My Delts

I love shoulders. Big, broad, round, strong shoulders. The delts make a difference in any physique.  I have always loved to train shoulders and it shows, they look good. 

Today (Friday), I was training shoulders with Roy, we were using the chains. He said he had been studying my photos, like this one, from my last competition. 

He said that my delts are well developed in some areas, but lacking in others, and he wants to work on that. I am not familiar with everything he discussed, but apparently I am lacking development in the second and third muscle I think he said, out of 7...I didn't realize there were 7, I thought there were just 3!

So I know there are three heads to the deltoid, but within those three are more muscle fibers, for a total of seven. I need to start bench pressing heavy. He said with my year round low body fat, and the level of development of my deltoids, I should have a distinct cut showing between the pectoral muscles and the anterior deltoid, which I do not have; he wants to remedy that situation.

We start next week.

I am thrilled!

I have never, ever had someone take an interest like this in the development of MY physique! Now don't take this wrong, all of my other trainers had interest in what I wanted to do, and they helped me to work towards my goals, but Roy is advising and pushing, where I didn't know I needed it. He is the first to come out and say something like this.

I remember one trainer might say my "front delts were flat" and I needed to work them that day, but that would be about it. Roy is engaged with me, with my goals, with my "journey", my next adventure towards Women's Physique. If my only goal was to train strictly for my competitions, with no thought about my enjoyment or life in general, I might find another trainer, a bodybuilder. I am sure I could find another trainer who specialized in bodybuilding or Figure, one who solely worked on the development of the body for pure aesthetics; for the one goal of the next competition; with no concern for strength and overall body development, but I have no interest in that do I? I am interested in someone who values nutrition, mind and body connection, enjoyment of the moment, and the science of strength training. I am not training for aesthetics only. 

I enjoy working with someone who not only appreciates my goals, but who has engaging conversations about those goals, and is willing to embark on an adventure, along with me. Someone who isn't afraid to experiment. 

Today we talked about my new "diet plan", a rotating plan that limits starches, and always after training only, and increases proteins. I will have occasional "cheat meals" My goal? Add lean mass and decrease body fat, a very, very difficult task. But I think I can do it. I will give my idea a try, and if it works, great. If it doesn't, no harm done, I go back to the old plan. 

Roy was supportive and interested. He admits he doesn't know if my plan will work, but it is MY plan, no one else's, and he is there to support it along the way. 

I realize that my success is ultimately his success, and that is what makes a great team.

Did I say I am thrilled?

Friday's Training with Roy

Roy and I are training shoulders on Fridays right now, and I am loving it!


There is always a point in my training where I think I know so much, only to find that there is a whole world that I don't know about, and it is so fun to discover it! 


We are working on my anterior and lateral deltoids to show more roundness. The posterior are looking good, and that usually lags on so many people.


We went for volume, I seem to respond well to that.


Incline barbell press (using fatgripz)
Incline dumbbell press with a neutral (some call hammer) grip
   superset with
Lateral raise
Incline front raise (on a bench, face down, neutral grip)
   superset with
laying rear delt raise


I took longer than an hour, and it felt great!  We chatted for a while about the world of competing, dieting and the shady side of the bodybuilding world in general.


A guy wanders over from the pull down across the drive, we are in an industrial area, who knows what goes on behind the closed doors! He said we both look like "fit people" and wanted to know if we wanted to buy some Sea Bass.


Roy and I looked at each other, I couldn't tell if he was about to crack up and was holding it in, or not. I know it was rather odd. It is 80 degrees outside, we are standing in font of his gym and some guy wants to show us his fish in a crowded and cluttered garage...


I say "sure we will come see" and we walk over, they have huge ice chests with not much in them, they buy from the fish wholesalers...hmmm. I see fishing poles but I don't think they are for sea bass. They give us a crab cocktail and we thank them and walk back to the gym, we decide not to buy anything.


We huddle together in the gym wondering what kind of business they are running and laugh as we both tell the other they can have the crab salad. We talk about Arnold and wonder if he will be able to make a comeback, or are we stuck with the vision of his belly in the speedo forever? He was stunning in his younger days, and although he did use steroids, he was and still must be genetically gifted.

I say goodbye, we will train legs on Wednesday evening. I drive off to have a pedicure. I realize it sounds like I have some odd foot fetish, I have a pedicure or a foot massage almost every week, but it is so relaxing and an inexpensive treat to myself. 


I picked wild orange today, one of my last hurrahs to summer.

I fell asleep, It seems that I am always falling asleep when I have a pedicure or a foot massage! That's a good thing right?


Actually a waive of sheer relaxation came over me, making my eyes heavy. I wouldn't say I was tired or exhausted, it was like every inch of my body felt spent and completely at peace. It happens sometimes when I train for a long period of time, and I believe it is endorphines surging through my body and then a let down, like there is nothing left in me. It is this high that keeps me doing what I do all the time.


I closed my eyes, just sitting waiting for my orange creamsicle polish to dry then home I went, floating on a cloud, not quite sure what is in control of my body. 


Time for a great muscle building meal. I had planned on having fillet Mignon, but we had another teenager over for dinner and I gave up my fillet for the good of the cause. Instead I had a fabulous beefalo patty from Pampero Ranch.  Stacy introduced me to this farm, Jim sells at the Mountain View farmers market. The beefalo is very tasty, 4.8% fat, grass fed and a great source of protein. He sells some wonderful eggs where the chickens eat only melon rinds and flax seeds too.


I had beefalo, a whole egg, broccolini, mushrooms and peppers. A spoon of mustard and a big glass of water. 

I am ready to hit the Quads on Saturday morning. Roy and I trained hamstrings Wednesday, they are still tight from the workout, of course sprints and stairs afterward certainly helped to pump them up. 

I wonder, do you ever get this feeling after training? I would love to hear!

Arnold Press

The Arnold Press, a great shoulder exercise!

It is named after Arnold Schwarzenegger,  7 time winner of the Olympia. I understand that Arnold came up with this exercise while training for the Olympia to ensure he had round, full deltoids.

In reality, performing the Arnold Press will not guarantee round, full deltoids anymore than any other "magic" exercise will. There is no magic pill to make you slim, there is no magic exercise to make you beautiful, you need to perform a variety of exercises to target all the muscles and keep from getting bored.

The Arnold Press is similar to a dumbbell press, you can perform is standing or seated, your preference, the main difference is that when starting the exercise, the dumbbells are held with your palms facing your chest.

I find that I need to use a slightly lower weight when performing this exercise than I would with a regular press.


Press the weights up to start bringing them above your head, turning the weights as you press up, so that your palms will be facing out, away from your body as you get them about halfway up.

Then continue pressing up

When you get to the top, you  do not lock your arms out, they remain with a very slight bend. Notice the palms are facing away from my body now.

Then back down, with complete control ending with palms facing your upper chest again.

Give these a try, they will change things up for you.