Ten Years Gone

I am very psyched that Led Zeppelin is touring again. I was lucky enough to see them in Washington DC back in 1977, before John Bonham died, for their Song Remains the Same Tour - one of my favorite Zeppelin songs is Ten Years Gone. They actually played that, which surprised me. Robert Plant sat on a stool to sing it. Yes, I was a Led Zeppelin junkie...What do I like to listen to now? Screamo - yeah! I love Killswitch Engage, All that Remains, As I lay Dying, but I also love Tool, and LIVE, absolutely love LIVE.
There - I talked about something besides training...enough of that.
Back to training.

B tricked me into incline pressing the 125's for 3 good and almost 4 reps...just couldn't get that last bit o' lockout on the last one. I like it when I'm tricked into doing things such as that. I was in such a state that I thought I didn't think I had much in me. I was going to be fine with 90's for the night. (Of course, B tricked me with giving me 100's for the first set instead of the 90's)
Some people believe in themselves and push forth with that belief. I perform better when somebody else believes in me - I can't let them down. That's what really fuels me.

Last night deadlifts - I was so upset - 405 for 2, I didn't have a good grip in my right hand, and it fell out. I was thinking there may have been 4...I did a second set of 2, but damned if those 2 reps shouldn't have been included in my first set. Hmmmph!!!

Holiday Power

I hope everyone had a Powerful holiday in whichever way they could use the power the best.

Did I get my squats in?..well....not exactly but not exactly no, either... I woke up with a killer sinus headache, up under my eyes and in my nose. I know I have allergies to something here, because I spent the night at my parents for Christmas Eve, and I woke up feeling dry and fine. I came back home and within two hours I was stuffed up and felt the pressure under my eyes. I wish I had an idea as to what it is, but until then I thank God for Claritin, Benadryl, and nose spray. Which brings me back to squatting on Monday morning...I had to choose nausea inducing pain in my face, or sluggishness due to taking a few Benadryl, which are the make you drowsy kind, the kind I need to take the edge off of those kind of headaches. I took the Benadryl. I have trained under the guise of Benadryl before, sometimes it kicks my butt, sometimes not. It definitely did kick my butt on Monday morning... BUT, as I was proceeding to commence my last squat session of the year, and determined not to completely blow it, I squatted. I mustered up a 425 x 1, which is not my best, and in not my best head groove or physical groove, but I did it. So I got half of my Christmas wish - and the rest of my workout went well - Smith lunges, slow extensions and curls, and my legs looked huge afterward :) :) Big ol' pillar like slabs of meat hanging from my hips...which reminds me I have to get my nerve manipulations in for the morning. I do them everyday, have to.
I did post the 655 rack pull video clip in my free site video gallery...it makes me giggle every time I watch it. That was my third set and in a down week...so yeah, I'm going to try for a goal of 3 reps within the next few weeks of training. or maybe go for 675 x 1????

Pull, Baby, Pull !

This was supposed to be my "backing off" week - I have one of those "scheduled" every sixth week...but I still felt relatively fiery, so I didn't back off as much as I should have, though I did refrain from extra tension and forced and dropped reps. I am not sure if I was feeling good last night or it is that I have finally learned to put my hips into the movement when pulling, but I got that 655 rack pull last night! On my second set I got 605 for 5 so, hey, no reason why not to get the bigger one...
~ tell you what - my sinuses were a little stuffy going into the gym last night, but that 655 cleared them right up. :) really! I pull from the rack at the knee. I had B film it, but he sent it to me in the wrong format. I'll post it somewhere when available.

The nerve manipulation is really helping my legs. I did go for a walk the other evening, however, and when I returned - oh, my legs were besides themselves. I had to take ibuprofen to ease the throbbing. How odd that something as passive as a walk would irritate my legs so...??? Hmmm...
My pelvis has been staying in place, which, if you recall past elaborations, was always slipping out of whack when I went for a walk, or driving alot, or participating in daily life activities. I imagine that now I am upright and intact my muscles aren't used to working at these angles and as a result are being unusually taxed....

My Christmas shopping is ALMOST finished. One more gift to buy. :) :) I love giving presents to people.
I want only a 425 x 2 or 450 x1 squat next week, both of which I have performed before in the not too distant past...just not with this leg problem. I am easy to please, I am.

