SND's Training Journal

Wednesday at gym 0830

Treadmill 15 minutes at 12 k/hr. Finally I did it !!
Lower Body Programme
Abs Criss Cross alternate with med.ball side twist 3 x 20 reps each
Leg Extention 55kg x12 reps, 65kg x 10 reps, 75kg x 8 reps
Stegged Dead Lift 40kg x 8 reps, 60kg x 4, then 5 reps
Squat 40kg x 8 reps x 3 sets
Lying Leg Curl 35kg x 10 reps, 45kg x 8 reps x 2 sets
Lunges 1-12 dips each side
Swiss ball abs 30 reps alternate with press ups 10 reps, 3 sets of each

Cycle 15 mins, hill level 12 , >110rpm in peaks, >100 rpm in troughs (no trouble)
Cross Trainer manual level 10 11 minutes total
Finished 1030

Food Log
0715 1/3c porridge, 1 boiled egg, fresh vege juice
1250 Chicken thigh and leg, green salad, 1 low GI toast with hummus, 1 x apple
1600 Handful raw peanutes, soy hot chocolate
1930 Chicken & mushroom stew thingie with broccoli and courgette
Alcohol Nil

Comment : Worked hard at gym today and decided to do lots of cardio as it was a bit light yesterday. Managed the stegged dead lifts up on the bench and the 40kg squats no trouble on my own so that was good. I can feel individual muscles now and am learning to differentiate between them and call the right ones in to play. First competitive squash match is now Friday evening at 2010 - it's a bit late for this old lady but I guess I'll manage. This means I can do my cardio day only tomorrow (and I'll ask gymguy if we can box since I miss it so much after dropping it from two weeks ago) and then do weights only Friday morning and save my cardio energy for the squash match at night.

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Thursday

I had a full hour boxing with gymguy with a little stretching at the end. It was full on, no breaks, exhausting, fun, challenging and took all my focus and concentration. I have not boxed for three weeks and it showed. Was a great cardio workout. And that was gym today.

Food Log
0745 1/3c porridge, 1 boiled egg white
1015 1 apple
1300 protein shake drink, leftover chicken and mushrooms on green salad
1615 1 low GI toast with cottage cheese & tomato
1910 1/2 avocado with o.oil & vinegar, Egg omelette with olives and parmesan on spinach (sounds disgusting really but it was quite nice)
2300 1/2c soy hot chocolate
Alcohol Nil

Comments : Firstly food, gymguy says I am not eating enough protein and that I must eat 2-3 eggs with breakfast or some other substantial protein at breakfast. OK I can do that I suppose. I asked him if I should still lay off the carbs in the evening meal and he said Yes. I guess he suspects I am under eating although I don't feel like I am. I try to eat five times a day although sometimes I miss the snack but I've been much better at that lately. My size 12 pants are swimming on me this is true but I am happy with my size right now.

Now fitness leading into my first serious squash match. I am so excited about this. I feel confident of my fitness and less confident of my racket skills. My mental agility is strong (as long as I don't let all the financial crap that's going down get in the way). I am happy to win, I want to win and I also want to have fun and enjoy the squash. I don't mind losing because I'll learn how to win from that experience. I don't mind being older at all as I think it gives me an advantage and people won't be expecting the fitness levels. Interesting. I guess if I play competitively this winter and don't enjoy it then I'll just stop.

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Gym at 0830 Upper Body Programme

Cycle 5 min warm up
Press Ups 20 reps, 15 reps, 15 reps
Cable Crossover 18kg x 15 reps x 3 sets
1 foot stranding dead row 8kg x 12 reps each side
Seated overhead tricep extension 12kg x 12 reps, 13kg x 10 reps, 14kg x 8 reps
Dumb bell side raises 7kg x 10 reps, 8kg x 10 reps x 2 sets
Dumb bell curl/then/hammer 8kg x 8, 6, 5 reps
Dips 12 reps x 3 sets
Abs - swiss ball abs x 30 reps, criss cross x 20 reps and pilates x 15 reps, 3 sets of each

No cardio as I am playing a squash match tonight.

