Day 489...stRoNg?...

Most people associate strength with muscles.  If a guy has big muscles...he must be strong...right?  So people go to the gym and they target certain muscles...biceps for example.  Most guys in the gym want big biceps so they look "strong"...they hang out by the dumbbells and never think to learn complicated Barbell movements or Olympic lifts.. Who needs em?...right?  The answer to that question is...everyone needs them.  Young or old...fat or thin...people wanting to excel in sports as well as the everyday person that wants to be "fit"...no matter who you are...you can greatly benefit from working to improve your overall strength with a barbell and some plates.  


True strength is not about how many inches around your bicep is or how sculpted your abs are.  Don't get me wrong...those things are not bad...but they are aesthetic.  It's okay to want to look good.  I do...but it's also important to be well rounded and strong.  



Strength is relative in my opinion.  What is strong for me, is not strong for Ronnie Coleman...and what's strong for Ronnie Coleman, is not strong for Mark Twight.

I've been doing Mark Rippetoe's Starting Strength program for a short time...(this is my 3rd week).  I'm not strictly following the schedule of ONLY 3 days a week of lifting.  I do Crossfit workouts in between, but I am doing the 5 specific lifts (alternating-3 each time as he has designated)...3 days a week.  I was skeptical that I could do as Coach Rippetoe says and increase my weight every time I lift...but I have...and it works!  I feel and get stronger each time.  Am I lifting crazy amounts of weight???  No...but I am improving upon what I have been able to do in the past...and that makes me really happy.  

Just because I'm making steady progress...it doesn't mean that this is easy. It's hard. My back is just aching right now after doing Back Squats, Presses, and Dead Lifts. My legs were shaking and my form went to s*** on my last couple of deadlifts, but I did it.

BACK SQUATS
-----------
WARM UP WITH 45 LBS X 5 X 2
THEN:
65 LBS X 5
75 LBS X 5
95 LBS X 5
115 LBS X 5
125 LBS X 5 X 3

THEN:

PRESS
-----
45 LBS X 5
55 LBS X 5
65 LBS X 5
70 LBS X 5
74.4 LBS X 5 X 3

THEN:

DEAD LIFT
--------
95 LBS X 5
135 LBS X 5
155 LBS X 5
185 LBS X 5
210 LBS X 5

Day 488...mUcH nEEdEd tHaNkS...

I struggle with my confidence.  My defense mechanism has always been to act aloof and strong.  I pretend that I don't care, but I do.  I care A LOT.  Sometimes, I feel like I can't really be a good trainer at work, because I worry about whether or not people actually respect or appreciate me.  I know they like me...but I don't always know if they really feel like they learn from me...or if THEY even think I'm qualified to train them.  

J and I have very different styles.  I like to show people things and correct them, but at some point...I step back and let them do THEIR best.  I don't do a lot of yelling and while I want them to have "perfect" form...I don't want to correct them until they are discouraged.  J is VERY confident.  He jokes with people and has no problem correcting and motivating.  This is NOT to say he is not nice to everyone...he is...it's just different.  J never second guesses himself.  Many days I wish I could exude the same confidence the he does.

I was covering the 6AM, 8:30 AM, and 5:30PM group training classes today.  The workout included Power Cleans.  There were a few of the guys that had NEVER done a Power Clean and I worried about my ability to teach them a complicated movement in a short period of time.  The 6AM class did really well considering they have never done anything like this...but honestly...I knew they didn't really know enough to question my abilities.  At 8:30, I had my husband and L.  My husband learned the basic movement.  He has things he needs to work on, but I thought he did really well.  L already knows how to do Power Cleans.  He just needs "coaching" to perfect his form.  L never makes me feel insecure so I enjoy teaching him.

So, the day was going pretty well.  After I taught the first 2 classes.  I did the workout myself.  I personally felt much better and much stronger today.  I did several Power Cleans...fairly easily...with 95 lbs.  A couple of weeks ago, I couldn't do that so I was really happy about that.  I did the same workout as the boys and did it pretty fast.  My collarbone is sore and bruised from the force of the bar landing each time...and my thighs are bruised where the bar is supposed to hit, but I still felt good about how well my Power Cleans are coming along.

I went to breakfast with my husband and little boy and while I was there I got a message from the guy that has been visiting from California, SD...(the one I "dogged" on...still feel bad about that).  He asked if I would come up and open the gym around noon so he could workout before he had to fly out this afternoon.  I called him back and agreed.  After breakfast, I ran at the park and then went back to the gym.  When he came, he wasn't excited to do Power Cleans.  So I watched him warm up and offered him some corrections.  I expected him to blow me off...but he listened, and tried, and improved.  When I complimented his improvements...he thanked me!!!  He told me that he appreciated what I told him and that it felt much better.  Before he left, he thanked me again and asked me about my weight loss that's mentioned in my bio online.  I told him "my story" and he said, "Wow!  That is so great.  I couldn't believe it when I read that because you look amazing!!!"  Okay...did I say he bugged me last week?!?!...because I take it ALL back after that!  ha ha ha!

At the 5:30 class, I once again went over Power Cleans.  I watched the guys and gave suggestions.  One guy, CB, has always made me a little nervous.  I have always felt like he thinks I'm a joke...just the T&A of the gym...he's never said or outright done anything to indicate that...once again, I'm sure it's my own insecurities...so it's always hard for me to teach him and feel confident.  I gave him some coaching anyway, and again he listened.  After the workout he said, "I didn't think I could clean that much weight...that many times, but with your help and using better technique...it was so much easier than it has been for me in the past.  That was great.  Thank you."  

My confidence was really boosted today.  I realized that I DO have a lot to offer and I was reminded that it is important for me help EVERYONE...not just brand new people.  I appreciated the kind remarks and the thanks that I received today.  I really needed to hear it...not because I want to feel important...but because I needed confirmation that I am doing a good job.  So, to all the guys that listened, and improved, and were gracious enough to thank me..."Thank You!  It was my pleasure!"

DYNAMIC WARMUP

WORKOUT

--------------

15 POWER CLEANS (85 LBS)

15 RING DIPS

12 POWER CLEANS

12 RING DIPS

9 POWER CLEANS

9 RING DIPS

6 POWER CLEANS

6 RING DIPS

3 POWER CLEANS

3 RING DIPS

(9:04)

CARDIO

----------

4.5 MILE RUN

Day 487...fAt giRL...

