Women who Lift Weights (and do so many other things)

When I am set to increase my weights - that must mean my form is perfect for all reps and all sets, I don’t feel taxed after the exercise, and my soreness in the following days is very manageable. This is how I determine when I’m set to increase my weights. I also try to reorder my sets (for ex, if back squats were last for the last few weeks, I’ll move them to number one or number two of that group) and make sure I still feel really good about the exercise. And then I just increase by 5-10 lbs per weight per exercise and start all over again!

Thursday 11/30
AMRAP style again - more of cardio work out (same as above)

Friday 12/1
Pyramid - 10, 8, 6, 4, 2, and then back up to 10. Shoulders, bis, and tris! Three exercises, shoulder press (20lb DBs), bicep curls (20lb DBs), and tricep kickbacks (15lbs and then 12 lbs DBs). I did reverse the order going back up the pyramid.

I’m traveling this weekend for the holidays so tomorrow will likely be my favorite holiday work
out, a 3-5mi run in some park/trail/city. Both mentally stimulating and a good cardio workout!

Lift hard, lift strong, lift smart. N

Sunday 12/10 Leg Day
Warm up
Changed up the sets slightly - 3 groups with 2
exercises in each group, 8 reps each exercise
1. Elevated heel squats - 95lb barbell (DBs difficult to keep form - wanted to shift weight forward so changed to barbell, much more comfortable with weight in heels)
1. Walking lunges 30lbs DB each hand

2. Back squats 155lbs barbell
2. Hamstring curls 35 lbs

3. Split squats 30lbs DBs
3. Front Squats 115lbs barbells
*doing elevated heel squats first did make back squats and front squats feel really difficult today - I wanted to go as low in those squats as I did with the heels elevated and it just wasn’t working…got it done though … difficult today*
Cool Down

Lift hard, lift strong, lift smart. N

Monday 12/18/23 shoulders, bis and tris
Warm up
3 sets, 10 reps
Lat raise - 8lbs DBs
Front raise - 10lbs DBs
Hammer curl - 20lbs DBs
Bent Over Tricep Kickback - 12lbs DBs

Shoulder press - 20lbs DBs x 2, 25lbs x 1
Zottman curls- 15lbs DBs
Skull crushers- 15lbs DBs
Cool Down

Tuesday 12/19/23 Cardio
Warm up
30 different exercises, 45 secs on, 15 secs off
Cool Down

Thursday 12/21/23 Chest/Back
Three groups, two exercises each
Warm up
Push ups - narrow 27, wide 27, normal 27
Bent Over Rows - 30lbs DBs

Deficit DL - 165lbs
Chest Press - 40lbs DBs

Sumo Deadlift - 185lbs
Incline Chest Fly - 25lbs DBs
Cool down

Friday 12/22/23 - Extra Day
Insanity (found on YouTube….for now)
Sweat intervals - kicked my a**
Challenge accepted - will be my new cardio, aim for once to twice weekly!

The Christmas holiday season is here! Stay strong everyone and enjoy!

Lift hard, lift strong, lift smart. N

Monday 12/25/23 Twelve Days of Christmas! Shoulders, bis and tris
Warm up
12 reps, 11 reps, 10 reps, down to 1 rep, straight through, no rest, two sets
Exercises aimed at shoulder, biceps, triceps - different exercise for each body part (so 4 shoulder exercises, 4 bicep exercises and 4 tricep exercises)
Cool Down

Tuesday 12/26/23 Cardio
Warm up
Insanity Friday Fight - not much better this week, still kicked by a**
Cool Down

Thursday 12/28/23 Chest/Back
Three groups, two exercises each (except the fit test)
Warm up
Navy Fit Test (cause sometimes you have to change it up)
63 push ups in 2 mins
53 sit ups in 2 mins
*did not tackle the run or any flexed arm hang or pull ups*
Bent Over Rows - 30lbs DBs

Deficit DL - 165lbs
Chest Press - 40lbs DBs

Sumo Deadlift - 205lbs X 8, 195lbs X 8, 185lbs X 8
Incline Chest Fly - 25lbs DBs
Cool down

Friday 12/29/23 - Cardio
Insanity Max Sweat - still got my a** kicked however, not as bad as the last two times

Sunday 12/31/23 - Leg Day
Terrible day - I have not had a terrible strength day in a long long time (probably in years to be honest). I wanted to quit half way through this workout. I was completely in my head this work out. But I didn't quit, I finished, though it took forever, and by the end, form was not looking ideal.
Warm up
Front squats - 115lbs
Walking Lunges - 35lbs DBs

Back squats - 135lbs
*I played around with grip width today and worked on shoulder flexibility before hand. I do low bar back squat and 155lbs have been feeling really good but I got in my head regarding my elbow position which lead me down the tunnel for shoulder mobility, etc, etc. My husband got on me during this work out and asked why I was changing things - he brought up a good point, was what I was doing before hurting me? Was I having pain during lifting or even after lifting that wasn't related to muscle soreness? And, if my form was still ideal - meaning, depth appropriate, knees NOT going in, no bending forward, etc, why did I change it? I don't know...I feel like I have been stuck at 155lbs for 5 weeks or so and I'm not feeling any movement. Next week, I will go back to my typical form and increase the weight (maybe by 5-10lbs) and just see how I do - maybe I can do it and I just haven't pushed myself for it yet.*
Hamstring curls - 40lbs

