Susan's restart

[Susan4]

I'm starting a new log cause I'm coming off a bad back and changed my workout program.

Here's the link to my old log http://forums.jpfitness.com/tr aining-log/29184-loggity-log-splinters-board-feet-6.html#post525156

And a link to my Fitday FitDay.com - Diet and Fitness journal for Susan4str

To summarize, I had been doing NROL4W and had two incidents with being a beginner I suspect. I had to ditch the bar on an overloaded squat and a few workouts later I had a major form screw up trying to figure out the RDL with bent over row and ended up with a rounded back thus a locked up back. Put me straight on the floor in agony, off for over a week and derailed there for a bit. But I'm back!

While I was off I reviewed my progress and goals and decided that since I'd have to modify anyway to exclude my back for awhile, it would be a good time to reevaluate. I've enjoyed gaining strength and muscle on the program and I'd like to continue that but I find my main priority is really fat loss. I want the gut gone. So I thought I'd do a modified stage 7 with HIIT and try to get rid of this stubborn tire I carry around.

To that end I started back with a workout yesterday that went like this:

warm up on the elliptical

DB incline bench press
2x20x15#dbs, 1x12x15#dbs, 1x16x15# dbs

DB squat
1x20x15#dbs, 1x15x15#dbs, 2x20x10#dbs

DB shoulder press
1x16x15#dbs, 3x20x10#dbs

Step up
3x20x10#dbs

Lat pulldown
2x20x2nd setting, 1x17x3rd setting


I was pretty wiped after this! I'll do three sprints of HIIT tonite on the elliptical and hope to build from here! Back to low carbing and that is going well, shedding water weight again. So far so good. Sure a lot more sore today with the higher reps though!

[GinnyLou]

Sorry to hear about you're back, but I am glad you are back!
Workout looks good.

[Susan4]

Yep, did it again LOL... This time I seriously pissed off my right tricep, too many reps too soon after a week off I guess. It kept me up night before last and I took yesterday as a rest day instead of the scheduled workout. Today it's transferring pain up to the front of my shoulder but the overall intensity of pain is way down. Once I get full ROM back I'll maybe start making it workout again.

Today I did 25 minutes on the elliptical's interval setting which is a moderate interval, not HIIT.

Looks like easing back into things is going to be my only option

Good news is that my back is feeling much much better. Yesterday at work I had a long, steep, rough hill climb on rocky terrain and no tweaks, no nuthin'! The HIIT I've been doing is excellent training for hill climbing! I got right up to the top no problemo, but the client with me was huffing and puffing.

[MuscleMom23]

Hi Susan, I had the same "luck". My back, my knee arrrggggghhhh. It is frustrating. I am kinda doing the same thing, going for more fatloss and less injuries.

[Susan4]

Hey there and thanks Ginger and Kelly. If I keep injuring myself I'm gonna run out of modifications, so I send good vibes to my knees LOL, if one went out then what? One legged jumping jacks?

[nutbar]

Alright, woman, enough of this skitting around and hiding from me! I know where you live and I know how to punish you with chocolate covered pretzels and bread products!

[Susan4]

Well, I guess I will take pics and measurements next week for the challenge after all.

The tricep is almost back to where I can work it again. I figure I will get back on course this week with workouts. And go back to stage three where I belong No more skipping ahead and overdoing. I will restart stage three though and probably still have to make some adjustments to accommodate the back and arm but hey, I'm still in the game

Meant to do the BW matrix yesterday but time caught up with me and I had to start a rather involved bowel cleanse protocol for an IVP xray today. My right kidney is not draining at the rate it should so I get to have a fancy xray complete with getting zapped with a radioactive injection. I should positively *glow* after my workouts this week

[dillytl]

Meant to do the BW matrix yesterday but time caught up with me and I had to start a rather involved bowel cleanse protocol for an IVP xray today. My right kidney is not draining at the rate it should so I get to have a fancy xray complete with getting zapped with a radioactive injection. I should positively *glow* after my workouts this week

That sounds NOT fun - hope all goes well Susan!!

[Susan4]

Got my first real comeback workout in tonite (mostly anyway) with interruptions..

Stage 3 A Workout 1/4

10 minutes warm up on the elliptical

1 arm DB snatch

3x6x25#db

DB single leg Romanian deadlift

3x6x25#dbs

Barbell bent over row

3x6x65#

DB single arm overhead squat

3x6x20#/10#dbs

DB incline bench press

3x6x15#dbs

Plank

3x90 secs

Reverse woodchop

3x6x1st setting

BW Matrix

One round for about 3 minutes till the dang fool dog started howling his head off, Dad is Home!!! That broke what little concentration I had left so I didn't get the second round in. Earlier in the workout the trainer guy called who I've been playing phone tag with as well. Gonna pay for a few sessions to get my form squared away to help with this injuring myself habit I've created

I didn't go aggressive on weights or try to increase, just wanted back into a workout. I may add some extra stage three workouts before starting the next stage, we'll see.

