Very long day

A friend of mine died Monday, then Tuesday was busy with challenging work so I basically sat on my ass all day long. By the time I got to the gym it was almost 8pm and I was stiff and feeling weak. Warm-up 2 x 12 x hyperextensions, 1 x 12 x push-ups. Squats, 1 x 12 x air, 1 x 10 x 45, 1 x 5 x 65, 2 x 5 x 95, these were hard, decided to work on volume and tightness. 3 x 3 x 115, 3 x 5 x 105. Bench press 1 x 10 x 45, 1 x 5 x 65, 1 x 5 x 85, 2 x 3 x 90, 2 x 4 x 90, pissed because these were supposed to be 3 x 5 x 90, 2 x 5 x 85. Romanian Deads 3 x 8 x 95, punishing to the hamstrings and out. Slept badly, up super-early so went to 6am yoga.

You can't fix a friend dying.

After yoga I finally got some sleep, weird dreams and the dog going nuts woke me up. I decided work wasn't a good idea today, and went to Macy's. Hey, I grew up on old movies that depicted Macy's as the cure for emotional distress.. Found an awesome pair of flat girl Terminator boots at 25% off, comfy and sold. I'm also changing things around at home, recently got a new rug for the living room- goodbye zebra! Upgraded the spare room sofa and looking at new curtains and bookcases for the bedroom. It is time. Funny how negative change in life needs to be balanced out by positive change.

Yoga and bench press

Up early for yoga, always challenging but I'm improving at the postures. Then bench press, still tough to attack weights after reaching Zen. 12 push-ups, Bench press 1 x 10 x 45, 1 x 5 x 65, 1 x 5 x 85, 1 x 1 x 95, 1 x 2 x 95, got a spotter for lift off and encouragement, 3 x 3 x 95- Thank-you Gary! 1 x 10 x 75. One arm dumbell presses, 1 x 5 x 20, 1 x 5 x 25, 1 x 5 x 30, done. I need to catch up on sleep this weekend, also noticing that Olympic lifts require more recovery for my shoulders and upper back. I have got to start running if I am still going to do that trail run in March which is already paid for. Love this cool weather, it really seems like the Christmas season this year, much more then it did last year.

Catching up

Wednesday am I went to yoga, having completely forgetting to go at 4pm Tuesday. I was busy working. Then, Wednesday I did not train a with weights. Thursday was Thanksgiving, and making that turkey was exhausting. Today, I lifted.

The plan was to squat, bench and deadlift as heavy as possible and then have a couple of back-off sets, but I did not get the memo that bench=pressing, bicep curling and all of its variants are of VITAL IMPORTANCE to do on Black Firday, as so did not have access to the weights and benches necessary. Warm-up was 2 x 12 x hyperextensions, 2 x 12 x push-ups. Squats, 1 x 12 x air, 1 x 10 x 45, 1 x 5 x 65, 1 x 5 x 95, 1 x 3 x 115, 3 x 3 x 125, tough but okay, 5 x 3 x 115, these started to feel good and go up nicely during the final two sets. Did one set each of dumbbell bench and one-armed dumbbell benchss 1 x 8 x 20, 1 x 5 x 20 as a warm-up, then did not have any more weights to use so after standing around waiting for some guys to finish warming up with the 25 and 30 lb dumbbells (long enough to realize that they were not in fact warming up but were doing their work-sets) I gave up on that.

So I deadlifted, 1 x 3 x 135, 1 x 2 x 155, 4 x 1 x 165, yucky form breakdown in the last rep, 1 x 2 x 155. Overhead squats 1 x 5 x 45, 3 x 5 x 65, and one last set each of push-ups and hyperextensions.

Then it was the time I was waiting for, shower, brow wax and long pedicure. So nice. I hit the grocery store for a slab of salmon for lunch, had that with half of a ripe avacodo and am starting to feel normal again.

Almost forgot to add the period report. Hey, some other peri-menopause ladies who lift may find it informative. Anyway, today my period started and the session was fine. For me, it is the week preceeding that has the most issues as far as relative weakness and uncoordination. PMS for the win! Not really.

Tired Monday

Didn't sleep well, up early and went to yoga. Unsucessfully tried to take a nap after work. Tonight's lifts will be squats and Oly stuff, squats 3 x 5 x 115, clean and press up to fails, should hit 75lbs at least, then power cleans, going for 85lbs. Overhead squats 5 x 5 x 65 will put me where I was before the back injury. Tomorrow either just yoga or yoga and a 2 mile run/walk, Weds powerlifts, 3 x 3 x 120 squats, 3 x 3 x 95 bench, 165 deadlift. Will update this after training.

