No rest for the wicked, right?
Back at it today. First two sets of bench I just knew it was going to be ugly. The bar felt double it's weight. 95 lb was tough, 115 felt like 135 and then it was on to the "heavy" set. I said 135, Mark spouts off with 140. I thought... "what's it going to hurt, he's spottin' me." So I went for it! I knocked 2 out before he started assisting.
Maybe there's a plus side to being heavier right now - I seem stronger in certain areas. I suppose that could also be the fact I've had a good amount of time to REST and RECOVER!
We talked a bit about overtraining. I think both of us have come to the conclusion that these lessons were hard, but good. We both train differently than before.
Workout was something like:
Bench
15 x bar
10 x 95 lb
8 x 115 lb
4 x 140 lb (with 2 assisted at end)
20 x 95 lb
BB Front Raise
15 x 20 lb (3 sets)
10 x 4 with 5 sec rest 20 lb
Skull Crushers
15 x EZ-Curl Bar 35 lb
12 x 55 lb
8 x 85 lb (?? - can't remember)
4-way - seated behind head, straight out, reg., and close-grip (bar)
Giant - overhead press machine / rear fly machine / fly machine
15 x 25 lb / 15 x 25 lb / 15 x 30 lb
15 x 25 lb / 15 x 25 lb / 15 x 40 lb
15 x 25 lb / 15 x 25 lb / 15 x 55 lb
12 x 25 lb / 15 x 25 lb / 15 x 70 lb
Super Set - one-arm reverse-grip tricep pull-down / EZ-Curl reverse curl
20 x 5kg + 5 lb / 15 x EZ-Curl Bar only (2 sets)
Some of this holiday bloat is coming off, and although I'd love for even more to melt away (even faster), I'm okay and feeling pretty good.
Legs again Friday! (If I've regained feeling in my legs by then!)
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
First Official Leg Day
I had my first official leg day today. It's been about 9 months since I had a traditional leg workout.
I've partnered back up with Mark. For those of you that don't know me (or Mark), Mark was my 3rd trainer/mentor in my figure competing pursuit. We really worked well together. We had our break up at the end of 2009. Things seem to have perfect timing as he's more familiar with the health issues I'm facing. It makes it much easier for him to listen to me than argue with me.
I really don't have a specific plan laid out. I'm just getting back into the swing of things. I figure I'll shoot for 3 times a week in the gym and be happy with 2 times if that's what my body is telling me. After 9 months of absolutely no structure and hardly any heavy lifting, and STILL having my strength intact, I'm not too worried about having "no plan".
Today was:
SUPER SET - Seated Calf Raises / Leg Sled Calf Presses.
15 x 45 lb / 15 x 90 lb
15 x 90 lb / 15 x 180 lb
15 x 90 lb / 15 x 180 lb
10 x 4 with 5 sec rest 25 lb / 10 x 4 with 5 sec rest 90 lb
Seated Hamstring Curl
20 x 50 lb
20 x 60 lb
20 x 70 lb
10 x 4 with 5 sec hold 50 lb
Deadlifts
15 x 95 lb
10 x 135 lb
5 x 185 lb
4 x 225 lb
20 x 135 lb
GIANT SET - Leg Sled Wide Stance / DB walking lunges / glute kickback machine
30 x 90 lb / 15 lb DB x 20ish / 50 lb
25 x 180 lb / 15 lb DB x 20ish / 50 lb
20 x 180 lb..... DONE!
Typically our last giant is 4 sets. But I'm thinking, on leg day especially, I need to cut it in half. I don't know... we'll see how I feel tomorrow. Not just how sore I am, but how is my energy, how is my sleep, etc.
After I got home and let my dinner digest, I completed a short run. I'm helping a friend test her running program out. It's not anything too strenuous. I'm building up to a 5k... again. The total run/walk was 1.56 miles. I can definitely feel the extra weight.
STICK A FORK IN ME I'M DONE! Heading to bed as we speak.
Nite all!
I've partnered back up with Mark. For those of you that don't know me (or Mark), Mark was my 3rd trainer/mentor in my figure competing pursuit. We really worked well together. We had our break up at the end of 2009. Things seem to have perfect timing as he's more familiar with the health issues I'm facing. It makes it much easier for him to listen to me than argue with me.
I really don't have a specific plan laid out. I'm just getting back into the swing of things. I figure I'll shoot for 3 times a week in the gym and be happy with 2 times if that's what my body is telling me. After 9 months of absolutely no structure and hardly any heavy lifting, and STILL having my strength intact, I'm not too worried about having "no plan".
Today was:
SUPER SET - Seated Calf Raises / Leg Sled Calf Presses.
15 x 45 lb / 15 x 90 lb
15 x 90 lb / 15 x 180 lb
15 x 90 lb / 15 x 180 lb
10 x 4 with 5 sec rest 25 lb / 10 x 4 with 5 sec rest 90 lb
Seated Hamstring Curl
20 x 50 lb
20 x 60 lb
20 x 70 lb
10 x 4 with 5 sec hold 50 lb
Deadlifts
15 x 95 lb
10 x 135 lb
5 x 185 lb
4 x 225 lb
20 x 135 lb
GIANT SET - Leg Sled Wide Stance / DB walking lunges / glute kickback machine
30 x 90 lb / 15 lb DB x 20ish / 50 lb
25 x 180 lb / 15 lb DB x 20ish / 50 lb
20 x 180 lb..... DONE!
Typically our last giant is 4 sets. But I'm thinking, on leg day especially, I need to cut it in half. I don't know... we'll see how I feel tomorrow. Not just how sore I am, but how is my energy, how is my sleep, etc.
