The Belly of Doom

I've whined, okay posted, here before about my midsection driving me nuts. Bloating, not responding to exercise and nutrition changes, etc. Its possible that this is a genetic curse, as my sister who leads lots of weight-training and cardio classes every week has the same thing. Another site I lurk on, the Starting Strength forum, had the link to this blog post Stumptuous, Pray for Mojo which is a great read and offers up another possibility. I'm not running to a doctor yet, as I hate them in general and still want to work on other things by myself, but its good to have this information out there and will probably help other people. Hell, at least make one not feel so alone in insanity.

This morning I woke up at 3:45 am, as I do, and stayed awake and in limbo for two hours, finally reaching a nice sound sleep as the alarm went off for yoga. I continued sleeping. Sometimes the extra hour or so of rest is worth it. Lifting goals for the night are 3 x 3 x 130 squats, good low and strong lower back, see how 90 lbs goes on bench press again, I didn't get the reps I wanted last time. I may add in tricep extensions as an assistance exercise here. Deadlifts, 1 x 5 x 135, 1 x 5 x 145, 1 x 5 x 155. So, semi-intensity squats, volume deadlifts, and who knows bench.

Working out a plan

Yesterday I took the whole day off from the gym, worked, paid bills and then worked around the house. Today I slept in, it was wonderful. So, it's alternative lift day which needs to be both organized and played by strength.

I can either keep the warm-up as light squats, push-ups and overhead presses or do volume squats to 115 5 x 5. This is tricky because the light warm-up is better for strong presses and therefore strong shoulders but squats in general are my weak point so should I keep the focus on them even on light day? I also consider that many of the other women's logs show their squats far heavier than mine, while I easily bench and press more then them. That leads to the question,am I weird and should make up the disparity, or just go with the difference? When my arms are down by my side and relaxed they aren't crazy muscular or anything, so that part isn't important yet.

My back feels good today, so I'll start with back squats and work up to 5 x 5 x 115 for volume, then move on to clean and press until those get too heavy, hopefully around 80 lbs, then morph into 5 x 3 power cleans, still working on getting 5 x 3 x 80. Then play with overhead squats being careful with the knees. After all that, walk 2.5 miles on the treadmill.

Reminder to myself, Artwalk and Duos downtown tonight.

Very good session today but I lost my log- poo! Back squats 1 x 12 x air, 1 x 10 x 45, 1 x 5 x 65, 1 x 5 x 95, 5 x 5 x 115. Clean and press 1 x 5 x 45, 1 x 3 x 55, 1 x 3 x 65, 2 x 2 x 75. Power cleans 2 x 1 x 75, x 3 x 75, 5 x 3 x 80, 1 x 2 x 80( this was an ugly set with a miss in the middle). I was dreading overhead squats at this point but actually had fun doing them. 1 x 5 x 45, 1 x 3 x 55, 1 x 3 x 65, 1 x 1 x 70, 2 x 2 x 70, struggled with these, then I think I got 5 x 5 x 65 damn where did that piece of paper go? Also, saw one of my former advice givers squatting next to me. This was the first time I paid attention to what he was doing, he had 315 loaded up, tampon on the bar, 1/8 squats with a spotter. Glad I ignored his advice. Home at 2pm feeling totally relaxed and glad I made the lifts.

chugging along

Dragged myself to yoga at 7, we had a different instructor today which turned out well. A whole new set of torture! At night back to lift; squats 1 x 12 x air, 1 x 10 x 45, 1 x 5 x 65, 1 x 5 x 95, 1 x 5 x 115, 5 x 3 x 125 I just hate doing sets of five when its heavy. Could really use some peer pressure here. 1 x 5 x 115, 3 x 5 x 95. Bench press 1 x 10 x 45, 1 x 5 x 65, 1 x 5 x 85, 2 x 3 x 90, 1 x 4 x 90, 2 x 5 x 85, 1 x 3 x 85. Deadlifts 1 x 5 x 135, 2 x 5 x 145. Forced myself to do sets of five on these. Then finished with 2 x 15 hyperextensions. Home and cooking up some pork chops.

The day after

the clunky, uncoordinated, weak workout that was last night, I got up slowly at 530 and went to yoga. I am not a morning person according to everyone who has been exposed to me fore 11am, so doing this on a regular basis means I am convinced it helps. Not joining the Cirque du Soliel anythime soon, but it is such a huge relief to be able to scratch between my shoulder blades with my hand instead of the back of a chair. Not only that, days of longing for someone to rub my tight legs have given way to normalcy. Not that I will say no to a good leg rub.

Tomorrow will be squat, bench deadlift day. Squat 3 x 5 x 125, yes it is a do-over. Bench press 3 x 5 x 90. I've been stuck at 3s for 95 lbs for a while and want to see how this goes. Deadlifts, 1 x 5 x 135, 2 x 5 x 145. Not as heavy as I want heavy day to be, conservative here. Also, I should walk today if I have time as two different social things are on the agenda for the day. But no sex! Lifting tomorrow.

Finally lifted again

I hate going so long without doing so. Also, a discovery has been made: sex really does make me weak! It has to be amazing, but then the next day's lifts just suck. That's one myth that I now believe. Now that the excuse of the day has been registered, the lifts. Squats, 1 x 12 x air, 1 x 10 x 45, 1 x 5 x 65, 1 x 5 x 95, 5 x 5 x 115. Sadly tough. Power cleans 1 x 5 x 45, 1 x 3 x 65, 1 x 3 x 75, 2 x 3 x 80- hoorible fail on the last one. 2 x 3 x 75, 1 x 2 x 75, got pissed and did 1 x 2 x 75 clean and press.

Front squats 1 x 5 x 45, 1 x 3 x 55, 1 x 3 x 60, 1 x 3 x 65, 1 x 3 x 70. Overhead squats 2 x 5 x 45, 1 x 3 x 55, 1 fail to even get the bar overhead at 65, then regrouped and did 5 x 3 x 65. Romanian deadlifts 5 x 5 x 95. Home for food and sleep, 6am yoga tomorrow.

Cinderella? Nope, the designated driver.

Wait, does that make me the cat that is turned into the driver of the coach? Not having kids puts one at a disadvantage as far as fairy tale memory goes. The point of this is that I was out until 12 last night and got up at 6:30 today. Thanks, hungry pets. I basically carbo-loaded, had Ramen last night and oatmeal this morning. Still to come: the long Saturday yoga class, lifting and 2.5 mile walk. I will need a nap after all of that! Reiterating todays planned lifts, back squats 5 x 5 x 115, power cleans 5 x 3 x 80 (sets x reps x pounds) front squat 5 x 3, overhead squat 5 x 3, these are light, RDL 5 x 3 x 95. Will update after, but since all of these are light for me, the only new thing being the power cleans at 80 lbs, should not be a problem.

Making lemonade out of lemons, maybe

It would be great for someone who knows what form I am going for to watch me lift and make helpful suggestions. So far I have the people but they don't have a clue. so, I'm going to provide it. The next time someone approaches me with a tip, I will say no problem. First, check out Mark Rippetoe online, Google or go to Youtube for videos, and see the form I am trying to achieve. Then, learn how to do the movements until you (a man, most of the time it's a guy) can do them properly with more weight than me, which so far none of the helpers has been able to do. Then, bring on the suggestions!

Sleep was not cooperating last night, so it was easy to get up at 5:30 for 6am yoga, after that I did 2.5 miles on the treadmill. This surprised one of the trainers I know there, he was like "Cardio?" I was like, "yeah." Came home, ate oatmeal and napped. My shoulders need a break, so tomorrow will be a volume squat day. 5 x 5 x 115 back squats, 5 x 3 x 80 power cleans, 5 x 3 x going up gradually front squats, 5 x 3 x same thing overhead squats, 5 x 3 x 95 RDLS.