How it went down: 1 x 12 x hyperextensions, 1 x 12 x push-ups, 1 x 10 x air Squats, 1 x 10 x 45, 1 x 5 x 65, 1 x 5 x 95, 1 x 3 x 115, 3 x 5 x 115, clean and press 1 x 5 x 45, 1 x 3 x 65, 2 x 1 x 75, power clean 1 x 2 x 75, 2 x 3 x 75, 1 x 1 x 75, power snatch 1 x 5 x 45, overhead squat 1 x 4 x 65, 5 x 5 x 65. And out.

Session from Weds

Took Maria's yoga class weds morning, god it was brutal! I need to start making it to more of her classes, she obviously does poses that I need to do more frequently. That evening, went into the gym for a light day having learned my lesson about going for broke during PMS time. Warm-up 3 x 12 x hypers, 3 x 12 x push-ups alternating with each other. Then, squats, 1 x 10 x air, 1 x 10 x 45, 1 x 5 x 65, 5 x 5 x 95. Bench press 1 x 10 x 45, 1 x 5 x 65, 5 x 5 x 85. Piece of cake. One-arm dumbbell presses, 1 x 5 x 20, 1 x 5 x 25, 5 x 5 x 30. Lat pulldowns 3 x 8 x 70 and done. Took early yoga yesterday, not feeling great today but its early. Will decide on workout later.

Went in to the gym early due to an extremely slow workday. Warm-up, 1 x 12 x hyperextensions, 1 x 12 x push-ups. Squats, 1 x 10 x air, 1 x 10 x 45, 1 x 5 x 65, 1 x 5 x 95, 5 x 3 x 115. Overhead press, 1 x 8 x 45, 1 x 3 x 65, 4 x 2 x 75. Oh yeah. Discovered that overhead presses and overhead squats don't mix, overhead squats 1 x 5 x 45, 3 x 5 x 55. Power cleans 1 x 3 x 55, 1 x 3 x 65, did the rest and clean and press 3 x 3 x 65 and out. Saturday morning yoga.

Freaking ravenous today

The online strength community repeatedly says, eat more on training days. I must be Bizarro because it is the day after training that I want to eat everyting in or out of sight. It's 2:44pm, I've had enough food for a whole day and could easliy continue to chow down if I didn't have Yoga to go to in an hour. After training last night I had a three-egg omelet with cheese and guacamole on top. However, I then woke up at 3am so hungry I had a can of somewhat disgusting chicken and Italian vegetable Campbell soup. Apparently Italian vegetables are soggy peas and mushy potato chunks. Make that half a can, I dumped the rest down the sink. Plus two teaspoons of hummus. 7:30am I had made a packet of oatmeal w/ a tablespoon of peanut butter and teaspoon of honey before taking the crazy little dog to the groomers.

Then I had black bean soup with some brie melted in it. After retrieving dog, had a big tuna sandwich. That is four meals today so far! I should look back to see when I started complaining of PMS last month. Found it PMS, aka Belly of Doom. That was the 15th and today is the 13th so I suppose its right on time.

Good news, my Christmas present should be coming tomorrow! It was ordered online by me so I can't wait to check it out and hope it will be a good one. I'm all about making life easier on my man. He is good about choosing presents but I saw this and wanted it so what the hell.

Blender veggies and training

Dr. Oz made me feel guilty today when watching his show made me realize I hadn't had a vegetable today, so I blended up a blender-ful of raw spinach, one pickled jalapeno pepper and a Roma tomato with water. That was yummy and energizing. I did step on a coffee cup from a high height this weekend (explanation: it had yogurt in it, when I was done I set it on the floor so the dog could lick it, forgot about that and was stepping down off of the couch after hanging the curtains I had cleaned), so have a little foot issue.

Here is the training session aimed for tonight. Warm-up 3 x 12 x hypers alternated with 3 x 12 x push-ups, squats building up to 3 x 3 x 115, bench 3 x 3 x 95, one-hand dumbbell bench 3 x 3 x 35, deadlift 1 x 3 x 135, 1 x 3 x 145, 1 x 3 x 155. Depending on how the back feels at this point, power snatch 1 x 3 x 35, 1 x 3 x 45, 1 x 3 x 55, overhead squats 5 x 5 x 65.

