Yes indeed, I screamed "oh my quads!" I screamed this, not too loudly, directly after my final set of leg work this morning.
The Workout:
Squats with the Texas Squat Bar-a slightly longer, heavier straight bar weighing in at 55lbs
warm up:
15 reps with the bar
15 reps with 75lbs
(I was feeling REALLY good so I went right into the work after only 2 warm up sets)
work:
95lbs 6x10
Little sluggish near the end but still popping up out of the hole at a decent speed. Time for a little accessory work....I thought I would piggy-back off my time with the weight vest.
Leg Extensions 95lbs
Jump Squats BW
2-Handed Kettle Bell Swing with 24KG
All exercises done 5x20...that's 100 reps for those who are mathematically challenged ;) That's a pair of very fried legs for those who actually care! I couldn't even do my 100reps on the Glute Ham Raise today. Thank the lord for tomorrow.
Ending on a happy note, I am back under the bar baby! Are my shoulders still a little tight and feeling a little under par? Unfortunately so. But that is what a great ART specialist and a fantastic massage therapist are for.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Sunday, February 15, 2009
rock you like a hurricane and other songs that inspire a good run.
Yes, I feel that sometimes, your personal play list can carry you through the work. What is the work? I am preparing for a summer of fun runs and bike rides. This Friday was a day to work on the run. First, let me begin with my first running goal. I plan on joining my coworker and several others in a run called the river to river relay...it stretches from the Mississippi to the Ohio river, meeting at the southern tip of Illinois. This is supposed to be a challenging course...mostly hills! The teams are comprised of 10 people, relaying 3-4 miles at a time. I am just getting strong in my own 3 mile pace again. No matter, I will do my best for my team. And I plan on having a good time to boot.
My run Friday:
Goal was 3 miles
My pace was a 9:31 minute mile pace...slower than what I am capable of but I am just getting back into this.
The Play list....why is this important? Because it is what got me through the run when my legs began to feel like jello and my butt felt like it couldn't turn over my legs anymore! Thanks to Geoff who made this for me when I mentioned a time back that I like to run to loud, driving metal, drum beats and guitars...it is motivating :)
The Cult-Fire Woman
Iron Maiden-Run to the Hills
...End mile 1
Van Halen-Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love
The Scorpions-Rock You Like a Hurricane...from this I took the line, "he's licking his lips, he's ready to win" as I licked my lips with thirst, took a swig of water and began the down hill part of running the last half of my run.
Anthrax-Caught in a Mosh
...End mile 2. Going into the final stretch and I thankfully have Judas Priest to carry me home with Turbo Lover! As I finish my 3 miles, I am beginning Iron Maiden's Aces High. My goal is to be able to get myself back to my pace of an 8:40 minute mile and finish my run with Turbo Lover...just because I think it sounds cool!
I made my Goal of 3 miles. I kept my pace of 9:31 and finished in 28 minutes 33 seconds. I actually had little left in me today.
So I did a mini ab session:
Hi to Lo Chops with the cables at 40lbs 15 reps a side
Sit Ups of the Glute Ham Raise with 10lbs behind the neck for 15 reps
4 sets
Side Bends with 16KG Kettle bell 10 reps a side
Break Dancin' (on floor in push up position kicking the right foot to the left hand using trunk rotation, alternating sides) 15 reps a side
4 sets
Fin.
Not bad.
My run Friday:
Goal was 3 miles
My pace was a 9:31 minute mile pace...slower than what I am capable of but I am just getting back into this.
The Play list....why is this important? Because it is what got me through the run when my legs began to feel like jello and my butt felt like it couldn't turn over my legs anymore! Thanks to Geoff who made this for me when I mentioned a time back that I like to run to loud, driving metal, drum beats and guitars...it is motivating :)
The Cult-Fire Woman
Iron Maiden-Run to the Hills
...End mile 1
Van Halen-Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love
The Scorpions-Rock You Like a Hurricane...from this I took the line, "he's licking his lips, he's ready to win" as I licked my lips with thirst, took a swig of water and began the down hill part of running the last half of my run.
Anthrax-Caught in a Mosh
...End mile 2. Going into the final stretch and I thankfully have Judas Priest to carry me home with Turbo Lover! As I finish my 3 miles, I am beginning Iron Maiden's Aces High. My goal is to be able to get myself back to my pace of an 8:40 minute mile and finish my run with Turbo Lover...just because I think it sounds cool!
I made my Goal of 3 miles. I kept my pace of 9:31 and finished in 28 minutes 33 seconds. I actually had little left in me today.
So I did a mini ab session:
Hi to Lo Chops with the cables at 40lbs 15 reps a side
Sit Ups of the Glute Ham Raise with 10lbs behind the neck for 15 reps
4 sets
Side Bends with 16KG Kettle bell 10 reps a side
Break Dancin' (on floor in push up position kicking the right foot to the left hand using trunk rotation, alternating sides) 15 reps a side
4 sets
Fin.
Not bad.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
life is full of setbacks
...how you handle these setbacks is directly linked to your success.
