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Training Training Logs
82

@EmilyQ

Like for these two I realized looking at the videos how stiff and injured I was. The one with the red hoodie I finally start taking mobility seriously, then fell off hard. The one with the blue socks I could see how difficult it was getting to depth because everything was so ridiculously tight. I think maybe two-ish years after that I just put the weight down for a long time. The strength is there for sure, but the pain was definitely not doing anything by way of the payoff.

Also, my apologies if the other deleted post pulled in some scantily clad photos and you saw anything. My IPhone groups stuff into these memory albums and some of them go way back to my “feral” days lol. So I had to upload through Vimeo instead.

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83

I was just catching up and had to leave a lot of likes. Glad you’re at it with a mindfulness for your overall health and well being. :hugs:.

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84

Thank you for the likes!!! How you been?

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I’ve been pretty good. Thanks for asking!

I’ve been staying busy welding & fixing stuff. Winter is setting in though (really quickly!) and that will hopefully slow down. I’m not nearly as tolerant of the cold as I used to be.

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As a native Houstonian, I and many of the population act like the sky is falling once the weather gets to like 60 degrees lol. I can’t do the cold myself.

We’re barely getting into the 40s consistently and everyone’s like “bring your plants in because it’s gonna freeze” lol

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My truck said 9f this morning at 530!! BOOOOOO!!!

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88

I started the day at 2 f. :grimacing:

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Yeah, a looong time ago I was in Dallas/Ft.Worth and it got below freezing. There were cars & trucks going everywhere but down the road.

It’s 9° right now, but should be mid-50’s by Thursday. :man_shrugging:t2:. PA weather keeps you on your toes!

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Ewwww noooo!

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That massive freeze we had about 4-5 years ago completely shut down most of the Houston power grid for like two weeks.

There was a week long broadcast on the news saying if we didn’t have to go out, to not to, then the afternoon news went to the tune of “x number of car accidents has gone up”, and I was just….disappointed.

I ALSO remember distinctly going to the gym while ice was still pretty much everywhere and slipping and busting my butt. I remember I saw my feet at face level and then bam, was graciously caught by the concrete lol

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LOG 18

PPL (pull/legs)

Deadlift (conventional)

Working set:

225x3

225x4

225x4

225x4

These were cut short since I have a limited amount of time until my back tells me it’s time to wrap it up. Moved well, and got a good MMC going as well which is rare for deadlifts for me.

Squats:

70lbs 10x10

Main goal was to combine both conditioning and high reps. 30 second breather and then dish out the next set.

Back extensions:

RTR

40x10

70x10

90x10

105x10

Leg/Hamstring curls:

20x8

20x8

40x8

20x8

20x8

very good training session. Felt great. Didn’t have much RIR for the handful of movements I did, but also didn’t fully drain everything.

6 Likes
93

:sparkles: Thoughts :sparkles:

Among one of the things concerning contentment that I’m working towards is not beating myself up about the things I do have.

I do small deliveries here and there to bring in some extra income alongside my husbands job, and the myriad of houses that I see are huge. Multiple cars, clean trimmed lawns, backyards, etc. And I slowly had to fight off the voices that say I’m less than, because I don’t have those things. That’s not to talk badly about the people who do have those things, but upon death, none of those can be taken with you to the grave. And the sways of life can can take wealthy people down the lowest forms of hardships.

My husband and I don’t live in complete squalor or anything. We have a small house, and two cars. We live in a quaint manufactured/mobile home community that is well kept, and we currently have half of our mortgage left until the house is ours. Nothing flashy, but it’s comfortable and a safe place to stay.

There’s always this clash against my own convictions, and the flashing lights of America that lure people in. I do my best to remember Mark 10:25. While having things isn’t inherently bad or sinful, the blade is too fine to not be lured into falling in love with the things, or becoming so enmeshed or identifying yourself so closely to the pursuit and possession of things. My husband was kind enough to understand and let know that if we made more money to buy things, the problems and stress that come along with it would rise as well. And we have enough issues and daily hardships that are uncontrollable to deal with as it is.

I jumped through so many hoops from the distance voice of my dad who constantly told me the best thing I could be was a woman with money. Meanwhile my mom, and my lovely friends and church always told me the best thing you can be in a shining light of Christ in a dark world firstly, and a devoted wife to your husband secondly.

And I’ve held on tightly to that second part. One of the major reasons I left my corporate job, and slowed down my academic ventures, was because I could see how much the dollar incentive kept many of people I worked with under their boot. I like being home. I like having enough space for my husband to feel safe and unwind from a hostile general labor job. I like tending to our dogs, and plants, and keeping stuff neat.

But today I just felt the weight of being “not this, and not that”. And the clash of convictions can feel like I’ve drawn everything except a literal sword. Some people I deliver to openly look down on me, and some wish me safety and give a much appreciated tip. I’ve had so much noise around me for so many years. And I get disappointed in myself when I let my guard down and the peace I’ve managed to safe guard gets infiltrated.

Just some thoughts though.

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94

Log 19

3/4 mile walk. No weighted vest this time.

Burpees: 4 rounds of 10

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So I bought this weight from Walmart. And I know it’s not gonna be super accurate. Although the results it gave aren’t too far off from what I suspect.

However…is having nearly 95lbs of muscle mass good for someone my height? Or is it not enough? I know “good” and “enough” is subjective in a sense.

I’m just glad to see the scale registered it as more than fat mass? Every scale I step on has me at obesity level to which I just nod in agreement, although I don’t truly know.

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IMG_06891206×2622 259 KB
What do you guys think?

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96

I think your squat tells the tale pretty well. You have some serious muscle mass. :flexed_biceps:.

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Thanks man! I appreciate that.

I joke to myself sometimes that I’m literally just half legs lol.

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I don’t have anything to add other than you have great perspective and have the things that are important. That is what it’s about. All that other stuff is just noise. IMO more is not better. More is just more.

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Log 20

So…

I decided to not be hardheaded and listen to my body. Was in the middle of working up in the squat and my sciatic nerve was having a whole conversation with me on my right side. I kinda figured the previous deadlift session really put some strain on that area.

I’ve come to realize I can’t squat and deadlift in the same week. Once I got up to 185 I just re-racked and shifted the workout to something else.

This was a sort-of-kind-of full body? But I targeted a lot of the weak spots I often ignore. Utilized machines, and dumbbells.

• Single leg press machine: 100lbs, 3x10 each leg. Emphasis on heels of my feet, squeeze the top, slow return to start.

•Adductors: RTR 40-100lbs, 1st set was 15 reps, 2nd set was 10, 3rd was 8, 4th was 8, last set was 8 as well. Good squeeze at the middle, slow release. This exercise felt great and took the searing pain off my right side. Jumped to the left leg a little bit but I’m glad I’m hitting the painful spots and actually doing secondary work that counts.

•DB lat raises: I can’t STAND this movement. But it works. Used 10s because I didn’t want my traps stealing the movement. 3x12 each arm.

•DB incline Press: 20s, 3x15 each arm, using 10s, additional 10 slow eccentric reps for right arm only.

•DB rows: not super bent over, 3x12 each arm, using 25s.

•Body weight glute bridges: There was no targeted rep or sets, my main goal was to get a good squeeze at the top. Varied how close my feet were together or apart, and how close both feet were to my bum.

•lying leg raises: This was the movement that was definitely needed the most. Did as many reps and sets as I could. Totaled 5 sets, and alternated between getting 9-12 reps.

~~~~~~~

Finished the afternoon with a modest refeed, and a scalding hot bath. Treated myself to Chick-fil-A spicy deluxe. Sauce included which stacked on 670calories, on top of today’s food totaling 2350-2400. I give myself a bit of wiggle room in the afternoon/night for an extra meal if I get hungry, so I just filled up the slot with a treat today. Yay!

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Log 21

PPL (squat)

Work up:

Bar x10

95x8

135x5

185x5

225x5

245x2

275x1

Abs:

lying leg raises 2x10

Ab machine: RTR 40-60lbs set of 4 by 10 reps each

Hanging leg raises: 2x10

~~~~

This was the workout that let me know I’m on the right track with bioregulation/listening to my body. The last post I mentioned how bad the flare up had gotten, and decided to actually listen. I think the bath, and my TENS unit I had implemented last night, along with the refeed was a good call.

The 275x1 I had two good RIR. I could feel how much more I could have dished out, which to me is great because I know I can snow ball that over time. CNS was very awake and firing well today. Sometimes I can tell if a squat day is gonna be good by how that first unrack feels once I’m passed 225, and that “coffee effect” from the CNS.

I didn’t want to put the cart before the horse this day, so all accessory work was just ab focused.

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101

:sparkles: Thoughts :sparkles:

I am going to snitch 100% on myself. But it is time I lay the tobacco use to rest. I HATE nicotine cessation.

I picked up smoking around 18, and my mother has smoked since she was in her early 20s. She’s a year away from 60 now. Her cardiology report came back well for someone who can dwindle down a pack a day. My dad has never touched a cigarette in his entire life.

I myself was crushing a pack or a pack a day from 20-24 years old. The wave of e cigs, vapes, and mech mods was such a lure for me so I switched from lighters and ash trays to flavored nicotine juice. What never ever considered was how much more nicotine you get from a vape than a cigarette. The concentrations can be upwards of 30% per one tank/cartridge.

Currently I am going through one tank worth of vaping from a brand named FOGER, in two weeks almost flat. It’s to the point where if I experience post nasal drip, it tastes like whatever flavor of vape I’ve bought.

Secondly is the health concerns. While I don’t actively feel anything, I know that’s not an excuse, and while I carry both my parents genes who both do not have susceptibilities to heart disease, that does not mean I can get away with anything, OR assume heart disease is just gonna skip over me.

I woke up this morning feeling so great, and before I even rolled out of bed I ripped a deep hit from my vape and immediately felt it hit the top of my head. And I just had to come clean with myself. You have to stop.

Do I think the years of training has helped me? Yes. To what degree? I don’t know. And “damage control” isn’t the right word, or way of thinking because one of the two only works so much, and stopping works statistically better.

The issue is the habits, the stress reduction, the complete re-working of learned behavior, the withdrawals, and the unruly irritation of cutting back/stopping. On an emotional day, I’d rather eat pine nuts and have to later stab myself with an EpiPen than stop vaping.

However….it has to be done. The upper kitchen cabinet has patches, and NRT gum from both of me and my husband’s attempt to stop over the years.

This is one of those things where I can’t even draw up a plan as to where to start or what to do, other than reach for a patch or gum and take the day second by second. Because the plans look lovely on paper, but something as simple as dropping something on the ground can take me from “wow I’m making progress” to starting all over again, and rebounding harder.

But it just….has to be done. I’m not old by any means, but I am 30 now. Health issues can often just have no regards for old or how young people are.

So there’s that. Weee :expressionless_face:

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