Just to update everyone, she is doing better now. She is still pretty weak, but at least she is eating now.
Just to make things really fun around our house, our son got sick with the flu (I guess) yesterday and couldn't keep a damn thing down.
I have yet to get sick this year, I kinda feel like there is a big red target on my back...
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We don't know all the answers. If we knew all the answers we'd be bored, wouldn't we? We keep looking, searching, trying to get more knowledge. Jack LaLanne
Thanks for the update, Chris. Please pass on our best wishes to Mel for her recovery. Sorry about your son. Man, you guys are having it tough. Hope you stay healthy, man. Sounds like your family needs you!! Good luck!
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"Whether you think you can or think you can’t, you are right." - Henry Ford
"UNLESS someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not." - Dr. Seuss
"Life is no brief candle to me. It is sort of a splendid torch which I have got hold of for a moment, and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it on to future generations." - George Bernard Shaw
Okay, I'm back and running...sort of. Feeling 100% finally and plan to work out tomorrow. Unfortunately, I'm so behind on the forums and on my log. I'll try to catch up in the next week, but I got soooo swamped with work. It might be summer before I can post regularly, but I'm going to try and get back into the flow with the log.
Thanks again for all your support. It was sooo very appreciated!
Welcome back to the land of the living! I'm so glad you're feeling better again. Something like that can drain your reserves for a good, long time so ease back into life slowly if you can.
Thanks for the welcome back Guys! You all are amazing.
So, this week I've gotten back in the saddle. I can't believe what a shock to the system one week off and an illness like that had on me. The workouts have made me sore and sooooo tired. Plus, after not having any appetite at all, I am starving now!!! What a roller coaster! I did try to take it easy...didn't go up on any weights and moved my HIIT to the next day, and ran slower too. I also took an extra day in between and will be doing my third wo of the week tomorrow.
Monday I did Stage 3 WO B #2 and yesterday I did wo A #3. Here are the numbers for A from yesterday.
3 sets of 6 with 105 seconds of rest in between exercises. I did reduce the rest to 90 seconds between the planks and woodchops just because the plank is 90 on the timer already. And I find I recover faster from ab work.
A) one arm db snatch
30
30
30
B1)Dumbbell single leg RDL
40s
40s
40s
B2) Barbell bent over row
100
100
100
C1)Dumbbell single arm overhead squat
20/45
20/40
20/40
Thoughts:
-I'm not sure about my bb rows. When I pull the bar up, my back rises a bit. I'm not sure if this is a break in form or not. Any thoughts??
-the overhead squats were brutal for me. My left shoulder kept popping out of socket or something and the squat portion just felt awkward, like my quads forgot how to do it, LOL.
-felt the weakness on the bench press...sigh!
-pretty excited that I got the planks all the way through. You would laugh at my numbers from the last time I did them...of course I had pneumonia that day.
-glad to see that my numbers dropped on the matix because my form was still solid. I didn't really try to go faster, really concentrating on the form, but a little more speed is good.
Food:
-oh lordy....wow.....
-I'm considering a change....maintenance has been great....but I just want to lose a little more fat. So, I'm considering TNT. Going to research it this weekend. Chris and I might do it together.
It sure is nice to be back in the routine, but boy do I feel like I've slid back. The workouts were tough to get through. I've never been through an illness like that, and let me say, I don't like it!
Thanks again for all your support. It was such a neat thing to log in and see you cheering me on.
I am glad you are feeling better and glad to see you back.
__________________ 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
Glad your feeling well again. I have the same problem, if it is one on the Barbell Bent Over Rows. It kind of feels natural to raise your back a bit. I may be doing them wrong though.
Soo......I'm lovin' ya girlfriend, but where the heck are you going to loose fat? You look skin, bones and muscle to me. I am going to trust you and Chris to make the right decision, but I am just not seeing it.
Cool that you're considering TNT. I'm just starting my 3rd week. Here's my $.02 for what its worth. Its easier to follow than anything else I've tried and I've gotten to go out to eat a lot more without worrying. The recipes in the book are incredible - rich and delicious and satisfying! I have noticed a moderate decrease in appetite and having to eat constantly.
On the bad side, this last week I seemed to have loaded myself up with beef jerky, pepperoni and other processed stuff and I think the nitrates and also dehydration caused me to have a headache for the whole week! Even though that stuff is convenient and allowed on the plan, I would limit the portions and try to eat lots more fresh stuff and drink tons of water.
WB, Mel. Glad to see you're back in the saddle and looking for new challenges. I've been toying with TNT as well. Not quite convinced yet but getting there ...