Relaxed at Long Last

I was feeling kind of under the weather (where did THAT expression come from? Aren't we all under the power of the weather?) over the weekend. I know, I am always suffering some kind of maladay - but when you have children, or child in my case, and their friends are always hanging around your house, you are succeptible to everything that goes around. So I didn't train on Friday. I did, however go in to the gym on Saturday. My friend Paul has included me in his doublebodyweight deadlift for reps challenge. He did 20 the other day at 162.5 bodyweight, 325 pounds. I weighed in Saturday at 172.5, down a few pounds from not eating much for a couple of days...if I was going to do it, I could take advantage of "only" having to move 345 lbs. I did a couple of warm ups, but when I loaded the bar to 315 for warm up, I just looked at it and said, no way in H-E- double hockey sticks do I feel like repping today, not for max reps, not for any reps. Reps suck on a normal basis, anyway, but Saturday there was just No Zone for me. So I loaded up to 405 for 3. They were good, but that was pretty much it for deadlifting on Saturday for me.

Last night was legs, and I wasn't planning on squatting, because I had done that two weeks in a row already. The tightness in my legs was very alive, and was actually growing upward along the sides of my legs. Not PAIN, but a very tight discomfort. Starting to get disheartened over the whole matter, I was. I did Nautilus Duo-Squat, but when I loaded up for my heavy set, the stack, my left leg just refused to cooperate because of the discomforting tightness. Have you ever worn a pair of pants that was too tight in the wiatband, then eaten a meal, making your stomach grow and the pants tighter, then go to bend over - very uncomfortable, yes?...kind of the only way I can describe this. I was better doing lighter weight for more reps (ugh - reps).

So anyway, B really stopped and thought about this last night. He had me lay on the bench last night whilst he manipulated the nerve endings in my leg up around the iliac crest. Oh, he used big words and such that I cannot remember. I then jumped (ok, slid) into the whirpool for a bit. AMAZING but true - my legs were finally relaxed. If you had felt them for the past several months, they felt like concrete along the sides, being so tight. I could actually mush them around a bitafter the nerve manipulation ...it is like voodoo magic. So every day, a few times I day, my prescription is to manipulate these nerves in my leg. They are still holding relaxed today - maybe not as perfect as I would like them, but WOW... I am feeling encouraged and enthusiastic again about that 500 raw squat. It is back in my near future.

I'm starting to get excited about the DE Open IronFest and Firm Fitness challenge. I have gotten very good response, almost to the effect that I don't feel the need to market it as hard as I have marketed meets in the past. Fear of TOO MANY copetitors showing up! APT Prowriststraps is once again stepping up to the plate and kindly sponsoring the meet!
http://www.prowriststraps.com/. Alan Thomas is the best! His merchandise is top quality. I am a big fan of the Black Mamba line of wrist and knee wraps. Thank you, Alan!

I was just eating some gummy monkeys, and felt something crunchy inside...just happened to be a big old filling that fell out of my tooth - a big one. Perpetual dental woes.... I guess that will be my excuse for staying away from all of those gooey Christmas sweets!

Static

I had a decent benching session last night, though I still say I should be lifting heavier weights rather than just "coming back around"...I'm heavier. The weight has not made me all that much stronger,(with a few exceptions)...I do recover better, and my technique seems to be better because the added weight has me more stabilized...but heck, I still think I should be stronger.


I did my first set with 245 rather than the 225 I usually go for. I THINK, and really,I just can't remember, I did 8??? Then up to 275 for 4 Then a very nice 295 (yes, all my bench reps are still paused), then down to 225 for whatever I did - a work set. Then my typical chest, delts, tris -

I did static presses for my triceps in the power rack again last night. They are my newest vote for most misersable exercise. Boards give play - the rack doesn't. It is a dead stop. oooo -


Here are some pics I found that WPW have on their site for sale - I don't have any of these in my galleries (though I have similar shots from the sessions) . Bill Jentz took all of these at the Masters this past July in Pittsburgh at Station Square- their sites are http://www.wpw.net/ and http://www.wpwmagazineonline.com/
AND of course my website is http://www.katebaird.com/ where you can find a skajillions photos and videos of me in my Members' Section... :)

That is me under all of that fuzzy hair(and it wasn't even humid out that day)!!!!!!!!

