Last night was it for training until the meet this Saturday. B could not make it to the gym, so I had Bill "babysit" me...Thank you Bill, you are a real trooper, and very motivating, too! Bill has ENORMOUS triceps. He was benching last night, too. He has a rotator cuff injury, and has to back off a little.
Big Princess Baby even wrapped her own wrists...whatever is this world coming to?
I was missing some of that "oomph" again. I can only imagine that it means that my body needs a rest - hence the reason I needed to get in there last night and not wait until tonight.
Benching -I did some 2 second pauses. Three reps at 185, 1 at 205. I had to decide where to cut it off at. Bill helped me decide that cutting off at 225 for 1 was best. It was decent. In my head I know that something was missing, but to the outside world it appeared good. I am not so sure that last night I could have handled my normal 275 with a 2 second pause. 250, for sure, but again, somwhere other than in myself lied the "oomph". 2 sets tricep dumbell extensions, 2 sets lateral raises and I was out of there....
I'm at 165. perfect. Now just hold it all together for Saturday, get that 1027+ total RAW, and I remain the Power Goddess...
Wednesday, April 26, 2006
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
april 25, 2006 Tuesday 12:33 pm
Nerves sucked out my energy yesterday...really...I was a bundle o' nerves up until squat time, thinking about this meet upcoming and how I want it to be a great success, not just a success, but a GREAT success. I manged a 405 squat, wielding the bar around gets easier each time, but I was just missing that "oomph"... it was, however, probably one of the best squats I've ever done form wise, and depth wise - the guys told me it was real deep....(hamstrings).
My deadlift was the best deadlift I ever did, too...it was only 355, but it came off the floor fast, and I kept the pace and form the whole way up... 2 squats, 2 deadlifts, couple of sets of hamstring curls and I was out of there.
My deadlift was the best deadlift I ever did, too...it was only 355, but it came off the floor fast, and I kept the pace and form the whole way up... 2 squats, 2 deadlifts, couple of sets of hamstring curls and I was out of there.
Saturday, April 22, 2006
Saturday April 22, 2006 10:57 a.m.
I didn't have the "wherewithall" to post after Wednesday...(I'm really not sure what "wherewithall" is, are you? But it sounds appropriate). I've been haunted since Monday evening with my old back injury - I slipped a disc in my mid-spine about 4 years ago. I would honestly have to say it was about the worst it has been since I started back to the gym 2 1/2 years ago.
Somehow I mangled it Monday night (AFTER the gym). I have been somewhat worried, but my gut keeps saying to go forward, so I have trooped onward in my lifting quests. I went to the chiropractor twice this week and he hates it when I come in sometimes, for I just will not unjam. It's probably the most physical work he gets all week! I did NOT deadlift last night,and I slept on my bed to loosen my back up - VOILA. Today I feel renewed. Thank you God.
Wednesday I did 2 second pause reps on the bench- 2 at 185, 2 at 205, 2 at 225, 2 at 255, and 1 at 275.
The 275 was the easiest, probably because at that point I was in the groove. I betcha I could have done a 285 or 290...but we will never know, will we?
Did back and biceps last night, no deadlifting. Traps - shrugs with bar, keeping the reps in the 15 - 20 range. I went up to 5 - 45lb. plates on the t-bar row machine we have. I love where this machine hits my back. Remember, a life without WINGSPAN is no life for me!!! Pulldowns with v bar was the only other back excercise I did. Then Hammer Curls - I went up to 60 b. dumbells for 3. My gawd...heavy. Then negative rep pull-ups for an ugly end to a relatively productive workout. I really believe that the working out helped stretch out that tightness in my back, and loosened it up alot. POWER GODDESS is revving back up!!!!
Somehow I mangled it Monday night (AFTER the gym). I have been somewhat worried, but my gut keeps saying to go forward, so I have trooped onward in my lifting quests. I went to the chiropractor twice this week and he hates it when I come in sometimes, for I just will not unjam. It's probably the most physical work he gets all week! I did NOT deadlift last night,and I slept on my bed to loosen my back up - VOILA. Today I feel renewed. Thank you God.