Elevated heel squats - 135lbs
Split squats - 35lbs DBs
Cool Down

This marks the end of 2023. In 2022 I ran the Hartford Marathon in 4 hours and 20 mins and worked out 263 times for the year. In 2023, no marathon run and only worked out 140 times for the year. Here's to 2024...aim for more work outs and making fitness a priority (or as best as I can). Would love to break 200lbs for back squat for reps. And maybe a pull up - though I never viewed the ability to do pull ups as a marker for strength.
Happy New Year everyone!
Lift hard, lift strong, lift smart. N

Monday January 1, 2024 Shoulders, Bis and Tris (and more squats)
Warm Up
Close Grip Tricep Press 3 sets X 12 reps 15lbs DBs
Alternating Bicep Curl 3 sets X 12 reps 15lbs DBs
20 rep back squat barbell - 95lbs
Diamond Dumb Bell Close Grip Push Ups 3 sets X 12 reps
Isometric Zottman Curls 3 sets X 8 reps 15lbs DBs
20 rep back squat barbell - 95lbs
Lying Cross Body Tricep Extension to Reverse Chest Press 3 sets X 12 reps, 12lbs DBs and 15lbs DBs
Wide DB curls to Narrow DB curls 3 sets X 10 reps 12lbs DBs and 10lb DBs
20 rep back squat barbell - 95lbs
Cool Down
I added squats to this work out after my poor attitude about leg day the day before. Surprising, these squats were easy - each set gave me no trouble - I wasn't in my head and I just squatted. I was inspired by reading many reviews on the 20rep squat program - though don't think I will be tackling that program anytime soon however I might be adding more squats randomly into my workouts!

Tuesday 1/2/24 CARDIO
Insanity CARDIO

Wednesday 1/3/24 CHEST/BACK DAY
Warm Up
27 push ups for each - narrow, wide and normal (will increase to 30 reps next week for each version)
Bent Over Rows - 30lbs DBs
Deficit DL - 165lbs (felt good - though may change to Romanian DLs moving forward, unsure at this time)
Chest Press - 40lbs DBs (difficult today)
Sumo Deadlift - 205lbs X 2 (body said heck to the no today, will have poor form) finished the rest of the sets at 185lbs X 8 for 2 sets
Incline Chest Fly - 25lbs DBs
Cool Down

Friday 1/5/24 CARDIO
Insanity Max TABATA

I am adding a flexibility/mobility day to my routine - really going to work on shoulder/chest, hip/knee/ankle mobility - hoping that improving my mobility will help improve my strength. Mobility and flexibility is extremely important for lifting with proper technique and also being able to increase in strength. I don't want my mobility and flexibility to be my limiting factor with increasing my strength.

My macros for the last 3 weeks have been around 45% fat and protein and 10% carbs. I'm sure if I increased by carb macro I wouldn't feel so drained after the insanity/cardio work outs.
Lift hard, lift strong, lift smart. N

I hope all you lovely ladies are still chugging along! This past week was difficult for me for motivation. The weather was in the negatives without the wind chill, work was mentally tough and it’s still really dark in the mornings. I got it done this past week and I felt good that I didn’t just give the week up but I also only do four days instead of five and only one day of cardio - and I was okay with this. Also, my appetite is revving big time … I eat between 1500-1600 cals/day with protein macros being about 40-45%. I am considering increasing my calories to 1700-1750 per day as I lift heavier and heavier.

Monday 1/15/24 Shoulders, Bis and Tris (and more squats)
Warm Up
Close Grip Tricep Press 3 sets X 12 reps 20lbs DBs x2, 25lbs x 1
Alternating Bicep Curl 3 sets X 12 reps 20lbs DBs
20 rep back squat barbell - 115lbs
Diamond Dumb Bell Close Grip Push Ups 3 sets X 12 reps
Isometric Zottman Curls 3 sets X 8 reps 15lbs DBs and 20lbs DBs
20 rep back squat barbell - 115lbs
Lying Cross Body Tricep Extension to Reverse Chest Press 3 sets X 12 reps, 15lbs DBs
Wide DB curls to Narrow DB curls 3 sets X 10 reps 15lbs DBs and 12lbs DBs
20 rep back squat barbell - 115lbs
Cool Down

Tuesday 1/16/24 CARDIO
Insanity Max Power Tabata

Friday 1/19/24 CHEST/BACK DAY
Warm Up
10repsx9sets push ups - 30 of each for narrow, normal and wide
Bent Over Rows - 30lbs DBs 8 x 3
Romanian Deadlifts 125lbs 8 x 3
Chest Press - 40lbs DBs
Sumo Deadlift - 155lbs 1 rep x 8
175 lbs - 1 rep x 4 and if those single reps were perfect form, then finished the last 4 reps continuously for each set. Really wrapping my head around the fact that sumo is a leg press into the ground … hopefully with adjustment to my form I will make better gains with no pain!
Incline Chest Fly - 25lbs DBs 8 x 3
Cool Down

Sunday 1/21/24 Leg Day
8 reps x 3 sets
Walking lunges 35lbs DBs x 2, 40lbs DBs x 1
Front Squats - 125lbs
Back squats - 175lbs x 2, 185lbs x 1
Hamstring curls - 40lbs x 1, 45lbs x 2
Elevated heel squats - 135lbs x 1, 140lbs x 1, 145lbs x 1
Split squats - 35lbs DBs
20 rep squat 125lbs

It can be tough some times ladies … everything all piling on at once and working out is just one more thing. But you can do it … dig deep and don’t give up. Even for a few mins you will feel your soul being lifted.

Lift hard, lift strong, lift smart. N