2012 | Day 207: Light Up The Darkness

MOTIVATIONAL OF THE DAY

FITNESS IS A WAR

We were born into a world where we must fight to survive, where war has become a LIFESTYLE. War against others. War against ourselves. There is no escaping it.

FITNESS is a lifestyle. It is a war. An endless battlefield of obstacles, of constant challenges and opposition. Day in and day out, strategy and planning, living to get through. Living to survive.

The enemy is not the ONLY thing you have to worry about. Your biggest threat is NOT the enemy. It is YOURSELF. It is not your enemy you fight against every day. It is yourself: Your fears, shortcomings, and weaknesses. Weakness can manifest in many different ways: Through excuses, indecisiveness, instability, and retreat. You must learn to overcome it, to conquer it, to set it aside, so that you can be victorious in battle.

There are times to sit back and observe, reconnoitre. This is NOT one of those times. This is the time to ATTACK. Be bold. Be strong. Hold yourself firm in your conviction. Surge forward, fighting. Hold nothing back. You cannot afford to. Once you commit, you COMMIT. There is NO going back, only going forward. Make each advance count, each sacrifice matter.

Live for this. Live to make your mark, to make your life count for something. If you live for nothing, you will die for nothing. That is no way to live, no way to be remembered. Be someone who moves from strength to strength and NEVER lets the word ‘impossible’ hold any power. Be remembered for being a WARRIOR, a fighter, a survivor.

Fitness is a lifestyle. It is MY lifestyle. My war. Is it YOURS?

© 2011 Rosie Chee

Image courtesy of Walt Ostarly

OTHER NOTES

Sleep: Barely a few hours every night/day.

Energy: My energy has been back this week - although taking a couple of hours to "wake up" once I get up or "waking up" late at night when I should be going to bed, but not being able to go to sleep DURING the day even if I have only had a couple of hours of sleep.

Joints: Both shoulders and wrists, as well as my left hip, have been in a lot of pain this week, affecting my training to some degree, so I adapted a lot of it.

Body Composition: 9.3% bodyfat - so a loss of 0.3% bodyfat. Still far too high for my liking, although given this week's nutrition, training, sleep, and stress, it IS progress.

Training: Back to 2-a-day training from next week, since even 2-3 days a week of doing 3-7 mile run helps my progress re leaning a lot. Resistance training going to be changed a little, after what was experienced this week, experimenting with and trying a few more different things.

Nutrition: Back doing what works best for my body re Lean Gains 16-hour fast/8-hour feeding window from Thursday, and it has made such a difference in how I look and feel already - although not important like body composition, lost 9.4 pounds in that brief period of time alone (albeit no doubt predominantly food and water weight). Definitely NO deterrence from it henceforth, and determined to have only a SINGLE "cheat" day a week, as I work on leaning down.

Supplements: Not a "supplement" per se, but I WILL be adding in UR Spray next week (when it arrives), as that "little bit extra".

Overall Sense of Feeling: Stress has been a dominant factor this week as my workload increased alongside study. It has been a struggle to train - and want to sometimes, motivation, although it should be high HIGH, a little down, influenced by internal and external factors. Lack of being in a schedule re wake, train, work, sleep, etc. again has had some effect - although re work, this is something I have only a small input of control in, and changes on a weekly basis - especially since my work has primarily dictated my sleeping patterns (i.e. working nights and not being able to fall asleep until 0430-0530 and then having to be up again by 0700-0730 for morning clients), but I am going to make it WORK from next week without fail. Most of my travel for the rest of the year has been decided and blocked out - all of which I am looking forward to, especially as some of it will give me a "break" (if I can allow myself to relax). My mind still NEVER turns off, but I am used to it, making sure that it is being PRODUCTIVE.

2012 | Day 130: DARE TO DREAM [and ACT on those Dreams]!

MOTIVATIONAL OF THE DAY

The Dreams That Break Us

We ALL have dreams. And we all decide, consciously or not, whether we pursue those dreams.

Some follow their hearts and have their dreams torn from their chests while their hearts are still beating. Others never dare to even contemplate the reality of their dream coming to pass. Who is the richer individual do you think? The person who dared or the one who didn’t?

The person who dared follow their heart had a glimpse of happiness from chasing that closest to their heart and being able to hold it if even for only a short while, of joy from knowing that they are better from having made the journey and becoming stronger, of fulfilment in knowing that they had the courage to put themselves out there and just go after what they wanted, daring to risk rejection or ridicule, the possibility of failure or falling short of their goal, feeling that fear but doing it anyway, because NOT knowing what it was like to pursue their dreams would be a fate worse than death.

