[quote]NeelyDan wrote:
Just thought I’d pop in and say hi to a fellow ancaster-ian (?)
I grew up in Pleasant Valley.[/quote]
Hey, thanks for stopping by. I’m actually more of a Westdalian heading towards Dundas area of the west end of Hamilton.
Where are you now?
[quote]rondastarr wrote:
That is my next goal too…
Congrats on your PR, that is huge![/quote]
The good hair is more of a lifetime acheivement thing I’m striving for. I hope they give out medallions for that.
[quote]ouroboro_s wrote:
rondastarr wrote:
That is my next goal too…
Congrats on your PR, that is huge!
The good hair is more of a lifetime acheivement thing I’m striving for. I hope they give out medallions for that.[/quote]
We will be sure the achievemnt is placed on your gravestone…
Died with great hair… RIP
Yeah, it’s hard to know which achievement is more meaningful i.e. bitchin’ DL vs. truly great hair. I struggle with this conundrum on a regular basis, and have concluded-much like ouro-that great lifts will happen with a little blood/sweat etc., but great hair is a reallyreally longterm project that can’t be ‘muscled’ into existence.
Whatever the case, celebrate the achievement closest to hand…that would be 235 freakin’ pounds!..and leave the hair to it’s own devices for a while.
signed,
micro-farrah
[quote]ouroboro_s wrote:
Hey, thanks for stopping by. I’m actually more of a Westdalian heading towards Dundas area of the west end of Hamilton.
Where are you now?[/quote]
I’m in Burlington actually, along the lakeshore near appleby line. Had to be near the Go train.
I’m in that neck of the woods all the time though. Play hockey at the triple rinks, cousins live there, etc. Back in my fatter days, I could be found at Tally Ho wolfing down a double beef basket.
Saturated goodness I tell you.
[quote]NeelyDan wrote:
ouroboro_s wrote:
Hey, thanks for stopping by. I’m actually more of a Westdalian heading towards Dundas area of the west end of Hamilton.
Where are you now?
I’m in Burlington actually, along the lakeshore near appleby line. Had to be near the Go train.
I’m in that neck of the woods all the time though. Play hockey at the triple rinks, cousins live there, etc. Back in my fatter days, I could be found at Tally Ho wolfing down a double beef basket.
Saturated goodness I tell you.[/quote]
I used to spend a lot of time at the Triple Rinks a couple of years ago running soccer training programs. I live just around the corner near St. Mary’s.
Is the Tally Ho any good? I love roast beef sandwiches with gravy and horseradish but I’ve never gone in.
Ah…so you were probably happy when they shut down Billy Bob’s eh? No more university student scraps at 3am? 
Tally Ho is GREAT…but great in a greasy spoon, help your arteries become like shoving dough down a drain pipe kinda great.
Proceed with caution 
Does anyone else go through phases of being starving hungry all the time? I feel kind of like I did when I was pregnant…like I will eat something if it isn’t nailed down. In the last month or so, I have put on size and weight. I realise most of it is muscle but still, people are laughing at the MacGyvered pants I’m wearing. I can’t button them up and have resorted to an elastic.
This aspect of things has been a bit of a mental battle. As women, we are socialised to be slim. I want to be stronger but at the same time am mentally fighting the weight gain. When I started working out almost 2 years ago I weighed 115. This morning I was 128. I realise I’m not exactly a huge beast but I find this to be very tough for me.
I will add, however, that I’m very pleased with the state of my backside. Two years ago, it was so flat it looked like I’d been spanked with a shovel. Now, for sure it isn’t flat at all. My entire mid-section is a lot thicker - hence the pants difficulty.
EEEE!, ourobouro_s, I have a feeling that you may get some pretty empathetic replies to this dilemma! Starting with moi, for example: some people may skim my little pseudo-log (what the heck does she actually DO to train?), and think I’m one of those metabolism freaks (i.e. effortlessly slim…when I paid for that ‘slimness’ with years of bulimia/anorexia HELL 
).
Re: hunger pangs, there are times-often horrormonal-that I go around licking the freakin’ paint offa the walls (some colours DO in fact taste better than others). I often wish I was gutsy enough to tap myself on the head with a [ballpeen] hammer; just hard enough so that by the time I regained consciousness, I wouldn’t be hungry anymore!
Two months into my weight regimen, I ballooned 5 pounds (since I’m short, it’d be like 10-i5 lbs. for the average women!), and was ready to ditch my brand-new little muscles. Fortunately, I found the fortitude to grit my teeth and perservere; unusual, since I’m really talented at the BIG QUIT.
Granted, I sort of settled back at 100ish in short order, but I still bounce up occasionally…which I try to ignore!
Now, you’re WAY taller and stronger than me, and a few months ahead in your training.
And when I saw you maybe 3 weeks ago, you looked very willowy; didn’t see a thick, musclebound gal (although when you started lifting, you looked PLENTY strong-and still willowy!).
Damn, girl, when are we chicklets gonna be able to revel in a bit of size (especially when it’s freakin’ muscles!)?! I DO know the sort of ‘anxiety’/discomfort you’re fighting…just hang in there till the fall, at least; I really do believe your body is still ‘adjusting’.
You’re STILL gaining strength (not just a few pounds), so try to concentrate on the Strong Woman-who doesn’t need to be a total stick to feel validated. You totally kick butt, so don’t self-disparage! We can have a therapy session soon, and in the meantime chill, kiddo :).
(And would you mind printing this off, so you can read it back to me when I need it?!)
Oh, and big THX for those cross-dressing cheerleaders re: my DL/PR! Are you sending them to the farm? If so, I could use the help packing!!
Friday July 11 Gym:
Bench:
45x1x10
85x2x7
95x1x4
100x1x2
105x1x1
85x2x6
95x1x3
105x1x1
110x1x0
OH Press
45x1x10
65x1x10
Clean/Push Press:
85x1x5
95x1x3
95x2x2
100x3x0
100x1x1
105x1x0
Power Cleans only
105x3x1
110x1x1
Power Snatch:
45x1x3
55x1x5
65x1x5
75x1x0
65x4x1
70x5x1
75x4x1
80x2x0
BB Row
95x1x7
100x1x6
105x3x4
Chest Press
60x1x9
70x2x4
70x1x3
PUllups
1x7
1x5
Sunday morning July 13 Gym
Deadlift sumo:
135x1x5
155x1x5
185x1x3
205x1x1
225x1x1
245x1x1167x1x8
I wasn’t that far away from 245. I could feel it moving but couldn’t quite get there. It’s too soon since my last attempt in addition to sliding into the pms weakness trough.
Squat
45x1x10
95x1x5
135x1x5
145x1x8
145x1x7
145x1x6
145x1x4
Good mornings:
107x3x8
Bench
45x1x10
65x1x5
80x3x8
23
Sunday evening July 13 (Port Perry strongman training)
Warmup with olypmic lifts in a group: Clean and jerk/snatch. The attache picture is me at the bottom of a clean.
It’s a really good warmup because all the lifts are so dynamic and explosive.
The first event we trained was farmer’s walk. We did 100/hand, 110/hand, 120/hand. 120/hand is the competition weight. We did the 150’ course with 1 turn. My times were 100-29.69 sec. 110-32.37 sec. 120-49.31 sec. (this one was crap) I took a first run at 120 and the bar collapsed about 25’ in resulting in minor injuries. I went a second time at that weight and ended up losing my grip near the end. So much time is eaten up pulling it up again. I have no worries about losing it during competition.
The second event was duckwalk. Weights used were 160, 170 and finally 180 (comp weight) My times on this were 160-15.85, 170-18.37, 180-19.87.
Tire flip. This was at the end and we were at it for 2 hours. We were just trying technique. Tire was approximately 275lbs and I flipped it 4 times.
At this point we are all good with the weights now it’s a game of speed.
I almost forgot that Micropower has set me up on a schedule of timed nutrients that I started today. On training days we have a shake comprised of protein isolate/creatine/dextrose 1/2 hour prior to the workout. Another immediately following and one of protein/dextrose 2 hours later. The proportions change based on the timing. I’m sure we looked like a couple of druggies sitting in my van in a parking lot in Oshawa mixing the powders for our bevvies our of tupperware containers.
Tuesday July 15 Gym:
Squat
45x1x10
95x1x5
135x1x5
145x1x8
145x2x6
145x1x5
Deadlift
135x1x5
167x3x8
G. mornings:
107x3x8
Bench:
45x1x10
65x1x5
85x3x8
PUllups
1x8
Tonight was really tough. The airconditioning had packed it in and I think I’m still recovering from Sunday. It was my second day of ‘timed nutrients’.
The work out was made worse when someone changed the music from ac/dc, gnr, metallica type mix to Michael Jackson. Every ounce of ferocity drained from my body. I asked him why he changed it. He changed it back.
I’m pretty stoked today. Yesterday I finally heard from the trainer that I’ve been dieing to train with. He runs a local PL club about 1/2 hour from me. He’s been on vacation. I’m going to start training at his club on Sunday.
I’m looking forward to getting direction and advice based on years of competing and training lifters.
In regards to pulling sumo style, did you learn to pull that way first or did you have to re-learn it after pulling conventional style first?
I ask because I am teaching myself to pull sumo to reduce lumbar strain from deads and it isn’t coming easy.
Also very nice depth on your cleans, I am envious as my hips are not nearly flexible enough to drop that low.
Good work.
[quote]JoeGood wrote:
In regards to pulling sumo style, did you learn to pull that way first or did you have to re-learn it after pulling conventional style first?
I ask because I am teaching myself to pull sumo to reduce lumbar strain from deads and it isn’t coming easy.
Also very nice depth on your cleans, I am envious as my hips are not nearly flexible enough to drop that low.
Good work.[/quote]
When I first started, my natural inclination was sumo. I started doing conventional when I wanted to do a competition that you couldn’t use sumo. I’ve used conventional since then until last weekend. I think because I have wide hips, my natural stance is feet farther apart. I find a narrow stance very awkward. Even when I squat I tend to go wider with my toes pointed far out. I think everyones body just has a preference, but you can change the way you do it.
Thanks for the compliment on the clean. For normal stuff, I do power cleans so it was a bit of a challenge doing them like that.
Friday July 18, Gym.
Bench
45x1x10
65x1x8
85x1x6
95x1x5
100x1x3
105x1x2
110x2x0
95x2x3
95x2x2
95x1x1
OH Press
65x1x10
52 reps total
Clean/push press untimed
95x1x3
100x1x1
105x1x1 PR
110x1x0
Power Clean only
110x1x1
115x1x1 PR
120x1x1 PR
17 total
I’m really starting to see the dividends or going for max. reps on the push press. My strength on this has increased incredibly in the last month of so. The first time I tried max reps over time was June 2 when I did 21 reps with 85lbs.
Maybe I’ll apply this strategy to bench.
Sunday July 20 Steel City Power
This was my first day training with the Steel City Powerlifting Club. We went through my 3 lifts and planned a training schedule. I may have my first meet in London on September 13.
If I qualify, another one the end of November for the Ontario Provincial Championships for masters. We looked at the qualifying aggregate for my weight for masters. I’m only 2 lbs short right now based on my current max lifts. Qualifying should be achievable.
The schedule we outlined looks like this:
Sunday
Squat
BPress
Deadlift
Monday
Upper body assistance such as:
DB bench
Dips
Skulls
Curls
Front raises
Wednesday
Squat
Leg Press (3-4 sets)
Leg extensions (3-4 sets)
Thursday
B Press
DB Press
BB row
Pull ups
(Upper body/back)
The weights were lowered again to start to cycle up.
Bench looks like this:
80x1x5
85x1x4
90x1x3
95x1x2
100x1x1
80x1x5
70x1x10
Progressive load increase will be 2.5lbs/week.
Squat:
125x1x5
135x1x3
145x1x1
Progressive load increase at 5lbs/week
Deadlift:
150x3x5
205x1x1
Progressive load increase on multiple reps at 10lbs/week.
Today was mostly to assess my form again.
There was only one other person training today and it turns out I know him, sort of. Last October when I was in the grocery store he was giving me advice on protein and we were kind of flirting until I realised he had just graduated high school.
We have run into each other a couple times since then. He was at training today with his mom who kept taking pictures and he was getting mad at her. Since they don’t live far from me, I said I could drive him on Sunday if she wanted. It’s 1/2 hour from where we live. He is a strong little ox that’s for sure.
After I shed my powerlifting lady mantle, I donned my Martha Stewart one and made Peach, lime and rosemary jam. It’s mostly for my mom since she said the last time I made it that it was the best jam she ever tasted. This is to thank her for not driving me to training and taking pictures
So glad to hear your Steel City workout was good; now that Mr. J is back in town, you’ll be able to really get going with his coaching (if he wants you to drop the ‘nutrient stuff’, I won’t be offended…it’s not like I invented it!).
That’s weird how you keep running into ‘grocery lad’; could it be fate (you would be a cougar on the young side )??!! I’m sure the low attendance at the workout was due to the summer weekend syndrome. If you’re going on Wed. as well, you’ll likely have more company.
I would imagine Mr. J has got you joining the OPA…something I plan to do someday when I roll my pennies! That Sept. meet should be a good one; D went a coupla years ago just to watch. Perhaps I will show up to [attempt to] break that DL record (since without ze squat, I have no aggregate)?!
What does Bill think of strength contests? If he gives you any trouble, you can always arm-wrassle him?? …The jam, by the way, sounds fab-yum.
And for not using that stuff that stings on cuts! lol…
Has your mom ever seen you in action?
Monday July 21 Gym:
I’ve been advised that I do too much. Bench and squat are 2x/week and deadlift is 1x/week only. Mondays/Thursdays are upperbody assistance lifts.
OH Press
65x1x10
52 reps total
DB Bench
20x1x8
25x1x8
30x1x8
This is a new one for me so I’m trying to figure out a good starting weight. I think it’s 30.
BB Curls superset with front raises
BB Curls
50x4x6
Front raises:
10/hand x1x10
15/hand x2x7
Dips (Assisted with feet up on a bench)
1x14
with 10lb plate in lap
2x10
Tricep extension
10x1x10
10x1x8
10x1x7
My triceps are weak wobbly little things.
20
I think I probably still did too much. I’m going to dial back on the time push press. Maybe just do 5 minutes. The point of this was to increase the weight for the strongman competition in August. Clearly it’s working.