Pauline's There and Back Again Log

[LisaS]

still waiting for the kitty picture - but while we wait ... here's a lolcat for you

[foodfromafar]

That's pretty much what he looked like! Except his "mane" is a little shorter ending at the top of his neck. We misplaced my connector that allowed me to upload pictures to the computer, but my daughter uploaded a couple. I'm trying to figure out how to upload the image to the message. In the mean time, here's a link to it.

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I did it!

[kfisherx]

Wow it has been ages since I caught up with this log....

First great cat picture! LOL! I have an orange one sitting next to me right now and have this urge now to find the clippers.

Second your workouts are looking amazing. Weights are increasing and very consistent. Personally I do split workouts a lot. The more I get into this whole program the more I am finding that what you want to accompish is more about food then it is about exercise and when you do the exercise. I use the workouts to help me with my food. If I do an AM and PM workout then hunger is not an issue for me as I always feel revved up. Working out curves my apetite so it serves me to do it more times.

WRT the Ormon, I always set that puppy for athlete and male to get a good reading. The female one always makes the reading so ridiculous. I have vascularity all over my legs and arms and my abs are popping out yet the female setting puts me in the 22% category. I think the algorithm is off somewhat. That said I find the Ormon very consistent so whatever setting you decide to use if you stick to that it will serve as a gauge for whether you are trending upwards or downwards. That is the important gauge.

[foodfromafar]

Thanks for the tip on the Omron, Karla. I'll ask them to set it on male athlete next time. I have a ton of veins or whatever all over my arms and legs, too. I was getting a little concerned about the sudden appearance thinking it was yet one more aging issue, but then I read a discussion on someone's log with Natalia's reassurance that veins are good.

I'm off to the gym to do my last Stage 3 workout finally. I'll probably take a few days off making this more or less a rest week and begin Stage 4 next week.

[Bytsi]

Originally Posted by foodfromafar

[beach_plums]

That's too freaking cute!

[realcdn]

Very cute, but he doesn't look very happy about it!

[foodfromafar]

Stage 3-B-4 July 3, 2008

Barbell Romanian Deadlift/Bent-over row
Set 1 55/6 Sets 2-3 60/6

Partial single-leg squat
Sets 1-2 20e/6 Set 3 25e/6
Wide-grip lat pulldown
Sets 1-3 60/6

Back extension
Sets 1-3 35/6
YTWL
Sets 1-3 4e/6

Swiss ball crunch
Sets 1-3 16 overhead/6
Hip Flexion
Sets 1-3 on ball
Lateral Flexion
Sets 1-3 Prone Jackknife/6

Prone Cobra
Sets 1-3 90s

HIIT - Swimming - fast laps alternating with slow laps ~20 minutes

When I tried 70 lbs on the lat pulldown, it pulled me out of my seat! I tried 5e with the YTWL, but cannot maintain good form. The other day I was getting dressed in the bathroom which I don't usually do, and I saw something odd in my reflection. Then I realized what it was...I actually have pecs! Little but pecs!!

On a side note, there was a whole passel of guys doing deadlifts today. Kind of a macho man who can lift the most contest. Lots of noise hooting and hollering and banging as the weights were dropped onto the floor. One guy had 8-45 pound plates on the bar. 405 lbs. Whew. It was a little distracting, but I just did my thing...

[realcdn]

Originally Posted by foodfromafar

The other day I was getting dressed in the bathroom which I don't usually do, and I saw something odd in my reflection. Then I realized what it was...I actually have pecs! Little but pecs!!

Yay, on both the pecs and finished up Stage 3!

[realcdn]

[foodfromafar]

Very funny picture, Anne!

I bit the bullet and decided to jump right into Stage 4 today. I decided to do only 2 sets with maximum weights possible to start with. Is that the rationale of the choice of 2 or 3 sets?

Stage 4-1-A July 5, 2008

Warm-up: 3 minutes on treadmill

Front Squat Push Press - I did it! I finally can do these. The gym I went to today has preloaded bars so I used the 40 lb bar to try this move out. I moved down to the 30 to save the left shoulder.
Set 1 40/8 Set 2 30/8

Step-up Set 1 10e/8 Set 2 15e/8
Dumbbell One-point Row Set 1 15e/8 Set 2 20e/8

Static Lunge, Rear foot elevated Set 1 15e/10 Set 2 20e/8
Push-up Set 1 Bench/4 45/4 Set-2 45/8

Plank Sets 1-2 120s (ouch!)
Cable Horizontal Wood Chop Sets 1-2 20/10

Question: Are your arms supposed to be straight throughout the wood chop or can you bend them in between. I'm bending like I would if I was swinging an axe (since it's named wood chop after all) - split many a load in my day. Anyway, let me know. Thanks!

[realcdn]

Hey - congrats on starting Stage 4. I've been having so much fun working around outside so I've decided that I'm going to take my maintenance week over the next week. The weather forecast looks good, and there's plenty to do, so it seems like as good a time as any. Hopefully someone else can answer your wood chop question (I substitute for it). You might try posting in the forum to see if someone can answer your question.

Hope you're not too sore tomorrow. In theory it shouldn't be quite so bad as before since your body should be used to those movements from Stage 2. Of course, theory is one thing, reality is another!

[Bytsi]

My take (and there's been some debate) is that a wood chop is for the abs/obliques. So keep the arms straight and use them to create a fulcrum for resistance. Make your core do the work, not your shoulders (my tendency)...

And yeah - 2 or 3 sets - it's your choice. I tried for 3 cuz I'm a masochist, but especially if you're short on time or feeling tired or just doing it for the first time, 2 is great.

[SpacecityPaula]

Bwhahahaha Love the shaved kitty pictures

[Celestialmom]

Originally Posted by foodfromafar

On a side note, there was a whole passel of guys doing deadlifts today. Kind of a macho man who can lift the most contest. Lots of noise hooting and hollering and banging as the weights were dropped onto the floor. One guy had 8-45 pound plates on the bar. 405 lbs. Whew. It was a little distracting, but I just did my thing...

Pauline, I was just waiting for you to say that you outlifted them and they slunk away...

On the wood chop thing, i agree with Bytsi. I looked up in the archives and watched some videos and it seems like the arms are to stay straight.

[foodfromafar]

Thanks for the tips on the wood chop, Bytsi and Celeste! I looked at a couple of videos and remembered I did them with straight arms last time. I'll probably have to go down on the weight next A workout.

I fared pretty well in the soreness department, though my rear is telling me I did squats and step ups!

Today is a rest day for me, though I may work some low impact aerobics in for stress relief. If I had a treadmill, I'd walk and read. I'm reading a joint biography of George Washington and Benedict Arnold. It's pretty interesting.