Squats are my obsession.....

OOps - I meant to take a picture for younz tonight...but it slipped my mind. I know you are all visual creatures... seeing is believing now, isn't it???
I weighed in at 178 (!) on Friday, however I am down to a svelte 176 again today...yikes! I was tinkering with the idea of trying to get up to 190 in the next couple of months, but after tonight, I think that I will level off at 180. The compartmentalization issue was prevalent this evening. "twasn't as bad as it has been at times, but it was there. It had been subsiding, but I started to go up in weight again.I squatted once again tonight - yay! Two weeks in a row isn't my norm, but I just HAD to. I did 315 for 10 and was back to my old ways - shirking out of pushing myself through two more...it is so obvious that I do that...I think I just fall out of the zone, I don't know...and 365 for 4 should have been 5 or 6... I decided to do 405 for a couple, because in reality, if it weren't for the crazy problems I have been having, my heavy sets should be 455 for reps. I did 2, but hey, I AM coming back around. One more squat session befiore the end of the year, (because I will not squat next week)...I have GOT to do a 445, at the very least.

Friday I did rack pulls. I almost had a 655, but I just petered out before I straightened all of the way up...BOO on me!!! I am not one to count partial reps of anything...NO - unless it is a full rep, babe, it doesn't count in my book...

I went to a samll WNPF meet over in Seaford DE yesterday. I'm used to seeing crazy APF lifters, so I didn't expect to see anything over the top. Don't get me wrong. I love powerlifting and whether it's geared, raw, natural, juiced, whatever - I respect all of the effort that goes into the lifts. But then there is Bill Lewis - my dear friend Bill. WNPF stands for World NATURAL Power Lifting. He must be about 5'11, weighed in at 291 yesterday. His arms are as big as my legs, I always tell him. He'd be big and muscular without ever picking up a weight, I do think. Anyhoo - he is a big bencher, but had never really deadlifted before, except with toying around with small 315's etc at the gym. He decided to give it a go yesterday for the heck of it, had no idea how much he should go for. Anyhoooo. He picks up 625, raw, drug free, for the first time, like it is a trash bag. Just stands up with it no effort exerted. I am going to try to convince him to train for the deadlift for February. The man could have picked up 750 with little problem yesterday, absolutely yes. A little training...geezz - alot of training...good God!

- squatted :)

So Monday I tried to squat, and I did!!! :) There is still a tightness and discomfort and a slight bit of pain in the problem areas, but it is not a seering pain. That means progress in the right direction. I squatted different from my norm, however. I am a leg and glute squatter - Monday I became a hip squatter. I needed to throw the emphasis off of the problem areas, which are top and side of the bottom outer quads. I was able to squat deeper more easily with this technique. The squats probably looked beter technically than my usual squats. 315 for 3 sets, and that was fine with me. I was aprehensive about doing any more than that. All around a very good session.
I did smith machine lunges, and I'm happy to report that they did not bother my compartmentalization much either.
No, don't try to tell me it is anything other than that, because it is not.

Last night I was feeling wrath of funerals, driving for hours, and these f ' *^?ing allergies. I still can't figure these allergies out, but they are grating me down. I'm still red, and hot, and have big puffy red eyes, too. It was just a ho hum workout.

The new Firm

These past few days have been draining, to say the least. First the death of a relative, then the death of an old friend. :(

I am suffering from some kind of SEVERE allergic reaction or poisoning from something. My face, neck and chest are bright red, and a bit flaky. I almost look burnt. I have suspicions, but I haven't been able to nail down what this is coming from. I keep narrowing it down, then it strikes and I have to dismiss my guess yet once again. It has been 4 days, and sometimes it is hellacious. Going out of the house is miserable because I can feel people looking at me. They surely aren't looking at me funny because I'm big and muscular, but because I'm big and muscular and uncomfortably bright and glowing red!

