Musings, Music and Motivation

A good morning, I love lifting weights, absolutely love it! It's funny how I was so angry when I had to stop squatting, and I turned to training my arms. Well just look at them now! They look pretty massive and it's only been a few weeks.  I am sure all of the chin ups I have been doing every week are also contributing, there is never just one factor at play.

When I refer to "arms" that generally means biceps and triceps, I always train deltoids and that is "shoulder" day....I would typically throw some biceps in with my back training, it's a natural to combine them, but when I sustained some injuries, I had time to fill, so I have been devoting two days a week just to biceps and triceps.

I'm really liking how my arms look, they certainly snapped to attention quickly. Roy said they would, I eat a lot and a lot of good, clean food. I also go to sleep early, so combined with some new heavy training- boom!

Today though was "Back" day, one of my favorites. I guess they are all one of my favorites, there is not a body part I don't like to train!

Friday I had been watching some video's that Roy told me about and heard a song, this would be great for chin ups I immediately thought, so onto the ipod it goes, then of course itunes suggested another and it led to another and I ended up with a lot of great new music. 

Saturday I was high as a kite, listening to my new music, cranking out my chin ups and I had to do more than the previous week (yet again). I had my dip belt on, and a total of 12 1/2 pounds and was well into my set, but sitting resting in between when a good looking guy walks over to talk to me.

"I'm not trying to pick up on you or anything, but you have a great body! I have been watching your muscles ripple as you do those chin ups!" 

Dayayum!

He looked at my stopwatch and apologized about interrupting me and I quickly said "It's ok, I'm nearly done..." LOL!

We talked for a while about diet and supplements, seems that's almost all I ever talk about these days, but I guess I know quite a bit at this point, at least what works for me.

He said "You just keep on, I will watch from back here" and so I started back in to finish the set.

5,7,7,7,6,7,7,7,7,6

66 chins

4 more than last week

I then went on to the Low Row, Barbell Bent Over Row and Pulldowns.

I think I was smiling and humming and singing, guys were smiling back (not many women at Gold's in the morning, and most that are there, are upstairs doing the dreaded "C" word....a couple guys I see everyday, but never talked to waved goodbye as they left. Obviously I was having a good time in my own little world and it was showing.

I practiced posing and then some stretching. My view from the floor, I could have laid there all day at this point but food was on my mind.

Just what were some of those songs that got me through the 66 weighted chin ups?

Here is 300 M.P.H. Torrential Outpour Blues by the White Stripes, great for chin ups. (Email readers will need to navigate to the link at the top to go directly to the blog to view the video).





Other songs that helped me through the morning (and I ended up being there two hours!) Have a listen, it might help get you through your next workout with a smile too!

Top Yourself by The Raconteurs

The Sex Is Good by Saving Abel

S.E.X. by Nickelback

Go It Alone by Beck

Love Of The Loveless by Eels

T.M.S by Rhymefest

Acknowledging Injuries

Injuries, frustration, disappointment, acknowledgement, commitment , change, excitement, growth, renewal.

A circle

It’s a process I just went through and I am sure anyone who is actually devoted to their training has experienced it, but did they realize they even went through this process?

Since June I have been working through some injuries, it has taken me three months to get where I am. Most of that time has been spent convincing myself I wasn’t injured. It took me that long to work through the process of admitting what I need to do so I heal and can start to move forward.

Training is a very big part of my life, I am not really complete unless I have done my training for the day, and it is the best part of my day. It is a rare occasion where I do not look forward to going to the gym, to the track, to train with Roy.

I strained my hamstring back in June and just kept pushing through it. That’s the “tough” thing to do right? But that really wasn’t my mentality, it was actually the fact that I feel fairly invincible, I couldn’t be hurt, it must all be in my mind, it’s just a muscle that’s a bit sore.