__________________
"Whether you think you can or think you can’t, you are right." - Henry Ford
"UNLESS someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not." - Dr. Seuss
"Life is no brief candle to me. It is sort of a splendid torch which I have got hold of for a moment, and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it on to future generations." - George Bernard Shaw
Answering the mail at long last. Some day (summer time) things will calm down around here.
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I am glad you are feeling better and glad to see you back.
Thanks Paula!
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Yay! Deadlift Girl Returns!
Tom, you are funny!
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Glad your feeling well again. I have the same problem, if it is one on the Barbell Bent Over Rows. It kind of feels natural to raise your back a bit. I may be doing them wrong though.
Thanks T. From the little research I got a chance to do, a little upwards movement looks natural. I still can't decide if my is too much. Back does stay arched but not stationary....
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when I do BB rows my trainer makes me keep back arched and chest out. Don't know if that is the "correct" way but it is the way I hafta do them.
Welcome back again. It is great to see you here.
Thanks Kara. That's how I do them, but I still move up and down a little. Maybe if I get ambitious some day, I'll shoot it and post it up here.
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Soo......I'm lovin' ya girlfriend, but where the heck are you going to loose fat? You look skin, bones and muscle to me. I am going to trust you and Chris to make the right decision, but I am just not seeing it.
Great job on the matrix...it's H-H-A-A-R-R-D-D!
You are so sweet, and so is your concern. The tanita scale consistently measures me at 19-21% bf, so I'm thinking there is room to drop a little. In a perfect world, I could get to 15 and still eat like a hoss and stay strong. NOt sure if that is doable, but I bet 17 steady is.
[quote][ Hey Mel-
Cool that you're considering TNT. I'm just starting my 3rd week. Here's my $.02 for what its worth. Its easier to follow than anything else I've tried and I've gotten to go out to eat a lot more without worrying. The recipes in the book are incredible - rich and delicious and satisfying! I have noticed a moderate decrease in appetite and having to eat constantly.
On the bad side, this last week I seemed to have loaded myself up with beef jerky, pepperoni and other processed stuff and I think the nitrates and also dehydration caused me to have a headache for the whole week! Even though that stuff is convenient and allowed on the plan, I would limit the portions and try to eat lots more fresh stuff and drink tons of water.
Good luck if you do try it and keep us posted!/QUOTE] I am so glad you posted this in here. I haven't gotten to sit down and digest the book, but I want to asap. I'm leaning farther and father towards trying it....
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WB, Mel. Glad to see you're back in the saddle and looking for new challenges. I've been toying with TNT as well. Not quite convinced yet but getting there ...
K, cool that you are thinking about TNT too...I'm pretty sure, for me, only something fairly drastic will move the fat. I've been interested in TNT for a long time, but lately been hearing about Lyle's UD2 also, which I know very little about. It is nice to know that there are options when I'm ready to cut.
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Mel! Glad that you are feeling better and back in the saddle!!
Thanks Julez!
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Glad you are back in business!
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I'm considering a change....maintenance has been great....but I just want to lose a little more fat.
But I gotta agree with Jamie - WHAT FAT???? You are already smokin!!!
Thank you!! IThere are two factors here---first, I have 19-21% BF--maybe the pictures just camo that a little. Second, let me make it clear that I am really pretty happy with where I am. I look strong, I feel healthy, I love where this journey has taken me....but I'm an ultimate type A. If I'm not shooting for some kind of goal, I might as well be dead. So, I've coasted at maintenance for awhile, and it was a great break, but I'm itching to challenge myself again, and TNT seems a pretty safe, healthy way to do that... I'll know more after I do an in-depth read of the book.
Okies, back in a minute to actually post a workout...gasp....
My inconsistency in this log is on my nerves....I have done the last A workout of stage 3 and the last B workout of 3 since I last posted. Here is B:
3 sets of 6 reps; 105 secs rest. some supersets
A) Barbell Romanian DL/BO Row
105
110
110 (up 10 from end of last B wo)
B1) Pistol to parallel (changed from partial sl squats)
6
6
6 (need to get lower)
B2) dead hang pull ups (changed from wl pulldown)
4/2 neg
4/2 neg
4/2 neg (chin ups for fun)
C1) Back extension
50 lb db
50
50 (up 5)
C2) Hand stand push ups (moved YTWL)
6 to 10 lb db
6 to 5 lb db
6 to 5 lb db
D1) hanging leg raises (replaced sb crunch)
6
6
6
D2) Swiss ball pike--hold at top for 3 secs
8
9
11 (broke even)
D3) Swiss ball side crunch
25 lb db
25 lb db
25lb db (up 5 )
*all abs done as a true super set--105 after each round of 3
E1) Prone Cobra
90
90
90 (even)
E2) YWTL
5
5
5 (even)
Thoughts:
*With Lisa~'s help, I've made some changes to the B workouts--this was the 3rd time with using the changes. She is amazing and helped me to advance the program while staying true to Alwyn's goals with each exercise. I'm so happy with the changes and was able to complete this stage without getting bored and still work on things I liked, like the pull ups and the handstand push ups. I am a big proponent of doing a program as written, but considering the length of this program and where I am in my training, I feel justified in these changes and cannot thank Lisa and others who offered suggestions enough for their help.