"Everbody fat girl has her own fat story. There are different ways fat folks get fat and lose fat and stay fat.

The world is full of thin women who behind flat stomachs shelter fat girls. You can tell who those women are who give refuge to a fat girl. When they see the buffet table they square their shoulders. They ready for combat with Virginia baked ham, sweet potato souffle and those puffy dinner rolls with butter and a three-layer chocolate mousse cake.

Food is the enemy. Food is also the mother, the father, the warm hearted lover, the house built of red brick that not even the wolf can blow down."  excerpt from "Fat Girl: A True Story" by Judith Moore

I am a fat girl...living in a fit body...one with a flat stomach...and muscles...one that fits into a size 4 and turns heads.  I lost 70lbs  5 years ago.  It took me a year...a year of hard work and sacrifice.  There was no surgery.  There were no pills.   Other fat girls...they think I don't understand...that I have no concept of the challenges they face and the suffering that they endure...but I do.

We went to dinner and the movie "Bride Wars" with our friends last night.  My friend, SD is beautiful and thin...the kind of thin that makes you think that she was born that way...that she has never had to worry about food.  In the movie, there was a GREAT quote about ex-fat girls...somethin like "Here's to Splenda and ex-chubby girls!".   My friend and I laughed and looked at each other and gave a "knuckle pound" because we are BOTH "ex-chubby girls".  You'd never know it looking at us but we were both 200+ pounds in the past.  

Somedays I am strong and I make good choices.  Other days...I feel like the fat girl inside me takes over and I eat things I shouldn't and I feel insecure.  Yesterday I crammed a cupcake in my mouth and I regretted it for the rest of the day.  I worked out hard yesterday...I always do...and one cupcake on one day won't make me fat...but I still get mad at myself because I feel like I've lost..like I've let the old me take charge of the new me. 

It's amazing to me that even after all these years, being thin is not second nature to me.  I have to make a conscious effort every day to maintain the progress that I have made over the years.  So, I'm raising my glass of H2O and toasting to "Splenda and ex fat girls"!  Cheers!

SUNDAY=REST DAY

Day 486...qUeeN gOrGo...

Most of us at the gym all love the movie "300". It's not uncommon for someone to yell "Tonight we dine in hell!" during a workout or for R to refer to himself as Leonidas or to tell me "Cmon!  Let's go King Leonidas on this!"

Today we had another round of free classes at the gym so that people could bring friends and family in to check out what we do there or for people that visit to our website to be able to come in and experience a little "dose" of Crossfit style workouts.  Many times we have to split into teams and do team workouts because there are too many people there.  I was in workout clothes, but normally J and I help the unexperienced people with movements, keep time, or do whatever else it is that needs to be done.  Soooo, I wasn't planning on working out at that time, but the teams were not equal so J asked me to join one of the teams.

I love to compete with the boys...I usually don't win but I bust my butt to keep up...and I do.  I especially love to compete with R.  We love to tease each other and talk smack during workouts.  We each motivate the other to go a little harder...a little faster...and a little further...and we have fun doing it.  When we are in teams we are not in direct competition, but still we were ribbing each other.  Today at one point I pulled my team over to share my SECRET strategy.  We were huddled and I'm spelling it out when R (NOT on my team) says, "Hey thanks MC!"  He had been in the circle the whole time and I didn't even see that brat!  We were laughing so hard.  Then I yelled out that our strategy was to do 25 each (not so, but it tricked em).  When I was on swing 45...R said "Wait a minute!  You are doing WAY MORE than 25 swings!"  I said, "I know."  R said, "But you said.."  I cut him off and yelled, "I lied!"  When I was complaining about how bad my forearms were burning he's like "Oh cmon!  You are the Queen from 300!  You can do it!"  Then I said, "What was her name?"  He said, "I don't know."  I said "Me neither but she was tough...and she was HOT!  Okay...I'll be THE QUEEN! Cmon Leonidas! Let's do this!!!" and we did...even though we were on separate teams.

I had so much fun today...working with my friends...and meeting new people...and channeling Queen Gorgo during my workout!

TEAM WORKOUT

----------------------

FIRE HOSE DRAG AND PULL ACROSS PARKING LOT FOR 12 MINUTES (one team member at a time...adding together how many times we went across)

2 MIN REST

ROW FOR 12 MIN (one team member at a time (rotating every minute)-score is total meters rowed in the 12 minutes)

2 MIN REST

KETTLE BELL SWINGS (2 team members at a time-score is total # of swing that everyone gets added together)

A FEW HOURS LATER:

I WENT AND RAN 3.5 MILES

Day 485...cRoCheTeD pAnTieS...

I have had some strange titles this week. I don't think they make one bit of sense or are funny to anyone other than me, but Hey...this is my life and that's what I'm here to talk about...

I am really tired. I've worked really hard this week in the gym, but I have also had some really good times with the guys and I have had A LOT of laughs. We are havin a couple of "FREE" workouts at the gym tomorrow, so I decided to take today as a "Rest Day". That way, I'll be fresh tomorrow. So, I had to cover the 6AM group this morning. I got up...got ready...and got to the gym at 5:45AM. I was expecting 2 of the newer guys, but when I got there...R was already there waiting in his truck. Soon after Ry came in...then S...then M (ONE of the two I was expecting). Normally, R, Ry, and S come in the evening, but sometimes people switch up.

Today was "Skills Practice"...we worked on the Push Jerk and then Dead Lifts. After, we worked up to a 5 rep work set of Dead Lifts. The guys were great...especially M. He's brand new and really working hard. So once we were done...M said "Good-bye" and left and S went back to take a shower. R, Ry, and I were chatting about nothing in particular while Ry waited for his turn in the shower. Once S came out and Ry headed back, I gathered my stuff and me and those two (R and S) headed for the door. It's real cold outside today so we all had coats on. S put a black crocheted scarf around his neck and proceeded to tell R and I how much he loves that scarf because one of his 5th grade students made it for him. We had a minute of small talk about how great it is to get gifts like that, and I jokingly said, "See! Y'all NEVER made ME anything like THAT!"  They laughed and R says, "Ok, MC...I'll crochet you some underwear." I laughed and said, "Great! Some crocheted panties!" He said, "Yeah...I'll come up here with a present and say 'Here's a thong I made for you!" I was laughing (we ALL were) and I said, "I'll go home and tell my husband 'LOOK HONEY! R crocheted me some panties!...and he'll say...'WHAT THE HELL?!?" We all laughed and I said "Good bye" to the boys as I got into my car still laughin. Some people may find this inappropriate...but it's just the way we are...you couldn't script this stuff! So there's NO workout to report...just a silly story.