It took a few visits to the Chiropractor and my physician to convince me that it was more than what I had actually thought it was. And there was the hip flexor pain, sitting was unbearable, I would wake at night due to the aching in my hips, especially my left side (where the hamstring strain was).

Then I started physical therapy. The first session was nothing strenuous, he put me through several stretches that did not really feel like much, but it turned out he was assessing me more than anything.  I figured it was being paid for by insurance; I should go through with all sessions and see how it turns out, any stretching will be helpful to regain my range of motion right?  

The second session was different though, it seemed better, or maybe my head thought it was. Sid started by foam rolling my leg as I lay on a massage table, I said “good luck- I use a lacrosse ball!” Smart ass I was, he was good. Then he used his hands. This was even better. Next came assisted stretching, better still.  I asked him not to stop so he continued a while longer.

As we moved to another room I went through other stretches and exercises.  Brian shouts over “Be sure she uses what she calls the kettlebell jewelry”, which was what I said the itty bitty bells looked like since they weighed only 2 pounds.

I explained how my hip flexors hurt so much, and what my training has been like. I have been trying to grow the legs; I have been hitting them hard, really hard. Heavy and volume. He suggested that they may also be strained or just need a break.

I told him David had said the same thing, and so had Roy, we actually had already decided to cut squats to one day a week instead of two.

Since PT was mainly dealing with the hamstring strain, I had decided to see Dr. Leahy immediately afterward about the hip flexors.  He could at least do some Active Release to loosen up the tight muscles; the tightness was what was causing so much discomfort.

In his office I go through the whole story again, he works on both hip flexors and the hamstring.  He asks when my “event” is and I tell him not until May. He says I am progressing right along. “What does that mean?” I ask “It’s a compliment, take it!” he replies. 

I tell him I know, but I need to know what he “sees”. I see myself everyday and want to know what he sees. “Well, it looks like you have been adding mass, in fact, quite a bit. That’s what you are trying to do isn’t it?”

“Yes!” I tell him it’s the peanut butter sandwiches (I am joking) and I laugh.

Dr. Leahy suggests that I stop squatting all together- at least for a week or even two if I can manage the downtime. If I cannot take the downtime he suggests some light therapy.  He said I should just avoid anything that hurts my hip flexors, and when it no longer hurts, I am ready to train again. Insurance does not cover Dr. Leahy, doctors can be expensive when you pay on your own.

Sounds simple doesn’t it? It might be for some people, but it hasn’t been a simple process for me.

How many people would even have an issue with this? It has taken me a lot of time to actually confirm in my own mind that I am OK not training my legs for a couple weeks.  I sent a message to Roy and explained.

We had decided that I would be replacing my Saturday squat day with a biceps and triceps day, and move some of the the other splits around, so we just axed the squats all together and started the arm training then, the following day, on Wednesday when we would usually do squats. 

I really don’t train arms much; I train the shoulders but not the rest.

Wednesday was fun; we went through barbell triceps lockouts superset with scott curls. Then on to skull crushers and reverse barbell curls. I felt like a wimp, it was a lot of new stuff for me.

Thursday I did my hamstring training, but modified it slightly so that my hip flexors felt no pressure, I concentrated on the glutes so that’s where I felt it. I tried some kettlebell snatches at the end, but the hip flexors immediately felt the strain and I stopped after one set.

I will switch my Back training to Saturday (instead of squats) and repeat my arm training on Sunday, adding in some pullovers too. My upper body will be fried by Monday.

I’m excited again and looking forward to the changes! I already have some impressive arms, so imagine what they will look like after all this training in a few weeks! 

6 Weeks to a Better Back

Ha ha Sounds like a commercial huh? But it's true- take a look at these pictures!

Above (the impressive picture) is my back on Sunday, April 8, 2012. 

Below (the slacker picture) is my back six weeks earlier. Quite a difference huh? Changes like this really excite me!

