Pauline's There and Back Again Log

[LWilson212]

Hi Pauline!

I am so impressed with your workouts! I just picture this tiny little lady in the gym deadlifting some serious weight!

Personally, I am not very flexible and I hate any set with enough reps that I have to go lighter than 135 since it makes the bar lower. And I'm a lot taller than you! I have read the advice to not take the bar so low that you lose the arch in your lower back. That range of motion would be different for every person and hopefully would improve with time.

Hope you're enjoying your rest week!

[foodfromafar]

Thanks, Leah! I guess I just didn't realize how big an improvement there was over the last month or so!!

Stage 1 results

Workout A

Squat - 10#s to
Push-ups - 60 degrees to 30 degrees
Seated Rows 30# to 70#
Step-up - 5#s on low step or BW on bench to 15#s on bench
Prone Jackknife - from simple planks on ball to the toes

Workout B

Deadlift - 45# to 80#
Dumbbell Shoulder Press - 5#s to 10#s
Wide-Grip Lat Pulldown - 30# to 55-60#
Lunge - 5#s to 15#s
Swiss Ball Crunch - BW to 20# on chest or 10# overhead

Workout A AMRAPS - I messed these up a little because I didn't exactly start at my beginning weights and I had to hurry because the gym's childcare was going to close soon! But, I am still happy with my results.

Squat - 45# for 23 (I actually forgot how long it took me to get to the bar! I should have done 10# dumbbells!!)
Push-ups - 45 degrees for 30
Seated Rows 30# for 27
Step-up - BW on bench for 17 reps each leg
Prone Jackknife - perfect to toes for 11 jackknifes. I didn't lose my balance or fall off once!

I'll do Workout B AMRAPs tomorrow if I'm not too tired just so I can have the rest of the week off!!

[beesknees]

Pauline - great job finishing stage one! I was happy to reach a milestone. You made great gains in your lifts. I was a little intimidated by stage two as well - esp. the front squat/push press. I like it now but I did really light weight the first time to get the hang of it. As strange as it sounds, I think my favorite exercises from stage two are the bulgarian split squat and the static lunge. I can really feel those butt muscles working

[Aoife]

That's some pretty decent progress. Huge grin on your face I hope, you've accomplished much.

Sorry about the problems you had with the site, hopefully everything works out.

[foodfromafar]

Workout B AMRAPs

Deadlift - 45#/30
Dumbbell Shoulder Press - 5#s/20
Wide-Grip Lat Pulldown - 30#/40
Lunge - BW/27
Swiss Ball Crunch - 55

So, my ST rest week begins... I'm going to do cardio this week and play around with learning the moves for Stage 2 so I don't look like a complete imbecile next week. I just found the wonderful aerobics room at our gym which has all the extra swiss balls, and dumbbells, and lots of mirrors so I can see my form from different angles with no one watching! It's great.

Oh, I have a gimpy left shoulder/upper arm. It only bothers me with certain movements like the overhead shoulder press which is why I could only do 20 and why I only got up to 10#. My right arm would have kept going and have handled more weight at the end of Stage 1. I'm hoping that it will feel better by next week. I may go to the doctor about it because it isn't really a muscle thing that I can tell...and it isn't the result of STing since it was like that before I started...

[realcdn]

Originally Posted by foodfromafar

Workout A AMRAPS - I messed these up a little because I didn't exactly start at my beginning weights.

(snip)

I'll do Workout B AMRAPs tomorrow if I'm not too tired just so I can have the rest of the week off!!

I did the same with the AMRAPs. My starting weights were far too low and I figured I'd get bored so I picked higher weights, but not my highest. I should have done the B's today but I've been having a really unmotivated day, so I'll have to do them tomorrow. It's probably a good thing though since I'll be doing my first Stage 2 lifts next Friday (and I can take the weekend to recover)!

[Morondava]

Any plans for your rest week? I'm skipping mine because I have a house-guest and a trip in the future - both of which will require mid-stage enforced rest weeks. Once I get a planned rest week in, I'd like to do some fun cardio. Maybe go to a spinning class again. Or find a gym with a pool.

Thanks for posting to my log, by the way, it's nice to find someone working on the same stage.

[kfisherx]

Wow! Great progress in stage 1. It is so much fun to first start out and discover how strong you really are. Hey have a nice rest week. Your gimpy arm thing will possibly be better for the rest.

[leyla]

Hi Pauline,

Congratulations on your progress!

[foodfromafar]

Originally Posted by kfisherx

Wow! Great progress in stage 1. It is so much fun to first start out and discover how strong you really are. Hey have a nice rest week. Your gimpy arm thing will possibly be better for the rest.

Originally Posted by leyla

Hi Pauline,

Congratulations on your progress!

Thanks, so much! You guys (gals) are the reason I keep going. The support here is tremendous!!

Originally Posted by Morondava

Any plans for your rest week? I'm skipping mine because I have a house-guest and a trip in the future - both of which will require mid-stage enforced rest weeks. Once I get a planned rest week in, I'd like to do some fun cardio. Maybe go to a spinning class again. Or find a gym with a pool.

Thanks for posting to my log, by the way, it's nice to find someone working on the same stage.

I was planning to take a spin class at the gym and check it out. I may also go to a Group Power class to see what that's all about. I think it would be with pretty light weights from what I can tell from the description. I'll see how the week goes. Otherwise, I'm just enjoying the week getting in some of my favorite Walk Away the Pounds dvd workouts. My husband and adult son are in Barbados for the week, so it really has been a peaceful and relaxing week. My 2 younger ones don't mind if we just have peanut butter and jam for supper!!

I tested out the push press thingie with my broom and I'm feeling a little less tentative about it - like maybe I'll even be able to do this with a barbell!

[dillytl]

Hi Pauline!

Great progess for stage 1 - congrats on finishing!!!

Have you taken a spin class before? They are FUN!!!!

[Silly Sally]

Originally Posted by foodfromafar

My husband and adult son are in Barbados for the week, so it really has been a peaceful and relaxing week. My 2 younger ones don't mind if we just have peanut butter and jam for supper!!

Oooh, I am SO jealous!

I just tried my first class at the gym, and it was a blast. Have fun!

[Celestialmom]

Pauline--hope your rest week goes well and congrats on finishing Stage One! You can boldly go where (I've) never gone before and let me in on all the good tips so when I get there it won't be so intimidating...
Celeste

[SpacecityPaula]

Okay stopping in to say hello since you were kind enough to stop by my journal....

Love the Tolkein reference and you have the same first name as one of my most favorite people in the world, my grama (whom I am named after).

Anyway congrats on finishing stage 1.

[Morondava]

Speaking of trying out movements, I went into my gym today and tested out the exercises that are new to stage 2. It wasn't a workout, just a couple of minutes figuring the moves and start weight. I'd really recommend it. It makes me feel more confident about starting. I tinkered with the cable machine for the woodshop, something I'd never used before. I figured out that I probably won't be able to do all the reps of the push press - but I'm going to use the bar anyway. I figured out where to put my foot on the squats (and where to find the steps). Haven't done this for workout B yet, but probably will.

[katiecopter]

Congratulations on finishing Stage 1!!! You're progress was awesome in just 16 workouts! I hope your arm/shoulder gets better soon!