It occurredto me that I should explain how I got to the point where I am deciding my own programming. When i started lifting 2 years ago, I ran Starting Strength 3 times, with several deloads, by the book, eventually going from 3 x 5 sets to 3 x 3. After a point I stalled and my back had issues. You can see by the picture of me in my potential Halloween costume two of the reasons for back issues, I've been carrying these breasts around full-size since I was 15. Now, self-coached, I read everything possible especially about older women who lift and am programming myself. Practical Programming is on my list of things to buy, as soon as I can stop buying Halloween stuff, god I love this holiday!

I thought it was Taco Day

but instead it was Unwanted and Odd Advice Day. actually,the first batch of advice I got for my deadlift wasn't all that unusal. Amateur coach #1 advised me to use a mixed grip for all sets rather than just the heavy ones, and to look up at the ceiling at all times. I smiled and thanked him and ignored the advice. I'm trying to use the form recommended by Rippetoe by the way. Coach #2 was better. He came over and said I needed to scrape my knees on the way up, along with looking at the ceiling at all time. He is a chiropractor, and thus knows about backs. At this point I was doing my back-off set with 155 lbs, so I asked if he would demonstrate proper form.

With God as my witness, he took 20 lbs off of the bar and then said, it still might be too heavy- for him! Then he showed me some goofy deadlifts. Somehow I hadn't fainted with the sight of a man, who wanted to tell me how to deadlift complain about lifting 135 lbs, and he decided to help me even more and discuss squats. I should look on Youtube for advice, he said, and got two 2.5 lb plates and said to put them under your heels while squatting...Yeah. I laughed and said 'Please stop!' and waved him away. A woman can only take so much.

Tonight I warmed up for Deadlift only day with lat pulldowns alternating with sets of push-ups, lat pulldowns 1 x 8 x 50, 1 x 6 x 60, 3 x 10 x 70, push-ups 3 x 10. Then did hyperextensions 2 x 15. Deadlifts were 1 x 3 x 135, 1 x 3 x 155, 2 x 3 x 165, 1 x 3 x 155, 1 x 5 x 135. These went well other then the clownshow. Then, walked on the treadmill 2.5 miles. Tomorrow, no lifting, early yoga and walking.

New workout pants!

I just got home from a mall with two new pairs of stretchy workout capris. I tried on several pairs and brands of running shorts, which look so cute and comfortable on many of the other women I train with, but for some reason on me they look like I stole Grandma's panties. So, capris it is. I also found some cute tops at Banana Republic on sale, as they were from Summer. Since it is 90 degrees here I went for it. God knows I have enough cute hoodies and jackets to wear over them if it ever becomes cooler. Hey, it started pouring, maybe I am getting my wish. See, buying sleeveless tops did the trick.

I took yoga this morning, today my back and shoulders are a little stiff but whatever. Tonight the plan is to warm up with some lat pull-downs, push-ups and back extensions, three sets of ten each, then deadlift, 1 x 3 x 135, 1 x 3 x 155, 2 x 3 x 165, back down 2 x 3 x 155, 1 x 5 x 135. Then hit the treadmill for my two miles, so far so good as avoiding shinsplints goes, I will increase the distance to 2.5.

More changes

I got to the gym late due to life interfering, started with squats 1 x 12 x air, 1 x 10 x 45, 1 x 5 x 65, 1 x 5 x 95, 1 x 5 x 115, 3 x 5 x 125, lower back started complaining during the last two reps of the third set, I wanted to do 3 x 5 x 115, but my lower back felt like it was collasping so did 1 x 3 x 115. Bench press 1 x 10 x 45, 1 x 5 x 65, 1 x 5 x 85, 1 x 1 x 95, 1 x 1 x 100, 2 x 2 x 95, 1 x 3 x 95, 3 x 5 x 85. I had just over a half hour left of the gym being open, and decided to use the treadmill and move deadlifts to tomorrow rather then rush through them. So, I walked on the treadmill, 4.0-4.2 miles per hour, playing with the incline from 0 to 2 for 2 miles, and wrapped it up just as the gym closed. Clearly my lower back is limiting my progress in squats, so moving deads to a different session and making it a 'back day' hopefully will help. Tomorrow, yoga, deads, back accessory work, walking.

