To Hell and Back (mel's log Act II)

[mel]

Answering the Mail:

Mel - Your DL's are kickin butt. Nice progress. Shoulder presses are tough for me. Not sure what's going on in my shoulder area, but I find I have to warm up my right shoulder alot longer than my left.

Thanks R! I don't have the same warm up problem, but my shoulders seem to fatigue very quickly during the set. I mean, they seem to just burn out or something. Ironically, they are huge. They built up faster than any other muscle on my body, and now I have man shoulders, lol.

dang, i'll second the deadlifts, Mel. I feel ashamed. All of your #'s look great, as always

Thanks LT, but you are silly...no shame, ever.

But every time the scale says I have gained 2 or 3 pounds my initial reaction is I must run more and cut calories. All the while people are telling me I look skinner then before. I am trying to just enjoy the fact that for the first time I can eat like I always wanted to and I hope all this talk about eating more and lifting really will bring on muscle gain.

Oh, T, this completely captures how I feel. Chris, and you all here, and others comment on my composition changes, but I seriously feel fat every day. It's stupid. I know I'm not fat. I do know that, but when I eat like this, I just can't compute it. I'm doing like you, just trying to learn. And, it is so fun to feel healthy, energetic and full.

Impressive stuff! That's so crazy that you can get to 10 mph during your intervals. Are you using a treadmill? If I go over 8.5 I feel like I'm going to fly off!

Hey MaryG! Thanks for stopping by. I worked up to the speed. I used to be afraid of the treddy, lol, but now it's my best friend. sort of. I recently learned to be a toe runner, and I use a pretty wide stride now. Those things helped a lot. This summer, Chris and I did some work on a track, and that helped me learn what sprinting should feel like too. I love going a little faster than I think I can just to see.

MMMmmmm a shake and a pb and jelly sammich--delicious!
Glad to see you had such a kick-ass workout. Your deadlifts rock my world.

Thanks Kiri! I'll get excited about those deadlifts after I pull 200 on a 1 rep max.

WOW Mel - you are rocking the HIIT workouts again! 11mph is freakin' AWESOME!!!

Thanks Tracey! You are an awesome cheerleader!

If you've not posted to the women's deadlift chart you should - you're about a 1.5 in terms of deadlift weight to bodyweight ratio.

Tom, I might post somewhere when I get that 200. Maybe when I get to 1.5. That would be 180.

Nice work, Mel. Those DLs are really impressive, especially considering the coefficient.

Thanks Bill! Not nearly as impressive as the xfit stuff you do every day though!

Me, too! Do tell your secrets! I can't seem to get above 8 mph without feeling an emergency room visit in my future. And, yes, nice deads!!!

Hey Diane! I used to have major heart attacks when sprinting too. Regulating my breathing was the biggest key. I learned to take it in and out pretty fast but pretty controlled. I also worked up over time to the higher speeds. Posture is hugely important too...I learned to stay straight up over my legs and get my legs, arms, and breathing all into one rhythm. Also, lengthening my stride and having more control over it helps me take control of the speed.

Great DL's Mel

Thanks Paula! Still thinking of you and your SO's family!

your running is amazing...I gotta work my way up to 10, my sprints are only at 9, maybe, on a good day . But good work, dls looking great!

Thanks Bundy...you can work up to the running and I'll work up to your lifting, LOL. I never thought I could do 10 before, but then I thought, well if I'm dying, I'll just jump off, so I tried it, and then I did it.

Nice work in here (kind of restating the obvious, but there ya have it.)

LOL, it's still nice to hear, Tom, so thanks!

You guys are so good for me. I just won't tell myself the good stuff, so it's nice to hear it from you all. Thanks so much for taking the time!

mel

[mel]

So, today I did my stage 1, workout AMRAP workout.

First of all, I'm terrible at this kind of workout. I just can't make myself push hard enough when there isn't a goal. I'm sooooo goal oriented.

Second, I screwed around with my time then had to rush to get the thing in.

Third, not feeling the greatest....shouldn't be an excuse, but I let it be one.

So here are the numbers. I'm a little disappointed in them, but I'm not really sure what they should have been, so maybe they're okay. Who knows, since I don't have anything to judge them against. Oh well, it was a short workout and It really tired me out, so that's good.

Here's the numbers:

I rested 60 seconds between each exercise.

Squats
30 at 80 lbs

Push ups
22 at bw

Seated Row
33 at 50

Step ups
23 each leg at 15 on two stairs

Prone jackknife
25 at bw in the bent knee position

Food: not great today....high fat macros. Qdoba called....I was so hungry I ate the whole thing instead of just half like I normally do.

Ah well, Stage B amrap is next and then a lifting break.

mel

[L'ilJ]

The one time I ate an entire Qdoba burrito in one sitting was when I was 3 months pregnant. It was delicious, but didn't stay down long. That was the last time I did that!

