Sunday Back Day

Sunday morning I wake before the alarm sounds, I am anxious to get up and get to the gym. I don't know how many people feel this way, I just love quietly slipping out of bed, then into the kitchen to shake up my drink. I walk over to the computer and drink my meal, take supplements and slowly wake up as I read email, Facebook, check my blog and other sites I interact with.


I am looking and feeling a little "soft" today, and it is going to happen, my body changes every few hours according to what foods I have eaten and how much water I have been drinking. The hydration level really is the most crucial. 


I had some sweet potato (2.5 ounces) with dinner and when you consume carbohydrates, it increases the glycogen in the body, the more glycogen in your body, the more water you hold onto, weight goes up.


It's temporary.


I hit the abs first, get the stuff outta the way that I don't like. 20 Reverse crunches, slow and steady, concentrate on the abs. 10 hanging leg lifts, I can see the veins popping out running up the sides of my abdomen. I do three sets of each.


To the squat rack, time for chin ups. I do 8, then walk over to the captains chair and do 10 dips, lowering slowly, as low as possible. Rest and back to the squat rack. 3 sets of each.


My tops are tighter across the back, the fabric is stretched and I have to take it off by pulling it down over my hips, I cannot get them over my shoulders any longer. 

Now on to my favorite, bent over barbell rows. I warm up with the bar (45 pounds), 10 reps, music is thumping in my ears. Then 10 at 65 pounds, 10 at 85 pounds and then I load on 115 pounds. Three more sets at 115 pounds, I rest 60 seconds in between, I have my stopwatch on the rack.


I love these, it's difficult, not many women do these, or at least the ones I see use little dumbbells or a very tiny barbell. I am in a zone, counting, slowly down, fast up, making noise. Hit the stopwatch so I don't rest too long.


I look up, in the mirror and three men are staring at me, grinning. I take my earbuds out and turn to look at them expectantly. It's Mike, Bobbie and another guy whose name I don't know, I only see him on weekends.


"You know I cannot hear a word you guys are saying..." I tell them. Mike laughs, "oh we were just talking about a new piece of equipment in the other room", as he points to the next weight room.


No they are not, they were talking about me. All the new equipment came in a week ago, I have looked at everything, there is nothing new in that room. I don't mind, there is something amazing about watching a woman train with heavy weights, I even like to watch!


The guy whose name is unknown to me looks at me and says "It's getting close isn't it?" He gestures towards me. "Everything is all dialed and and looking sculpted." 


"Yea, I have 4 weeks" I tell him. "Still have some fat to lose".


They all three laugh, "right!" Bobbie says. "Have you seen her shoulders!? Damn those shoulders!.....


I turn to get on with my training. 


E-Z bar curls 3 sets of 10 at 58 pounds.


Low Cable Row 2 sets of 10, wide bar at 100 pounds, 3 sets of 10 triangle bar at 100 pounds.


Lat Pull Down 2 sets of 10 wide bar grip at 85 pounds, 3 sets of 10, triangle at 85 pounds.


Offset Grip Curl 4 sets of 10 at 22.5 pounds


Posing for a while, then 30 minutes on the stairmill


I went to roll my legs, they have been quite sore lately, especially the vastus medialis  Well I figured out why, both of them have big dark bruises on them! How on earth do you bruise both of your VM's??? I did squats, leg extensions and lunges a couple days prior, maybe that did it. Now I know why just touching them with the roller caused intense pain.  


Home for egg whites and steel cut oats. No ketchup, no sweetener, no nada. Time to cut all condiments out for the next 4 weeks.