food poisoning isn't good for lifting

But I felt better towards the end of the day and decided to go. Squats were 1x10x air, 1x8x bar, 1x5x 65, 1x5x 85, 1x5x 105, 2x2x 125 (not 3x5x as planned) 3x5x 115, really had to fight for these, 1x3x 115 and done.
Bench press 1x 10x bar, 1x5x 65, 1x3x 75, 3x3x 85 (not 3x5x 85 as planned) 3x5x 75. Deadlifts 1x2x 135, 1x1x 150, 1x1x 155, form breakdown, back catted up, 1x1x 150, also bad.

Overhead press active recovery 3x10x bar. 20 back extensions. Tuesday treadmill training lsd. 4.0 at .25 mile, 5.2 at .50. Tummy problems are still happening as of Tuesday morning dammit. I haven't had anything except tea at 12:30 don't know whether to eat something or go into the session fasted.

Interval treadmill day

4.0/ 6.0 intervals, went well. In the second mile I needed time to catch my breath so that slow interval I dropped from 4.0 to 3.0. That rejuvenated me for the rest of the session. After that I had to go by Walmart for cleaning supplies and cash, so I used the blood pressure machine in the pharmacy there. My blood pressure according to that was 117/72, not bad for after workout. Tomorrow is volume day for squats, going for 3x5x 125. Bench press 3x5x 85, deadlifts 1x5x 155.

Friday lifts

Good thing I decided to go early, as the person who told me they had regular hours on Friday was wrong. No cardio warm-up, Squats, 1x10x air, 1x8x bar, 1x5x 65, 1x5x 85, 1x5x 105, 1x3x 115, 1x3x 125, 1x2x 135 (yeah baby) 1x1x 135, 1 fail at 135, 2x3x 125, 1x3x 115. Next session do 3x3x 125.
Overhead press 1x8x bar, 1x5x 55, 2x4x 65, 1x3x 65. Hard. Romanian deadlift 1x5x 95, 3x5x 105, 20 back extensions and closed the gym down. So not a bad heavy night for squats and overhead press, still working on it. Treadmill training Sunday and lifting Monday.

What I've been up to

Wednesday, I couldn't sleep so did 6am Spin, planned for an evening lift session but it didn't happen. Thursday was Thanksgiving, so bearing the burden of guilt for missing the night's session, I went OUTSIDE in the am and ran/walked 3 miles. Which means Friday is definitely a heavy weight day. Squats, looking for doubles at 130, overhead press still trying for 3x5x 65, Romanian deadlifts, 3x5x 105.

Run run run away

Went to the gym earlier in the day then usual, 11am. Treadmill work 4.0 .25, 5.2 .25, 4.0 .25, 5.2 .50, 4.0 .25, 5.2 .50, 3.0 .25, 5.2 .50, 4.0 .25, heartrate still high so 3.0 .25, then 5.2 .25, 4.0 .25, 3.0 cooldown. Its tougher in the beginning, the middle is good, and then when I was cooled down I couldn't resist throwing another quarter-mile at 5.2 in there. That is where my cardio-bunny past creeps up. It's amazing how sport-specific exercise is. One could be the Spinning queen but running will break you, and vice-versa. I get where Crossfit is coming from by throwing all of the above at you, but also understand how fit people end up with rhabdo. It's easy to assume that because you are great at A and B exercise that you can also do C and D okay, but the truth is if you are genetically average you have to train for what it is you want to do.
Which brings me to skiing, which is what I really love. I am starting saving now to take a month off to ski next year. Yeah buddy!

