Mon 4/30 - Legs

Quads / Hammies - a.m. weights
Squat: 2 warms, 85/15, 95/15, 105/15, 110/12
Leg ext: 1 warm, 50/15, 55/15, 60/15, 60/10
Leg press: 200/15, 220/15, 240/14, 250/10
DB lunge: 3 x 15, 20 lb dbs
Deads: 1 warm, 75/15, 90/15, 100/15, 115/15
Good mornings: bar/15, 55/15, 60/15, 65/15

Legs are spent!

Cardio - p.m.
40 mins ss: 20 mins stairmaster + 20 mins treadmill

Good greif legs are jello! Had to bail after 20 mins on the starimaster. Back to back days of intervals on the spin bike Sat/Sun and a morning of quads/hammies my legs couldn't take more than 20 mins of it.

Really tired today. Will send pics later in the day tomorrow - have back to back meetings beginning at 8 AM and will be too pressed for time to do them first thing. So excited to see the lineup of competitors. Nervous but excited :)


Adventure: the pursuit of life.
~Daniel Roy Wiarda

Fri 4/27 - Back & Hammies

Routine B - a.m. weights
Lat pull wide (palm up): 2 warms, 85/10, 90/10, 95/9
Close row (low cable): 1 warm, 70/12, 75/12 x 2
Bent over row: 1 warm, 75/10 x 2, 80/10
DB deads: 1 warm, 50/10, 55/10 (hammies were really tight today!)
Good mornings: bar/12, 65/12, 70/12
Glute / ham raise: 3 x to failure

Cardio - p.m.
30 mins stairmill + 30 mins treadmill 4.2 @ 6 incline

Not feeling the love today. I feel fat and bloaty and overall just "ucky".

"If you're feeling low, don't despair. The sun has a sinking spell every night, but it comes back up every morning. The way I see it, if you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain."
~ Dolly Parton

Thurs 4/26 - Chest & Tris

Routine B - a.m. weights
Slight incl bar press: 2 warms, 65/8, 70/8, 75/7
Incl db press: 1 warm, 25/10, 30/10, 35/8
Flat fly: 1 warm, 22.5/12 x 2
Tricep dips: 4 x failure
Rope pressdown: 1 warm, 95/12, 110/11
Lying bar ext: 30/10, 40/8

Abs:
Hip ups on bench 3 x 15
Bicycle crunch 3 x 15
Plank --> pike --> knees in w/TRX straps 3 x 20 (burning abs!)

Cardio p.m.
HIIT - intervals on bike

Felt good today despite being up and on line at 4:30 a.m. Not sure why I'm still wide awake?!
Don't use any energy drinks or anything (tried those Rockstars - I don't know how Nic drinks them - OMG my eyes were on fire) Anyway... planning my peak week meals since I can't sleep.

Now I'm hungry and babbling - lol.


“Our aspirations are our possibilities.”
-Robert Browning

Weds 4/25 - Quads

Routine B - a.m. weights
Squats: 2 warms, 110/10, 120/10, 130/7 (UGH), 110/15
Hack squat: 1 warm, 90/10, 110/12
Bar lunge: 55/12, 65/12, 70/12
Leg ext: 70/10 x 2
Leg press: 275/17, 300/15
Sissy Squat: 3 x 20

Cardio - p.m.
30 mins stairmaster + 30 mins eliptical

Not sure what happened with the squats but I just couldn't squeek out 10 reps at 130? Dropped back to 110 and rep'd it out. A few less reps on the leg press too. Cardio at 6:30 tonight was an effort - feeling pretty tired today. Got it done.


If you really want to do it, you do it. There are no excuses.
~Bruce Nauman

Tues 4/24 - Bis & Shoulders

Routine B - a.m. weights
Side laterals: 1 warm, 15/10, 17.5/10, 20/8
High Incl DB press: 1 warm, 30/10 x 2, 35/9
Floor raises: 1 warm, 7.5/10, 80/10 (ugh... burning burning burning shoulders)
Incline DB curl: 1 warm, 15/6 x 2, 17.5/6
Cable curl: 90/10, 95/12
1 arm preacher: 15/12, 15/10

Cardio - p.m.
Intervals: Sprints on the spin bike

Abs
Weighted rope 3 x 25
Swiss ball crunch 3 x 15
Reverse crunch 3 x 15
Side plank / hip drops 3 x 15
Plank - hold 90 seconds x 3