Food Log
0745 1/3c porridge with protein powder
1030 2 poached eggs on 1 low GI toast with vegemite
1300 Pasta with tomato and olives, 1 soy hot chocolate
1815 Chicken pieces on spinach salad, 1 x apple
Alcohol 1 gl wine at lunch

Comment : Gym was OK. My form on the curl/hammer at 8kg a side is not very good and there's a tendency to use my whole body too much. However my arms/shoulders feel OK and they were quite sore yesterday after boxing. Not really feeling in the mood for the squash which is just mental. It's hot and muggy and I am tired. I've had a rest this afternoon but my mental/emotional state is a bit random right now unfortunately. I'll go give it my best shot anyway.

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Oh score !!!!!!!!!! I love squash, it's definitely my game !! Always has been, always will be.

Last night I won against a D2 grade, 3 games to 0
This morning I won against a D1 grade, 3 games to 0
For the record I've been re-instated on the grading list as an E1, cleary I need to fix this up because it's not fair to play E1's when I am clearly at least a D1.

Wish me luck for the division final tomorrow at lunchtime against a C2. WHEN I win that (LOL) I will be almost back where I was grade-wise 12 years ago (I stopped playing when I was a C1). But today I am so much fitter. It's God's weird joke that I am so much fitter at 46 years old than ever I was when I played from 14 years to 34 years old all that long ago.

Lesson learned today : The fitness and stamina mean that my game does not deteriorate as the match moves on and so I stay sharp, make less unforced errors, therefore don't get disappointed in myself, I stay mentally there and my breathing recovers quickly and I am ready to give my best, right to the last point. Fatigue does not live here. The last game this morning was great, one point after another, always focusing on the next rally as I served. Be Here Now !! And it worked, before I knew it I had won the match. I think my opponent was shocked, she's verging on C2 grade and thought she'd have me for breakfast !!

And wait for it, my opponent was 30 years younger than me. A young thing with her belly button showing (which didn't help her win the match). So today I am happy with my form, my mental sharpness and my stamina. Bring on tomorrow. Winners are not afraid of losing because it teaches them much.

And it was fun. That is what I wanted to know. Would I still enjoy competitive squash after 12 years away ? And today, the answer is yes !!

Food Log :
0845 1/3 c porridge, 2 boiled egg whites
1130 1 apple
1310 1 low GI toast with hummus, green salad with tuna (disgusting curry flavour, what were they thinking !!)
1900 Roast chicken, broccoli, 3 small kumara
Alcohol : 2 glass wine

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OK, today's final was a good game. I enjoyed it. I played pretty well, she played better !! I lost the match 3 games to 1 game. She was a C2 and I figure I am a low C2 as well now so that is cool. I have a good case for playing C grade interclub now. I won a glass serving platter .... wooooooo hooooooooooo (obviously the prize quality has not improved at all in the 12 years I've been away, a refund of my $25 entry fee would've been more appreciated as a runners up prize but oh well).

Lessons learned today : My speed around the court needs work. I've got the stamina and fitness but my 'getting to the short ball" is lacking - it is slow and I would prefer to have the speed and strength to go around my opponent and not calls lets. I need a coach and a cheer squad, esp. given that the young ones playing now have heaps of people calling for them. I could've done with someone to talk me through the three 90 second breaks between games, to tell me her weaknesses and add to my game plan. My game plan worked fine in the first two games (she won 8/10 then I won 10/8) however my game plan in the 3rd and 4th games (when she pulled her game up alot and started playing winners) was lacking. SO I need some advice during finals in the future, someone who I will listen to. When down I started playing crap boasts and some of my serves went out. I know it's summer and therefore hot and the ball is all over the court but there is no excuse for serving out. To be fair my serves won me alot of points on her poor back hand volley too but still there's room for alot of practice esp. with my forehand serve. The crap boasts are about mental focus - I only play those shots when desperate so that is about having confidence that if I play my percentage game it will be enough to win. I need to give up on calling the lets and just let the game flow and I don't need to comment on my shots or her shots verbally during games. The top people don't say a thing, they just focus !!! Dont' think my food helped today, I should've eaten some carb before the match too I suspect. Winning isn't everything (thank you gymguy for this piece of wisdom LMFAO) but I sure like to win and if I'm gonna bother at my ripe old age with the competitive squash then let's get serious here. Taking part is good, a miracle really given how fat and unfit I was 7 months ago so I am giving myself congrats for that right now. Next tournament in a week's time !!!

