and opportunity, but overwhelmed by the demands to succeed. I get it, and there are no easy answers. Everyone finds their own way...
Well, its about that time.
I better get to bed before Oscar decides the recliner is his new litter box. He will then become an outdoor cat.
Have a great night!
How's that for an intro? I'm completely serious. Let me paint you the picture...
I woke up from an amazing 7.5 hours of sleep...(rare for me during the week, so I was pretty much ready for anything...well, maybe). Since I had some extra time, I leisurely strolled downstairs to enjoy what little coffee I am allowed right now...in a ceramic mug, as it should be. Its dark, I'm still half asleep, and wondering why coffee takes more than 2 seconds to brew. Nonetheless, I look towards the living room and see some of Oscar's hair on the floor. You would think my cat gets attacked during the night because the amount of hair that feline sheds is absurd. Anyway, I go over to just pick up some of the bigger mounds of hair. I bend down, grab the first clump. Nope,...not hair...its wet cat poo. Awesome, its 5:45 in the morning and I've got cat shit on my hands. I knew that if this were any indication as to how my day would go, I was in serious trouble...
I washed my hands like it was 500 b.c. and I'd just touched a leper. Then, in my typical 0 to 60 style, I turn to Oscar and yell at him about how he's a moron for not realizing the litter box is for all his business, not just some of it. There I was, yelling at an animal with a brain the size of a peanut...who's really the moron??...
And that was only the beginning of my day.
Round 2 came when I returned home. I was ready to settle in, eat, and enjoy some quiet time. Weeellll, the little crap-shooter made his way upstairs to keep me company as I washed the war paint off my face. Purring away all innocent....I bend down to pet him and he turns his back to me, hikes that tail in the air, and proceeds to rub himself against the doorway. I nearly died. There it was...more feces...stuck in his hair. All I could do was curse....and laugh. Oscar was trying to be all cute, and I wanted to be like "Hey...idiot...all you have to do is eat, sleep, and lick your butt clean, and you haven't managed that too well today. And I'm surprised you haven't broken a sweat from hauling around that half pound of crap you failed to fully dispense." Eh, he didn't care. And so there I was 13 hours later from the first poop episode, cutting poo off my rectum-challenged cat. I can't believe I just wrote all that while eating...just crossed my own line of decency. Took a while, but I got there.
Wow, more than enough #2 talk.
For my workout today, all I had to do was sprint. Easier said than done. No inclines since leg day was rough yesterday, and my hamstrings are extremely tight. I started with 20 on, 40 walk for 10 minutes, then switched to 15 on, 15 off, 15 on, 45 rest. That was very tough by the end. After 25 minutes, my legs were shot. I was glad to be done, and pleased with the workout. Tomorrow I may have to switch things up and do back, bi, and core. My shoulders are still sore, so I'll have to move them to Friday.
Had a pretty sad moment today. Perhaps sad is the wrong word, but it was very sobering for me considering the field I'm in.
I was training a young athlete (freshman), and we were talking about his sport, the schedule, competing, etc. He's incredibly talented, nationally ranked, and has so much potential. But in the middle of our conversation he pauses, looks at me, and says "Yeah....sometimes I wonder why I even do it". For a second I didn't know what to say. Here I am, as a trainer, helping these athletes see their potential and achieve the highest goals possible. We push and push, and yet some of these kids simply get lost....lost in their own strive for perfection...lost in their parents' dream for them to be great...lost in the mental and physical exhaustion of it all. I felt for him in that moment. He was feeling at 14, what some athletes do not feel until they are in college and after. They're given talent and opportunity, but overwhelmed by the demands to succeed. I get it, and there are no easy answers. Everyone finds their own way...
Well, its about that time.
I better get to bed before Oscar decides the recliner is his new litter box. He will then become an outdoor cat.
Have a great night!
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
<--Back Space
I had to face today with a different perspective...embrace the suck, and move on. I embraced it alright,...just as it was kicking me in the face at about 1:30 this afternoon. Caffeine withdrawal is in full-gear, and today was probably physically harder than yesterday, but I felt that I had a better idea of just how bad it would be. Thus, I manged to survive...
The most frustrating part of my day was my workout. I started off with some core work, which took about 15 minutes, then moved on to legs. I pushed hard through my leg workout, keeping my rest time between sets no more than 45 seconds. That is extremely hard after heavy squats/lunges...I was sucking some serious wind. I kept reps 10-12, but never went to failure. After that invigorating experience (riiiight), I moved on to chest. And this is where I hit a wall. I'd used so much energy for the first part of my workout, that I hardly had anything left. Since I knew I couldn't go extremely heavy, I dropped the weight and increased reps to 8-10 on all my chest lifts. What a tool. It certainly didn't help that my shoulders were very sore from yesterday...all in all, bad combination. I struggled through the rest of the workout, not pleased with all the weights for chest, but I pushed what I could push. It was all I could give.
After a grueling weight session, my caffeine-deprived brain decides its a good idea to get in some cardio. Note to self: Next time I have that particular thought,...let it go...just let it go. So I get on the treadmill and try to jog. I know...crazy....the funny part is that I literally had to stop after 2 minutes and 32 seconds. My legs could hardly move. I brought it to a walk, and cooled down. That was it...no more left in me. I made it to the PT table, laid down, and immediately fell asleep for 25 minutes. My body was cursing me with all the fun words at that point... I didn't want to move. After I woke up I headed to the shower. It was one of those showers where you're simply too tired to scrub, and too tired to care. I stood there. I hope I used up all the hot water...
Great to have Zimm and Kels in the gym for a full-fledged meat session tonight :) A little loud, slightly inappropriate, and always entertaining. They push each other, and its great...the intensity is pretty awesome.
So I started sending my Dad his Father's Day cards yesterday. For my parents' birthdays and other major holidays, I send a card everyday for a week beforehand. In addition to being a shoe whore, I am also a card slut. I love cards, and will spend an hour in Hallmark laughing to myself one minute and then crying the next. They must think I'm bipolar. Its ok...I might be. Anyway, I always send funny ones to begin with and then end the week with a sappy one...mainly so my parents don't think all I am is sarcastic with an inappropriate sense of humor. Only partly true. The card for today said "Thanks for impregnating mom." Yup, that's pretty much it. To the point....no details (no one needs a reminder of that night)...and sent with much love. He will cock his head back, laugh, and then turn to my mom and wonder if they should have ordered a paternal test. I figure, if I have not been excommunicated from the family at this point, I'm pretty much in no matter what I say. Gotta love family...
Well, tosh.O awaits...yessss....and then some sleep. Sprints tomorrow. I might cry...just a warning...
The most frustrating part of my day was my workout. I started off with some core work, which took about 15 minutes, then moved on to legs. I pushed hard through my leg workout, keeping my rest time between sets no more than 45 seconds. That is extremely hard after heavy squats/lunges...I was sucking some serious wind. I kept reps 10-12, but never went to failure. After that invigorating experience (riiiight), I moved on to chest. And this is where I hit a wall. I'd used so much energy for the first part of my workout, that I hardly had anything left. Since I knew I couldn't go extremely heavy, I dropped the weight and increased reps to 8-10 on all my chest lifts. What a tool. It certainly didn't help that my shoulders were very sore from yesterday...all in all, bad combination. I struggled through the rest of the workout, not pleased with all the weights for chest, but I pushed what I could push. It was all I could give.
