__________________ It all starts with the mind, but the thoughts, the intention aren't enough. Action needs to come next. Dream it, believe it, plan it, execute it, celebrate it. - Wendy
So I was sort of feeling like I didn't get enough of a workout in earlier today so I went again to the gym tonight. I just wanted to throw iron around and so that is what I did.
You know when I last felt this way?
....
Never!
Your energy level is soooo kick-@ss... Yey to bulking!
Anyone of you are welcome to come and hang your hats for a few days or weeks even. I have people stopping by all the time from the internet. One of these days I am going to meet that Axe Murderer. I have two spare bedrooms and a spare bath for anyone willing to make the trip.
Here are pics for ya. One is from my deck where I was practicing one morning with the birds singing background, and the other just looking down from my backyard. See, this is what I leave when I go on these silly trips. No matter how cool the place I go, I always miss my farm and my horses and my doggie and kitty and (of course) all my friends......
OMG ... just beautiful! I would NEVER leave!! It's so ugly here right now during stick and mud season ... I can't wait for everything to green up. Today is our first forecasted 70 degree day!! Yippee!!!
And since you were complaining about not being able to find a good fun non-boring yoga class ... try this place ... Yoga Pearl
She is trained by Baron Baptiste and his classes are never boring. Intense. Introspective. Painful. But never boring!!
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Life's a Journey ... Enjoy the Ride!
Wow what a tripping sort of past few days. Literally tripping. I am now at my parent's home in York, PA and will be here until Tuesday. My Father retired a few weeks back and the kids (all 4) have planned a surprise party.
Yesterday was a rest/travel day. It was a LONG travel day with canceled flights and late arrival. The second (and longest) leg of the trip was on a jam packed flight with screaming babies and turbulence. Still I found much to be grateful for as I actually did make it across the country in one piece and in good health at about 2:00 AM.
My parent's were waiting up for me (see how things never change?) and could not believe how much I had transformed my body in the past 7 months. They both thought I was getting a little "big" after I flexed for them. At least that is what they voiced to me. Today, however, at an event with their friends they were parading me around like a kid again. "Look how amazing she looks!" and "Karla is body building" and my Father... "You should see her, she has bigger muscles than me now". Funny people those parents...
I guess it wasn't such a great idea to do that KILL QUADS workout just before hitting the bed the night before this trip. I can barely walk today and am grabbing walls and railings everywhere. I did manage to take a bit of a run today. I took a 2.5 mile jog all around my old "stomp'n grounds. It was a run to try to stretch out my quads but also to actually go around to these places where I used to spend so much time. It was fun. Oddly it was also warm here today. Warmer than it has been in Oregon. I ran in tank shirt and shorts and was hot. People here are as a whole more out of shape than in Oregon. I have yet to see another person jogging on the streets.
That said, I visited the local LA Fitness and got a tour. On the free weight floor I counted 7 women and only 5 men. The women were lifting fairly large weights as a whole. I was favorably impressed. I drug my Father to the tour because he has gained a lot and is now retired and eating way too much. The trainer there measured his bf% at 42.5 which is pretty ridiculously unhealthy. My Father didn't join today but said he would go on a free pass with me over the next days to see if he can get into this. My Father bet me and the trainer that he could do a pull up. We walked over the the assisted machine thinking for sure we would win and my old man nearly cranked one out. He attempted a wide grip pull up with all that fat! He didn't quite get his chin up and over but he was only off by a few inches. The trainer and I gave him props for that. We were both surprised.
I am not sure if anything will come of this but I would sure like to see him take an interest in getting fit now that he has so much time. It would be sad to see him loose his health over the next decade due to apathy.
Oh yeah and the sales manager introduced herself to us as we were over cracking up so loudly and having so much fun. She got the quick rundown on my Father and then turned to me and said, "It looks like you workout" Of course my Father answered for me with, "She is a body builder"
It would be great if he would find a buddy and get himself into shape. 42% BF is quite unhealthy, but it sounds like he's strong as can be.
I was home last month to visit my parents. The second day, my father had gone to the library and found the NROL book, and had started reading. He said he wanted to do something more than the daily walks he and Mom do. I hope he follows through with it.
I was home last month to visit my parents. The second day, my father had gone to the library and found the NROL book, and had started reading. He said he wanted to do something more than the daily walks he and Mom do. I hope he follows through with it.
Brent
Wow Cool Brent, have you followed up with your Father on his progress since your return?
Today my Father and I went to Gold's gym and he got a membership. It turned out that the insurance that he is on includes a gym membership to Gold's gym which is about 1.5 miles from his house. So today I got to try my hand at personal training. I learned a lot by teaching him. I learned about how it is my trainer motivates and I learned a bit about what muscles get worked in some of the exercises by watching his body do them.
I decided that if he was going to go to the gym with me that he and I would get a workout in together. That way he could watch me as well. So today was shoulders/pecs/tris/back and lat day. Tomorrow we will do legs. I was careful with him to make sure that we got weights that were appropriate and to make sure that I always explained about form. Other than that I worked my sets in between his.