Monday lifting

Based on a recent comment that squats warm-up the whole body, I decided to ditch any cardio warm-up and see what happened. I had a great lifting session, progression after my last reset of volume day was better then expected, allowing me to add an extra set of five at the work weight to squats and bench press. Sometimes I do things just because I can, you know?
Here are the details, squats, 1x10x air, 1x8x bar, 1x5x 65, 1x5x 85, 1x5x 105, 1x5x 115, 4x5x 120, Yay me! Bench press 1x8x bar, 1x5x 65, 4x5x 80. Deadlift, 1x2x 135, 5x1x 150. Active recovery for overhead press 3x10x bar and done.
Tomorrow is LSD day, although at this point my long distance intervals are .5 mile. Aiming for 4.0 .25, 5.2/ .5 to three miles. Wednesday will be intensity squat day, looking for doubles at 130 lbs. Overhead press still looking for 3x5x 65. Romanian deadlifts 3x5x 115.

Sunday session

Run/ walk 4.0 6.0 intervals for three miles. Then volume day for squats with five rep sets, goal of 3x5x 120. Bench press goal 3x5x 80 lbs, based on last BP dat 3x5x 75. Deadlift, 1x5x 150. Will update after.

It turns out that raising the intensity of running made me unable to lift. Training to run breaks down as (in quarter-mile increments) 4.0/ .25, 5.2/ .25, 4.0/ .25, 6.0/ .25, 4.0/ .25, 6.0/ .25, 4.0/ .25, 3.0/ .25( still needed to catch my breath after the 4.0 quarter so added in a slow lap), 6.0/ .25, 4.0/ .25 and cooldown lap. Super-red and sweating after that, I changed shoes and shirt and had some water.

At the squat rack I warmed up, 1x10x air, 1x8x bar, 1x5x 65, 1x5x 85, then I just could not do anymore. So, lifting and running will now be on different days, volume squat lift day for Mondays, five rep sets up to 120 lbs. Bench press 3x5x 80, deadlift 1x2x 135, 1x5x 150.

The gym didn't make me sick, it was my man!

But the throat thing seems to have gone away, which is good. Yesterday for the run I added some longer intervals at the slow jog pace (5.2 mph). So it went .25 mile warmup at 4.0, .25 mile at 5.2, .25 mile 4.0, .5 mile at 5.2, .25 mile at 4.0, .5 mile at 5.2, .25 mile at 4.0, .25 mile at 6.0, .25 mile at 4.0, cooldown. Now that I now I can jog for half a mile without keeling over dead, I will alternate LSD training with half-miles at 5.2 for the whole session, with fast quarter miles at 6.0 for the next session. Next time (Sunday) 4.0/ 6.0 for 3 miles.

I took a little break and went on to lifting, heavy day for squats. 1x 10x air, 1x 8x bar, 1x 5x 65, 1x 5x 85, 1x 3x 105, 1x 3x 115, 4x2x 125 (heavy sets, felt good) 2x 5x 115. For next time I haven't decided if I want to do as much as I can at 120, or just stay with the 125 and go for more reps there.

Overhead press still shitty 1x8x bar, 1x5x 55, 1x4x 65, 2x3x 65. Maybe I should do these first before squats. Romanian deadlifts, 1x8x bar, 1x5x 95, 1x5x 105. So here's the thing, do I work my upper body first because it is so weak and lagging, or do I continue to focus on lower body because those are the biggest muscle groups?

Is the gym making me sick?

How did you like that Carrie Bradshaw opening? It is strange, I had a great workout but now at home my throat is bothering me again. Ah well, it isn't bad. I did the run/walk intervals at 4.0, 5.2, 4.0, 6.0 and so on for three miles.
Squats were 1x10x air, 1x8x bar, 1x5x 65, 1x5x 85, 1x5x 105, 3x5x 115, good work sets, 3x5x 95, easy back offs. Happy with those will have an intensity day next time, going up until failure.
Benchpress 1x8x bar, 1x5x 65, 3x3x 85 (was supposed to be 5x3 but hasn't happened yet), 3x5x 75. Deadlifts 1x2x 135, 2x2x 145, fucked up form and hitched the fifth one, so did it over. 20 back extensions mostly for the stretch and home for food.