Food Log :
0950 scrambled egg, 1 low GI toast, mushrooms
1130 Protein powder shake made with water and peaches (this was disgusting !!) Perhaps I should've gotten in some carb here?
1500 ham and cheese panini and handful of peanuts
1830 2 sausages, 4 chicken kebabs and green salad
Alcohol 1 glass wine

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OK back at gym at 0945 with gymguy

Treadmill 10 mins @ 12 k/hr solid

New Upper Body Programme
Swiss Ball 1 arm dumb bell press:
9kg (20lbs) x 8 reps
10kg (22lbs) x 8 reps
11kg (24lbs) x 8 reps

Swiss Ball 1 arm dumb bell row
13kg (28.6lbs) x 8 reps
15kg (33lbs) x 8 reps
16 kg (35lbs) x 8 reps

Swiss Ball Overheard D/B tricep extension
12 kg (26.3lbs) x 8 reps
13 kg (28.6lbs) x 8 reps
15 kg (33lbs) x 8 reps

Swiss Ball D/B Curl
9kg (20lbs) x 8 reps
10 kg (22lbs) x 5 reps x 2 sets

Standing 1 arm D/B Deadlift
24kg (52.8lbs) x 8 reps
26kg (57lbs) x 6 reps
28kg (61.6lbs) x 4 reps x 2 sets

Swiss Ball Knee Tucks 3 sets x 15 reps

Cycle 15 mins Level 12 Hill
Cross Trainer 15 mins Level 10 Manual
Finished 1130

Food Log :
0730 1/4c porridge, 2 poached eggs, 1 low GI toast
1240 1/2c pasta, chicken, tomatoes, olives, a little green salad
1530 1 x pear
1900 Courgette, eggplant & chickpea stew with sprinkle cheese, bowl
2130 handful peanuts
Alcohol Nil

Comment : Great training at gym. Good chemistry with gymguy, did a post mortem on the squash matches and implications for my training. Weights were heavy and taxing and thoroughly bloody enjoyable today. Did full cardio as well and although I feel quite stuffed, it's a good feeling.

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Gym at 0805

Cycle 5 minutes warm up

Lower Body Programme
Abs Criss Cross alternate with 5kg med.ball side twist 3 x 20 reps each

Leg Extention
55kg (121lbs) x12 reps
65kg (143lbs) x 10 reps
75kg (165lbs) x 8 reps

Stegged Dead Lift
40kg (88lbs) x 8 reps
60kg (132lbs) x 5 reps x 2 sets

Squat
40kg (88lbs) x 8 reps x 3 sets

Lying Leg Curl
35kg (77lbs) x 10 reps
45kg (99lbs) x 8 reps x 2 sets


Lunges 1-12 dips each side
Ten minutes stretching exercises

Squash game over an hour

Food Log
0730 1/3c porridge, 2 boiled egg whites
1000 Soy Hot Chocolate
1310 1/2c brown rice, cottge cheese, tuna, hummus, green salad, a few peanuts, 1 apple
1830 Chicken, mushrooms & courgettes stew bowl, 4 slices soft cheese, a few peanuts & 6 cherries
Alcohol 1.5gl wine

Comment : Gym was OK, I ploughed through the stuff in quick time and left the cardio because I was playing squash later in the morning. Squash with Tony was good, he's a competent D1 grade and that makes for a good game with me. I enjoyed it.