I am four weeks from a competition, so in the next month, my back will become even more defined, I will have less fat and my waist will come in a bit more. When I saw the first picture, I was kind of shocked, it just didn't look like my back, how could that be my back? 


The erector spinae muscles are so thick, almost like wide ropes running down my back, I don't remember those. But I have always loved backs, and especially that nice deep indent that runs straight up the middle, and you only get that with well developed muscles running up the sides.


I remember a few years ago, I had stopped training on a regular basis with SC, and I went in to see him, we must have been training that one day because when he looked at me (I had a bra top on, no shirt), he got this shocked sound in his voice and said "What the hell happened to your back?!"


My back...was gone, no well developed muscles, no thick like ropes running down the sides, no big indent, I had slacked off on my training. I don't do that any longer.


So what have I done?

Year round I train my back once a week, one whole morning is devoted to back, and a bit of biceps as they naturally get worked when I train my back (I won't be reviewing bicep training now). When I start dieting for a competition, then I start training my back twice a week. 

So...I double my training, I cut rest periods and I add more sets. I suppose its almost like quadrupling my workouts then! 

I vary the training, and I will change what I am doing every 3 or 4 weeks. I do not do the exact same thing on my twice a week back days, although I do some of the same things. Here is an example:

Sunday is my long day, I have more time.

Chin ups/pull ups

I will do 4 sets of 4 different hand grips. I typically do 6 to 10 of each depending on the grip. I super set these with dips, body weight 10 reps. So I do my chin ups then move to the dip station, do those then rest.


Lat Pull Down
6 sets of 12 60 second rest in between
2 sets wide grip
2 sets narrow grip (palms facing me)
2 sets triangle grip


Low Row on a Cable
6 sets of 12 60 second rest in between
2 sets wide grip
2 sets narrow grip (palms facing me)
2 sets triangle grip

Barbell Bent Over Row
4 sets of 10, (palms can be changed, supinated will hit the biceps more, pronated will hit the back more...I like supinated best)


On the shorter days I will eliminate the BB Bent Over Row and the Low Row and I will add this instead:


T-Bar Row
4 sets of 10 (squeeze those shoulder blades).


FacePulls
4 sets of 12


Always, always, always do chin ups and pull ups! They are one of the best things for your whole body. Keep your core tight, do NOT "kip" them up, you are completely defeating the purpose of doing them then. Don't neglect your back, not only are strong backs stunning, they are vital to your overall physical health. 


My back also gets worked when I perform the Glute Ham raise, Squats, and Good Mornings, since they require a strong, tight focused core, it just all fits. So, if you are not doing any of these big compound exercises, and then fail to do much of the back training that I described and rely solely on the lat pull down as most people do, you will probably never had these nice thick ropes. 


But! It's never too late to start- cause see what I did in only 6 weeks?

Arm training

I probably receive the most comments about my arms. Now, I realize that my arms are also the most visible part of my body, but when you walk around the gym like this, just about everything is showing anyway right?


I was recently attending a class for work- I have to maintain a certification that requires constant training. There was a woman working there who came up to me and asked how I get my arms to look the way they do. She explained she has been doing lots of bicep curls and doesn't feel anything and doesn't see any results.


After talking with her a bit I realize that I don't really do a lot of bicep specific training, I feel that my biceps and triceps get trained quite a bit with my back training. I do throw some bicep and tricep moves in, but not as much as people seem to think. 


When people ask about my arms, I automatically think my shoulders, but my biceps have gotten so big that I realize now they are talking about the whole arm, shoulders, biceps, triceps.


I think that most people think that the training comes all together, "the arm' but it doesn't, not at all. The shoulders require a lot of detail and love, a lot goes into big, broad shoulders. The biceps and triceps are easier, they get trained when other body parts get trained, if you do it right that is.


It is a rare day you will find me doing a bicep concentration curl, it just isn't necessary. let me put it this way, you can develop beautiful arms while working other body parts at the same time, how's that?


