Kate Baird in Training

UPDATES

2011-05-31T12:14:00.000-07:00

I doubt anyone is even reading this blog any more. I was hoping to start a new blog, attached to a new website, but I was waiting for pix from Nationals photoshoots for the overhaul of the site. Haven't received the goods from two of the photographers, and it's been almost 8 months!!! WPW has been the only one who delivered thus far. So, I procrastinate further on the new website...maybe someday....

In other news , I've been nursing a rotator cuff injury and haven't any big training to expound on. I was training on the bench one night when I felt a tweak with 300 lbs on the bar. I stopped my workout, but I didn't know it was as bad as it was until a couple of weeks later. I have been frequenting the chiropractor thrice weekly for cold laser therapy treatments and adjustments, in addition to slowly making progress with weights in the gym - very slooooowly. However, the alternative is surgery, and I do not wish to entertain that thought. I have gone from little range of motionto no weight to small dumbells on up to working the 30lb dumbells, and tonight I am on schedule to hoist the 35's....crossing my fingers that all goes well. It sucks, but am told I will be good as new as long as I don't try to rush the healing process. It's been a long time coming, but I am finally learning what patience is!

I have been able to squat because I made the decision to purchase a safety squat bar - best investment I have made in years!!! This thing totally trashes you in a new but wonderful way. I am told that the crossover from training

with the SSB back to a straight bar is usually a good amount of increased poundage. I am anxious to find out, but it is going to be a while before I trust my shoulder enought to be able to support a straight bar across my shoulders again. Those are my legs recently -as you can see, using the bar is really making that vastus medialis pop on my legs!

The first annual IronSport Power Classic was a total success. It was held on April 09 at (where else) IronSport Gym in Glenolden PA. It was the largest meet I have produced thus far. I had to turn several want-to-be competitors away. It was a long day, but one of the best meets I have ever had.I cannot wait for the Power Frenzy in November 05!!

Left - Tim Gale benched 780

Below - Jon Rock deadlifted 640

I had an INCREDIBLE support crew at this meet. Moving the meets up to IronSport has been a very, very good thing for the meets.

OK - I've partially caught up, not much, but better than nothing.

monolift

2011-03-31T15:51:00.000-07:00

I posted a little dig a couple of weeks ago about a monolift coming to Midway Fitness. Actually, the story goes that the little jerk who works there heard that MY monolift was sitting in an abandonded gym locked up. The contents of this gym may or may not go up for sherriff's sale,that's another story, but he decided he was going to go and get my monolift and bring it to Midway Fitness. Perhaps he should be briefed on what "stealing" is.... My monolift is happily sitting at Ironsport Gym in Glenolden PA, for the use of the general lifting public. It will be in full force of use next weekend, April 09, for the APA Ironsport Power Classic. This is going to be my biggest event yet. We will be live streaming the meet at http://www.ustream.tv/channel/apa-ironsport-power-classic-2011

Progress Report

2011-03-16T05:41:00.001-07:00

I know - where have I been? I just get so typed out from FaceBooking that I keep putting this blog to the wayside. I'm here. Let's get reacquainted, shall we?

My training is having more peaks and valleys than ever befure - "undulation" as my training partner Rob likes to call it. I seem to have stellar days, or I have really off days, and not much in between...
It's probably still an after effect of the bodybuilding prep last fall (remember - I USED to be a bodybuilder!!!)

I have been dealing with this tricky knee again. It sometimes wants to track sideways instead of vertically. This has gotten to the point where it has really all but killed my deadlift. When I pull my right knee gives very little support - it wobbles and my leg dances all over the place. I go to the chiropractor every week so he can pop my knee back into place. We've discussed it, and I am just going to have to suck it up and lighten up and rehab it properly, but it can be done.
Strangely, squatting doesn't seem to affect my knee like the deadlifting does. I have gone back to wrapping my knees, however, just for the precautionary measure of stability. I STILL don't get any rebound effect for extra poundage out of the wraps, but I really like my knees, so I'll continue to wrap. About 5 weeks ago or so I did climb back up to 410, without the wraps, but at this point I'm not going to really go all out until I can strengthen the knees back up.

Tuesday night I surprised myself completely. I had been dealing with pretty intense tendonitis for a couple of months in my left elbow. It is still there somewhat, but nowhere near as distracting and inhibiting as it was. So last night I decided to climb back on the bench and see where my benchpress was at. My goal was 300, and I did it so easily that we piled another 20 lbs on the bar. After fully pausing on my chest, up that baby went, no stalling, picture perfect as can be. I've popped 320 and even more up before, but this was the first time I have fully paused it. And I weighed in at 167.2 yesterday.
I even had a little more in the tank, but I wasn't out to set the world on fire. Save it for another day. No repercussions on the elbow, either.

I'm all typed out already, but I swear, I will be back soon. :)

I heard -

2011-03-15T18:36:00.000-07:00

I hear Midway Fitness Center in Rehoboth Beach is getting a monolift -

01/21/2011

2011-01-21T17:05:00.000-08:00

Here is what happens - I like to wait until I have enough to write about and elaborate on, but then I never feel like typing it all out. I suppose" just do it" can pertain to blogism as well as everything else.

Training is still going very going well. Squatting is lagging a bit, at least in my head it is, but I think in the long run it will be just as strong if not stronger than the other lifts, as I have really honed in on where my "zone" is. We have been incorporating so many new exercises in for assistance, such as box squats and Bulgarian split squats among others. I feel all these new exercises in place of all the standard bodybuilding type movements are really beneficial to not only strength, but FEELING where I am supposed to be. I managed a couple of 370's the other day, in belt and knee SLEEVES only.

I managed a great 290 x 2 in the bench the other night. I was quite surprised as I was tired and sleepy as all gimme-heck (whatever that means).

I have been going up to IronSport to have Steve help me analyze and better my deadlift. It just occurred to me the other night, though, as I was rack pulling, what I do NOT do in my deadlift, and that is use hip power. I am all legs and back in the deadlift. If I can incorporate my hips into my deadlift, look out world, but that's a big "if".Teaching old dogs new tricks outside of their comfort zone is not easy....Rack pulls from about two inchesbelow the knee were 590 for 2 sets of 5 last night. Maybe I could pull another one or two, but, and I share this hesitantly, I stop for fear of peeing my pants whilst I am pulling on the big one...men - you can laugh. Women will sympathize.

My son has been coming to the gym with me lately, and that's really cool. I never thought he would want to lift, much less come to the gym with me. He will be 18 next week - that is SCARY!!!!
He is a wonderful young man.
He has a double vein in his bicep just likehis mom, albeit on the opposite side. :)

I am soooooooo happy to not be bodybuilding. I love the heavy stuff.Powerlifting - It's my passion and my essence. It's ME!!

End of 2010

2010-12-29T10:14:00.000-08:00

It is the end of a trying year, for sure.
First of all, I must have deleted one of my previous posts by mistake, it has disappeared.

Rick Phillips -
July 20, 1960 - November 23, 2010.
I miss you. I love you.
I will see you on the other side, at sunset.

Ok me - trying to get my strength on. Seems to be taking MUCH longer to bounce back this time. I did do dome squats 350 x 3 the other day. Feels like the oomph is in the legs, but not quite in the core and back. I'm still sore as all heck. It is Wednesday and we trained gams on Sunday....geeeezzzzz.

Held the weight on the benches down to 230 last night. Only did sets of 6.
Followed by weighted dips ( love them) and medicine ball plyo- push ups. Those things simultaneously suck and rock at the same time.
Corner presses for shoulders, close grip benches, and then push-downs.

GW has come back to join Rob and myself in the gym. We are the 3 musclateers again!!!

Back to Training

2010-12-18T10:53:00.001-08:00

I took off Monday and Tuesday. I have been feeling worn out, burnt out spun out, wigged out, wired out, and just plain out and out tired....
I suppose that Rick's death, a 15 week diet that resulted in me looking like a walking anatomy chart, and a case of cellultits would be enough to do that on top of everyday doings....
Went back to the gym to deadlift last night. Trying to do a more power oriented style of training rather than the typical cross of bb and power I am accustomed to.

320x3
370x3
390x2
wanted to go to a set of 3 reps with 370 to finish with , but hah! silly me. One felt like 500 lbs here.

Good mornings.
We weren't sure where to begin or end up with these, as we never have done them before in our training. We went
185 x I forget
225x5
275x5
I love Good Mornings.

One arm rope pulls. 3 sets each arm. (Rope is hanging from floor to ceiling. Start with you laying on supine on floor)

Face away from the cable pull down machine and do a kind of lat pullover (we'll find a name for it)
60x12
80x6
70x8

Reverse grip pullups
8-6-4

That's it.
Good Stuff!!!

Deadlifting at IronSport Gym

2010-12-14T10:50:00.000-08:00

Went up to IronSport Gym to train deads with Steve Pulcinella the other day. First time I ever trained with resistance bands, save for a few box squats in the past.

I must say, I liked them, and felt the carry over immediately. I can't remember what color they were - maybe blue???

I couldn't tell you what he did, but I did 3 sets of 315 with bands, then 3 singles -

365, 385, then 405.

Then did 3 sets of bentover barbell rows -

275x5.

3 sets of pullovers, 90 lb dumbell.

If I don't overdo it,as I have a habit of, I project my strength to come back sometime within the next few months.Walking arounf looking like death on a stick for a few months takes its toll, and that it hath done to me.

Post Nationals

2010-10-22T18:01:00.000-07:00

It's all over, history, in the books. Nationals 2010 - 4th HVW...

I came in exactly the way I wanted to look (save for one snag -story to be told in a moment). NO ONE could hold a candle to my conditioning. Was I penalized for being in such freaky condition? I dunno - we predicted that fourth would be all they would "allow "me from the get-go of my prep. I got so much positive feedback from spectaors, other competitors, a few pros, so many people that I was most likely second and couldn't possible be lower than 3rd, that I almost let myself believe I would be. But NPC plays its corrupt games, and 4th I was as we predicted! I'm not bowing to thier games. I am hardcore, old school, not going to give in and tone it down. I am not a Diva. I am an athlete. I love heavy iron - time for powerlifting again. :) YEAH!!! (still have some rehab for the arm to endure first - but my strength WILL return.)

Nuff said -

My trip to Atlanta turned out well, I had a great time, even traveling solo as I did, but it was almost a disaster. I was a day or so away from having to scrap it ....scary situation. A few weeks ago my training partner Rob pointed to my calf and asked me why it was bleeding. I didn't know - probably ran into something and scratched it. I always run into things.I didn't think twice about it. A few days later a rash appeared in that area. I called Gary, my prep coach, we discussed it, I did heavy topical cleansing.moist heat etc. and it seemed to diminish. On the second day of my drive down to Atlanta, my calf swelled up and hurt. At first I thought it was from such a long period of driving, but I realized shortly after starting out on Wednesday that something was askew. I called Gary, sent him phone pics, he determined an infection, but we thought it wasnt so bad and we could bring it down if I went to a pharmacy and got some cleansing items,heating pad, epsom salts etc. I spent Thursday trying to bring it down. Even cancelled a photo shoot. Wasn't working. If you look at some of the photos on the internet you can see my right calf is swollen, red, and a scabby area. During pre-judging I couldn't really flex the right leg at all, thigh or calf, and had to change up my mandatory posing and routine last minute. After pre-judging I limped back to my room because it hurt and was so swollen. After the night show, I had a Doctor friend look at it ( was it coincidence that he and his wife- another competitor- were rooming right across the hall from me in a 1250+ room hotel???)

He was very concerned after looking at it, and called me in a prescription at a local 24 hour pharmacy for antibiotics. I taxied out on Saturday night to get the meds. I stayed through Sunday for my 3 photoshoots, but on Monday I decided to make the entire 14 hour trip in one shot because I was getting a bit frightened after hearing stories from people about infections, cellulitis, MRSA....Tuesday my DR. confirmed cellulitis. I got some stronger meds. It seems to be slowly coming back to normal. SLOWLY. I think the meds are working, but it is still swollen and a little painful at times.

BE CAREFUL!!! MRSA and CELLULITIS are running epidemic throughout gyms these days. Always clean up after training, and if you get a scratch or wound - IMMEDIATE cleansing with hydrogen peroxide etc. Gyms are NOT sterile environments. Cellulitis can be much worse than what I got. You can lose a limb, or even death can be the result. There seems to ALWAYS be an obsatcle in my way when it comes to competing-yes???? Life is a challenge, many tests, just need to perservere.

2010 Nationals - counting down

2010-10-14T03:50:00.000-07:00

It is Thursday before competition day - FINALLY!!!

I got the insane notion to drive down to Atlanta. It took me 2 days, but really, it wasn't a bad trip at all. There is just wayyyyyyyy too much stuff to bring if you want to do this properly. And if I'm going to do it, no half-assing around.

I must have brought 15 bags worth of "stuff" !

I have a gorgeous room here in Atlanta on one of the top floors with a view of the city to die for. I may not want to leave my room for a couple of days! Though it is beautifully sunny and warm outside...a short stroll may or may not be in order today.

I hear the heavyweight class for women's bodybuilding is under 10! That sux. I enjoy competition.

I'll leave you with a few progress pix from Monday, 5 days out from the show and check in after the show.

3 Weeks Out

2010-09-25T06:50:00.000-07:00

Coming to the final stretch here. 3 weeks to go from today as I type this. Gary changed up my diet one more time yesterday. I can't say that it is brutal, by any means, but this is going to be a looooooooooooooooooooong 3 weeks.

Rob and I are training again at the Firm Fitness Center in Rehoboth Beach. It is a nice change of pace. The owner,Paul, is a serious triathlete himself and understands what real athletes need to do to train properly. It is nice to be able to feel like we don't have to hold back for fear of offending anyone. Not that we get obnoxious or anything, but real sport athletes need to be able to do what they need to do to excel.

Anyhoooo I am getting freaky ripped, very hard, and striated everywhere. 3 more weeks to carve it all in. You shall be able to grate cheese on my striations when we present the final product!
:)

4 Weeks Out

2010-09-18T05:58:00.001-07:00

I didn't realize it has been soooooooo very long since I posted anything here. I am a FaceBook addict, lol, so that's where my postings and pictures usually wind up.

However - here is my 2010 Nationals progress update:

I apologize to many for leading them to believe that I might be competing as a lightheavyweight.

Unless I cut off one of my arms or legs or emaciate myself into a shapeless stick, my plan has been to be a heavyweight all along. I only said that because there are a few people who have no business to be, but are always up in my business. Just threw in a little curve to confuse them.

I'm 4 weeks out, and hanging around 153 today. I don't do what most typical bodybuilders do in the last couple of weeks before a show, with carb depleting, dehydrating, recarbing, rehydrating, and diuretics, so I will probably only lose a couple more pounds total in the next few weeks. Heck, we were way too far ahead at one point and had to add food, mostly carbs, back into my diet. I am right where we want me to be at this point. I have striations coming in everywhere, and the glute striations are showing more every day! Enjoy these progress pictures taken yesterday at 4 weeks and 1 day out.

11 weeks out

2010-07-29T16:16:00.000-07:00

I'm sitting at 11 weeks out and feeling pretty darned good about my prep for the Nationals. I'm wayyyyy ahead of last year, condition wise. I don't even have much more weight to lose, which almost makes it difficult to diet but keep enough weight on ! After seeing the results of last weekend's Masters Nationals, then seeing the trend at the USA's, I'm more confused than ever as to where they might place me.
How do Competitors A,B,C,and D wind up 1st, 2nd,3rd and 4th in order and less than 15 minutes later wind up 2nd,4th,1st and 3rd ???

Absolutely tragic, the Masters, and we'll never get an explanation. With the USA's it seems they went for natural structure with "ok" conditioning over everything else. Thats fine when the natural structure has decent muscle on it, hence the term body"building", but way too often we see so called natural structures with "potential" beat out a "built" physique...

I got to hang out with two really great friends who competed in Pittsburgh. Gary and Tim. I got a trainer pass for backstage and got to oil up lots of muscular manly physiques... I rather enjoyed that :). Met two wonderful FaceBook friends in person - Matt and John. John Casciato is in training to become a licensed massage therapist, and brought his table over to the hotel and I got the most wonderful deep tissue massage. Nothing like a 290 pound powerlifter bearing down on your sore spots...OWWW!!! (but AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH ). If you are in Pittsburgh and seek a most competent massuere, you can probably track him down at Celli's Fitness Center, in Pittsburgh.
Had a nice photoshoot with Mark Shaffer. I wonder what Janet Kauffman needs to do to get the

judges' nod. She looked exquisite, should have definitely won her class if not one of the pro cards at the Masters!!

I'm training totally bodybuilder style now. My arm is healing, slowly but surely. There are still many exercises I cannot do, but for the most part I have been able to pick up my training back up enough to brutaly trash myself each workout. I do so miss the heavy stuff, but I'm convinced that even after my arm heals, I'm going to need a couple of montwhs or so off to rest, recoup, recover before I dig into the power training again. I suppose that will be next year....woe is me.

2010 DE Summer Special Olympics

2010-06-16T09:06:00.000-07:00

I was honored once again to partake in the Special Olympics this year, acting as judge for the powerlifting as I have done for the past 3 years. This year was extra special as I took on the task of coaching one of the athletes. Robert Smith is his name, he is from Oceanview, Delaware, and he had a great day on the platform. Robert hit PR's in both the bench, by 15 lbs. and the deadlift, by 5 lbs. He benched 115 and deadlifted 205! Congratulations Robert - you worked hard and your medals were well earned.

Me, Robert with his 2 bronze medals, Mike - director of the SODE Powerlifting, and Ann Smith (Robert's mom).

Here I am spraying my friend Jon Stoklosa's mohawk purple for him! He sprays it a different color each time he competes.

Jon after completeing a big 370 bench. Jon is going to the National Special Olympics next month, as well as my friend David Hill, also a powerlifter, and Forrie Brown - basketball.

Bring home the medals fellas!!!

I weighed in at 164.6 the other day. I'm told I look bigger than that, but no, that's all. I attribute it to all the different techniques I've used over the past year, both in training and diet. I imagine my diet, should I continue on to the Nationals (remember, for the record - I have NOT commited yet) would begin sometime next month - YIKES!!! Though with about 25 lbs to lose I am wayyyyyyyyyy ahead of where I was last year, when I lost a total of 41.

My arm is doing quite well after training last week. I will add a little bit more weight each workout, but no huge weights for me for a while to come. :( I was doing some cardio over the weeks that I could not train, but now that I am training again with weights, I must stop the cardio, as it is causing me to become terribly overtrained. My legs hurt so much I couldn't squat the other night and had to train them extremely light. Hah! Most people pick up thier cardio on contest prep - I have to curtail it...lol...whatever!!!