The person who had not the courage to even DARE to dream the dream that is in their heart looks at the world with cynical eyes from shattered illusions that have taken away their ability to see the hope, sadness in their heart from knowing that they are potentially taking away and limiting someone else’s happiness and ability for growth, regret in their soul from always knowing what might have been and never knowing if it COULD have been, because they were too afraid to take the risk and dare to TRY, those dreams eking away at them inside, the pain of never knowing killing them a little more each day.

Would you rather experience the feeling of satisfaction and knowing that you did everything POSSIBLE to make your dreams a reality, LIVING life as it was meant to be lived, lifted up to the most imaginable heights, no matter how short it may have lasted; or would you rather experience a loss that will break your soul into a million tiny pieces because you can glimpse hope of the truth, but do not dare cross the line that could take that truth from a dream to a living, breathing miracle?

Are you the one who tried or the one who didn’t? The one who can look in the mirror and like what they see, or the one who cannot bear to see their reflection because they are ashamed of their inaction? The one whose soul, whether it falls or not, has seen inside heaven, or the one who has and will ever only know hell? The broken one who knows that they LIVED before breaking, or the broken one who never even tried to get up off the ground?

We all have dreams. Life is FULL of dreams. Many realized, but also sadly, MORE that are never even a brief contemplation, cast aside from fear.

It’s not what we DO that we will forever regret, but what we do NOT dare to do, what we hope for but do not dare to DREAM. Can YOU live with that?

Remember, life is meant to be LIVED, experienced in ALL its GLORY. How can you do that if you do not even DARE?

Quote for Reflection: “It's not the broken dreams that break us - it's the ones we don't dare to dream.” - Shawn Migliaccio

TRAINING

Session 1
 
HIIT Run:
a. 4 min jogging
b. 8 x 20 sec sprint/10 sec easy
c. 4 min jogging

Stretch 20 min

Session 2
 
Skip x 1,500 revolutions

Full-Body (30 sec rest between trisets):
TriSet A -
1. Single-Arm DB Bent Over Rows 3 x 8 per side
2. Push-Ups (feet on bench, hands on fists) 3 x 10
3. Skip 3 x 100 revolutions
TriSet B -
4. Behind-the-neck BB Military Press 3 x 6
5. BB Military Press 3 x 6
6. Skip 3 x 100 revolutions
TriSet C -
7. DB Lateral Raises 3 x 8
8. Alternate DB Hammer Bicep Curls 3 x 12
9. Skip 3 x 100 revolutions
TriSet D -
10. EZ-Bar Bicep Curls 3 x 21s
11. Overhead Rope Tricep Extension 3 x 15, 12, 10
12. Skip 3 x 100 revolutions
TriSet E -
13. Hanging Straight-Leg Raises (feet to touch bar) 3 x 10
14. Pikes (on floor) 3 x 15
15. Skip 3 x 100 revolutions

Post-Weights Cardio:
Skip x 600 revolutions

Medial aspect of BOTH knees were still so very painful today, so only did a short HIIT session...It's NOT a Full-Body day either, but I did such a resistance session all the same (and yes, will do it as scheduled tomorrow too), since I wanted to do SOMEthing (and it can be my "second" training session of the day - hence why post-weights cardio was a lot shorter than usual). Knees started feeling better during TriSet C - noticed this after I finished the first set of skipping. And for the FIRST time since pre-injuries last December, my wrists and shoulders did NOT hurt during Hanging Straight-Leg Raises, meaning that I was able to do them, which I am pleased with...

OTHER NOTES

FitnessX Magazine

The May 2012 issue of FitnessX Magazine is now out - you can read it and get your own personal copy here.

 The first article of my column with the magazine can be found on page 21

CutAndJacked Interview


Recently I had the honour of being interviewed by Rolsey of CutAndJacked, and today my Interview and Workout Routine (sample of an actual training week) were published (inclusive of several never-seen-before images from some of my photoshoots - special thanks to Tony Mitchell, Dan Ray, and Walt Ostarly)!

Check them both out -
Interview: Rosie Chee
Workout Routine: Rosie Chee

2012 | Day 113: Will the world still feel the same even if you're gone?

MOTIVATIONAL QUOTE OF THE DAY

"The enemy fights you the hardest when he knows that God has something great in store for you." - Jamie Eason

For the complete Motivational, review When You Come Close To Dying | Rosie's MuscleRevolution.