He did a really good job and tonight he says he is not sore. He did a bit of sandbagging on me and just quit during sets which I did not really expect to happen. I remember then that my trainer said that happens all the time and he has to get on people. So I thought about what it is my trainer does and I think I locked onto it. I started watching my Father for distress signs during the sets and as soon as I saw there signs I told him to push it or pump it up or suck it up. And I hung in with him and gave him a bit of assist, etc. It seemed to do the trick. He made his full sets after that for almost everything. It was a fun time all in all.
As for my workout I did the following....
Warmup
5 min tready slow jog
inchworms w/ pushups (2x10)
alt toe touches (2x15) each toe
db alt standing flyes
1x15 (5) e
2x10 (10) e
SuperSet
db close grip press (incline)
1x15 (15) e
1x15 (20) e
1x15 (30) e
close grip bench push up
3x15
Wide grip lat pull down
1x15 (40)
1x10 (60)
1x8 (70)
How cool is it that you got to train with your dad. That's just awesome. It sounds like you did all the right things to keep him motivated to push through the tough spots.
Sorry you are having internet issues in PA......Must be your location as I'm in western PA and don't have too much difficulty......although, I am on broadband instead of dial-up!
BTW.......Your pictures on the challenge thread are just awesome! Keep up that awesome work!!!
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"Become better than you used to be, not better than someone else." ~ Leigh Peele
Good for you Karla - that's awesome. I love lifting with my dad. He is 61 and I am so proud of him for the shape he's in. He used to make fun of me for working out, but I guess he just decided he doesn't want to "grow old gracefully."
HOpefully your dad did not join me in the potty floppin' club today. I'm sore.
__________________ It all starts with the mind, but the thoughts, the intention aren't enough. Action needs to come next. Dream it, believe it, plan it, execute it, celebrate it. - Wendy
Some pics for you (the horses belong to Bob's Neighbor)
__________________ It all starts with the mind, but the thoughts, the intention aren't enough. Action needs to come next. Dream it, believe it, plan it, execute it, celebrate it. - Wendy
HOpefully your dad did not join me in the potty floppin' club today. I'm sore.
Actually it turns out that I did a perfect job with him. This morning he woke up and said he could feel his pecs but they were not uncomfortable. Nothing else was sore. I can't believe it. Exactly as I had hoped to do as a result. Beginner's luck? I don't know....
Today we went to the gym again. This time I wanted to incorporate some fitness work, some balance work and hit the legs and abs. The workout looked like this
Warmup
Walking Lunges
3x30 steps
Fitness Superset (3x15) rest as needed
Burpees
Jumping jack
Legs 3x10
1 leg db Romanian dl (5 each leg)
db push press
Abs superset 3x10
hanging leg raises
swiss ball crunches
Legs 3x10 (here we worked mostly on form)
bb deads (20lb)
bb squats (20lb)
Cardio = spinning for 20 minutes
Today he said he felt as if he worked out much harder. Part of that was the fitness super set I started with and part of that was him actually being more willing to push himself today. He said he could feel his quads and abs during the exercises which is what I would expect given they are fast twitch muscles. Tomorrow I hope to hear that he is just mildly sore again and ready to go one more time while I am here.
He also was surprised to learn how much balance he had lost in his older age (this is the same realization I came to last year in my Physical Therapy sessions). I gave him the same work my therapist gave me to help strengthen the leg balance muscles so that he can do the 1 leg deads a little more smoothly.
I worked next to him today and worked up a sweat but did not set any PRs. It is hard to work out and train someone so I am not really getting in the best workout.
Today was his retirement party (the reason I am back here) and I overheard him telling everyone about this new venture. Perhaps he will actually stick with this?
I have to say again how impressed I am with the women in this small town. They are all over the free weight area of this Gold's and they are throwing around the iron. It is very cool.
OMG Paula!!! Thank you so much. I love the babies. I also love the horses. I have just two more nights before I get to hug mine again and smell their wonderful horsey breath.
__________________ It all starts with the mind, but the thoughts, the intention aren't enough. Action needs to come next. Dream it, believe it, plan it, execute it, celebrate it. - Wendy
Good to get your dad to working out - leading by example is probably the most effective way to do it.
Mahler, I'd be up for a PA meet - and can think of a few places that would be suitable (the brewpubs in the southern part of the state, particularly in the Philly 'burbs).
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Tom
No "happy hours" makes for a lot of miserable days. - Mahler
Exactly as I had hoped to do as a result. Beginner's luck? I don't know....
Perhaps he will actually stick with this?
I am green with envy, Karla. I miss my dad so much. So what if your workouts aren't quite what they should be, girl. You're sharing time with your only daddy. You are so blessed, as is he.
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Laugh a lot, and when you're older, all your wrinkles will be in the right places.
John, I am heading down to BWI to catch a plane back to the West Coast this morning. I sent you my cell phone. Please let me know if you will be home at 2:15 or so and I will swing by on the way down. I did not get your PM but did find an email in the late evening last night when I returned from dinner. If we don't chance to meet meet today, then perhaps at the summit.
