Lower Body Training – 29.5.13

Trained a day later than planned due to the boyfriend having a dodgy stomach yesterday. It turned out to be a good decision as yesterday, I woke absolutely shattered and was then too sore after my physio session to want to go.

I was at the hairdresser before the gym as I’ve gone back to my blonde hair. I had a stint of being brunette but I really don’t think it’s *me* and I am much happier being back to my blonde self 🙂

We trained 16 hours into our fast and I was feeling apprehensive. Squats were due to go up to 81kg today, which is 90% of my 1RM and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a bit nervous.

But, I needn’t have been! I felt really strong and powerful and managed my squats without any problems. Sure, they were tough but when you’re lifting at that level, what else can you expect?

I’ve really nailed my pre-squat mobility warm up now and my hips are feeling so much better for it. I’m planning to see if I can get it on video some time in the near future if anyone is interested?

Warm Up:

Foam rolling – quads, piriformis, calves
Dynamic hip flexor stretches
Forward/sideward leg swings
Dynamic hip openers
Third world squat
Third world squat to stand

Squats:

20kg x5
40kg x5
60kg x3
81kg x3
81kg x3
81kg x3

As I was performing my second set of squats, I heard a guy proclaim “God, she’s stronger than me!” which made me smile but also gave me a boost.

Stiff Leg Deadlifts:

40kg x6
70kg x8
70kg x8

Really felt these in my hamstrings and glutes. I took a video of them and as you can see, I’m not really pulling the glutes all the way through at the top of the movement, though I felt like I was. It’s something for me to work on next time and I’ll record them again to see if I can fix it.

Leg Press:

130kg x5
205kg x6
195kg x7

Super tough! Not surprising since my squats went up by almost 10kg!

Lying Leg Curls:

22.5kg x5
40kg x6
35kg x7

Standing Calf Raise:

230kg x10
230kg x10

Seated Calf Raise:

52.5kg x8
50kg x8

I’ve been told strictly by my physio that I’m not allowed to bench for the forseeable future as she isn’t sure if it’s aggravating my shoulder/neck problem. I’m to add in eccentric only flyes and I’m to switch my narrow grip seated row to a wide row.  Hopefully this will work! I’m a little bit gutted though, I feel I’ve finally got to grips with benching, learned how to use my lats and leg drive and now I’ve got to stop 😦  If it helps my shoulder to heal though, I’m prepared to give it a go!

Upper Body Training – 26.5.13

My first week of serious fat loss is done and I’m pleased to report a 7lb reduction on the scale.  It’s been a pretty easy week to be honest and though I know most of the 7lb will be water weight, I’m looking and feeling trimmer and a little tighter.

I’ve been tracking my food very closely as you can see…

Pretty much where I want to be – at least 50% fat, 30% protein and 20% carbs.

To celebrate my weight loss, I snapped a couple of pictures of my legs yesterday, as they are where I hold most of my fat..

Really pleased to see some muscle definition creeping in and when you compare it to a picture I took on 10th April, you can really see a difference!

They look leaner, tighter, more defined and shapelier – hurrah!

I can only attribute my consistency in the gym to this progress, working legs hard and squatting my ass off…

Onto upper body training yesterday. It wasn’t looking to be a great session – I’d been ill the previous day with a very dodgy tummy and with the combination of impending lady time, I was feeling weak as a kitten. Not so great when my incline bench was due to go up in weight!

Incline Bench Press:

20kg x5
30kg x5
41kg x3
41kg x3
41kg x2

Yup, as expected, the barbell felt like it weighed 100kg! Struggled on all sets though the second set was my best. Training was also fasted which generally means I’m stronger but on this occasion, it didn’t go in my favour.

Deadlift:

70kg x5
90kg x3
115kg x1
115kg x1
115kg x1
115kg x1
115kg x1

45 second rest pause between reps.  I knew when warming up and 90kg felt heavy I was going to struggle with these. 90kg has not felt heavy in probably 12 months so I knew something was up.  On the third rep of 115kg I actually worried that I would not make my last two reps, but sheer grit and determination saw me make them both.