Ok, all that didn't quite happen. The warm-up did, 3 x 12 x push ups alternated w 3 x 12 x hyperextensions. Squats 1 x 10 x air, 1 x 10 x 45, 1x 5 x 65, 1 x 5 x 95, 1 x 3 x 105, 3 x 3 x 115. Bench press 1 x 10 x 45, 1 x 5 x 65, 1 x 3 x 85, 5 x 2 x 95. Power snatch 1 x 5 x 35, 1 x 5 x 45, overhead squat 1 x 5 x 45, 1 x 5 x 55, then could not get 65 over my head. Deadlifts 1 x 3 x 135, 2 x 3 x 155 and done.

Glute DOMS attacks!

I'm not sure why but my ass is sore as heck. Here is the workout that did it: I started with a warm-up of 12 hyperextensions alternated with 12 push-ups. Three rounds of that. Then squats, 1 x 10 x air, 1 x 10 x 45, 1 x 5 x 65, 1 x 4 x 95, 1 x 3 x 105, 3 x 3 x 110. I feel like such a pussy squatting low weights like that but the back issues were too severe for it to be smart to push faster. Clean and press, 1 x 5 x 50 (did 50 instead of 45 as those little plates make it less likely I will drop the barbell on my foot. See other injury) 1 x 3 x 55, 1 x 3 x 65, 1 x 1 x 75, two failed press attempts at 75. So on to power cleans, 3 x 3 x 80, 3 x 3 x 75. Back started to be noticeable so wrapped it up for the night.

It was later that night the DOMs hit, funny as that workout doesn't seem like it would create that much of an effect. Who knows? This morning I took the long yoga class, then treadmill, walked 1.25 miles at 4.0, run .75 at 5.0. I need to make up the power snatchs and overhead squats that I didn't do Frieday. Add them in Monday.

Yoga made me too relaxed

Yoga first is not a good idea if the plan is to go on the treadmill after. I'm just sayin'. Haning out at home now, procrastinating as far as work goes and being a slug in general. Tonight, dinner/ happy hour plans w a friend.

Solid workout, back on track.

Trained this morning after a Boston creme doughnut for breakfast on the way to the gym. Carbs! Squats 1 x 12 x air, 1 x 10 x 45, 1 x 5 x 65, 1 x 5 x 95, 3 x 5 x 105. Hyperextensions 3 x 12. Bench press 1 x 10 x 45, 1 x 5 x 65, 1 x 5 x 85, 2 x 2 x 95, 3 x 3 x 90, 1 x 4 x 85, 1 x 8 x 75. One-arm dumbbell bench press 1 x 6 x 20, 5 x 6 x 30. Deadlifts 1 x 3 x 135, 3 x 3 x 145 and hit the showers. It is a wonderfully cool day. Tomorrow, yoga and walking with .25 mile of jogging, I don't know though, no problems with shinsplints so maybe I can add another .25 mile in there. Will see. Friday lifts, 3 x 12 push-ups alternate w 3 x 12 hypers, squats up to 3 x 3 x 110, clean and press as high as possible, then power cleans wherever that is, probably 77.5 5 x 3. Power snatch 45lbs, overhead squats 5 x 5 x 65. Ambitious!

Update, the Belly of Doom has gone way down and has been that way for while now. Yay! I wish I knew what I am doing right.

It is one o clock

And yoga class is at 4pm. I am attending that and then 2 mile walk with .25 mile jog in there. I know, that is a tiny amount of jogging, this is forcing myself to increase slowly to avoid debilitating shinsplints. This week .25 mile run, next week .50 and so on. When I get to 2 miles in a row I will start playing with speed and incline. Building up slowly on strength and running is one of the hardest things I've done. It's so frustrating not to just go balls out to happy exhaustion but it sucks even more to be unable to train at all and I'm in this for the long haul.

Yesterday I trained next to two women in the Women on Weights class. They were kind of pathetic as far as lifting goes, not referring to the amount of weight but the effort and lousy form. Hell, lift the little bar but at least squat it all the way down, you know? One had run a half-marathon that weekend her friend informed me, and as a wanna-be runner I was mildly impressed. It's kind of mind-blowing that a human body can run 14 miles and yet be so incredibly weak. They started talking diet. One of the women whom I've seen in the gym many times, always running and doing cardio expressed dissatisfaction at her body and said it was obviously her diet as she trained like a fiend. The half-marathon friend was super-skinny, but in an unhealthy way that made you want to see if she was okay rather then the hot super-model way.