Unmotivated day

Sunday I didn't train, went to my sister's house and hung out with my crazy nieces for a while. Grilled chicken and then decided to burn the shred pile which was much more fun then sitting there shredding for half an hour. Today I got up for yoga, during class my right shoulder felt wonky when lifting it up and down but now it seems okay. This is a thing because tonights lifts will be clean and press and overhead squats, so i don't know if I should put that off until tomorrow and just walk tonight or what. Walking around waving my arms like a giant bird doesn't hurt so maybe I just slept awarkwardly. Work is slow so I cleaned the kitchen, now I could do the rest of the house or take a nap. Leaning towards the nap.

No nap, continued to work and my 800 number went out halfway through a consultation. This was the Monday curse for sure. Training; warm-up with 12 air squats, 1 x 10 x 45 back squat, 3 x 8 x 45 front squats, 3 x 10 push-ups, 3 x 8 x 45 overhead pressin a little circuit. Clean and front squat 2 x 3 x 45, clean and press 1 x 3 x 65, went for 75 and couldn't make the second rep so singled them out 7 x 1 x 75. Power cleans 1 x 3 x 80, just to see if i could, next time I have this session (Saturday) I'm going for 5 x 3 x 80. Tried to snatch the bar and failed, so power snatch 1 x 3 x 45. Just so unco-ordinated today. Overhead squat 1 x 5 x 45, 1 x 3 x 65, 1 sort of at 75, dropped it, 1 x 4 x 70 I was surprised, 1 x 3 x 70. Clean and press 1 x 2 x 70, 2 x 1 x 70.

I thought squats would make it all better- wrong! 1x5x95, 1 x 3 x 115 and my back started getting cranky, so I did a set of 15 hyperextensions and finished with 2 miles on the treadmill at 4.0 mph. Nothing about this day was easy, it was all a slog.

Went to bed early Friday night, which resulted in lying there at 6 am thinking about how much I had to do today. So, I got up and got started. Gym session was squats 1 x 12 x air, 1 x 10 x 45, 1 x 5 x 65, 1 x 5 x 95, 1 x 5 x 115, 3 x 5 x 125 finally! I might not have been as deep as need be here, need a do-over with confidence. Then back-off sets 3 x 5 x 115. Bench press 1 x 10 x 45, 1 x 5 x 65, 1 x 3 x 85 not a good sign, 1 x 5 x 85 strangely tough for this weight, 1 x 2 x 95 my notes here say WTF, 1 x 3 x 95, 1 x 1 x 95, 1 x 5 x 85 and it was time for yoga.

An hour and a half later, back to benching 3 x 5 x 85. Stupid bench press! Deads 2 x 3 x 135, 1 x 3 x 155, 1 x 2 x 165, 1 x 1 x 165, 1 x 3 x 155 and done.

Tight left shoulder

I'm not sure what I did but my left shoulder and neck don't want to turn and twist like normal, which makes driving challenging amoung other things. I took yoga yesterday morning and today but so far its the same. I hope it feels better tonight so I can lift, today would be an Oly-style training day with a lot of overhead work. If I have to put it off it kind of screws up the weekend lifting schedule, but when it hurts to shrug thats probably a sign. Dammit.

Forgot to log this, well it is logged on Fitocracy so I could toggle between the sites or just wing it. My shoulder and upper back mobility were okay so I decided to go for an abbreviated lifting session. Warmed up w 12 air squats, 1 x 10 x 45 back squats, then 3 rounds of 3 x 8 x 45 front squats, 3 x 10 push-ups, 3 x 8 x 45 overhead presses. Power cleans 2 x 5 x 45, 1 x 5 x 65, clean and press 1 x 1 x 75, 5 x 1 x 70, 1 x 5 x 65. Back to power cleans 5 x 3 x 75. Overhead squats 5 x 5 x 45. Walked on the treadmill for 2 miles, working slowly up to this repetitive cardio again to avoid shinsplints this time.