Update

2010-06-10T09:26:00.000-07:00

Update on the bicep tear: I fiinally went back to training my upper body last night. 10 whole weeks of curbside...it was tough on the old mindset, but I made it through. I only benched 135 last night, 20 to 15 rep sets on those and everything else, nothing to failure. Now comes the really hard part - reigning myself in each and every workout for awhile to come. Obviously I won't be hoisting anything substantial for awhile, so the plan is to resume training in a full bodybuilding type mode. Sets of reps, and volume, pumping blood through the tissues.

Gary feels that I can be ready for the Nationals should I choose to compete, but as I was off for so long and didn't gain the size like I had wanted, the most rational way to go about it would be to come in as a lightheavyweight, on the very upper end of the scale. I haven't withered, miraculously, but most of the heavies are taller, or structured to appear larger, so I think that he may be right. I am very much leaning toward doing just this, but I shall keep you posted. The next few weeks will tell the tale so long as my arm holds up and I take it slow and easy.

Here is a photo from last year's Masters Nationals that shows how incredibly dry and hard I was!

Delaware Power Classic 2010

2010-05-12T12:19:00.000-07:00

DELAWARE POWER CLASSIC 2010 took place this past weekend. I can honestly say it was the best one yet! OSX Fitness in Newport DE and proprietor Steve Oldham welcomed us with open arms. The venue is perfect for a powerlifting meet, as both sides of the building have oversized garage doors that open. The weather was perfect! The crowd was huge. We had 43 lifters, and many big lifts. It was alot of work on my part, but I wouldn't trade putting these meets together for anything! Results can be found here:

http://www.apa-wpa.com/2010MeetResults/DPC2010RESULTS.pdf

Pictures and videos can be found here:

http://sode.smugmug.com/Sports/DE-APA

Hank Stoklosa - how do we ever thank you for all of your work taking the pix and video??!!!

Dynamo Club Powerlifting- I love you guys! Thank you also to Kathy Fields, Derek Hill, Len Walker, Julie Trincia, 4G's Catering, Steve Pulcinella and Iron Sport Gym, Rob Haas and Sussex Fence, the list goes on, and especially THANK YOU to Steve Oldham of OSX Fitness - !!! Can't wait til November 13 for the next meet - same place - be there!!!

I now own a monolift, yes I do...but instead of housing it in my garage to rust, I have sent it up to IronSport Gym in Glenolden PA. I want it to be used, and I know there aren't any other monolifts in the area. So if you are a Powerlifter in the DE, PA, NJ, MD area and want to train on a monolift - IronSport Gym now has one!!!

April 30

2010-04-30T04:52:00.000-07:00

I officially fell apart - i hve been nursing what seems to be a left bicep tendon strain, and probably a bit of a tear. I haven't trained in a month! I'm going batty, but I have been busy focusing on the upcoming Delaware Power Classic (May 08) and some other non-training related issues. I have started training a Special Olympian for the DE Special Olympics in June.
Robert has participated for the past few years, and I think we can get him up to benching and deadlifting both with new PR's.

Last week I played announcer at the Pennsylvania State Boys' Powerlifting Championships.
It was a huge meet. I was very impressed with the athletes and thier enthusiasm. The meet was well expedited. They had 4 platforms of lifters all competing at once, so my guess is there were at least 100 lifters if not more. It was held at Glen Mills Schools in Glen Mills, PA - a gorgeous, rolling and lush campus dotted with beautiful old stone buildings.

NO - I am not giving up bodybuilding!!! Hah - how many people read that statement of me being currently "sick" of it and misconstrued that statement????
My plans have to change again due to the injury, but I'm not going anywhere. I will probably be sidelined for 3 - 4 more weeks. It sucks, but this is what happens when you know you need to back off, but don't.

Absent

2010-04-11T16:50:00.000-07:00

I am living in absentia....pardon my invisibility, but nothing is happening. I am on mandatory hiatus from training, due to severe overtraining, and strained biceps tendon, and God-awful leg pain that has returned not only in a vengenace, but double-fold. Boo! Boo-Hoo!!!

I am about sick of bodybuilding - I don't even want to go there, just leave it at that I am powerlifting this year. Period. Exclamation mark! I know I'll lose my national qualification if I don't compete this year, but who the heck cares. Not I. I'll get it back next year, no doubts, no worries.
One cannot excel at both of these sports simultaneously. Key word = excel. I love my strength. I want to be strong. I have powerful goals this year. Stay tuned.

Another No Go :(

2010-03-07T06:02:00.000-08:00

I had been preparing for the IPA DE State Championships next weekend, March 13th. Of course, as per usual, something always happens to me that prevents me from making it to the platform. No change in that status quo -
This time the meet was cancelled due to lack of entries. Woe is me, I feel I was well prepared. My bench and deadlift were on. My squat has been up and down, but I would have at least been able to do one. My legs are starting to give me a bit of problem again, but I think I can nip it by going back to an every other week squatting regimen.
I went in on bench day and did my planned opener, 285. Went up smooth and quick. Decided on 305 for a second - I have pushed 305 legitamately several times before, but I must say, this one was the best I have ever done. Smooth and quick. That was it. What the third attempt will be remains to be decided on meet day (whenever THAT shall happen again! ).

Since almost everyone else in the world including my training partner Rob went out to the Arnold Classic this weekend, I travelled up to IronSport Gym to train deadlifts with my good friend Steve Pulcinella. I knew my dead would be decent, having pulled a good 370 x 8 a few weeks back. It is hard for me to jump out of the car after driving for 2 hours and feel like training at all, much less pulling, but it went much better than I expected. First you have the awesome atmosphere of a real hardcore gym, an ATHLETE'S gym. Then there was a small group of guys on another platform doing deadlifts as well. (yes - several real lifting platforms!) When I go back and look at these videos I can see and still feel my sluggishness, but they were good and I still had "a little left in the tank"....
Steve filmed these :
first a 405 x 4. I should have stopped at one or 2, but I was "caught in the moment" .http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WHvr38sbOzk

Then a 440 x 1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1LwinyIgBAs

I have been training recently at times off a 100 lb plate, and I think that is really helping my initial pull off of the floor putting more leg drive into it, however I am also not putting my back into it now as quickly. If I can do that again a little faster - hah! Look out world!!! . Actually, I havent done all that much pulling in the past year, so I am happy to have the strength back up to where it was last year - FINALLY! That bodybuilding stuff just saps me!!!

Steve popped off a nice 675. He has a shoulder injury, hence the double overhand grip and straps. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zbunPzKrb3M

I will be "deloading" this week - was going to anyway because of the meet, but now just because I NEED to. I feel just this side of a train wreck. I have another meet in mind to prepare for in the not too distant future. I just need to keep from falling apart.

No Snow is Good Snow

2010-02-13T11:45:00.000-08:00

I'm not sure it really has anything to do with the mandatory "rest" I have been subjected to, but whatever - last night was a really good bench night. I popped 4 really good 280's up. I've done 4 before, but they weren't nearly as nice as these. I actually surprised myself. The snowy cold and dampness was definitely making me feel like I was never going to warm up. My first working set,250, felt heavy and I felt sluggish. For some unrational reason I decided to go with 280 even though I thought that one was going to be a struggle and voila - I guess I did warm up enough. 4 easy breezy beautiful reps. Then 230 for 11. My weight - 170 lbs. I've been doing less volume with the focus being on strength now instead of aesthetically building. Our second movement was flyes - 3 sets.

We have been doing this exercise for our shoulders that I like/hate. I don't know if it has a name, and I haven't yet figgered what to call it. You stick the end of the barbell in the corner, and the plates on the other end. You push up against the wall using delt "hoist".... holy moley - they work my shoulders like nothing else ever has. It is like doing real work, as opposed to a machine that fabricates motion, if that makes sense. Just one deltoid exercise, but this one was more than sufficient for trashing our shoulders.

My back is not sore from shoveling, but only because I don't own a snow shovel - HAH!!! I went out Monday searching for one at various stores, but the lesson here is Supply and Demand - don't go looking for something when everybody else needs it too. I could not find one anywhere. So I let a couple of strapping young fellows that knocked on my door shovel part of my driveway, yet I still have to wade through the snow to get to my car from my door. High steppin' cardio ?

Blizzard Be Gone

2010-02-10T13:54:00.000-08:00

Here I sit during the second blizzard this week! Third snow storm in 2 and a half weeks.

Ok, you mid-westernerers and northerners tell us we Mid-Atlantic babies are whining, but it isnt just snow. These are actually full fledged "Nor'easters" coupled with snow. 60 mph gusts of wind - you'd be whining too. We aren't used to t here on the lovely Delmarva Peninsula. I think I got off with a mere 20" or so total. It's hard to tell I can't see out the window right now!!

Training - besides the gym being closed alot because of the weather, I had some personal issues keep me out of the gym for a week or so... however, typically I don't rest much from the gym unless it is forced rest, and by cracky this forced rest has done me good! My muscles look really big and full right now.

I still have abs at 171 - 172 !!! And veins in my arms and shoulder striations...My

strength has been up and down because of the time off and the drain of the personal issues, but I foresee it going in the right direction once again rapidly - UP!!!

We did dealdift the other night, that of which I really have done very little of lately. I did them off a 3" block, 370 for 5 - all resets. I have no clue what that would translate into off the floor. I really like pulling out of a deficit position. It feels good in the hamstrings and glutes. Today WOULD HAVE been chest day....grooooan. It's just turned into nap day. ZZZZZZZZ

January 18 2010

2010-01-18T18:06:00.000-08:00

I am training. I am just quiet. Things are going well, for the most part. I really want to get to a meet to compete before I fall apart or get too old.

Rob Haas is a great training partner. Even though we don't always do the same exercises. he is always good for motivation and I like training with him.

I attended a very informative bench press clinic the other day at IronSport Gym in Glenolden PA. Shawn Lattimer really knows his benching. Shawn benched a perfect 875 at one of my meets a couple of years ago.

I picked up a couple of good tips, let's see if I can translate them into my own benching program!

Still hanging with a low 300's max bench.

Enter Stranger

2009-12-27T05:49:00.001-08:00

I will tell you what happens. It is that I miss a few postings, and it gets so overwhelming when I think of all of the things I need to catch up on. Then I postpone my blog for "just one more day". 2 months later, here I am.
I will just begin fresh again, and not worry about the old news. Maybe some of it will work its way into my blog here and there.

It is so exciting to be able to squat again! I am still working on learning a new technique, but as of last week I think I finally nailed what works for me. Still climbing back up in the weight, but dedinitely I am getting there. I am still using sleeves only for reminder of leg and knee positioning. Every time I try wraps these days it becomes a disaster. Somehow I will need to reincorporate knee wraps, but for now is without.
One of the adjustments I have to be aware of is keeping the bar positioned in the proper place on my back. I keep wanting to sneak it up higher, which will throw me out of alignment and place the stress on my back ,throw me forward, and disallow the depth I am striving for.

That is a 370 x 3 .
I have been training recently with my friend Rob Haas, who is proving to be a great training partner!

So Happy Holidays.

I was just sitting here thinking that last year I made resolutions for the first time in many years. They didn't workout very well. I am contemplating trying one for this coming year or not.... I haven't decided yet.

November 01

2009-11-01T12:03:00.001-08:00

Time is just slipping, not even flying.
Training has been absolutely right on track, with the exception of re-twinging my knee (yes I made up that word). My chiro says it feels strong, but the meniscus tells me other things.. :(. I did squat an easy 440 a couple of weeks ago, but then silly me I went and did a set of roman chair squats...not a good idea to do after squatting. So I'm resting my knee.
I had to change my foot placement because of the knee pain, but, lo and behold, putting my feet back the way they used to be proves to give me more stability, hence more TORQUE! So I benched a 300 the other night, on a tired and lazy night. Went up good, but GW says I am still sinking wayyyyy to deep in my chest. So he says to do one more. OK, I'm game, let me go to the ladies room first. Whilst I am gone he sneaks 5 more pounds on the bar, 305. Didnt tell me.
I concentrated on touching and not sinking the bar, and it went up easy as pie,mooth as silk, pretty as a bench can be.... coulda woulda done another rep, but I'm saving my energy for..... :)

Aches and Pains

2009-10-15T18:36:00.000-07:00

Squatting update -
I put up a very good 410 the other day, no knee wraps! My knee was a bit angry with me, but not too terrible My chiropractor said it felt really good when I went in for my weekly visit, so I'm not going to get too worried about it, not yet anyway. I just can't get bounce out of the wraps because I deescend way too slow. They actually hinder my performance at this point.
I benched 300 for 2 reps last night. It was a bad performance day, at that. I was all stiff and tight from this terrible front of bad weather that has moved in, along with being in the car all day and going to my Uncle Bill's funeral (we miss you Uncle Bill! ). So 300 for 2 is more than I could have hoped for.
My body is certainly reminding me of the difference between powerlifting and bodybuilding. I am sore, I ache, I am stiff....and I can't wait to go back for another dose, lol!!!

I would like to say congratulations to Scott Yard as he has just accepted the position of APA Pennsylvania Chairperson. It is good to know that my comrades are so competent and accomplished!

Iron Sport Gym

2009-10-04T09:29:00.000-07:00

Nothing about training is even worth elaborating on this week, except for the fact that I was able to visit with Steve Pulcinella at Iron Sport Gym in Glenolden PA on Friday. I was able to train with Steve and his workout partner, Frank for some deadlifting and back training. My deadlifting sucked. That's all i can say about it, but Steve is awesome and so is the gym. I'd sell my soul to train at a gym like that on a regular basis, I swear I would.

Steve really caters to the serious Iron Athlete - whether it be Powerlifting, Strongman, Bodybuilding, and is one of the very few places anywhere in the USA where you can go to train in Olympic lifting.

If you live anywhere within reasonable driving's distance to IronSport, it is worth the journey - pure Iron Heaven. :)

Steve knows his stuff, too, if you need some training advice or help with any of the Iron sports.

www.Ironsport.com

groooovy

2009-10-01T17:57:00.000-07:00

I am always playing catch up here -

I was away at Tank's last week. I did manage to squat up at the Breakfast Club again in New London CT on Sunday. I was feeling extremely tight in the hips and legs from all the driving I did on the trip up and the next day driving us to and fro. I didn't expect much of a workout , but I did manage an EASY 395, could have and should have done 2 reps, and I squatted again without wraps. I'm actually liking the no wrapping. Let's see how far I can get without them....

Tank got to shoot in a commercial that will air during the Superbowl! It's a NutriSystem commercial with Dan Marino and Lawrence taylor and some other notable football players in it.

I did an interview with Ucwmagazine.com lst week. It bores the heck out of me, but if you are interested, the link is www.ucwmagazine.com/katebaird.html . It is about an hour long. Louis Velasquez is a really groovy guy - groovy...love that word. Why does no one use that word any more???

2009-09-23T19:31:00.000-07:00

I know - MIA again, I have been. It gets difficult for me to get excited about posting and elaborating on my training when my training isn't exciting me. I have been so slow to recover from the Masters prep - I sure did throw myself through the wringer for that. I have felt my strength brewing and twitching within - but I just haven't been able to get to it! Usually I go in , do one set, and I am tuckered out...
I deadlifted 320 x 10 the other night. I felt more reps in me, but it was just like, man, I'm done, and that was that.
Stupidly I squatted again on Sunday. I know better than to squat so soon after deadlifting, but I am just so darned excited to be able to do it again! I put 320 on my back and I could feel my hips scream NO!!! at me. But I sucked it up and did 8, then 370 for 3, which is no better than last week, but I will consider the overhelming soreness in my hips. That was all I could do.
Switch gears to tonight! Oh, I feel regenerated all of a sudden. I give credit mostly to my mp3 player, and the loud metal playing in my ear helping me to amp up. Our gym plays this awful not even disco music, and you cant gear yourself up to lift big iron with that playing. Soomeone said tomight that it makes him want to go home and lay his clothes out on the bed...lol
Anyhoo, the loud head banging music gave me the groove, and I used it. Benches- 260 x 7, and then an EASY 300 x 1, though I wanted to do another but GW didnt know so he pulled the bar back to help me rack it. Yes indeed, I am almost back!
I found my strength again!!! I need to be careful to keep it.

Recent Summary

2009-09-06T10:09:00.000-07:00

OK - been awhile, so let me try to catch younz up in a nutshell.

Training has been good for the most part. The Masters prep really took its toll on my strength this time, and I am still easing back into it, but I am getting there - ALMOST back to where I was. I am still only 160 lbs, abs still in, still have striations in some places, but smoothing out and I need to to perform well.

I haven't deadlifted but very lightly one week since the show. My bench was up to 230 for 7 or 8 the other night - ok, we'll take that. Going to go a bit harder this week on the bench :).

I AM SQUATTING AGAIN!!! I started with the bar on week #1, graduated to 135 the next week, then 225, then 275, and have been at 315 for the past 3 weeks. Each week I add a rep. Today I did 320 for 5(no wraps)...it was so fucking hot in the gym this morning- don't think that the air conditioning was on in the back room at all. Everyone was melting, it was horrible. I even got dizzy on my last set because I could not breathe. I did one rep at 370, would have attempted another, but just couldn't muster the air. That's ok, next time... then we did some speed trainng with the blue bands...lol...need some help with this stuff.
My IT band has been so quiet and so good. My right knee, however is off and on problematic, but I amazed how well it holds out for the squatting. I do go to the chiropractor for knee adjustments every other week now. It is getting better.

Tank and I went to Miami a couple of weeks ago for Lisa Gaylord's Fitness Blitz weekend. What a whirlwind trip! Thanks and many hugs to Lisa and Erin Milchman for allowing us to be part of this event, and allowing us to meet so many wonderful and special people whilst we were there.
Both Lisa and Erin are like Energizer Bunnies and they kept us busy but we had so much fun!

I then spent another week in Connecticut with Tank :) I don't think we stopped moving the entire week. I'm still exhausted. We went to a taping of Deal or No Deal while I was there. Thank God I have callouses on my hands already. My hands hurt from clapping so much through 3 tapings of the show.

Tank took me to the Breakfast Club in New London again last week when I was in CT. Those guys are great! They gave me nail bending lessons, and I bent both of my first attempts, probably much to thier surprise! Nail bending is my new hobby :)

I miss you Tank when we aren't together! xoxox

alive

2009-09-02T20:12:00.000-07:00

I'm alive - really I am. So much going on, lots to elaborate on. Usually when so much happens I get overwhelmed and keep putting things off, such as I am doing now...
and I am putting off this post until tomorrow - HAH!!! Just checking in to say I have not evaporated.
Stay tuned -

photo by Women's Physique World

Masters Nationals 2009

Dancing and Bending

2009-08-04T20:01:00.000-07:00

I just returned from a magical, mystical week in Mystic CT. I went to visit my Tank :)

Here we are at our first foray into ballroom dancing...it is confirmed - I am a klutz! But what a blast we had!

We danced at the Fred Astaire Studio in Mystic.
What a wonderfully warm group of people and oh, how they can dance! Above is Vadim, one of the owners. He and his dance partner gave Tank and I a special private dance performance. It was like magic watching them glide across the dancefloor. They did a Viennesse Waltz that was simply lovely. They will be competing in a week or two - I wish them much luck, they already have the talent!