After a grueling weight session, my caffeine-deprived brain decides its a good idea to get in some cardio. Note to self: Next time I have that particular thought,...let it go...just let it go. So I get on the treadmill and try to jog. I know...crazy....the funny part is that I literally had to stop after 2 minutes and 32 seconds. My legs could hardly move. I brought it to a walk, and cooled down. That was it...no more left in me. I made it to the PT table, laid down, and immediately fell asleep for 25 minutes. My body was cursing me with all the fun words at that point... I didn't want to move. After I woke up I headed to the shower. It was one of those showers where you're simply too tired to scrub, and too tired to care. I stood there. I hope I used up all the hot water...
Great to have Zimm and Kels in the gym for a full-fledged meat session tonight :) A little loud, slightly inappropriate, and always entertaining. They push each other, and its great...the intensity is pretty awesome.
So I started sending my Dad his Father's Day cards yesterday. For my parents' birthdays and other major holidays, I send a card everyday for a week beforehand. In addition to being a shoe whore, I am also a card slut. I love cards, and will spend an hour in Hallmark laughing to myself one minute and then crying the next. They must think I'm bipolar. Its ok...I might be. Anyway, I always send funny ones to begin with and then end the week with a sappy one...mainly so my parents don't think all I am is sarcastic with an inappropriate sense of humor. Only partly true. The card for today said "Thanks for impregnating mom." Yup, that's pretty much it. To the point....no details (no one needs a reminder of that night)...and sent with much love. He will cock his head back, laugh, and then turn to my mom and wonder if they should have ordered a paternal test. I figure, if I have not been excommunicated from the family at this point, I'm pretty much in no matter what I say. Gotta love family...
Well, tosh.O awaits...yessss....and then some sleep. Sprints tomorrow. I might cry...just a warning...
Monday, June 13, 2011
Unleaded
Today was hard.
I hardly care to talk about it because I am so tired. It was the first day of the coffee challenge, and to say I am struggling would be an understatement. I squeezed in a 18 minute nap before my afternoon clients, which was probably the only thing that saved me. I've been tired, irritable, and just not a happy camper. I think the thing that surprised me the most was how "down" I felt emotionally. Not cool. Let's recap a mental time-line of the day shall we:
5:15am - pouring 1/2 my normal amount of coffee into my mug...and watching my sanity go with it...
7:00am - headache sets in...as well as the realization that its going to be a long day...cursing Zimm
11:00am - getting a "second wind" as I prepare to workout, thank God
2:00pm - ready to bang my head against the wall
4:00pm - would pay you to bang my head against the wall
7:00pm - let's not even talk about it...marinating in my own bitterness
To be completely honest, I'm not sure if this will continue tomorrow. There are few things I enjoy...coffee is one of them...not hating life and feeling like crap is another....so in my case, the first is necessary to ensure the latter. If its bad, so be it...at least I'll be sane and everyone lives. I like to think of it as my gift to humanity.
Thankfully, I had a great workout. Heavy on back, shoulders, and biceps. I normally do sprints on Monday, but when I talked to Brian about the throbbing pain I've been experiencing in my right hamstring, we both decided it was best to take today off from sprints. Seeing as how I only had 1 day of rest since Saturday's leg-assault, I was totally fine with that. I went up in weight on several lifts...115 on BB row for my last 3 sets of 8...pretty pumped about that. I should have tried 125. Knowing that after the fact kills me. Moving forward...
So, I honestly cannot believe its already mid-June. The November show will be here before I know it...meaning that dieting would begin in a little over a month. Great...I was just now getting caught up on all my beer. Ok, kidding...but this go-round would definitely have to be more strict. If they want a harder look, the dieting is going to be horrible. Its one thing to go through this process when you have a desk job, but when you're on your feet all day, demonstrating, and interacting with people, its a whole new ballgame. It just felt so much easier in college. Eat, sleep, workout, and go to class every now and then. Piece of cake. Its a different story now.
As picky as I can be in the gym, it absolutely makes my day to see people do exercises correctly. I mean, I get butterflies. Dear Lord, what is wrong with me? Can you tell my husband is gone...when this is what excites me??! Seriously though, I look over today and see a woman doing lunges like a champ, and I almost threw my arms in the air like I was at the Superbowl...I was so proud. Start worrying if I break out into a cartwheel. Cartwheels are never ok...ever since they decided that it took more to be a cheerleader than a cartwheel, a few jumps, and numerous attempts to label it as a sport. My only questions are still what's the score and who wins??
Exactly...
Well, Its 9:00 and I need to get some serious sleep if I remotely want to survive tomorrow. Here we go...
I hardly care to talk about it because I am so tired. It was the first day of the coffee challenge, and to say I am struggling would be an understatement. I squeezed in a 18 minute nap before my afternoon clients, which was probably the only thing that saved me. I've been tired, irritable, and just not a happy camper. I think the thing that surprised me the most was how "down" I felt emotionally. Not cool. Let's recap a mental time-line of the day shall we:
5:15am - pouring 1/2 my normal amount of coffee into my mug...and watching my sanity go with it...
7:00am - headache sets in...as well as the realization that its going to be a long day...cursing Zimm
11:00am - getting a "second wind" as I prepare to workout, thank God
2:00pm - ready to bang my head against the wall
4:00pm - would pay you to bang my head against the wall
7:00pm - let's not even talk about it...marinating in my own bitterness
To be completely honest, I'm not sure if this will continue tomorrow. There are few things I enjoy...coffee is one of them...not hating life and feeling like crap is another....so in my case, the first is necessary to ensure the latter. If its bad, so be it...at least I'll be sane and everyone lives. I like to think of it as my gift to humanity.
Thankfully, I had a great workout. Heavy on back, shoulders, and biceps. I normally do sprints on Monday, but when I talked to Brian about the throbbing pain I've been experiencing in my right hamstring, we both decided it was best to take today off from sprints. Seeing as how I only had 1 day of rest since Saturday's leg-assault, I was totally fine with that. I went up in weight on several lifts...115 on BB row for my last 3 sets of 8...pretty pumped about that. I should have tried 125. Knowing that after the fact kills me. Moving forward...
So, I honestly cannot believe its already mid-June. The November show will be here before I know it...meaning that dieting would begin in a little over a month. Great...I was just now getting caught up on all my beer. Ok, kidding...but this go-round would definitely have to be more strict. If they want a harder look, the dieting is going to be horrible. Its one thing to go through this process when you have a desk job, but when you're on your feet all day, demonstrating, and interacting with people, its a whole new ballgame. It just felt so much easier in college. Eat, sleep, workout, and go to class every now and then. Piece of cake. Its a different story now.
As picky as I can be in the gym, it absolutely makes my day to see people do exercises correctly. I mean, I get butterflies. Dear Lord, what is wrong with me? Can you tell my husband is gone...when this is what excites me??! Seriously though, I look over today and see a woman doing lunges like a champ, and I almost threw my arms in the air like I was at the Superbowl...I was so proud. Start worrying if I break out into a cartwheel. Cartwheels are never ok...ever since they decided that it took more to be a cheerleader than a cartwheel, a few jumps, and numerous attempts to label it as a sport. My only questions are still what's the score and who wins??
