__________________ 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
Superset with 75 sec rest:
Deadlift
15 x 111 x 3
Dumbbell incline bench press
15 x 33 x 3
Superset with 75 sec rest:
Bulgarian split squat (did just split squats, left the Bulgarians out of this until my knee feels stronger)
15 x bw x 3
Dumbbell pullover (sub for mixed grip lat pulldown)
15 x 25 x 3
Superset with 75 sec rest:
Romanian deadlift
15 x 111 x 2
20 x 111
Swiss ball lateral roll
15 x 2
20 x 1
I'm going to go straight into FL-II me thinks so I can meet my resistance training goals.
tomorrow is my last FL-1 workout.
__________________ 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
Superset with 75 sec rest:
Deadlift
15 x 130lb x 3
Dumbbell incline bench press
15 x 39lb x 3
Superset with 75 sec rest:
Bulgarian split squat (did just split squats, left the Bulgarians out of this until my knee feels stronger)
15 x (bw + 15lb dumbbells) x 3
Dumbbell pullover (sub for mixed grip lat pulldown)
15 x 25 x 3
Superset with 75 sec rest:
Romanian deadlift
15 x 130 lbs x 2
20 x 130 lbs
Swiss ball lateral roll
15 x 2
20 x 1
Strongest workout since I started lifting in March. Strangely, ate like crap today, so I don't know if the strength was from the extra carbs, from my excessive guilt, or my desire to push myself harder. In any event, it felt fantastic! (Lifting that is -- the eating was all around a bad experience. Gave in to peer pressure, but no excuses.)
The split squats aren't painful, but I have to admit I also feel guilty because I'm not doing the Bulgarian split squats. I know I'm not getting the same workout as designed, but the whole experience feels a lot better.
So, am I just being a wimp, or am I being smart and doing what I can do without injurying myself?? Ack! I never knew I would struggle with such profound moral questions in the fitness area, as well!
Strength probably came from the Extra carbs. I know when I have a good carb load around the time I lift I feel like Superwoman!
__________________ 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
Back to keeping track of things. Got down to 227 or so in the Fall, fiddled around with on- and off-again workouts, and let my weight creep back up to 240. (Still better than the 265 I started with.)
It was easy to blame the back injury, but it was laziness more than anything...
Been following TNT plan A since late December and feel much better for it.
Working on moving the squat rack out to the garage for a dedicated space -- it should help me with my consistency and give me one less excuse for not lifting. Once the weights are moved and set up, I plan to restart the Break In for NROL and get back into Fat Loss.
__________________ 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
On TNT Plan A since Late December
Food yesterday:
Breakfast: Beef fajita meat, spinach w/ smoked gouda, grilled onions
Snacks: Fresh pecans and peanut butter
Coffee with cream & splenda
Lunch: More fajita meat
Dinner: Homemade cream of broccoli soup, easy-style (boil frozen broccoli in chicken broth, cream in blender, add cream, left-over sour cream, salt & pepper) -- easiest way for me to get that stuff down!
Weight: 239
Measurements:
Waist: 45 1/2 in
Chest: 48 1/2 in
Did Break-In B this morning. I'll post the exercises later, but I've got a big question. I fell off track last summer after hurting my lower back doing bent-over rows, was off work for a week and never got back to real lifting.
I did deadlifts for the first time again this morning, starting with what I thought was a low-enough weight (89 lbs). However, my back started twinging during the second set and is very sore now -- in the same place I injured it before. I'm sure that I've got form issues, but I also don't want to go through this again.
Are there some good substitute exercises I can do for the deadlifts (and maybe even squats) and still continue with NROL? Or should I look for a different program? I know DL & Squats are some of the best things I can do, but I don't want to blow out my back again. I lift at home, so I can't really consult a trainer -- just watch the form videos on-line. I'm going to post this question in the NROL forum, as well, but I'd sure appreciate some advice from all you experienced folks.
Do you have access to a camera that has video capability?? If you do, maybe you can do a video and load it into youtube or dropshots so people can view it.