The other picture, of course is Tank - that is about the only way I can get "light on my feet", lol...

Tank took me to a place they called the Breakfast Club in New London, CT at the home of a fellow named Joe Mugavino. Joe and a group of fellows and gals do not only strongman training there, but also do some specializing in grip strength training. This was most fascinating ! I got all warm and fuzzy watching Joe Retkowski do some nail bending. Joe took what they call a "red nail" 5/16 ", and bent the darned thing like it was a straw. I was extremely impressed. Now I have this hankering to bend things.....

Check that bent nail out!

Above is Tank playing with an Atlas Stone.

I am EASING back into training, so as to avoid injuries and setbacks. It will take several weeks to come back to my normal strength levels, but it is necessary to hold back.

I'm still ripped, but I'm not trying to be. I'm eating all kinds of food, indulging in things I dont usually even consider shoving into my mouth. I honestly think that my body was so depleted that it is soaking whatever it can up to nourish itself, leaving nothing as waste, nor fat. I'm sure sooner or later I'll be plump again.

Rest and Recovery period and my Results of Masters Nationals

2009-07-23T10:05:00.000-07:00

What a whirlwind of a weekend in Pittsburgh!!!! I loved just about every minute of the adventure.

This is going to be somewhat of a lengthy posting today. I am feeling quite happy and blessed these days, not just because I placed well in the show, but because I have such special and wonderful people in my life to help get me through it! I want to take some time to thank some of them, who for without thier friendship, support, encouragement, I would not be in this good place I am in right now.

It was a long road to the Masters this year(in case you DON"T know I placed 3rd in the Over 45 HVW - out of 18 competitors). I started wayyyy back in the end of February on my diet to make it down to the 181's for the IPA power meet, had a whole week to recover ( absolutely NOT enough time) before starting the official diet for the Masters. I lost 41 pounds - weighed in at 148. OMG do I feel the wrath. And no, I shouldn't have benched at the DPC on May 10th, but I HAD to have that 165 lb. raw bench record back.. I was like a blood thirsty dog. If I had tried to do that even a week later I bet I would not have made it. My strength just PLUMMETED back around that point.. It WILL take a while to recover, and I am going to adhere to the mandatory rest. Slow and steady....really, REALLY!!!!

I feel we nailed my conditioning ALMOST to perfection....won't say the one minor thing that may have chiseled me in one extra iota, but yes, nearly perfect. My prep guy knows of what I speak...lol....

And for that near perfect conditioning I thank my prep coach, who believed in me and said that I could hold my own up on that stage, and worked with me through my hypoglycemic adversities and insomniatic psychosis....and my regular psychosis too.... hah!

He has become a true and treasured friend. Even before his agreement to coach me through to this show I knew I had met not only a brilliant individual, but a very giving soul and heck, a really funny guy! (Botox for the laugh lines are in order for NEXT year)

My training partner - George Wilson, who ALWAYS puts my trainng needs and concerns first in the gym. That is because he really CARES. He is the best trainng partner one could ever wish for, and one of the best friends one could ever wish for too. Beth Beitzel, his girlfriend, I give many thanks to as well.

My son, Slater, who just puts up with his mom's passion of "lifting heavy random bars with big round circles on the ends." The poor kid has barely had any homecooked nutritious meals for months...(ok, ok - I just used the diet as an excuse - I hate to cook - HAH!) He is a good kid with tons of musical and artistic talent. I encourage and foster his endeavors, as music is his true essence and passion.Thank you God for blessing me with my son.

Jody Hudson, my friend and business partner, who we lost very suddenly this past November. I miss him terribly. I did see the sign you sent me on the drive to Pittsburgh. I know what it meant. I know you were watching. I know you are proud. Thank you for putting up with my obsessive shennanigans for all those years. Thank you for giving me the time and space.

Jack Osborne, owner of the Training Center in New Castle DE - a fantastic bodybuilder in his own right. Jack has done so much for me over the past 5 years, supporting me in both my bodybuilding AND powerlifting endeavors. I hope to see Jack back up on the stage at the Masters next year once again.

The gang at Midway Fitness, and also the gang at The Firm Fitness Center, both in Rehoboth Beach DE. Always supportive and encouraging. Small compliments on down days always go far to pick me up on hard days in the gym. Marti Spiker -owner of Midway, and Paul Timmons, owner of the Firm - my forever gratitude for your support in both my bodybuilding and powerlifting endeavors. I can be a maniac in the gym, but I try to be a considerate maniac.

Rob Haas - what can I say different that means thank you ..? Yah've been there cheering me on even before I met you. Now, go catch me some more fresh tuna steaks, please, because I can eat them with teriyaki sauce now that I'm not dieting.... BIG MAJOR HUGS to you!

Tony Paradiso - I whined to you alot the past few months, I'm sorry..but you knew where I was coming from. You helped me ALOT on all of those bad days I whined to you. Now I can eat pudding again :)

Bill Jentz , who I thank for his honesty and unique friendship over the past few years. You ALWAYS make me feel like a winner!

Joel Goldberg, always for his kind support , but also for telling me I had absolutely no potential to be a bodybuilder - where do you think some of the extra fire and drive came from big guy????? Hmmm??????

Michele Thorington, a beautiful woman whom I just met and roomed with for 4 days during this event.So kind and helpful,not just to me but to everyone. She competed in the Over 35 and Over 45 Figure Class E. She didnt place as well as she should have, really...she looked great. Really she did. But she will keep her head up and drive forward and use her gut next time and steal the show! I think we shall remain great friends for a long time to come.

Dilbert, you know why I thank you... It all turned out ok though in the end. I am so grateful for your kindness.

And most recently the most wonderful man I know - Christopher Annino - TANK - who has enriched my life, my heart, my soul in so many ways. The ONLY person who has ever been able to get me to relax!!! LOL. I wore an extra layer of confidence and self-esteem because of you Chris. Even though you couldn't be there physically, I still held you with me throughout the entire event You can only be described by me as simply the best man that there is on this earth.

XOXOXOXO TANK !!!!

Masters Nationals 2010 - I will be there!

6 days out

2009-07-12T04:38:00.000-07:00

Yes - I have purposely been elusive.

We are winding down on the home stretch here. I think this entire process has been 20 weeks, and we are closing in on losing 37 pounds! Holy Bageless mornings !!!!

The only thing that has been hard in this process has been the lack of sleep. That is nothing new for me, as many of you know, but after 6 - 8 weeks without proper rest, anyone who has ever been sleep deprived can tell you - you will do just about ANYTHING to get sleep. And that would usually include getting up to eat something to help me sleep, but NOPE, haven't succumbed to that evil the entire time. At times I have wondered if I was going to make it - but I have, and I will. Perserverance!

Somehow I rested last night. I'm not sure how to act! It feels like I have been reborn! Aaaahhhh!!!

C'mon - admit it - that is one BEEFY BUTT !!!!

I'm almost all packed, and am anxious to go. I will be rooming with a figure competitor named Michele Thorington from Michigan. We have only started to get to know each other but I adore her already! I cannot wait to meet her in person. I hear she is looking ready to do some serious damge to the other women in her class. I know her fire and drive are right on point!! Go Michele!!

I haven't let out publicly who I have worked with for this prep, and I am still not going to. I will say this, however, he has been an EXTREME pleasure to work with, and I feel very blessed to have been given this opportunity not only to work with such a knowleadgeable, funny, intelligent soul, but he has become a dear friend to me. I treasure my friends.

Congratulations to Christopher Annino , who directed a film called The Picture Bowl, which will be shown at the 10th Anniversary Women & Girls Fund Film Festival at the Garde Arts Center in CT on August 06, at 7 pm. Chris, I am so proud of you ! You are the best!

I am going to go practice posing now while I have the energy and good spirits to do so.
See you in Pittsburgh!

3 weeks out

2009-06-26T16:16:00.000-07:00

I am talking to a new webmaster and hope to have a new website sometime within the coming months. I know my old site has run its course, and never has worked properly with the like of Firefox and some other browsers. Bear with me.

Here is my new little girl - Cap'n Jazz. She's about 10 weeks old.

She's just a lil' sweetie, she is.

I want to get some things straight here - I am not "chasing" anybody at this competition.

I'm worried only about me. Period. And you know what - I'm not even "worried" about me.

I'm going in looking the way I want to, the way I think I look best. And I WILL be prepared to show my best package, the Kate package. I've still got 3 weeks of work to do, but I'm doing it.

I promise.

I have no idea what I'm looking at here - it was still early in the a.m. I think my eyes hadn't rolled back out of thier sockets yet. : )

4 Weeks Out

2009-06-21T11:17:00.000-07:00

This is the group of amazing athletes I was able to meet and watch whilst acting as judge at the Special Olympics of Delaware Powerlifting on June 13th. This was the second year I have taken part in SODE, and again I was very honored to be asked and able to partake in the activities. These guys gave us thier hearts as well as thier athletic talents. Well done ALL !!!!

OK, I'm cranky and I'm tired, but mostly from lack of sleep. If I could only get up and drink a glass of milk or eat a light carbohydrate laden snack I'm sure I could sleep a whole lot better. I admit, I am pure misery on feet these days.

There is nothing I crave so much as 6 straight hours of sleep. Nothing. Not a thing. Nope.

Less than 4 weeks to go and by this time I usually have a very decent base tan, but as the sun seems to have burnt out several months back I'm going to have to just step up the tanning bed frequency. The weather simply has sucked all year.

5 weeks

2009-06-12T12:33:00.000-07:00

I had a photoshoot with David Koster of Portraits In The Sand the other day. We went up to Gordon's Pond State Beach, here on the north end of Rehoboth Beach in lovely slower lower Delaware. It was around 5:30 pm, and a beautiful, magical, mystical fog rolled in just in time for the photo session. How can you ever plan for something like that to happen??

David is an amazingly talented photographer, and a super nice guy!

Here are my weekly black undies pictures at 5 and a half weeks out -

Check out the striations starting to come in on the lower lats

:) :) :)

So you liked playing 20 questions with Kate?

I'll give you 10 more to mull over -

1. Favorite flower - I think that dandelions get a bad rap. I also love purple irises.

2. Favorite smell - that would be the smell of wet concrete after a rain shower.... lilacs smell pretty good too.

3. One physical trait that you would change if you could - like I'm going to point that out to the public ???!!! If you don't notice it, good!!!

4. Where did you go on your first date ? 7th grade dance.

5. Sunrise or sunset - I am rarely up for the event, but each sunrise gives the promise of new hope and the opportunity to create anew.

6. Favorite season - summer - hot and humid, yessss!!!!

7. Favorite artist - I have two: Maxfield Parish, and Abraxas Hudson.

8. Favorite place to shop - Salvation Army.

9. Who you miss the most - Wendy, my childhood best friend - it is MY fault for not staying in touch like I should, and Jody , my business partner and friend, who taught me more useful and important things in life than I ever realized whilst here on earth.

10. How do you start your day - every day before I get out of bed, I try to think of 3 things that I am grateful for. Those things can be anything, but knowing that there is something to be grateful for helps start the day on a positive note. Then I make a beeline to the coffeemaker.

6 and a Half Weeks to go

2009-06-05T18:34:00.000-07:00

I was feeling like a basket case because I couldnt sleep for a couple of weeks (imagine THAT! ). But now I am rested and back to being ornery. I feel rather good now. I have changed my training so now I am only doing one big body part per workout, or one, maybe two smaller body parts.

Yes, that makes an incredible difference in energy recovery for now.

I am very pleased with my progress, and the best is yet to come!

Someone suggested I play "20 Questions with Kate" here.

Let's see if I can come up with 10 questions...

1.Favorite color - changes periodically. Right now I go for "energy colors" - yellow, orange, red.

2. Favorite food - frozen birthday cake - has to have plenty of icing.

3. What cd is in your car cd player right now? I believe it is the new Static - X - Cult of Static.

4. How do you like to relax - with a big ol' glass of wine...ok, 2 glasses....

5. Do you have any pets - no...but we are supposed to be getting a kitty cat tomorrow! :)

6. Favorite Muppet - Grover

7.What kind of car do you drive - 2006 Jeep Liberty.

8. Favorite sport - Powerlifting....duhhhh....(and Pro Bull Riding, of course )

9. Chocolate or vanilla - Vanilla

10. favorite comedian - whatever happened to Chris Elliot ????

OK - that's enough. We don't want to get too personal with me.

7 and a half weeks out

2009-05-27T14:13:00.001-07:00

I will say this - it is a good thing that the powerlifting meet was a couple of weeks ago, for I have no ability nor even the interest in pushing heavy weights right now.... those little chrome Barbie dumbbells are looking mighty heavy these days....reps, reps, reps....sigh.......

I'm starting to crave salty things.... I might even lick the salt shaker out if given the chance. Visions of chips and salsa dance through my head constantly! That's about all I want, except for a big ol' Golden Margarita to go with them.... but no salt on the margarita, please. And make it fishbowl size.

This is me wearing my APT boy shorts! You can purchase a pair or two at:
http://www.prowriststraps.com/

:) Back to basic black next time though - I promise.

I am hanging in the 161 - 162 range. I'm relatively pleased with the progress. My abs, the little buggers, usually don't come in until the last moment. Sure, they are there, but they usually don't POP until the very end. Maybe they will come out sooner this time...we shall wait and see. Although you cant tell by this backside pic, my beloved Xmas tree is showing :).
I am going to hang blinking lights on it this year - lol.

Delaware Power Classic

2009-05-19T10:47:00.000-07:00

the 4th annual APA Delaware Power Classic was FANTASTICALLY AWESOME!!!! As always, held at The Training Center in New Castle DE, on Saturday, May 10, 2009.

First the lifters - when I started lifting 4 years ago RAW was the underdog to geared lifting. Now it is growing wider acceptance and I couldn't be more thrilled. Most of my lifters were raw. Ben Brand SHW hit a 2150 RAW total!!! 820/630/700 - and it all looked way too easy.

Scott Yard did his second ever raw meet (after being one of the top ranked gearedlifters for a few years running)and totalled and incredible 1980 at 275. We had several world records set on this day. So many good lifters participated, whether there were records set or not... my applause and thank yous to all of them. OK, yes - I lifted...I was not going to, but I had to reclaim my APA 165 raw world bench women's masters record. When else was I going to have the chance to do so???? I dieted my ass off to get to 165 (164.6 to be exact). I put up a 275. Yes that was good enough to win the rocord back ! :) On my way back up in weight when I am fueling UP not DOWN in food, not prepping for a bodybuilding show, and when I'm NOT running the meet (cannot do this anymore!!!!) and when I don't have a strained forearm - I'll up that record poundage again, I promise!

Thank you as always Big Al Fortney for being my designated wrist wrapper. Mark Caserta - I wouldn't have gone through with the benching if it wasn't for your encouragement and help in the warm-up room and platform. and Thank you to Gene and Ame Rychlak, (IPA),who came down from PA out of the goodness of their hearts to help me out at this meet. Two totally awesome people!!! Tone Barbaccio- I love you dude - you are such an assett at my meets, as well as all of the Dynamo Club gang out of Rising Sun MD - Matt Wilson, Greg and Dave Murray, Danny Blankenship, all you other guys whose names I do not know - lol - it is because of you guys that this meet is such the event that it has become. George Wilson - even though you were illin' and could not stay, you know I could NOT do any of this without your support, and you are the best training partner EVER!!! AND last and in no way least but most of all - Len Walker - my co-director...how do you stay so calm through all of this??? Thank you Len!!! Special thank you to DeBorah Better for staying to help put the gym back together - girl, heal up so you can lift next time!

Kate in black undies...AGAIN!!!!

2009-05-04T16:00:00.001-07:00

Oh look - more pictures of Kate in black underwear... These pictures don't look much different from last week's, though there are significant changes. The lighting is different, and makes everything flatter. Really, I'm better!!! Lol - 'twas a rainy day and had to use stronger flash. 10 and a half weeks to go.

Saturday I journeyed up to Wilmington to attend the Animal Barbell Club gathering at a new gymnasium - OSX Fitness. Steve, the owner (Uncle Fester) was most gracious and the facility is great. It is always a pleasure to hang out in a room with a bunch of big, strong and very sweaty men...oh, I mean Animals.... is it possible that Big Al Fortney can look even bigger...???

Looking forward to this Saturday - the 4th annual Delaware Power Classic. It is always a good time, but this one is shaping up to be a killer! I'm doing all the last minute details, and am very amped up - fill yah in on the results in the next posting.

11 and a half weeks

2009-04-29T05:29:00.001-07:00

This blog is getting boring - same old thing, pictures of Kate in her black skivvies.

And speaking of those pictures of me in my skivvies, here they are!

Progress is noticeable, but as we are coming in on the 11 week mark, we are going to be making some changes so things will be happening quicker and details will start popping. It feels so good to have a waistline again. Monday when these photos were taken I was still hanging around 172 ish - but this morning, Wednesday, I'm at 170 ish... Ish!!!

My left arm is a bit strained, so the left bicep isnt flexing as well as it usually is. I wish people would stop asking me how big my arms are...does it friggin' MATTER what they measure? Fat people have large measurements too...

I am soooTIRED!!!! I keep saying that, but it is so true. I really, really don't think I ever physically recovered from that bus trip from Hell. Can't stop to recover now, though I am taking a rest week this week. I usually do take a rest week, or at least a few days off every 8 weeks or so. If I didn't, I would be dead.... I have to start training lighter and less intensely for the rest of these 11 weeks or I will surely die....I just can't seem to get HEAVY off of my mind.

12 and a half weeks

2009-04-21T19:49:00.001-07:00

172 in these pictures - same weight as last week, yet a tad leaner.

By the way, I am only 5'4. I am always told I look taller in photos, but really, I'm not a tall gal.

I was going to go into this show, the Masters, on a somewhat quiet note, but seems as if the world is watching me (Hi SiouxCountry! - lol )

Oh, that's right - we are talking about me....quiet, yeah, right...actually I don't have a whole lot to say tonight, so I'll leave off with the pictures and post later this week. I promise I will find something to rant or whine about!

13 and a half -

2009-04-15T04:35:00.000-07:00

13 and a half weeks to go. Time to start posting progress pictures. Here I am in my skivvies. I weighed in at 172 even yesterday morning. And yes, I know that my gluteus

are, well, quite large. Or is that gluteuses???

I have really been concentrating on NOT bringing my gluteus medius into leg movements, but it is still growing...that is for sure.

My knee is holding up well! My IT band has not been noticeable all week!! What do I complain about today???? lol - NOTHING!!!! Well, I can whine about how my strength is plummeting, because of the diet, but the diet is actually going quite well. I am not hungry at any given time of the day. In fact, I still have trouble eating all that I am required to eat. Lord knows how I was able to compete in a full power meet 6 weeks out from the 2006 Nationals. That was nuts. How did I do that, I wonder... how did my strength hold up? What was I running on back then - I want some of that back - lol....