REST DAY

Day 484...fOrGiVe mE...

"Lord, I apologize for that right there, and please be with the starvin' pygmies down there in New Guinea, Amen," ~Larry the Cable Guy

Ok...sometimes I screw up...I will say that eventhough I screw up...I have NO PROBLEM admitting when I'm wrong or when I've made a mistake...and saying "sorry" is really important to me...

To the people that are IN my life...my friends from various aspects of my life...and my family...it may seem that I am really open to new people...that I just "spill my guts"...and let everybody right IN. Not so. I am VERY skeptical of most people I meet. I'm very cynical and I always expect the worst so that I'm not disappointed...I know...kinda weird. I always say that I have amazing intuition and I have learned to follow "my gut" over the years and it hardly ever steers me wrong. Every now and then...I'm wrong about a person. So, I feel the need to apologize to anyone that may read AND to the person that I was wrong about. Eventhough he will never see this...it will make me feel better. I could've just gone back and erased what I had written, but that wouldn't be honest or true to this process. I mean what I say at the moment I type it...it's just sometimes I change my mind later on.

Yesterday, I went on and on about how this guy that was visiting the gym was driving me crazy...and while I STILL find him to be a little obsessed with Crossfit...I shouldn't have been so quick to judge and dislike him. I don't even know him. You can only imagine how bad I felt when I looked at the gym website and this guy had left a comment "THANKING" me and Jared for welcoming him and giving him some extra instruction. I felt...bad...like a jerk...like a gossipy, judgmental bee-yotch when I read that. Ugh...why am I so flawed?

It's funny..I can say this because I have told them both about this in person... ("Shorty" will find this amusing) I really like R and B (the dynamic duo)...I think they are great guys! They are strong and funny and I always enjoy being around them...BUUUUT...I did NOT like them the first time I met them. In retrospect, I was feeling intimidated...but at the time...I convinced myself that they were annoying and I was determined NOT to like them. It only took a few visits for me to COMPLETELY change my mind. So this is not the first time I've judged too quickly. Please forgive me...I'll try hard to be better!Soooo...on to the workout today...J texted me this morning to tell me that he, and "the guy visiting" and a few of the firefighters we now were going to the gym to do a workout called "The Filthy Fifty". He invited me to join them, and of course...I COULDN'T RESIST! "The Filthy Fifty" is so bad...brutal...so hard, but it is actually one of my favorite Crossfit WODs. We were all feeling nervous...feeling "butterflies" before we started. The anticipation was INTENSE. We all struggled through, and it was the most intense "50" I've ever done, because normally I am alone...it's easy to stop when you are alone. This time I didn't want to look like a wussy in front of the boys. I used the same weight for KB Swings and Push Presses...I had to use less (16 lbs) on the Wall Balls because the 20 lbers were in use. It was so much different doing it with other people. Now...10 hours later...I'm already getting sore, but I'm glad they invited me up today.

"FILTHY FIFTY"
50 BOX JUMPS (24 IN)
50 JUMPING PULLUPS
50 KB SWINGS (35 LBS)
50 LUNGE STEPS
50 PUSH PRESS (45 LBS)
50 GHD BACK EXT
50 WALL BALL (16 LB DYNAMAX)
50 BURPEES
50 TUCK JUMPS (SUB FOR DOUBLE UNDERS)
TIME: 37:15

Day 483..."bEsiDeS, i gOt a gUn aNd sOmE buLLeTs!"...

Crazy title today, huh? Well...I'll explain what it means...but I have to say that every time I think about those words...I laugh.

J and I planned to do our "Starting Strength" workout together again today. We were supposed to meet at the gym about an hour and a half before I had to train my client. I was in Barnes & Noble buying "The ABS Diet" book. when she texted to ask if we could move her session up by 30 minutes. I agreed and just headed for the gym from there. I figured that I would just do what I could before she got there and I knew J would already be there. I got there and J was there talkin to a guy that does Crossfit at Camp Pendleton. I went back and changed into workout clothes and then came out out to do Back Squats.

Okay...so I'm gonna seem like a bee-yotch now...BUUUUT...this guy was getting ON MY LAST NERVE!!! It was Crossfit this...Crossfit that. I can do this workout this fast...I can do this other one even faster! Blah...blah blah...blah blah! The other thing that was driving me crazy was that he kept on blowing his nose with tissue. He sounded all sick and snotty. All I could think was..."OMG...he keeps on blowin his nose and touching everything in the gym!...the rower...the bars...the weights...." Then he goes over and starts correcting J's back squat form!...and he was W-R-O-N-G! J and I both corrected HIM and we finished up our squats right as JE, my client was comin in.

Once I was done training her, we sat and talked. We were joking around with J. He was giving me a hard time...and we were laughin. After that, J and I went back to working out because we still had Shoulder Presses and Power Cleans to do. We were finishing up when AX came in early before the 5:30 group training class to practice some movements. J gave me a couple of suggestions that I think really helped my Power Cleans. Oh...I LOVE THAT..I LOVE when I am open and I try a different way and it is better. I also LOVE that we can "coach" each other and correct each other and neither of us feels angry or offended. It's a comfortable...a safe feeling.