I was able to take my minfd off of things for a little while yesterday. My friend Paul Timmons moved his gym to a new location and I joined in the gang to help out for the afternoon of setting the new space up. I haven't seen most of the guys who train there for quite awhile, so it was good to see everybody. The Firm Fitness Center in Rehoboth Beach. He has over twice the sapce as he had before - Heaven knows where he fit all his equipment in before in the smaller space!!! He even bought a few new pieces.He has the walls painted Bicycle Yellow ( he is a fan of the Tour de France!). It is bright and energizing.
This is where the APA Delaware Open Iron Fest will take place on February 16, 2008. Speaking of that event, it is about time I sat down to market it to the masses. We will have Bench only, deadlift only, Push/Pull, Strict Curl (APA standard, not mine) double bodyweight deadlifts for reps, bodyweight bench for reps, and a tire flip/jump timed. I have a feeling it is going to be a great event!

Improvement

My legs have been feeling less pain from my problems as of the late, so I decided to test the waters and leg press Monday evening. I thought about trying to squat, but it was a better idea to me that I was not in jeopardy of falling over or being crushed on my feet if things did not go well. I first pre-exhausted with 3 sets of leg extensions, so I did not have to use such big poundage. I did my first set with 500 something, for 20 reps...ok, moved up to 600 something for 15...again, fine. I went up to 750 for 10, no wraps or anything, nice knees in my face deep...granted, Monday night I had to take a handful of Ibuprofen at bedtime because my problem areas were throbbing like the dickens ( what is "the dickens" ? ), but I am pleased to report that I indeed have made some improvement. It was "uncomfortable", but leg presses are uncomfortable anyway, are they not? I'm not expecting miracles, because I am going to moving up to 180. The fascia is sure to give me more problems as I grow again, but I was happy to be able do some good old fashioned big work for my legs again. B tried to tell me that the world doesn't exactly revolve around big weights, but hey, he's wrong - HAH!!!



Last night I was feeling worn out tired. I'm still running around trying to clean the old condo (hopefully it is done TODAY), not finished unpacking here and it is getting gritty dirty from lack of cleaning and heck, the yard is carpeted with leaves I haven't had time to rake, my computer work is wayyyy backlogged.... Oh, back on track - anyhooo, I've been running ragged lately and tossing and turning alot instead of sleeping well, from all of this overwhelming stress, so I am dog-tired (are dogs really that tired?). However, when I get on a certan level of tiredness, not overwhelmingly exhausted, but tired, I don't have the enrgy to pay attention to things that are happening around me, or anything else but what I am doing at that moment - which is lift that weight and do it well. Last night was one of those tired but focused and zoned in nights. It had been a long time since I benched over 275. I did 295 for two GOOD paused reps. And that was after two good work sets beforehand. Everything else went well. I obtained a big round hard pump, and I am not sore this morning. I weighed in at 174 yesterday. The pictures I have been posting as of the late are camera phone pics, so they don't show the good detail like the veins sticking out on my deltoids (but why do they show the dark tired circles under my eyes?).

Post Turkey Post

How was everyone's Thanksgiving? I am probably the only person you know who loses weight every Thanksgiving, because I just don't like that kind of food! Comfort food - nope, don't go for it. I like turkey. But nix on the stuffing, mashed potatoes, string bean casseroles, I cannot stand sweet potatoes, I do not like pie, I'd rather stick pins in my eyes than eat gravy - ooo!!! I had a plate with turkey, a little bit of stuffing, I did like my sister-in-law's spinach salad, a bit of plain broccoli. And NO, I never cared for any of those foods, never. A couple of years ago my sister-in-law got irritated because I brought my own plain baked potato and broccoli to dinner. This time they had broccoli with cheese sauce, but were wise enough to make some sans the cheese for me. What can I say??
My nephew made it home from Iraq for the dinner. He is a marine. Wow - he's grown into such a handsome responsible young man!

I have been fighting something for the past few days. I skipped training on Friday altogether. I couldn't help myself and went in for an abbreviated session yesterday. 6 sets for back, 3 for biceps. I felt strong, but got winded very easily. Last night I felt the wrath of the training, unfortunately, but today I'm on the upswing again.

I want to give extra props and aces to ALAN THOMAS of PROWRISTSTRAPS.com. Not only does he make the best lifting wraps and straps (APT pro ) in the entire world, but he is such a great guy (and handsome too) ! Thank you for all of your support, Alan!!!! Love ya!

Happy Thanksgiving!

I'm moved - albeit I will be living out of boxes and amidst debris for awhiile to come! I love my new house. I do not know where I fit all of this "stuff" in such a small space before...I really would like to spend the rest of my life NOT accumulating "stuff". It does not help having a 14 year old pack rat.