Looonnnggg day --> now 9:15 p.m. and I'm wiped out! Off to shower, pack my gym bag for the a.m. and start all over. Thrilled to find I don't need to be in North Jersey tomorrow by 7:30 a.m. - woot!!!! Life is good :)


The world of achievement has always belonged to the optimist.
~Harold Wilkins

Mon 4/23 - Back & Hammies

Routine B - a.m. weights
Lat pull (palm up): 2 warms, 85/10, 90/10, 95/9
Close row (high - machine):60/12, 70/12, 80/12
Bent over row: 1 warm,75/10 x 2, 80/10 (really 9 - 10th one was bad)
DB deads: 1 warm, 50/10 x 2
Good mornings: bar/12, 65/12, 70/12
Glute ham raise: 3 x to fail

Cardio - p.m.
60 minutes ss (30 eliptical + 30 treadmill / incline)

Solid workout with just 12 days left! Time is flying by now.


The most important thing about goals is having one.
- Geoffry Abert

Sun 4/22 - Chest & Tris

Routine B
Incline chest press: 2 warms, 65/8, 70/8, 75/7
Incline db press: 1 warm, 25/10, 30/10, 35/8
Flat fly: 1 warm, 22.5/12 x 2
Tricep dips: 4 x to failure
Lying bar ext: 30/10, 40/10
Rope pressdown: 95/10, 110/10

Abs:
Decline bench 3 x 15
Swiss ball crunch 3 x 15
Plank & hold 1 minute x 3

Cardio:
Intervals


Hit the gym first thing thing this morning and glad I did. Workout was much better than my last round of chest/tris. Felt really tired after a solid 2 hr workout *yawn* followed up by 30 minutes of posing / t-walk practice.

Finishing up meal prep for the week and getting ready for Monday to start it all over again :)
Show was great and really got me psyched about Richmond.


Progress always involves risk. You can’t steal second base and keep your foot on first.
~ Frederick Wilcox

Fri 4/20 - Quads

Routine B - a.m. weights
Squat: 2 warms, 110/10, 120/10, 130/10
Hack squat: 1 warm, 90/10, 100/10
Bar lunge: 55/12, 65/12, 70/12
Leg curl: 70/10 x 2
Leg press: 275/20, 300/17
Sissy squat: 3 x 20

Cardio: 30 mins stairmaster + 15 mins eliptical

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Sat 4/21 - Day off from weights
Intervals on bike

Great show today. Always fun and nice to see everyone. Have made so many wonderful friends as part of this sport ~ they are all a little cracked though (I think that's what makes it so special)


“A true friend is someone who thinks that you are a good egg even though he knows
that you are slightly cracked”

Thurs 4/19 - Bis & Shoulders

Routine B - a.m. weights
Side laterals: 1 warm, 15/8, 17.5/8, 20/8
High incl db press: 1 warm, 30/10, 35/7 (UGH), back to 30/11
Floor raises: 1 warm, 7.5/10, 8/10 (burning...)
Incl db curl: 1 warm, 15/6 x 2, 17.5/6
Cable curl: 90/10, 95/10
1 arm preacher: 15/12, 15/11

Cardio / TRX - p.m.
30 mins stairmaster
TRX class
15 mins bike

Workouts have been ok. Frustrating when I can't hit 35 for 10 reps on the presses but giving it all I got.


The question isn't who is going to let me; it's who is going to stop me.
~Ayn Rand, The Fountainhead

Weds 4/18 - Back & Hammies

Routine B - a.m. weights
Lat pull (palm up): 2 warms, 85/10, 90/9, 95/8
Close row (high): 50/12, 60/12, 65/12
used the isolateral high row machine (never used this before - nice change)
Bent over row: 1 warm, 70/10, 75/10, 80/10
DB deads: 1 warm, 50/10 x 2
Good mornings: bar/12, 65/12, 70/12 (love these!)
Glute / ham raise: 3 x to failure (hate these!)

Abs - 3 x 15
Reverse crunch
Scissor kicks
Swiss ball pull ins
Plank & hold 1 minute x 2

Cardio - p.m.
Intervals: Sprints on the bike

Overall a solid workout. Feeling tired today - didn't sleep well and working late tonight.
Staying focused & gettin' it done!


