Finding a balance
This blog serves a plethora of purposes. It allows me to freely express my thoughts, feelings, trials and tribulations. Simply put, the ultimate goal of this blog is to make some sort of sense out of my ever confusing life.
Monday, January 16, 2012
Updates!
I am currently on my third week of deloading and cycling! Effectively put on 15lbs to my 20 rep squat in the last 3 weeks. I am now up to 95lbs for 17 reps.
I have only added 10lbs to my dead lift so far in the past 3 weeks. I think I started off too heavy (135lbs for 20 reps.) I need to find myself some 1lb. plates for bench and shoulder press.
I am ripping bench press to shreds. I am able to do 65lbs for 20 reps. I am going for 70lbs next week.
Monday, January 16th.
Weight - 131.2.lbs.
Stats prior to cycling (December 2011)
Bench Press - 95lbX3
Dead lift - 185X5
Squat - 135 X5
Military Press - 70X8
Chin ups - 3 consecutive reps (this is the one and only exercise that HAS suffered since I put on more weight....makes sense, I have more weight to pull up!!!)
Dips - 3 sets of 5 reps, using body weight.
3 weeks of cycling
Bench Press - 65X20
Dead lift - 135X17ish (this one is tough, back began to round at the 17th rep.)
Squat - 95X17
I am not really cycling shoulders, but I am throwing in some low intensity/medium rep workout every other workout.
Random accessory exercises
One hand rows: 40lbsX5
Bicep curls: 20lbs X8
I am also doing clean and presses. I feel like an idiot while I am doing it. I have been watching lots of videos on proper form and technique; I hope that with a lot of practice I can eventually perform them effectively.
Good news is that I am back to being 90% primal. The only non-primal part of my diet is dairy. I don't digest it incredibly well, but it is amazing post-workout due to its affect on insulin. Plus, cottage cheese is just so protein dense, and is one of my favorite meals. I am trying not to obsess about calories; I figure that once I can get back to 120lbs, then I will get serious about cutting calories and cycling macros. For now, I am eating a little bit more carbs on work out days...nothing crazy, maybe I'll throw in a sweet potato and have an extra serving of berries. I also eat lots of fage yogurt and obviously cottage cheese. I am extremely torn about this because I know that carbohydrates are essential post workout. I, on the other hand, don't respond well to them. I get cranky, bloated, cravings, and I am more likely to binge on bad food while I am eating them. I feel like I have more control while I am eating primal, I can't really explain it. And to be honest, one of the worst feelings in the world (besides having a panic attack) is feeling out of control around food. No one should ever feel like that. We are in control the food; not the other way around.
I am having a blast each week with training. Pushing my body and mind to new limits; and eating whole, delicious foods to my hearts content. I feel so much better!
Completely unrelated to fitness, but my husband and I are finally looking at houses! It is very exciting; but, scary all at the same time. There are some real DUMPS out there. We just have to be patient, keep an open mind, and try not to get our hopes up. I have a feeling there will be a lot of disappointments along the way....
Thursday, November 3, 2011
New PR on deads!
Deads:
45X8 (warmup)
95X8 (warmup)
95X8 (warmup)
185X4
175X4
175x5
165x6
135x7
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Quick Update
Thursday, October 20th.
Squats
95X8
105X5
135X5
135X5
135X5
125X6
115X6
Sunday, October 23rd.
Deadlifts:
45X8
95X8
165X5
175X5
175X5
175X5
135X8
Tuesday, October 25th. No spotter today.
Dumb bell press (flat)
20X9
35X5
35X5
30X8
30X7
Shoulder Press
20X8
25X7
25X6
25X5
Dips
BWX6
BWX4
BWX6
BWX4
Friday, October 28th.
Squats
95X8
105X5
135X5
135X5
125X5
125x5
Bicep Curls
40X6
40X5
Today is a deads day! Feeling pretty pumped! I previously maxed out my deadlifts at 175 for 5 reps. I think I am going to try 185lbs for 3-4 reps. Ideally, I would have like to up it to 180lbs, but they don't have 2.5lb weights at my gym.
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Exhausted
I am going to try and sneak in a nap today while Pat rests, hope that recharges my batteries a bit.