Nice workout Mel.

[AnnetteW]

Mel, I too had a hard time pushing myself on the AMRAP workout. I just didn't have the desire in me, plus I start sweating and breathing so hard just from the squats and deadlifts that I don't want to keep going on. And, my form improved so much on those two exercises, that using the original weight, and doing the move correctly, exhausted me.

[LWilson212]

Hey Mel!

That's why I can't go to Qdoba - I always eat the whole thing.

[dillytl]

Never heard of Qboda so I googled it - NO WONDER you ate it all! I woulda too! Looks YUMMMY!

[missjane]

MMMMM....Qdoba! I <3 Qdoba!

Mel, looking great, as always!!!

[mel]

Answering the mail...

The one time I ate an entire Qdoba burrito in one sitting was when I was 3 months pregnant. It was delicious, but didn't stay down long. That was the last time I did that!

Nice workout Mel.

Thanks for stopping by Jill! I can see why you wouldn't eat the Qdoba all at once again, lol. Of course it wasn't as bad as I made it sound...I had it nekked with no rice.

Mel, I too had a hard time pushing myself on the AMRAP workout. I just didn't have the desire in me, plus I start sweating and breathing so hard just from the squats and deadlifts that I don't want to keep going on. And, my form improved so much on those two exercises, that using the original weight, and doing the move correctly, exhausted me.

Annette, I'm glad I'm not the only one. I have to do B tonight, and I'm really not looking forward to it, LOL.

Hey Mel!

That's why I can't go to Qdoba - I always eat the whole thing.

I always eat half one day and half the next, but for some reason, this one wasn't as big as usual, and I was STARVING.

Never heard of Qboda so I googled it - NO WONDER you ate it all! I woulda too! Looks YUMMMY!

Oh, it's good stuff. priced well and very fresh too. very easy to keep it compliant to this program.

MMMMM....Qdoba! I <3 Qdoba!

Mel, looking great, as always!!!

Thanks Jane! My love affair is made even more dangerous by the fact that it is at the top of the entrance to the subdivision, LOL. Fortunately, I can make it fit in my macros and cals pretty easy. We've been averaging about once a week, but it's still new here, so hopefully I'll get tired of it before too long.

Well, yesterday I shoveled ice instead of doing intervals. WE've been off school yesterday and today with a winter storm, but I won't get out of my workout today. Gotta do my Stage B amrap and hiit sprints on the treddy. Motivation is very low. Staying at home all day for two days has made me l-a-z-y!

[bacardio]

Originally Posted by mel

HIIT:
1 at 3 mph
2 at 5
1 at 10
2 at 3
1 at 10
2 at 3
1 at 10
2 at 3
1 at 11
2 at 3

Mel - been looking into added some HIIT to my program. Any suggestions on how one should determine their 100%. Should I find a max sprint speed that I can hold for 1 minute, then calculate my 60%, 70%... from that?

Thanks

[SpacecityPaula]

I don't miss winters up north.... I'll just stick to my Texas Sunshine and 70 degree please and thank you

[kfisherx]

Isn't that freaking weird how when you lay around the house it makes you want to lay around even more? People percieve me as being high energy but that is only because I know if I stop, I am going to really STOP moving. I am as lazy as the next slug.

[mel]

Off to the city today for Chris' corporate party and to spend the night, so posting early.

Answering the mail...

Mel - been looking into added some HIIT to my program. Any suggestions on how one should determine their 100%. Should I find a max sprint speed that I can hold for 1 minute, then calculate my 60%, 70%... from that?

Thanks

Hey, BA, thanks for stopping in. I will answer the question about HIIT in your log.

I don't miss winters up north.... I'll just stick to my Texas Sunshine and 70 degree please and thank you

Paula, I have a love hate relationship with weather. I love winter weather but get really sick of it if it keeps going, like it has this year here. We've never had this many snow days since I moved up here.

Isn't that freaking weird how when you lay around the house it makes you want to lay around even more? People percieve me as being high energy but that is only because I know if I stop, I am going to really STOP moving. I am as lazy as the next slug.

Kara, like you said in you're log, we are freakishly similar. I'm wound pretty tight, but once I'm wound down all the way, I pretty much stop, lol.

Yesterday I did the amrap workout for Stage 1 B. I'll be doing intervals only for the next week and eating at non workout calories all week. Might play with some 1 rep max stuff.

Here's the numbers:

Deadlifts
85lbs x 35

db shoulderpress
15lbsx19

wide grip lat pulldown
10 plate x 21

Lunge
10sx 31

Swiss ball crunch on cable tower
4 platex25

HIIT
1 @ 3mph
2 @ 5
1@ 10
2 @ 3
1 @ 10
2 @ 3
1 @ 11
2 @ 3
1 @ 11
2 @ 3

Thoughts:
I really tried to focus and push on the workout, but I don't think my numbers are what they should be. It really revealed a bit of a hang up I have. I think, knowing I have a weakness for endurance, push your self type lifting, crossfit is really going to be good for me this summer.