Wednesday I did 2 second pause reps on the bench- 2 at 185, 2 at 205, 2 at 225, 2 at 255, and 1 at 275.
The 275 was the easiest, probably because at that point I was in the groove. I betcha I could have done a 285 or 290...but we will never know, will we?
Did back and biceps last night, no deadlifting. Traps - shrugs with bar, keeping the reps in the 15 - 20 range. I went up to 5 - 45lb. plates on the t-bar row machine we have. I love where this machine hits my back. Remember, a life without WINGSPAN is no life for me!!! Pulldowns with v bar was the only other back excercise I did. Then Hammer Curls - I went up to 60 b. dumbells for 3. My gawd...heavy. Then negative rep pull-ups for an ugly end to a relatively productive workout. I really believe that the working out helped stretch out that tightness in my back, and loosened it up alot. POWER GODDESS is revving back up!!!!
Monday, April 17, 2006
Monday April 17, 2006 7:49 pm
OK boys and girls, I am REALLY FULL OF MYSELF right now. Just got done legs~I did a 425 squat, walking it back out of the racks, going well past deep enough, and no whining, no security spotters on the side, either!!..oh, and just to remind y'all if you are reading this - belt and knee wraps only. UNEQUUIPPED.
The 500 unrack last week really helped me get control of the 425 this week. Yeppers...It was shaky but I had control. The secret, boys and girls, is going deep enough to put the hamstrings into play to power you up. A squat is not a squat without the hamstring power.
B really put it into the right perspective, when comparing equipped lifting with unequipped lifting. It's rare to see someone equipped do a real squat, it is a competitive lift, but not a squat.
I won't go there....I respect equipped lifting for what it is, I just prefer not to, because I CAN, and I can do it well.
Secret to my diet revealed : right after working out, to replace the glycogen in the muscles - 2 glasses of wine. Year round, day in, day out, bulking up, dieting down...always, 2 glasses of wine...unless I'm having a bourbon. Lately I have been preceding the wine with Creatine(MuscleTech to be exact), but that is mostly because I need the calories. I'm at 166. I have to lose a pound for the meet - I will cut back on my daily Little Debbie cakes.
The 500 unrack last week really helped me get control of the 425 this week. Yeppers...It was shaky but I had control. The secret, boys and girls, is going deep enough to put the hamstrings into play to power you up. A squat is not a squat without the hamstring power.
B really put it into the right perspective, when comparing equipped lifting with unequipped lifting. It's rare to see someone equipped do a real squat, it is a competitive lift, but not a squat.
I won't go there....I respect equipped lifting for what it is, I just prefer not to, because I CAN, and I can do it well.
Secret to my diet revealed : right after working out, to replace the glycogen in the muscles - 2 glasses of wine. Year round, day in, day out, bulking up, dieting down...always, 2 glasses of wine...unless I'm having a bourbon. Lately I have been preceding the wine with Creatine(MuscleTech to be exact), but that is mostly because I need the calories. I'm at 166. I have to lose a pound for the meet - I will cut back on my daily Little Debbie cakes.
Monday April 17, 2006 8:03 am
Yesterday was Easter. I spent a good portion of the day trying to iron our real estate problems...some holiday. I don't think people realize how much STRESS is involved in this occupation.
I wanted to stop and give thanks to my awesome (overused word, but it fits in this situation) training partner and GURU of strength Broderick Chavez.If it were not for him taking me under his wing almost a year and a half ago, I would not be the strong and happy lifter that I am today. If you have never seen Broderick Chavez squat, you are missing one of the greatest squatters ever. Of course, that's not all he is...He's also been the "architect" for my bodybuilding, and the reason I am able to amp myself up in the gym on any given day. He has had to convince me of alot of things, one of them being that I really am stronger than I realized, and he ticks me off sometimes because he is usually right ( so I can eat peanut butter evryday and not get fat).