Winning doesn't always mean being first. Winning means doing better than you've done before.
~Bonnie Blair

Tues 4/17 - Chest & Tris

Routine B - a.m. weights
Slight incl bar press: 2 warms, 60/8, 65/8, 70/8
Incl db press: 1 warm, 25/10, 30/10 x 2
Flat fly: 1 warm, 20/12, 22.5/12
Tricep dips: 4 x to failure
Lying bar ext: 30/10, 40/6 (UGH), back to 30/15
Rope pressdown: 1 warm, 95/10, 110/10

Cardio - p.m.
25 mins stairmaster + 20 mins bike

Have not done incl bar presses in forever - forgot how much more challenging they are than flat bar. Couldn't hit 10 reps on the lying bar ext today - crap!
Triceps were on fire so I know I worked 'em. Just not sure who borrowed my strength today?!

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Monday 4/16
Off from weights. Intervals (sprints on the spin bike)
Abs - swiss ball work


Tough times don't last. Tough people do.

Sun 4/15 - Quads

Routine B
Squats: 2 warms, 90/10, 110/10, 130/8
Hack squat (hack squat machine): 1 warm, 90/10, 110/10
Bar lunge: bar/12, 65/12, 70/12
Sissy squat: 3 x 20
Leg press: 275/20, 300/18

Cardio (post lifting)
45 mins stairmill

Between lifting and the stairmill - burning quads!!!

Did my taxes (yay - well not really but their done) and then some yard work. Overalla productive day. Lovin' the high carb day - woot!

EAT! You're not a rabbit, so don't eat like one
(this made me laugh b/c my coworkers think I starve myself - then they see me carry my cooler into the office - hello!)

Sat 4/14 - Bi's & Shoulders

Routine A

Seated bar press: 2 warms, 50/8, 55/8, 60/8

Seated side laterals: 12.5/10 x 2/ 15/10

Front raise/rear delt (ss): 12.5/12, 15/12, 17.5/9

Rope curl: 85/10, 90/10

Con curl: 15/12, 17.5/12

Bar curl: 40/7, 50/5 (UGH)!!, 40/10

Couldn't hit the 50's today (changed the order and did them last - poo!)

Cardio: 45 mins bike

Then off to posing class. So much fun to see everyone's progress in both their physique and in their posing. Very thankful to have met so many great people!

Gratitude is the sign of noble souls.

~Aesop

Fri 4/13 - Back & Hammies

Routine A - a.m. weights
Lat pull (wide): 2 warms, 80/8, 85/8, 85/10
Deads (str leg / bar): 2 warms, 100/10, 125/10, 135/10
DB Bench row: 25/10, 30/10, 35/10
Seated cable row: 70/12, 75/12 x 2
Leg curl: 1 warm, 60/10, 65/10, 70/10
Single leg curl: 25/12, 27.5/12 x 2

Cardio: Intervals
Sprints on the spin bike - 5 min warm, 20 min sprints, 15 min cool down
My booty hurts (a good hurt)


Implemented changes as instructed and feeling kinda bloaty today. I felt like it was lot of carbs (who'd of thought I would ever say that right?)

Gratitude is an art of painting an adversity into a lovely picture.
~Kak Sri

Thurs 4/12 - Chest & Tris

Routine A - a.m. weights
Incline DB press: 2 warms, 25/8, 30/8 35/8
Flat bar press: 1 warm, 65/8, 70/10
Pushups: 3 x to fail
Triceps pressdown: 2 warms, 115/12, 120/12
Lying db ext: 12.5/10 x 2
1 hand pressdown: 50/12, 60/12

Cardio - 45 mins p.m.
20 mins stairmill + 25 mins recumbent bike

Did the db presses correctly this time :) Foot was not screaming after getting off the stairmill so I may actually try to run tomorrow and take her for a test drive.

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Weds 4/11 - day off from weights
Cardio: Intervals 1 hr spin class (lots of sprinting!)
Ab work with swiss ball

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We are what we repeatedly do, excellence then is not an act, but a habit.

Tues 4/10 - Quads

Routine A - a.m. weights
Leg extension: 2 warms, 75/10, 80/10
Front squat: 2 warms, 75/8, 80/8, 85/8
Sumo DB: 75/10, 80/10, 80/15
Split Squat (smith machine/leg on bench): 40/12, 50/12, 60/12
Leg press: 275/20, 300/17

Cardio - p.m.
45 mins recumbent bike

A pretty good quad workout today followed by a cortisone injection in my foot tonight. Doc said to stay light (no running, no spinning, no boot camp, no stairmaster - UGH) No running for 2-3 days. Good news is that I'm on the mend - yippee!!!