Saturday gym time

Kicked things off on the treadmill, getting ready for a four mile trail run in April, yes, I like a lot of lead time. Walk 4.0 jog 5.2 .25 mile intervals except for the last .25 I ran at 6.0. The friend going to the race with me said she runs at 5.2 or so, but I may end up more comfortable at 6.0. Will see how that goes. Total mileage was 2.75.
Lifts: Squats 1x10x air, 1x8x bar, 1x5x 65, 1x5x 85, 1x5x 105, 5x3x 115, 3x5x 95. Those last three sets were tacked on because there was a 'drinking bird' lady using tiny dumbbells right next to me and I couldn't resist doing more squats with an easily handled weight.
Overhead press 1x5x bar, 1x5x 55, 3x3x 65, 1x5x 55. Deadlift 1x5x 135. Back extensions 20 reps. Shower, tuna sub from Subway and time to get to work.

One year ago I was squatting with the bar only!

Trying to get motivated

This day has been dragging on so slowly- ugh! The powerlifter link in Kyle's comment on the blog entry below this is inspiring, love watching a small woman squat 225. Maybe finding more clips of athletic people will have me more stoked about getting in the gym tonight. Taking Spinning for entertainment yesterday didn't work, I was bored halfway through. The instructor is down to earth and funny, but I think she has us move our arms around to all the different bike handle positions in an effort to keep the class engrossing, but instead I find that a distraction from the activity. Yes, this post is full of complaints, no?
It is a beautiful sunny day outside too, which makes me miss living close to a great park with waterfalls and hiking trails. When I first moved there I would only go on the main path and with someone else. Later, alone seemed acceptable, then I got brave and started taking the trails. By the time I had been there a few months I was completely off-trail, using the creekbed as the guide. I miss that park.

Uneven shoulders and strength on each side

My left shoulder in noticeably smaller then the right, so much so that when squatting I have to raise the left elbow up higher to keep the bar straight across my back and during the squat the bat tends to dip on the left side. Rip's book says that with time and lifting body imbalances will become balanced but that hasn't happened with me in just at a year of lifting. I don't know what to do.

Today is a non-lifting day so I'm just taking a Spin class for entertainment. Tomorrow will be squats, going for 3x5x 115, overhead press 3x5x 65, deadlift 1x5x 135. Also run practice, 2 miles, .25 mile intervals walk 4.0 jog 5x2. Next week I'll put a slight incline on it and go another .25 mile, so it will total out at 2.5 miles including the cooldown quarter.

First lifting day after a sick week

Squats were 1x10x air, 1x8x bar, 1x5x 65, 1x5x 85, 1x5x 105, 3x3x 115, 3x5x 105. I do the extensive warmup because my knees are a little wonky and it helps me get brave when I go up step by step.
Overhead press 1x8x bar, 1x5x 55, 2x3x 65, 1x5x 55. Very rough sets. Romanian deadlifts were 1x5x 95, 1x5x 105, 1x4x 105. So it was a kind of lame workout but felt very tough and at least I did it. This was Monday, all day Tuesday my quads were screaming so I took a Spin class to pump extra blood through the body.
Normally I take more then one day between lifting sessions, but I needed to hit the gym today to get over a crappy experience (non training related) and went for it. Also, I didn't note, on Monday I started training for a four mile trail run and did 2 miles on the treadmills with .25 mile intervals. They were walk 4.0 jog 5.0. today, Weds, I did the same but the intervals were walk 4.0 run 5.1. My heartrate recovery was very good from max (165) to not max (135) but getting lower then that at 3.0 for my cooldown .25 mile was difficult. That was the warm-up.
After doing an intro/volume day Monday i did a tentative intensity day tonight. Squats were 1x10x air, 1x8x bar, 1x5x 65, 1x5x 85, 1x5x 105 (really working on keeping weight over heels as my mindful cue tonight). 1x3x 115, 2x1x 125, 1x2x 125 (Whoo-Hoo) 1x1x 125, 1x dumpx 125, 2x3x 115. Good lord I was done with squats then.

