Jo - I dunno. That is a good question. Hope she's doing alright.

Beeps - yes, a little is nice but cut it off there. I got stuffs to lift so no need lots of talking.

Well, I forgot my notebook at home that has what I'm supposed to lift in it. Spent a few hours before lifting getting stuff done while at Starbucks just enjoying coffee and a small snack since I don't like doing squats day fasted. Got to gym and there discovered no notebook. I figured out the main squat number and set but was wrong on the overload and pause squats since their progression isn't the same as the main lift. So, I did less weight than supposed to on both but oh well. Important part was hitting those squats, which were super slow for that weight but definitely hitting depth and tried to imagine the squat cues being given since don't have anyone there to yell at me to squat, lol.

Chapter 4: Squats

warm up on elliptical for 10 minuts

Squats 2x10 @ 45, 1x8 @ 95, 1x6 @ 135, 155 1x5
working sets = 170 4x3

overload 230 for 15 count (was supposed to do 240)

pause squats 1x4 @ 110 and 1x4 @ 115 for 8 count each rep (was supposed to do 120 2x3)

good morning 3x10 @ 95

sumo deadlift 1x6 @ 135 and 3x5 @ 185

Decent though had the minor oops on the wrong weights but oh well. Also had a guy comment on how hard I was hitting the squats since that's pretty much all he saw me do during the time there (he left before I did the other things). Yep, it was squat day so that's how it goes.

Dawn - you didn't do badly on the weights considering you forgot your notebook! Definitely hitting those squats hard!

Kimi - I hear you on not making time to lift, that was the habit I had gotten into. Luckily I seem to have snapped out of it.

Did cardio yesterday, dull, I hate it, nothing to report.

I was also pretty much unable to walk yesterday and this morning, every single muscle in my thighs had decide to be very very sore.

Went back to the gym today to lift and that seems to have helped though.

Workout was:

Reverse lunge 3x10 each leg, 20kg barbell
Inverted row 3x10 # 11 on the smith
Romanian DL 3x10, 45kg
Push up 3x10, #7 on the smith

Was supposed to do core, but my core hurts, so i stretched for ~20 minutes afterwards, which was very worthwhile!

Will probably try to lift tomorrow too, hopefully I won't be sore from this one!

Yes, I miss dna too!!
Great lifting ladies! I'm down to 3x/week right now, but liking it that way. I'm on a decent deficit and down 2 lbs finally!!!!

In my phone so ill bbl . Take care all!!

That's a long time ago for such a regular to this thread - also hoping all is ok!

I lifted today post night shift. It was crappy but it got done.

Cardio for me this morning too - combat. Was so freakin' hard - body hated every second. Blaming night shift. Maybe because I've dropped a couple of kgs too - will have to watch it's not coming off too fast. Workouts are certainly harder with a deficit, even a small one!

Good news. Singlet came in on Friday, as expected, and does fit. Then on Saturday, pretty much less than 2 days after ordering, the lifting belt came in. They be quick over at the liftinglarge web site. It's a little bigger than I expected but is still within the requirements of the competition as the belt can't be bigger than 4 inches. Forgot how big 4 inches was, lol. Glad I got the large though instead of medium since measurement wise I'm at the top end of the medium listing. Now I have some time to learn how to use it and see if I want to use the belt at the meet or not. It is very pink and will be one of the few things I ever own that is pink. Lifted last night with bench and tonight is deadlifts after work.


Chapter 5: Bench

Bench - 2x10 @ 45, 1x8 @ 70, 1x6 @ 95 (heavy)
working sets - 4x3 @ 105

pull up attempts 3x1 almost at 2, chin ups 1x3
db bench press 4x5 @ 40

db fly 3x8 @ 25
one db row 3x8 @ 45

face pull 3x10 @ 60
pallof press 3x10 @ 35

Beeps - Thanks. I'm hoping to get 125 at the meet. I've done 1 rep at that weight barely for a bodybuilding.com thing but it barely qualified. Hoping this peak cycle helps get a good rep at the meet for that.


Today I did lifting after work and tried out the lifting belt for the first time. It's a bit bulky as 4 inches is quite large when you don't have a long torso. Need to figure out where to place it for each lift, since going to try it out for both squats and deadlifts, though I did do one working set without first. Went okay though by the time I tried rack pulls my calluses got achy.

Oh, and yesterday was Chapter 4: bench and not 5 yet.

Chapter 4: Deadlift

band pulls 3x10
low bar squats 2x10 @ 45, 1x8 @ 95, 1x6 @ 115, 1x5 @ 150 and 2x5 @ 150 with belt

Deadlift 1x6 @ 135, 1x5 @ 185, 1x3 @ 200 and 3x3 @ 200 with belt

hip thrust 3x10 @ 115 using mat as padding, awkward but might increase next time

rack pulls 2x5 @ 205 - eh, hands ached

Thanks.

I'm actually not a fan of pink for the most part. Purple would have been better but this was the best option at the time and it sure shipped quick. This pink is manageable but probably won't be adding any more pink items to the mix.

As for the cardio - my struggle is getting my long run in outside. It has been so rainy lately and with work, I just haven't done it. Need to get increasing my long runs in the near future. Hopefully the weather will be a little better in April. Still haven't picked a half-marathon to train for over summer, so we'll wait and see what time frame I pick.