__________________ 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
Thank y'all so much for the welcome back! I don't have a camera with video capabilities now -- we had one, but lost it (looonnng story...). We're working on getting a Canon S3 -- my mother bought one sometime back and we tried it out -- love it! So, when we get that, I can shoot some video of my bad form!
Need to post my workout from Tuesday:
Break In B:
Deadlift - 2 x 15 x 89
Superset:
Static Lunges (subbed for step-ups)
1 x 15 x bw
1 x 20 x bw
Dumbbell one-arm shoulder press
2 x 15 x 15
Superset:
Dumbbell Pullover
1 x 15 x 15 lbs
1 x 20 x 15 lbs
Reverse Crunch
20, 25
On Lisa's advice, I'm working on incorporating some stretches to deal with my posterior tilt issues -- will have those posted soon.
Been eating on plan with TNT plan A -- one meal off plan yesterday (brought home some french bread and hummus, together with cheese (goat, sharp provolone and brie) and red wine. Yumm.
Eating right on target today: coffee with cream, kielbasa, Louis Rich turkey wrapped in romaine with avocado, rabbit & tomato stew (no flour), red wine & provolone.
Well, at the risk of being held in UTTER contempt, I'm back again. I've been working on both the nutrition and fitness goals, just haven't posted at all . . .
Short version: went to a chiropractor to see if he could help me deal with back issues; got scolded for even thinking about squats and deadlifts because of the load they place on the spine. Figured THAT can't be right, so continued working on stretching and mobility.
Spoke with two other chiros from church who disagreed with the first one; the other two both agreed lifting was fine for the back, just watch out for ego-induced injuries; one of them has been lifting for thirty years, is in fantastic shape, and swears by the deadlift.
Returned to lifting (starting NROL again) -- just finished two weeks of break-in, and started Fat Loss I at 5 a.m. (how does Mahler do that??).
Workout A Squat (subbed goblet squat) 3 x 15 x bw+25 lb db Incline Bench Rows (subbed for cable seated row)* 3 x 15 x 30 (2 15lb dbs)
*per Lisa's recommendation here: cable seated row replacement exercise
Supine Hip Extension 3 x 15 Dumbbell Push Press 3 x 15 x 50 (2 25lb dbs)
Rotational Lunge 3 x 15 x 30 (2 15lb dbs) (need to work on rotation coordination!) Swiss-ball crunch (add 11 lb plate held behind head): 2 x 15, 1 x 30
For grins: bicep curls -- 25 lb dbs, 6 low, 6 high, 4 full range
***
Still eating generally low carb -- it works for me.
Weight: 228
Recent observation: Beginning of last year, wearing 2X to 3X t-shirts.
Now, wearing 1XL. In public. Without an overshirt. With the wife's encouragement.
__________________ 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
Squat (subbed goblet squat) 3 x 15 x 33 lb db Incline Bench DB Rows w/ pronated grip (subbed for cable seated row)*
1 x 15 x 25 lb dbs
1 x 14 x 25 lb dbs
1 x 13 x 25 lb dbs
Supine Hip Extension 3 x 15 Dumbbell Push Press 3 x 15 x 33 lb dbs
Rotational Lunge 3 x 15 x bw (rotation only on first set -- these were tough today, but had great range of motion) Swiss-ball crunch (add 15 lb db held behind head): 2 x 15, 1 x 25
For grins: bicep curls -- 25 lb dbs, 6 low, 6 high, 6 full range
Did squats barefoot -- love it. Started to do the push presses barefoot, but felt like it might be too much stress on the balls of my feet.
Workout B2 Deadlift (subbed Single Leg Deadlifts) 3 x 15 x bw + (2 15lb db) Dumbbell incline bench press 3 x 15 x (2 33lb db)
Bulgarian Split Squats 3 x 15 x bw + (2 10lb dbs) Mixed grip lat pulldown (subbed dumbbell pullover) 1 x 15 x (2 25lb dbs), 1 x 12 x (2 25lb db), 1 x 11 x (2 25lb dbs)
Romanian Deadlift 2 x 15 x (oly bar + 10lb), 1 x 20 x (oly bar +10lb) Swiss-ball lateral roll 2 x 15, 1 x 20
For grins: bicep curls -- 25 lb dbs, 6 low, 6 high, 6 full range
*******
Did all these BAREFOOT again -- love it.
