Becoming Balanced with TheWFH

Hey, new jounal, new goal.  I'm working on balancing out my muscle symmetry (sp?).  So, my weights are going to back off and I'll only do 3 reps for now.  I'm working on balancing out my quads on my right leg.  I also would like my left arm to gain some definition compared to my right arm.  So, I'm doing single arm/leg exercises to get that balance.  Squats are slow and controlled so I will focus on both legs doing equal work.
 
From there, I'll see where life takes me.  Off to another journey...

Sleep, eat, workout....repeat as needed.


Short term goal: 15%
Currently: 14.5%
Starting: 17.8%
Goal met!

Ok, so this week has been a blur of chocolate cake, lemon poppyseed bread and graham crackers w/ frosting.....  Phew, talk about a sugar high!!  Today, I just listened to what I really wanted to eat.  I've got some Orange Roughy  and asparagus grilling in the oven as I "speak".  I knew I would probably go nuts when I was done w/ the competition, but wow....  I'm ready to "clean" up the food a bit.  I didn't eat total junk all the time, but I had something nasty everyday....and not just one slice a cake.  It was multiple slices and the graham cracker frosting...and the lemon poppyseed bread...all at night when I'm at my weakest.  So, I need to make myself aware of the mindless eating I used to do and remember my determination for contest prep.
 
I did a Chest/Tri routine yesterday.  Again, working on balancing out my muscle groups.  Lots of single arm exercises w/ focus on equal force.  Been studying my Kineseology book again.  Getting myself reaquainted w/ muscle fiber directions and actions.  I find that fascinating.  HEY, if anyone knows a good book (not a basic bodybuilding book) on all the different techniques for different strength goals... Let me know.
 
gonna go eat my lunch...

Sleep, eat, workout....repeat as needed.


Short term goal: 15%
Currently: 14.5%
Starting: 17.8%
Goal met!

Hey, hit the gym again for some back/bi work.  Again, shooting to balance things out.
 
Wide grip Pull up (assisted @7) 10 reps 3 sets
Close grip seated row 50#, 10 reps 3 sets
Single arm Bent over row 25# 10 reps 3 sets
Incline dumbbell Hammer curl 8# 10 reps 3 sets
Preacher curls 25# 10 reps 3 sets
Concentration curls 8# 10 reps 3 sets
wide grip upright row 30# 10 reps 3 sets
Overhead dumbbell press 10# 10 reps 3 sets
 
Pretty boring as far as variety goes....but hey.  I'm playing right now.  Coming off a routine that would take me 1 1/2hrs to do to this is a nice break.  I got through this in 35 minutes.  No long break in between sets so it moved fast.  I'm trying to do everything I can single arm w/ some balance of both sides working together.  I'll play around w/ this for a few weeks and then see how I feel.  Then I'll shake it up again....
 
see ya!

Sleep, eat, workout....repeat as needed.


Short term goal: 15%
Currently: 14.5%
Starting: 17.8%
Goal met!

Leg day!  Whoo hoo!  I love leg day...
 
Squats 95# 10reps 3 sets
Single leg Sled 50# 10 reps 3 sets
Step ups w/ 15# dumbbells 10 reps 3 set (1st time doing those and I'm in LOVE!!)
Alt prone ham curls 20# 10 reps 3 sets
Single calf raises 15 reps 3 sets
 
Gonna go hit the treadmill right now.  I do my lifting in the am and cardio in the afternoon.  That way I'm fresh for cardio...er sorta! ;)  Also, that way I've got the extra metabolism boost for the afternoon as well.  I encourage folks to split up their cardio if they want to lose weight.  Nice to get that extra metabolism boost in the afternoon instead of all the cardio in the am.
 

Sleep, eat, workout....repeat as needed.


Short term goal: 15%
Currently: 14.5%
Starting: 17.8%
Goal met!