TRAINING

Friday

Day OFF

Saturday

HIIT Run:
a. 4 min jogging
b. 12 x 50 sec sprint/10 sec easy
c. 4 min jogging

Stretch 20 min

Sunday

HIIT Run:
a. 4 min jogging
b. 30 x 20 sec sprint/10 sec easy
c. 4 min jogging

Stretch 33 min

Training has not gone as planned because of "complications" during my travel this week (which was supposed to be ONLY Thursday, but ended up not ending until earlier today), and by all rights I should NOT still be alive after what happened on Thursday night, but by the Grace of God I AM, and thankful for it. So, the next three days are going to be a helter-skelter of hellacious training to "make up" (pretty much almost an entire week's worth of training crammed into THREE days, with those days also using EXTREME dieting) for the last three days (see below), hoping that my stress DEcreases and I will be ok come THIS Thursday when I work with Walt...

OTHER NOTES

If I was the body composition and measurements I was a month ago (yes, before I started G8 - not that it is entirely the cause, since I am the one who ultimately controls my discipline and I did not, so it is my own fault) I would not have to "last minute" hope and pray that I'd be "ok" for next week's shoots (which yes, are all very important). The plan is to ALWAYS be have BETTER conditioning for each consecutive shoot than the one before - at least I know I will have MORE muscle mass in my delts and arms than I did last year, even if I do not end up being as lean as I want (which I am still aiming for). If I can do what I did last week and lose 0.7% bodyfat in four days, I'll be fine...

Next Week's Training Schedule

Monday:
am - HIIT Cardio + Shoulders/Hamstrings + Post-Weights Cardio 20 min
pm - Cardio 20 min + Arms/Abs + Post-Weights Cardio 20 min

Tuesday:
am - Cardio 20 min + Full-Body + Post-Weights Cardio 20 min
pm - Cardio 20 min

Wednesday:
am - HIIT Cardio
CHICAGO TO STUART
pm - Shoulders/Arms/Abs + Post-Weights Cardio 20 min

Thursday::
Photoshoot with Walt [and Gina] Ostarly

Friday
am - HIIT Cardio
STUART TO DANIA BEACH
pm - Shoulders/Arms/Abs + Post-Weights Cardio 20 min

Saturday:
Photoshoot with Brent Allen
Photoshoot with Gary Miller

Sunday:
am - HIIT Cardio
DANIA BEACH TO CHICAGO

Day 334: Best Condition Ever!

MOTIVATIONAL QUOTE OF THE DAY

"Open your eyes!! Open your ears!! Open your mind!! Try new things. Push your envelope. Get some courage in your life!!! Step outside of your comfort zone. The worst that will happen when you do is….you’ll be smarter and more successful." - Dominique Vien

For the complete Motivational, review Push the Envelope! | WPM Women.

TRAINING

Monday was the only training day this week:

Session 1 

HIIT Run:
a. 4 min jogging
b. 8 x 20 sec sprints/10 sec easy
c. 4 min jogging

Session 2

Shoulders/Arms/Abs (1 min recovery between trisets):
TriSet A -
1. Behind-the-neck BB Military Press 3 x 10
2. Plate Hammer Raises 3 x 10
3. Single-Arm DB Lateral Raises 3 x 10 per side
TriSet B -
4. DB Zottoman Curls 3 x 10
5. V-Bar Tricep Push-Down 3 x 10
6. Alternate DB Hammer Bicep Curls 3 x 10 per side
TriSet C -
7. Rope Crunches 3 x 10
8. V-Sits (on bench) 3 x 10
9. Swissball Crunches (feet on wall, knees at 90 degree angle) 3 x 20

Tuesday was my photoshoot with Walt Ostarly - believe me, that in itself leaves me sorer the next day than ANY training session!

The rest of the week is time off from resistance training, and I will likely just do a couple of HIIT Runs, so ensure that I am still being active (and because my body really canNOT afford time off ALL training!)

After that, it's back to the grind, because it's my TRAINING that determines my physical conditioning and leanness, but more importantly,  my ability to function "normally" physiologically!

OTHER NOTES

Had my photoshoot with Walt Ostarly yesterday! Can I just say WOW! AWESOME! So worth the wait and anticipation leading up to it! I had the most incredible time - see for yourself from the teaser images posted by Walt on Facebook.

In the BEST aesthetic condition of my life at 7.8% bodyfat and only 103 pounds. I know - I have only ever been this light ONCE before in my life, back at the start of November 2004! But, the difference now is that, whilst my girths are close to being the smallest they have also ever been (where I want them small), I also have the most muscle mass I have ever had where it matters (delts and arms). So very stoked that I managed to achieve my goal, especially given that I only did TWO days of "dieting" before it (and even then, still eating chocolate, so it can't really be called "dieting", LOL). So, just to provide a real, living, breathing example to you all, to prove that, no matter what you THINK is possible, you most definitely CAN and WILL accomplish your goals and dreams if you do it right for YOUR body (today's quote re "Open your mind!!...Push the envelope!!!" is so very fitting for this)!