Exactly...
Well, Its 9:00 and I need to get some serious sleep if I remotely want to survive tomorrow. Here we go...
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Make changes
Its Sunday morning, and I don't normally post on the weekend, but I was feeling the urge. Friday got a little hectic, and before I knew it I was sitting at dinner with my little brother and it was almost 9:30. So blogging wasn't going to happen. Yeah,...I was up AND out past my bedtime. Crazy.
We went to a local sports bar, and I ordered a chicken cesaer salad, no dressing, light ranch on the side, and a glass of Chardonnay. That's how I roll. I like food the way I like it, and it never fails that the waitress looks at me like she is ready to spit in my food. I get it. At least when I have a male waiter, he's already mentally prepared himself that I am going to be high maintenance. Then, if I'm out with my husband, he'll look at him as if to say " how the hell do you handle this?"...my husband just smiles because he knows a way-too-detailed salad order is nothing compared to what I am truly capable of. He is a patient, patient man.
Anywho, my brother and I had a great time, and of course I just couldn't fight my urge to watch what people ate. I wanted to do a couple of interventions right now in the middle of the restaurant. I needed a megaphone..."PLEASE STEP AWAY FROM THE CHICKEN FINGERS." I know there are "starving people in China", but how does us being obese help that...just curious?? I know a lot of it has to do with my profession, but come on people. We know the difference in a fried cheese stick and grilled chicken. Its not rocket science. Sure, we have the right to choose what we want to eat, but where we make the mistake is thinking that it only has personal effects. Wrong. Your health effects everyone else. Your career, your kids, and our tax dollars. I get a little fired up knowing that I help pay for numerous medical procedures that could be COMPLETELY AVOIDED if we'd take personal responsibility for our health and make some lifestyle changes. Does genetics play a role, certainly. But we all control the amount of activity we get everyday....and last I checked we are not being force-fed.
I think what saddens me the most though, is the fact that many parents don't care enough about their own children to take care of themselves and ultimately teach their kids good health habits. We wonder why our children are obese at the age of 5. Well, I can tell you one thing, they are not the ones doing the grocery shopping. I think we just need to get to the point as a society where we stop pointing fingers. Look in the mirror, and start the change there. That's where true empowerment begins.
Change of subject...my blood pressure is rising...
Let's talk some workout. Thankfully, I finished the week strong with chest/biceps on Friday, and then some serious uphill sprints on Saturday. I wasn't quite sure how that would go since I normally do sprints on Friday and get into "cruise" mode by Sat/Sun. Speed 12, incline 13. Ever seen a tank move uphill...yeah, that was pretty much the scene. Heartrate 204 for the last 8 minutes. I was pleased...and quite exhausted.
Today is my off day. I need the rest. Tomorrow starts my "coffee challenge" with Zimm. I am cursing this whole thing right now. I might hurt him by the end of the week. Only half my normal amount of coffee means I will be twice as pissed off by 4pm. Basic math. I have a fairly good idea of how all of this will go...and it will not be pretty.
Ok, on with my day...I've got a bridal shower to go to, fish to cook, bridges to burn...ok, kidding about the last. Have a lovely day folks, and onward to Monday we roll!!
We went to a local sports bar, and I ordered a chicken cesaer salad, no dressing, light ranch on the side, and a glass of Chardonnay. That's how I roll. I like food the way I like it, and it never fails that the waitress looks at me like she is ready to spit in my food. I get it. At least when I have a male waiter, he's already mentally prepared himself that I am going to be high maintenance. Then, if I'm out with my husband, he'll look at him as if to say " how the hell do you handle this?"...my husband just smiles because he knows a way-too-detailed salad order is nothing compared to what I am truly capable of. He is a patient, patient man.
Anywho, my brother and I had a great time, and of course I just couldn't fight my urge to watch what people ate. I wanted to do a couple of interventions right now in the middle of the restaurant. I needed a megaphone..."PLEASE STEP AWAY FROM THE CHICKEN FINGERS." I know there are "starving people in China", but how does us being obese help that...just curious?? I know a lot of it has to do with my profession, but come on people. We know the difference in a fried cheese stick and grilled chicken. Its not rocket science. Sure, we have the right to choose what we want to eat, but where we make the mistake is thinking that it only has personal effects. Wrong. Your health effects everyone else. Your career, your kids, and our tax dollars. I get a little fired up knowing that I help pay for numerous medical procedures that could be COMPLETELY AVOIDED if we'd take personal responsibility for our health and make some lifestyle changes. Does genetics play a role, certainly. But we all control the amount of activity we get everyday....and last I checked we are not being force-fed.
I think what saddens me the most though, is the fact that many parents don't care enough about their own children to take care of themselves and ultimately teach their kids good health habits. We wonder why our children are obese at the age of 5. Well, I can tell you one thing, they are not the ones doing the grocery shopping. I think we just need to get to the point as a society where we stop pointing fingers. Look in the mirror, and start the change there. That's where true empowerment begins.
Change of subject...my blood pressure is rising...
Let's talk some workout. Thankfully, I finished the week strong with chest/biceps on Friday, and then some serious uphill sprints on Saturday. I wasn't quite sure how that would go since I normally do sprints on Friday and get into "cruise" mode by Sat/Sun. Speed 12, incline 13. Ever seen a tank move uphill...yeah, that was pretty much the scene. Heartrate 204 for the last 8 minutes. I was pleased...and quite exhausted.
Today is my off day. I need the rest. Tomorrow starts my "coffee challenge" with Zimm. I am cursing this whole thing right now. I might hurt him by the end of the week. Only half my normal amount of coffee means I will be twice as pissed off by 4pm. Basic math. I have a fairly good idea of how all of this will go...and it will not be pretty.
Ok, on with my day...I've got a bridal shower to go to, fish to cook, bridges to burn...ok, kidding about the last. Have a lovely day folks, and onward to Monday we roll!!
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Daily Double
By Thursday night I feel like death rolled over.
I hit the recliner with my bowl of salad/chicken, and don't really move for a least a couple of hours. I stay up past my bedtime mainly because the effort it requires to move upstairs, brush my teeth, and get ready for bed is too overwhelming and pisses me off a little to be quite honest. So here I will sit...
The salad might be a little more than I can handle tonight. My stomach feels weird. By weird, I mean gassy, which is really no different than any other day. I think my abdominal pain this afternoon came from the fact that I literally chugged 12oz of coffee at 3pm. I had about 2 minutes to finish it before my next client, and so I took it to the face like a champ. By 4:30 I was fairly certain I was either going to lose a few pounds in the bathroom or give birth. Too graphic? Excellent. But seriously, my stomach is pretty sensitive since I don't eat a a huge variety of foods. Makes holidays interesting, but then I figure a few more trips to the bathroom away from a room overflowing with people from the same polluted gene pool isn't so bad. I'll take the diarrhea for 200 Alex. Totally just did a Jeopardy reference for those of you who missed it.