Any change, even a change for the better, is always accompanied by drawbacks and discomforts.
~Arnold Bennett

Mon 4/9 - Bis & Shoulders

Routine A - a.m. weights
Seated bar press: 2 warms, 45/8, 50/8, 55/6 - UGH, second attempt, 55/7
Seated side laterals: 12.5/10, 12.5/10, 15/10
Front raise / rear delt (ss): 12.5/12, 15/12, 17.5/10
Bar curl: 1 warm, 40/7, 45/6, 50/6
Con curl: 15/12, 17.5/12
Rope cable curl: 80/10, 85/10

Cardio - p.m.
Intervals - 50 min spin class

Wasn't feeling very strong today - boo :( Gave it my best but it just seemed like I couldn't hit the same #'s as last go round on some stuff. Tomorrow is a new day!

Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm.
- Winston Churchill

Sun 4/8 - Back & Hammies

Routine A
Lat pull (wide): 2 warms, 80/8, 85/8, 90/7
Deads (str leg bar): 2 warms, 100/10, 125/10, 135/11
DB bench row: 25/10, 30/10, 35/10
Seated cable row (wide): 60/12, 65/12
Leg curl: 1 warm, 60/10, 65/10, 70/10
Single leg curl: 25/12, 27.5/12, 27.5/10

Abs:
Worked abs with TRX system (burning!)

Cardio:
25 mins stairmaster + 20 mins bike

Overall a decent workout. Had trouble with the lat pulls and the bench rows seemed particularly challenging today (form was pretty bad on the last few reps).

A great day with the hubby and the in-laws. Very blessed to have them!

Blessed are they who see beautiful things in humble places where other people see nothing.

Thurs 4/5 - Quads

Routine A - a.m. weights
Leg ext: 2 warms, 75/10, 80/10
Front Squat: 2 warms, 75/8, 80/8, 85/8
Sumo DB squat: 1 warm, 75/10, 80/10, 80/15
Split squat: (leg on bench) 35/12, 45/12, 55/12
Leg press: 275/20, 300/15

Cardio p.m.
45 mins eliptical

Not terribly shabby considering not much sleep the night before. Always working on that.

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Friday 4/6 - off from lifting.
Headed to spin class for intervals today and some ab work.


Don't give up when everything doesn't fall into place.

Weds 4/4 - Bis & Shoulders

Routine A - a.m. weights
Seated bar press: 2 warms, 50/8, 55/8, 60/8
Seated side laterals: 12.5/12, 12.5/12, 15/11
Front raise / rear delt fly (ss): 1 warm, 12.5/12, 15/12, 17.5/12
Bar curl: 1 warm, 40/6, 45/6, 50/5
Conc curl: 17.5/12 x 2
Rope cable curl: 80/10, 85/10

Cardio: p.m. Intervals
50 minute spin class


Long day, gonna be a long night (still working). The gym is a welcome break.

Tues 4/3 - Back & Hammies

Routine A - a.m. weights
Lat pull (wide): 2 warms, 80/8, 85/8, 90/8
Deads (str leg / bar): 2 warms, 100/10, 110/10, 120/10
DB bench row: 1 warm, 25/10, 30/10, 35/10
Seated cable row (close): 70/12, 75/12
Lying leg curls: 1 warm, 60/10, 65/10, 70/10
Single leg curls: 25/12, 27.5/12 x 2

Cardio - p.m.
25 stairmill + 25 precor

Solid workout. Foot is a little messed up so no boot camp - BOO :(
Overall life is good - less than 5 weeks to go!

Try not to become a person of success but rather a person of value.

Sun 4/1 - Chest & Tris

Routine A
Inc DB press: 2 warms, 30/8, 35/8, 35/10
Flat bar: 1 warm, 70/8, 80/8
Pushups: 3 x to failure
Lying db ext: 1 warm, 12.5/10, 15/9
Triceps pressdown: 2 warms, 115/12, 120/12
1 hand pressdown: 50/12, 60/10

Abs:
Hip ups on bench (3 x 15)
Pull-ins on bench (3 x 15)
Knee raises (3 x 20)
Reverse crunch (3 x 15)
Plank & hold (3 x 30 seconds)
WHEW!

Cardio:
30 mins stairmaster + 20 mins recumbent bike

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Sat 3/31 - Quads with the boss
Lots of squats!
Cardio - only got in 30 mins of cardio with the grandkids here. First (and last) time during prep I didn't get in the required cardio - 15 mins shy. It was a worthwhile trade off - very much enjoyed them!

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Work hard and play hard. But don't confuse the two.
~Author Unknown