Kicking Butt and Taking Names: jesca's NROL4W log

[jesca]

Originally Posted by MuscleMom23

Woot! I am impressed!

Thanks!

I was supposed to get my foot surgery today and they looked at it and said that it would be optional for me to have. I could either have it wait and see, but she wasn't concerned about it, which was awesome. I was so happy that I wasn't going to be gimping around for the next two weeks, that I took a day off of work
I went and got my eyes checked and new contacts, got a pedicure and took it easy
I should have done my AMRAP B today but I decided just to let it go and relax today. I'll definitely do it tomorrow and then I'm totally taking my rest week. My knees and mental state totally need it. Plus, to do the HIIT in Stage 2, I'm going to have go into work with him in the morning. I've managed to do it before, but it kicks my butt. I'm so not a morning person! But I can force it out if I need to...and my butt says I need to. So I need to take some time to find the focus to be ready for Stage 2 and get a better rhythm. I need to get my food making on Sunday and my lifting three times a week back together. So that's my goal for my rest week. That and to not get lazy Of course, that's always my goal!

[jesca]

Here's my last workout from Stage 1. I did this on Friday night, but things have been too crazy for me to post. I don't think I was home for more than a couple of hours yesterday!

AMRAP
w/o B

Deadlift 25x20lbs

Shoulder Press 20x16

Pullover 32x20

Lunges 20x20

Long Arm Crunches 22x8

I feel like I did a lot better gaging my weight requirements in this workout. I guess these exercises were a lot harder for me, so the lighter weight worked out in the end. I feel like I've lost a lot of muscle endurance, though. 15 reps was hard enough to get to on a lot of these workouts, let alone going above it. The one that really surprised me, though, was the deadlift. My back gave out way before my hammies did. Not to say that it hurt, but that it was tired first. I'm really hoping to stay away from these sort of deadlifts for awhile - I definitely prefer romanians to these. Of course, that might have something to do with my form on the regular deadlifts.

[jesca]

I had my rest week this past week and dove back in today with Stage 2, and it kicked my butt!

Stage 2
W/O A1

Front squat push press 2x10x28

Step Up 2x10x10

One point Row 2x10x48

Static Lunge 1x10x28 and 1x10x22

Push Up 2x10xBW

Plank 2x 60 seconds on my toes on the floor

Woodchop (on a swiss ball) 1x10x10 and 1x10x15


Holy crap those static lunges kicked me hard. I know that I'm going to seriously sore tomorrow. What have we learned here? Be careful what you wish for. I had been wanting for the program to be tough and to be sore again, and boy did I get it! Yikes.

So, I'm hoping with the difficulty of this series and a clean diet, I can actually pull off some pounds. I really need to get back on it with the food, because I have really gone down the "cheat meal" road a few (ready alot) too many times. I think I am ready to get myself back together - having gone to the grocery store this weekend and thoroughly pissing off my stomach by eating out too much this weekend as well. All of this leads to an intense desire to eat healthy. Let's hope it sticks!

[jesca]

Holy cow! I was sooo freaking sore from Stage 2 A. I realize that I was doing the lunge wrong, so that might have something to do with it. I was literally jumping back and forth doing a one legged lunge. Not too sharp, but let me tell you, if you want a workout, you should try it. It hurts!
Anyhow

Stage 2
Workout B1

Deadlift off a box (my weights are so small that I don't need the box)
2x10x58

Split Squat
2x10x24

Pullover
1x10x38 and 1x10x28
(lowered the weights to improve form)

Lunge off a box
2x10x16

Cuban Snatch
2x10x10 - wow were these hard!

Long arm crunch
2x10x29

Reverse Crunch
2x10x30 degree incline

Flexion - side crunch on a ball
2x10

Cobras
2x90 seconds

The last 4 exercises are a little too easy for me. I know I can increase the weights on the long arm, so it's not a big deal. But the reverse crunches and the flexion, I'm not sure. I'm thinking of getting some ankle weights for the reverses and maybe try holding a plate on the flexions? Advice is welcome. Also not sure what to do with the cobras. I don't know how to make that harder.
I've done Pilates for over a year and I'm entering the advanced class, so I have a really strong core, which is great, but it makes these exercises a little easy. Maybe I should go back to pikes for the reverse crunches. Doing those pikes was definitely difficult.

On a really high note when I was getting changed to workout tonight I was under a light and I caught myself in the mirror and I saw the shadow of the top of a six pack. It's very hard to see and has to be in the right light, but those muscles are under there and formed - I just need to get the layer of fat off. That was so totally exciting. Talk about incentive to finish cleaning up my diet and to get that fat off! Woohoo.

[jesca]

Wow. I am so damn tired. Freaking PMS and a busy weekend is really killing me. Add to that that it hasn't stopped raining in two days, and you get me. Grumpy, tired and ready to just crawl into bed and call it a day. I'm supposed to do my second A workout for Stage 2 but I don't know if I can find in me or even inside a can of red bull to kick this out tonight. I was planning on going in with Hubby tomorrow to get my HIIT in that I should have done last week, but didn't have time to get to. Now it's looking like I will have to do the HIIT in the morning and do the weights at night. I know that's not ideal, but I go in with hubby because I can use the gym at his work and I use it for the treadmills, not the weights, and it's unlikely I will have enough time for both. Oh where do all the hours in the day go?

Anyhow, I know I posted my original measurements, but I don't think I posted the updates to them. Below are my measurements from March and April. I waited a little bit before this months because the PMS was (is still) bad and I felt like a water balloon with legs. Still do, but I figured I had to get it in. I might wait another week again or try to get it in early in May so I can avoid the bad week. We'll see if I manage to remember that tho.

