MOTIVATIONAL QUOTE OF THE DAY
"Many people know how to light their fire to get started, but the hard part is figuring out what keeps it burning, day in and day out to hit the true level of success. Figure it out, and grab a hold of it like a life vest at a ship wreck!" - Ben Booker
For the complete Motivational, review Keep the Fire BURNING | WPM Women.
"Many people know how to light their fire to get started, but the hard part is figuring out what keeps it burning, day in and day out to hit the true level of success. Figure it out, and grab a hold of it like a life vest at a ship wreck!" - Ben Booker
For the complete Motivational, review Keep the Fire BURNING | WPM Women.
TRAINING
This was my fourth week back in training and this week ALL RESISTANCE sessions were done as I wanted. Cardio was only about half of what it should be, but getting used to doing it outside in the heat of the day - so should be fine for next week with it all at usual duration.
Training completed this week:
Shoulders/Hamstrings (1 min recovery between sets - 6 sets per exercise):
1. Behind-the-neck BB Military Press - getting back up re strength and reps with this
2. Plate Hammer Raises - NO pain doing these this time
3. Single-Arm DB Lateral Raises - able to do these again without a lot of pain and huge difference in the strength of both sides
4. Stiff-Legged BB Deadlift (BB to touch ground)
Arms/Abs (30 seconds recovery between alternate sets - 4 alternate sets):
Alternate Set A -
1. Close-Grip BB Bicep Curls - able to FINALLY be able to do these with NO PAIN-pain in my wrist!
2. Dips - heavier weight moved for more reps per set of this than last week AND able to perform COMPLETE reps with NO pain!
Alternate Set B -
3. EZ Bar Bicep Curls - instead of doing 21s, added more weight on and did regular bicep curls, which I was able to do with minimal ache
4. V-Bar Tricep Push-Downs - lifting heavier than before with these, which was a pleasant surprise
Alternate Set C -
5. Alternate DB Hammer Curls - heavier than I have been able to until now
6. DB Zottoman Curls - having to concentrate on NOT using wrist to do this, but managing
Alternate Set D -
This was my fourth week back in training and this week ALL RESISTANCE sessions were done as I wanted. Cardio was only about half of what it should be, but getting used to doing it outside in the heat of the day - so should be fine for next week with it all at usual duration.
Training completed this week:
Shoulders/Hamstrings (1 min recovery between sets - 6 sets per exercise):
1. Behind-the-neck BB Military Press - getting back up re strength and reps with this
2. Plate Hammer Raises - NO pain doing these this time
3. Single-Arm DB Lateral Raises - able to do these again without a lot of pain and huge difference in the strength of both sides
4. Stiff-Legged BB Deadlift (BB to touch ground)
Arms/Abs (30 seconds recovery between alternate sets - 4 alternate sets):
Alternate Set A -
1. Close-Grip BB Bicep Curls - able to FINALLY be able to do these with NO PAIN-pain in my wrist!
2. Dips - heavier weight moved for more reps per set of this than last week AND able to perform COMPLETE reps with NO pain!
Alternate Set B -
3. EZ Bar Bicep Curls - instead of doing 21s, added more weight on and did regular bicep curls, which I was able to do with minimal ache
4. V-Bar Tricep Push-Downs - lifting heavier than before with these, which was a pleasant surprise
Alternate Set C -
5. Alternate DB Hammer Curls - heavier than I have been able to until now
6. DB Zottoman Curls - having to concentrate on NOT using wrist to do this, but managing
Alternate Set D -
7. Rope Crunches - 100 reps in total
8. Hanging Straight-Leg Raises (toes to touch bar) - FIRST week I have been able to do these, so it's a lot of progress made!
Chest/Back (1 min recovery between supersets - 4 supersets):
SuperSet A -
1. Incline BB Bench Press - more reps at the same weight as last week, but with a slower tempo, so huge improvement
2. Supinated BB Bent Over Rows - back to pre-injury strength here
SuperSet B -
3. Flat BB Bench Press - first time I have been able to do this exercise without extreme pain or close to dropping the bar on my face; started out at the weight I was using pre-injury, but struggled a lot, so strength down here, but was able to do it, so I am stoked about that!