Bench press 1x8x bar, 1x5x 65, 2x3x 85, 1x2x 85, failed the third rep. Then decided to get more exercise at least with 3x5x 70- oddly the last set was the easiest one. I'm going back to linear progression on bench press and will see how that goes, so next bench day 3x5x 72.5 20 back extensions and done.

Catching up

Wednesday night I took Body Combat and then Coralette's sculpting class. Thursday took a rest day, Friday B.C. class again. Today I took Stefanie's quick Spin class and lifted, heavy day.
Squats went 1x 10x air, 1x8x bar, 1x5x 65, 1x3x 85, 1x3x 105, 1x3x 115, 1x2x 125, 3x1x 135, going for two reps on these next week, gotta get my mind in it. 4x3x 115, 1x5x 95.
Bench was interesting, 1x12x bar, 1x5x 65, 1x3x 85, 1x1x 95, (that was a two rep set but the second rep was assisted, 1x1x 100 (also assisted I think, John Ta said he didn't help but if I'm not sure I won't consider it a real rep). But hey, got 100 lbs on the bar for the first time, and one of those 95 lb reps was actually good.

There was no way I was deadlifting after that, so I hit the lat pulldown machine to get a pull in the session, 1x6x 80, 3x5x 90lbs. Tomorrow is a rest day, I'll figure out Monday when it comes.

Harper's Bazaar cover image fail

I love getting a new fashion mag in the mail, and this one had the added bonus of cracking me up on sight. Beyonce is on the cover sporting legs so skinny I'm sure she hasn't looked down on that since she was 14 years old. I understand fashion, but did someone really think that we won't notice when one of the most over-exposed celebrities in the world has been air-brushed down to half her size? Her big thighs are the main reason she became famous in the first place.

Okay, back to me ;-) The cat woke me up dark and early so I went to 6am Spin, then lifted for a volume day. Squats were 1x10x air, 1x8x bar, 1x5x 65, 1x5x 85, 1x5x 105, 3x5x 115, 2x3x 115, 2x5x 105, that last set was tough to make myself do. Overhead press aka the Bane of my Existence was 1x8x bar, 1x5x 55, 3x3x 65. Romanian deadlifts, 3x5x 95. Tomorrow I'm aiming for Body Combat and Coralette's sculpting class, Thursday will be a rest day or some easy cardio class, Friday Body Combat, Saturday heavy lifting day.

Heavy Day

I'll start with Friday night, Body Combat class. That was it. Today, I took a quick Spin class and then lifted. Squats were, 1x10x air, 1x8x bar, 1x5x 65, 1x3x 85, 1x3x 105, 1x3x 115, 1x2x 125, 1x1x 130, 1x2x 130, 3x1x 135!!! 1x3x 115, 3x5x 95. Huge PR day, I was aiming for 135 by Halloween and thanks to the trainer there pushing me after I told him about the 130 made the goal a week early. That was so awesome I did a girly happy dance right there.

Bench press 1x8x bar, 1x5x 65, 2x2x 85, 1x3x 85, 3x5x 75. Deadlifts, 1x3x 135, 1x1x 145, 1x1x 155, 3x1x 160, form breakdown, 1x3x 135, back catting up even at the lower weight. Effing deadlifts. But so what, I squatted 135 lbs today!!

Tuesday, light day squats only

I had not worked out at all since Friday and felt like a big slug. So, Tuesday evening I took a Spin class and then did squats. 1x10x air, 1x8x bar, 1x5x 65, 1x5x 85, 1x5x 105, 1x2x 115, 5x3x 115, 1x5x 105, 2x5x 95. Lots of squats, and I found one of my Spinning buddies doing some curly things with the small dumbbells and dragged her over to the Squat rack. She said Spinning wasn't changing her body enough. I showed her how to squat with the bar, and after a lot of playing around with getting into the correct position she did three sets of eight with the bar.