[missjane]

You grew 1/2 inch?

[jesca]

Originally Posted by missjane

You grew 1/2 inch?

Oh hehe, I totally forgot to say something about that. I was reading the perfect body diet and Cassandra said something about truly measuring yourself and not going by what you've always said you were, so I did, and it turns out that I'm a full half inch taller than I thought I was. I figure that's about 2.5 lbs more that I can have on my frame and still be a good weight

[Bytsi]

it turns out that I'm a full half inch taller than I thought I was. I figure that's about 2.5 lbs more that I can have on my frame and still be a good weight

You think exactly the way I would!!
On my bday card last year, a friend wrote something about how I wouldn't have to work as hard at cardio now that my max HR was one point lower LOL

[jesca]

Can't keep me down! I can't believe I found the energy to workout tonight, but it happened. Nothing short of a miracle. I think my body just clicked and suddenly I stopped the can't even keep my eyes open feeling and just felt normal. It's good, because hubby has to be to work at 6 am tomorrow, so there's no going in with him. I could maybe see my way to go in early by myself, but I find that unlikely. I hates mornings

Stage 2
Workout A2

Front Squat/Push Press
2x10x28 - this time I did this right, with real power instead of slow wobbly-ness

Step Up
2x10x13 - my chair is starting to complain about the weight. I might have to start doing it on the weight bench which will require a lowering of weights since it's higher than the chair.

1 pt row
2x10x48

Static Lunge
2x10x28 - did this right this time instead of being a total idiot!

Pushup
2x10xBW

Plank
1x60 secs
1x65 secs - cuz I wanted to give up, but I forced a few more seconds to prove I could

Wood chop on the ball
1x10x19
1x10x24

[jesca]

Yesterday's Workout

So I've realized that my dumb bell handles that I thought were 4 pounds each are 4 pounds together, so this workout reflects those 4 lbs gone. Of course it's the same weight to my muscles, it's just more right to my brain

Stage 2
Workout B2

Deadlift
2x10x54

Split Squat
2x10x24

Pullover
2x10x24

Lunge off a box
2x10x24

Cuban Snatch
2x10x10 (5s)

Crunch
2x10x32

Pikes - I swapped these for the reverses because they were too easy, but the Pikes still kick my ass
2x10xBW

Flexion
1x10x5lb dumbell held behind my head
1x10x8

Cobra
2x90 secs with arms in front (made it harder for me) and my back is feeling it today!

[jesca]

Woot! Morning workout. I had to get my HIIT in and since I was there, I decided to do my workout. I usually try to avoid lifting on Friday because I have Pilates on Saturday, and my legs can be so sore I can barely get through class - which is frustrating. However, I figured if I workout in the morning, that I should be much better off than I would be if I worked out at night. We'll see if that works out for me!

Stage 2
Workout A3 (I can't believe how fast these workouts fly when you only have 8 total to do)

Squat/Push Press
2x10x30

Step Ups
2x10x15

1 Pt. Row
2x10x50

Static Lunge
1x10x30
1x10x25

Push Up
2x10xBW

Plank
2x 60secs on the floor - these kicked my butt today.

Woodchop (real ones with a cable machine - first time for that)
2x10x50 - I really needed to do 60 but the machine was in 15 lb increments and I couldn't find the middle weight add on. Hopefully I can try again next time.

HIIT
21 min including warmup/cool down intervals with rest intervals at 2.6

1. 8.6
2. 8.8
3. 8.8
4. 8.6
5. 8.6
6. 8.6

For a total of 1.5 miles.

I'm really proud of myself for getting it together and hitting the gym this morning. I'm soooo not a morning person, so each morning that I get up and work out is a triumph.

[jesca]

It's been a tough week or so over here. I have been feeling generally yucky and pretty rough over all. I've been dizzy - which then gives me a headache and usually a stomach ache. If you've ever fainted, it's sort of how I feel right before you start seeing black spots. It's like that. All the time. So I have dr. appt next week to get myself checked. I'm thinking anemia, since I've been low my whole life, but it's hard to say.

I did manage to get a workout in this morning, and I'm hoping to do HIIT tomorrow and my last Stage 2 workout tomorrow. We'll see. I have to play it day by day and see how I feel. Fingers crossed.

But first my w/o from Cinco de Mayo

Stage 2
w/o B3

Deadlift
2x10x59

Split Squat
2x10x27

Pullover
2x10x25

Lunge off a box
2x10x30

Prone Cuban
2x10x10

Long arm crunch on a ball
2x10x32

Pikes
2x10xBW

Flexion on a ball
2x10x8

Cobra
1xarms in front for 90 secs

[jesca]

Today's very overdue workout

Squat/Push Press (with a barbell for the first time since I don't own one!)
1x10x30
1x10x35

Step up
2x10x16

1 pt. row
2x10x50 (with kettlebells)

Static lunge
2x10x30 (kettlebells)

Pushups
2x10xBW on toes

Plank
2x60 secs on the floor (these are so tough for me for some reason. i can't imagine being able to do them off a bench on a ball!)

Woodchop (standing with the cable machine)
2x10x80

[nutbar]

Originally Posted by jesca

It's been a tough week or so over here. I have been feeling generally yucky and pretty rough over all. I've been dizzy - which then gives me a headache and usually a stomach ache. If you've ever fainted, it's sort of how I feel right before you start seeing black spots. It's like that. All the time. So I have dr. appt next week to get myself checked. I'm thinking anemia, since I've been low my whole life, but it's hard to say.

That's scary! Let us know what the doc says.