Cappy's TT#4 : Lean Power

[Buk]

I hope it passes quick. I hate it when I don't feel strong in the gym, it is very frustrating. Don't beat yourself up though; you gave it what you had, now rest up and get them next time.

[Marykaa]

Take care Cappy, sleeping helps alot, hope you feel better tomorrow.

[cappuccino]

Thanks y'all. I want a strong deadlift day tommorow, NOT to find out I've caught the bug going around!

[Iamjennmedic]

Stay strong cappy we all go thru this. hell last time I did I dropped a bar on my chest..You may just need to get some good rest and some good energy food tomorrow.. I'll pray you aren't sick so knock on wood!! take care.

[cappuccino]

Thanks Jen!

Yesterday I was feeling weird, and took it easy. Went for about a 45 min walk and did some cleaning/painting around the house. I'm hoping that it might have something to do with the wheat germ I've been adding to my diet, but I'm not so sure this morning, cause it's a little worse. However, I feel better today.

going to the gym in a bit. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[galya]

Hope you feel at a 100% again soon.

[cappuccino]

Thanks gayla. I'm doing fine. Last night I did have a spell of stomach bug. I'm wondering if I'm having an allergic reaction to wheat bran?

anyway, guess I'm on a little mini break. Popped into the gym for a bit late yesterday and just played around on the chin-up bar. Did several chin-ups and pull-ups.

[Buk]

Hoping things turn for the better soon, Turbo!

[cappuccino]

Thanks Buk. Still have a yucky belly, but was actually feeling like working out today. Go figure since I only got about 5hrs sleep last night.

Partly felt crappy and partly probably needed a mini-break. Weird, but I find that I need them more often than before. I do get a little CNS burn-out and get scared of the workout from time to time too.

general + specific warm-up

step deadlifts: 160x8;160x8;165x8

Rack was being used, so I propped the weights on two aerobic steps so the bar hit about mid-calf. And I thought I was using 60 on each side...but when I decided to move it up a notch, I realized I had 2.5 instead of 5's..oh well.

iron cross cable holds: 2x 20 secs @ 10lbs

these were fun, no inner elbow pain. JP also had some new grips, so maybe that helped.

split squat with front foot elevated on step: 40x8;40x8;40x8
hamstring curls: 70x8;80x8;80x8

moved up on these and needed mini-breaks between legs. hamtring curls were lower than last week, but still hard

mb chops: 10lbs x12 each side
1-leg calf raises: 25lbs x 10;30lb x 10;30x10

phew, done! Actually I went really slow through this workout, so it wasn't as killer feeling as usual.

nice to be back at it, glad I had the energy to do it!

[galya]

The CNS doesn't know how to differentiate between different types of stress, so sometimes working out is a bit too much to handle on top of everything else, you know.
I burn out funny, just get injured, I can take working out and working till I fall. So it's a good thing your body has ways to warn you. Do you think it's the breaks or the intensity of your workout that leave you more tired or it's not workout related?

[galya]

Just bumping this one for you. Hope you are doing well!

[russ]

Those are some serious deadlifts Cappy. Good job!

[cappuccino]

Good question galya. I think this kitchen remodel has been a brain drain...and could've spilled on to CNS workout stress, next to having a bit of a bug. I did notice that I felt weak during a couple of workouts last week before I knew I had the mild bug, and then the other days just looking at what I had to do in my workout made me cringe. [img]/images/graemlins/blush.gif[/img]

But today was a good day!! Got in an early afternoon workout.

general + specific warm-ups

explosive bench @50% max : 70x3reps x 8 sets

these were good! felt more explosive than last week

pull-ups, max: 3,2.5,1.9 [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

I was happily surprised with these, given last week my pull-ups sucked big time. I just kept getting on up there. [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

DB press on swiss ball: 40x8 x 3 sets [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]
1-arm DB row: 45x6 x 3 sets [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

woohoo, moved up on both of these. Had trouble as usual with the first rep on the db presses, but was surprised I got them all up. Last couple were struggles, but up the same.

45's on one arm rows were just right, and this surprised me too.

had to leave the weighted ab curls and planks for tomorrow to save time.

awesome workout. Felt great to come back stronger after a couple days off. Am already sore this evening, though. :P

[cappuccino]

Thanks Russ...I can't wait to catch up to galya on my deadlifts. [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

[galya]

I did my heaviest PRs on DLs just before my body crashed. I find this to be extremely funny. I couldn't go to the powerlifting competition and all out of lack of planning. I should be able to go up to my previous weight and hopefully do over 220 next year at the competition.
Your numbers are great girl.

[cappuccino]

I remember that chain of events...I guess you can look at it as having a year for planning and new PR before the next competition? I do hope you have a speedy recovery. I've had little achey things along the way so have had to modify my approach quite a bit. (little to no running, more single leg stuff)

Hey, cute pic, I just noticed it [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[Buk]

Awesome job on that last workout Cappy. You did great and do have lots to smile about. That and the deadlifts the day before, it seems like you have recovered well. Is that a pull-up record?

[cappuccino]

Yeah, buk, that was a pull-up record for me too. I just kept going and going. Now only if I could get 10 or so [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

Today was interval day. AFter a quick power nap at the gym, I did some jump rope intervals. Hopefully my back won't regret it. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] 7 rounds of 45sec - 1min with 1 min rests.

weighted swiss ball ab curl x 40lbs x 12 reps x 3 sets
side planks 4x8secs x 3 sets

Well, I've been craving chocolate all day. Went down to the little corner store in our building, and they didn't have the dark chocolate I was looking for, so I held back. Had a couple of itty bitty oranges during our staff meeting instead that a co-worker brought in.

Well, dinner after the gym was Italian...yes, I had a roll and pasta too, and was still eagerly awaiting my chocolate. Had some when I got home.

Now my evil contractor who loves sweets has been asking me to bake him some brownies and I did tonight (in my new oven! [img]/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img] ) Was doing fine until I poured them out onto the racks to cool and a few just crumbled all over the place. I mean, got to eat those. Had 4 (mini-muffin size) and boy were they rich.

Luckily my teeth are brushed now and the brownies are under plastic wrap...wish me my one day of sinful sweets to have ended at midnight. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[cappuccino]

Fri March 10th
Ended up spending the afternoon working on the kitchen and ran out of time for the gym. went out and had fun playing darts and a nice walk along the river, however. Also did some appliance shuffling, so not horrible.

Sat March 11

Workout 3

general + specific warm-up

spiderman pushups (max) 18,16,16
seated rows: 95x8x3 sets

3 rounds of:
Y squats x 20
push-ups on ball x 10
jacknifes x 20
ecc chin-ups x 4 @ 5 secs
bicycle crunch x 50
moutain climbers x 50

did some lateral cable leg raises too. JP got new ankle straps

What a difference a week makes! My drop-offs on the spiderman push-ups was not as severe, and I felt pretty strong on the rows too. Almost did a 4th round of the circuit, but decided to get in some side leg work instead.

1 more workout and one more week of this program and it's a new start again.