It had been a few weeks since I had a really good leg session, but Saturday left my legs screaming and very sore for several days. Aaaaahhhh... I am so tempted to run under the freaking squat bar because my legs feel so good, but I must hold back, I must resist temptation.

I have alot going on in my life right now - good things. I am happy.

2009-04-10T10:51:00.000-07:00

The training is bodybuilding - reps and sets.... kind of bores me not hoisting BIG iron and reaching for those maxes...but I do what I have to do. There are no great poundages, no great pumps. I'm not sure what to write about...

FANTASTIC news - I left on the last posting on a low note about the knee. I had a feeling it wasn't tendons or such, and I had a feeling what I needed was chiropractic services - I was correct. Seems my knee was "off track". I have been going to a new chiropractor for the past two weeks, and my knee feels just fine now. This coming leg day will tell me how much progress we have made. The other really fantastic thing of note is that for the first time in a year and a half I sit here with a left IT band that is giving me no indications of being problematic. Our bodies act holistically and respond as such too. Chiro said he wasn't surprised that the IT problem is less pronounced . I'm not going to run into the gym and squat this weekend, by any means, but I am now definitely, positively sure that I will be under that squat bar again!

Speaking of squatting - My friend Beth Beitzel was squatting the other day "just for fun" she said, as squatting isn't usually on her training agenda.

She did 10 or 12 nice deep 225's, so GW and I decided to wrap up her knees and get her to do a few at 275. She had no problem with 6 nicely parallel and a couple deeper. No belt!!!

She's one of those naturally "mesomorphic" and strong types, though she is always trying to be skinnier and won't admit her strength. She looks great, always does, and is strong! Go Beth!

15 and a half weeks

2009-04-01T15:24:00.001-07:00

- to go.
I started my Masters Nationals preparation "food manipulation" on Monday. Most people would call if a diet. Typically for me 16 weeks is a bit on the lengthy side to be on a contest diet, but as my knee is having troubles at the moment, and going for my walks is out of the question (psuedo-cardio), I am "fine" with having a lengthier diet.
I started right on 180 this weekend - I think it was 176.8 this morning. Of course, I was up to 187 at one point in February, and got down to 179 for the powerlifting meet. I dieted to about 182, but my nerves ate up about 3 pounds. In fact, I would go so far as to wager that I weighed about 177 on meet day. I went to my parents house after weigh-ins Friday night. I was ready to raid thier refrigerator and food cabinets. But, Alas! The cupboards were bare. So lack of proper fueling and nervousness certainly ate up a couple of additional useful pounds. Then I stabilized through last week, but I do admit - I should have eaten it up a bit more for recovery purposes. For now, it is too late.

Projection is to weigh in at around 155 ish for July 17.

Let's not focus on the knee yet, please. Keep me on the up and lighter side here :) . I'll expound on that later. It is ALWAYS something with me. Yes, it sure is....My IT band is still problematic, but so much better than 5 or 6 months ago. Hooray !

By the way, even though I tremendously sucked, the two lifts I did two weekends ago are currently IPA Womens 181 Raw World Records :) .... I really don't think it is compensation for having personally sucked, but, hey, yeah, I'll take them, be happy, and move on.

IPA DE State Championships

2009-03-23T12:22:00.000-07:00

On a high note, congratulations to Tony Paradiso who won the Montreal CFBB Heavyweight division on Saturday. Tony's got the body of an Italian god, with lines and symmetry and legs (and arms and everything else) to die for. Well earned and well deserved Tony!!!

On a low note... I competed in the IPA DE State Championships on Saturday. That 300 is still eluding me. What the F*** is my problem? I can do it, and do it well, at the gym, for reps, and then I get to the platform and I fall apart. I got my opener of 270, easy as anything I have ever done, felt like a feather (see video attached). It isnt even so much the number anymore that bothers me - it is the performance under pressure, or I should say the non-performance under pressure. My plan was to do a 270 - 300 - 315.

My friend Scott Kuzma, who is a tremendous raw bencher, says there is no need to worry and over analyze - it is all predetermined in some way or another. So why aren't the benching gods allowing me my due?

So in light of the poor benching, and I was exremely tired (one of those toss and turn before the meets sleepless nights ) I brought my deadlift numbers down. I actually had GW pick my numbers and I held my ears when they announced the lift, so I didnt know what they were. I had pre -planned a 410 - 450 - 470. After bringing them down I did a 375, 400, 430 and a 440 on the fourth. I should have left the numbers higher - I definitely could have pulled the 450, and I am pretty certain I could have yanked a 470 all the way through too (see video of 440 attached).

So I sucked, as I usually do when I compete in powerlifting, but the meet was good. It was held at the Training Center, same place as the (notorious) Delaware Power Classic :). I finally met Gene Rychlak and his wife Ame. Super people. it was a pleasure to help them out a little with the meet. Regardless of federations, raw or geared, drug free or not, all lifters should remember the goal - successful lifting!!! Let's all lift together, not apart!!!

And congratulations to Phil 5150 who pulled a whopping 500 raw at his first meet !!!

Hmmmm

2009-03-16T20:33:00.000-07:00

I am the busiest person I know who doesnt make any money....how anyone can work a standard 40 hour work week and get anything else done is beyond me...

Could be why I am a poor beggar girl these days.

I am about to embark on yet another career soon. Stay tuned on that. Time to prove how good I am as a sales pro.

Yes, yes, I said sales. Stay tuned for details.

So lessseeee... my leggies are coming along shape as well as size wise these days. However, they are what they are...They were built for power and strength, not beauty. Though some might see them as beautiful... As long as I stay on top of my therapy they feel good. If I slack off for even a couple of days the pain comes back to haunt me. So its the ballin' o' the periformis for me.

Was oh so tired every training day last week - still beat up from that danged traveling, I was. Incredible how much SITTING can tear me apart!!!! But holy hell, I was torn apart for a long period of time.

Wednesday benching was ok, not great, but ok - did two sets of 280 for 4, and a nice static with 410 for 20 seconds, but I was certain I could have done better had I not felt like I had been mistaken for a wet dish rag and and used to mop up the dirty floor. Love those statics. They really make your triceps feel like hamhocks.

My energy reserves were finally coming around Sunday, for legs. We had a killer workout. I do believe there was never a better leg apparatus created than a Nautilus Duo-Squat machine. Pair those with the gool old fashioned sissy squat, and you have some mighty big thighs about to burst into life.

Alas, there is to be no training this week... :)

But Kate, why not???

Hmmmmm????

Happy Birthday Jody - wherever you are!!!!

Planes Trains and Automobiles

2009-03-02T18:56:00.001-08:00

Have you ever seen the movie Trains Planes and Automobiles? I lived a mini version of that last past weekend...

It was finally time for me to meet with my new contest prepper. I had to take a long journey out of town. It was bad enought that I was going to have to travel almost 10 hours one way to begin with on Friday, then turn around and come back on Sunday... I took a bus, having little funds these days to spare on extras. Bus travel is really not so bad, really much more comfortable than a plane if you ask me. I drove an hour and a half to the bus station in Wilmington, then took a 2 hour ride to NY. The bus made it fine to NY, then I had an hour layover before I caught my next bus to my destination. It was to be a little over four hour journey from NY, had the bus been on time....

Traveling about 2 hours from NY, a large truck clipped the right hand mirror on the front of the bus. The bus driver immediately pulled over to the shoulder of the road. She called in for a mechanic, then pulled the bus off the highway to a desolate parking lot in front of an old warehouse in a dark and lonely part of some town. The mechanic couldnt fix it on the spot. We sat in this bus for over 5 and a half hours before a relief bus came!!! Want to talk about a group of antsy people! Rolled in to destination at 10:40 instead of 5:20.... omg

So, on the return trip - no problem traveling by bus. I got into my car figured I'd be home after an hour and a half more of traveling by car. Ten minutes after I started driving, it started snowing. The more I drove, the more it snowed. Blinding conditions, and simply petrifying at points. It took me an extra hour and a half to get home.

All in all, I believe that the trip will have been worth it in the long run - come July I will be all that and then some. La De Da...

Needless to say, all last week I was physically beat up from that ungawdly trip. Sore and tight, it will take me some time to loosen myself back up again, even after a week and a half I am still feeling the wrath of Greyhound.

Shaved -

2009-02-22T13:09:00.000-08:00

Rule #1 -
NEVER purchase razors from the dollar store.They will tear you up, for certain! I should have just forked over the skin off of my legs instead of the dollar when I bought them. It looked like there was a murder in my shower this morning. Geeeeeeeeeeeeeezzzzzzzzzz!!!!!!!!

Today's leg day was perfect. Nothing of great significance to note, but the training was good, hard and effective, from thigh, to hamstring, to calf. I was pleased the with full look of my thighs and calves when we were finished.

Tuesday was a great chest night. Started with my new base - 250 x 8. Popped up 280 x 5, and 300 x 2. Then....my favorite part - a 425 static hold for 14 seconds. Think - BIG bench , BIGGER bench, BIGGEST bench. :)

Came in a little disinterested on Thursday, but knew we HAD to deadlift. Set #1 - yanked on 320 for 12....needless to say that pretty much took care of set #2 or any more after that. I was totally wiped out after that. I am still NOT a rep oriented kind of gal.

Movin' On Up

2009-02-14T06:34:00.000-08:00

This week has been more or less maintenance type workouts. A "down" week, as I like to call them. I did, however change one key ingredient - upped my baseline (start set) bench from the 230 to 250. I had planned (planning for quite some time, I must add!) that on the day I hit 230 x 12 - I would up the weight on my beginning set to 235 or 240. I couldn't decide if I wanted the additional 5 or 10 pounds , so I asked GW for his input. He said to put 10 pounds on. He handed me a 10 pound plate and I put it on the end of the bar. I didn't even realize until I was done all 3 sets that DUHHHHH!!!! 10 pounds on each side of the bar added to 230 is 250, not 240.
3 sets, 7, 8 and 5.

"Scar tissue is stronger than regular tissue. Realize the strength. Move on."...Henry Rollins

Power Goddess has returned

2009-02-05T17:53:00.000-08:00

I don't know exactly what is going on, but what is going on is good, very good!

I still have major head congestion, and the rib is still sore, but Power Goddess has returned in spite of all that and she is hankerin' to move some weight around.

Tuesday night, bench night. I had relegated myself to the fact that it might be a night of very poor performance, but YIKES!!!! I finally pushed out my dozen reps with 230 - all paused of course!! The 280 x 4, and then the picture perfect 300. I contemplated hitting a second rep on that 300, but racked it instead. The first one was so pretty and perfect I didn't want to ruin the memory of it. Who the heck cares what else we did - the benching was orgasmic and that's all I want to remember!

Tonight - deadlifts. The congestion was really muddling me up, but I pulled pretty darned well.

410 x 3. And on a bar with absolutely no knurling left on it to boot. I thought we would have a video but I had the darned video camera set on still camera mode. So here is the pic of rep #1 -

(nice face). By the way, in case any one wonders, I deadlift conventional style. Again, who cares what else we did - the deadlifting was all that mattered!

I am quite positive that all of the therapy I have been doing for my legs and hips and the magnetic therapy is what is bringing Power Goddess back around. Everything feels loose and RECOVERED.

I was down to 182 lbs. today,but that gives me good feeling about being able to compete in the 181 class without much effort to make weight!...

Hmmmm...does that statement mean what you think it does??? Stay tuned!

Intact

2009-02-01T14:16:00.000-08:00

Trained legs today, and my rib stayed put. It still is askew, mind ye, but it was a pretty intense workout and I am still intact. I made sure to keep my belt closed snug around my waist for every set. ..Nautilus leg press, sissy squats, seated leg curls, seated calves, cybex squat toe presses.

And just cuz he is, I am going to say GW is the best workout partner ever!

I have been a Steelers fan ever since I was a young lass. If I remember correctly, I picked them because I liked thier colors the best!

GO STEELERS!!!!

Magnetic Pull

2009-01-31T11:17:00.000-08:00

You would THINK that since I have been lying around RESTING (resting my proverbial ass off - and that is ALOT of resting!!!!) this past week + that I would have found some time to post in this here blog of mine. That is what one would think, anyway.... I have had too much frustration cursing within to want to touch upon anything that has to do with training, since I have had to abstain. Why, you ask? Couple a bronchial infection with a misaligned rib. Not a pleasant combination. The deep down hacking and coughing severely aggravated what may have been a minor irritation and transformed that into a major annoyance.

My dearly beloved chiropractor has been practicing his trade upon me every day. Progress is ever so slowly being made. And thanks to all of the therapeutic stretching and other tedious, painful but miracuously helpful things I have been subjecting myself to, dear Chiro has been having a much easier time getting things in me to relax and move about. :) :) :)

As a last resort remedy and mostly to appease a client of mine whi is a devout magnetic therapy enthusiast, I slapped a big old magnetic upon my leg one day. Diane suggested I try it, and so to make it that I would not lie to her when I told her I had tried it, I used a megnet that she had kindly given me for my back when I was having back pain ( it didn't work well for the back).

The voodoo Gods have are setting me free! I am, to say the least, flabbergasted, astounded, awed, amazed, thankful, happy.... I can now squat with body weight only all the way butt-to-floor without pain and strain for the first time in over a year! No, I am not ready to squat again, but I will be, I WILL be.... Doubt if ye must, as I once did, but I believe in the benefits of magnetic therapy!

Let me throw in a visual as I have been lax in providing photos lately. This was two weeks ago sissy squating. Do I look tankesque or what?

I am down to a mere 185 today, had been all the way up to 187 + for a few days last week.

Whose going to win the Superbowl??? The STEELERS!!!!!!!!

1/24/2009

2009-01-23T14:14:00.000-08:00

Bronchial Infection - that's what I've got...and of course, it's really got me good...or bad, as it may be... :(

so, that is why the steam wasn't there on Tuesday, and it certainly wasn't there Thursday night, though the strength was. I will give a good piece of advice - don't deadlift with a respiratory illness. I was feeling like my lungs were ablaze and were about to burst. You know what your lungs feel like when you run some distance in sub-freezing weather? That's what it felt like.

I couldn't help but deadlift though...we hadn't done them is so very long - the bar was calling to me. Strengthwise I felt good, mentally on the ball....unfortunately the bronchial thing hindered my breathing...oh well, can't have everything....only did two sets. 320 x 10 and 370x 6. Can't wait to do some more when the PowerGoddess is healthy again. However, I am sure that I am feeling the wrath of those and the rest of the workout today because I am feeling B-A-D BAD!!!!

Bad as in NOT GOOD....

The rest of the workout was great - cable rows, stiff arm pull downs, dumbell shrugs, cable curls, down the rack hammer curls...felt big and bloated and sore! All good!

1/21/09

2009-01-21T17:05:00.000-08:00

Okeedokee - I believe I have had enough "recovery" training... I will be honest, to more fit the mold of the winning "female bodybuilder", I should be training more now with the higher reps, honing and refining and shaping the muscles. I've already built them.....but H-e- double hockey sticks I need to train heavy.

Had a typically GOOD training day for legs Sunday. Nautilus leg press pausing the reps, breaking the high rep disdain/cardio revoltion with 3 sets of step-up on a bench with 25lb. dumbells. Talk about panting...I'm still panting from those. Sissy squats and leg curls. For calves we went silly and did seated calf exchange, sucha s we do the barbell exchange - 20/18/16/etc. down to 2 then rep out. Wildly effective it was.

Back to benching Tuesday night ...aaaaahhhhh :) I think my strength was bigger than my steam was last night, because I easily did 230 for 10, almost thought I was going to get my first dozen with 230...but my steam petered out first...250 for 6 and 280 for 3...405 for a 15 second static, and it was a damned good static if I do say so myself. Hips and legs stayed very stable, triceps were feeling big and strong....loved it loved it loved it.

I did speed work for legs with Brad again tonight. I hereby refer to Brad as Gymbag - a name we deemed him a few years ago, dumb story, and I just have a hard time referring to him as anything other than Gymbag. I finally got that box squat thing down on the last set - go down then back....We did 6 sets of 3 with the green bands, 4 sets of 5 good mornings, I think 6 sets of 6 stiff legged deadlifts, and 4 or 5 sets of calves on the smith machine.

185

2009-01-13T05:36:00.000-08:00

For the past 2 weeks I have been training higher reps - mostly 10 - 15, sometimes 20....what a remarkable difference in recovery. I even trained 2 days in a row, which is not something I can normally do without "overreaching".

Not too very long ago, I sat down to coffee with someone and he told me that I really am "not a bodybuilder", because all of the bodybuilders he knows train 5 and 6 days a week. That statement is absurd. What, I don't "sacrifice" myself enough??? I guess what I do and how I do it doesn't work??? Let me check the mirror again. Perhaps someone installed fun-house mirrors in my house to make me look more muscular and shapely than I really am. Sure, if I trained lighter and less intensley I could definitely train more, but ergo the old quality vs quantity comparison. I dont like training less intensley - I have to use all of what I bring, and leave the gym with no reserves in the tank. I go to challenge myself, not save myself so I have enough energy for tomorrow's workout.

Last night I trained with my friends Brad and Bruce. They do their training powerlifter style - ME and speed days, chains bands and boards etc. I jumped in for speed training for legs. We used bands for box squats, good mornings, (always love good mornings!),siff legged deads, hyperextensions with bands, and speed leg extensions. I thoroughly enjoyed this new and bizarre ( for me) way of training. I can definitely see how it could help my squat (if I could squat - woe poor pitiful me). My squat has never been one of good technique, no hip thrust at all - now here comes the however.... :( However, my leg is so very traumatized this morning. It did not seem to bother me during the training, not until we got to leg extensions. However again, this morning my left IT band is hammering out the beat to some heavy death-core song. Sigh....

I got all amped and fuzzied up doing a powerlifting type workout - every time I think I can get over it, powerlifting, here it comes again.

On a positive note I have finally surpassed the 185 lb. mark.

May 09 2009 - 4th Annual APA Delaware Power Classic at the Training Center in New Castle DE. My baby!

Oil and Vinegar

2009-01-04T14:08:00.000-08:00

OK - busted - I'm slacking on my resolution already - the one about the oil and vinegar. It's just that the oil is so... oily! And the vinegar, well, if you haven't ever had any vinegar to drink you at least know what it smells like! I still have time to get my shots in before the day is over. Yippeee...

What the f*** did we do to ourselves this morning GW????

I started out this morning with an incredibly sore back, biceps, and forearms. One week off really makes a big difference - I didnt do anything out of the ordinary on Friday's back/bicep day, maybe I did squeeze the contractions alot more than usual, so I have concluded that is what wrecked me. I have been going up to 315 on barbell rows for the past 3 or so times I have done them. TI trained alone Friday so I did things that GW hates - dumbell pullovers, I did corkscrews, and db shrugs, and hammer curls and cable curls.