Last night I had the occasion to workout alone as Pops decided to go fishing all day. His quads were sore and are still sore today but just when sitting and going down the stairs. I think again that he got worked out at a pretty appropriate level. I learned a whole lot about this newfound hobby of mine by playing trainer for a few days.
Last night I worked on back/lats
Warmup
inchworm
windshield wipers
SuperSet1
incline back flyes
1x15 (10lb)
2x10 (15lb)
bent over bb row
1x15 (70lb)
1x10 (85lb)
1x80 (100lb)
Woodchoppers (cable) high to low each side
2x15 (30lb)
1x10 (40lb) Woodchoppers (cable) low to high each side
2x15 (20lb)
1x10 (30lb)
cable crossover flyes (high)
3x15 (5lb)
Core/Abs SuperSet
pronejacknife
3x15
swiss ham curl
3x15
Wide grip lat pull down
1x15 (60lb)
2x10 (75lb)
SuperSet back/lat
Reverse push up on Smith bar - feet elevated
1x15, 2x10 (bw)
Db push
3x15 (30lb)
It felt good to really get in there and throw the weight around. I actually put my head in the puke bucket for that last superset but managed to not actually puke. I don't think it was from working too hard rather I had just come from a big dinner a few hours earlier and it was a bit rich. I was working out at midnight because I wanted to get myself back into the West Coast time zone a little bit.
Yes, I am very grateful for having my Mom and Dad still on this earth. I do not often come to visit them, but I send for them every year to come to Portland. This was a nice trip because I was very relaxed and very healthy and happy. Everyone here is amazed and humoured with the amount of food I can consume. Even the waitress at dinner commented about how little I was and how much I ate. Everyone wants to know what is the secret.
Thanks Tracey! I made it but it was a super long day. Whew... Traveling can go so wrong sometimes. I really hate the trip to the East coast just about more than any other that I do. It seems about 1/2 the time I do that trip I get on one plane that is late or canceled. This trip I had one cancelled plane and one late one. Yesterday my last flight was more than 2 hours late so I ended up getting to my farm at 3:00AM. I think today will be a rest day though if I feel awake enough later I might go for a nice walk or run.
It was a really nice trip to PA. The weather was actually nicer than in Oregon with sunny days (mostly) and the temps hitting 80 degrees one day. I was able to keep my cals in the 2730 kcals average range with macros in the 44, 38, 18 range and I got in 4 workouts. It was nice to spend such quality time with my folks and the working out part with my Father was a very unexpected thing.
I unfortunately did not get to meet up with Tom or John when I was there. John, was at work when I went by his place on the way to the airport and Tom was just too far away. I could not justify a day drive to Philadelphia to meet up with someone when my family was in York. I only had 4 days time and that would have required almost one full day as the drive one way was 3 or more hours. I am not even catholic but have too much guilt at the thought of that one.
KICK ASS trainer workout today. Gawd I missed having a trainer. It so makes a difference in so many ways. I have been feeling a bit down lately because I am gaining bf and am feeling like I kind of plataued in my strength. I basically just want to start to cut sooner than later and quit this feeding fest since I am not getting anywhere.
Today the trainer tells me he and I will do a workout together. I did not get at first why this would be good for me but I agreed. I totally get it after watching him workout too. I also managed to get in a great workout for me. Today we focused on chest and tris.
We started with shoulder shrugs and circles with light db as a warm up. Then we did flat db presses. Two significant things happened here. One is that I PR'd and gained some huge confidence in moving beyond the 40lb db (each) mark. The other thing is I learned how to get up and go down into position with those db in my hand and not wretch my shoulder. This technique is what really helped me to get the confidence and what was holding me back before.
When I picked up those 50s another trainer was checking that out and nodding at me in approval. He later said that I had grown since he saw me last (about a month ago). He said my legs are huge. (Then we all laughed at how you can only say that to precious few girls and get away with it) My own trainer later told me that I kicked ass on the presses and that there not many females that can do that sort of weight in general let alone after so short of a time doing this. It felt great and it really helps me to know that my strength is still increasing. I guess I'll keep the bulking thing up for awhile longer.
Watching my trainer work in his sets between mine served a whole lot of purposes. I learned how to be a spotter, I learned how to do smooth technique, when to breath and how far to push. It was a great learning experience for me and fun as well.
Incline wide bb bench press
1x15 (45lb)
1x15 (85lb)
1x10 (65lb) - we went down in weight here to help me correct a form problem. I am protecting my left shoulder for some reason
Dips
1x15 (bw)
1x15 (+10lb)
1x15 (+10lb) -actually I dropped the weight at about 9 and did the rest bw
swiss ball wide grip push ups
1x20
1x15
My pecs are on fire right now. It feels AWESOME!!!
Thanks Brent. It feels awesome to be this strong. David is warning me that when I cut I will loose this great feeling. I want to have my cake and eat it too.
Tonight I came home from work and did a little 4 mile run (I was burning up the road) and then a 1.5 mile walk. Ahhhhh..... I have to confess I am a bit beat now.
I have two spare bedrooms and a spare bath for anyone willing to make the trip. 
Give Truth About Abs a try. It's working really good for me.
I want to have my cake and eat it too. 
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