4. Reverse Rows (feet on bench) - heavier weight and more reps than last week
Full-Body (30 sec recovery between supersets):
Superset A -
1. EZ Bar Bicep Curls 4 x 21s
2. Incline Dips 4 x 10
Superset B -
3. Alternate DB Hammer Bicep Curls 4 x 15 per side
4. DB Lateral Raises 4 x 10
Superset C -
5. Behind-the-neck BB Military Press 4 x 8
6. Seated DB Shoulder Press 4 x 8
Superset D -
7. Push-Ups (on fists) 4 x 10
8. Seated V-Bar Row 4 x 10
Superset E -
9. Single-Leg Deadlift (holding DB in hand) 4 x 8 per leg
10. Hanging Straight-Leg Raises 4 x 10
Superset F -
11. Alternate Backward Lunges 4 x 10
12. Rope Crunches 4 x 25
This week was a compete SUCCESS, IMO. I got in EVERY resistance session, including my Full-Body session! Also improving on EVERY session from last week - increasing weight or reps or decreasing recovery time, doing supersets instead of alternate sets, or doing a mix of many re progress for every session, which I am well pleased with. Also did a couple of exercises that I have NOT been able to do until now - Hanging Straight-Leg Raises and Flat BB Bench Press - and finding that I WAS able to do them, which, even though it was an effort, was a huge mental happy!
It's been 15 weeks since I did a Full-Body resistance session! Believe me when I say I FEEL it the day after! It's a good feeling though, even though my body feels like lead and as heavy as if I was carrying around an elephant on my back. Even doing those couple of exercises in it for my legs makes a noticeable difference in how my body feels - I'm going to have to be careful re lower body exercises, since I do NOT want my lower body to get bigger, and even using only bodyweight to do them adds mass to them (so very NOT cool).
As I mentioned earlier, cardio has been the biggest effort. My HIIT sessions have only been 8-10 minutes, which is fine, because I get in the sprints/efforts that I want - just less time AFTER them. I did one HIIT session on the treadmill instead of going outside and never again - killed my lower legs and feet, and for the third time ever, I was sick from training (also incidentally, only ever happened when/after from running with sprints during that session). Interesting.
So, this is the FIRST time in 15 weeks (since the end of June) that I have completed FOUR resistance training sessions - between then and now, it's been 2-3 sessions only (I don't count "Abs" as a session if that's all I did), if that. I DEFINITELY notice the difference and my body, although exhausted now, will thank me for it. It's a great feeling knowing I am finally pretty much back on track and that from next week, EVERYthing is going to be as it SHOULD be and as I WANT it to be! Thank you, Lord!
After last week, and seeing how this week went as far as work and sleeping, etc., I have had to adjust training times and days, but it still gives me a complete day of rest (important, as Sunday is the ONLY day I have OFF work), and fits in with what I have to do and want to do and will still work best with my body, and get me to where I want and have to be.
New Training Schedule (20-30 minutes stretching on training days done as well):
Monday - HIIT Cardio
Tuesday - 10 min Cardio + Shoulders/Hamstrings
Wednesday - HIIT Cardio + Arms/Abs
Thursday - 20 min Cardio
Friday - HIIT Cardio + Chest/Back
Saturday - 10 min Cardio + Full-Body
Sunday - Day OFF
OTHER NOTES
8. Hanging Straight-Leg Raises (toes to touch bar) - FIRST week I have been able to do these, so it's a lot of progress made!
Chest/Back (1 min recovery between supersets - 4 supersets):
SuperSet A -
1. Incline BB Bench Press - more reps at the same weight as last week, but with a slower tempo, so huge improvement
2. Supinated BB Bent Over Rows - back to pre-injury strength here
SuperSet B -
3. Flat BB Bench Press - first time I have been able to do this exercise without extreme pain or close to dropping the bar on my face; started out at the weight I was using pre-injury, but struggled a lot, so strength down here, but was able to do it, so I am stoked about that!
4. Reverse Rows (feet on bench) - heavier weight and more reps than last week
Full-Body (30 sec recovery between supersets):
Superset A -
1. EZ Bar Bicep Curls 4 x 21s
2. Incline Dips 4 x 10
Superset B -
3. Alternate DB Hammer Bicep Curls 4 x 15 per side
4. DB Lateral Raises 4 x 10
Superset C -
5. Behind-the-neck BB Military Press 4 x 8
6. Seated DB Shoulder Press 4 x 8
Superset D -
7. Push-Ups (on fists) 4 x 10
8. Seated V-Bar Row 4 x 10
Superset E -
9. Single-Leg Deadlift (holding DB in hand) 4 x 8 per leg
10. Hanging Straight-Leg Raises 4 x 10
Superset F -
11. Alternate Backward Lunges 4 x 10
12. Rope Crunches 4 x 25
This week was a compete SUCCESS, IMO. I got in EVERY resistance session, including my Full-Body session! Also improving on EVERY session from last week - increasing weight or reps or decreasing recovery time, doing supersets instead of alternate sets, or doing a mix of many re progress for every session, which I am well pleased with. Also did a couple of exercises that I have NOT been able to do until now - Hanging Straight-Leg Raises and Flat BB Bench Press - and finding that I WAS able to do them, which, even though it was an effort, was a huge mental happy!