Lately I have been carefully pondering the last few months of growth season, and what details I need to tend to before diet season begins.
Even though my legs are actually over the 26 1/2" mark now, 26 3/4" on the right and 26 1/2" on the left (Cowboy Rob the gap is closing,but I still have to step - drag!), my legs just don't have a "freaky' shape to make you look at them and say "WOW - big!" and my torso is still so overpowering. I still need to get those gams up to a size where they are just so big you just cant overlook that they are big....did that make sense? So I determined that the nexth 4 months are going to have to be no holds barred, balls to the wall, brutal and ugly training for legs.
I still can't squat. We have no hack squat in our gym, which I can actually do due to the angle of most of them. Sooooo i made an ugly decision - good ol' fashioned behind the leg barbell hacks. GW got his groove on these things immediately. Not me! Clunkeroooo!!!! I think I have determined that I have to almost get into a sumo stance on this. GW was making fun of me because I cant get the full range of motion in the pull with these - I have an obstacle at the top...LOL
This big ol' precipice of a butt stops the bar. Anyhooo- keeping the grip on the bar is going to take some practice, especially since we chose the bar with no knurling left on it to do these. We didn't go too heavy as we were practicing getting the hang of the proper technique, but holy moly did we feel these. I know we are supposed to be hitting quads with these, but i have NEVER wasted my hamstrings so fully in all of my lifting days. I may need to push off more from the toes rather than the heels to target the quads more...?
Wow. Then we did Nautilus Duo-squat machine. We kept the reps higher with a (little) lighter weight today, reps at 10. The hacks fried us quickly and we couldnt do as much weight as we normally do here. Seated leg curls and cable lunges...even now several hours have passed and it hurts to think about walking. Gosh I love this feeling!

It is 2009, and I frequently come to the blog just simply bored and tired of scribing about sets, reps, weight, etc. Oh, i won't neglect that part, as that is what this journal was created for, but I do think that I may be adding a little more from the inner cranium of Kate Baird, just for flavor from time to time. So look to be either more enlightened, disgusted, entertained, bored, puzzled, or simply have just a tad more to read on these pages in the coming postings....

By the way, I have been hanging around 180 for the past few weeks. Time to jack it up again....groooann...I wish I could do it without eating, as eating has just become an annoyance for me. Soooo, I best be off to dig into the ginger snap cookies and a glass of milk now...right after I shoot down a bit o' oil and vinegar, of course.

2009

2009-01-01T07:57:00.000-08:00

It WILL be a better year.
Faith - without it nothing pursuable is rewarding.

2009 - I resolve:

to ingest more olive oil and vinegar

to follow my heart but listen to instinct, because instinct is the precursor to reason

That's it. Those two resolutions will guide me enough to a better existence.

Thanks to those who follow my blog - it keeps me going sometimes just knowing I have to check in from time to time.
I could list my competitive plans for the year, but somehow whenever I schedule things, the plans go askew. I will forever be a "winger". I do, however, plan on stepping onstage in Pittsburgh at the Masters Nationals in July. I'm going in as ME this time, that much is a given.

GW and I took almost a week off, and were back in the gym Tuesday for chest, delts, triceps.
Amazing how the sorest spot on me is my lower lats.... not a bad session, actually got some good burning in all of those muscles, but it was not a session out of the ordinary either. The week off was mandatory according not only to my physical self, but to my mental self. I'm not even sure that one week off was enough, but it helped.

SNAP

2008-12-28T06:24:00.000-08:00

I stand amazed.
Certainly we are all aware of my persistent leg tribulations, and my quest to alleviate the problems(s).

Therapy was proving to bring much relief for several weeks. Hope positive - until the past couple of weeks. The pain became a constant, and new pains awakened, such as in my knees where I have never felt it before. I was getting concerned that perhaps I was truly breaking, and coming to a point where I might have to face the end or at least serious modifications of my joys and passions.

Last night I was sitting on the couch thinking about the prevalent and constant pain in my leg. I realized that I needed to stretch and do my other therapies - it is and must be ongoing. I do one particular stretch where I often find it difficult to find just the right pull to my IT band. I was feeling tremendous discomfort and shifting to find just the right position, when "SNAP" - a most uncomfortable popping feeling and sound. It was so intense that I automatically cursed the pain that I thought was sure to follow. However, the most amazing feeling of relaxation proceeded to flow through my left leg. In no way do I believe that this is the end of the problem, but I sit here this morning relaxed as can be.

My goal to get 315 on my back and squat once again by the end of the year may be a lofty goal, as we only have a few days left in it, but damned if I don't have hope anew that yes, I will squat someday once again.

My new year resolution....I dont usually make any, but this year I will. I vow to include more olive oil in my diet. Anyone who knows me very well knows that I'd rather eat dirt than put more fats in my diet, but rather than have all of my hair fall out, among other physical maladies, I will consume.

December 26th

2008-12-26T09:11:00.000-08:00

Apologies for being scarce again. It is December 26th, the day after Christmas, and I can't believe I'm saying thank God I got through it, it is over. I don't know where the spirit of Christmas was this year. I really looked hard for it. I have always been the gladsome Christmas elf spreading cheer and love and happiness etc. etc. I just couldn't seem to find it this go round.
Maybe I just wasn't ready this time. That leaves a cloud of guilt engulfing me, I shouldn't be like this. It really makes me sad. I did spend Christmas with family and friends, that is a blessing.
My son is 15 this year. Having him with me is really all the Christmas I need.

Much has happened recently, this entire year. I don't think I've mourned properly for any of my losses, or for that matter even revelled joyously enough in my gains. I need to stop and sit and just be, turn off the engines for a bit, be still, reflect, before I can gather up properly and soldier forth and have faith that 2009 will be fortuitous. So, before the new year comes, I'm slowing down - even if for a few mere moments, because I have to.

So anyway, what is it with this inflatable Christmas we have these days??? Those big tacky blow up figures in peoples' front yards? What is even worse is when they are are deflated, laying there in big plastic heaps, void of air. Merry Christmas, blow me up -

Enough Bah Humbug - hey?

Jody - I hope you are light and free now. "Silence is the loudest words you'll never say..." I miss you, Merry Christmas.

182 !!!!

2008-12-10T05:11:00.000-08:00

I am up to 182 lbs... yikes! That's insane. I like it! :)

Back day - we did rack pulls from the knee. We hadn't done these in ages. I went up to 605 for 5. That's where I left off, good, no backsliding there. Then we used the T-Bar machine. It is an Icarian. I had never used this one before, and I will never use it again. It was awkward for me, very awkward. I also prefer a close grip on my t-bars, and this machine only has wide grip, so I'm crossing it off my options list.
Rope pull downs - my teres major feels back to normal now.

Biceps - good old barbell exchanges. This is the one movement I absolutely hate but love to do , because it WORKS!

Leg day I was solo. I planned on walking 225 out and doing one set of 10 squats. I did do these, and did them perfectly fine, but my legs have been totally f***d up for the past 4 days. I do not believe it is due soley to the squats, but definitely they had their negative effect. I have an idea in my head about something else that is proably affecting the tightness in my legs. I shall test the waters, so to speak, before I elaborate. I was making good progress with the therapy I had been doing, but, unfortunately, I had been neglectful for a few weeks due to all of the crazy stuff that has happened in my life during the past month +. I need to get back on track.

Did smith machine lunges, sissy squats (free-style), lying leg curls - I actually incorporated a set of 10 10 2 20's into these - OMG! Talk about insane intensity - I can still feel these. Then onto leg extensions and calves - I think donkeys on the machine and seated.

Yesterday's workout wasn't stellar, not terrible but absolutely no zone. I did my standard 230 x 10, 250 x 6, and actually pushed a 280 for almost 4, but there was no zone. The zone is part of the rush of the whole experience. Tried to do a static with 420, but I was laying on an adjustable bench, and my butt was lying upon the space where the bottom and back of the bench separate, so there was no stability there. But, of course, I am going to have to go with the no zone excuse here , too. I held it for a few seconds, but the rabies just wouldn't surface enough for me to own it.
GW strained a pec muscle - not too bad, I hope, but good thing he stopped when he did.
Then I finished with Nautilus declines, internal preses (or KATE presses as we call them for lack of a better name - hah!), reverse press-downs, kick-backs, Nautilus shoulder press and cable wide grip uprights.

I am now off to a festive root canal...sigh... novacaine face for the rest of the day.

Static

2008-12-04T13:06:00.000-08:00

I think younz all know I recently started incorporating static holds into my bench night. Last night wasn't a stellar bench night, considering all the f***ing pain lately and all of the pain killers and now the antibiotics - wasn't too far off, but I didn't feel a groove at all. However, the plan was to do the 400 static, and so I had to do it. GW wouldn't let me back off of the extra 5 pounds. SO here is my first foray with 405, and let me tell you - It is HEAVY! And I loved it way too much. I'm still all warm and fuzzy.
I'm going to start incorporating lots of new stuff into the routine. I want bigger, heavier , more bone crushing weight than ever. Do or die time.
and today - back up to 178.6 lbs.

Innocent

2008-11-29T13:10:00.000-08:00

Words of advice - never, never under any circumstance get a toothache on a holiday weekend...
I'm still a miserable f*** This hit Wendnesday evening, no dentists open until Monday. Mine won't even be back until Tuesday. Why can't they all just get together in localized areas and appoint one dentist to be on call on certain days and weekends....geeeezzzz..
Anyhooo - Eating on Thanksgiving was indeed problematic . Of course I'd chew on the opposite side, but every now and then on the sore side I'd hit tooth against tooth, and pow! There would come the throbbing again. Worked the pain to my advantage however, on Friday. I stopped in at The Training Center to do back and biceps. I was so consumed with pain in the mouth that the pain in training my back was going to be cake. I have always been wary of overloading too high on barbell rows, but as I was in that particular pain induced zone already, I thought what the heck, slap that 300 on the bar. I did 8. HAH! 2 sets. ANd I had to do dumbell rows only because TTC has those dumbells up to 190's. :) :) :)
I still have alittle problem with the teres major with movements where I have to pull down, so obviously pulldowns were a no go.
Hammer Curls with 70's and cable concentration curls.

High School reunion on Friday evening! I forgot how truly wild and crazy I was in high school until we all started reminiscing...HAH! No, I'm not sharing !!! LOL... I do believe I am a whole lot more innocent these days than I was back in those days... LOL!

Happy Thanksgiving

2008-11-26T05:12:00.001-08:00

I am coming back around - seems like I say THAT phrase way too frequently. Life has its setbacks, for sure. Perseverance is vital. I feel pretty good, physically and mentally. I have had to make alot of decisions unexpectedly, but I feel quite comforatable with myself and the directions I aim to move forward in. Away with the show...

GW and I thoroughly trashed our legs Sunday, so well that mine are still screaming, and it is Wednesday. I tested myself with one set of squats with 135 for 10 reps. So far so good! I will try to add weight each time. I am hopeful, but there is still the chance that I may not ever be able to squat again, so hope is my best course. Lunges on the Smith Machine with a box are friggin' killers if you do them properly. We even went as far as high rep sets of 20.

Last night benches. I had been planning to bench on December 06 in a meet, and possibly deadlift, however with the way things have worked out in my life that is not to be. No sweat, there will be more in the future. I was back on track last night, however a little tight in the upper chest and shoulder tie ins. 230 x 10, 260 x 6, 280 x 3. Then static holds - I must have held the 370 for 20 seconds and would haveleft it at that, but felt that it was way too light so I then held a 390 for 10 seconds. Next time is the big 400 for sure...

:). When I get that big weight in my hands, I just get ridiculously giddy. I love it!

I have been a miserable f*** for the past 24 hours due to a throbbing lower left jaw. Of course, it is a holiday and I cant see the dentist today. If anyone has any home tootache remedies PLEASE share. Nothing is working that I can come up with. My dad will get out the cotton balls soaked in whiskey later on today, I'm sure. Whiskey is pretty much the base of the Baird first-aid box. Lol.
Today is Thanksgiving - have a happy, peaceful and blessed day.

11/22/08

2008-11-22T08:51:00.000-08:00

It has been a tough week and a half. I lost my friend and business partner, hence my "job" as well.
If you don't think that kind of stress takes its toll on you physically as well as mentally , think again. I am physically beyond exhausted and mentally drained. So, no gym news, as it has been more like going through the motions just to get through it. I missed a couple of days as well.

My massues commented last week that my right leg was so much more muscular and dense than my left leg. Of course, I had to immediately go home and measure. Sure as shooting, left leg is just a hair under 26", and the right leg is 26 1/4". Now I am self consious and standing with my left leg behind me all of the time! LOL.

My weight is down to 173. It has been hard to concentrate on eating.

So where do I go from here? Hopefully nowhere but upward.

Farewell my friend....

2008-11-13T07:07:00.000-08:00

Farewell to my friend and business partner, Jody Hudson.

Jody, I hope you are finally in a place free of pain.

I miss you.

You taught me so much, in so many aspects of life, as you did so many others.

Peace my friend.

Here I am

2008-11-05T06:28:00.000-08:00

I agree - I've been scarce here lately. I think it is just that sometimes I want to fade away into the woodwork and go about things quietly... oh, I hear the chuckles with that statement, but it is true. However, here I am -

I strained my teres major the other night in the gym. It was more an indirect result of being out of whack from hovering over the computer so much lately. Computer arm, computer neck, computer wrist, computer shoulder... I knew I should have not only stretched everything out before commencing training, but should have seen the chiropractor that morning too. I had absolutely no problem deadlifting - was a little lackadaisacal, but did pull 410, so really no problems there.
Third set of cable rows I felt the pull. Stopped right away. Ended the session right there and then.
Legs were no problem Sunday, of course. Though it is kind of strange how doing Smith machine lunges on a box does not hurt me, as they are technically one legged squats.... but I can't squat????
I did go to the chiropractor Monday ( better late than never). Usually he hates when he has to push on my side to unlock the hips etc, because half the time I don't even move at all. This time, I was much looser, and things moved as they should. A MILESTONE!!! Gives me loads of hope.

GW and I stuck to machines for chest last night, and I focused on keeping any back out of the movements. I did not train shoulders or triceps, however, so as not to pull the pull. I abhor being damaged.

Thank goodness the election is finally over. No matter how anyone voted, we Americans all need to stand together and move forward with a positive state of mind. Times are tough for so many of us now. I am a real estate agent and my pockets are hurting these days. I can only pray that things get better soon....

Perf

2008-10-23T14:47:00.000-07:00

Benching : 240 x 10, 260 x 7, 270 x5, all paused...that all equals up to about a 315 - 320 one rep max.
Oooh, I'm all silly, warm and fuzzy now. PG is on the rise again. I'm also playing around with static holds at the end of the benching again, too. Incredibly perfect, it was.

I have been doing my therapy for my legs like a good girl. It is so time consuming. Friggin' painful at times too. I can't expound on what I am doing out of courtesy, but even after only a few days I think I feel some progress. I got up out of a kneeling position on the floor today rather effortlessly, and THAT is noteworthy. Time will tell -

Congratulations to Big Al Fortney and Andy Sedar, who both set raw deadlift records at the IPA meet in Leesport, PA last weekend. Al in the 308 class with a 675, and Andy in the 242's with a 625. Al was ripe for a 700, but he pulled his hamstring on the lift . Heal up quickly, big guy.
And dont send me any more pictures of the injury - LOL...looks nasty.

Perhaps the Answer -

2008-10-18T08:32:00.001-07:00

I finally met someone who has the same "syndrome" that I have - the leg pain issues. I spoke with him for quite a length of time recently, and I am now on the beginning of a rehabilitative journey and I have high hopes of combating and beating this thing. GOAL = to squat once again. I will keep you advised. It is going to be a lot of time invested and a heck of alot of grueling therapy, but we do what we must do to acheive the results we so desire. J.R. has experienced the same type pf symptoms as I, but even more severe as it sounds. He actually went to the professionals to seek treatment and answers. Thank you J.R. My gratitude for your time, advice and opinions.

Dealifted last night. The bar we used has absolutely NO knurling on it, so the hardest part was keeping grip on it. I think my callouses are 4 times thicker today than they were at the start of training last night - LOL. Oh well, I suppose holding a real deadlift bar will be all that much easier come meet day - ???!!! Maybe I should use that decisive theory with my benching, too.

Only went up to 370 x 6 on deadlifts last night. I actually have a kind of "plan" this time, instead of winging it. Shrugs and cable rows and machine pullovers. Biceps - inward hammer curls (went up to 80's on the third set) and machine preachers. It was a very good session - yes. I didn't feel all that much pump, but we hit hard and pretty heavy, and THAT, my dears, is what I like!
I am sooo glad that Midway Fitness Center has the big whirpool. It is very therapuetic , not to mention relaxing. So I soak in it after almost every workout...aaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhh.

Bizzy

2008-10-16T06:36:00.000-07:00

I have been negligent on posting here - so sorry. Bizzy ...no money, but bizzy....

AS far as training, I'm just kind of sliding in to things since that miserable cold. Workouts have been good, but not stellar by any means. I have been training with some "fresh blood" (insert evil laughter here) lately, which always ignites a new spark of motivation in me. Cowboy Rob has been training with GW and I frequently, and Paul (no nick name yet) - was in for legs the other day.

Leg day was actually quite swole producing. I usually stick with the Nautilus Duo-squat due to the leg pain issues. Sissy squats - one of my all time favorites, and leg extensions...why, oh why were these ever invented??!!! And leg curls.
Chest day sucked, probably due to the crappy bar we were subjected to use. My plan is to take my personal Texas Power bar in next time.

I'm trying to incorporate some slllllllllooooooooowwww reps back into my training, and lots of pausing on whatever I can.

Hey, got to run - bizzyness is calling -

Gasp

2008-10-08T10:27:00.000-07:00

Still trying to shake the last remnants of this wicked cold thing, but I can finally see that proverbial light at the end of the tunnell.

It makes training so hard when your nose is glued shut and you have to gasp for breath.

I trained legs on Saturday with GW, and last night chest, delts, and tris with "Cowboy Rob".

He knows we trained "easy" last night because I was off, but he CAN keep up. "twas fun Rob - new blood is always a pleasure to break in (insert evil laughter here).

Just for the heck of it I measured my legs about 2 weeks ago

25 3/4.

My weight is hanging around 177 + this week.

First State Power Frenzy 2008

2008-09-30T09:20:00.000-07:00

Mr. anonymous poster - the Nautilus Duo-Squat is an incredible piece of machinery. It is actually one machine that I can use that allows me to work around the pain in my legs. And using it unilaterally allows you to focus on one appendage at a time -always good. We did those full stack last week for 3 sets somewhere in the 15 reps range... I won't be trainng tonight, however.
:( The virus going around has got ahold of me - of course! I get EVERYTHING!!!! At least it waited until after the First State Power Frenzy to release full force on me.