As we were finishing, R, Ry, and D came in to workout. After Ry changed, he came over and started to talk to me, R, and AX. He started tellin us about how he wants to marry his girlfriend of 3 years, because #1 He obviously loves her, but also #2 He's just enlisted in the Navy and will be going to BUDS (Seals training) in the fall and he doesn't want to go through Boot Camp and carry on a "long distance relationship". He was TRYING to be a "good guy"...to do the "right thing"...and so he decided to ask her Mom and Step Dad's permission to propose to her. They were rude to him and said things about his family and basically said, "No." He was heart broken and now, he's in a bind. They want to get married, but now it's a problem. I was telling him how sorry I am and to just give it some time. Then a few of the guys started joking and sayin "Well, just tell her Step Dad that he's not even her real dad so he doesn't count!" ha ha hee hee!...just silly comments! There were a few other "tough", smack talkin suggestions and we were all laughing. Then J comes over to get in on it and just says, "Hey, just tell em...Hey man, this was a respect thing and I tried to talk to you...but I'm a man and you're not being reasonable and we're gonna do what we want!" and then he all the sudden adds to the end..."...AND BESIDES, I GOT A GUN AND SOME BULLETS!" Now, I have to say..I know it sounds actually kinda scary...violent...disturbing even, but it was not meant in THAT way AT ALL. It was just crazy...and SO FREAKIN FUNNY! I can't even do it justice by repeating the story, but we all just laughed and laughed.

Every time one of those moments occurs...and they occur quite often...I just love those guys and I'm so glad they are my friends...part of my life. They bring laughter and happiness and strength to me...and they don't even have a clue. I LOVE my friends and my job today!

BACK SQUAT
----------------
45 LBS X 5 X 2
75 LBS X 5
95 LBS X 5
115 LBS X 5
122.2 LBS X 5 X 3

PRESS
-----------
45 LBS X 5 X 2
55 LBS X 5
65 LBS X 5
70 LBS X 5
75 LBS X 4 (5TH TRY FAIL SO LOWERED WEIGHT)
72.2 LBS X 5 X 2

POWER CLEAN
-----------------
65 LBS X 3
70 LBS X3
75 LBS X 3
80 LBS X 3
87.2 LBS X 3 X 5

Day 482...a "qUiCkiE" wiLL dO...

This morning I went to the first of my new group training classes that I am in charge of! Yay! I FINALLY get to train MEN!!! It was JJ's first time back since having a baby (actually his wife HAD her) in 3 months. Wow! It's hard to take off like that and then come back. I love JJ. He always works so hard. He is an inspiration to me, because he keeps pushing through the pain and fatigue. L is new. He is a BIG strong fireman. His strength blows me away, but I appreciate the fact that he's stepping outside of his comfort zone (strict weightlifting) to tackle things that do not come as easy...endurance stuff. They did a great job.

I am tired after working out in 3 spurts yesterday...and I KNEW that I SHOULDN'T...because I did Back Squats yesterday and I'll do em again tomorrow...but I wanted to do the same workout as them and see how fast I could do it. Geez...I don't know when I became so compulsively competitive! It only took me about 18 minutes to do the workout (It took the guys 24/28 min), but my legs were dying on the Overhead Squats! I'm resisting the urge to do MORE. I usually like to go and go and go, but today...I'll take my "quickie" of a workout and be done.

DYNAMIC WARMUP

WORKOUT
-------------
25 OVERHEAD SQUATS (45 LB BAR)
15 KTEs (knees to elbows)
400 M RUN
3 ROUNDS FOR TIME (17:58)

*A little follow-up...it is so funny to me how sometimes the most seemingly easy workout can "zap" my energy for the whole rest of the day!  I was tired after I got through this morning, but I always am.  I fell asleep in the tanning bed when I went to tan afterwards.  I got home and checked e-mails and blogged...still feeling tired.  I thought I would feel better after lunch, but the fact is...I have been WIPED OUT all day!  I guess that just goes to prove that even if you do a short workout, if you give it EVERYTHING you have...with FULL INTENSITY...it makes a big difference.  THAT is what it takes to be successful in the quest to be "fit"!

Day 481...dOeSn'T gEt mUcH bEttEr...

"I AM HAPPY!" I had a good day...in the gym...in general. I don't remember the last time that I had a day where I felt NO STRESS...ever...a day that I was happy and at ease...ALL DAY. I feel really blessed. I know that normally I'm all "Grrr...weights...racing the boys...blah blah blah!". It's all about what goes on in the gym...but today I just feel like it's important to recognize...goodness. I am so quick to write about what makes me sad or frustrates me...it's SO easy to recognize failure...but sometimes being aware of and recognizing small, everyday blessings is not as natural.

I went up to the gym to do some "strength training" with J. I was really genuinely excited to work with him. We are both really working hard to practice what we learned at the Barbell certification and we are also committed to pushing ourselves and getting stronger. It's hard to do some things alone. It's nice to have someone there to help lift the bar off the rack for bench pressing and it's so helpful to have someone watch your back squat and coach you or reassure you. We helped each other and I felt like we both had a really successful workout. J and I both felt A LOT better about our back squatting technique.

I was supposed to meet my Mom and sis, K, for lunch so J and I stopped before we got a chance to do dead lifts and agreed to meet back up later on in the afternoon to finish up. I had a great lunch and afterwards, my little sis talked me into going for pedicures together. I say "talked me into it", but it doesn't take much to get me to go for a pedicure. I LOOOOVE having my feet rubbed! I picked out a color I wouldn't normally pick. I mean I love pink, but I went crazy and picked this bright, Pepto Bismol pink polish. My toes look like Barbie toes. I shouldn't...but I love em! When I was done, I headed back to the gym to meet J.

I had to dead lift bare foot because I didn't want to mess up my toes by putting socks and shoes on so soon. Of course J thought that was funny. I'm sure it was a silly site...ME in my cute PINK Victoria's Secret workout pants ...makeup ...ponytail... "Barbie" toes... deadlifting 205 lbs...5 times in a row! AX is new and was there. He was really surprised that I could lift that much...that many times. It made me feel good.   I LOVE SURPRISING PEOPLE!

After deadlifting...I went to the park down the street to run.  I got out and put on ipod on...thinking "How great is this?!?  It's January and it's 62 degrees!  I'm running in January...in a tank top!"I had a great run.  I felt fast and strong the whole time.  I was pretty sweaty and needed to run by the store, so I went back by the gym to grab a towel because it's literally 1 minute from the park.  It was so nice to walk in and have 3 of the guys immediately greet me...happy to see me.  R asked when I was covering their group training again and told me that he loves how I always motivate him and push him further.  THAT made me feel really good.

So, today may not seem like much to anyone else...but to me it was bliss.  I did lots of things that I LIKE to do and I spent lots of time with people that I LOVE to be with!  It just doesn't get much better!

BACK SQUAT
-----------------
45 LBS X 5 X 2
65 LBS X 5
95 LBS X 5
110 LBS X 5
120 LBS X 5 X 3

BENCH PRESS
----------------
45 LBS X 5
65 LBS X 5
85 LBS X 5
95 LBS X 5 X 3

DEAD LIFT
--------------
95 LBS X 5
135 LBS X 5
155 LBS X 5
175 LBS X 5
205 LBS X 5

CARDIO
-----------
4.5 MILE RUN

*Just a note...those are NOT my toes in the picture above...mine are MUCH cuter! ;D

Day 480...tiMe fOr a fEw cHaNgEs...

Sunday is ALWAYS my designated "REST DAY". It's the day that I tend to reflect on my successes and failures in the gym...and the day that I also think about my goals from time to time.

I have been working out for a long time and the fact is...the better shape that a person is in...the harder it can be to continue to improve and stay motivated. I'm not 200 lbs anymore...I haven't been for 5 years...so going to the gym is much different now than when I was struggling to lose weight. I try to think about what it is that I really want out of my time in the gym.

A couple of years ago when I was working with W...I felt like a monster...I could go and go and go...endurance was my thing...pushing through pain and fatigue. The thing is...I wasn't as strong as I am now. The past year, I've worked hard to become stronger...to lift heavier weight. That has been what keeps me going and trying even when I fail. I have been thinking lately about what my goals are going to be now...this year. I have some goals concerning strength...numbers in mind for my back squat and deadlift...but I have finally decided what it is that I'm ready to work on now.I think I'm ready to start improving my diet. I'm just not totally happy with my body. Maybe I never will be...I am a terrible perfectionist. My sis, S, told me yesterday when I was worried about the way I look in these photos that I need "to go get my head examined". I know I'm not fat...I just want all my hard work in the gym to be apparent. I look pretty good, but I know I can look better...it's not about working harder in the gym...it's about being more careful with the food I put in my body. I have been really reluctant to do so, because I LOVE food...especially carbs....bread...and sugar...the bad stuff. I like to eat what I want in moderation so that I never feel like I'm missing out or like I'm on a diet. I don't think I'll ever be able to live on a strict plan, but I know I can make some improvements. My friend, K recommended that I read the book called "The ABS Diet" and she and her hubby look great so I've decided to pick up a copy on Monday and see what I can do to improve the way I look. I feel a bit shallow because I don't want to really lose weight and my body fat is already low for a woman (13%)...really it's all about aesthetics. I want to have HOT ABS! I want to trade my "2 pack" in for a "6 pack" eventually.

I want to go from something like this:
(what I currently look like)




















to something like this: (what I hope to look MORE like ONE DAY)










We'll see how it goes...this could be a LOOONG, hard process...and I bet this model hasn't had 3 kids...but I can still try! I'm not fooling myself. I don't expect to look JUST LIKE the second picture, but I want to get a lot closer than I am now.

SUNDAY=REST DAY

*I want to go back and clarify something so my friends and loved ones don't KILL me. I AM thankful for what I look like...even now. I recognize how far I've come from the person I was 6+ years ago...and I know that even if my ABS never look any better than they do today...I should feel good about my progress up to now. I just figure if I aim HIGH, then even if I fall short...I'll still be better than I was before.

Day 479..."bOOtY caLL"...

“Learn how to squat. It works more muscles than any other exercise. It’s harder. It’s a longer range of motion and it will make more difference in your appearance over a shorter period of time than any single thing you can do. You have to learn how to squat correctly, and correctly is below parallel.” ~Mark Rippetoe
I've said it before..."I want a BIG, round butt!" It scares the boys I work out with but I don't care. I'm not gettin any younger and I gotta fight to keep my booty up where it should be. Besides...I think it's funny how my guy friends are like, "Why do you want a big 'badonka-donk' butt?"...you'd think it's a repulsive site...funny how it doesn't stop people from lookin every now and then. Who knows...maybe it's not attractive...but it's MY butt so I'll keep "workin it"!

I do A LOT of squatting and lunging in my quest for a great butt and I've been slackin a little lately and I can tell. MY butt still looks good, but it definitely seems a little smaller to me. When I mentioned this in the gym the other day at the end of a workout...ONE of the guys I was workin out with...one that will remain nameless (out of the goodness of my heart) IMMEDIATELY said, "Yeah! It is!". ha ha! I wanted to tease him and say, "Oh you've been checkin it out have you?!?" but I knew it would freak him out and he would take it seriously so I controlled myself.I knew I needed to do heavy Back Squats today...so, I went up to the gym for a little "booty call" with the barbell. Ha ha! I didn't really wanna do "worksets"...I really wanted to see if I could get more on my 1 Rep Max. I got distracted on my computer and left way late, but I did a lot yesterday so I knew I wouldn't be at the gym long. I warmed up with some light squats and then when I got up to about 135lbs...I started to really take some rest in between efforts (about 5 min). I kept lookin at the window where we have all our times and numbers written in marker. I didn't care what I squatted as long as it was more than 155lbs. I was determined to erase that number and write another in its place.

J bought some fractional plates so that we could have smaller jumps as we are trying to improve our "strength". Sometimes, 5 lbs is too much, so it was nice to be able to have the option of making smaller increases towards the end. In the end, I got up to 165lbs!!! Yay! I GOT 10 LBS MORE! I know I coulda gotten at least another 2 lbs but my family was waiting on me for lunch so I closed up shop...knowing that I'll get more next time! I'm really excited that I was able to do what I went up there to do!

BACK SQUAT
-----------------

45 LBS X 5 X 2
65 LBS X 5
95 LBS X 3
115 LBS X 3
135 LBS X 1
150 LBS X 1
160 LBS X 1
162 LBS X 1
165 LBS X 1

CARDIO
-----------
45 MIN RECUMBENT BIKE



*By the way...as a funny side note...this picture is NOT from today. This picture is an example of what happens when you hand a camera to a GUY and let him take pictures of your "form". I laughed so hard when I got home and amongst all the pictures, there was THIS one. I don't think he was lookin at my face...do you? ;D LMAO! I love boys!

Day 478...wHy cAn'T i dO pOweR cLeaNs riGhT?!?

...Coach Mark Rippetoe assessing and teaching the Power Clean...

I had to train my client, JE early this morning instead of in the afternoon like usual. She worked hard and did a good job. I was really proud of her. Then it was MY turn to workout once she left. I wasn't really "feelin it" today, but I got to work anyway. I was doing some "strength work"...all I really knew was that I needed to do some bench pressing and some power cleans...anything else I did was just extra.

I was okay on bench pressing, but it is so hard without someone to spot me or at least help me get the weight up off the rack to start. It takes extra energy that I could be using to lift, but I was alone so I just did what I could. I felt a little weak towards the end, but all in all...it went well. Then came those "effin" Power Cleans! I just never seem to hit my leg on the right spot...I tend to start pulling too early...and it hurts when that bar lands correctly on my chest so I over control the bar with my hands instead of just gettin under the bar and letting IT land ON ME. I was getting SOOO frustrated. I could FEEL it wasn't right..and I KNOW what to do to correct it...but I wasn't DOING it. I was trying to remember everything I was taught when J and I went to the Barbell cert a month ago. Finally, I just fought through until I was done with my "worksets"...all the while wondering..."Why can't I do power cleans right?!?". I also decided that I need to get my butt in gear and ORDER my weightlifting shoes. I know it will help me.I did some other "vanity" stuff (as A always called it) and then I did 100 Overhead Walking Lunge Steps in the parking lot holding 25 lbs to finish it off. It sucked SO bad. I was glad for my workout to be done today. It just wasn't...fun. But then again, I guess if it was easy and always "fun"...EVERYBODY would look good and be strong. I know that's not the case so I'll quit complaining and know that it may have been frustrating and hard...but it's worth it in the end...because IF I push hard and do difficult exercises as correctly as possible...my workouts will be effective and I will not be wasting my time...like so many of the people that I have seen in other gyms.

HERE'S WHAT MARK RIPPETOE, an expert in the field and author of "Starting Strength: Basic Barbell Training", HAS TO SAY ABOUT THIS VERY THING:

“Effective exercise is hard and that’s all there is to it…just like anything else…if it’s easy, it’s probably not effective. The most effective equipment of any sort is barbells and we’ve known this for decades. The problem with barbells is that you have to learn how to use them.”

WORKOUT
---------------
THEN:

Day 482...wiLL iT eVeR bE oVeR?...

I was so tired after working more than usual yesterday. I slept late and didn't wake up until after 7. It was nice to just sleep til I woke up...no annoying alarm clock buzzing...just eyes opening. The only thing is, when I do that I tend to be a little panicked because I know that I barely have anytime to get kids to school on time and I know that my husband will have already made lunches and then he'll be running late and be resentful and mad with me. Why he doesn't just wake me up...I don't know. I appreciate the sleep...hate the guilt I feel. ANYWWAY...I got the 3 kids off to 2 different schools at 2 different times looking like the typical (in my own words) "busted up housewife"...wearing PJs, a random jacket that didn't match, hair lookin a mess, and big pink fuzzy slippers. I did throw on huge black fashion sunglasses (like that helps!). I did a few things...checked emails...started laundry...and headed to the gym.

I was supposed to workout with J, but right as I was leaving, he texted to say he was having severe back spasms and couldn't meet me. I told him it was okay and went all "over protective Mom" on him...insisting he rest...telling him to let me know if he needed anything...etc etc etc. I had chosen a workout off the Navy Seals Crossfit site for us, so I went up to do it alone.

The weather was so beautiful today. The warmup was supposed to be a mile run, so I set my stuff down and headed for the train tracks (there and back is exactly one mile). Then I did a few dynamic stretches and set up my weights and the box. I put on music...started the stopwatch...and got to it! As soon as I got to the Thrusters (front squat to press with a 45 lb bar) on the first round, I knew I was screwed. I was not sure I could make it all 5 rounds...but I was determined to try. I even yelled to no one in particular...since I was alone..."Will this ever be over?!?!"...somewhere around round 3. I finally finished, but it took me almost an hour and I was beat when I was done.

I swear...EVERYTIME I do a Navy Seals workout...it nearly KILLS me! Yet I keep going back for more. Some days I wonder what the hell is wrong with me... It was really hard...especially alone...but I definitely felt a sense of accomplishment. I KNEW when I was done that I had done ALL I could and that I could not have worked any harder.

Later in the afternoon after lunch and some shopping..I went back up to meet J and talk about class tomorrow that I'm helping him with. He was finishing up the last part of the "Foundations" class for 2 firemen (I did the 1st part with 1 of them yesterday). At the end, they wanted to do a short workout and so they did a much smaller (scaled) version of what I had done earlier (half the reps...only 3 rounds...NO running). They were pretty beat in the end, so that reaffirmed just how hard I worked today.
WARMUP
-----------
RUN 1 MILE
DYNAMIC STRETCHING

WORKOUT
-------------
30 BOX JUMPS (24 IN)
20 THRUSTERS (45 LBS)
10 DEADLIFTS (155 LBS)
RUN 400 M
5 ROUNDS FOR TIME (58:22)

Day 481...iT's hArD tO gEt sTrOnG...

Today was a BUSY day. I had to work ALL day off and on...starting at 6 AM and ending 12 hours later. So I was up at 4 AM to shower and "wake up" before I had to talk to and train people. I am just NOT a morning person, so it takes me a while of being up and going before I can handle serious interaction. The morning class was pretty full and went very well. After I got home and got all the kids off to school, I headed back to the gym to workout myself.

I'm doing the "Starting Strength" program 3 days a week and doing MetCon workouts in between. I have to say...IT'S HARD TO "GET STRONG"! My body is tired and achy and it takes time and willpower in the gym. It was kinda boring and a bit of a struggle at times, but I did it and I'm gonna KEEP doing it. I'm also gonna be stronger when it's all said and done...sore or not...hard or easy...no matter what.

MY "STARTING STRENGTH" WORKOUT TODAY:
CARDIO
---------
3 MILE RUN

Day 480...i dId iT! i dId iT!...

I'm feelin better and I was back at it today. So...I'm gonna start with a little bragging...it's really a teensy tinesy part of what I did...but it's a BIG deal for me. I have wanted to do a DEAD HANG PULL UP ever since I worked with my first trainer and my great friend, W. I've tried and tried...but it NEVER happens! I finally worked on "KIPPING" PULL UPS with J and after a LOOOOONG time I got em. Still...I've always wanted to do DEAD HANGs.

Today I went up to the gym in the afternoon to workout with J. Some of the guys from the fire department right down the street that J works with came by. I should mention that these are 2 big guys. We were all talking and kinda playin around on the pull up bars. After doing some kipping pull ups, on the "skinny bar" , I went over to the "fat bar" and I was hanging. All of the sudden, I puuled my shoulder blades together and I started to rise so I kept pulling...and next thing I knew...I HAD DONE A DEAD HANG PULLUP!!!!!!!! And NO ONE even saw it! So I told J and then I did it again to SHOW him...I had to kick my legs a little at the end of the second one but still...I DID IT!!! Yay me! I didn't get much excitement from anyone, but I was happy on the inside anyways!

Okay so now on to the workout......
The two guys from the fire dept decided to do a workout that J suggested with a 53lb kettle bell. I wasn't sure what to do and they invited me to join them so I figured what the heck and agreed to join them. J decided to join us as well. So, here was the workout. The 4 of us stood in a circle. J started. He did 1 Kettle Bell swing with a 53 lb KB and then put it down and did 1 Burpee. While he was doin his Burpee, the guy next to him started with a KB swing and we kept going. You go from 1 to 10 and back down. At first, there is "rest" between sets, but by the time you get to 5, there's not much rest and NO "rest" once you get higher. It was so bad...so hard. I felt like some one was squeezing the air from my lungs and holding them so that I couldn't ever fully expand them with air. I was also choking down the fajitas I ate for lunch...really.

I have to say that I kept right up with those guys...3 strong firemen...they offered to let me use the 44 lb Kettle Bell. I used the 53 lb KB...JUST LIKE the boys. I was so dead when we were done, but it felt good. I felt strong. I was so pumped that as soon as I was done, I drove to the park and ran 4.5 miles! Today was a great day. I'm so glad to feel better and be back at the gym.

WORKOUT
-------------
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1
KETTLE BELL SWING (53 LB KB)
BURPEE
(that comes out to 100 REPS total of each exercise)

CARDIO
-----------
4.5 MILE RUN

Day 479...i'M eiTheR gEttiNg oLd oR sMaRt oR LaZy...

I NEVER skip working out. I even worked out a couple of years ago when I was sick for almost a month and later found out that I had whooping cough (this is why you wipe crap down in the gym...sickies like me)! I came home from our trip last week with a cold...feelin pretty bad...but not the worst I've felt. For some reason, I have just wanted to rest. I don't know...maybe I'm getting old...or maybe I'm lazy...or maybe I'm getting smarter. I just realized that I have to allow my body to heal...to get well...otherwise I keep tearing it down and I end up sick for a month. So, I made a conscious decision to rest. I wanted to workout with J, but instead I stayed in bed til noon...ate lunch...got a few groceries...and trained my client.

I also am trying to turn over a new leaf and go to bed earlier. I train my body like an athlete, but I fuel it with junk and treat it l did in college...go go go on NO sleep. I want to work on the diet part too...but right now I'm taking baby steps...tryin not to over train and trying to get more sleep and better "recovery". My goal is to be IN BED by 10:30, so that's all for today!

REST/RECOVERY

Day 478...i dOn'T waNNa bE siCk...

I haven't been sick in a VERY long time...over a year...but now I am...and I don't like it...at all.

SUNDAY=REST DAY

Day 477...fReE cLasSeS aT tHe gYm...

Okay, so first I have to say...next time he decides to start snappin pics with MY camera...I hope R tells me to suck it in! I'm all slumped and practically lookin pregnant! ha ha! Okay, enough whining...on to business..

I woke up...head pounding...throat sore. Great. We had 2 free classes that were advertised at the gym. J said that if I was too sick, I didn't need to come...but I wanted to go and I knew I wasn't going to stay in bed. I also knew that I felt bad but I wasn't THAT sick, so I went up to help J teach some movements and to help people through the workouts. We had several people come that were new and seemed to really like Crossfit. I LOVE LOVE LOVE seeing people come in and "drink the Kool Aid" and get hooked. There they are...sweating...out of breath....you can visibly see that they are shocked at the way they feel...because Crossfit is like nothing else. They are worn out, but they want MORE. A few people even signed up to take the beginning courses this next week, so I would say it was a success. When everyone left, I was hoping that R and/or J would want to workout out. No such luck. I was feelin pretty bad, but I knew I needed to workout.

It was such a beautiful day. I wanted to drag the tire and rower and kettlebells outside..but the fact is...I had NO energy left. PLus...it was now 12:30 and I hadn't eaten all day. I talked to my husband and decided to just leave and meet him for lunch. I was so tired and I knew I needed rest...I just didn't want to feel bad for not doing anything. After lunch, I tanned, and I headed home...wishing I had worked out...plotting my next move. I got home...changed...and went for a run. It was hard to breathe being congested and it was really warm...but I made it 3 miles. So...not exactly a tough workout...but I did SOMETHING.

RUN 3 MILES

Day 476...nOt a sTroNg cOmEbaCk...

...........................THE CLEAN AND JERK............................

Well, we got home from our trip to Utah last night. We had a good flight and a great dinner at our favorite Mexican restaurant on the way home. I'm not sure what came over me, but I unpacked EVERYTHING as soon as we got home...so strange for me. Usually me and my husband have to walk around my suitcase for 2 weeks before I finally get so tired of it and feel so guilty that I unpack it. I just clicked on AMC and watched the "Rockyfest" that was on as I unpacked and started a little laundry. All in all it was a pretty good trip.