Flat Bench Press:

40kg x8
37.5kg x6

*fist pump* Totally redeemed myself! I was really hopeful of making all 8 reps and when I struggled with my first two exercises, I thought 8 reps were going to be out of the question.  I managed it though, stomach cramps and all!

Seated Cable Row:

20kg x6
42.5kg x8
40kg x7

Barbell Curl:

25kg x8
25kg x8

To go up next session 🙂

Lying Triceps Extension:

25kg x2

Had to stop these as my shoulder problem (thoracic outlet syndrome) started acting up. I could feel the nerve getting compressed when my arms were up in the air which resulted in pain in the left shoulder/collar bone area and pins & needles and weakness in the left arm and hand.

I have my next physio session tomorrow which can’t come quickly enough. I’ve suffered since my last session and it didn’t really help like the previous one which makes me nervous that this is going to take much longer to heal than I expected 😥

Next training session will be tomorrow morning before physio where my squats will be up to 80kg – eek!

Lower Body Training – 24.5.13

I’m finally having a proper, serious crack at dropping some fat.  I’ve been kidding myself that I can cut on 2300 calories when in reality, I’ve been losing and re-gaining the same 5lbs for the past few months.  I’m five days in and in all honesty, I’m not finding it difficult at all. I’ve dropped from 2300 calories to no more than 1900 and I’m still allowing hunger to dictate what I eat (twice this week I’ve only eaten around 1600 calories) so if I go over or under slightly I’m not going to stress about it.

Weigh in today showed 5lbs down but that is the same 5lbs I’ve been losing for the past few months. When I last weighed, it was after a particularly indulgent weekend of drinking lots of wine, eating food I wouldn’t typically eat (chocolate, chips, rice pudding) so I know the majority of the loss is water weight. But it’s a step in the right direction and I am looking trimmer already in the mid section.

Training today was pretty brutal. It had been a long day at work and my legs were already tired so if I’m truthful I didn’t exactly relish the thought of squatting.  But I did and it was good. Not great, but definitely good.  Handled the squats very well but by the time I came to leg press I had nothing left to give.

Warm Up:

Foam rolling – 5 minutes
Dynamic hip flexor stretches – 12 reps each side
Hip openers – 8 each side
Third world squat – 3 minutes
Third world squat to stand – 10 reps

Squats:

20kg x5
35kg x5
55kg x3
72.5kg x4
72.5kg x4
72.5kg x4

Stiff Leg Deadlifts:

40kg x6
67.5kg x8
67.5kg x8

Leg Press:

120kg x6
205kg x6
195kg x6

These were TOUGH! Even on my warm up set I knew I was going to struggle as my quads were on fire. Only managed 6 reps on each set and almost peed myself with the effort it took!

Lying Leg Curls:

20kg x6
35kg x9
32.5kg x8

Standing Calf Raise:

220kg x10
220kg x10

Seated Calf Raise:

52.5kg x7
50kg x7

I’m off work for a week now which means lots of fasted training – hurrah! Enjoy the bank holiday weekend folks ❤

Upper Body Training – 22.5.13

For anyone that may be interested, I now have a public Instagram account! I’ve had lots of people try and follow my personal account but I take lots of pictures for my sweetypie which aren’t suitable for the public realm if you know what I mean 😉 For this reason, I decided to create a separate health & fitness account and I’m already addicted!

For anyone that wants to follow me you can find me @justagirl_1978…

 

I didn’t expect to be training today after our punishing legs workout on Monday night. My legs and ass were still pretty sore but I really felt up for it so decided to man up and get on with it. As it turns out, it was an awesome session.

Incline Bench Press:

20kg x5
27.5kg x5
35kg x4
35kg x4
35kg x4

The weight of my bench will be going up next session and the reps will be dropping to x3.

Deadlift:

70kg x5
90kg x3
115kg x1
115kg x1
115kg x1
115kg x1
115kg x1

Decided to go for the 5kg jump and am really glad I did! I felt really strong and powerful.  I had a 60 second rest pause and in hindsight I could have easily managed with 45 seconds but as the jump was higher than normal, I played it safe. Rest pause to decrease to 45 seconds next session.