Walt and Gina are incredible inspirations, and if anything, my motivation and determination have been RENEWED. I started on this journey with a clear vision of where I wanted to be and what I wanted to be doing, and I will KEEP on going, seeing where it will take me, working on taking it up a notch, getting better and better, aiming higher and higher, pushing through obstacles and creating opportunities by stepping out in faith and going after what I want with a purpose! I want to be as much of an inspiration to others as this awesome couple is to me!

Hope everyone else's week started off as incredibly as mine, and only continues to create smiles and memories to be treasured!

Day 331: Almost There . . .

MOTIVATIONAL QUOTE OF THE DAY

TRAINING

Still sick - seem to be getting worse and then better and then worse again - possibly all the changes in temperature (and weather) that I have been going through . . . Regardless, my body was only allowed a couple of "easier" days before being hammered into the ground again!

Training completed this week:

Monday

Session 1

HIIT Run:
a. 4 min jogging
b. 12 x 20 sec sprint/10 sec easy
c. 10 min jogging

Session 2

Shoulders/Hamstrings (30 sec recovery between sets):
1. Behind-the-neck BB Military Press 4 x 12, 8, 6, 6
2. BB Military Press 4 x 8, 8, 8, 6
3. Single-Arm DB Lateral Raises 4 x 10 per side
4. DB Lateral Raises 2 x 15
5. Plate Hammer Raises 2 x 10
6. Rear Delt Flyes 2 x 15
7. Stiff-Legged BB Deadlift (BB to touch ground) 6 x 10

Post-Weights Cardio:
Recline Bike 20 min @ 111-115 rpm

Back to sleep being broken, waking on almost every hour. Still got up at 0500 though, for my HIIT Run, accomplishing a lot before even heading into work. Did my resistance training AFTER work - was quite shattered and feeling weak, although I DID do better than this session last week recovery time between sets was only half as long as last week (I really DO need a minute's recovery between sets on Shoulders' day).

Tuesday

Session 1

Run 20 min

Session 2

Run 20 min

It WAS supposed to be Arms/Abs day today, but I spent the better half of the morning being sick, so decided to be smart and leave it for Wednesday. However, to ensure that I wasn’t being TOO easy on myself, I went for another run in the evening pre-bed.

Wednesday

Recline Bike 10 min @ 113-116 rpm

Arms/Abs (30 sec recovery between alternate supersets):
Alternate Set A -
1. Hanging Straight-Leg Raises (feet to touch bar) 4 x 15, 10, 8, 8
2. Rope Crunches 4 x 10
Alternate Set B -
3. Close-Grip BB Bicep Curls 4 x 8
4. Dips 4 x 8
Alternate Set C -
5. Incline DB Bicep Curls 4 x 10
6. V-Bar Tricep Push-Downs 4 x 8
Alternate Set D -
7. Alternate DB Hammer Bicep Curls 4 x 12 per side
8. Swissball Crunches (feet on wall, knees at 90 degree angle) 4 x 20

Post-Weights Cardio:
Recline Bike 20 min @ 111-114 rpm

I WAS going to go for another run in the evening, but didn’t end up doing it - had my “Thanksgiving” meal on Wednesday night instead, and felt so heavy post-meal that running was simply out of the question afterwards. I actually passed out not too long after finishing eating - which I was not too happy with, since I ended up missing my pre-bed supplement doses.

Thursday

Session 1

HIIT Run:
a. 4 min jogging
b. 12 x 20 sec sprint/10 sec easy
c. 10 min jogging

Session 2

Run 20 min

Gym was closed today, so just did two running sessions, the first hard and intense. Felt like I was going to be sick during HIIT and almost had to stop - ALMOST!