Enough poop talk. On to business....other business. What a day. Steady flowing morning...lots of laughs with clients...great to catch up with several people I haven't seen in over a week. Felt pretty pumped going into my workout. My back wasn't sore this morning when I woke up, so I decided to go ahead and hit back, core, and shoulders today. Awesome workout. I incorporated a couple of drop sets and supersets that were horrible....and by horrible, I mean great. Drained by the end, but knew I needed to squeeze in a little cardio. The only thing that kept me going on that God-forsaken treadmill was watching the movie Blow. I could watch Johnny Depp all day. Everyday. Until he finally got freaked out that I was staring at him with bloody eyes from not blinking. He's gorgeous. Period. Wears more accessories than me, but whatever...if I had that much money I'd probably be hanging crap from every body-part as well. Like a Christmas tree...only cooler...and human. So anyway, before I knew it I'd done 35 minutes and needed to get showered up and ready for my next client.
Workout:
Horizontal pull-ups 3 x 12
Lat pull-downs 3 x 12
Bent over BB rows 3 x 12
Straight arm pull-backs (12x)/hyperextensions (15x)
Seated shoulder press (drop set) 3 x 10/10
Lateral raises 3 x 12
Rear flys/ss Y raises 3 x 10 each
Overall, very pleased with the workout. Tomorrow will be chest, biceps, and triceps...reps 12-15. I will probably have to move my sprints to Saturday because my rearend is one giant knot...and my hamstrings are pulling like crazy. I'll see how I feel tomorrow.
SO, the latest with the coffee challenge...
Zimm and I met in the parking lot tonight after work like a couple of middle schoolers about to throw down.....We decided on the conditions of his end.....and here's mine: I can only have 1 cup in the morning of regular coffee (half of my usual), or half decaf, half regular, and NO coffee in the afternoon, (I usually have 2 more cups) for a week. This will start Monday. Which means I will be in rare form by 2pm. My poor afternoon clients. I honestly do not know how this will go, but I have a fairly good idea that it will not be pretty. And its almost not fair that Zimm will be at work, and thus away from all my ridiculousness. I will be sure to save some for him. This just might kill me...and there's a 100% chance that my blog posts next week will need a parental advisory warning. Its fine....I get it....
So here we go...
Well, I've got some more sitting to do...anything worth doing is worth doing well :)
Have a great evening folks...plan to be better tomorrow...then do it.
Night!!!
I hit the recliner with my bowl of salad/chicken, and don't really move for a least a couple of hours. I stay up past my bedtime mainly because the effort it requires to move upstairs, brush my teeth, and get ready for bed is too overwhelming and pisses me off a little to be quite honest. So here I will sit...
The salad might be a little more than I can handle tonight. My stomach feels weird. By weird, I mean gassy, which is really no different than any other day. I think my abdominal pain this afternoon came from the fact that I literally chugged 12oz of coffee at 3pm. I had about 2 minutes to finish it before my next client, and so I took it to the face like a champ. By 4:30 I was fairly certain I was either going to lose a few pounds in the bathroom or give birth. Too graphic? Excellent. But seriously, my stomach is pretty sensitive since I don't eat a a huge variety of foods. Makes holidays interesting, but then I figure a few more trips to the bathroom away from a room overflowing with people from the same polluted gene pool isn't so bad. I'll take the diarrhea for 200 Alex. Totally just did a Jeopardy reference for those of you who missed it.
Enough poop talk. On to business....other business. What a day. Steady flowing morning...lots of laughs with clients...great to catch up with several people I haven't seen in over a week. Felt pretty pumped going into my workout. My back wasn't sore this morning when I woke up, so I decided to go ahead and hit back, core, and shoulders today. Awesome workout. I incorporated a couple of drop sets and supersets that were horrible....and by horrible, I mean great. Drained by the end, but knew I needed to squeeze in a little cardio. The only thing that kept me going on that God-forsaken treadmill was watching the movie Blow. I could watch Johnny Depp all day. Everyday. Until he finally got freaked out that I was staring at him with bloody eyes from not blinking. He's gorgeous. Period. Wears more accessories than me, but whatever...if I had that much money I'd probably be hanging crap from every body-part as well. Like a Christmas tree...only cooler...and human. So anyway, before I knew it I'd done 35 minutes and needed to get showered up and ready for my next client.
Workout:
Horizontal pull-ups 3 x 12
Lat pull-downs 3 x 12
Bent over BB rows 3 x 12
Straight arm pull-backs (12x)/hyperextensions (15x)
Seated shoulder press (drop set) 3 x 10/10
Lateral raises 3 x 12
Rear flys/ss Y raises 3 x 10 each
Overall, very pleased with the workout. Tomorrow will be chest, biceps, and triceps...reps 12-15. I will probably have to move my sprints to Saturday because my rearend is one giant knot...and my hamstrings are pulling like crazy. I'll see how I feel tomorrow.
SO, the latest with the coffee challenge...
Zimm and I met in the parking lot tonight after work like a couple of middle schoolers about to throw down.....We decided on the conditions of his end.....and here's mine: I can only have 1 cup in the morning of regular coffee (half of my usual), or half decaf, half regular, and NO coffee in the afternoon, (I usually have 2 more cups) for a week. This will start Monday. Which means I will be in rare form by 2pm. My poor afternoon clients. I honestly do not know how this will go, but I have a fairly good idea that it will not be pretty. And its almost not fair that Zimm will be at work, and thus away from all my ridiculousness. I will be sure to save some for him. This just might kill me...and there's a 100% chance that my blog posts next week will need a parental advisory warning. Its fine....I get it....
So here we go...
Well, I've got some more sitting to do...anything worth doing is worth doing well :)
Have a great evening folks...plan to be better tomorrow...then do it.
Night!!!
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Heat stroke in a snuggie
My body hates me.
I was seriously not prepared for how sore, tight, and fatigued I would feel this morning. My legs were shot from sprints Monday and then my leg workout yesterday. Going to the bathroom was painful....and for someone who goes about twice an hour, it made for a long day. There,...I'm done with my whining...
Today was a pretty emotionally draining day as well. Just had some stuff going on that didn't sit right with me, so my stomach was in knots and I was just mentally exhausted. One thing that is always tough to swallow as a trainer is when you find out a former client is going to another trainer. Even though it is a business and not every trainer/client relationship meshes perfectly, its hard sometimes not to take it personally. Especially when you spend time investing in someone's life well beyond the realm of fitness. However, after thinking about it, I was confident that I wouldn't change a thing about my training methods, personal interactions, etc...it was just a tough pill to swallow. Life hands us those every now and then. You don't have to like it, you just take it.
On a lighter note, I had sprints today. Tabata style, 25 minutes. Heart rate was 204 for the last 8 minutes. Pretty sure I was on the border of a health issue at that point. Legs were done by the end. I had to do them first thing in the morning, so that was ridiculous in itself. I can hardly walk straight for about 4 hours after waking up. And working out before coffee...ha...an absurd concept I want nothing to do with. I think I'm the only person who will finish morning sprints and grab my coffee mug before my water bottle. Yes, I am that addicted. No, I don't plan on doing anything about it. Zimm challenged me to give up coffee for a week, and said that I could come up with something for him to do/give up that week as well. My response to him was probably not appropriate for the blog....needless to say, his will be equally as torturous if I agree to this. Any ideas? Let me know...