The meet was INCREDIBLE! I DO hold the best meets! Not all my doing - it is because I have the absolutely BEST help. The Dynamo Club out of northeast MD, the Jersey Iron boys, various ANIMALS in the house (Andy Sedar, Boz, Phil, Hoomgar,Big Al) and Len Walker and George Wilson, my right hand men (left hand , too, for that matter)!!!! Rob Haas - you rock, thank you for ALL you did, Justine Dohring as administrative assistant., and Big Al Fortney - "you told me so!!!" HAH! Thanks for wrapping me, and doing 285 lbs. for 35 reps is just SICK SICK SICK!!!Hank Stoklosa for all of the high quality photographs. Big Tone - I don't ever want to have a meet without you there - helping or lifting. You are awesome ( and NOT really that MEAN - lol!!!)
And everyone else who came to help, spot, load, judge, lift, watch...THANK YOU!!!!!

I had a rough morning getting up to the meet - I woke up 45 minutes late - then something in my car exploded on the way up ...me and the boys were covered in this strange white powder...at least my car wasn't on fire like I thought at first! It still runs - have to get that checked. So I was about an hour late, but things still ran perfectly and seems everyone had fun.

I actually managed to bench press - I wavered back and forth on that all the way up until time to roll. But I managed a friggin' easy as cake 280. I wasn't sure whether I wanted to go for the 300, or go for the 3 for 3. I had never achieved 3 for 3 in the bench at a meet before. I played it conservative and went 3 for 3. Get over one hump at a time, I say. I did go for the 300 on the fourth, but no steam left to lock that out. It is funny watching the clips of me finishing the lift then literally RUNNING back to the microphone.

I really just wanted to be able to hear myself say "Kate Baird, you are in the hole"...LOL!!

That's Big Al wrapping my wrists, even though you can't see his face! And Big Tone Barbaccio hitting a 750 bench. What a great time! No, I do NOT make but a pittance from these meets. I do it because I love it. I truly love it.

Spent

2008-09-21T14:14:00.000-07:00

This was supposed to be a continued saga, but, hah!, I forget what I did the other night, other than the benching. Standard 230 x 10 stuff. I apologize. If I wait more than a day or two, The details just fade away.

Sunday - and I'm STILL feeling damaged from leg day. Someday I will squat again, dammit....somehow, someway....My hips got all wacked out too, so when it came time to do back yesterday, I wasn't feeling much like pulling on anything. GW wanted to do rack pulls, haven't done those in a loooong time. Gw was having a bit of an off day, as well...We just kind of warmed up , kind of, then got to 585, which didn't want to sit in my hands. Thing just fell out of my hand after 2...nothing else to do but try it again. Now, I hate it when people gather around to watch me lift -spying from afar is not so bad, but when they come over and sit down to watch, like spectators, and I tell them I hate being watched but they don't leave, what am I going to do? Anyhooo. I pulled the thing for 3. It wasn't the right groove - my hips and legs were so tight. I just couldn't get that proper range of motion and groove....oooooh well. Then we dropped it to 495, but it was like my upper body was pulling up and my lower body was strainingin the opposite direction. lol.
It sucked - it didn't move. THAT's what is called spent.
Cable rows - 180 x 10 felt like a ton, then I mistakenly left the stack at 225 after GW. I got 10...placebo effect. Ha. So I guess leaving it at that weight was to be for set #3.
Nothing else exciting in this session - machine pulovers, DB shrugs, Hammer curls and Nautilus machine curls.

I'm kind of irate at the moment. The Steelers are playing the Eagles right now, but what do they televise here? Ravens... :( gdmfsob

Next Saturday is The First State Power Frenzy at The Training Center in New Castle DE. Hosted by none other than....well, you know who - e-mail me for info. The day looks to be a POWERFUL Frenzy!!!

Oh, "Mr. Anonymous comment poster" who suggests that the adductor and abductor machines need to be scrapped...no, no, no . Dude, it's not a thigh master - the machines both have their benefits. Break down and use those girly machines in the right way, and you too can build muscle with them.

To be continued....

2008-09-18T17:08:00.000-07:00

Lessee...

Yes, that word is in my dictionary, just as 'swolt; is, and 'relax' isn't....
What did I do on back day the other day? Barbell rows. I believe a 225 x 15, then 275 for 2 sets of 6. For the life of me I can't remember what else GW and I did ...??? I remember we both dressed in grey and lime green. I should have taken pictures. That was creepy.
For biceps I remember we did the barbell drop exchange again, as we have been doing every other week for the past few months. It really is hard for me to admit that reps have been working to grow my arms past that 15 and a half inch sticking point... but reps are working...groannnn. I said it.

Younz all know I hate reps. (All you people from the Pittsburgh area know that 'younz' is a real word, too). OK - I have to admit that I measured my arms recently,even though I said I never would. 16"..and that is on a non-arm training day, so they weren't 'swolt' or (even 'swolled').

Leg day....The pain in the sides of my legs had been kind of quiet lately, luckily. That is most likely due to NO squatting, and lots of massagees and stretching (not enough, but still alot).
We are trying to find a good "big" growth movement here at Midway Fitness as an alternative to squats, since I am unable to squat. The Hammer Strength Leg Press really worked well, but we don't have one of those here like The Firm Fitness Center does ( notice I give props to those who are good to me?) . There is this machine, I guess it is called a Squat Machine (?) made by Parmount...I call it the Thing...I cannot even describe it briefly enough in words, but most people at the gym look at it and shy away. If they even venture to try it, they never come back to use it again...It is God awful brutally hard to use. However, if it weren't for the leg issues, I would use it. GW and I tried it, but it brought back the pain issues, so we'll have to find something else to torture ourselves with. Three sets WRECKED me.We did use the Hammer Strength Deadlift machine next. Good Stuff. I LOVE this machine. Then dumbell hamstring curls and adductors and abductors. Then standing calves on the Nautilus Multi-machine and seated. My legs are NOT happy... :(. Oh, I measured those too. 25 1/2" un-pumped. Still, because of their shape, they need to be BIGGER to look bigger...does that make sense???

Just for the record, I love the new Metallica CD. Alot of old die hard Metallica fans don't like it, I hear...I love it.

OK - I'm tired and I dislike long posts, so I'll continue on to tonight's session tomorrow...

Horsing Around

2008-09-12T11:15:00.001-07:00

Interesting week for training, for sure.

I am sleeping well,but I keep waking up feeling as if I got little to no sleep at all. Methinks it is allergies, but what do I know?

GW had called and said he couldn't make it Tuesday eve to the gym. That had made me happy at first, as I was looking for an excuse to not have to go in to the gym, but then I couldn't deal with that thought, so I think I got dressed three times Tuesday eve before I finally dragged myself to the gym. It was rainy and humid, hence the air was super wet and thick as proverbial pea soup inside the gym. My brain was still at home lying on a pillow on the couch. My good ol' buddy Sean was there when I arrived working his legs on the leg press, so I joined him.
I wound up doing four sets, three of which were paused reps on the Hammer Strength leg press.
YIKES!!! I got my swole on after the very first set. It was noticeable, too, visually. (Again, let's talk At Large Nutrition RESULTS!)Then onto reverse dumbbell lunges. GW doesn't like lunges, so, as usual, I like to do things that he dislikes when I train without him. They were brutal, but I think pedal pushes in the air would have been brutal after the leg pressing! Lying leg curls - regular, then a drop set, then a super slow rep, then 3 sets of duck squats...oh, and seated calves and standing calves.
It always boggles me that I can have the most intense and effective workouts when I am soooo listless when I first walk in. It is now Friday and my legs are still WRECKED! I had a massage yesterday and the soreness is especially deep down in there. They are coming along, my quads, they are.

Last night we made our way back to Midway Fitness in Rehoboth Beach, DE to train. It kind of feels like returning home from being overseas or something - LOL.
I didn't expect much, since I was dragging around all day again, had an hour and a half deep tissue massage in the late morning, and my legs were still feeling as if they were lead pillars, but heck, I was going to be fine.
Actually, whilst warming up, the bar felt pretty heavy. When I got to 230 x 1, I thought that a set with 230 was going to be way too much for me... nope! I hit a terrific 230 x 10. Where DID that come from???!!! Perfect groove, perfect pauses, just perfect. I don't know, but let's run with it. 280 x 3...not bad, Miss Kate... so why not see if I can still hit a 300....
Yes, I can! GW decided to pull a couple of people in the room to check me out, which made me nervous because I certainly didn't want to have to "perform", and my friend Cowboy Rob was there.... But I did it, good job, 2 count pause, locked out and held for a few seconds.
I got all warm and fuzzy from that because I have been wondering for awhile now if I could ever get PowerGoddess to come back. She is back.
Nautilus decline presses,high cable crossovers, Nautilus shoulder presses, lateral flyes, cable press downs, and dips! Then into the majical whirlpool for a hot steamy soak before returning home.
Needless to say - chest, shoulders, and triceps are WRECKED today ! Coupled with my legs, I am pleasantly sore all over :)

Let me give a shout out to my friend and local Cowpoke Rob - (hah!!) I knew you would be in the gym when I saw and almost stepped in horse kickey outside of the gym in the parking lot before I walked in...no, wait, maybe that wasn't horse kickey - I didn't see your horse.... Anyhoooo- good to finally meet you in person!

Rested : )

2008-09-06T10:54:00.000-07:00

What magic a week of rest can produce! I won't say I feel inceredible beastly strong after a week's rest, but I do feel RESTED! Imagine that - an almost surreal feeling to me. Rested, and I do like it.
I know I swore off benching and deadlifting and all those big power movements for awhile, but I can't help myself. Those are the movements I love. So I lied - punish me!

So we benched Thursday eve, GW and I. It was a PERFECT groove. I don't get that sheer perfect feeling often, but it felt oh, so right. I was able to hold the pause for the 2 count on all my reps. 230 x 9, 250 x 5, 230 x 7... I'm not so wound up about the strength levels, which were ok, but the groove was, well, grrrooovy. Everything else felt good,too.

This morning we deadlifted. I felt the wrath of sinus pain and pressure all morning long, probably due to allergies, almost felt like a hangover, but I had a hankering to deadlift. Part of me was opposed to deads, GW certainly wasn't jumping up and down at the prospect of deads, but deadlift we did. My first set sucked because I picked the bar up crooked. But I commenced to two sets of 370 x 5. I could of pulled 6 on those sets, but I didn't want to over exert, though I'm not sure what I was saving myself for. I was just wimping out.

The rest of the session went well. Barbell shrugs, and T-bar machine rows, and Rope pull thingies (technical term) and damn it I forgot to do hip flexors! We did rope pulls for biceps then down the rack hammer curls, which proved to be quite an aerobic escapade. Doing biceps isn't supposed to be aerobic...

It was a very wet atmosphere in the gym today - Hannah is hovering above us right now, and when it is humid outside, unfortunately this gym feels twice as humid inside.

Yes, Tropical Storm Hannah is here right now. It is really raining out there and gusting winds about 60 -70 mph. I love walking in warm strong winds, so hopefully the rain will subside soon and I can get out there and exhilerate myself in the wind. Storms are dangerously beautiful, aren't they?
I ate a peanut butter sandwich today. I do eat peanut butter almost daily, but sans bread. I haven't had a PB sandwich in years - many years. It was yummy. I am not a jelly person.
I usually slather the pb on my MetRX Chocolate Crunch bars...now that is gourmet!

I am hanging about 172 -173.

inactive REST duty

2008-08-31T09:36:00.000-07:00

We are taking a week of rest from the gym. No injuries, just need to do that every now and then. One step backward - several steps forward.

Here is the Zacheroo I spoke of a few times . He left us to go back to school in Indiana. Hey Zach, we missed you the other night! Keep Lifting! I want to see you in the racing pool in London in 2012!

I am starting to feel FRENZIED!!! The 3rd annul First State Power Frenzy is now 4 weeks away. This one is definitely going to be a FRENZY! I promise you that! It is being held at The Training Center in New Castle, DE. You can find an entry on http://www.apa-wpa.com/, or e-mail me for details. All signs indicate that there will be some big lifts at this event, and lots of FUN...one is not even allowed to compete at my meets without having FUN! If you are a sourpuss - stay home. And if you can't tolerate fair judging - stay home. My judges, if not certified -and several are - including myself, are at least active competitive powerlifters and are very competent in judging fairly and correctly.

Congratulations to Lori Steele for winning her class at The North Americans last night. She is a little fireball, for sure!

I am hanging right around 172'ish - I gave up the Little Debbie cakes this time around. I am substituting Jello Pudding Snacks and frozen coconut fruit bars... I've lost my "sweet" tooth, and the Debbie Cakes are just too sweet for me any more. I have to figure away to add more calories into my diet without noticing, as eating is once again become a chore...BIG is the word this time.

My plan is to do a smaller show sometime early next year, and then onto the Masters.

And for certain people who actually have the balls to tell me my "work ethic" as a bodybuilder isn't up to snuff - I scoff. You know who you are...and if you truly believe that, then, and I will put this politely, you are wrong. The proof is always in the pudding, as they say, (not Jello Pudding - hah!) and instead of elaborating on your obviously uneducated statements...I'll just show you with results in a few months down the road.

Medius Maximus

2008-08-22T12:59:00.000-07:00

I finally have to admit - I'm on the BIG side now. I weighed in at 172.8 yesterday. I had a photoshoot last Friday afternoon. I keep looking at those pictures saying "Holy Moly - is that big broad me???!!!" I still have veins poking through in my biceps and striated shoulders and triceps...YIKES! No six pack in the ab department, but HECK! Those stay covered up for the most part anyway - who cares!!! Well, OK, I care... but it is only temporary. I have a 2 pack!

If I can maintain my upper body right where it is through to next year, I'll be happy. My legs, however...They are not small - but it always comes down to the friggin' shape, a uniquely shaped gam, and they need to be extra big to WOW. Speaking of shape -

I was watching the Olympic track and field games last night. They were showing clips of sprinter

Tyson Gay, and I thought to myself - That is one BIG butt! His gluteus medius is H_U_G_E!!!! Then I thought to myself - I am shaped just like him! That's the same butt I have! I don't know why I brought that up, except to say that I do need to find a way to shave some of that gluteus medius off. To me, it is disproportionately HUGE!!! Might be a good thing I cannot squat!

The Hammer Strength Leg Press does indeed keep the stress on my thighs rather than my glutes. I had this "wonderful" idea that GW and I should do pause reps with that machine the other night. My legs are still sore from that escapade - i can't wait to do them again! If you have never used that machine - it starts you in the down position, the initial push off is the hardest part. You have all of the weight stress upon you when your legs are extended. Why in the world it was not designed with a lever ?????

But a couple of sets of those paused suckers will be sure to bloat anybody's legs!

Last night I winged through my chest, delts and tris by myself...all alone. That is when I take the time to do all of the exercises that GW absolutely hates and won't do. I'm really out of practice jumping the dumbells up from my thighs to my chest - LOL...well, not really funny. I just about killed myself last night in the process!

I know I keep touching on this subject, however, At Large Nutrition - RESULTS... the stuff is really good stuff. I mix up a drink and sip it throughout my workout. Every time I use it I get such an incredible swollen feeling. Me likes!!!

Alright - one teaser from last Friday:

I will give younz another teaser - next time I have my picture taken I'll look a little different...but I'm not saying why just yet!!! GIGGLE :)

And FURTHER more....

2008-08-15T16:21:00.000-07:00

Those that know me well know that I hate TYPOS - spelling and grammatical typos - I abhor them! So, my last post I reread after posting and caught it - the word FARTHER should be FURTHER! I used to excel in English and I was a proofreader for a couple of years. Couple that with SPELLCHECK and there should NEVER be any typos in my postings, right????!!!

This week was mostly high reps with medium weight. Wednesday Zach and I trained without GW. We both showed up in a sluggish state. Zach and I decided to go for lots of reps really fast, so we plugged on through the workout on high speed. My shoulders and triceps felt like they were going to split open and send muscle fibers and blood splattering everywhere. They were swolt to the MAX!!! I can't remember exactly what we did, and not sure it matters.

Tonight, back and biceps night - GW and I did lots of reps again. My muscles have been feeling very "depleted" lately. I'm surprised that they got so pumped and full of blood again.
I have been drinking the AtLargeNutrition Results, and I have a suspicion that the stuff is actually Good Stuff!

I did stop taking vitamin supplements several weeks ago, because of my sensitivities to certain supplements and my insomnia, I thougt it might be best to "dry out" for awhile. I could tell, however, when I went to the dentist the other day for a check-up and cleaning, that when my gums bled so heavily from just a typical scraping that I was in need of some serious vitamin replenishment. I started taking some again yesterday in small doses.

Here is a picture of me after our workout tonight.

I hadn't measured any of my bodyparts in God knows how long, but I measured my biceps for the heck of it this evening. They looked as if they have grown in the past few weeks, and, by cracky, they have!!! They are, officially, now for the first time, larger than my calves! Not good - they have always been the same size...now I have to bring the calves back up!
No, I am not going to state how big either measured. They are as big as they are.
I hate when people get caught up in measurements...however, they are pretty big! LOL!!! Heck, I weighed in at 171.2 at the gym tonight - I gained about 15 pounds in 4 weeks... YIKES!!!

Last Saturday I went to lunch with the "gals" at Kelly's Logan House in Wilmington, DE after the DE State bodybuilding pre-judging. Here we are- in order- figure competitor Nicole Fisher, Powerlifter Teri Mangini (front), bodybuilder Colleen Mahoney-Sgro, bodybuilder Justine Dohring, and ME(whetever I am) ...Colleen was on a diet for the Team U, but those other women, GAWDDD...can they EAT!!!

August 10, 2008

2008-08-10T14:16:00.000-07:00

This week has been a good week - the best part about it was the 5 straight nights in a row of sleep! Unfortunately, my streak ended as last night I had to resort to "magical aid", but seriously - the last time I had that much sleep was probably back in April...that's a long miserable time!

Sleep is my FAVORITE DRUG! Without it, I fall apart.

CONGRATULATIONS to my friends Andy Sedar and Michelle Schanz. They both competed for the first time at the DE STATE Bodybuilding competition yesterday.

Andy placed first in the Men's Novice HWT and Overall

and 2nd in the Men's Open contest HWT and 1st in the Men's DE State HWT

Michelle placed first in several categories in figure!

They both looked INCREDIBLE!!!

Hopefully we will be seeing both of them up on the posing dais again! I am soooo happy for both of them! Many of us have followed Andy's journey through his thread on the animalpak.com forum. (see "McFly's Journey") I have had the opportunity to train with Andy, and know how damned hard he trains, and how he puts EVERYTHING into each rep.

Michelle- it is hard to believe she has never competed before. She has the "X" factor to do very well in figure if she pursues it farther.

Power Goddess is starting to come back around to the gym - she showed up unexpectedly Wednesday on chest, delts, tris night. I almost didn't bench because of some aggravation up around my right clavicle area, but I did...I did 230 x 7 and thought that was good considering everything...

the next set I got into a groove and did 230 x 10. OK - well where did THAT come from??? Because I certainly didn't feel like gangbusters. Third set I did another 230 x 10!!! They were all certainly passable in any powerlifting meet.