I was feeling kind of out of sorts yesterday physically, I even had a fever! But we all know that when I first come down with something, I usually have great workouts. Yesterday was no exception. I love doing very heavy incline dumbell presses. I did my second set with 100's for 10 and then a set with the 120's for 5. When powerlifting I do incline presses, but can't go that heavy because heavy benching wear me out first. I was able to fry myself out very well, so by the time I got through chest, shoulders, then to triceps, I could barely dip. I could only muster 10, and that is half of my usual set. And I'm not so sore today - just nice and "heavy tight."


I'm still hanging at 173. I guess I've just about "grown into" this weight and it is time to move up now...B did mention that I am leaner now at this weight than I had been, probably about 11% bodyfat or so. Even though I did chest yesterday, he snapped a photo of my back. I'm sure I don't need to point this out, but check out the gluteus medius span! I probably get scored down for that, but you know what, I'm proud of it. There are a heck of alot of women bodybuilders (men, too, I'm sure) out there who have no gluteus medius development, nor lower back for that matter. Judges don't seem to even like it very much on women. Short of cutting them off, it is what I got - big round globe sized glutes!

Happy Thanskgiving!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Away I go...

The hired guys are coming to get my big furniture items tomorrow.. I am so looking forward to that! However, I still have to clean this place, and my new place needs to be unpacked and arranged.... moving is certainly the stressful event that they say it is. It has seemed to be a perpetual experience.

I put the bar on my back tonight and tried squatting with it, but I still have the pain problem on the sides of my legs. It has lessend considerably, though I don't know if that is from time or from just not doing the things that really irritate it. So no squatting yet :( I can do "duck" squats on the smith machine, and the Nautilus Duo Squat really agrees with me, which I will go on record as saying that in my own humble opinion it is one of the most effective pieces of gym equipment ever made.

We picked apart my physique tonight, to decide which bodypart(s) I might need to concentrate on bringing up for the Masters next year. There is one which I shall be concentrating on, but I'm not saying - you all can guess....I will give you two hints - it is NOT my back and it is NOT my glutes. (giggle...)

Last week I did rack pulls again. I used to scoff at the thought of them, but they have certainly grown on me. It might be the fact that I very much like the 605 for several reps that I work up to. Big weights make me warm and fuzzy. Next time I'm going for 650. My fuzzy felt goal is 700. I imagine at 180 I will be able to handle that poundage. :)

I will be cut off from internet for a couple of days, due to moving. So until next time - here I am tonight at 173.

Still Moving

I'm still here! I'm still moving....my old place looks like a trash can, and it is really driving me nuts living like this, but it will all be over soon.

Training is going well, no complaints.

Real estate could be ALOT better, but at least the lull has given me time to move! (looking at the proverbial bright side)


Hey - I finally got my $2100 back yesterday from f*#%$^ Bruce Thompson. I guess his attorney told him there was no way he was going to convince anybody that he was in the right and I was in the wrong, since I had a stack of proof a mile high. Words to everyone - always DOCUMENT!!! It has proved me right and saved my butt numerous times.


I have been collecting lots of rants and raves - people say some of the dumbest things, though sometimes it is just a matter of being "ignorant"....so when I have time to spend I will go off on some of my loveable tirades. :)


February 16th - APA Delaware Open Iron Fest at the new Firm Fitness Center - stay tuned for details...oh, yours truly is the meet director.


This picture is from the WPW shoot last month in New Castle.
Please excuse the Eddie Munster hair.

Stuff

I have been busy moving, and thus far it has been mostly me, with the exception of a few loads of help from my son. I am relatively happy that I have been able to keep my collection of STUFF from growing much larger the past few years that I have lived at this residence, but OMG, my son is a PACK RAT! The movers will come get the big items next week - I am looking forward to the end of this process!
I took a couple of training days off from the gym this past week, but I have been putting in lots of cardiovascular time trekking the stairs... I am surprised, albeit very very glad that my back has been holding up. The stairs aren't straight up and down stairs, so manuevering objects sometimes becomes tricky around the corners.
I am back down to 171, but it is a good hard 171. I'm stabilizing so I'm feeling alot less tankesque and clunky.
Back to packing!