Not sure if I will lift back tomorrow as planned...I am still sore from Monday's workout. If not, I might just hit shoulders, triceps, and core. Strained my left bicep, so that's not an option tomorrow. You would think my body is falling apart I swear. But it does always amaze me the number of people who think when you are working out hard, you should never ache, always be injury-free, and feel like a million bucks 24-7. Umm....ok, no. Working out...a true, fiber-tearing workout is stress on the body. Period. Yes, your body adapts and gets stronger, and recovers better, but that just means the bar is raised. You push on...harder cardio, heavier weights, more challenging exercise circuits...that's what its all about. You want results? Stop settling for what's comfortable. I dare you.
It's 8:30 and I can hardly keep my eyes open. Ready for some much needed sleep...
Looking forward to another day ahead. Night!
I was seriously not prepared for how sore, tight, and fatigued I would feel this morning. My legs were shot from sprints Monday and then my leg workout yesterday. Going to the bathroom was painful....and for someone who goes about twice an hour, it made for a long day. There,...I'm done with my whining...
Today was a pretty emotionally draining day as well. Just had some stuff going on that didn't sit right with me, so my stomach was in knots and I was just mentally exhausted. One thing that is always tough to swallow as a trainer is when you find out a former client is going to another trainer. Even though it is a business and not every trainer/client relationship meshes perfectly, its hard sometimes not to take it personally. Especially when you spend time investing in someone's life well beyond the realm of fitness. However, after thinking about it, I was confident that I wouldn't change a thing about my training methods, personal interactions, etc...it was just a tough pill to swallow. Life hands us those every now and then. You don't have to like it, you just take it.
On a lighter note, I had sprints today. Tabata style, 25 minutes. Heart rate was 204 for the last 8 minutes. Pretty sure I was on the border of a health issue at that point. Legs were done by the end. I had to do them first thing in the morning, so that was ridiculous in itself. I can hardly walk straight for about 4 hours after waking up. And working out before coffee...ha...an absurd concept I want nothing to do with. I think I'm the only person who will finish morning sprints and grab my coffee mug before my water bottle. Yes, I am that addicted. No, I don't plan on doing anything about it. Zimm challenged me to give up coffee for a week, and said that I could come up with something for him to do/give up that week as well. My response to him was probably not appropriate for the blog....needless to say, his will be equally as torturous if I agree to this. Any ideas? Let me know...
Not sure if I will lift back tomorrow as planned...I am still sore from Monday's workout. If not, I might just hit shoulders, triceps, and core. Strained my left bicep, so that's not an option tomorrow. You would think my body is falling apart I swear. But it does always amaze me the number of people who think when you are working out hard, you should never ache, always be injury-free, and feel like a million bucks 24-7. Umm....ok, no. Working out...a true, fiber-tearing workout is stress on the body. Period. Yes, your body adapts and gets stronger, and recovers better, but that just means the bar is raised. You push on...harder cardio, heavier weights, more challenging exercise circuits...that's what its all about. You want results? Stop settling for what's comfortable. I dare you.
It's 8:30 and I can hardly keep my eyes open. Ready for some much needed sleep...
Looking forward to another day ahead. Night!
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Smile...you love it
I am honestly amazed that I made it through the day. AND, I only had half of my normal afternoon coffee...mildly suicidal at 4:00, but nonetheless I made it. Zimm, I thought of you and your anti-coffee-self...I truly have no desire to know what that feels like...your tour may be drug free, mine, drugs-please ;)
The morning was pretty light, so I was able to catch up on the latest dating stories, graduation news, etc with clients. Then came a first....by 8:30 I had a baby strapped to my chest and was trying to figure out the most efficient way to eat my oatmeal without spilling it on the poor child's head. And how men wear the baby bjorn without a jockstrap and cup is beyond me. I was kicked in the crotch at least 23 times. Chloe was a trooper though....not one cry or whine. She survived step-ups, lunge jumps, horizontal pull-ups, reverse crunches,....and no vomit. Wow, things not to tell social services you did with a 9 month old baby... Dear Lord, the cops are going to be at my door every week when I have a child.
Hayley, she was great, and so glad you were able to fully "enjoy" your workout!
Speaking of workouts, today was pretty rough. I was shocked this morning by how sore I was from yesterday. Honestly, my traps are screaming and my biceps are having a lactic acid pool party...its absurd. I was almost happy that I'd mainly be working legs today to take my mind off of my back and biceps. I unloaded a little bit on chest...went for more 8-10 reps rather than 6-8. Still hard. I started with incline press, and incorporated some tough supersets to hit a little bit of tricep in there. Me and my gargantuan triceps...blah...
Workout:
Core work
Squats 4 x 12
Hamstring curls on machine 4 x 12
Step-ups 4 x 12 each
Leg extension drop set 10, 8, 6, 4, 2
Incline DB press 4 x 8-10
DB flys(8x)/ss plyo push-ups (10x)
Flat DB bench press (8x)/ss Tricep press-down (10x)
I mixed up the order a little bit on my chest/tri workout...good way to sort of "keep the muscles guessing" if you will. Well, that proved to be comical by the end. ENDING the workout with flat DB bench press was down right funny. I was using DB's 15lbs. lighter than what I normally do when its at the beginning of my workout and was struggling to get 8 reps. Ha. My chest was giving me the finger at that point. The crippled finger. All in all, great workout compared to yesterday. Much more focused. I'll take it.
21 days until my birthday...but who's counting? Ok, I know at least 7 people who should be counting. I love birthdays. Its your day. You can eat cake, drink booze, take your shirt off and do jazz-hands, pretty much anything goes. Am I alone on this one? Awesome. Anyway, I will be 28 years old and the one main thing I will ask for on my birthday is a vacuum cleaner. How crappy is that?! I've reached a new low...when the one thing I want is something that sucks more than asking for something that sucks. Literally. I've blown through about 4 vacuums at this point. I murder the stupid things. So here I am,...alone...turning 28...asking for a damn vacuum cleaner...
Next year I will ask for a life.
Seriously though, not quite sure what I'll do for the 'ol b-day....work,...yell at people...probably eat something that will inevitably make me gassy (seem to be good at that lately)...ya know, the usual excitement on any given hump day...or so you think ;)
Eh,...dishes to clean, Tosh.O to watch,...priorities...
Have a lovely evening,...prepare for Wednesday...its gonna be a good one!
The morning was pretty light, so I was able to catch up on the latest dating stories, graduation news, etc with clients. Then came a first....by 8:30 I had a baby strapped to my chest and was trying to figure out the most efficient way to eat my oatmeal without spilling it on the poor child's head. And how men wear the baby bjorn without a jockstrap and cup is beyond me. I was kicked in the crotch at least 23 times. Chloe was a trooper though....not one cry or whine. She survived step-ups, lunge jumps, horizontal pull-ups, reverse crunches,....and no vomit. Wow, things not to tell social services you did with a 9 month old baby... Dear Lord, the cops are going to be at my door every week when I have a child.
Hayley, she was great, and so glad you were able to fully "enjoy" your workout!
