Wednesday's Quads

Wednesday, and every once in a while, I would get a "twinge" in my stomach thinking about my training session that evening with Roy. Last week it was really difficult, but I was sick. I think I had a cold, but the funny thing is, everyone around me at the university seems to have some horrible illness that is keeping them out of work for days. Maybe I had that too and it really wasn't just a cold and I am not as much of a whiner as I made myself out to be!

I worked all day then arrived at BodyComp at 5:30 and changed, I would attack this beast and win!

My adductors were still tight, they had been sore over one whole week due to this workout so Roy had me stretch them well. As he set up the squat rack I told him I had been dreading this all day. He laughed and said "I was just thinking- I'm glad I'm not the one who has to do this workout!" 

great

"I was sick when I was here last week, this was really hard" I told him. "Yeah, I read your blog" he said.

Why didn't I tell him then? Why on earth would I? That would have meant he would lighten the load - or tell me to go home, neither of which I was prepared to do. So I didn't tell him until after when it was too late. ha ha

But today I was feeling GOOD and I was there and ready to go and really wanted to test this workout. Was it really that hard or was it the illness that made it seem hard last week?

After stretching Roy had me warm up with the "ladies" bar, just a few squats. I then moved to the regular Olympic bar, loaded with plates and chains. 

"Hey! This is the weight we ended with last week!" I exclaimed.

"Yes it is" Roy said. That was it.  I think with the chains it was 105? I have to ask. Down I went, all the way to the ground 20 reps.

rest

But not long, I hadn't quite caught my breath when he said "Go!"

20 more reps, rest. 20 more reps, rest. 20 more reps, rest. 20 more reps, rest.

100 squats, with chains, ass to ground and I was actually paying attention to tempo, so I was not sloppy.

Whew! But that was the easy part because the front foot elevated split squats were really the killers. 

 

Issac was there training a very cute little girl, maybe all of 10 years old, who comes in on Wednesday nights, he really is good with kids. He makes her feel special and smart. Just what all little girls need. Her dad leans against the wall watching and commenting occasionally. Even he can see this won't be fun.

20 pounds dumbbells in each hand, left foot out front on the boards, right leg behind and I am stretching out, my left knee out in front as far as possible, stretching the back right leg, the adductor is pulling. Look up, back straight, sink down as far as possible and then up, but not all the way up, only about half way so that the tension is ALWAYS there, no resting spots here.

20 reps on the left leg

20 second rest

20 reps on the right leg

rest

Repeat for a total of 80 reps on the left leg and 80 reps on the right. But it's really like 160 reps on each leg because each leg is working, although in a different way all the time. 

That is the killer. My legs were pumped from the squats but with these, not only are they pumped  they are swollen and burning. 

Rest

Now the sled. How much weight? I think it was 140 pounds because I remember seeing all the 45 pound plates and then this dinky little 5 pounder on top! ha ha 

push to the garage door, push back. Driving up with the knees, power in the glutes, pushing as hard and fast as I can.

again

again

again

By the time I get to the last set I am oh so slow, but I am still driving with the knees and I fall to my knees. I am done.

In case you need a little summary, here it is:

100 back squats (all the way down, PAST parallel)

80 front foot elevated split squats left

80 front foot elevated split squats right

8 runs with the sled, approximately 40 feet each run

This was all after getting up at 4:00 am and doing:

20 minutes on the stairmill

15 minutes abdominal exercises

15 minutes stretching

10 minutes boxing on the heavy bag

I pull on my sweats, mix up my protein/carb drink and down my BCAAs. Chat a bit and then hop in the car, the very cool night air feels good with the top down. Home for a big dinner, time to fuel the body.