Growing Like a Weed

I think Guilherme Marchi is on fire and just may pull it together this year at the PBR Finals to win that world title...but heck, Justin McBride does know how to pull it together under pressure...and JB Mauney, well if I was 20 years old right now he'd be the one I'd be drooling over.

Today I stepped on the scale, stepped off the scale, stepped on the scale, jiggled myself around just to be sure - 176 1/2! I now officially weigh more than I have ever weighed in my life. All my "big" clothes from last year, the ones I didn't wear because they were still too big, well, they are too tight now...I guess I am officially big?

I won't talk about last week's deadlifting, because I did surpass a previous best in reps w/ 365, ok I'm talking about it, but I managed to aggravate my hip flexors in the process. I was feeling very strong, grabbing that bar and yanking it so fast from the floor, but I was also compensating for my legs being so pained, that I actually had to finish it by pushing my hips forward. Yes, I know that's how you are supposed to do a deadlift. However, my technique is usually to whip it back once it gets moving. So, imagine the feeling of straining your lower back, but having that pain in the front!!! Walking, no, make that simply moving my lower body, was a horrendous task on Sunday morning,to say the least.

This evening we did incline dumbells again. This time I did 90's x 12, then did the 120's on my second set - 3 reps came surprisingly easy! I'm sure if I had on my APT BLACK MAMBA WRIST WRAPS that I could've gone for 4, but I didn't. The rest of the workout was prime. I guess the weight is agreeing with me. I felt really good, I felt really strong, even though I was a little worn out from starting the process of moving - remember, I live on the third floor. Words of wisdom - if you plan on moving out someday, don't move to the third floor. My legs and lower back are fried, and I've only taken two car loads thus far!!!

Down then up, then down, then up, and again and again and again! 36 steps each way.

I've still got leg separation and some striations showing in my shoulders at 176. My frame can easily hold 20 pounds more muscle, but I don't think I'm mentally ready to even imagine that.

I've got to get used to this tank like structure I'm wearing now. I feel friggin' huge.

Bodybuilding -

'k - decision made. We will hope that time heals the legs. I will tally forth and so I'm throwing my focus on the Masters Nationals 2008. If I am strong, I'll stay strong. If I lose any of this hard earned muscle, well, then, it is lost! I am trying to stabalize my weight for a little while, hanging in the low 170's, hopefully that will be a benefit to the pain in my legs. B has started to stretch me again during and at the end of our sessions, especially my quads. If you have never had someone else stretch you intensley before, I can't even begin to relay how grueling it is. I whine, I moan, I beat on the floor, I come closing to screaming at times, but it is necessary.


I took the bodybuilder mentality to the gym last night, and just trained HARD! I forgot how much fun incline dumbell presses were when you do them first in the routine, not wearing yourself out benching first. 100'sx7 , 110'sx6 , then B and Rory handed me the 120's! Yep, I did them...gawwwwwwd I loved it. Those things are HEAVY!!! Then we moved on to weighted dips on the Nautilus Multi-exercise machine...I don't remember how much weight I did, all I know is that they were very heavy too...and yesssssssssssssss, I loved them - one of my favorite exercises, dips are. It is such a "pure" movement.

We are getting rain here these past few days, and lots of it. We need it. It is a good excuse to not even try to go for a walk! I probably look like I have a big stick up my hiney when I take my walks these days, trying to compensate for my legs being in pain...
PBR Finals start tonight! I admit - I am a PBR fanatic. I just loooove watching all those handsome, gritty cowboys. Those guys are insanely tough. I'm coming back in my next lifetime as a pro bull rider, just so younz all know. I love Justin McBride, and I love JB Mauney. Guilherme Marchi really should have won last year, had it not been for a lousy finals for him, so I'm rooting for him, too. I'm just in awe at all of their tenacity as they get beat up, stepped on, horned, battered, bashed and keep coming back with 100% of what they've got. That's the philosophy I'd like to follow, but I never seem to really give 100% all of the time.
If I ever do - look out world! And just so younz know this too - it grates my nerves every time somebody says they give 110%...you can't, OK, you just CAN'T, so stop saying it.

Big ol' Curve Ball -

Life is always throwing curve balls, isn't it?