Speaking of workouts, today was pretty rough. I was shocked this morning by how sore I was from yesterday. Honestly, my traps are screaming and my biceps are having a lactic acid pool party...its absurd. I was almost happy that I'd mainly be working legs today to take my mind off of my back and biceps. I unloaded a little bit on chest...went for more 8-10 reps rather than 6-8. Still hard. I started with incline press, and incorporated some tough supersets to hit a little bit of tricep in there. Me and my gargantuan triceps...blah...
Workout:
Core work
Squats 4 x 12
Hamstring curls on machine 4 x 12
Step-ups 4 x 12 each
Leg extension drop set 10, 8, 6, 4, 2
Incline DB press 4 x 8-10
DB flys(8x)/ss plyo push-ups (10x)
Flat DB bench press (8x)/ss Tricep press-down (10x)
I mixed up the order a little bit on my chest/tri workout...good way to sort of "keep the muscles guessing" if you will. Well, that proved to be comical by the end. ENDING the workout with flat DB bench press was down right funny. I was using DB's 15lbs. lighter than what I normally do when its at the beginning of my workout and was struggling to get 8 reps. Ha. My chest was giving me the finger at that point. The crippled finger. All in all, great workout compared to yesterday. Much more focused. I'll take it.
21 days until my birthday...but who's counting? Ok, I know at least 7 people who should be counting. I love birthdays. Its your day. You can eat cake, drink booze, take your shirt off and do jazz-hands, pretty much anything goes. Am I alone on this one? Awesome. Anyway, I will be 28 years old and the one main thing I will ask for on my birthday is a vacuum cleaner. How crappy is that?! I've reached a new low...when the one thing I want is something that sucks more than asking for something that sucks. Literally. I've blown through about 4 vacuums at this point. I murder the stupid things. So here I am,...alone...turning 28...asking for a damn vacuum cleaner...
Next year I will ask for a life.
Seriously though, not quite sure what I'll do for the 'ol b-day....work,...yell at people...probably eat something that will inevitably make me gassy (seem to be good at that lately)...ya know, the usual excitement on any given hump day...or so you think ;)
Eh,...dishes to clean, Tosh.O to watch,...priorities...
Have a lovely evening,...prepare for Wednesday...its gonna be a good one!
Monday, June 6, 2011
Aging gracefully....or just aging...
I woke up this weekend, looked in the mirror, and thought "holy crap, I look older." At that moment, I immediately thought about when my therapist told me I was in my prime and it was all down hill from here. And that's why I pay him the big bucks...to remind me that getting older sucks, things sag, and wrinkles set in like a bad permanent rash. That said, can't wait til my birthday....drinks might start flowing a little earlier that day...
What a hectic weekend...
I went for a long run on Saturday morning, which I hadn't done in awhile, and definitely paid for it. I had to stop twice. I looked like a smoker...bent over...coughing...cursing...it was a sight. I ran through the neighborhood, and being on pavement proved not to be the greatest idea. My left knee has bothered me ever since, and I could feel it during my sprints today. Needless to say, it was nice to take yesterday completely off, and just rest. Heck, I even got in a little nap. Nothing like a fetal-position-nap on a Sunday afternoon. I think I even drooled.
The nap was wonderful at the time, but it meant that I couldn't fall asleep at 9:00 like I'd hoped. I was up until well after 11:00. For me, that's unheard of. I can barely function after 8, much less 11. I was beyond being in a fowl mood. 4:30 came way too early, and by the time I had to workout, it was brutal. Everything felt much heavier than usual, and my weights even went down on a couple of lifts. That's probably the one thing I hate more than rubber-necking on the highway...and I hate that with a passion. Its a wreck people, you've seen them before, keep driving...
Anyway, I was extremely frustrated during my workout because I just felt tired, unfocused, and my body felt like a giant noodle. I hate days like this, but they happen. I continued to push through, and it was certainly not one of my finer days in the gym. I sort of redeemed myself on the sprints...speed 12, incline 12...20 minutes worth of short sprints. I was tapped. Done. Glad it was over....knowing tomorrow will be another chance to be better...
Workout:
Wide grip pull-ups 5 x 4-6
Single arm DB row 4 x 8 each
Seated cable row 4 x 6-8
Seated BB shoulder press 4 x 6-8
Bent arm lat raise/ss straight arm lat raise 4 x 8/8
Front DB raise 4 x 8
Alternating DB curls 4 x 8 each
Standing BB curls 4 x 6-8
Sprints
So, I may never eat onions again. Dear Lord, my stomach was messed up today. I had some diced onions in my dinner last night and you would've thought I ate an atomic bomb. Unreal. And I'm still feeling the affects. Great...good thing I'm sleeping alone.
Slower day today...lots of families on vacation. Many graduations happened this weekend...students ready to spend the next 4 years taking part in things their parents just assume don't happen, and parents living in the ignorant bliss that their kid is a genius and the best thing since pretty much anything you consider great. Ah yes, and so the world turns. Some students deserve a pat on the back, I get it...but the majority would probably fare better with a swift kick to the rear. Like a real-world-initiation. That would be the nice version...
Well, I'm going to bed earlier tonight...have to...I need a better workout tomorrow. Leg day. No better day for redemption than leg day. Can't wait. Night folks!
What a hectic weekend...
I went for a long run on Saturday morning, which I hadn't done in awhile, and definitely paid for it. I had to stop twice. I looked like a smoker...bent over...coughing...cursing...it was a sight. I ran through the neighborhood, and being on pavement proved not to be the greatest idea. My left knee has bothered me ever since, and I could feel it during my sprints today. Needless to say, it was nice to take yesterday completely off, and just rest. Heck, I even got in a little nap. Nothing like a fetal-position-nap on a Sunday afternoon. I think I even drooled.
The nap was wonderful at the time, but it meant that I couldn't fall asleep at 9:00 like I'd hoped. I was up until well after 11:00. For me, that's unheard of. I can barely function after 8, much less 11. I was beyond being in a fowl mood. 4:30 came way too early, and by the time I had to workout, it was brutal. Everything felt much heavier than usual, and my weights even went down on a couple of lifts. That's probably the one thing I hate more than rubber-necking on the highway...and I hate that with a passion. Its a wreck people, you've seen them before, keep driving...
Anyway, I was extremely frustrated during my workout because I just felt tired, unfocused, and my body felt like a giant noodle. I hate days like this, but they happen. I continued to push through, and it was certainly not one of my finer days in the gym. I sort of redeemed myself on the sprints...speed 12, incline 12...20 minutes worth of short sprints. I was tapped. Done. Glad it was over....knowing tomorrow will be another chance to be better...
Workout:
Wide grip pull-ups 5 x 4-6
Single arm DB row 4 x 8 each
Seated cable row 4 x 6-8
Seated BB shoulder press 4 x 6-8
Bent arm lat raise/ss straight arm lat raise 4 x 8/8
Front DB raise 4 x 8
Alternating DB curls 4 x 8 each
Standing BB curls 4 x 6-8
Sprints
So, I may never eat onions again. Dear Lord, my stomach was messed up today. I had some diced onions in my dinner last night and you would've thought I ate an atomic bomb. Unreal. And I'm still feeling the affects. Great...good thing I'm sleeping alone.