Flat Bench Press:

40kg x7
35kg x8

Same weight and reps as last time. I *so* wanted to get the 8th rep but by the time I got there I had nothing left to give. I am determined to hit all 8 next time.

Seated Cable Row:

20kg x6
40kg x8
40kg x8

All reps were done strict with no momentum. I’ve found using a slightly wider handle allows a better contraction as the twins aren’t getting in the way! To increase by 2.5kg next session.

EZ Curls:

25kg x8
25kg x6

Since I switched to EZ curls from straight bar curls my wrists and elbows have been feeling much better. I feel my form is much tighter too. This weight will stay the same next session in the hope of hitting all 8 reps on my second set.

Lying Triceps Extension:

22.5kg x8
22.5kg x8

It was only as I came to write my first set in my book that I realised I was supposed to increase the weight to 25kg – d’oh! This will be done next time.

Snapped a quick picture post workout and was happy to see the definition in my back coming through – woohoo!

 

I’m getting serious about my fat loss again too. I’ve been losing and re-gaining the same 5lb for the last goodness knows how many months and I decided on Monday that it ends now! I want to be a little leaner and to do that I have to stop eating so much – 5 days last week I ate more than 2500 calories, which is 200 over my maintenance.

So calories have been cut slightly, diet will remain the same – just less of it. Watch this space…

Lower Body Training – 20.5.13

Euuurrgghhhh! Training legs on such a hot day is not top of my list, no matter how much I love beasting myself. My gym is in a shell of a building – freezing cold in the winter and boiling hot during spring/summer. Tonight, it was hella stuffy and uncomfortable and I thought at one point, during my sets on the leg press, that I was about to hurl.

My shoulder/neck is also niggling which has depressed me a little. After my previous session, I was pain free for 2 weeks but this time, the pain hasn’t really gone away and my neck and left trap is really sore *sigh*

No whining though, on to today’s training…

Warm Up:

Foam rolling – quads, calves, piriformis
Dynamic Stretches – hip flexors
Leg swings – forward, sideward
Third world squat

Barbell Squats:

20kg x5
35kg x5
55kg x3
72.5kg x4
72.5kg x4
72.5kg x4

As soon as I put that bar on my back with my working weight, I knew it was going to be tough. It felt heavy on my injured side and the heat just made things worse. I managed all 3 sets of 4 though – go me!

Stiff Leg Deadlifts:

40kg x6
65kg x8
65kg x8

I’m really loving the addition of these into my training. My hamstrings & glutes are feeling the benefit and it’s great grip training as the movement is so much slower than a conventional deadlift.

Leg Press:

120kg x6
200kg x8
190kg x8

Woo to the fucking hoo I finally managed 200kg for 8 reps! I place my feet high when I press too, so that it hits the glutes & hamstrings. I felt like my head was about to explode and I had to let out a bit of a roar on the last couple of reps but I did it! And with no vomiting!

Lying Leg Curls:

22.5kg x6
37.5kg x7
35kg x6

Disappointed to drop a rep on my first work set of leg curls but as the leg press had only just gone up in weight, I guess it’s to be expected.

Standing Calf Raise:

220kg x10
220kg x8

Seated Calf Raise:

50kg x8
50kg x8

Fantastic but brutal session 😀

 

Upper body training – 17.5.13

I had my third physio session on Wednesday for my thoracic outlet syndrome so have been unable to train until today. The last two days have been tough as the treatment leaves me very sore and feeling sorry for myself. I was taped up pretty well to offer support to my first rib, neck and shoulder and to encourage proper alignment…

 

I wasn’t looking forward to training but it turned out to be one of the best sessions I’ve had in a long time! We trained 15 hours into my fast and I was feeling strong and full of energy.

INCLINE BENCH PRESS:

20kg x5
27.5kg x5
35kg x4
35kg x4
35kg x4

DEADLIFT:

70kg x5
90kg x3
110kg x1
110kg x1
110kg x1
110kg x1
110kg x1
85kg x5

15 second rest pause in between singles. Weight is to increase next session though whether to 112.5kg or 115kg I’m not too sure yet…

FLAT BARBELL BENCH:

40kg x7
35kg x8

I was super pumped to get 7 reps @40kg. I only managed a very shaky 6 last time and my form was pretty horrendous but I was much steadier and stronger this time. I’m working on creating a small arch in my back and driving my shoulders and upper back into the bench and it’s really helping.