I could go on and on and on, but to put it simply B, Thank you from the bottom of my heart and muscle bellies!!!
I wanted to stop and give thanks to my awesome (overused word, but it fits in this situation) training partner and GURU of strength Broderick Chavez.If it were not for him taking me under his wing almost a year and a half ago, I would not be the strong and happy lifter that I am today. If you have never seen Broderick Chavez squat, you are missing one of the greatest squatters ever. Of course, that's not all he is...He's also been the "architect" for my bodybuilding, and the reason I am able to amp myself up in the gym on any given day. He has had to convince me of alot of things, one of them being that I really am stronger than I realized, and he ticks me off sometimes because he is usually right ( so I can eat peanut butter evryday and not get fat).
I could go on and on and on, but to put it simply B, Thank you from the bottom of my heart and muscle bellies!!!
Friday, April 14, 2006
Friday April 14 2006 7:53 pm
What was pounded into my thick noggin one more time tonite was having a day off between training seesions in a MUST, not a choice. Since we had to push legs off a day, hence chest pushed off until last night, then straight into tonight with no rest for back...tonight I was just physical toast - burnt out tired...not mentally, thank goodness, - 'twas all that saved the effort I had.
Last night, benching went well. I did 2 second pauses. First set 205 - effortless, next set 225 - still very easy, next set 245...the 245 was the easiest out of the three sets!! I could probably handle a 275 for a two second pause, but we didn't want me to go overbaord ...then I did two work sets at 225, one for 7 and one for 5, I think.
Proceeded to smith inclines, then Hammer Strength machine presses...We did delts very quickly tonite...oh the big plump burning deltoids!!!! I like the "shoulder stripes" (striations) that are poking out of my delts....Shoulder srtipes are where it is at!!!:Lateral flyes and machine presses - zip, zap- got through them FAST! Then tricep pressdowns.
Tonight we tossed the idea of not doing deadlifts around, but we did them. Too muxh work within too few days... warming up, at 315 I felt kind of out of sync, but not too bad to call it off. B predicted 365 for 3, but I could only muster one today.
He said he could see the lackadaisity in my hamstrings...I don't even remeber if I did another set or not...really, I can't remember. That's how burnt I am.
We cut everything else short, too. So, I predict lots of rest and food this weekend, and I will come back strong come on Monday. I want to feel 500 pounds on my back again, so I can finally learn not to be afraid of 405....
Last night, benching went well. I did 2 second pauses. First set 205 - effortless, next set 225 - still very easy, next set 245...the 245 was the easiest out of the three sets!! I could probably handle a 275 for a two second pause, but we didn't want me to go overbaord ...then I did two work sets at 225, one for 7 and one for 5, I think.
Proceeded to smith inclines, then Hammer Strength machine presses...We did delts very quickly tonite...oh the big plump burning deltoids!!!! I like the "shoulder stripes" (striations) that are poking out of my delts....Shoulder srtipes are where it is at!!!:Lateral flyes and machine presses - zip, zap- got through them FAST! Then tricep pressdowns.
Tonight we tossed the idea of not doing deadlifts around, but we did them. Too muxh work within too few days... warming up, at 315 I felt kind of out of sync, but not too bad to call it off. B predicted 365 for 3, but I could only muster one today.
He said he could see the lackadaisity in my hamstrings...I don't even remeber if I did another set or not...really, I can't remember. That's how burnt I am.
We cut everything else short, too. So, I predict lots of rest and food this weekend, and I will come back strong come on Monday. I want to feel 500 pounds on my back again, so I can finally learn not to be afraid of 405....
Wednesday, April 12, 2006
April 12 2006 8:09 am
I squatted last night. It was an effort to get under the bar, because of this &*%%$?/@ dry hacking cough and lack of oxygen due to congestion, but I had been waiting for so long to get under there. It HAD to happen.