Tomorrow squats 3 x 5 x 125, just going to grind them out, haven't decided whether to rep bench press at 95 going for 3 x 5 x 95, or lift heavier at lower reps. I'll play that by ear depending on how it goes. Then deadlifts 2 x 3 x 165 as I had to single out at 175 last time and could tell my form wasn't good. Just need to be aggro and strong. Walk another two miles.

Squat, bench, deadlift

Plan for tonight is squat 3 x 5 x 125, bench 100lbs up from 95 last week, see how that goes, deadlift warm-up at 135, singles up to a failure or form breakdown. Will report back after.

Okay, I started with bench press, 1 x 10 x 45, 1 x 5 x 65, 1 x 3 x 85, 1 x 3 x 95, 5 x 2 x 100, 1 x 2 x 95. No spotter. Squats, 1 x 10 x 45, 1 x 5 x 65, 1 x 5 x 95, 1 x 3 x 115, 5 x 3 x 125. Not exactly the plan, right knee a little twingy, focused on shoving them out and not letting them track forward.Deadlifts 1 x 3 x 135, 1 x 1 x 155, 3 x 1 x 175 back felt rounded on the first and third of these. 1 x 2 x 155, 2 x 3 x 155, when I switched to mixed grip on the last two sets of these the lifts were a breeze.

Dog barking in one ear, cat meowing in the other.

Good thing I spent the morning at the gym and am too loose to feel annoyed. Started with yoga, 1.5 hours. Then lifts. Lifting after yoga makes it a tough warm-up but I managed. Warmed up with air squats, 1 x 12, back squats, 1 x 10 x 45, front squats, 1 x 8 x 45, 10 push-ups, front squats, 1 x 8 x 45, push-ups 10, front squats 1 x 5 x 65, Power cleans 1 x 5 x 45, clean and press 1 x 5 x 45, clean, front squat press 1 x 5 x 45. Power clean 1 x 3 x 65, clean and press 1 x 3 x 65, clean front squat and press 1 x 3 x 65, 1 x 1 x 70, 3 x 1 x 75.

Overhead squat 1 x 5 x 45, power snatch 1 x 5 x 45, snatch 1 x 5 x 45, overhead squat 1 x 3 x 55, power snatch 1 x 3 x 55, snatch 1 x 3 x 55. My snatch is in slow motion. Overhead squat 2 x 3 x 65, 2 x 3 x 75, 1 x 3 x 70, 3 x 5 x 65. Clean and press 3 x 3 x 65 and I was so done.

Driving on the way home I felt all the exercise endorphins floating around my head, it was great. If anyone had asked a question at that time the answer would have been yes regardless. That is fading away with my various animals being annoying and the fact that my "Lift More Suck Less" bumper sticker came all folded and mesed up and may need to be returned. I contacted Cafepress and requested they just send a new one, will see how that goes.

Perspective

This morning the regular internal battle of why I should or shouldn't get up for yoga happened, and somehow I got up and went. About halfway thru class Beth, a woman I took Spinning classes with for at least a year during my cardiobunny days came in. She has been fighting cancer for the past year, her hair is gone and she is nowhere near the shape she was in back then, but she made it to class even though she was late. Late would have been on the top of my list not to go.

So, yeah, my piddly problems of a bloated tummy and wanting to sleep in til 8 are damn trivial. We talked, she is doing well and done with traveling for chemo treatments. I don't know anything about cancer, I guess after chemo they give the body a break for a while to get back to health and then test or scan you again. I hope its gone.

Fat and hormonal

describes how I have been feeling this week. I've retained every drop of water ingested and haven't worked out since Monday. So, this week so far was: Monday yoga, lifting at night, Weds am yoga class, and that is it. I got dressed to work out last night but was too fat to go. Too fat to go to the gym! Clearly an attitude adjustment is needed. So, I'm on the second big cup of green tea today hoping that will stimulate some release of pee, and prepard to wear a big t-shirt to the gym in case it doesn't. Seriously, bigger women go to the gym consistently and are just fine, I need to get my head out of my ass and just go.

