MOTIVATIONAL QUOTE OF THE DAY
"Make sure to tell the people you love how important they are to you. Today has reminded me that nothing is promised. Ever. Take advantage of what today offers because this opportunity may not come around again. Life is short. Live life." - 12 Stones
For the complete Motivational, review LIVE Life | WPM Women.
TRAINING
I've been rather sick this week, ending up training at night AFTER a long 12-13 hour day at work, which has only ended up "waking" me up, and I have not been going to sleep until about the time I want to get UP. Even then, during training my body has felt completely shattered, so it has ended up being a "deload" week with little cardio but heavy resistance work, and I have pushed myself as hard as I can in every session, wrecking my body, desperately craving the mindlessly numbing pain of lifting to cover another...
Training completed this week:
Monday
Session 1
HIIT Treadmill:
a. 4 min @ 8 miles/hr
b. 8 x 20 sec @ 10 miles/hr/10 sec rest
c. 4 min @ 8 miles/hr
Stretch 30 min
Session 2
Skip 10 min
Shoulders/Hamstrings (1 min recovery between sets):
1. Behind-the-neck BB Military Press 6 x 10, 8, 6, 6, 6, 6
2. BB Military Press 6 x 8, 8, 8, 6, 6, 6
3. Single-Arm DB Lateral Raises 6 x 10 per side
4. Swissball Leg Curls 6 x 10
I spent Sunday in bed, when I was not being sick. Didn't sleep at all on Sunday night, my body kept awake from feeling like sh*t. When my alarm went off at 0330, I stayed in bed, but after an hour and still NOT having slept, I got up and decided to go for a run. When I got downstairs and opened the door, it was pouring outside, and instead of going out in it (and making myself feel even worse), I just went to the Fitness Room and did my HIIT on the treadmill (yes, I know - got to STOP using them for my knees!), a short session today. I nearly lost my balance and did a faceplant during one of my efforts, so had to concentrate very hard to keep going, and was relieved when I was done, going back upstairs and lying down for a moment before stretching, my head feeling like it was going to explode...Resistance training waited until after work - which I didn't finish for an hour LATER than I was SUPPOSED to. Had been feeling terrible all day, hot and cold, my skin burning up but cold inside my burns, non-stop sneezing (and I almost NEVER sneeze - but sneezed ~50 times JUST in the hour post-training!). Anyways, by the time work was over, I was considering NOT training, but knew I had to and WANTED to, if only to release some aggression and frustration, not to mention needing to take my mind off everything going on that day...No more Smith Machine for my military presses - went straight back into just using the BB, even though it hurt like hell. However, it wasn't my right shoulder that was in pain for the most part today, but my LEFT, and I was feeling a sharp burn through my LEFT biceps' tendon and delt - ignoring it and hoping I am not going t have to deal with an issue on that side! Shattered at the end of the session and well ready to leave, skipping any post-weights cardio, just to get out of there...
Tuesday
CrossTrainer 10 min
Arms/Abs (1 min recovery between alternate sets and trisets):
Alternate Set A -
1. Supinated Pull-Ups 4 x 10, 6, 6, 5
2. Dips 4 x 10, 8, 8, 6
Alternate Set B -
3. Close-Grip BB Bicep Curl 4 x 5
4. Push-Ups (feet on floor, hands on fist under chest) 4 x 10
Alternate Set C -
5. Alternate DB Hammer Bicep Curls 4 x 12, 11, 10, 10 per side
6. Standing DB French Press 4 x 5
TriSet -
7. Rope Crunches 3 x 15
8. Swissball Crunches (270 to 180 degrees) 3 x 10
9. Ab Rollout 3 x 15
10. Plank 1 x 1 min
Stretch 25 min
Did not get to sleep until just after 0330, but slept right through to 0810. No time to train before getting ready and heading to work, so again, it was left until I had finished for the day...Fast "warm-up" on the CrossTrainer, my right shoulder/arm in a lot of pain, so favouring that, left calf ending up being affected, pushing for faster during the last half despite it, gritting my teeth, sweat dripping down my face...No point in going easy and I started straight off with Supinated Close-Grip Pull-Ups. Wasn't expecting much, but was surprised that I didn't have much more strength than I did last Thursday (although I guess it should have been no surprise given the way I felt). Not making any excuses and wanting to hurt myself, I kept pushing for an extra 1-2 reps past the point when my right shoulder started burning so badly I nearly collapsed on that side on every set of Dips. Face a mask of pain, it was onto Alternate Set B, favouring my right side but not caring, just welcoming the pain, going slow on the last set of Push-Ups to ensure NOT falling on my face. Loving the vascularity and pump during Alternate Set C - watching it to take my mind off the tears stinging my eyes. The triset actually affected my back rather badly today, and I had to get one of the guys I work with to stand on my back when I was done, clicking it back into place...