SEATED ROW:

20kg x6
40kg x8
40kg x6

All complete reps, no momentum…

EZ CURLS:

25kg x8
25kg x7

LYING TRICEPS EXTENSION:

22.5kg x8
20kg x8

All in all a fantastic session. Am late posting this blog as I’ve been away visiting my mum for the weekend so it’s back in the gym tomorrow for legs – rawwwrrr!

Lower body training – 13.5.13

Fantastic lower body session today! Having spent most of yesterday watching Wales’ Strongest Man (u90kg) and Wales’ Strongest Woman competition at Dragon Crossfit in Cardiff, I felt really motivated and inspired to kick my own ass in the gym.

Warm Up:

Foam rolling & mobility work – 5-10 minutes

Squats:

35kg x5
55kg x5
72.5kg x4
72.5kg x4
72.5kg x4

Stiff Leg Deadlifts:

40kg x6
62.5kg x8
62.5kg x8

Leg Press:

120kg x6
195kg x8
190kg x8

Lying Leg Curls:

20kg x5
37.5kg x8
35kg x8

Standing Calf Raises:

210kg x10
210kg x10

Seated Calf Raises:

50kg x8
50kg x8

 

Squats were tough – there is a 10kg increase from last session but one rep less. Second set was by far my strongest.  I’ll be sure to get some video footage of my sets next session.

Leg press was brutal and after my first set I felt like I was going to throw up. Still managed my second set though with only a 5kg reduction.

All in all a really successful training day and I am now off to stuff my face! But, I’ll leave you with this video from yesterday of the two ladies that took first and second place in Wales Strongest Woman – enjoy!

Upper Body Training – 10.5.13

Warm Up:

Rowing machine – vigorous – 5 minutes (Typically I would perform shoulder mobility exercises such as dislocations but I’m currently dealing with thoracic outlet syndrome and any kind of shoulder mobilisation only serves to exacerbate it at present)

Incline Bench Press:

20kg x5
27.5kg x5
35kg x5
35kg x5
35kg x5

Conventional Deadlifts:

70kg x5
90kg x3
110kg x1
110kg x1
110kg x1
110kg x1
110kg x1
85kg x5

Heavy singles performed with 30 second rest pause. Rest to decrease to 15 seconds next session.

Flat barbell bench press:

40kg x6
35kg x8

Seated Row:

20kg x6
37.5kg x8
37.5kg x8

Barbell Curl:

22.5kg x8
22.5kg x8

Lying Triceps Extension:

22.5kg x8
22.5kg x5

I would normally perform standing military press and either lat pulldowns or chins during the above workout but as I am dealing with a very painful shoulder condition, I’m not doing any exercises that aggravate it.  I’m having regular, intense physiotherapy so it will hopefully only be a matter of time before I’m 100% fighting fit again!

Awesome session. Felt like Supergirl which was kinda appropriate considering my new workout top…

Lower Body Training – 7.5.13

Warm up:

Foam rolling – quads, piriformis, calves
Hip flexor stretches & hip opening exercises
Third world squat

Squats:

25kg x5
45kg x5
62.5kg x5
62.5kg x5
62.5kg x5

Romanian Deadlifts:

40kg x6
60kg x8
60kg x8

Leg Press:

110kg x6
190kg x8
180kg x8

Lying Leg Curls:

20kg x6
35kg x8
30kg x8

Standing Calf Raise:

210kg x10
200kg x8

Seated Calf Raise:

50kg x9
50kg x7

Really decent lower body session. Taking heavy conventional deadlifts out of this workout and putting them into upper body was definitely the right thing to do.  We were beginning to dread training legs knowing we’d have squats followed by heavy deads but now we can focus 100% on squats which is good now the weight is starting to creep up again.

I was posing in the changing room after the above session, having a wee flex and it was only when I got home and looked at the picture that I saw the crazy quad pump going on!  Booty was popping nicely too of course…