Zach trained with GW and I again. He's fun to train with. He let us in on the fact that he is actually an Olympic caliber swimmer who almost made it to the Olympic trials this year, but he hurt his back several months ago and that put a damper on everything. Wow...poor guy. I know what it's like to pull my back out a week prior to a powerlifting meet, and not be able to compete, but then there is going to be many power meets to choose from over the course of several months, so you just suck it up and move on. The Olympics only come up once every four years. Well, Zach - keep up the weight training and it will only make you that much stronger,better, and faster for next time you have the opportunity to go for it!

Friday for some Godforsaken reason I decided that we should deadlift. I went for 320 x 12, and then 370 x 6...my form looks good to any trained eye, however, it's not my usual form - sluggish is the best way I can describe it. I am still trying to catch up to myself from sleep deprivation, but I do have hope now! I have to mention that the air in the gym is HEAVY - lead iron bags of rocks HEAVY. The air conditioning is on, but the humidity is still incredibly high. Breathing is difficult. I don't usually sweat very much, but these days in the gym I sweat rivers... it is hard.

I was up to 166.8 this morning. I've been eating alot, eating cleanly - but alot. My body is soaking up food like a sponge. I am laying it all out this time - BIG is the key word... watch Kate grow!

Rest in Peace Isaac Hayes -

Posted August 04 2008

2008-08-04T04:42:00.000-07:00

I am still not sleeping everynight, more like every other night or so. Sleep deprivation has drained SO MUCH 'joie de vivre' out of me. I miss my self.
I found this moniker on a forum the other day (forum.ANIMALPAK.com - yes, that's a plug).
I thought it so appropriate to my state of mind and physical being these days that I wanted to share it:

I am broken, battered, beaten down. I am tired and near defeat. But I will wage the fight one more day, and one more after that.

Keep on keepin' on....

It's been a whole entire week and I haven't benched, deadlifted or squatted! How long can that last????I've kept my reps high(er) for the most part and I'm into savoring the feeling of the whole groove of each rep... I got an incredible 'swole on' Wednesday evening. Maybe that was partly due to the AT LARGE NUTRITION RESULTS (another plug) GW and Zach did benches, but I opted for incline dumbells. I only went up to 100's - that was pure sapped of strength levels rather than wanting to keep the reps higher - honestly they weren't all that high at 5. Those are 90's in the picture. I kept the other two sets at 90's x 8. We all did decline db's for 3 sets and I forget what the third movement was....?

Shoulders we did one armed lateral raises. I like using a kettlebell for these. This is still one of my all time favorite exercises, and I can go all day doing these if you let me...We did upright row-pull in thingies...(technical term). Those should have been done on back/trap day rather than chest/delt day...and I think my traps are STILL feeling the wrath of those. Holy heck!
Triceps we did dumbell skull crushers and I forget what else...that's what happens when you wait 5 days to blog. I obviously do not keep an 'official' workout log, other than this blog.

Saturday was one of the most humid days of the year. The gym was void of enough oxygen to go around...breathing was rather difficult even before we commenced training. Once we began our breathing was quite labored to say the least. It must have been the combination lack of air and valium hangover ,(my current sleep aid) for me but I felt very close to puking during much of the workout. (just thought I'd share that lovely thought with you). We started with Reverse grip barbell rows. I need to hit that lower lat area as much as I can . I'm concentrating on bringing out the lowest part of my lats. I don't think my upper back is lacking as much as my mid-back area. Did 225 x 15, 275 x 6, 225 x 13. After those - one armed cable rows from the bottom cable. I haven't done those in years. I usually do cable rows from the top . The bottom is a much more difficult movement, at least for me - I love this movement. Stiff armed pulldowns next. GW did regular db shrugs. I did more of a lat movement, where you actually try to do a lat spread while holding the dumbells.
The real reason for that was that my traps were still in agony from Wednesday!
Biceps - I still don't enjoy doing biceps, but I actually think they have added a smidgeon of thickness to them as of the late. We did incline kettlebell curls, and regular hammer curls.

I'm not eating enough. It is hard to stuff my face when it is so hot out. I keep reaching for cold fruit and popsicles, not exactly foods to beef up with. I'm hanging around 163.

I want to give a great big shout to my friend Andy Sedar who will be competing in his first show this coming weekend - The Delaware State. I haven't seen " McFly" in about 5 weeks or so, but I hear he is looking "spot on". I know the man has the drive, determination, and the heart it takes to do well in bodybuilding. He is also trained by the incredible Big Al Fortney. I hope to be able to make it up to see Andy kick some glute up on stage this weekend. GO ANDY!!!

Oink

2008-07-31T14:02:00.001-07:00

Back to eating, gaining size, getting to be a big Kate again - I am the wishy washy woman...no? yes.?..well, no, not really. I'd stick to my decisions if the powers that be let me...but I have to follow the powers that be.

I have revealed that I look for "signs" in my life. Signs to show me direction, answer my questions, guide me - Sometimes they are very quiet, and I have to search high and low and sometimes I miss them. Sometimes they are loud and clear, and sometimes I want to do everything in my power to avoid the callings...and sometimes I am forced to stop dead in my tracks and just admit that this is what I must heed to, this is my calling, this is my purpose. I have been alerted in many ways recently, and I have been given several signs. I have been given one sign in particular that I shall relinquish myself to, and follow through and not look back - no questions, no doubts, no fears....

Monday was leg day. No squats, of course, :( :( :( And gosh by golly no leg extensions for me either as they aggravated my leg. I used the Hammer Strength leg press, which my head still hates but gosh, my legs absolutely love it.

And sissy squats - i was surprised I was able to do those, but very thankful as they are always one of my favorites. The first day I ever trained with weights I was shown the sissy squat. Maybe it's a sentimental love of the exerercise, but I honestly feel they work for me very well.

I promised my friend Justine Dohring that if she won her class at the Junior Nationals I would go out for a high fat milkshake with her . Well, she won the lightheavies - and very deservedly so.

She, as they say proverbially, 'brought it' to the stage in Chicago. Anyone that knows me even a little, knows I am very anal about eating anything high fat - it is like poison to me. But I broke down, I paid up and had the milkshake. And this is what happened to me

OINK

And here is dear Justine about to devour her rasberry and pistachio ice cream cone

and then she turned into a goat...what's up with that dairy farm ice cream?

Signs Signs Everywhere a Sign...

2008-07-24T05:55:00.000-07:00

Last night we had someone join us for training. Zach - all 6'3' 195 lbs of him. GW and I didn't go real heavy, but we took Zach from a 200 max to a 280 in one workout. Good job, dude! A couple more workouts and a little more confidence and practice with technique and three plates will be going up easy as pie, guaranteed. Amazing how some people can never get quite that right arch in their bench, then this dude arches like the best of them right away. Maybe because there is so much of him to arch! lol -
It's always fun getting new ENTHUSIASTIC blood in the mix, because it amps me up, too.
GW was still a little worn out from Saturday, and, of course, I'm ALWAYS worn out these days, so we stayed with higher reps last night. I know, I know...Reps usually suck, but last night it was ok. I actually liked the feeling of being full of blood and pumped up...full even though I was down to a skinny lil' 156.8 yesterday morning!

Yes I got the "sign" I was looking for. I sure did. If you continue to read the blog, you will quickly realize in which direction I am headed. Things have been in front of my face for some time, but it is so hard sometimes to read things properly.Sure....I could be wrong about this again, but I don't think so, I truly don't think so....stay tuned!

Wallow

2008-07-21T17:05:00.000-07:00

Don't anybody talk to me and try to influence me - I have got to find a sign somewhere. Tea leaves, clouds, Magic 8 Ball...there has to be a sign somewhere that will show me what decision to make.
I asked God, but as of yet he hasn't shown me anything apparent enough to read, if he has shown me anything at all.... I truly believe in signs, you just have to know how to read them. Is there something I am missing right in front of me?
I went to the gym, and it came back and got me this evening- the leg pain. the left leg - I've been taking care of it doing what I think I should be doing, but it got me tonight in a very bad way. Last week I had no problem with the 370 squat. I knew I could have done two consecutive, but didn't, so this week I was going to do those 2. The 320's s went down and came back up perfectly. No problem. I went down with the 370 and the best way I can describe it is like the tension on something just before you are about to snap it in half...couple that with a hard pain, not sharp, not throbbing, but hard.
My right side wanted to push that bar up, but the left one - no fucking way. I was down, and if wasn't for GW, I wouldn't have come back up.
So I'm looking for the sign - I've either got to drop the weight to be able to pursue the squatting, or I'll retain the size and shape and even grow again, but squat no more....
Maybe I'll flip a coin in the morning...I don't know... I'm upset and very beside myself right now.

Signing off to go wallow -

APA Linestate Open

2008-07-20T05:00:00.000-07:00

GW - Congratulations! I am soooo proud of my training partner ! He was able to set a new DE state record in the raw Master's V 220 and Master's V Open 220 with a 500 deadlift. GW played it conservatively - he opened with 435 then I think he went to 480 then the 500. He opted to try the 535 on a fourth attempt (which would have been a World Record in his division and weight calss). His 500 was ridiculously easy looking. The 535 was coming up really good until about knee level, it slowed and even stalled a bit and then he dipped it jusy an inch or so before continuing up, however he did stick with it and locked it out. If he had taken that 535 on the third attempt it would have been good, of that I'm sure. But he did pull three picture perfect deadlifts...sans a belt, I might add. GW, stop being so stubborn break that friggin' lifting belt out of the trunk of your car puhhhhllease! We'll get you to 550 very soon! He also got Best Deadlifter by formula! GW GWilikers!!! You rock!

The meet was the APA Linestate Open in California MD. It is about a 3 hour drive from us, so it made for a long day, to and from, albeit a fun day. I sat in the judges chair all day long, for all three lifts. It was a good meet.....I don't know. I shouldn't drag stuff like this out in the open, maybe I should have been the head judge, but I opted not to be.

This part has been edited out, a decision by me and soley me. Even though I and many others may disagree with someone's opinions, I do apologize for being publicly discourteous. I should not be publicly airing certain tings. I will, however, leave the below comments standing for my own personal comic relief, and perhaps yours!

Anyhoo - it was a great meet, and there were several lifters that I know that were competing -
Len Walker(good to see him up on the platform even though he was a little off this day), David Poole, Chris Mitchem, Darren ?? , Good job all!!!!

And even with being in the judge's chair all day but not competing, yes, I had a heck of alot more fun than I would have primping all morning then hanging backstage for hours just to prance around on stage for a few seconds at the Masters NAtionals. It looks like the competition was FIERCE however, by the lineup and pix I've seen.

Frizzy Squats

2008-07-16T18:46:00.001-07:00

I went to the gym alone last night, GW had work commitments. I was ok with that, as I felt a need for "deload", time to back off a little on the bench work. Nobody to give me the extra inspiration to push a little harder,... so, Heck, why am I so very sore today??/I am supposed to be refreshed and recovered! NOT! I played with the kettlebells. I love kettlebells. Just played like a kid. Actually I had the whole gym to myself for most of my workout. It was all spiritually kettlebell...

AND yes! I have been getting some sleep this week. Enough talking about it because i don't want the experience to fizzle out. No bad karma, please.

So legs day was Sunday - I have been thinking about squatting quite incessantly as of the late - like - how am I ever going to do it again with all of these "hurdles"...I am constantly analyzing, and find myself picking up the broomstick at odd moments throughout the day and throwing it upon my shoulders to practice squatting in different ways. I was going to get back under the bar and just walk it back just to keep acquainted with the bar, but my mind changed when I was under the bar. I had to HAD to try to see if my idea for squatting had any bearing and effect on my leg pain. Soooo - I squatted. Happy to report that my change up worked for the positive. Now, bear in mind, lack of sleep still had me void of energy reserves, though I know the strength is not gone - big strength is still waiting to burst back out, but the energy reserves...still hard getting through the day without working out... but I did 320 for 6 and 370 for one...and since I know there was two in me, and I wussed out on the last one as I usually do, I had to immediately go back and do 370 again. No knee wraps - going to leave those off as much as I can for awhile to come.
I brought my stance back to the way I used to squat = very, very narrow. Takes the emphasis OFF of the hips and outer thighs and puts it back on the front of the leg and alot of gluteus medius and hamstrings, of course. The front of my thighs are still crying tonight! Of course, the 10-10-2-20's that I threw in for "fun" on the leg extension machine might have something to do with the soreness too - Hah! Big Al and Andy will love to hear I did those! I also changed back into my Harley boots, with a heel, rather than the flat shoe. With the arch supports my weight is more evenly distributed and I'm pushing from my heels still, even with a heel on the shoe, and not falling forward.
Narrow squatting makes it harder to get past parallel, for me, but now when I do my squat, and when I think I'm far enough down, I say to myself, "not far enough", and go just a tad more, so if they aren't deep enough then my hair isn't frizzy.... ..

I see too many bodybuilders have "luck" at shows - good AND bad, so, I'm saying "May all the preparations you put into this show prove to be your best efforts yet and so shall ye be duly rewarded" to my friends competing at the Masters Nationals this weekend - Jack Osborne and Marlene Churchill-Wolverton are going to kick some glute! And Pam Franklin is looking incredible through photographic documentation, she's very underrated and I hope she gets looked at by the judges this year.

Rise up and Fly

2008-07-11T13:09:00.000-07:00

Sleep is still evasive, but I did manage to get the doctor to prescribe me what I think works for me...actually I KNOW it works for me. Doctors don't like that - you telling them what you need, but I tried his suggestion and it didn't do much good but make me a drowsy zombie during the day. It got me to sleep, but didn't keep me there. I'd rather have a harder time getting to sleep but stay there once I'm there. Fragmented sleep is just as detrimental as no sleep at all. I did get to a really dangerous point for a while. I understand brainwashing.

Anyhoooo, in the midst of walking around in this zombie like condition, Power Goddess decided that she was going to make a couple of brief visits this week. Most notable - I deadlifted last night. I wasn't going to, especially since last week's session was so bad that I quit and didn't even bother finishing the workout. I didn't train Sunday either - what was the point of even trying in a critically useless state, potential for injury... I didn't even want to bring it up, but I only did 320 for 2 last week, and that was a struggle...crud, I was almost ready to submit to the notion that my peak was over, and the platform was no longer a viable goal. Might have had to go back to the notion of being purely a bodybuilder (perish that thought), because bodybuilders can get away with "working around" things, even with lighter weight.
But I was able to get some of that good stuff - sleep, and even though I'm not caught up yet - far from it, I managed a 320 for 10 - I honestly could have pulled a couple more but I decided I wasn't going to have more than a couple of good sets in me energywise, so I needed to save what I had(and you know I hate reps anyway). GW counted a 6 for me on the 370, I only counted 5, but of course I was zoned out someplace else, so maybe he was correct. I always like to take the lower number in question, much unlike other people, because I really don't want to think I'm better than what I am if there is a question. But hey - 370 for 5 or 6 is getting up there close to what was once my best.... then the 410 was laying there looking all evil and taunting me... Were the rabies running rampant enough in my system to do it????
Yeah! Power Goddess is back. Funny how for so long you listen to someone else tell you how to do something, and you don't trust your natural instinct enough to make that one little change.
I made one little change in my deadlift technique and it has made all of the difference in the world. Look for bigger numbers whenever I get this sleep thing entirely on a roll. I really should have listened to myself on this one a long, long LONG time ago. Sometimes people fill your head with garbage though, and you really don't know how to filter out the good from the bad, the right from the wrong. You get garbage in - you get garbage out.

Soooo - looks like some big changes in store for me in the coming few months. A major company wants to sponsor me and move me out to this wonderful warm and tropical location, of which I'm not really allowed to announce the details yet, but it looks like I can finally pull roots up here and move on.

Here is GW and his big ol' hamhocks poking out.
GW is looking good, and will be ready for a big pull next week in California (California, MD, that is...).

And here is you know who ...believe it or not, I actually look alot better than what that picture of me portrays. I've made a few changes in a few variables, again listening to my own instincts, and lo and behold, I am happy with the results - very happy. I'm still hanging anywhere from around 159 - 161 on a normal day. (Harder to MAINTAIN weight than I thought! My body keeps wanting to GROW!!)If I could have would have stuck it out - I'm telling you sure as shooting I would have done very well at the Masters....but, of course, we'll never realize that, because I didn't and I'm not. And I'm ok with that. I'm just not ok with the lack of progress in the powerlifting department.
But I will rise up, and I will fly - again I shall fly

Weenies -

2008-07-02T17:26:00.002-07:00

yes - I've been avoiding posting - again, because i don't have much that I want to talk about, training wise - still not back up to par... :(

sleep is still evasive...I know -WTF??? It has been a looooong time since I had a regular sleep pattern, and I am soooo tired of harping on it - but it is real, and it fucking hurts and its a drag and it suckssssssssssss, believe me... it has messed my entire being around - HOWEVER, there is hope - I got 6 straight hours of sleep last night, somehow, and I keep hoping....

So on back day last week, my left leg still was aggravated, we were supposed to rack pull, but no could do. GW's leg is still aggravated, too. We did barbell rows, always one of my favorite excersises, but not one we do often - and I still had a little aggravation in the leg whilst doing these.

I kept wanting to fall forward from lack of stabilization. Still managed two sets of 275 for six...

Legs, Sunday, we didn't do much but get the blood flowing, because we were still both crippled... :(
we went back to our old haunt, Midway Fitness, to use the Nautilus Duo-Squat, a most wonderful machine....not heavy, but I can certainly work around the spot on my legs that hurts me most. Used the whirlpool, which may be the one part of the gym that I miss the most. Did adductors, and abductors, standing leg curls, I did hip flexors at home.

Tonight - chest - not so bad...I didn't expect much due to the fact that I DID sleep, and I'm NOT used to it. Felt kind of TOO relaxed (damned if I do - damned if I don't....Damn it! :) )

I was at 157 lbs. today....so I was kind of light, but I did manage 280 for 3...after a 230 x 7 and a 260 for 4 or 5.... then 3 sets of Incline Smith machines , 3 sets of "Kate presses"...haha...3sets each of everything else - Hammer shoulder, Lateral flyes, Skull crushers, reverse pushdowns, a few drops sets here and there - not bad at all. When we were done I felt like there were big ol' balloons in my shoulders and triceps, so goal achieved.

hey - look who was back in town :

I just love BIG weenies!!!!!!! :)

And here is another big weenie ....

from a photoshoot today -

Quad Killers

2008-06-23T11:13:00.000-07:00

GW and I drove up to The Training Center to train legs with a few of the guys there. What a crew! Me, GW, Big Al Fortney, Andy Sedar, BJ, Tommy Wooster, Eric ?, Will Patrick and Carrie Simmons.
If we could train with that atmosphere hanging over us all of the time we'd be big ol' monsters!
Unfortunately... GW got a leg cramp and had to stop training quads after a few sets of leg presses. My fucking (I reserve my cursing for when I really need it) leg pain issue has returned!
It was slightly noticable when squatting last week, but yesterday, during set 3 of leg presses - I had to stop. This time I'm going to try continuous and aggressive massage therapy and stretching - I really do not want to get smaller, as I still believe that if I got smaller I can alleviate most of the problem, if not all of it...but even that may not be a guarantee - I like this size, a perfect and comfortable size for me. We'll see how it pans out. It is so fucking frustrating. I couldn't do the squat machine, and I was dying to try that.
I was able to do the leg presses with legs together and placed way down low on the carriage. That hits the bottom portion of the legs, mostly the medialis. It is the outer portion of my quad that has the pain. We also did 3 sets each of leg extensions they call them 10 10 2 20's -
you do 10 reps with a "teaser" weight, then increase the weight and do 10 more hard reps, then drop to a HEAVY weight for 2 reps with a 2 second static hold, and then a light weight for 20...and you are then very glad that you have a somewhat large crew training with you so you can rest up before making those quads scream again.
I was able to do my hamstrings ok, did two movements for them today - kneeling curls and seated curls, and some calves, and I did my hip flexor knee squats...I really like that for it very much simulates the exact hip thrust you should be using in a good squat, and a deadlift.

