Kara's Lifting Adventure

[stingo]

Happy Birfday!

[Littlemermaidklb]

Thanks everyone!!! My actual birthday isn't till the 25th...hence why I had absolutely no clue and thought it a something related to valentines day, lol. He even baked me a cake... carrot cake, one of my favorites! Yummm! (needless to say the nutrition went a bit out the window this weekend, but oh well... back on track tomorrow!)

[sveta]

Originally Posted by Littlemermaidklb

Thanks everyone!!! My actual birthday isn't till the 25th...hence why I had absolutely no clue and thought it a something related to valentines day, lol. He even baked me a cake... carrot cake, one of my favorites! Yummm! (needless to say the nutrition went a bit out the window this weekend, but oh well... back on track tomorrow!)

your bf bakes for you...to heck with nutrition!
Happy B-day!

[Littlemermaidklb]

Today's workout went pretty well considering I'm starting to get sick.
So 7B:
Deadlifts:
3x8 @80lbs

Alternating sets:
DB Shoulder Press:
1x8 with 15s
1x8 with 20s
1x8 with 15s

Lat pulldowns:
1x8 @65lbs
1x4 @75lbs, finished @65lbs
1x8 @65lbs

Alternating sets:
Walking Lunges:
3x8 each leg with 10s

Ball Crunches:
3x8 with 10lb DB long-arm version

Notes:
-Deads felt rough but good... my form is getting better thanks to my trainer boyfriend :-) I felt it an awful lot in my quads though, wish I could feel it more in my butt, which is where I need to feel it, lol. But I'm proud of the three sets at 80!
-Had a hard time upping the weights on these... Tried the 20s and managed the set, but I felt like a tol cuz I couldn't curl the DBs to get them to my shoulders... so I had to do this weird little wiggle to get them up the starting position, lol. I knew I couldn't do them for the last set though, so I went back to 15s. I have to see if I can find 17.5s... that would be best I think.
-Pulldowns were fine, the plates are 15lbs each and they only had one 5lb thing to add to it, so I had it at 60plus the little plate, then tried to up it to 75... too big a jump and could only manage 4... need to find another small plate thingy (my terminology is sooo technical, haha)
-I liked the walking lunges a lot better than the back and forth ones... I felt a little more balanced. But my right knee was starting to hurt so I didn't push the weight.
-Ball crunches are getting a little easier... I think I was probably supposed to do more reps but I couldn't remember... oh well, I'll fix it next time.

[dillytl]

Originally Posted by Littlemermaidklb

So on a topic completely unrelated to fitness.....
My bf threw me a surprise birthday party last night with all of my friends that I haven't seen in sooo long! It was perfect! People drove well over 3 hours to come and I had no freakin idea! I know no one else cares, but I was really excited :-D

THAT is awesome!! Sounds like you got yourself a keeper there!!

[GinnyLou]

Hey Girl!
I had carrot cake, too (last week, for my birthday) LOL! I think my Mom thought she was making me something more healthy, since the word "carrot" was in there!
How sweet of your bf to cook for you! Sweet!
Nice workout, too.

But my right knee was starting to hurt so I didn't push the weight.

Way to listen to your body, that is the most important thing. I sometimes get a tweaky thing in one of my knees and start to pull back. Glad the walking lunges work.

[Littlemermaidklb]

Thanks guys!
Yeah my knees give me issues now and then... it's more consistently now though since I've been lifting. I might post about it in the injuries thread.
Anyway, today my motivation was sooo lacking. The weather here is sooo icky... I find myself looking for an ark since there's definitely a flood of epic proportions going on! I had to wade through a few oceans just to GET to the gym... oye.

Today was the last official A workout of Stage 1 (minus the special one). I also took 1 month pics that I will put in another post. I'm about a week behind the official challengers, so that's how I figure when I'm due for pics, haha.

Warmup: 7minutes on treadmill (walking 3.5), then bodyweight squats, side lunges, butt bridges.

Squats:
1x8 @65lbs
1x8 @75lbs
1x8 @70lbs

Pushups:
1x8 on floor
1x8 on 10"step
1x8 on Smith machine with bar at about mid-thigh height.

Rows:
3x8 @60lbs

Stepups:
3x8 with 5lb DBs, on a bench that was just below my knee-height (probably a little over a foot.. maybe 16 inches?)