Slower day today...lots of families on vacation. Many graduations happened this weekend...students ready to spend the next 4 years taking part in things their parents just assume don't happen, and parents living in the ignorant bliss that their kid is a genius and the best thing since pretty much anything you consider great. Ah yes, and so the world turns. Some students deserve a pat on the back, I get it...but the majority would probably fare better with a swift kick to the rear. Like a real-world-initiation. That would be the nice version...
Well, I'm going to bed earlier tonight...have to...I need a better workout tomorrow. Leg day. No better day for redemption than leg day. Can't wait. Night folks!
Thursday, June 2, 2011
"Language of origin please..."
My dinner looks like cat vomit....minus the hair.
My concoction of eggs, ground turkey, cottage cheese, and flax cereal. Seriously, if I regurgitate this, it will look the exact same. But oh so good!
Speaking of regurgitation, if you follow me on twitter you know that by 9am I was the victim of child-vom. Hayley brought little Miss Chloe in today, 9 months old, and loves to be held. So there I am setting up weights with a baby on my hip, trying to watch my language before I corrupt another human being, when all of a sudden I look down and sure enough what looked to be partially digested breast milk is running down my arm. Sweet. At that point, I was pretty much ready for anything the day would bring...
It was funny to me though, the number of people who commented about seeing me with a baby. Apparently, I don't come across as someone with very soft hearted, nurturing tendencies. Well...umm...duh...I spend the majority of my time in an atmosphere that demands more tough love than anything. No worries, I will hold your hand....but perhaps on Saturday...after a few drinks...
I'm probably not a "crazy kid person". Although there are 2 little girls (my nieces) who melt my heart in a hot minute. And to be completely honest, not every baby/kid is cute but no one ever says that. We wait until they're fully grown to let the world lay the shocking news on them that they lack in the looks department. How thoughtful. But as babies, we pinch their little cheeks, fake a smile, and tell them how cute they are......in the end, they're still scary looking, and we just lied. Great.
Ok, enough baby talk...my husband's in Texas and I suddenly feel the need to take birth control. Yes, I want kids....but we're in no rush....and if anything besides my bladder wakes me up in the middle of the night right now, I am liable to totally lose it...
Time for the nitty-gritty...
Today was one of those days I literally felt drunk until noon. I was exhausted. I woke up face down, probably drooling, and nearly busted a hip dragging myself out of bed. It was a slooowww process. Getting in gear for my workout was tough, but after a few minutes I was ready. I switched my workout plan a little bit since I wanted to hit back and chest together tomorrow. So today I just did shoulders, biceps, and sprints. You read correctly....I hit sprints 2 days in a row. I didn't have a ton of time for cardio, so I needed to be efficient. My legs had a harder time adjusting today, but I kept my heart rate as high as possible for the entire 25 minutes. Weights were great...shoulders look good. I need to round out the back of my shoulders a little bit, but once I start dieting again, they'll come in tighter. Reps stayed in the 12-15 range for all my lifts...which, when training 6-8 reps on Mon and Tues, it seems like an eternity. Its not...just me being dramatic.
Workout:
Seated shoulder press 4 x 12
High rope row (12x)/ss Lateral raises 912-15x) 3x
Front DB raises 3 x 12-15
Lat bar curls 4 x 12
Alternating incline curls 4 x 10 each
Sprints 25 minutes
So, tomorrow's plan is back/chest/core, and then pool. My body needs some serious rest. Understatement of the day.
Oh oh...other highlight of the day...the spelling B on ESPN....Really??!?!
I'm not sure which is more disturbing...the fact that a spelling event was on ESPN, or that this might actually be the highlight of that child's life. They can spell, that's great...and if I'm ever in a situation where my life is in danger and I need to know how to spell Transvaal, I'll call you.....but do we all have to watch? You know what's impressive on a SPORTS NETWORK? Throwing a perfect game...a 4.2 forty...triple overtime and winning in the last 3 seconds....not spelling a word that even Webster is like "what the...?!"
The WE channel, maybe....ESPN, definitely not.
I'll stop my rant for now...after 6pm the filter is just completely off....ok, more like 9am...
Alright folks, looking forward to a little training, pool, and rest tomorrow....
Night!!
My concoction of eggs, ground turkey, cottage cheese, and flax cereal. Seriously, if I regurgitate this, it will look the exact same. But oh so good!
Speaking of regurgitation, if you follow me on twitter you know that by 9am I was the victim of child-vom. Hayley brought little Miss Chloe in today, 9 months old, and loves to be held. So there I am setting up weights with a baby on my hip, trying to watch my language before I corrupt another human being, when all of a sudden I look down and sure enough what looked to be partially digested breast milk is running down my arm. Sweet. At that point, I was pretty much ready for anything the day would bring...
It was funny to me though, the number of people who commented about seeing me with a baby. Apparently, I don't come across as someone with very soft hearted, nurturing tendencies. Well...umm...duh...I spend the majority of my time in an atmosphere that demands more tough love than anything. No worries, I will hold your hand....but perhaps on Saturday...after a few drinks...
I'm probably not a "crazy kid person". Although there are 2 little girls (my nieces) who melt my heart in a hot minute. And to be completely honest, not every baby/kid is cute but no one ever says that. We wait until they're fully grown to let the world lay the shocking news on them that they lack in the looks department. How thoughtful. But as babies, we pinch their little cheeks, fake a smile, and tell them how cute they are......in the end, they're still scary looking, and we just lied. Great.
Ok, enough baby talk...my husband's in Texas and I suddenly feel the need to take birth control. Yes, I want kids....but we're in no rush....and if anything besides my bladder wakes me up in the middle of the night right now, I am liable to totally lose it...
Time for the nitty-gritty...
Today was one of those days I literally felt drunk until noon. I was exhausted. I woke up face down, probably drooling, and nearly busted a hip dragging myself out of bed. It was a slooowww process. Getting in gear for my workout was tough, but after a few minutes I was ready. I switched my workout plan a little bit since I wanted to hit back and chest together tomorrow. So today I just did shoulders, biceps, and sprints. You read correctly....I hit sprints 2 days in a row. I didn't have a ton of time for cardio, so I needed to be efficient. My legs had a harder time adjusting today, but I kept my heart rate as high as possible for the entire 25 minutes. Weights were great...shoulders look good. I need to round out the back of my shoulders a little bit, but once I start dieting again, they'll come in tighter. Reps stayed in the 12-15 range for all my lifts...which, when training 6-8 reps on Mon and Tues, it seems like an eternity. Its not...just me being dramatic.
Workout:
Seated shoulder press 4 x 12
High rope row (12x)/ss Lateral raises 912-15x) 3x
Front DB raises 3 x 12-15
Lat bar curls 4 x 12
Alternating incline curls 4 x 10 each
Sprints 25 minutes
So, tomorrow's plan is back/chest/core, and then pool. My body needs some serious rest. Understatement of the day.
Oh oh...other highlight of the day...the spelling B on ESPN....Really??!?!