After I got home and let my dinner digest, I completed a short run. I'm helping a friend test her running program out. It's not anything too strenuous. I'm building up to a 5k... again. The total run/walk was 1.56 miles. I can definitely feel the extra weight.
STICK A FORK IN ME I'M DONE! Heading to bed as we speak.
Nite all!
Monday, December 26, 2011
Unleash the Strength in 2012
As I approach 2012, I can't help but reflect on the past years - the accomplishments and success and then the setbacks and lessons learned. I think 2012 is going to feel like being on top of a mountain after a long treacherous journey - the view is breathtaking and makes the effort it took to get there all worth it. Sometimes I think if it we didn't have to work for it, it wouldn't be as beautiful.
I think we're given hints and subtle messages. When we don't listen something bigger has to happen to get our attention. Some of us (heh hem...) need to be hit over the head with a hammer before we listen, but after that, the message sinks in quite well. In this case I'm talking about metabolic damage from over training and under eating after years of training for figure competitions and losing over 100 pounds.
From 2007 to 2010, I lost 108 lbs. I competed in 2 figure competitions, I even began training for my first powerlifting meet. But what others saw on the outside wasn't a true reflection of what was going on inside - health was the farthest thing from the truth. During the day I had to have at least an hour nap to regain my energy (2 hour naps were common). At night, I couldn't sleep. My blood sugar and blood pressure shot up while my hormones and metabolic systems were shutting down. Yes, sometimes eating "healthy" and "exercising more" is detrimental to your health. It's important to listen to your body people. (it was only a small soap box) When I didn't listen, my body began to fight back in desperation. My body doesn't give a damn about how much I weigh or what size jeans I can wear. It's main objective is to survive.
Were there clues I was overtraining earlier? Yes, of course there were. Possibly a year or more in advance. But, in all fairness, there might have been some other underlying issues that were exacerbating things.
In November 2011, a year after being diagnosed with adrenal fatigue and hypothyroid, due to overtraining and starving, I also found that I had very high levels of toxic metals. I'm not certain this wasn't caused by a sluggish system that couldn't detox efficiently, or maybe the oxidative damage caused by the heavy metals were a contributing factor of my sluggish system. Now, none of that matters - which came first or how they worked together or didn't are irrelevant to my healing.
I've learned a ton in the last several years, and through my road to recovery I've learned even more. I feel like I'm turning the corner just in time for 2012 (something about a "new beginning"). I'm finally done asking so many "whys" and "hows". It's time for action and even more experience. ;)
I'm starting this blog in hopes of focusing on my strengths and developing my love for lifting and not so much for my love of vanity. You see... in the process of losing I found I'm one strong Momma. And I love IT! BONUS! In 2012 I'm getting back in the gym (after taking an 8 month break) and entering my first power lifting meet. "When" is the only question.
Although I have a significant amount of weight to lose from the regain, I'd only like to lose enough to feel good again. For the enquiring minds, that's about 60 lbs. There's still a part of me that quantifies my worth in my weight, but that takes time to get past. Change doesn't come overnight. And as I should never force my body to do things beyond it's limits, I should also not force my mind to do the same.
I hope you'll join me in my next chapter to Unleash the Strength.
I think we're given hints and subtle messages. When we don't listen something bigger has to happen to get our attention. Some of us (heh hem...) need to be hit over the head with a hammer before we listen, but after that, the message sinks in quite well. In this case I'm talking about metabolic damage from over training and under eating after years of training for figure competitions and losing over 100 pounds.
From 2007 to 2010, I lost 108 lbs. I competed in 2 figure competitions, I even began training for my first powerlifting meet. But what others saw on the outside wasn't a true reflection of what was going on inside - health was the farthest thing from the truth. During the day I had to have at least an hour nap to regain my energy (2 hour naps were common). At night, I couldn't sleep. My blood sugar and blood pressure shot up while my hormones and metabolic systems were shutting down. Yes, sometimes eating "healthy" and "exercising more" is detrimental to your health. It's important to listen to your body people. (it was only a small soap box) When I didn't listen, my body began to fight back in desperation. My body doesn't give a damn about how much I weigh or what size jeans I can wear. It's main objective is to survive.
Were there clues I was overtraining earlier? Yes, of course there were. Possibly a year or more in advance. But, in all fairness, there might have been some other underlying issues that were exacerbating things.
In November 2011, a year after being diagnosed with adrenal fatigue and hypothyroid, due to overtraining and starving, I also found that I had very high levels of toxic metals. I'm not certain this wasn't caused by a sluggish system that couldn't detox efficiently, or maybe the oxidative damage caused by the heavy metals were a contributing factor of my sluggish system. Now, none of that matters - which came first or how they worked together or didn't are irrelevant to my healing.
I've learned a ton in the last several years, and through my road to recovery I've learned even more. I feel like I'm turning the corner just in time for 2012 (something about a "new beginning"). I'm finally done asking so many "whys" and "hows". It's time for action and even more experience. ;)
I'm starting this blog in hopes of focusing on my strengths and developing my love for lifting and not so much for my love of vanity. You see... in the process of losing I found I'm one strong Momma. And I love IT! BONUS! In 2012 I'm getting back in the gym (after taking an 8 month break) and entering my first power lifting meet. "When" is the only question.
Although I have a significant amount of weight to lose from the regain, I'd only like to lose enough to feel good again. For the enquiring minds, that's about 60 lbs. There's still a part of me that quantifies my worth in my weight, but that takes time to get past. Change doesn't come overnight. And as I should never force my body to do things beyond it's limits, I should also not force my mind to do the same.
I hope you'll join me in my next chapter to Unleash the Strength.
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