Had a hard time sleeping lately. Last night didn't really sleep until after 4 am so it's good I didn't have work as I stayed in bed past noon. I also ate slightly expired candy at 2 am so went over my calories but oh well. Hope tonight is better. Tomorrow I meet with the boy cashiers from work (have 2 males that aren't managers, most of the people at work are female except top boss and one pharmacist aside from them) to get sushi before going to do squats.


Chapter 5: OHP

Now we're on chapter 5. Did a light warm up on the elliptical since I don't work today. Followed by band pulls between warm up sets of OHP using my yellow resistance band.

OHP 2x10 @ 45, 1x6 @ 65 and 4x3 @ 80

pull ups 3x2ish, almost two per set. I can see above the bar but not get my chin there
chin ups 1x3, getting closer to 4
tricep pushdown 4x8 @ 80

incline bench on smith machine 3x5 @ 50 - just the weights counted and tried it out for fun
pendlay rows with straps 3x5 @ 100 - doing okay, think I like using the straps on this. Form is better for now.

Jogged 30 minutes on treadmill while watching Food Network.

Had another great one today.

Romanian DL: 2x10 @ 50kg 1x10 @ 55kg
Push ups on low bench: 3x10
Reverse lunge: 3x10/10 @ 25kg preloaded barbell (these nearly killed me)
Inverted row: 11 on smith, 3x8. Rubbish.

Plank with pulldown 2x12

Finished off with sled pushes up and down the gym until I could do no more!

Have to go tomorrow too as can't go Friday and I can never get to the gym at the weekend. 3 days in a row for me.

Weight has stalled temporarily but I SQUEEZED into some size 14 skirts that haven't fit since before I was pregnant - nearly 2 years ago. Hopefully they will be wearable soon (my whole wardrobe is essentially UK 14). At the start of this year I was kidding myself in a 16, was definitely an 18, maybe even more.

Ultimately I would love to be a size 10. I have never purchased an item of clothing in a 10. I don't really believe it will ever happen for me.

Low carb is making me feel like MAYBE it will

Not sure why so much female stuff is pink. Never been a color I wanted lots of in my wardrobe or any items in general.

Did manage to get squats done last night after working freight. It went okay but squats take me the longest to get through. Very heavy too even though it's not at the top numbers yet. Belt went okay for the few sets I used it on. Felt better on high bar than the first attempt on low bar, since it didn't shift during the lift.

Chapter 5: Squats

warmup squats - 2x10 @ 45, 1x8 @ 95, 1x6 @ 135, 1x5 @ 155
Squats 2x4 @ 170 (one without belt) 2x3 @ 180 - rest with belt and slow

overload 240 for 15 count - Freakin' heavy

pause squats 1x4 @ 120 and 1x3 @ 130 all with 8 count

sumo deadlift 1x6 @ 135 and 3x5 @ 190


That is all.

Manic-woohoo!! Go girl! So glad you're back at it!! Hope you're feeling good .
Jo-moving?!? With your overly full plate? Eek! Hope things go smoothly!!
Beeps-good job. I really hope something good comes through for you soon! Come move to AZ, we don't do the clock change thing .
Dawn-killing it as usual. Boys from work? Do tell
Stephe-great job! Wait and see how LC treats you! You're doing great!

I'm doing well. Finally got the scale to move some, the right direction for a change . I've walked 4 days this week, it's been so beautiful here, and I need to get my mileage up so I don't fall apart in Europe walking 12 miles a day.
I tried my first yoga class today! Finally. It was fun, hard but good. I hope to keep one in each week
Lifted today too. Upper body. Doing just 3x/ week now, all good. Added weight too gonna keep on keeping on. Would love to be down another 5 lbs before I leave. Rather ambitious, but worth a shot.

Keep it up ladies! You're doing great!

Manic - nice work.
Julie - not much to tell. Just happen to have two guys who are cashiers and learning photo (my department). One is in school and think he's going to try and get in pharmacy. Other studied graphic design and videography type stuff. It's just fun to do something outside of work on occasion. The video one also is trying to lose a little weight so I can always talk calories deficits and how delicious lenny&larry cookies are with him.

Jo - Thanks. Wow you have a lot going on. Good luck with that. And yeah, yolo and such... eh, that still sounds weird. I'll stick to the whole phrase too, we only live once.

And for the not so great Saturday but I got it done.

Chapter 5: Bench... aka the first fail of the prep

Yep, today was bench and I failed on my last set. It wasn't so bad as I've failed before at 115 and once on incline bench, which was far more awkward and at a lighter weight. Had to roll of shame it but got it handled well enough. There was one guy there, in the squat rack, and he did actually ask if I was okay. Though he also made a comment about how I should get someone to spot me and such. He later failed on squats and ended up having the safeties a little low (not the best time to discover that factor) but didn't respond when I just asked if he was okay. Do hope he didn't hurt anything cause that would suck. He left after squatting and I finished up my accessories in the empty gym.


band pulls warm up 3x10

Bench warm up 2x10 @ 45, 1x8 @ 70, 1x6 @ 95
working set 2x4 @ 105, 1x3 and 1x2 @ 110 (last rep failed)

pull ups 3x1.5 and chin ups 1x3
db bench press 4x5 @ 40

db fly 1x8 @ 30 and 2x10 @ 25 - 30 felt a tad heavy
one db row 3x8 @ 45

face pull 3x10 @ 60
pallof press 3x10 @ 35

Overall, okay but tad rough with the fail on 110 as I've done it many times before. Oh well. Onward and carry on with tomorrow being deadlifts.