I'll post my gym results later, or tomorrow. Stay tuned.
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
New PR in bench press!
Barbell bench press
45X8
85X3
75X4 (did not rest enough between reps & it showed)
75X5
75X3(should have dropped it down to 65lbs here)
65X8
Overhead dumbbell triceps
30X8
30X8
30X8
30lbs was too easy - I could definitely jack up the weight to 35lbs next time for 6-7 reps.
Standing bicep curls with barbell
40lbX6
40lbX6
40lbX5 (failed on the 5th rep)
Overall, a really good workout. I don't feel sore yet, but it sometimes takes a good 48 hrs for the soreness to kick in. I have been jacking up the protein intake too, and I know that makes a world of difference in recovery. The scale says I lost 2 pounds since Monday, but I really just think its water weight from the carb loading that I do on the weekends. I probably eat more carbohydrates and calories between Saturday and Sunday than I do Monday through Friday COMBINED. I know exactly what it is, too, it's alcohol. Alcohol decreases my judgement so I end up doing the whole late-night binge which inevitably carries over into the next day. I have trouble fasting on days where I have a hangover, or days where I've had any alcohol the night before. To be totally honest, alcohol is what is standing in the way of my goal.... Why does it have to be soooooo good?! Pumpkin beers with sugar and cinnamon on the rim, octoberfest.....it is just way too good to pass up.
Monday, October 17, 2011
Holy Soreness!
To be honest, my focus and energy level started out crappy but once I did a few warm up sets of deadlifts, I felt much more energized.
Deadlifts:
45X8
95X8
175X5
175X5
165X6
135X7
One hand dumb bell rows:
25X8
27.5X8
30X8
I underestimate my own strength way too much. If I am able to get 8 reps with 30 lbs on the 3rd set, I am going way too light. I need to start at 30lbs next time, hell maybe even 35 lbs next time.
I finished off with “farmer walks.”
I held a 45lb dumb bell in each hand and walked across the gym twice. My forearms were exhausted at this point, I barely made it back the second time.
My back is friggen’ destroyed today, but I feel SO accomplished. According to the scale, I didn’t lose “weight” this week, but I gained strength. I would rather take gains in strength than loss in “weight” any day of the week.
Friday, October 14, 2011
Ouch
Chris saw that I was upset with my back squat performance and suggested I try front squats. I have only done front squats once before and it wasn't even a real session, it was more screwing around. Wow, it was uber uncomfortable for the shoulders, wrists, elbows, forearms. I said to myself, "Man, this sucks. But, I DID NOT come to the gym for nothing. I am going to stick this out." I felt like it was an overall SHITTY session at the gym, but I tried to make the best of it.
Here goes:
Front Squats
45lbx 8
95lbX6 (struggled on the 6th rep. My collarbone was killing me here. Form was definitely off.)
95lbX5 (ouch.)
Okay, so back and front squats were a big bust for me. I figured then I should hop on the leg press and really annihilate my legs.
Leg Press
210X7
210X8
220X8
230X8
250X5
250X5
Still pathetic, I did much more weight last Sunday. I was so frustrated at my shoulder and so hung up on the fact that I couldn't do squats, I let it get the best of me. I need to learn to just accept that some days will be better than others.
I finished off with free weight bicep curls:
17.5lbs X 10
17.5lbs X 8
17.5 X 7
I failed significantly sooner with my left arm than I did with my right. Next time I am going to curl a 40lb bar instead of doing free weights. I hope that increases the strength in my left arm!
Since I didn't post Tuesday, October 11th's workout, here it is.
Flat bench press
45X8
75X5
75X5
65X8
65X8
Dumbbell shoulder press
20X8
25X5
25X5
25X4 (failed on 4th rep, was so exhausted from bench)
Overhead dumb bell triceps
25X8
25X8
25X8
Isolateral incline press machine
58lbs X 4
48lbx X6
48lbs X5 (so fatigued at this point.)
I am going to nurse my shoulder this weekend and hope that it doesn't screw me up for Sundays training session. I plan on doing some walking today and tomorrow for 45 minutes. I hate walking on the treadmill.
So.boring.