[Susan4]

Today's my rest day and I'm too ate up with DOMS to want to get on the elliptical, but I just had to post. I went to the regional office of my work today and some of the fellows in the break room who hadn't seen me in awhile were, well, just flat out shocked at how I looked And I work with guys who are the type who wouldn't say shit like that to a female coworker if they had a mouthful One fellow even checked out my arm for a bicep muscle and had me arm wrestle him LOL. Nice reinforcement that things are working and changing for the better...one more big

[Nanette]

Welcome back Susan! I'm glad you had some of the guys take notice of all the hard work you've been doing! Keep it up!

[Susan4]

Thanks Nanette! Cool Av!

Today's effort...

Since I'm restarting and not trying to challenge too hard on weights yet I found this workout less strenuous. Probably time to start adding weight again. I'm scheduled to work with a trainer on Saturday to help iron out my form problems.

Meanwhile...

Stage 3 B 1/4

10 minutes warm up on the elliptical

RDL/ Bent over row

Was I ever careful on these as this where I hurt my back last time! Musta been holding my tongue right, no problems this time

1x6x65#
1x6x75#
1x6x85#

Partial single leg squat

These are fun in a tipsy kinda drunk sorta way...got about three quarters of a pistol on my last rep dominant leg

2x6xBW on floor
1x6xBW from bench

Wide grip lat pulldown

3x6x150

Back extension

I had no sub for this, I need a bigger Swiss ball, didn't sub prone cobra as I'm not doing that one yet to spare the tenderloins from my back strain.

YTWL

3x6x3#dbs tried the 10#dbs but they were too heavy

Swiss Ball Crunch

3x6x10#plate levered

Prone jackknife

3x6xBW

Hanna side flexion 3

3x6xBW

Prone cobra

(see above)

4 sprints HIIT on elliptical

[Susan4]

Oh, I forgot to mention, my IVP xray came back normal. So who knows what the deal was with the ultrasound to begin with, but apparently my kidneys are o-tay.

I'd better go pester nutbar, she needs more nagging in her life

[nutbar]

Originally Posted by Susan4

I'd better go pester nutbar, she needs more nagging in her life

I do! I do!

[Susan4]

I got to work with a trainer some today and several mysteries have been solved! My hamstrings could apparently be used for a longbow string Very tight. Very inflexible on the ankles and on up, thus I don't push off my heels well on squats and tend to roll forward. Also noted was quad dominance and weakness in activating my glutes and hip flexors. I favor my stronger right side and do other odd compensations on form to use quads when I should be using glutes and hips. I need to stretch and warm up better. Much to work on. I'll work with him again next Saturday for deadlift form and to get a warm up routine from him.

Forcibly concentrating on the hip movement in practicing on BW squats was an ah-ha moment as it took my focus off the knee movement which improved things for me and made it feel more like a natural movement than a forced one. If that makes any sense.

Meanwhile I continue on with my workouts as I can....

Stage 3A 2/4

I tried more stretching with my warm up this time, obviously focusing on my hamstrings!

One arm DB snatch

1x6x38.5#db
2x6x33.5#db

DB single leg Romanian DL

1x6x38.5#dbs
1x6x33.5#dbs
1x6x25#dbs

Barbell bent over row

3x6x75#

DB single arm overhead squat

3x6x10/20# dbs

DB incline bench press

3x6x25#dbs

Plank

3x90secs

Reverse woodchop

3x6x1st setting

BW Matrix

I did a partial set, about 3 minutes worth. These sucketh. I sucketh at them. I'm mad about it and will do better next time.

[Susan4]

Challenge pics preview... measurements and full set to come when I get back from concealed carry class tonite (woot!...on the class, not the pics LOL ). My bleary eyed resizing job didn't work out right this morning so I'll redo the set of the three and post those later. As anyone following my log knows, it hasn't exactly been an "on" month for me, but I made it through without too much regression for which I am happy. I think I'll show a couple or three pounds lost but not much on the tape and the pics show a little more pooch. Good motivation to kick ass before the next set are due!



Here's the two month side by side from March for comparison.

[Susan4]

Rest of the update stuff:

Jan Apr

Wt 184.4 176.6
Neck 15 14.5
Chest 39 39
Bust 42 40
Ribcg 38 36
Waist 38 36.5
Hips 41 39.5


And the three pic comparison: