The Only Time You Fail is When You Quit

Training
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I don’t know where the quote came from, maybe its one of my own, but I chose it as the title of my journal becuase I think it describes my personality and so many of the members on this site.

I also chose this quote because it applies to anything. Just don’t quit. Success isn’t rocket science, its a mind set. No one is born a success, success comes from not quitting.

You can take a break, slow down, whatever, just don’t quit. Whatever your dream, who cares what anyone else says, do what makes you happy and don’t quit.

So…I have been debating on starting a new journal on here for some time - its been close to a year since I had my last journal and then sort of disappeared in to the abyss. Not really, just some personal struggles (that I won’t mention here, but will probably come out along the way) that needed to be cleared from my path before I could compete. I am back though, on target for my first show Sept 18, 2010.

I had a desire to compete in 2009, but unfortunately it was slowly derailed. Not this time though, no way! I am getting to old to wait much longer…

Yes, Sept 18th is over 20 weeks away, but my reason is that I really need to bring up my shoulders and back before I do anything at all. So until the end of June, I am strictly focused on gain, gain, gain. I just came off of a strength program where I had some great PR’s. I will share them just so you don’t think I wussed out while I was gone…

Deadlift 205x6; not sure what my 1RM is but the 205 was done as the last set. I am curious as to what my true 1RM is on this

DB Seated Shoulder Press 3 sets of 8 with 45’s in each hand. I made some of the boys feel silly so they went and got heavier weights (hahaha, that’s the best feeling)

Its interesting because my incline db press is with the same weight, so techinally I am not working my chest enough…and I don’t really, its very well developed..hahaha, I mean the muscles.

I have finally been able to knock out three neutral grip pullups,(yes from a dead hang) but the wide grip still eludes me. My trainer said if I lost 10 lbs I could probably do it. Yes, he actually said that. He is not a jerk, I expect him to push me and say things I don’t want to hear. lol.

I am still struggling with sleep issues/insomnia from Fibromyalgia. That disease is a battle on its own, but it won’t stop me. I won’t give it much topic talk here either unless something comes up that warrants the discussion or I can help someone else

So, my goals are this:

#1: pack on as much muscle in my shoulders and lats in the next few months as possible. I train them twice per week, with two full days of rest in between

#2: Refine my legs, work on developing my hams/glutes - quads are ok per posing coach so I am not building them a ton.

#3: Build some endurance but not much. I am at 14% bf now and don’t want to be doing too much cardio this far out. (I hate cardio anyway so this isn’t killing me)

#4: Perfect my posing and twalk routine. I pose with one shoulder higher than the other - looks so stupid!!! GRRRRRRR…

Supps: Whey and Casien protein (that’s a given), ZMA, L-carnetine, Scivation Extend in Watermelon (it rocks, tastes like a jolly rancher), just stopped taking creatine. Might jump back on again, undecided. EFA’s, either from fish, nuts or evoo - I don’t like fishoil horse pills

Updated pics forthcoming…

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Spirted, nice to meetcha. What are you going to compete in?

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Hi!..I hope you plan on sticking around cause I’m definitely interested in a woman’s progress of gaining muscle…

I have a small itching to compete one day.

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Hi Spirited! Glad you’ve found your way back and I’m looking forward to following along.

Love hearing a woman who wants to put on muscle - are you competing as a body building or figure?

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Nice avatar!
And yeah, we all need breaks. I’ve been training over 20 years now and there have been gaps, but I always come crawling back to the gym. Once you’re a lifter, you’re always a lifter at heart.

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where the fuck you been, woman.

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You look amazing now, can’t wait to see your gains/progress and what preparing for a contest entails.

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awesome.

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[quote]cheeta wrote:
Awesome!Welcome back! Looking forward to this ;)[/quote]

Thanks! I am glad to be back! :slight_smile:

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[quote]kimbakimba wrote:
Spirted, nice to meetcha. What are you going to compete in?[/quote]

kimbakimba - thanks you as well. First figure, then who knows…never know where life will take you

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[quote]mom-in-MD wrote:
Hi!..I hope you plan on sticking around cause I’m definitely interested in a woman’s progress of gaining muscle…

I have a small itching to compete one day.[/quote]

mom-in-md: thanks. If that ‘itch’ to compete stays with you, go for it. I have had the itch for years, now I think I waited too long. I say if you have the support and time to commit to it, DO IT!

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[quote]CBear84 wrote:
where the fuck you been, woman.
[/quote]

Its not where I have been, lol, its where I am going! I’m baaaaaack!!! Glad you are still here…you rock chicka!

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[quote]BlaZe wrote:
awesome. [/quote]

thanks, i appreciate that.

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[quote]owlie wrote:
You look amazing now, can’t wait to see your gains/progress and what preparing for a contest entails.[/quote]

Thank you for the compliment. I think I still need a lot of work…

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It is just great to be back. Love, love, love reading all iron that the girls push around here.

Ok, so quick before the kiddo’s wake up…my chest/tricep workout for Tuesday and then my legs from yesterday. Posing coach said not a lot of work on building chest, so I won’t do a whole lot. Also, I don’t have my log in front of me, but this is pretty close

Incline DB press:
25x10 warm up
30x10 warm up
35x12
40x10
45x8
40x10

BB Flat Bench ( never bench but trainer said can’t neglect this b/c it will look nice)
55x10
65x12
70x12
72.5x12
glad that was over (how embarrasing lol)

Pec Deck
70x12
75x12
75x12

**my triceps were feeling pretty taxed by the time we actually started working them. I heart my trainer he is so good at pushing me…

Skull Crushers
40x12x3

Rope Pressdowns
40x12x3

Tricep Extensions (single arm)
10x12x3

then 30 min/moderate cardio on arc trainer, then abs: Planks, wood chops and weighted sit ups.

LEGS
305x12 warmup
395x12
465x10
485x10
465x8

Single leg step ups with EZ Curl Bar (each leg 12 reps, then switch)
70x24
70x24
70x24
I am panting like a dog when I finish these

Scissor Jump 3 sets, 20 reps (10 each leg)

Sumo Jump 3 sets, 12 reps each

Leg Curl(SS)Leg Extension
85x12/105x12
85x12/105x10
85x12/105x8, drop, drop, drop to eek out 12. By this last set I am completely taxed and my legs are hard and have hit their limit and I freaking love every painful second of it. I think some girls assume I just walk around looking mad, but lol, I am just in pain…hahahaha

So today is a bit of cardio, not much since I just did legs and then some posing practice.

I have also just been given a great book called…Strengths Finder 2.0. LOL, its not a book about lifting, its a book about finding what your natural personality strengths are and developing those qualities.

The premise of the books was started because the author thought as a society we tend to focus so much on what we can’t do, and try to over come those qualities, rather than focus on what were are truly good at and excel in those areas.

A quote from the introduction is what really grabbed me

"At its fundamentally flawed core, the aim of most any learning program is to help us become who we are not…The reality is that a person who has always struggled in numbers is unlikely to become a great accountant or statistician.

And the person without much natural empathy will unlikey be able to comfort an agitated customer…This might sound like a heretical point of view, especially for those of us who grew up believing the essential myth that we could become anything we wanted.

Yet its clear from Gallups research that each person has greater potential for succes in specific areas and the key to human development is building on who you ALREADY ARE."

Imagine if we didn’t force our kids to become great at everything, and instead had them focus on excelling at their natural abilities? Not saying that we all don’t need a basic fundamentals, but imagine the self-esteem our kids would have if we encouarged them to really excel at what they were already good at.

What if we did that for ourselves, instead of trying to be everything to everyone? Maybe its just me, I am just tired of apologizing for what I am, what I am not, what I should do, should be, blah, blah, blah. I don’t want my kids growing up with that attitude either.

Anyway, with this book comes an online test (which I have yet to take) to tell you what your five strengths are and then to develop the areas in which you have the strongest potential. I will keep you posted on what I find out…

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Book sounds interesting!

How many kiddos do you have? If you have a significant other, is he/she? (teehee)supportive?

What you said about time and commitment is the truth! Probably one of the things holding me back…my hubby is getting set to deploy for almost a whole YEAR!

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Hi Spirited! I look forward to following along as you prep for your show. Sounds like you have lots of solid help with your trainer and posing coach, and from the looks of your avatar you’re already well on your way.

Nice training - it looks like you’re doing a traditional body part split? Will you be sticking with that throughout your prep?

And the first exercise on leg day is leg press, right? Or are you squatting those insane weights? :stuck_out_tongue:

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^ I was thinking the same thing about those BIG WEIGHTS for the legs…either way that’s pretty sweet!

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[quote]RBlue wrote:
Hi Spirited! I look forward to following along as you prep for your show. Sounds like you have lots of solid help with your trainer and posing coach, and from the looks of your avatar you’re already well on your way.

Nice training - it looks like you’re doing a traditional body part split? Will you be sticking with that throughout your prep?

And the first exercise on leg day is leg press, right? Or are you squatting those insane weights? :P[/quote]

Yes, lol, its a leg press. I thought I put that on there…I can’t squat anymore, I have a bulging disc in my back (between L5-S1) that limits me in some areas of the gym.

My trainer will probably keep me at this split until end of June when I start trying to cut off all the blub. Right now the goal is hypertrophy each and every workout so he changes things up quite often. I am excited, he really pushes me.

I was going to ask you - your suit, who made it? How did it look on stage? I like the color, am thinking of doing something bold like what you have done. where was your show?

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[quote]mom-in-MD wrote:
Book sounds interesting!

How many kiddos do you have? If you have a significant other, is he/she? (teehee)supportive?

What you said about time and commitment is the truth! Probably one of the things holding me back…my hubby is getting set to deploy for almost a whole YEAR!

[/quote]

I have two boys; one is seven and one is two. Yes, I have a husband, he is not all that interested in me putting on muscle or doing a show. I am on my own with out him - pretty sad hu? He doesn’t like girls with muscles - lol, he married the WRONG girl. He hates when I tell him about how much I lifted or whatever. Its a long story, but I don’t care, I am going to be happy and enjoy the ride!!! wooohoo! That is why I am back on here, at least all you girls ‘understand me’. :slight_smile:
Where is your husband going to for a year?