All-righty then. Also, I miss deadlifts and am going to add the powerlifts in to alternate with the Oly stuff which is both fun and dreadful. It's been a while since I put power stuff on hold, so tonight will be about starting over on squats, 3 x 5 x 120, seeing if I can bench 95 lbs well as there probably won't be a good spotter around, and deadlifts warming up at 135 and moving up 1 rep 10 pounds added each time until a miss. Friday morning will be yoga early, Saturday lift Oly day. Back on track yet again!

Why do I get all angtsy about hitting the gym when it always turns out to be the best part of the day? Who knows. The squat racks were taken when I got there, so started with bench. 1x10 x 45, 1 x 5 x 65, 1 x 3 x 85, 5 x 3 x 95. Felt strong and good. Also, Leslie showed up and did here first bench presses ever with the bar. 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 120, strong and good. Leslie also squatted with the bar, we are working on getting her down to a good paralell before adding weight to it. Deads 5 x 3 x 135, hyperextensions 2 x 10. I decided to rep deadlifts out like that as I needed to get used to the proper back position again, the weight was good and easy. I am so stoked that the time off doing Oly stuff hasn't resulted in my becoming weaker, in fact it has helped with some missing links.

My snatch needs work.

I made it to yoga on Monday morning! Being able to move my arms and legs around is addicting I tell you. Then, at 7:30pm, I lifted. Warmed up with 12 air squats, 1 x 10 x 45, 10 push-ups, 1 x 8 x 45 front squats, 10 more push-ups, 1 x 8 x 45 front squats, clean and front squat 1 x 5 x 55, 3 x 5 x 65. Then, clean squat and press 3 x 3 x 65.

Snatch stuff, power snatch 2 x 3 x 45, full snatch 1 x 3 x 45. Overhead squat 1 x 3 x 55, 3 x 3 x 65, one more set of clean and press 1 x 3 x 65. Back squats 1 x5 x 95, 3 x 5 x 115. And done.

All better and lifting again.

I took the long yoga class today, as I feel such releif from tight muscles as long as I keep up the yoga classes. Seriously, parts of the class are incredibly uncomfortable but it is worth it to be effortlessly flexible for the rest of the time. I may as well take them, the gym membership includes them so I'm paying whether they are taken or not. After that, I lifted. Yes, it would be ideal to do those things the other way around but I am not getting up at 6am to do that.
Warm-up with 12 air squats, 1 x 10 x 45 back squat, 1 x 8 x 45 front squat, 10 push-ups, 1 x 8 x 45 front squats, 10 push-ups, 1 x 5 x 55 front squats, 10 push-ups, 1 x 5 x 65 front squats, 1 x 5 x 70 front squats.

Overhead squats, 2 x 8 x 45, 1 x 5 x 55, 3 x 5 x 65, 1 x 2 x 70 interspersed with overhead press 2 x 5 x 45. Power cleans, 2 x 5 x 45, 1 x 3 x 55, clean and press 1 x 3 x 65, 5 x 1 x 75, power cleans 5 x 3 x 75. Back squats 1 x 5 x 95, 1 x 5 x 105, 1 x 3 x 115, 1 x 3 x 120, 1 x 4 x 120, 1 x 4 x 115 and done. Home, ate lunch and looking forward to an afternoon nap.

Walking like the Little Mermaid

In the original (REAL) story, when the little mermaid got the legs she wanted so desperately each step she took was like walking on broken glass. My run on tuesday resulted in damn painful walking too. So, I took yoga yesterday and this morning and should be lifting weights tomorrow night.


He fixed his coal-black eyes upon her so earnestly that she cast down her own, and then became aware that her fish’s tail was gone, and that she had as pretty a pair of white legs and tiny feet as any little maiden could have; but she had no clothes, so she wrapped herself in her long, thick hair. The prince asked her who she was, and where she came from, and she looked at him mildly and sorrowfully with her deep blue eyes; but she could not speak. Every step she took was as the witch had said it would be, she felt as if treading upon the points of needles or sharp knives; but she bore it willingly, and stepped as lightly by the prince’s side as a soap-bubble, so that he and all who saw her wondered at her graceful-swaying movements.