-I love the Pistol!!!! I can only get to parallel, but some day I'll go lower!
-dead hang pull ups are so hard....I'm loving having them in my program though.
-I got really dissatisfied with the swiss ball crunch on the cable machine. I found it hard to keep form and still move weight. I love hanging leg raises and hope they are an acceptable swap out.
-the swiss ball at my gym is losing air. That's a bad situation when trying to do swiss ball side crunches with a 25 lb weight. What an awkward exercise. LOL.
-I'm not sure about moving the YTWL to the end of the workout, but I definitely feel the burn with it there, so I'm feeling pretty good about it's placement. I'm very glad I didn't drop it.
Food: I'm not being the greatest eater...pretty clean but a little lax....sort of tired of the same old same old. Hoping to get TNT read this weekend....I said that last weekend too, LOL.
Now I'm off to the woods for the weekend for the first time this spring. So excited! See you soon, hopefully, lol.
the swiss ball at my gym is losing air. That's a bad situation when trying to do swiss ball side crunches with a 25 lb weight. What an awkward exercise. LOL.
I find them very awkward to do on the ball too... I switched and do them on the back extention machine now, much more stable. Just my 2 cents
the swiss ball at my gym is losing air. That's a bad situation when trying to do swiss ball side crunches with a 25 lb weight. What an awkward exercise. LOL.
I find them very awkward to do on the ball too... I switched and do them on the back extention machine now, much more stable. Just my 2 cents
Yeah, I wasn't able to keep my hips up and open with out dropping the weight to an amount that wasn't challenging. Hanging leg raises kick me booty. Gonna use them in stage 4 also.
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Those side crunches on the ball are funny! I've fallen on my head more then a couple of times.
Woods? Are you camping? Or tick hunting? Maybe kill two birds with one stone and simultaneously do both!
LOL, we don't have to hunt the ticks...they find us.Actually, we were attending an Ozark Trail Association Mega event where over 100 people got together, built over a mile of foot trail through the beautiful woods, had bbq, listened to blue grass on the creek bank, and camped. It was so awesome. NO place I'd rather be than the woods. And, on top of that, our tent was 3 feet from the creek, so we fell asleep to the burble of the water....wow...I could go on and on...
Well, I started TNT diet plan A on Tuesday and did Stage 4 workout #1 yesterday. So far, so good on both. Here's the numbers:
3 sets of 8, supersets except for Push Press
A) Front Squat Push Press
bar plus 20
bar plus 20
bar plus 20 (up)
B1) Step Up
20s
20s
20s (up)
B2) Dumbbell one point row
30s
30s
30s (stay)
C1) Static Lunge, rear foot ele.
15s
15s
15s (up)
C2) Push Up
bw
T plus 5lb dbs
T at bw (up)
D1) Plank
lots of breaks-120 sec
lots of breaks-120 sec
lots of breaks-120 sec
D2) Cable Horizontal wood chop
*home gym alternative on floor
20 lb db
20lb db
20 lb db
Thoughts:
*all the squats from the body matrix really are paying off. I was making myself atg them since they were without weight and I felt like I could really push it. That got me really pushing my hips back so that, even with the weight, I could get way down in the squat before I pressed.
*I used my stage 2 weights as a guide, but stayed steady through the workout since it had been a few days and because I was doing 3 sets instead of 2. As you can see, I'll be going up on almost everything next time.
*I was really unstable on the left leg during the one point row. It was odd. Not sure why it was so bad since there were single leg stuffs in the last stage...
*Lunges also are feeling even better after the matrix.
*Push ups were very hard...stamina not what it needs to be...maybe that's the diet a little???
*Planks were horrific. I was wiped by this point and shaking all over after just a few seconds. Also, was doing them on a towel since the floor at school is hurty....yick. No excuses, though, I stunk. Just couldn't tough it out.
*wood choppers were fun on the floor...but prolly easier. I'm glad my normal gym has the cable tower with a sliding attachment.
Well, I'm going to try to make a better showing in here...wish me luck, lol.
Looks like you're doing well. Regarding your rows, does it feel like you're coming to gain momentum with the weight? Or is it possible that you're too low to start with and are just accomodating a more natural setup?
__________________
Tom
No "happy hours" makes for a lot of miserable days. - Mahler
*I was really unstable on the left leg during the one point row. It was odd. Not sure why it was so bad since there were single leg stuffs in the last stage...