405 for the first rep was relatively effortless. Even walking back with the weight was no problem. Yeah, I had the weight. At the transition point from rep #1 to rep #2, I actually had control of everything. The leg wobbles may have been there, but I had control. Somewhere on the descent my endurance just left, and I felt the tightness in my body go slack. I thought I was going to go down. But my posse of spotters (my security blanket of men...I am a baby, a princess) demanded that I finish, they were NOT going to ALLOW me to fail on this. Thanks guys. I finished. I did two reps!!As soon as I left the squat racks I had a coughing fit.
That took everything out of me, yet it took nothing...I am stronger than this, I know it. I'm still growing INTO my strength, rather than trying to get stronger.
B wanted me to put 500 on my back and walk out for a count of 5 and then re-rack. I got under the 500, but that weight wasn't going anywhere. I held it, and gosh darn is 500 pound heavy!!!
But my legs were not moving. Maybe if I wasn't sick I would have moved, maybe not, but there is the next goal. I want to squat 500 in November.
405 for the first rep was relatively effortless. Even walking back with the weight was no problem. Yeah, I had the weight. At the transition point from rep #1 to rep #2, I actually had control of everything. The leg wobbles may have been there, but I had control. Somewhere on the descent my endurance just left, and I felt the tightness in my body go slack. I thought I was going to go down. But my posse of spotters (my security blanket of men...I am a baby, a princess) demanded that I finish, they were NOT going to ALLOW me to fail on this. Thanks guys. I finished. I did two reps!!As soon as I left the squat racks I had a coughing fit.
That took everything out of me, yet it took nothing...I am stronger than this, I know it. I'm still growing INTO my strength, rather than trying to get stronger.
B wanted me to put 500 on my back and walk out for a count of 5 and then re-rack. I got under the 500, but that weight wasn't going anywhere. I held it, and gosh darn is 500 pound heavy!!!
But my legs were not moving. Maybe if I wasn't sick I would have moved, maybe not, but there is the next goal. I want to squat 500 in November.
Tuesday, April 11, 2006
April 11 2006 11:59 am
DMFSOBCS (guess what that stands for)... I was too sick too train last night, way worse than over the weekend. Ugghhh...woe is me, how will I fare at the meet without squat practice??? Tonight is a 50-50 on how it goes. I DID sleep.I slept 9 hours, WAY more than what I am used to. My eyes have rolled into the back of my head and do not want to come back out. I'm in a fog, a bloody fog.........My head is still congested, a bit, my chest has alleviated somewhat. I must trust, as long as I give it what I am capable of, it will be alright. I can choose the path of fear and doubt, or trust that I am capable of performing miracles. I must choose the latter and not waiver.
April 11 2006 11:59 am
DMFSOBCS (guess what that stands for)... I was too sick too train last night, way worse than over the weekend. Ugghhh...woe is me, how will I fare at the meet without squat practice??? Tonight is a 50-50 on how it goes. I DID sleep.I slept 9 hours, WAY more than what I am used to. My eyes have rolled into the back of my head and do not want to come back out. I'm in a fog, a bloody fog.........My head is still congested, a bit, my chest has alleviated somewhat. I must trust, as long as I give it what I am capable of, it will be alright. I can choose the path of fear and doubt, or trust that I am capable of performing miracles. I must choose the latter and not waiver.
Friday, April 07, 2006
April 07 6:51 pm
I really tried to think about this tonight, because I'm sick as a dog again, compounded with lack of sleep. I was thinking earlier I might not even be able to train. But heck, I've trained in these conditions before. What it is when I'm sick, is that my mind and body can't quite fuse into unision, so I'm only able to be in one or the other. I go with the mind, and stuff happens.
I finally gave Broderick his 10 reps at 315 in the deadlift. Then a set of 7. My lungs still hurt an hour and a half later.