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Gym at 0900

Treadmill 15 mins @ 12 k/hr solid

New Upper Body Programme
Swiss Ball 1 arm dumb bell press:
9kg (20lbs) x 8 reps
10kg (22lbs) x 8 reps
11kg (24lbs) x 8 reps

Swiss Ball 1 arm dumb bell row
13kg (28.6lbs) x 8 reps
15kg (33lbs) x 8 reps
16 kg (35lbs) x 8 reps

Swiss Ball Overheard D/B tricep extension
12 kg (26.3lbs) x 8 reps
13 kg (28.6lbs) x 8 reps
15 kg (33lbs) x 8 reps

Swiss Ball D/B Curl
9kg (20lbs) x 8 reps
10 kg (22lbs) x 5 reps x 2 sets

Standing 1 arm D/B Deadlift
24kg (52.8lbs) x 8 reps (right hand)
26kg (57lbs) x 6 reps (left hand)
28kg (61.6lbs) x 4 reps x 2 sets (one each hand)

Swiss Ball Knee Tucks 3 sets x 15 reps
Press Ups 3 sets of 10 reps
Abs Criss Cross 3 sets of 20 reps
Swiss Ball Abs 3 sets of 30 reps

Cycle 15 mins Level 12 Hill
Cross Trainer 15 mins Level 10 Manual
Finished 1100

Food Log :
0730 1/3c porridge with cottage cheese, 1 boiled egg white
1210 Tuna, cottage cheese & hummus on salad greens, 1 x pear
1600 handful of raw peanuts
1900 Chicken & Mushrooms, green salad, handful of raw peanuts (again)
Alcohol 3 whiskey & sodas (this was mental health drinking for sure !!)

Comment : Gym was good today. I had a medium to high leve of energy which surprised me as driving there I was thinking "I really don't wanna do this today", then I'd forgotten my gym book so had to go home and get it and still was thinking the "don't wanna" as I drove back to gym. Got there and I came out of the lack of motivation pretty quickly. Those one arm standing deadlifts are fun since I can hardly even lift the weight off the shelf !! Gymguy calls them exercises for my core, whatever that means. Gymguy wants me to up the speed on the treadmill but I've only done the full 15mins @ 12 k/hr twice now and it's taken me about 5 weeks to get to that level, since Xmas really. So I am not keen to go "up" too soon, but I know he wants to set a new goal. He believes in setting newer more challenging goals even before you've achieved the goal you are currently working on. I want to bed down a bit at that speed and get it licked because it wasn't easy today. I suspect the cross-trainer is a waste of time given my advanced fitness level now. It doesn't make me sweat or puff and I noticed my heart rate settled and didn't go up much. I'll ask gymguy about that tomorrow. I really don't like the cross trainer and find it deadly boring so I'd be happy to drop it from my cardio for a while.

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Thursday at Gym 1100 with Gymguy

We started our sprint/speed training for sqush so this was cardio-only day.
I did Shuttles - Base 25 seconds, aiim to get this down to 20 seconds
Sprints - Base 2.23 seconds, then I strained my hamstring somewhat
Jumps ten in a row (this was remarkable given the last time I tried to jump up on the stage I missed and seriously gnashed up my shin and it took 3 months to heal, now I can jump up no sweat).
Press Ups We did a one min time trial and I managed 32 full press ups in 50 seconds (then I had to stop)

And that was the hour and I worked hard but didn't feel like I had done much at the end.

My hamstring got tight later on that day though so I've iced it and arnica-d it and put tiger balm on it. It's my left one and it's only a little pulled but damn it !!

Food Log
0845 2 eggs on 1 low GI toast
1030 1 x pear
1300 1/2c brown rice, tuna/cottage cheese/hummus on green salad, one corn on cob (microwaved)
1530 Hot Chocolate
1915 BBQ chicken, 1 x bbq sausage, eggplant, courgette, green salad
Alcohol Nil

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Friday Gym at 0930

After advice from gymguy re the slightly sore hamstring I did the following :

Cycle 15 mins, manual, levels 4,5,6 (normally I cycle at level 12)

Upper Body Weights Programme (was gonna do lower body but not because of hamstring)
Swiss Ball 1 arm dumb bell press:
9kg (20lbs) x 8 reps
10kg (22lbs) x 8 reps
11kg (24lbs) x 8 reps

Swiss Ball 1 arm dumb bell row
13kg (28.6lbs) x 8 reps
15kg (33lbs) x 8 reps
16 kg (35lbs) x 8 reps