I am at a crossroads. The situation has been coming on over the past few months, I was hoping it would subside, but it has gotten worse. Growing pains, friggin' GROWING PAINS!! We have determined that the acute pain in the outer portion of my legs is due to the fact that my legs have recently grown quite a bit, but the fascia just hasn't kept pace, causing the muscles to be entrapped in a casing that is just too tight at the present time. It has gotten quite painful at times. I can't even squat any more, it hurts so badly when I do. It feels sometimes quite like someone has beaten the sides of my legs with a baseball bat. Stairs are difficult, and even taking my thrice weekly jaunts around the neighborhood have sometimes become too difficult to endure.

Hence, the crossroads - losing weight would surely alleviate the problem. I can stay this wieght and let time heal me...but how much timewill it take??? Do you understand where I am going with this? It is time to make a choice - do I lose weight and alleviate the problem, hence be able to squat freely again, once again be Kate the Powerlifter, or do I stay the growth course, because, by golly, I have been growing like a weed(that's why the problem is occuring), stay Kate the Bodybuilder, but with that choice I would have to put Kate the Powerlifter away? If Kate the Powerlifter stays, then Kate the Bodybuilder surely will fizzle away.

I'm not making this worse than it is. I really do have to decide.

My nutritionist -

Lately my face has been broken out with blemishes, big ones, and my hair has been plagued with a frizzy squirrly-rat tail like texture(Shut up! More so than usual!)....so my "nutritionist" ( I have to giggle at that expression. So many bodybuilders have "nutritionists"...PUHLEEEZ!!!) says I have to include more fat in my diet.
I have talked myself over the years into believing that I am actually allergic to fat...how the heck do I eat more fat without wanting to slit my wrists after doing so???? Stay tuned for updates on this project!
Today I took a less brutal approach to training than normal, since I had to train back and I had already done big heavy dumbell rowing for the Women's Physique World video taping the other day with chest, etc....It's so amazing how much weight one can handle in the "auxillary" exercises if one does not do heavy deadlifting or rack pulls or rows to begin with. And I could do my biceps and actually "feel" my biceps working without having them feel like they were going to pull off of the bone. I didn't say I liked training like that - I'd much prefer pulling heavy first and feeling battered and shattered before moving on to the rest of the workout. :)
I have to relay this funny remark from one of my gym buddies, Rory - I have really long muscles in my quads and B and he were commenting on how they were really growing and starting to grow over my knees. I said that my quads still need to get bigger and he looked at me all serious and said "if they get any bigger you won't have any knees left". It just struck me as funny... Ok, enough -

Day in the Life of William Penn

I had a video/photoshoot with WPW yesterday up at the Training Center and then we headed over to old New Castle. If you don't know old New Castle in Delaware, it's a little colonial town that has been wonderfully preserved from the times of William Penn and gang, from the old brick buildings to the cobblestone lanes, the first ticket booth from one of the oldest train stations in America still stands here . It was a pleasant sunny day, around 80 with a light breeze wafting up from the bay. However, in the gym it was a toaster oven...I guess they automatically turn the air down come autumn -my gawsh, it was sweltering!!!
I swear I will never don a posing suit in such pasty like cow like condition again! Actually, I do still have a decent tan, from partaking of the tanning bed facilities at Midway Fitness Center, and I'm probably about 12% bodyfat...but oh how the camera lies!!! The scale said 172 when I stepped upon it yesterday.
Bill and John videoed me training through a chest/delt/tricep session, and by Bill's request added in some 170 and 190 pound dumbell rows... it was so friggin' hot, and believe me, I like it hot, but it was nuts hot- it wasn't my best "work", but I guess it will get its point across. Dave Pulcinella happened to be training at the same time we were there - he was covered up for the most part, but what was poking out of his sleeves and pant legs looked pretty awesome. I don't know if he's doing Nationals or not - Al Fortney is. He sneaked in looking pretty cut up through the delt and arms, but sneaked out as fast as he sneaked in, so I didn't get the full Big Al effect.
Oh, back to me - I'm very very sore today. I hadn't posed much since the Master's, I forgot how much work posing is. It couldn't be from the 190 pound rows that I'm sore, nope... hah!!!!

Oh, yes, I know I need to reign in my gluteus medius... it's almost larger than the maximus, which soon could be the minimus if my medius becomes more maximum.

Where have I gone?

Things are just a little out of sorts for me right now - be back soon!