I'm not sure which is more disturbing...the fact that a spelling event was on ESPN, or that this might actually be the highlight of that child's life. They can spell, that's great...and if I'm ever in a situation where my life is in danger and I need to know how to spell Transvaal, I'll call you.....but do we all have to watch? You know what's impressive on a SPORTS NETWORK? Throwing a perfect game...a 4.2 forty...triple overtime and winning in the last 3 seconds....not spelling a word that even Webster is like "what the...?!"
The WE channel, maybe....ESPN, definitely not.
I'll stop my rant for now...after 6pm the filter is just completely off....ok, more like 9am...
Alright folks, looking forward to a little training, pool, and rest tomorrow....
Night!!
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
28 days...
I've been sweating since 6am this morning....and here I sit...still sweating...
Spring went completely MIA this year and summer is kicking us in the crotch.
I'm going to try Old Spice deodorant. I don't mind smelling like a dude. Is that bad? You know that expression, "sweat'n like a whore in church"...I take that to a whole new level...but I'm not quite sure what the expression for that is...
If you come up with one please let me know...
This week is a short work week, but it feels incredibly long. Only Wednesday, and I feel like I was hit by a truck...twice. I am exhausted...which is part of the reason I didn't blog yesterday. Let me catch you up to speed...
Workout yesterday was great...I went a little heavier on legs, very heavy on chest, and hit some core work at the end. On my last set of flat DB bench press I wanted 60s so bad...just pulling them to my legs was work, and I could already feel my grip/wrists getting extremely tired. Cam was spotting me, and was supposed to do the majority of the work to help me get situated and in place, but after 2 attempts of getting the weights into place, I dropped them. My wrists were a little overwhelmed with the weight, and I honestly would've been more comfortable with a more experienced spotter back there so I wasn't having to put so much energy into simply getting the weights up. It just wasn't my day for the big boys. I gave it what I had...can't complain...maybe next week...
Today's workout was just sprints. I started off with tabata style, no incline, then rested 1 min. Then I went to incline 8 and did 10 seconds on, 30 seconds off for the next 18 minutes. I was spent by the end. Its been a full week since I've done sprint work, so while my legs were pretty fresh, I was sucking wind like a champ. Got through it, but glad its over.
Sometimes in the gym I have the opportunity to witness a true battle. I give the client/athlete a task, they attack with all they have, and for a brief moment at the very end are truly convinced that's all they have and ultimately want to stop. This part gets tricky...do I let them stop, totally convinced they have absolutely no more to give?....or do I push just a little bit more to see if, in fact, their head can dictate the body at that point?...Its a fine line.
I was in this position yesterday with a young man, excellent athlete, who would honestly lift until he bled if I asked him to (I'm mean, but not that mean),....and he only had 2 sprints to go before he was DONE. He jumps off the treadmill and comes to me saying that's it...tapped... I knew his workout was tough, but I was a little shocked he wanted to quit with only 2 sprints to go. I looked at him and could tell he was almost at his limit, but even as much as I almost felt some compassion for him, (yes, I struggle with this concept and pretty much operate without it Monday-Friday), I couldn't let him quit. I knew that while he might enjoy the momentary sense of relief after I let him stop, he would get in his car and on the way home know he was capable of finishing. After 2 minutes to breathe and gather himself, we walked back to the treadmill, and whether he liked it or not, I stood right there as he ran his last 2 sprints. I did my job. He did his. I was so thankful for that moment because it was such a reminder that we can push so much farther than we often perceive,...and that regardless of if someone else pushes us forward, we have to be willing to take the first step...we have to want it more than we want to quit...
Thank you Tyler.
Its almost 10pm and I can't believe I am still awake. My sleep has been horrible this week. Sleeping alone is horrible.....and every single person out there just gave me the finger. Sorry. I was able to get in a nap today...highlight of my day. I slept like a baby...curled up on the massage table with a towel over me. Yes, I can pretty much sleep anywhere. Just ask my college professors.
Eh...time for some much needed rest. Holy crap I think I just stopped sweating...whoa,...got to bask in this moment...
Welcome to June folks...countdown to my birthday begins...details to come...
Spring went completely MIA this year and summer is kicking us in the crotch.
I'm going to try Old Spice deodorant. I don't mind smelling like a dude. Is that bad? You know that expression, "sweat'n like a whore in church"...I take that to a whole new level...but I'm not quite sure what the expression for that is...
If you come up with one please let me know...
This week is a short work week, but it feels incredibly long. Only Wednesday, and I feel like I was hit by a truck...twice. I am exhausted...which is part of the reason I didn't blog yesterday. Let me catch you up to speed...
Workout yesterday was great...I went a little heavier on legs, very heavy on chest, and hit some core work at the end. On my last set of flat DB bench press I wanted 60s so bad...just pulling them to my legs was work, and I could already feel my grip/wrists getting extremely tired. Cam was spotting me, and was supposed to do the majority of the work to help me get situated and in place, but after 2 attempts of getting the weights into place, I dropped them. My wrists were a little overwhelmed with the weight, and I honestly would've been more comfortable with a more experienced spotter back there so I wasn't having to put so much energy into simply getting the weights up. It just wasn't my day for the big boys. I gave it what I had...can't complain...maybe next week...
Today's workout was just sprints. I started off with tabata style, no incline, then rested 1 min. Then I went to incline 8 and did 10 seconds on, 30 seconds off for the next 18 minutes. I was spent by the end. Its been a full week since I've done sprint work, so while my legs were pretty fresh, I was sucking wind like a champ. Got through it, but glad its over.
Sometimes in the gym I have the opportunity to witness a true battle. I give the client/athlete a task, they attack with all they have, and for a brief moment at the very end are truly convinced that's all they have and ultimately want to stop. This part gets tricky...do I let them stop, totally convinced they have absolutely no more to give?....or do I push just a little bit more to see if, in fact, their head can dictate the body at that point?...Its a fine line.
I was in this position yesterday with a young man, excellent athlete, who would honestly lift until he bled if I asked him to (I'm mean, but not that mean),....and he only had 2 sprints to go before he was DONE. He jumps off the treadmill and comes to me saying that's it...tapped... I knew his workout was tough, but I was a little shocked he wanted to quit with only 2 sprints to go. I looked at him and could tell he was almost at his limit, but even as much as I almost felt some compassion for him, (yes, I struggle with this concept and pretty much operate without it Monday-Friday), I couldn't let him quit. I knew that while he might enjoy the momentary sense of relief after I let him stop, he would get in his car and on the way home know he was capable of finishing. After 2 minutes to breathe and gather himself, we walked back to the treadmill, and whether he liked it or not, I stood right there as he ran his last 2 sprints. I did my job. He did his. I was so thankful for that moment because it was such a reminder that we can push so much farther than we often perceive,...and that regardless of if someone else pushes us forward, we have to be willing to take the first step...we have to want it more than we want to quit...
Thank you Tyler.
Its almost 10pm and I can't believe I am still awake. My sleep has been horrible this week. Sleeping alone is horrible.....and every single person out there just gave me the finger. Sorry. I was able to get in a nap today...highlight of my day. I slept like a baby...curled up on the massage table with a towel over me. Yes, I can pretty much sleep anywhere. Just ask my college professors.
Eh...time for some much needed rest. Holy crap I think I just stopped sweating...whoa,...got to bask in this moment...
Welcome to June folks...countdown to my birthday begins...details to come...
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