Wednesday
HIIT Skip:
a. 4 min skipping
b. 12 x 20 sec effort/10 sec rest
c. 2 min skipping
Stretch 25 min
Like last night, not going to sleep until wanting to be getting up, then waking in time to get ready and leave for work. Ok today though, since it was just HIIT. Did HIIT skipping after work. Struggling with it, sharp pains shooting through my left shin from the fourth effort. Made sure to do the minimum of 12 minutes all up though.
Thursday
CrossTrainer 10 min
Back/Chest (1 min recovery between alternate sets):
Alternate Set A -
1. Supinated Pull-Ups 4 x 6, 6, 5, 5
2. Push-Ups (feet on bench, hands on swissballs) 4 x 10, 10, 8, 8
Alternate Set B -
3. Supinated BB Bent Over Rows 4 x 12, 10, 10, 10
4. Incline BB Bench Press 4 x 10, 10, 10, 8
Stretch 5 min
Post-Weights Cardio:
Skip 10 min
Stretch 15 min
More post-work training. Second specific Back/Chest session in MONTHS, aiming to do BETTER than I did last week. Did slightly better with my Supinated Pull-Ups today than last week, but weaker even than Tuesday. Push-Ups were a battle, my wrists aching from my hands' position on the swissballs, but at least my back didn't hurt like last week. Strength was up on both exercises in Alternate Set B, and my arms were pretty close to fatigue on the last set of Incline BB Bench Press...Wasn't going to do any post-weights cardio today, but after some stretching, ended up "competing" with one of the guys from work in "double" skipping, determined not to be beaten...
Friday
Day OFF
Sleeping like the last few nights/days. Instead of forcing my body to train, I just "gave in" and allowed it rest, going instead out to buffet dinner (which yes, made me feel even worse today).
Saturday
CrossTrainer 10 min
Full-Body (30 sec recovery between trisets):
TriSet A -
1. Alternate DB Hammer Bicep Curls 3 x 10 per side
2. Dips 3 x 10
3. Plank 3 x 1 min
TriSet B -
4. DB Lateral Raises 3 x 10
5. Plate Hammer Raises 3 x 10
6. Rear Delt Flyes 3 x 10
TriSet C -
7. Supinated Lat Pull-Down 3 x 10
8. Side-to-side Alternating DB Push-Ups (feet on floor, hands on DB/floor) 3 x 10
9. Ab Rollout 3 x 10
TriSet D -
10. Reverse Curls (on floor) 3 x 10
11. Bicycle (on floor) 3 x 10 per side
12. Swissball Leg Curls 3 x 10
Stretch 46 min
After NO training yesterday and eating almost even MORE than I would on a "normal" day, I woke up this morning even later than I have the last few days, at 117.8 pounds (see what NO training, extreme stress, heavy eating, and not enough water does) - I have not been this heavy in a LONG time - in the most uncomfortable state ever, only compounded on by a fever, swollen face, and deep BLACK circles under my eyes (and I thought they were bad on Monday, LOL)! Since today was a shorter day at work - at least, it was SUPPOSED to be, but I finished at the time I SHOULD during the week - and because of how I felt on waking, there was NO hesitation in training afterwards...Hammered it out on the CrossTrainer, cadence 10-20 rpm MORE than I usually do it at, breathing in shallow gasps. Determined to punish myself for the way I was feeling (and what had been happening all week), I did trisets, as heavy as possible for 10 reps per exercise, limiting my recovery time between trisets, so that when I started on each consecutive triset, I hadn't even had the remotest chance to recover from the last one, pain building on pain, my expression one DEFINITELY warning EVERYone to STAY THE FCUK AWAY! I literally lay on the floor for a few minutes after completing the last set of Swissball Leg Curls, drained beyond reckoning, but feeling BETTER than I have all week!...