Unfortunately, I seem to have brought home a bit of a cold. That...coupled with the fact that I could not go to sleep last night...caused me to get up a little later than I would've liked. My throat was feeling sore and my voice was pretty hoarse. I kept meaning to get to the gym...and then I would get an email...or someone would text or call. Next thing I knew...it was NOON...and I hadn't accomplished much. I finally decided to just shower and get all ready so I could meet my sisters for lunch. I wore my workout clothes so that I could go up to the gym after lunch to workout.

I went by the gym to talk to J about some things going on, but he had a guy in there working out so instead of discussing...I ended up being the "stopwatch girl" before headin to meet my sissys. I had a great lunch full of laughs and then went straight back to the gym. I was feelin so run down and so unmotivated. What we do at CrossFit is demanding...physically and mentally...so it's hard when I'm not really "feelin it". I sat around...then Ry came in and I chatted with him...then I went and ran a mile...then came back to workout with the 5:30 "crew".

I wasn't excited about the workout...I'm not a fan of the Clean and Jerk. It's a complicated lift that requires just the right amount of speed and power and coordination. Ever since I went to the Barbell class...I have struggled to do Power Cleans the way they taught us. I end up over thinking it and psyching myself out until strength is not a problem...it's my brain that won't let me get myself under the bar when it's heavy. The workout was the same as the main page...Clean and Jerks...1 the first minute...2 the second minute...3 the third and so on and so on until you cannot complete the number of reps before the minute is up. After we were done...we did pullups the same way.

In the end...today wasn't the strong comeback that I had hoped for. I didn't do a lot...but I fought the urge to be lazy and not do anything. I'm not sure what I've done, but I have hurt the muscle along the back of my arm...it hurts between my shoulder and tricep...and it's really bothering me. Just add it to the list of things that didn't go quite right. So in the end, I have to say that it wasn't a perfect day...I didn't feel particularly proud of my effort...and it wasn't a day to brag about. At the same time...I'm glad I pushed through and did some things that I don't like to do. Good or bad...I'm glad to be back.

RUN 1 MILE

CLEAN & JERKS (as follows...1 the first minute...2 the second minute and so on until the reps can't be completed in a minute)
I MADE IT UP TO 5 MINUTES AND THEN ON MINUTE 6, I ONLY COMPLETED 4. SO IN 6 MINUTES, I DID 10 CLEAN & JERKS WITH 85 LBS

THEN:
PULL UPS (done in the same fashion)
I GOT UP TO MINUTE 9 AND STOPPED B/C MY OLD BLOOD BLISTER RIPPED OPEN...SO IN NINE MINUTES, I DID 45 PULLUPS

Day 475...a nEw yEaR...a nEw sTaRt...

I have always loved writing here. I say I do it for me...and I do. At the same time, I've been busy for the past 2 weeks plus and I guess I figured that no one reads anyways...so I have taken the LONGEST break since starting this blog. I didn't even give it a thought until my best friend that doubles as my sister, fussed at me over hot sauce and chips at a Mexican restaurant.

S: OKAY MISSY! (that's what we call each other...dunno why) IS "PAIN DIARIES" OVER OR WHAT?!?

ME: WHAT DO YOU MEAN?

S: I KEEP CHECKING AND YOU NEVER POST!

ME: OH YEAH...I KNOW!...BUT I FIGURE WHAT DOES IT MATTER?...I'M BUSY AND NOONE READS ANYWAY!

S: I DO! AM I NOBODY?!?!?!

ME: OKAY...OKAY.

That was about 2 weeks ago. I meant to catch up, but I just never did. So as I sit here on New Year's Eve, writing thoughts down for my other blog (I know!...a sad thing to do on the biggest party night of the year!) I realized that today...now officially January 1st as of 7 minutes ago...is the perfect day to make a fresh start. I'll go back to writing the events of each day in the gym and along the path towards getting stronger and better at what I love to do.

I'll start with some realizations that have come to me over the past 5 days or so that I have been working out at 24 HR Fitness because I have been traveling and away from my normal surroundings/gym. I've seen people flounder and flail at the gym...aimlessly wandering...no plan or direction. I've seen some movements that literally scared me and made me worry about the health of the person performing the movements. I've seen "Trainers"...walking clients around and plopping them on machines...no passion or enthusiasm for what they do. I've also seen these same "Trainers" sit by and allow their client to use really poor form and really light weight. I've had strange comments as I was deadlifting...something that I consider a STAPLE of ANY workout regimen...things like "Wow, you must be an athlete!". I'm thinking, "Wow, this guy must never see people do deadlifts!" I've seen the perplexed look and the awe as the "everyman" in the gym watches me workout. And after all this...I have come to some conclusions...

1. I am so glad that I have direction and goals. I KNOW what my one rep max is on deadlift and back squat and bench press...and I KNOW where I want to be in the future. The weight I choose is not random...it's calculated. Everyone should have goals in the gym...specific goals.

2. I am so lucky that I have spent the time and money necessary to attend classes and work with experts and trainers so that I have the knowledge and training that I need to do lifts and movements in the gym with correct form and efficient technique. Am I perfect? NO!!! Am I proficient? YES! It is worth every penny and every bit of discomfort that I have experienced over the years to learn how to do exercises CORRECTLY.

3. I am convinced that hiring a personal trainer is more of a necessity than it is a luxury. People don't need to hire a trainer indefinitely, but everyone can benefit from one on one TRAINING...not someone that sits you on a machine with a yawn and devoid of passion...a trainer that wants to teach and enlighten and change people's lives. It really can make a difference in the ability that people have to attain goals and be successful in the gym.

4. Olympic Lifts and Barbell Training is NOT just for Olympians and Power Lifters. These movements can greatly improve strength and coordination. People who are serious about their fitness should not take exercising lightly...they SHOULD train AS IF they ARE athletes. I feel so lucky to have learned these movements and to be able to practice them weekly.

5. FINALLY...I realized that what I do for a "living"...personal training...IS not a silly job...but a worthwhile service and a serious responsibility. I have become re-energized and re-committed to learning more and being the best trainer that I can be. What I do, can heal people's bodies and souls. What I do, can make a difference. What I do, IS important and I am so thankful to W and J for encouraging me and pushing me to face my fears and to do what I love...as a job.

Here's to a new year! 2009 will be the year that I accomplish things I never thought possible 5 years ago! Cheers!