Jack-knives:
2x12
1x9

Notes:
-Had to work-in with some big men on the squats.... I felt bad because they had to remove their THREE 45lb-ers from each side so I could do my lifts, haha. 75 was a new high for me, but form started to cave, so I went down to 70... that was a bit rough too...
-Pushups... well I was determined to try them from the floor... I managed, but I couldn't get all the way down, so my form was probably pretty terrible. Then I tried a step that wasn't very high off the floor... same problem. Went back to teh Smith machine for the last set and only barely eeked out the last few reps
-Rows are pretty solid.. couldn't find a mid-size plate to up the weight a bit, but that's alright
-Step-ups were better today. I like the higher step, it's harder, but I feel it more. I'm not as worried about "cheating" on these anymore. I try not to help with my back foot but sometimes I just can't make it play dead. That's ok though cuz I still use my working leg a lot more than the back leg, so I think I'm ok.
-Jack-knives... I dunno what my deal is.. I just can't finish my last few reps with these stupid things. My balance goes out the window and my abs are shaking too bad and I can't do them anymore... ugh.

Nutrition info I will try to post in a day or two.. I havea mid-term tonight I need to do some studying for so the food journal activities are on the back-burner for a moment. I'm doin pretty good though overall.

[Kirjava]

Originally Posted by Littlemermaidklb

Thanks guys!
-Jack-knives... I dunno what my deal is.. I just can't finish my last few reps with these stupid things. My balance goes out the window and my abs are shaking too bad and I can't do them anymore... ugh.

Don't feel bad about this--I think this just means they're a great exercise for you and you'll definitely improve! Just be patient and I bet your strength gains will really show here the most in a little bit. (this is the world's most impatient person telling someone to be patient...so...I feel your pain, trust me!)

Great workouts! You're doing awesome. We're just about in the same place, workout wise--today I did 6B. Even though the thought of posting pics is quite shudder inducing. (for me! Not you. )

We should start a new thread of "for those not in the 'official' women's challenge who want to post pics".

Hey--I'm a February baby too. (the 18th). How sweet of your boyfriend. He cooks/throws parties for you/is also a trainer? Nice! Keeper material.

[Littlemermaidklb]

OK Here's my month 1 pics... I don't see a change and my scale weight went up by about 1.5lbs. I didn't take measurements.. probably should have. I took them about a week ago, but between now and then there won't be much change. I guess I'll post those as my starting measurements:

Chest (armpit level): 31"
Chest (Under bust): 29.5'
Waist (smallest part): 27.25"
Hips (At bone, where most jeans sit): 32"
Hips (~3inches lower than other measurement): 37"
Weight: 135.5
Height 5'4"

Pics (Left is start, right is current):




Sorry about the different sizes... I'm technologically retarded most times, lol

[marygrace]

Originally Posted by Kirjava

We should start a new thread of "for those not in the 'official' women's challenge who want to post pics".

Haha, I like that idea too! I really wish I could have taken part in the Women's Challenge, but came across this board just a little too late!

And great job on the workout, Kara! It looks like you're doing really well. Are you looking forward to moving onto stage 2? I'm only a few workouts away and can't wait, I'm definitely ready to start some new exercises.

[stingo]

More definition in your upper abdominals, and a smaller midsection are what I'm seeing - nice work.

[Kirjava]

Kara, I see a difference in your pics! Especially in your mid-section. It looks more drawn in for sure, especially on the side view. Nice work.

[Littlemermaidklb]

Originally Posted by Kirjava

We should start a new thread of "for those not in the 'official' women's challenge who want to post pics".

I like this idea too :-) I wanted to join the challenege but joined the forum seriously the day after it started... bah humbug, lol.
Thanks for the compliments guys! I really appreciate it!

Marygrace, I'm definitely looking forward to moving on.... I like that I can progress with the weights a bit on these exercises... but I am getting bored of them... can't wait to start something new.... however, those frontsquat-pushpress thingys look HARD!!!!

[climban]

Kara, I see definitely a difference in your ab-area! Good job!!!

I 'm quite a few workouts away of stage 2, but I 'm looking forward to it too. Frontsquat-pushpress is a tiring exercise, but I like it a lot! I used to do it quite a lot because I like this sort of combination exercises. And euhm, lots of strange looks when you 're doing these

[Karen411]

Originally Posted by Littlemermaidklb

Notes:
-Had to work-in with some big men on the squats.... I felt bad because they had to remove their THREE 45lb-ers from each side so I could do my lifts, haha. 75 was a new high for me, but form started to cave, so I went down to 70... that was a bit rough too...

But, hey, you asked and got them to remove the plates instead of waiting and getting steamed that they were hogging all the stuff you needed again .

Great progress in your workouts and in your one month pics!

[brianb]

You look amazing... your before pictures are amazing and your after pictures are amazing I told ya, you working out is like polishing a diamond... only that diamond is getting a hell of a lot stronger hehe I'm always so proud of you love, keep up the amazing work.

-Bri