Sunday
HIIT Recline Bike:
a. 4 min @ 100-104 rpm
b. 8 x 20 sec effort/10 sec easy
c. 12 min @ 100-104 rpm
Stretch 27 min
I actually went to sleep reasonably early last night, but woke after only three hours at 0447. Body exhausted, I was shocked to see that my body mass had plummeted by 8.6 pounds from yesterday (I TOLD you my TRAINING was what determined my physical conditioning - definitely need INTENSITY and short recovery periods!), but relieved to be back down to some semblance of "normal"...Because I HAVE to do THREE HIIT sessions a week, and since I did NOT do it yesterday (it "goes" with and should precede my Full-Body resistance session), I just went downstairs to the Fitness Room and did this on the Recline Bike. NO MORE HIIT DOING ANYTHING BUT OUTSIDE SPRINTING FROM NOW ON! The [Recline] Bike is fine for spinning - which is what works best for me when I use it anyways, and preferably POST-resistance training - but not so much for HIIT. Quads were screaming during the efforts and I found myself struggling, so I just did the minimum I will ever allow myself re efforts during HIIT and finished off my 20 minutes spinning to "recover"...
Training this week was not even close to Maintenance and although my body was feeling even the lower volume, the intensity was just as high as always, and tomorrow it's back to BEATING time!
I've been rather sick this week, ending up training at night AFTER a long 12-13 hour day at work, which has only ended up "waking" me up, and I have not been going to sleep until about the time I want to get UP. Even then, during training my body has felt completely shattered, so it has ended up being a "deload" week with little cardio but heavy resistance work, and I have pushed myself as hard as I can in every session, wrecking my body, desperately craving the mindlessly numbing pain of lifting to cover another...
Training completed this week:
Monday
Session 1
HIIT Treadmill:
a. 4 min @ 8 miles/hr
b. 8 x 20 sec @ 10 miles/hr/10 sec rest
c. 4 min @ 8 miles/hr
Stretch 30 min
Session 2
Skip 10 min
Shoulders/Hamstrings (1 min recovery between sets):
1. Behind-the-neck BB Military Press 6 x 10, 8, 6, 6, 6, 6
2. BB Military Press 6 x 8, 8, 8, 6, 6, 6
3. Single-Arm DB Lateral Raises 6 x 10 per side
4. Swissball Leg Curls 6 x 10
I spent Sunday in bed, when I was not being sick. Didn't sleep at all on Sunday night, my body kept awake from feeling like sh*t. When my alarm went off at 0330, I stayed in bed, but after an hour and still NOT having slept, I got up and decided to go for a run. When I got downstairs and opened the door, it was pouring outside, and instead of going out in it (and making myself feel even worse), I just went to the Fitness Room and did my HIIT on the treadmill (yes, I know - got to STOP using them for my knees!), a short session today. I nearly lost my balance and did a faceplant during one of my efforts, so had to concentrate very hard to keep going, and was relieved when I was done, going back upstairs and lying down for a moment before stretching, my head feeling like it was going to explode...Resistance training waited until after work - which I didn't finish for an hour LATER than I was SUPPOSED to. Had been feeling terrible all day, hot and cold, my skin burning up but cold inside my burns, non-stop sneezing (and I almost NEVER sneeze - but sneezed ~50 times JUST in the hour post-training!). Anyways, by the time work was over, I was considering NOT training, but knew I had to and WANTED to, if only to release some aggression and frustration, not to mention needing to take my mind off everything going on that day...No more Smith Machine for my military presses - went straight back into just using the BB, even though it hurt like hell. However, it wasn't my right shoulder that was in pain for the most part today, but my LEFT, and I was feeling a sharp burn through my LEFT biceps' tendon and delt - ignoring it and hoping I am not going t have to deal with an issue on that side! Shattered at the end of the session and well ready to leave, skipping any post-weights cardio, just to get out of there...
Tuesday
CrossTrainer 10 min
Arms/Abs (1 min recovery between alternate sets and trisets):
Alternate Set A -
1. Supinated Pull-Ups 4 x 10, 6, 6, 5
2. Dips 4 x 10, 8, 8, 6
Alternate Set B -
3. Close-Grip BB Bicep Curl 4 x 5
4. Push-Ups (feet on floor, hands on fist under chest) 4 x 10
Alternate Set C -
5. Alternate DB Hammer Bicep Curls 4 x 12, 11, 10, 10 per side
6. Standing DB French Press 4 x 5
TriSet -
7. Rope Crunches 3 x 15
8. Swissball Crunches (270 to 180 degrees) 3 x 10
9. Ab Rollout 3 x 15
10. Plank 1 x 1 min
Stretch 25 min
Did not get to sleep until just after 0330, but slept right through to 0810. No time to train before getting ready and heading to work, so again, it was left until I had finished for the day...Fast "warm-up" on the CrossTrainer, my right shoulder/arm in a lot of pain, so favouring that, left calf ending up being affected, pushing for faster during the last half despite it, gritting my teeth, sweat dripping down my face...No point in going easy and I started straight off with Supinated Close-Grip Pull-Ups. Wasn't expecting much, but was surprised that I didn't have much more strength than I did last Thursday (although I guess it should have been no surprise given the way I felt). Not making any excuses and wanting to hurt myself, I kept pushing for an extra 1-2 reps past the point when my right shoulder started burning so badly I nearly collapsed on that side on every set of Dips. Face a mask of pain, it was onto Alternate Set B, favouring my right side but not caring, just welcoming the pain, going slow on the last set of Push-Ups to ensure NOT falling on my face. Loving the vascularity and pump during Alternate Set C - watching it to take my mind off the tears stinging my eyes. The triset actually affected my back rather badly today, and I had to get one of the guys I work with to stand on my back when I was done, clicking it back into place...