It's Tuesday morning. Nothing really special about today. I am feeling great! Ready to see if I can hit a really challenging leg/kettle bell day for the first time in two weeks. Two weeks ago tomorrow, I jammed my AC joint (layman's terms: it's the bony spot directly on the top of the shoulder). It's been an interesting last two weeks of working out; no yoga, no bells, no anything that puts pressure on the joint...no fun. I have been improvising and actually, having fun! Plus it is not affecting the cycling class that I am taking so not all is bad. With that being said, I was ready to really LIFT today. Pick up the bells, maybe hit some dead lifts...really get intimate with the iron again. Enter the cold blustery windchill of Chicago, IL. (Que ominous music). I was exiting my car and rounding it to grab my bag from the passenger side. As I looked down I saw a very large "patch" of ice...more like a small river...so I took the necessary precautions as any one in my shoes would do. I did my best to step around it. With bag in hand all was seemingly going successfully till my foot hit what appeared to be a safe spot on the pavement. Just kidding! It was black ice! With in milliseconds I was on the pavement. It all happened so fast yet I felt as though I were in slow motion. My whole left side took the brunt of the fall. The elbow and the knee have some interesting looking bruises to show for it. As I walked towards the gym entrance, gathering my pride as I went, I realized that the fall may have impacted my left (currently uninjured) shoulder. Upon further inspection, a series of range of motion self tests and ice on the elbow, I concluded that the left shoulder was fine. The knee was also in working order. Oh happy day! Now where does that put me for today's workout? Let's rewind to last Wednesday's leg session that had to be done with out holding anything above my waist...I managed to overload and fry my legs in a very effective sort of fashion. I figured "What the hey? I can go for round 2 and see if I can out do myself." And so I did....
Last Wednesday:
Body weight squats with mini d-ball between the knees 100 reps-brutal on the quads and butt
Wearing a 20lb weight vest:
Step Ups to a 16' box holding 12lb dumbbells alternating steps for 20 reps
Forward lunges alternating legs for 30 reps
45 degree back extensions with 2 second hold in the concentric action 10 reps
all for 4 sets
Still sporting the vest:
Leg extensions 70lbs for 20 reps
Jump squats for 10 reps
Lateral walking in a defensive stance down the hall (10 feet) and back
all for 4 sets
Without weight vest:
On a gravity training system machine I did jumps for 1 minute on 1 minute off for 4 sets
Whew!
Today:
Wearing a 20lb weight vest:
Squats with mini d-ball between the knees 100 reps-just the warm-up :)
Step Ups to a 16' box holding 15lb dumbbells alternating steps for 20 reps
Backward lunges alternating legs for 30 reps
45 degree back extensions with 2 second hold in the concentric action 12 reps
all for 4 sets
Still sporting the vest:
Leg extensions 70lbs for 20 reps
Jump squats for 12 reps
Lateral shuffle in a defensive stance down the hall (10 feet) and back
all for 4 sets
Without the vest:
Double Kettle bell swings with 12kg 20 reps on 20 seconds rest ...burned out after 3 sets :)
This morning I experienced one small set back for my training, and took one giant leap towards keeping my self on my plan.
It's Tuesday morning. Nothing really special about today. I am feeling great! Ready to see if I can hit a really challenging leg/kettle bell day for the first time in two weeks. Two weeks ago tomorrow, I jammed my AC joint (layman's terms: it's the bony spot directly on the top of the shoulder). It's been an interesting last two weeks of working out; no yoga, no bells, no anything that puts pressure on the joint...no fun. I have been improvising and actually, having fun! Plus it is not affecting the cycling class that I am taking so not all is bad. With that being said, I was ready to really LIFT today. Pick up the bells, maybe hit some dead lifts...really get intimate with the iron again. Enter the cold blustery windchill of Chicago, IL. (Que ominous music). I was exiting my car and rounding it to grab my bag from the passenger side. As I looked down I saw a very large "patch" of ice...more like a small river...so I took the necessary precautions as any one in my shoes would do. I did my best to step around it. With bag in hand all was seemingly going successfully till my foot hit what appeared to be a safe spot on the pavement. Just kidding! It was black ice! With in milliseconds I was on the pavement. It all happened so fast yet I felt as though I were in slow motion. My whole left side took the brunt of the fall. The elbow and the knee have some interesting looking bruises to show for it. As I walked towards the gym entrance, gathering my pride as I went, I realized that the fall may have impacted my left (currently uninjured) shoulder. Upon further inspection, a series of range of motion self tests and ice on the elbow, I concluded that the left shoulder was fine. The knee was also in working order. Oh happy day! Now where does that put me for today's workout? Let's rewind to last Wednesday's leg session that had to be done with out holding anything above my waist...I managed to overload and fry my legs in a very effective sort of fashion. I figured "What the hey? I can go for round 2 and see if I can out do myself." And so I did....
Last Wednesday:
Body weight squats with mini d-ball between the knees 100 reps-brutal on the quads and butt
Wearing a 20lb weight vest:
Step Ups to a 16' box holding 12lb dumbbells alternating steps for 20 reps
Forward lunges alternating legs for 30 reps
45 degree back extensions with 2 second hold in the concentric action 10 reps
all for 4 sets
Still sporting the vest:
Leg extensions 70lbs for 20 reps
Jump squats for 10 reps
Lateral walking in a defensive stance down the hall (10 feet) and back
all for 4 sets
Without weight vest:
On a gravity training system machine I did jumps for 1 minute on 1 minute off for 4 sets
Whew!
Today:
Wearing a 20lb weight vest:
Squats with mini d-ball between the knees 100 reps-just the warm-up :)
Step Ups to a 16' box holding 15lb dumbbells alternating steps for 20 reps
Backward lunges alternating legs for 30 reps
45 degree back extensions with 2 second hold in the concentric action 12 reps
all for 4 sets
Still sporting the vest:
Leg extensions 70lbs for 20 reps
Jump squats for 12 reps
Lateral shuffle in a defensive stance down the hall (10 feet) and back
all for 4 sets
Without the vest:
Double Kettle bell swings with 12kg 20 reps on 20 seconds rest ...burned out after 3 sets :)
This morning I experienced one small set back for my training, and took one giant leap towards keeping my self on my plan.
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