It's been 15 weeks since I did a Full-Body resistance session! Believe me when I say I FEEL it the day after! It's a good feeling though, even though my body feels like lead and as heavy as if I was carrying around an elephant on my back. Even doing those couple of exercises in it for my legs makes a noticeable difference in how my body feels - I'm going to have to be careful re lower body exercises, since I do NOT want my lower body to get bigger, and even using only bodyweight to do them adds mass to them (so very NOT cool).
As I mentioned earlier, cardio has been the biggest effort. My HIIT sessions have only been 8-10 minutes, which is fine, because I get in the sprints/efforts that I want - just less time AFTER them. I did one HIIT session on the treadmill instead of going outside and never again - killed my lower legs and feet, and for the third time ever, I was sick from training (also incidentally, only ever happened when/after from running with sprints during that session). Interesting.
So, this is the FIRST time in 15 weeks (since the end of June) that I have completed FOUR resistance training sessions - between then and now, it's been 2-3 sessions only (I don't count "Abs" as a session if that's all I did), if that. I DEFINITELY notice the difference and my body, although exhausted now, will thank me for it. It's a great feeling knowing I am finally pretty much back on track and that from next week, EVERYthing is going to be as it SHOULD be and as I WANT it to be! Thank you, Lord!
After last week, and seeing how this week went as far as work and sleeping, etc., I have had to adjust training times and days, but it still gives me a complete day of rest (important, as Sunday is the ONLY day I have OFF work), and fits in with what I have to do and want to do and will still work best with my body, and get me to where I want and have to be.
New Training Schedule (20-30 minutes stretching on training days done as well):
Monday - HIIT Cardio
Tuesday - 10 min Cardio + Shoulders/Hamstrings
Wednesday - HIIT Cardio + Arms/Abs
Thursday - 20 min Cardio
Friday - HIIT Cardio + Chest/Back
Saturday - 10 min Cardio + Full-Body
Sunday - Day OFF
OTHER NOTES
Body Composition continued to increase this week - now at 9% bodyfat and 115.6 pounds, with girths increasing slightly as well. NOT happy with the INcrease in body composition, but DEFINITELY happy with the increase in SOME girths (NOT all, since I want my lower body to become more slender and NOT add muscle mass there!) - particularly since my shoulders and arms are starting to get back the size that I had pre-injury. Although my body composition and mass shows that I have gained more bodyfat than lean mass this week, my body LOOKS like I have gained ALL muscle mass, because my upper back, shoulders, and arms have been and are now as defined as ever (if not the BEST they have ever been, even though I'm not that lean!), and the difference in SIZE re GAINS from last week is VERY noticeable!
I have had virtually next-to-NO pain in my left wrist this week, especially during the latter half, with only a few aches and twinges during resistance training and when doing my training sessions with beginners and members to the fitness facility (on top of all the walking of my job, I do 5-8 hours a day of "inducting" people into training, especially with weights, demonstrating the exercise and setting them up on personal programmes specific to their goals and needs, based on what they can and cannot do). It's also been better since being back on Erase - I just ended up getting some from NutraPlanet while waiting for more to arrive, since it has been almost forever since I finished my last bottle and we all know I HATE being withOUT it, and I have NOT been liking the way I feel withOUT it; plus, my body is SO much better and relatively pain-free re joints when I AM USING it!
I also got more Alpha-T2 and Shred Matrix and started them with the Erase. PLUS, I found THREE more tubs of the ORIGINAL Assault (i.e. with Suma Root in) in my favourite flavour, Blue Arctic Raspberry - you can imagine my smile, so I got them and now have enough to last me at least the next 12 weeks! I considered getting the three tubs of Raspberry Lemonade that I found as well, simply because they are the last of that stock and I don't how long they will last on the shelves of Vitamin Shoppe and/or GNC (where I found the Blue Arctic Raspberry), but, going to have to take my chances there, and if I have to, I'll likely just end up getting them in a week or so if they're still there.
AND, it's raining today - for the FIRST time in months in Texas (so I've been told). It's been a great week, finishing on a reasonably high note, all ready to get started into next week, having everything re sleep (new sleeping times, but giving me enough sleep, but not too much), training (notes made above under "Training"), nutrition (I had to adjust my meals and times, etc. to fit in with work and convenience outside of work), supplements (notes made above), and work fitting in together to work as best as possible re goals and needs!
Hallelujah! Praise God!