Swiss Ball Overheard D/B tricep extension
12 kg (26.3lbs) x 8 reps
13 kg (28.6lbs) x 8 reps
15 kg (33lbs) x 8 reps

Swiss Ball D/B Curl
9kg (20lbs) x 8 reps
10 kg (22lbs) x 5 reps x 2 sets

Standing 1 arm D/B Deadlift (this was the only one that slightly pulled at my hamstring)
24kg (52.8lbs) x 8 reps (right hand)
26kg (57lbs) x 6 reps (left hand)
28kg (61.6lbs) x 4 reps x 2 sets (one each hand)

Swiss Ball Knee Tucks 3 sets x 15 reps
Abs Criss Cross 3 sets of 20 reps
Pilates Sit Ups 3 sets of 10 reps

Cardio, I swam 40 laps of the gym pool which is 25m I think, this takes me about 1/2 hour and is very relaxing and meditative, especially when I am the only person in the pool like today. I love swimming.

Food Log
0730 1/3c porridge with cottage cheese in it and one hard boiled eggwhite
1215 1 pita wrap, cheese and salmon, green salad, one apple
1700 1 battered fish, 2 battered oysters (fat overload yuk) and green salad
1900 Soy hot chocolate
2130 Hot Chocolate with Galliano

Comment : I tried hard not to stress my hamstring but I wanted to finish the week strong. I have two rest days in a row now and have instructions from gymguy to decline any squash games I am offered. So here's hoping the rest will make my hamstring strain heal and I'll be right for Monday.

As a sideline, my husband is now training seriously for his first fight in the boxing ring. He's 41.5 years old and has been into gym, weights, fitness and boxing fitness for over a year now. A boxing gym in town is putting on a promotional night and wanted novice boxers who had never been in the ring before to volunteer - so he did. Go Mr SND !!!. I told him I'd be his water boy but no, he wants me to put a bikini on and parade around with a sign saying "1 minute". Just kidding - he's got alot of support and an excellent trainer who is an experienced boxer. I hope he has fun and achieves his goals and doesn't get killed or brain-damaged !! I watched them train this morning and the boxing stuff looks like damn good fun. I miss the boxing. Must remember to box with gymguy every second week to keep my hand in.

After thought : It's 9pm now and I am pretty sore all over, must be all that swimming or something and I just tried to "run" to my car in the rain and my hamstring hurt. I've got a squash tournament next week and am feeling depressed. Hope it all comes right.

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Saturday and Sunday - no training at all.............

Both are rest days. I've been looking after my left hamstring and have developed a twinge in my neck which is giving me referred pain down my arms/shoulders and a headache periodically. This neck thing happens to me about twice a year and I go to the osteopath who moves my spine and skull bones around and it goes away. I suspect the full 1/2 hour of swimming on Friday with lots of neck turning left and right is the culprit here.

However on top of the hamstring strain, this is all a little depressing. I am hoping gymguy will be able to keep my spirits up in terms of training around both these things this week. I won't stop but will take advice and look after the sore bits. Squash tournament at the end of this week too.

I am sleeping very badly due to the humidity here at the moment so that is not helping.

Food Log
Sat
0800 Small scrambled egg (mostly whites I think hubby made it and he does 4 whites to one full egg) and 1 low GI toast
1100 1 low GI toast with hummus on
1300 1/2c Pasta with tuna, olives and green salad
1700 1 tbsp cottage cheese
1830 Lots of cashew nuts, 1 piece watermelon, green salad with cottage cheese & gherkins, turkey slice (3), about 5 slices of regular cheese and an apple (I was at a picnic)
Alcohol 4 glasses of wine (and I paid for that this morning, it's just too much these days, getting older sucks, and the alcohol contributes to sleeping badly too)

Sun
1100 1 low GI toast, stewed tomatoes & cottage cheese, 1 hard boiled egg
1400 Green salad with tuna and hummus, 1 corn on cob with butter (!!) and salt (!!)
1645 1 x apple
1900 BBQ chicken, 1 BBQ sausage, green salad, handful raw peanuts
Alcohol Nil (good girl !!)