Yes, that was a good time.

Throw me a Brick -

2008-06-21T09:43:00.000-07:00

At least GW had a great night last night. He hit a PR of 510 deadlift, and he still had some steam to spare. He's going to hit an EASY 550 on July 19th, and possibly more.
Me - I just can't win. Once in awhile I get a full night's sleep, but not enough. Then, what I suppose is the bad karma kicks up when I am lucky enough to be slumbering as I should , like last night. 3:00 am. My son's friends decide to wrestle around on the floor. Hard banging and thumping - woke me up. Then I have to get up and go yell at them and then can't get back to sleep for hours.... always something. The construction crew next door did a drop off at 5:00 am the other morning, after it took me til 1:30 to get to sleep.... those kinds of things.

It is wearing me down, big time. Sometimes I'd like to just stop the world, as the saying goes, and jump off. Have someone throw a brick at my head just to knock me out for awhile....

Rabies in the House

2008-06-16T12:25:00.000-07:00

Y'unz need some pictures for some visual color...BUT - I don't have any. I think I've gotten over the ham stage of my life...sorry. I'm in my camera shy phase...giggle...

Saturday was the Delaware Special Olympics. I was one of the judges for the Powerlifting. There were 13 lifters total, and they were all awesome! You could tell how hard they have all worked, and how much heart they put into it. What a special day for them (and me!).

So Sunday was squat day. I'm still not sleeping as well as I should be, but I did get enough sleep to be able to feel like myself again on Sunday morning. This is the first day since...since I have no friggin idea, really, that I can say that Kate is back. Still getting used to being under the bar, but I was in full come back mode. I was a rabid dog.

I did a set with 320, for 8, I think. Then I had 370, did one and it wasn't quite right, for whatever reason it felt oh, so wrong. I wondered briefly if I had imagined ever having pushed this weight - it was just so wrong. So I sucked it up with 370 again, and did 3 very,very good reps. I wish I had tried for a 4th, but 3 was fine for this day. Used the wraps for the 370's, and then no wraps for 320 for 7.
Then we did 2 sets of Good Mornings! I used to do these all of the time. I think we should start incorporating this movement more frequently into our routine.
3 sets of leg curls - last one drop set.
3 sets leg extensions second set added human tension on the last rep down, and for the last set a drop set.
3 sets each hack calves, and seated calves.

I finally got that "hips forward swing" thing into my squats on the way up.
I weighed all of about 158 on Sunday. I definitely feel best when I'm in the 160 range., not the 175 range. I feel better, so in my mind, I perform better.
Next week GW and I are journeying up to the Training Center to train legs with McFly and Big Al...my plan is to make those boys cry....stay tuned for that one!

ZZZZZZZZ

2008-06-11T10:26:00.000-07:00

I have had four nights of sleep in a row now - which is 2 more in a row than I have had in probably 5 weeks, no exaggerating. People keep giving me advice on how to relax and get to sleep. I appreciate the concerns, but believe me - I've tried it all before.
So I'm still in sub-par physical form, which means my strength levels are still sub-par. I'm still plugging along, yeah I am.
I really don't want to expound on sub-par performances soooooooo...I will say that last night was better than last week. Maybe that was due to the good feeling of actually being ALMOST rested.
250 x 4 on the bench is not much to brag about. However, we were able to get a good swole on!

I haven't had any remorse of changing my mind and not doing the Masters this year, until yesterday, when I was reviewing some previews on some competitors online...but it is not a lot of remorse, just a little. I suppose if my power training was going well I would still haved no remorse..?
Anyhooo - Pam Franklin looks ready for big battles this year, and I'm rooting for Marlene Wolverton, too. I wonder if Kate Cooper will show up this year, and at what weight?

I was going to try to hit the APA meet in California, MD that same day, July 19th, but, ALAS (woe is me!) I won't be ready for that...nuh-uh, no way. Someday it will all come back together, but I'm not hitting that stride yet. Sleep is not overrated.

I've been invited to judge at the DE Special Olympics Powerlifting meet this coming weekend. I am very excited about this. Having had a few competitors compete at some of my own meets that qualify as "Special Olympic Athletes" - their competitive spirit just all comes from the right place - the heart. If we could all learn to lift from the heart....

Wrap It Up

2008-06-02T14:34:00.000-07:00

It doesn't seem like I'm ever in the mood to sit down and type out a few lines for this journal, now, does it? Shame on me - so many of life's "tests" coming at me every time I turn any which way, i can't shake my true thoughts loose enough to scribe.... however, here I am - zoned out, zoned up, in, through and between... what's that mean? It means only that I'm not on any kind of even keel these days.
Let's break down the training this past week, shall we???

Monday 5 p.m.- Benching was screwy. I don't really want to even talk about it.
All I'll say is I still suffer from placebo effect spotting.

Wednesday -5:00 p.m. - we did power rack pulls from about 4 inches below the bottom of the kneecap. I did 3 sets with 405. My first set I wasn't quite sure what the weight was going to feel like, I did 2 and a third but I was falling forward on the last rep. I got in my head now what the weight feels like, since it had been a while that I had this in my hands to pull, and NOT with a deadlift bar today either - lets do a real set - I tried 405 for two more sets, 5 and 6 reps respectively.
On a better day, more reps would be there. Not too bad.
We then commenced to dumbell rows with 150's (that's as high as we have in the gym).
I think it was 12-12-8??? Then 'W's (using the hihg cables pull the cables in with your lats - forming a "w" with your arms and body). 3 sets - couldn't tell you what weight - I don't remember and it is not important. Then shrugs with 150's - I'm not sure how many reps.
Biceps - Seated DB curls with 35's, then 40's, then 40's...don't remember reps. And Hammer preacher machine - 3 sets.

Saturday - 10 a.m. I'm still not used to squatting at 10 a.m. in the morning....Get used to it! I'm trying to keep our schedule mixed up so we don't get used to anything timewise, repwise, exercisewise. It was soooooooo humid in the gym this day. Typically I love humidity. I RARELY ever turn on the air conditioning, and it gets quite humid in southern Delaware. But it was stifling humid, and quite warm, too. Not much air circulation at all this day... (Get used to it, Kate!)
I got out my wraps, because I need to practice wrapping - and I SUCK at it...me, being the Power Princess, I have let someone else wrap me for my whole powerlifting endeavor. I've never gotten as much as some people seem to out of wraps, but this day I said to GW that "I shouldn't be able to walk this easily!"(meaning that the wrap job basically sucked). HOWEVER - I've always said that the wraps let me know that my legs are there, to hold me up, and that's my prime reason for wrapping. I got my first set 320 for 7. Sooo, unless the heat and humidity were really wearing us thin - I didn't get a darned thing out of those wraps (even though they are APT's high quality Black Mambas - yes, that's a plug for my wonderful and kind sponsor). Next 2 sets - 340 for 4 and 5. So yes, I guess it is the humidity and heat....
Proceeded onto 3 sets of leg curls and 3 sets of leg extensions...then 3 sets of seated calves and 3 sets of hack calves. I'd remember the weight better if I posted in my journal on a more frequent basis. (I am trying - I swear!!!)

Back in the Zone

2008-05-24T11:36:00.001-07:00

Today is the day I have been yearning now for a long, long, looong time - I am back in "the zone"...for powerlifting.
It's not as simple as saying, ok - I'm no longer the bodybuilder I'll be a powerlifter.
I spent a year concentrating on bb, then I had 4 weeks + of contest prep - losing 17 pounds...yes, too much in such a short period of time. I had to let my body recoup. And to top that off, all the friggin' typical daily stress has been compounded lately. Without detail, being a Realtor is harder than normal these days for sooo many reasons. I also produced the power meet, even though I love doing that, there were stress factors there - certain unecessary hurdles but I did happen to jump overall. Then the worst part - I had a severe bout of insomnia for almost three weeks. I've slept for three nights in a row now without "aid", and I gather it will take a couple of more nights before I feel "corrected" again. Nothing is worse than sleep deprivation, and unfortunaately I have suffered way too much of it during the course of my life. It is debilitating.

I did deadlift the other night, and it went well, nothing to complain about. I was still hanging at 159 - 160lbs. weight wise, and pulled a 315 for 10. Not my absolute best, but that WILL come back and more.
Today was squats - and I was in the zone. My strength was good, though my technique was/is a little rusty, or maybe I should say my steadiness under the bar is a little off. My depth is hitting better than ever. I did 315 x 7 and 335 x4 twice...still not getting the last rep in, as I typically don't, but I'm ok with that. And I have a great workout partner - GW - he keeps me motivated and he also lets me gloat or rant when I need to...Thanks, George!
The BEST news is: NO LEG PAIN TODAY!!!! I'm determined to stay around 160 for my high-end weight forevermore. I can't perform when i am bigger, and it hurts to boot. Besides, I don't feel comfortable bigger. I'm still eating relatively clean, and am still quite lean. I like this look and how I feel physically.

That's it in a nutshell - will be more detailed as time goes on. So good to be back in the swing of things... I just adore hoisting big iron around, really, I do.

Sleepless in Delaware

2008-05-17T04:14:00.000-07:00

No, I haven't been updating my journal much - there just hasn't been much training going on here.
I took this week off as a de-load week, and I have been suffering through insomnia this week. I swear I'd rather have the flu. I suffer through this horrible plague off and on, it's been an ongoing curse throughout all my life.
But I am hopeful to be able to start elaborating on my training once again next week.
The bodybuilding workouts weren't all that much fun to pick apart and talk about. It seems I have not had a good powerful training session in months -

My powerlifting meet, the APA Delaware Power Classic went off in style last weekend. There were about 25 lifters, all with high spirits and energy and great lifting! The crew that helped me out were invaluable - priceless - golden! And of course the crew at The Training Center - my eternal gratitude.
Again, I was blessed. I also have to thank my sponsors - APT Prowriststraps, Species Nutrition, At Large Nutrition, and House of Pain. I believe everyone had a blast - I sure did!

Where is Kate????

2008-05-06T07:33:00.000-07:00

OK- the longer I put this off the harder it gets...so here is my announcement. I've wrestled with this on and off for quite some time, but the past few weeks I just had to come to grips with this -

I am NOT doing the Masters Nationals this year. There are, in reality, several reasons, but let's just go with the most important one - my heart wasn't into it. My heart is on the lifting platform. I spent the last year focusing primarily on bodybuilding. I went 4 1/2 weeks into official contest prep mode, lost 17 pounds, ordered my suits, picked a song to pose to - but it just wasn't happening deep in my soul....
I made the final decision a week ago, but thought that I would be probably be changing my mind, (again) or at least feel regretful in some way. But no- I feel less so much less burdended. I feel I made the absolute right decision. I feel very HAPPY, almost ecstatic I made this decision. It is like finding an old friend you have missed for awhile because you had to go away. Powerlifting is a whole different mind set than bodybuilding. One I am more mentally suited for, and more physically suited for, indeed.

I do have some ground to make up for from following a different plan over the past year, but I'll get it back - I guarantee you. I am not considering this a waste of time. I have learned many things over the past year, mentally as well as physicaly. There have been some lows, but my spirit prevails and I squeeze out what I can to take a lesson out of everything to continue on to better things. Of course there were some highs, too!

I still have some whittling back down in size to do because of the Compartment Syndrome in my legs - it has lessened to a certain degree now that I weigh 160. The searing pain is gone, but as last night's squatting proved - there is still a major tightness, very uncomfortable, still soreness,running along my outer thighs. You may see me back in the 148's next year. Whatever the case - you will see me on the platform. And I believe I know when the next time will be already ----but I'll wait a few more weeks before announcing that.

Delaware Power Classic is this coming Saturday - I am so psyched up! It is going to be another great event!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Fantastic group of people coming together to lift, to help spot/load, judge, everything looks just right for a good day at The Training Center to heave around some iron. Or, as my son Slater puts it, picking up heavy random bars with big circles on the end.

Real Cardio

2008-04-20T12:26:00.000-07:00

I just bought a brand new piece of cardio equipment today - It's a Cub Cadet. That's correct - a lawnmower. REAL exercise... It always irks me to see people with 1/4 to 1/2 acre sized lawns get on a riding mower, especially after they've been to the gym to workout on the eliptical machine or treadmill. I enjoy cutting grass. My new "lawn" is pretty much the embarrassment of the neighborhood. All of the other lawns in my section of the neighborhood are landscaped very meticulously. Every one has gorgeous flowers blooming- I have weeds and dirt and sticks and a lot of dead leaves still. I did have two flowers.. right smack in the middle of my yard. But they are both dead now...
I mowed over my first snake today! Ooooo - I'm glad I saw it after it was dead, rather than whilst it was still alive and wriggling through my yard. I'm going to go ahead and leave it out to rot...oooo...I'm not touching it (lest ye didn't think I was very girlie - there ya go!).

No highlights in the training this week. Not enough food to fuel the machine. My workouts were labored and just getting through them took it ALL out of me. My strength has PLUMMETED!
I was down to 163.6 yesterday, soooo...against my prepper's guidelines, I am going to have to add some calories in to my diet. 13 pounds in less than 3 weeks is wayyy to much to lose so quickly. At this rate I'll be a middleweight by July 19th. I had a "normal" eating day yesterday. I told myself I could eat whatever I wanted, but when I get rolling on a diet, I have a hard time stepping off of it. So, I ate additional good foods, cuz I'm a good girl. Back to the diet today, though. Actually, it is not AGAINST his guidelines, I'm just not "conferring" with him before I do so. All for the better me on July 19th, you will see.

No pictures today. I will get them tomorrow.

14 weeks out -

2008-04-13T15:32:00.000-07:00

9 and a half pounds down - seeing the arm veins more and some leg separation, but I do feel small and watery today... I took two sets of progress pictures. The first ones I deleted. I had on a pair of gray shorts that may be seeing the trash can...I know I have a big round butt, but these shorts made it look as if I had one of those swedish exercise balls stuffed in them. I'm not really happy with the other ones either - the lighting today was very grey coming through the windows, but I didn't want the flash as the flash flattens it all out. I don't look significantly different from last week, and what changes I can see you can't see in these photos.

I'm having one of those days where I question what the Hell I think I'm doing, preparing for a bodybuilding contest. My body is sooo different from what the judges want...

And I'm doing that thing with my left arm again. I'm practicing front relaxed and the left arm just keeps sticking out higher and farther. I can't stand straight. I had that fixed so you almost couldn't notice I did that last year, now I'm crooked again! So don't be looking for any front relaxed or back relaxed poses from me for awhile.

Now, I have gotten into pretty good condition a couple of times without cardio, and I'm pretty sure I can again, but I told my prepper I'd not stray from his guidelines for me.

But, all it seems to do for me is make my hips and legs sore, hence my leg strength has plummeted and deadlifting the other day was simply pointless. I'm not trying to shirk it out of laziness, heck, it even helps me sleep better, but I simply cannot take 14 more weeks of this tired soreness in my legs, hips, and even lower back.

It will be a while before my website gets overhauled - probably a long, long while... there will be updates to Members Section and changes in the regular section from time to time, but apparently, though my website works, it wasn't done quite right and when my new webmaster tried to tutor me, even he was getting confused. He told me he really couldn't teach me how to work my website because it would just confuse me as you can't do it the way it is really supposed to be done.

APA Delaware Power Classic is in less than 4 weeks now - looks like it is definitely shaping up to be another good meet. I've got alot of really good people helping me out to put this meet on, and I am truly blessed to have their support!

Gagging on potatoes

2008-04-10T10:24:00.000-07:00

I used to love cold baked potatoes, but i think that love died out long ago, as I am currently having a problem with this potato I am presently eating making its way down my throat. 14 more weeks of these... oh, joy!
However, I AM enjoying peeling the weight off. I owe the first week's big drop to the elimination of creatine.That stuff does make one watery and bloated. I feel much better and in a few pounds I'll probably be down to a "comfortable" weight.

Last night benching was PERFECT! GW and I were both dog-tired. He kept his weight low and went for reps, while I decided I only had so much energy to spare... instead of my first set with 245 or so, I jumped it up to 275 and decided that I would do them or I would not, all depending on how my energy levels panned out. They went perfectly, good groove, good speed, good rotation in the wrist, good pause, good everything. I did 4. So I upped it to 295 and got 2. All felt right. Took it to 225 for 12, tho' with a shorter pause. Perfect Perfect Perfect!
Everything else we did was more in the 8-12 rep range. I hate reps.

I'm only doing 20 minutes of cardio on the days that I do it, and it IS monotonous, but it does help me sleep better...I will give it that credit.

There are some other things going on in my life right now, but I'm mum on some things for a reason...when the time is right I'll share.

Dropping -

2008-04-06T10:20:00.000-07:00

168.4 = 8 pounds lighter... in one week! Most of that is off my waist, thank God...less bloat, I can see some abs and serratus etc. trying their best to poke through. Already it is time to take the belt in a notch - That feeling I like!

Yesterday was one of those days that I should not even have showed up at the gym. I knew it before I even got in my car, but old hard head drove there anyway. It was deadlift day and I wanted to see how these arch supports would benefit. As I stated, I should have listened to myself and stayed home. Oh, I managed a 405, but I guess i can now do that on a very off day.

Could only muster 365 x 3, and it was because I was stiff in the hips, lackadaisical in the drive...just not there. Yes, I gather that lack of fuel in the system has a lot to do with lack of drive.

It has been a couple of months + since I took a few days off, I guess it is time once again to do so. I walked up to the bar on my third set with 315 going to do some reps...but that was it, just walked up to the bar, stopped - quit. I didn't even try to pick it up.

Did a few very high reps sets of seated cable rows, and high reps seated dumbell curls, just to get the blood moving, and I was out of there. BLAHHH!

On the arch supports - yes, I can tell they will help tremendously with sitting back, but I'll have to wait for another day to measure the benefit.