Glad to see you back Mel. I think you're an inspiration. I'm happy some of my suggestions were helpful to you for the last of your stage 3 workouts. Since you don't seem to mind my input, I'll comment on your one-point row. When I first read about this exercise I was skeptical. It looked like a combo or the sake of combining things for no purpose. Since actually doing the exercise I've decided that it's a pretty good tool in the toolbox. It clearly reveals any weaknesses in the hip of the supporting leg. Being able to sustain the single-leg RDL position while moving the arms requires all supporting muscles to fire at the right time and with just the right amount of force.
If standing on your left leg was difficult, then there is some supporting muscle in that left hip that's not doing it's job. Here are a few tips to help you find your balance, and once you do, you'll probably get sore somewhere in deep in that hip in a muscle that you've been compensating for in other lifts!
*Make sure your weight is on the heel of the support leg, with a soft knee, and a strong hip.
*Make sure the foot of the non-working leg is pointing straight down at the floor (so that you're not externally rotated at the hip of the non-working leg). You might need someone to look at you because it's tricky to know on your own.
*Make sure you've got a long straight line from the crown of your head to the heel of your non-working leg, through a neutral spine (rib cage lifted, head neutral).
*Imagine that you're reaching back with your non-working heel.
*But the best tip is to simply contract your working hip musculature very hard. THINK about staying strong in the working hip, glutes in particular.
Wow, I'm actually posting relatively soon after my workout. Wee!
Answering the mail:
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Hey welcome back from the woods. It sounds like an awesome time was had.
Thanks Kara...it was amazing...hope we can go again soon!
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Looks like you're doing well. Regarding your rows, does it feel like you're coming to gain momentum with the weight? Or is it possible that you're too low to start with and are just accomodating a more natural setup?
Tom, I think that I am not starting too low...I matched my stance to the model in the book pretty exactly. I'm not sure if it is generating momentum or not, since my arms are already moving when my back goes up....I'm just not sure.
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Glad to see your back at. Workouts look as good as ever!
Thanks T!
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Let me know how it goes!
Lisa, you are too sweet, and you've been a huge help! I'm continuing to use what you pointed out about the program in adjusting the new stages as I get to them. I'm so glad you showed me a way to add in the items I want to work on. The challenge level has really increased.
Even though I haven't been back to the one point rows, I used your tips yesterday when I was doing my lunges. I could feel the difference. I believe there is both a strength and mobility difference in the left. The mobility/flexibility issue seems to be both side to side and front to back. I'm going to keep working with it!
Well, yesterday I did Stage 4 Workout B #1. Here's the numbers:
*Alternating supersets for 3 sets of 8 with 90 second rest
*deads no superset
*ab work as a true super set with 90 secs at the end of each group.
*increased the rest to 2 mins between the prone cobras and hs push ups since both involve me shoulders.
A) wide grip deadlifts of a box
135
135
135 (1 more)
B1) Bulgarian Split squat
45 lb db
45 lb db
45 lb db (1 more)
B2) Chin ups
*changed from wide grip lat pull down
5 reg 3 neg
5 reg 3 neg
4 reg 4 neg
C1) Reverse lunge from box with forward reach
15s
15s
15s (1 more)
C2)Dumbbell prone Cuban Snatch
5s
5s
5s (up)
D1) hanging leg raise
8
8
8 (add weight)
D2) incline reverse crunch
5 lb db
5 lb db
5 lb db
D3) swiss ball side crunch
25 lb db
25 lb db
25 lb db (up)
E1) prone cobra
120
120
120
E2) handstand push ups
8 to 5 lb db
8 to 5 lb db
7.5 to 5 lb db
Thoughts:
* i forgot to take my box along, so those two exercises were done without it.
*I had a hard time staying steady on the BSS on my left leg. I'm working on using lisa~'s tips on single leg exercises, so I'm hoping it will get better.
*Cuban snatch didn't feel so bad after doing them in the YWTLs last stage. I'll be moving up now.
*my arms were pretty tired when I was done...I think I've made it pretty arm intensive by switching to chin ups and adding in the HS pushups, but I also can feel my arms getting stronger, both through my arms and my shoulders, so that's good.
Food:
-still sticking with the TNT...almost at a week now. I think I was eating too much earlier in the week....not tracking is so weird. And, I love cheese, so I have to watch myself and not just completely pig out on cheese and peanut butter . I haven't noticed any fatigue problems, but I've low carbed before. I also haven't been HIITing too much, so that may make a difference when I start running more.
maybe I can make it three postings in a row after tomorrow's workout! And some day, maybe I'll actually be able to comment in other people's logs too!
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