DB incline bench press: added 8 pounds from last time; still felt strong.
DB pullovers -- these were superhard -- wonder if it's because of the added weight to the bench press?
Romanian deadlift -- I hear you snickering. I'm working on form.
Added one more full range rep to the for-fun-curls. Think next time I'll go for 7 of each.
__________________ 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
No weights today, but spent the afternoon tossing my kids around in the surf off Galveston. Good upper body work, and lower body from stability in the crashing waves? (I'm reaching, I know... )
Also, knocked out 20 pushups at work -- was going to shoot for 100 today in sets of 10, but I got distracted coming home and getting everyone ready for the beach.
Squat (front) 3 x 12 x oly bar only
Incline Bench DB Rows w/ pronated grip (subbed for cable seated row)*
3 x 12 x 25 lb dbs
Supine Hip Extension 2 x 12 x (bw + 11lb plate), 1 x 12 x (bw + 22lb plate) Dumbbell Push Press 2 x 12 x 33 lb dbs, 1 x 15 x 33lb dbs
Rotational Lunge 3 x 15 x (bw + 10lb dbs each) (rotation on all 3 sets -- good range of motion, nausea-inducing ! ) Swiss-ball crunch (add 22lb plate held behind head): 2 x 12, 1 x 20
bicep curls -- 25 lb dbs, 7 low, 7 high, 7 full range
*****
Squats done barefoot -- lots of wrist pain though holding the bar -- need to figure out how to reduce that.
Everything felt great until I got to lunges -- they really took it out of me.
Hip extension -- these are too easy -- I don't think I'm doing them right. I think I need to move the swiss ball closer to my butt to increase the angle?
DB push press -- want to try more weight time on these. They feel great.
Last night's workout - 9 pm
Workout B3 Deadlift (subbed Single Leg Deadlifts) 3 x 12 x bw + (2 15lb db) Dumbbell incline bench press 3 x 12 x (2 38lb db) (added 5lbs ea)
Bulgarian Split Squats 3 x 12 x bw + (2 15lb dbs) (added 5lbs ea) Mixed grip lat pulldown (subbed dumbbell pullover) 3 x 12 x (2 25lb dbs)
Romanian Deadlift 3 x 12 x (oly bar + 10lb) Swiss-ball lateral roll 2 x 12, 1 x 15
For grins: bicep curls -- 25 lb dbs, 7 low, 7 high, 5 full range (couldn't do more...)
*******
All done barefoot.
DB incline bench press: added 5 pounds from last time; still felt strong. Need to buy more 5# plates for my db handles....
DB pullovers -- made it through all sets, but reps were lower.
Romanian deadlift -- form much better -- starting to feel like I'm "getting it"
Thursday, 7/3 -- completed at 6:30 am Fat Loss I -A Workout #4
Squat (back) 3 x 12 x (oly bar + 22 lbs) Incline Bench DB Rows w/ pronated grip (subbed for cable seated row) 3 x 12 x 25 lb dbs
Supine Hip Extension 2 x 12 x (bw + 22lb plate), 1 x 15 x (bw + 22lb plate) Dumbbell Push Press 3 x 12 x 38 lb dbs
Rotational Lunge 3 x 12 x (bw + 15lb dbs each) Swiss-ball crunch (add 22lb plate held behind head): 2 x 12, 1 x 20
bicep curls -- 25 lb dbs, 7 low, 7 high, 5 full range
*****
Squats done barefoot -- switched from front to back squats because I don't have my wrists stretched out enough yet. No back pain, form seems good. Will add more weight next time.
Lunges are still whoopin' me -- nausea city.
DB push press -- added five pounds -- was just able to finish all three sets.
I hate lunges..... I have to do them for my stretching.
__________________ 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