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Monday 10am session with gymguy..........

Yes, my hamstring is still a little tender and I think my neck has gone weird on me too. So we did a theraputic session. And I tried hard to listen and not get depressed and leave all my fears to one side. One week of recuperation won't push me that off track. It's just that I have not had a full weeks "downtime" from my training programme for seven months.

First we did measurements because it was today anyway :

Body Weight 64.55 (no change from 2 weeks ago and this is what we are aiming at now, maintenance)
Body Fat 22% (down from 24% two weeks ago, good, goal is still 20% body fat, gymguy attributes this to diet being excellent still and the cardio maintenance)
LBM 50.35kg which is excellent, seems it really is happening as Tom Venuto says, if I can reduce the body fat and build the muscle then this is a keeper !!

These results are good. I am happy.

Bad is that I need to see gymguy's osteopath today or tomorrow and have my spine re-worked. Have to cancel my two social squash games and my tournament this week. I commit to doing exactly as gymguy tells me to do around this very minor injury which gives me the best chance of being fighting fit, full training and squash again next week. SO we did :

Cycle 15 mins Level 12 Hill
Stetches and tests with gymguy where he pulled and pushed me all over as an assessment
Press Ups 3 sets x 20
Abs 3 sets x 20
Cycle 15 mins Level 12 Hill

Food Log
0745 1/3 cup oats and big tbsp cottage cheese, 1 hard boiled egg white
1300 Chicken, green salad, apple
1630 Handful raw peanuts
2130 Cheese & mushroom omelette
Alcohol Nil

Comment : Feel like crap tonight but better after eating. Five hours between food shots is really way too long for my metabolism these days and I don't think I ate enough carb today at all. Neck and shoulder pain was really unpleasant earlier. Got Osteo appointment for Wed thank God.

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Tuesday - well today sucked. I am sick as a dog with nausea and some stomach bug thing !! Couldn't stand upright enough to get to gym to cycle even. My neck/back is really bad. Role on osteopath tomorrow.

I hate NOT training.

Food Log

Tried to keep it as normal as possible even tho I felt like throwing up all day. Laying off dairy too.

0830 1/3c porridge with cottage cheese in
1100 1 low GI toast with two eggs
1540 Spinach salad with hummus & peanuts. 1 x apple
Alcohol definately not today !!

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keep up the good work!

Thank you Tim for the encouragement !!

Gym at 1330
20 mins Cycle Level 12 Hill
3 sets x 20 reps Sit Ups
3 sets x 15 reps Press Ups
20 mins Cycle Level 12 Hill

Food Log :
0745 1/3c oats with jam, 2 hard boiled egg whites
1200 Fresh Vege/Protein Juice, Small portion of fresh seafood
1600 1 low-GI toast with hummus and tomato, handful raw peanuts
2000 Beans & chicken & veges with 1 apple & 1 soy Milo
Alcohol Nil

Comment :

Feeling less nauseous today thank goodness. Osteopath did all sorts of interesting things to my spine and said it was "out" in at least 2 vertebrae and neck/shoulders. Feel so much better that it is not funny. 90% of pain has gone. Hope it improves from now and I see him next Wed as well. Feel almost normal.

Excellent !! So I went to gym and did my 'baby' training which takes into account the pulled hamstring which hardly feels strained at all now. It was OK, but boring basically to do so much on the cycle. Thank God for the iPod.

Can't cope with life if I don't train. I haven't trained fully and hard for one whole week now. This depresses me and I keep thinking I need to get a life. But I am quite happy with gym/training/fitness being a large cut in my life. This is an improved way to live compared to being fat, unhealthy and not energetic. This way of life has become well-formed habits and these are habits that I want to continue. Reading all today's posts on DBB has motivated me too which is great. I am an all-or-nothing type of person. And if I can't do what I want I get into a "dammit" kind of mind set. Need to stay one day at a time with both the training and injury and flick all doubt off my shoulder. This is where I want to be with my body and fitness and this is what I want to do with my training and gym. The decision is clear. This week is flat and irritating and this too shall pass.

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