The HIIT was kind of a happy surprise. The first sprint at 10 felt like death. I guess I just shocked my system after lounging all day. I almost stopped. While I was walking, I thought, okay, try it one more time. It felt good, so I thought, okay, maybe I can do 11 for 30 seconds. I made it a minute and decided to try it for the last minute too. Last time was the first time I've ever run at 11, and now I've done it twice.

To add to that, when I was starting, this guy came into the gym, obviously a runner.....had a runner's body, was doing some stretching. When I started my 11, he looked at me real funny. At 30 seconds, he looked again, then at 50 seconds, he really looked hard at me. I must have been a sight pounding away over there. The he proceeds to get on the treadmill and lightly stride away. I think he was about 6'3'' and I made 10 x the amount of noise he did, LOL.

Food:
nothing special. getting bored. struggling with the eating still. you'd think I'd come to terms with it by now. but no. really torn between feeling and getting strong and mentally feeling too big. sigh.
Today will be a cheat day since we are going out on the town, but I'll probably try to be sensible at least.

mel

[nutbar]

Originally Posted by mel

Hey Diane! I used to have major heart attacks when sprinting too. Regulating my breathing was the biggest key. I learned to take it in and out pretty fast but pretty controlled. I also worked up over time to the higher speeds. Posture is hugely important too...I learned to stay straight up over my legs and get my legs, arms, and breathing all into one rhythm. Also, lengthening my stride and having more control over it helps me take control of the speed.

My issue with running faster than 7 or 8 mph is on the treadmill only. I can run like the wind outside but the treadmill is so not solid ground. LOL I think it all comes down to having freakishly long legs and feet. When I stretch out my stride for the faster paces, my feet bang into things behind me and I overstep in front, landing on the motor housing. Then I freak out and my stride gets messed up, the belt slips backwards from the freaking, and it's all doomed. Since you're fairly short (if I'm remembering/reading right), I think that's my answer -- chop me off at the kneecaps. LOL

Thanks for trying to help! Have fun at the party!

[LWilson212]

Hey Mel-

I was inspired by your avatar to try the handstand push up. It didn't go so great. There's a wall at Shawn's house where his daughters always do handstands and I never like to be shown up by them on anything physical. I may weigh twice as much, but hey, I'm in good shape, right?

Just getting into the handstand took about twenty tries. After I collapsed during one, Shawn's eyes and mouth were wide open and he was like, I thought you just broke your neck.

Once I got the handstand, I could only lower myself about 2 inches. Oh well, it's something to work on.

I hope you have fun at the party!

[mel]

My issue with running faster than 7 or 8 mph is on the treadmill only. I can run like the wind outside but the treadmill is so not solid ground. LOL I think it all comes down to having freakishly long legs and feet. When I stretch out my stride for the faster paces, my feet bang into things behind me and I overstep in front, landing on the motor housing. Then I freak out and my stride gets messed up, the belt slips backwards from the freaking, and it's all doomed.

Diane, I can see where this would be an issue. I don't have any good advice. I guess that might be one situation where being short is an advantage, lol.

I was inspired by your avatar to try the handstand push up. It didn't go so great. There's a wall at Shawn's house where his daughters always do handstands and I never like to be shown up by them on anything physical. I may weigh twice as much, but hey, I'm in good shape, right?

Just getting into the handstand took about twenty tries. After I collapsed during one, Shawn's eyes and mouth were wide open and he was like, I thought you just broke your neck.

Once I got the handstand, I could only lower myself about 2 inches. Oh well, it's something to work on.

Hey L! Kudos to you for trying something new! It's a toughy for sure. When I tried a few months ago, I couldn't even budge. I had to work up to it by using the bar in my squat rack for my feet and putting it progressively higher. That really built my confidence. Also, I can't go to the ground yet. I do them with a aerobic step under my head. And finally, I start in a head stand, not a hand stand, and then Push Up first.

Well, this week is my break between stages. I'm going to eat at non workout calories all week and just do cardio and some one rep max fun and games.

Tonight I ran treddy.

21 minutes total for a distance of 1.88. Here's the breakdown:

1@3
2@5
1@9
2@3
1@10
2@3
1@11
2@3
1@9
2@3
1@10
2@3
1@11
2@3

Stretched it out a little from what I normally do after a lift. It was good. I didn't pound it quite as fast, but made up for that in distance. Now the challenge will be going longer and faster all at once...

Only one problem. I'm hungry!!! hehe.

mel