a little hope....

I've been to the voodoo chiropractor, the hypnotherapist and tomorrow back to the chiropractor. I've been taking voodoo pills, wearing the chiropractic belt, icing my back every three hours (at least trying to)... everyone thinks I'll perform beautifully on Saturday...I hope my lower back gets the message! I try to squat down, without weight, of course, and I feel it, I definitely feel it.... I did bench on Tuesday evening. It went OK, considering everything that has gone awry. I did a 255 pause, but it felt way off, way way off....... I can choose doubt or trust. I have got to trust....

Wallowing

I've been hanging in bed for two days, except for the1 hour fifteen minute 10 mile round trip drive I took to pick up Slater - summer traffic at the beach, it suxxxxxx. Talk about making miserable more miserable!

This situation suxxxxxxxxxx, too.

I have to make a trip to the doctor in the morning. I definitely feel infected, way deep in the inner ear canals. There are discolored big, swollen circles under my eyes. Antibiotics are sure to be prescribed. Then this back...I would say that if I didn't have the respiratory problem ont op of the back, that the back might be healed (enough) for me to go through with the meet next weekend, but the illness on top of it just too much for me to even think about right now. I could cry.

I hate antiobiotics, usually more than the illness.

Why I can't just get myself together for one friggin' event just boggles my mind. I am surely jinxed.

And Then The Walls Came Tumbling Down

All the signs were there if I had only read them properly. I was "empty head" tired today - I even took a nap, which I usually can only do when I'm big time sick, and my calves felt "empty tight" today... we warmed up on deadlifts, didn't feel bad, didn't feel "off', until I went to the bathroom after my 315 warmup - I felt some stabbing and pulling at the upper back of my thigh - enought to make me stop walking and notice it, and quickly question pursuing the workout.
However, I came back, started to pull on the 365 and BAM! The lower back nerves just started pulling every which way but loose. Holy %$#?!*$ Moving was excruciating for a little while. Jump RopeJohn, bless his heart, ran out to his car and got me some Motrin. At least I manged to become ambulatory when that kicked in, but Hell...this is not good...not good at all...
How will this pan out for next weekend? :( :( :( :( waaaaaaaaahhhhhhh!
I did manage to get 3 sets of machine biceps in as well as 3 sets pullups...
This sucks, oh this sucks, it sucks it sucks...it also hurts! I had to drive 6 miles home then climb up to the third floor...oh yes, this sucks.

Big Boys Club

I am now an official memeber of the Big Boys Club!! I put up a (nice) 315 last night!!! In a sick state, of course. 275 x 4 went very well, so B left three plates on after stripping off some of his weight, and said ,"Go into this like you are going to do it." So, I did just that. My, what a giddy feeling. Then 225 x 6 two-second pauses...good ones. Then we backed off the volume and just did 3 sets of smith inclines, 3 sets Hammer press for shoulders, 3 sets dips, 3 sets pushdowns.

Maybe success is contagious - my friend Justine Dohring won the DE State overall bodybuilding show Saturday, my friend Paul Timmons on Monday became the first person ever to swim from Cape May NJ to Cape Henlopen DE (15 miles in 7 hours 15 minutes...now THAT boggles my comprehension. He simply AWES me). I put up a 315 bench- now remember, just wraps on the wrist - no bench shirt for me. (and don't forget the 445 squat). Keep it up Kate, don't crumble...do NOT doubt.

SQUATS

405 x 4, 445 x 1... :) :) :) :) my bests always come on the nights I am overly tired or sick... go figure. Maybe I am creating extra energy for lifting through the extra push I have to give myself when I am in that state. Dunno, all I know is I am all full of myself tonight. :) :) :)
My weight has been hovering between 168 and 170.

I am more impressed today by my friend Paul Timmons who today became the first person to swim solo across the Delaware Bay between Cape May NJ and Cape Henlopen DE. It took him 15 miles in 7 hours and 15 minutes...now THAT is jaw dropping awesome!!!
440 on a squat takes about a minute from unrack to down and up to re rack.... Paul rocks!

How Kate Got Her Groove Back

Everything is looking groooovy again for my bench- Thank you, God! I was getting seriously down about that. But I talked Broderick into training back at The Firm last night, on a real bench with a real bar (Gold's benches and bars SUCK big ones)....lo and behold! My groove was right there where I had left it. I hit 265 for four, then 295 for two, then 225 for five real pauses -

Maybe I'll still have it next week....darn right I will! Maybe I'll be used to having a groove again.

Saturday July 08 2:14 pm

Obviously, I suck at journal keeping...Let me backtrack to Wednesday evening, today being Saturday. We were contacted by the father of a powerlifter, a Special Olympian, who is currently training for our meet in September, the First State Power Frenzy. Jon is 24, he weighs 208 according to dad (Hank). Benched 350 at the Delaware Special Olympics this year. Anyhoo, Jon saw the pictures and videos of us posted on our site, and wanted to meet us and train with us while they were down this past week (they own a condo here at the beach). I invited him to come train with us Wednesday for bench night. What an inspiration! I could have been down crying about the digression of my bench (elaboration in a second) but how could I be anything but uplifted when in the prescence of such an angel? I think Jon benched 315 for 6 or 7 that night. He followed our whole routine to the letter. So strong, and so much more yet to be realized. I am humbled, I am honored, thank you Jon, for coming to train with me!

Now, the troubling part, I have lost my groove, I don't know where to find it. If I leave it alone, will it come home, wagging its tail behind it? Sure 275 for two is good for a woman my size, but let us consider a few mere months ago I was pushing 305 for two....

Last night,

Dealifts -365 for three, miss on a 385 (HMMPH!), 315 for 10...Elena Seiple was there helping my friend Justine with her posing routine (Justine looks grrrrrrrrrreat - next week I am sure she'll be crowned Ms. DE State). Elena gave me her "two cents" ...after I missed the 385.
I'll give the technique a go...letcha know next week.

I owe it to myself to keep this journal running...4 weeks out from the APA Virginia State, my wonderful friend Len Walker is producing this meet. B is going to compete, too! YAY!!!

Mondays, as always - leg night. It's the second night in my UB's (Universal Boots). I do believe that they are magic shoes. I feel so "grounded" in them. (And, most importanly, I look good in them! HAH!!!) Camellia Luprete from Texas designed these shoes. She impressed me, the shoes really impress me. We're putting the link to her site on www.DE-APF.com. Check them out.
This time around I am getting the proper amount of leg work in - last meet it was a mess with me getting sick , and B getting sick, and missing so much leg work. My squats are coming along nicely (we'll talk about benching and deads later).
I did a set of 405 for 3, then 405 for two, then 315 for 5 with NO knee wraps...on to three sets of hack squats, three of curls, and four of standing calves. I LOVE LOVE LOVE hack squats, but we have been training in gyms with poor excuses for hack squats for almost two years. Different gym now, decent hack squat, makes me happy. Last week I was forced to do front squats....after a set of 355 for 7 and 385 for 5. Torture, it was.

My hips and lower back are so tight and sore right now. It really is harder the older you get. I have to finally admit that. However, I will keep rebelling and pushing through it - all in the name of big bars and heavy random heavy circles....(quoting my son)