Wednesday
HIIT Skip:
a. 4 min skipping
b. 12 x 20 sec effort/10 sec rest
c. 2 min skipping
Stretch 25 min
Like last night, not going to sleep until wanting to be getting up, then waking in time to get ready and leave for work. Ok today though, since it was just HIIT. Did HIIT skipping after work. Struggling with it, sharp pains shooting through my left shin from the fourth effort. Made sure to do the minimum of 12 minutes all up though.
Thursday
CrossTrainer 10 min
Back/Chest (1 min recovery between alternate sets):
Alternate Set A -
1. Supinated Pull-Ups 4 x 6, 6, 5, 5
2. Push-Ups (feet on bench, hands on swissballs) 4 x 10, 10, 8, 8
Alternate Set B -
3. Supinated BB Bent Over Rows 4 x 12, 10, 10, 10
4. Incline BB Bench Press 4 x 10, 10, 10, 8
Stretch 5 min
Post-Weights Cardio:
Skip 10 min
Stretch 15 min
More post-work training. Second specific Back/Chest session in MONTHS, aiming to do BETTER than I did last week. Did slightly better with my Supinated Pull-Ups today than last week, but weaker even than Tuesday. Push-Ups were a battle, my wrists aching from my hands' position on the swissballs, but at least my back didn't hurt like last week. Strength was up on both exercises in Alternate Set B, and my arms were pretty close to fatigue on the last set of Incline BB Bench Press...Wasn't going to do any post-weights cardio today, but after some stretching, ended up "competing" with one of the guys from work in "double" skipping, determined not to be beaten...
Friday
Day OFF
Sleeping like the last few nights/days. Instead of forcing my body to train, I just "gave in" and allowed it rest, going instead out to buffet dinner (which yes, made me feel even worse today).
Saturday
CrossTrainer 10 min
Full-Body (30 sec recovery between trisets):
TriSet A -
1. Alternate DB Hammer Bicep Curls 3 x 10 per side
2. Dips 3 x 10
3. Plank 3 x 1 min
TriSet B -
4. DB Lateral Raises 3 x 10
5. Plate Hammer Raises 3 x 10
6. Rear Delt Flyes 3 x 10
TriSet C -
7. Supinated Lat Pull-Down 3 x 10
8. Side-to-side Alternating DB Push-Ups (feet on floor, hands on DB/floor) 3 x 10
9. Ab Rollout 3 x 10
TriSet D -
10. Reverse Curls (on floor) 3 x 10
11. Bicycle (on floor) 3 x 10 per side
12. Swissball Leg Curls 3 x 10
Stretch 46 min
After NO training yesterday and eating almost even MORE than I would on a "normal" day, I woke up this morning even later than I have the last few days, at 117.8 pounds (see what NO training, extreme stress, heavy eating, and not enough water does) - I have not been this heavy in a LONG time - in the most uncomfortable state ever, only compounded on by a fever, swollen face, and deep BLACK circles under my eyes (and I thought they were bad on Monday, LOL)! Since today was a shorter day at work - at least, it was SUPPOSED to be, but I finished at the time I SHOULD during the week - and because of how I felt on waking, there was NO hesitation in training afterwards...Hammered it out on the CrossTrainer, cadence 10-20 rpm MORE than I usually do it at, breathing in shallow gasps. Determined to punish myself for the way I was feeling (and what had been happening all week), I did trisets, as heavy as possible for 10 reps per exercise, limiting my recovery time between trisets, so that when I started on each consecutive triset, I hadn't even had the remotest chance to recover from the last one, pain building on pain, my expression one DEFINITELY warning EVERYone to STAY THE FCUK AWAY! I literally lay on the floor for a few minutes after completing the last set of Swissball Leg Curls, drained beyond reckoning, but feeling BETTER than I have all week!...