Super-skinny woman is on a really low-carb diet and not skinny woman was depressed that that might be the only way for her to reduce down to her desired shape. The thing about all of this was, that along with me there was another female weightlifter in the gym, who's figure they were admiring along with her strength. Wouldn't you think that might make the brain say, hey maybe getting stronger will help my body look more the way I want it to look? I would, hell that was part of the reason I started lifting in the first place (see title of this blog) along with stronger bones and increased lean mass. But no, the two women loved weightlifting girls body, said they could never be that strong, and made plans to take more cardio classes together. It was not the time to go into a full-blown lecture about increasing lean body mass through weightlifting to improve body shape and enable it to burn more calories instead of depriving oneself more and more while shrinking away into bone and skin. Or maybe it was and I'm just a coward.

In a way I can see where they were coming from, as the lifting they were doing was ineffective and they had paid for 6 weeks or so of the lifting classes without much result, so may as well give it up. Also, you are going to do what you like, thus my signing up for the trail run early in the year to force myself out of my comfort zone. On the other hand i wasn't exactly gung-ho about yoga in the beginning despite being aware of the benefits in stretching one's body, concentrating on the breath and meditating. It took a long time of muscle stiffness before I finally did something about it. I may never be particualrly good at yoga, but that does not matter, being able to walk around like a human should, to bend and stretch and turn and have full range of motion, to watch TV without begging for a leg rub makes it worth the schedule inconvienence. Evolving, slowly but surely.

First power lifts since the back tweak

Took 8am yoga class first, then squats 1 x 12 x air, 1 x 10 x 45, 1 x 5 x 65, 1 x 5 x 95, 1 x 3 x 95, 3 x 3 x 105. Hyperextensions 3 x 12. Clean and press 1 x 5 x 45, 1 x 5 x 55, 2 x 3 x 65, 2 x 1 x 70, 1 x 1 x 75. Power cleans 3 x 3 x 75, the last one of these was a sloppy mess. Overhead squats 3 x 5 x 45, 2 x 3 x 55, back muscles started to feel sore but not in a bad pulled way, more in the worked-out kind of way. Power snatch 1 x 3 x 35, 1 x 3 x 45- these were actually done before the overhead squats. Deadlifts 2 x 3 x 135 and done. That went okay, its been six hours now and my back doesn't feel bad. Tomorrow yoga is at 4pm so I need to log off work early, then walk 2 miles, in fact I may add some running in there now.

Weds will be squats, 3 x 5 x 105, bench press (need to see what last weeks weight was), one-arm dumbbell press 30lbs, deadlifts 1 x 3 x 135, 2 x 3 x 145. Tonight I should take a 2 mile walk but I really feel like sleeping instead.

Messing around

It seemed over-ambitious to lift again yesterday, but I had to do something after being sidelined for so long so this is what I did. First, Thursday night I went for a 2 mile walk outside, it was nice and cool. Friday evening, I walked for 2 miles on the treadmill at the gym, then did 3 x 12 x hyperextensions, alternated with 3 x 12 x push-ups. Then, leg presses! LOL. 1 x 12 x 90, 3 x 8 x 180, felt weird around the knees. one-arm dumbbell bench presses up to 3 x 6 x 30, lat pulldowns 3 x 10 x 80 and done. I think that hit everything, mild cardio with walking, ass, hamstrings and lower back with hyperextensions, upper back chest, shoulders from the push-ups. The presses got my quads and hips, bench more upper body press and lat pull downs, da back. Today, long yoga class, walk, push-ups and hypers again.

Ok, I walked 2 miles, took the long yoga class and just did one set of 12 hypers and left. Somehow I inadvertantly worked abs yesterday- what is the world coming to? Maybe I should keep that fun day in as my cORE obviously needed it.

Looking forward to the time change

Maybe then I won't continue sleeping past yoga. It when I would have to get up and get ready for class that i'm finally reaching that really good sleep. Scattered is a good descriptor for me lately. So much to do that its overwhelming. I've got to get the 60,000 mile service done to my vehicle, go through the mail and pay bills, pay myself at the bank to pay Sallie Mae, work so next week won't be a broke week and work out. Almost forgot, grocery shop unless I want to live on eggs. Meanwhile, I'm sitting here in flannels having not yet even brushed my teeth.

Okay, I'll work until 5 or 6, then go to the gym, then grocery shop. Plan for the car and bills/ mail tomorrow. Time to start brushing.