She is the third woman I have tried to show how to squat and so far none of them are comfortable going all the way down. Realizing just how weird it already is to be in the barbell section I encourage them to go a little lower each time and drive up with the butt.

The other thing that happened is, she saw the hack squat machine next to the squat rack (natch) and wanted to try it. I showed her how it works and pointed out that the machine will always be uncomfortable because the shoulder pads are too wide apart and that using the bar instead makes the exercise adjustable to one's own proportions. Which is all true.

It was fun having someone to chat with, but made my gym stay late, so I left after squats. Wednesday night I took Body Combat, which was really fun. People dis those Les Mills classes but I had a good sweaty time punching and kicking away. Then I took Coralette's body sculpt class with the heaviest weight I could find in there- don't laugh 18 lb bar, and 8 lb weights, but doing all those many reps did burn. I feel it today!

Today was Yoga this morning and rest, tomorrow I plan to take Body Combat again and lift, heavy day. Squat, bench, deadlift.

Wednesdays and Friday's lifting sessions

It has been a while since I blogged, but I have been lifting. Wednesday was one of those weird days, the outfit I was wearing was all wrong, the shorts kept wanting to fall down annoyingly so running (even walking) on the treadmill was an embarrasment. I gave that up after six minutes and intend to throw those shorts away, it was that bad. I went on to squats which were 1x10x air, 1x8x bar, 1x5x 65, 1x5x 85, 1x3x 105, 1x3x 115, 2x1 125, one attempt at 135, missed the lift, 1x1x 115, horrible form, felt heavy. 1x3x 95, 1x3x 95, 1x5x 95, ended the session.
Today was better, took a Spin class before lifting. Squats, 1x10x air, 1x8x bar, 1x3x 65, 1x3x 85, 1x3x 105, 1x3x 115, 2x2x 125, 1x1x 125, 2x3x 115, 3x3x 105, 2x5x 95. Good intensity and volume today. Overhead press were as crappy as usual, 1x5x 45, 1x5x 55, 3x3x 65. Heavy, struggling with the bar. Deadlift, 1x2x 135, three singles x 145, 1x2x 145. So, not bad.

Light day

Yesterday my sister wanted to join me at the gym and I was due for a higher volume light weight day which worked out well. Warmed up with one mile walk/jog at 4.0 and 6.0, heartrate went to below 120 in less then three minutes during the cooldown. 20 back extensions, then squats. 1x10x air, 1x8x bar, 1x5x 65, 1x5x 85, 5x5x 105. Overhead press 1x5x bar, 1x5x 55, 3x3x 65, seriously, I haven't felt strong on these yet. Deadlift, 2x3x 135, feeling easy. My wrists have that odd feeling about them, not pain but the awareness of something. I may do some cardio tonight if a friend is there for the social-ness of it. Tomorrow squatting up to 130 singles, bench press 3x5x 35 dumbbells if my wrists feel okay, then power cleans 72.5 5x3.

Squat singles

I did not go to a class yesterday, and today was dragging as far as work was concerned, and absolutely beautiful outside, so I went to the gym early. Warmup was one-mile intervals on the treadmill 4.0/ 6.0. My heart-rate recovery from the 160 to under 120 was good and quick. Squats were 1x10x air, 1x8x bar, 1x3x 65, 1x3x 85, 1x3x 105, the planned 3x5x 115 turned into 1x4x 115, 2x3x 115. Then I put ten more pounds on the bar and did three singles at 125(3x1x 125), and finished with 2x5x 105.

Standard bench press: warmed up with 1x5x bar, 1x3x 65, then did 1x1x 85, got a spotter and did 1x3x 85, he wandered off and I did another 2x3x 85 (3x3x 85). Pleased with that but my wrists did feel wonky afterward. Romanian deadlifts were 1x5x 95, 1x5x 105, back extensions 1x20. Then it was back to the treadmill to cooldown with one mile at 3.0/ 6.1.

I was hungry after that! Had a stuffed tuna pita and skim milk/protein powder mixture.