So what exactly is my training? It varies, as it should. I have always been known for having great, broad shoulders (at least in the last few years competing), but they really have popped since training with Roy.


An example of what I do for shoulders:


Dumbbell Lateral Raises
Dumbbell Front Raises
Dumbbell Rear Delt Raises
Barbell Press
Behind the Neck Barbell Press
Dumbbell Press
Arnold Press


But they get trained when I work back too. I always incorporate pull ups and chin ups, these are probably one of the best overall exercises you can do. They hit the back, triceps, biceps, lats, traps, abs, neck...need I say more? If you are not doing several sets of chin ups a week, you should.


Cables...


What do I do for my biceps and triceps? 


Most of it is my back training. It hits the biceps too!


The Cable Lat Pull Down, we all use that right? It hits your biceps too.
The Low Cable Row? That hits the biceps and rear delts also.
Again, the chin ups and pull ups.
Dips, they hit biceps, triceps and back.
Barbell Bent Over Row: Use a supinated grip (the palms towards your face), this targets the biceps, if you change the grip to a pronated grip, you target the triceps (I almost always use supinated).
Single Arm Bent Over Dumbbell Row, it hits the biceps too.
T-Bar Row, hits triceps, back, rear delts, biceps


There are two "arm" specific exercises I do, that is the E-Z bar curl and skullcrushers.


The other consideration is the weight- everyone wants to know "how much is the right weight?"


Well that all depends on your goal- is it strength or hypertrophy or weight loss? I am assuming it is hypertrophy. So the weight would be as heavy as you can go anywhere between 8 to 12 reps.  That means you can do 10 reps with good form, but are struggling, that's a good weight. If it is easy to knock out 10, then it is way to light. It should be difficult.


I do change it up and sometimes I will use heavy weights with low reps then lighter weight with higher reps. It must always change.


So you can see why my shoulders and arms look so good- I devote two days a week solely to shoulders, then one day to Back, so the arms are getting hit three times a week, and close to competition I add one more Back day so they get hit four times a week!


So my advice to anyone who is trying to have killer arms (but not look like Jay Cutler), concentrate on your back and shoulders, the rest will follow.

The Pain of the Kick

Saturday late afternoon my body started aching all over. Could one brutal day of kickboxing have done that already? My lower back hurt and I don't typically have back problems, but this was all new to me.

I made a cup of tea and went to bed at 8:00...on a Saturday night! I read a bit, chatted some on email (I have my Kindle Fire by the bed) and soon it was lights out.

I lay there so very tired yet unable to sleep, it was the coffee I had at lunch. I shouldn't do that, I am super sensitive to stimulants in the afternoon, damn I shouldn't have had so much!

David came to bed and I chatted away, he finally told me very kindly to shut up and go to sleep. I tried, I really tried but it just didn't happen.

As I lay there, I thought that just about everything hurt. My pecs hurt and that couldn't be from kickboxing, was that from Friday's training with Roy? My lower back, my shins, my traps, it all started to blend into one achy mess.

I woke up at 5:00 am to the alarm, time to go to the gym, it was back and bicep day. I didn't have the enthusiasm that I usually do, I still felt achy, but I went in, gotta go! 

I decided to veer from my written plan and felt like doing a lot of chin ups and pull ups today, so I did several sets of 6, I think I did 6 sets. Dips in between. Then the low row, bent over barbell, e-z bar curl, single arm bent over row and offset dumbbell curl.

Then I did it. I grabbed my gloves, and walked down to the gym. I would do the conditioning all over again on my own. I practiced on the heavy bag a bit, and the speed bag was lowered so I could practice my hook there. Then I set up my own course around the gymnasium. Push ups, jog, high knee jump, jog, jump-sprawl, jog, squat, jog and all over again till I got to 10 of each.

I have decided to try this on Sundays instead of the stairmill, I will just recreate my Saturday kickboxing conditioning!