Sunday
HIIT Recline Bike:
a. 4 min @ 100-104 rpm
b. 8 x 20 sec effort/10 sec easy
c. 12 min @ 100-104 rpm
Stretch 27 min
I actually went to sleep reasonably early last night, but woke after only three hours at 0447. Body exhausted, I was shocked to see that my body mass had plummeted by 8.6 pounds from yesterday (I TOLD you my TRAINING was what determined my physical conditioning - definitely need INTENSITY and short recovery periods!), but relieved to be back down to some semblance of "normal"...Because I HAVE to do THREE HIIT sessions a week, and since I did NOT do it yesterday (it "goes" with and should precede my Full-Body resistance session), I just went downstairs to the Fitness Room and did this on the Recline Bike. NO MORE HIIT DOING ANYTHING BUT OUTSIDE SPRINTING FROM NOW ON! The [Recline] Bike is fine for spinning - which is what works best for me when I use it anyways, and preferably POST-resistance training - but not so much for HIIT. Quads were screaming during the efforts and I found myself struggling, so I just did the minimum I will ever allow myself re efforts during HIIT and finished off my 20 minutes spinning to "recover"...
Training this week was not even close to Maintenance and although my body was feeling even the lower volume, the intensity was just as high as always, and tomorrow it's back to BEATING time!
OTHER NOTES
Body Composition8.8% bodyfat - a decrease, but barely, which could almost be expected, given that this week I have been eating like mad (more than even my usual) and virtually ONLY done my resistance training sessions. That said, my abs look sharper than last week, my arms slowly coming up again re balance. However, my right shoulder is now a LOT more noticeably "affected" than my left - because of my scoliosis it is already lower than my left, but now it is down AND "out", which is frustrating. I have also GAINED muscle mass in my LEGS this week, due to the amount of compound [lower] body movements that I have been demonstrating over the last week - not happy with that and going to be working more than ever on NOT demonstrating such exercises henceforth. Because of being sick and stressed (unbelievably at work - not adding to everything ELSE), my body mass has fluctuated hugely over this last week, and only yesterday first thing I was 117.2 pounds, yet woke this morning at 108.6 pounds - my body has definitely been wrecked this week (even though I have DELIBERATELY tried to do it with training) and it's NOT enjoying it.
Supplements
Have NOT used any Aleve this week - possibly why I am noticing more physical pain and a little swelling in my right shoulder and knees, but it's ok; I can deal with that...Been just under two weeks with all my "staples" back again, which is very welcome...My appetite has been even highER than usual - I am a "bottomless vacuum" as it is - which has contributed a little to my OVERexcessive eating, and I am wondering if it is perhaps a combination of AnaBeta and Erase PRO (AnaBeta heightens my appetite, but the last few times I have used it, I've managed to keep it fairly under control, but this week was like a train wreck)...
Lyle MacDonald's Rapid Fat Loss Crash Diet
I've now been using my staples again for about two weeks, one where everything was spot on for me re training and nutrition, the other where training was "deloaded" and nutrition as normal - it’s enough to "clarify" what difference they make to me in both circumstances. That said, simply because I DO want a more rapid leaning, to "kickstart" the process a little, for the next two weeks, I AM going to try something new (and not what I would usually do, since I am NOT a "quick fix" person) - I WAS going to do this the week just been, but it turned out differently, so here goes NOW - incorporating Lyle MacDonald's Rapid Fat Loss Crash Diet re nutrition (NOT training - my training is going to return to Maintenance) into the Lean Gains re 16-hour fast/8-hour eating window and see how it goes. Knowing the way my body responds to "dieting”" I honestly do not place too much faith in this working as far as rapid fat loss, or even very much re progress, but I AM going to give it a shot, since it’s only 11-12 days of dieting. If it works, great; if not, I'll just go back to what I know DOES work for my body.
This last week has been one of the most stressful of this year and I am determined NOT to let next week be anything like it! It's back to my daily 0330 to 2230 schedule, training first thing, motivation renewed, because I canNOT afford ANYthing to go wrong any more. It's about PUSHING THE LIMITS, removing ALL boundaries (because I know, even though we might think we have none, there are always going to be some UNconscious ones in our mind), and making each day BETTER than the last, LIVING life as it is MEANT to be lived!