We cut the workout short, we are both sick, and I am trying my derndest not to become overtrained. 2 sets deadlifts, two sets of cable rows, 2 sets of pulldowns. My lungs still hurt, and I've got this lovely deep hacking cough to go with that. I've also got "the workout headache", similar to an ice cream headache but it comes from really digging in and performing at the gym.
I hear the Nyquil calling already.
I finally gave Broderick his 10 reps at 315 in the deadlift. Then a set of 7. My lungs still hurt an hour and a half later.
We cut the workout short, we are both sick, and I am trying my derndest not to become overtrained. 2 sets deadlifts, two sets of cable rows, 2 sets of pulldowns. My lungs still hurt, and I've got this lovely deep hacking cough to go with that. I've also got "the workout headache", similar to an ice cream headache but it comes from really digging in and performing at the gym.
I hear the Nyquil calling already.
April 07 9:58 am
It seems that I have my best gym days when I'm off kilter - tired, or sick, etc. Last night was no exception. B was back, still feeling the after effects of being sick, and I was feeling the full bloom of being sick. However, we both were totally "in the zone". I can only describe it as when I feel physically off, I expect less of myself so I don't have that stress riding on me. I am able to get into a more detached zone when I'm tired...???? WhatEVER!!
Anyhoo, my first work set began at 250 for 7...hmmm, not too shabby, little princess. So B gives me a choice, either do pause reps, or let's load 305 on the bar and see what you can do with it.
I get all warm and fuzzy thinking about feeling the heavy load, and I opt for the 305. I expected a good whole hearted effort, I'm not really sure that I did expect to get the whole rep, much less a perfect rep, much less two perfectly executed reps......yeah, 305 for 2. The Power Goddess made a great appearance at the gym last night.
I'm still sick today, and I believe that it's mandatory that I deadlift tonight. Somebody pray for me....
Anyhoo, my first work set began at 250 for 7...hmmm, not too shabby, little princess. So B gives me a choice, either do pause reps, or let's load 305 on the bar and see what you can do with it.
I get all warm and fuzzy thinking about feeling the heavy load, and I opt for the 305. I expected a good whole hearted effort, I'm not really sure that I did expect to get the whole rep, much less a perfect rep, much less two perfectly executed reps......yeah, 305 for 2. The Power Goddess made a great appearance at the gym last night.
I'm still sick today, and I believe that it's mandatory that I deadlift tonight. Somebody pray for me....
Tuesday, April 04, 2006
April 04 2006 7:25 pm
Well, this week got all screwed up...B is sick, and he didn't make it last nite, so I put my training off until tonite, and he still couldn't make it. I can't squat without him...FEAR....Big Bill was at the gym tonite, and I thought about asking him for spotting, but I have such FEAR of squatting. I'm sure out of anybody Bill is perfectly capable of spotting correctly, but experience in bad spotters coupled with the FEAR I already have of squatting prevented me from pursuing . Hence, I leg pressed. I had good intentions of finally learning to wrap my knees myself on the two heavy sets, but darling Bill volunteered, so I got out of that...PITIFUL, I am PITIFUL!!!!
A competitive powerlifter who can't wrap their own knees (or wrists, for that matter!!!)
Sure I can leg press heavy, but I'm thinking that the lack of squatting prep is definitely going to hinder me. I'll be squatting in the 400's, but I really wanted to hit the high 400's, and now I'm getting rather bummed out about the whole thing. I'm also coming down with this thing that is going around,...Gosh, haven't I been sick enough lately?!!! The entire month of February I was illin'...I'm sucking zinc and C lozenges like they was goin' outa style.
A competitive powerlifter who can't wrap their own knees (or wrists, for that matter!!!)
Sure I can leg press heavy, but I'm thinking that the lack of squatting prep is definitely going to hinder me. I'll be squatting in the 400's, but I really wanted to hit the high 400's, and now I'm getting rather bummed out about the whole thing. I'm also coming down with this thing that is going around,...Gosh, haven't I been sick enough lately?!!! The entire month of February I was illin'...I'm sucking zinc and C lozenges like they was goin' outa style.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)