Friday

Session 1

Run 20 min

Session 2

Recline Bike 10 min @ 111-114 rpm

Full-Body (30 sec recovery between supersets):
SuperSet A -
1. Rope Crunches 4 x 10
2. Hanging Straight-Leg Raises (feet to touch bar) 4 x 8, 8, 6, 6
SuperSet B -
3. DB Bicep Curls 4 x 21s
4. Dips 4 x 8
SuperSet C -
5. Alternate DB Hammer Curls 4 x 10 per side
6. DB Lateral raises 4 x 10
SuperSet D -
7. DB Clean and Press 4 x 10
8. Rear Delt Flyes 4 x 10
SuperSet E -
9. Push-Ups (feet on floor, hands on fists) 4 x 10
10. Supinated Lat Pull-Down 4 x 6
SuperSet F -
11. Swissball Leg Curl 4 x 8
12. Deadbugs 4 x 6

Post-Weights Cardio:
Recline Bike 20 min @ 110-112 rpm

Really feeling the PAIN during my resistance session - body felt exhausted, sore, and weak, and I was close to tears at one stage, forcing myself to grit my teeth and push through, even though I just wanted to throw the weights across the room and stomp out of the facility! But, forced myself to complete post-weights cardio, and THEN I was done!

Saturday

Session 1

HIIT Run:
a. 4 min jogging
b. 12 x 20 sec sprint/10 sec easy
c. 10 min jogging

Session 2

Recline Bike 20 min @ 110-114 rpm

Shoulders/Arms/Abs (30 sec recovery between trisets):
TriSet A -
1. Behind-the-neck BB Military Press 3 x 10
2. Plate Hammer Raises 3 x 10
3. Single-Arm DB Lateral Raises 3 x 10 per side
TriSet B -
4. DB Zottoman Curls 3 x 10
5. Rope Tricep Push-Down 3 x 10
6. Alternate DB Hammer Bicep Curls 3 x 10 per side
TriSet C -
7. Rope Crunches 3 x 10
8. V-Sits (on bench) 3 x 10
9. Swissball Crunches (feet on wall, knees at 90 degree angle) 3 x 20

Post-Weights Cardio:
Recline Bike 20 min @ 102-106 rpm

Session 3

Run 20 min

Decided to do 20 minutes on the Recline Bike to start off today. Felt hammered again when resistance training, but just gritting through it, dropping my weights down for some (my body is DEFINITELY read for a break after shooting with Walt next week!) Post-Weights Cardio was the SLOWEST it has been in a long time - I WAS going to do 40 minutes, but decided that 20 was enough! Running - whether morning or night - from now on will require compulsory beanie and gloves; I didn’t wear either during my night run, and I literally felt my ears “pop”, which wasn’t the nicest of feelings.

Sunday

Session 1

Run 20 min

Session 2

Recline Bike 10 min @ 109-114 rpm
Shoulders/Arms/Abs (no recovery between sets):
1. Rear Delt Flyes 1 x 40
2. Plank 1 min
3. DB Hammer Raises 1 x 40
4. Plank 1 min
5. Alternate DB Hammer Bicep Curls 1 x 40 per side
6. Plank 1 min
7. Incline Dips 1 x 40
8. Plank 1 min
9. Swissball Crunches (feet on wall, knees at 90 degree angle) 1 x 40
10. Plank 1 min
11. Bicycle 1 x 40 per side
12. Plank 1 min

Post-Weights Cardio:
Recline Bike 10 min @ 110-112 rpm

I was only going to do a run this morning, but since Monday to Friday were pretty bad as far as nutrition (even worse than usual for me!), I decided to chuck in another resistance session today, just to make sure my body has been well worked over this week (and well worked over it HAS been!) My face was almost white, my lips purple, and my body shattered as I worked through weights today - and all in trackies, a hoodie, and a beanie! I didn’t go as long re post-weights cardio, because I don’t want my body to be so shattered that it is detrimental to any progress.

Training was good this week - a few modifications here and there to allow for Thanksgiving and the gym not being open, but overall ok. Strength was faltering, especially noticeable in the latter half of the week, and this has been going on for a few weeks now, so I know it’s time to at least give my body a week off RESISTANCE training - coming next week.

OTHER NOTES

Body Composition is back up to 8.3% bodyfat - not surprised, given Monday to Friday re nutrition, - AND the fact that of all things, my body would hate on me and decide to bleed this week; of all the irony! VERY disappointed in myself, especially since next Tuesday is HUGE for me and I want - no, I HAVE - to be the leanest I have EVER been! I have just over a day now to turn this around (I just hope the additional training yesterday and today will make the difference)!

On Saturday, I started having TWO caps of Erase pre-bed (Monday to Friday, pretty much was only four caps daily, since I kept passing out later on before my planned pre-bed dose), making it six caps a day re Erase until now, and I am going to continue on with this for a couple of weeks at least. I will finish my bottles of Alpha-T2 and Shred Matrix next Wednesday, so will get some more next week.

Aside from all that, not a lot to report - I’m just making sure that I am making the BEST decisions possible from here on out, kicking myself into condition! God Bless and Take Care this Coming Week!