Ok, so I fell off the wagon as some would say!  I've been keeping up w/ my workouts but, MAN...if it wasn't for that, I'd be a moose by now!  I need to reel in my nasty eating habits.  I think I went through some sort of crazed stage where I ate everything in site that was bad for me!  So, my short-term goal is to document everything (good and bad) that I eat.  Tomorrow, I plan on cleaning out the fridge and cupboard, then stocking it w/ better choices.  Seems I did better w/ a goal in mind and didn't touch the "junk" in the house, than compared to now....no immediate goal or competition.
 
Back and Bi's today.  Good thing about putting on weight....I've got some size and fullness behind my muscle now.  Thinking about being Wonder Woman for Halloween!  Ever since I was a kid, I've always wanted to be her for halloween.  I'd be one tough looking Wonder Woman!   Damn skippy!

Sleep, eat, workout....repeat as needed.


Short term goal: 15%
Currently: 14.5%
Starting: 17.8%
Goal met!

Well, hopefully I've "flipped the switch" again.  That's what I call getting into the right mindset.  Turning on the little switch in my head that operates self control w/ food.  I've always had food issues....;)  I love it...too much!  Anyhoo, I felt like I've done it.  So, off to do some fun leg work today!
 

Sleep, eat, workout....repeat as needed.


Short term goal: 15%
Currently: 14.5%
Starting: 17.8%
Goal met!

Well I finally saw my results posted on the NANBF website for the competition I did in September....wonderful....then I saw the results posted for the competition that the judges wanted me to do.  It was a Pro-qualifying show....and Dang it...the gal who placed 2nd to me in both the Novice and Open figure show won and got her pro card!  Oh what could've been!  I hadn't given that show a thought!  Damn! 
 
All I can say is, I did great at my show and good for her!  She looked wonderful too and was better prepared at posing than I was.  You could tell she's done it before.
 
I'm still trying to get my hip and shoulder stronger and more stable.  I'm almost at the end of my training cycle.  I will be developing a better back routine to add some thickness to my back and balance out my legs.

Sleep, eat, workout....repeat as needed.


Short term goal: 15%
Currently: 14.5%
Starting: 17.8%
Goal met!

Enough whining....  My 8 weeks is nearly up and I'm taking in a lot of info on doing a new program for me.  Want to bulk up the back a bit...make it a bit thicker.  Broaden out the lats a bit to help w/ the waistline.  I'm really not sure how to start, I guess.  I've always relied on someone else doing the program for me.  Now, I want to do it myself.  Looking forward to the challenge.
 
Cleaning up the diet after a long hiatus from clean eating.  Veggies tasted great today!  Been on vacation the past week and boy don't they suck for diet!  Oh well. 

Sleep, eat, workout....repeat as needed.


Short term goal: 15%
Currently: 14.5%
Starting: 17.8%
Goal met!

Just thought I'd check in and say "hi".  Ate a Blizzard last night.....loved it but I'm feeling guilty.  It wouldn't be soo bad if I'd ate only half and put the rest in the freezer for another day.  Oh well.  The kicker is I went into the candy stash and ate 4 pieces of red licorice and a slice of oatmeal bread on top of it.  I do that.  When I get on a roll, I have trouble stopping.  I start thinking, "oh well, I ate the whole blizzard so I might as well eat whatever...."  Stupid thinking and I know better.  Let's just get over it and move on.  Forgive, just don't forget.  Otherwise, I'll just keep doing it and get into my poor eating habits again.  Not gonna happen!  DAmmit!
 
 
Anyhoo,  great back day yesterday! Pulldowns,(overhand) close grip seated row, Tbar row,(underhand) shrugs and single arm bent over row.  Wanna add some size to my back....  All were at 12 reps/3 sets.  Still playing around.  I'm reading a great book called Encyclopedia of Muscle and Strength.  It's giving me a lot of insight beyond the basics that I know.  I will be building my routine off of ideas from there.

Sleep, eat, workout....repeat as needed.


Short term goal: 15%
Currently: 14.5%
Starting: 17.8%
Goal met!

Holy Frick...has it been that long since I've jounaled!?  Sheeet.... I've been a bad girl.  Such is life!
 
Goals are losing a bit 'o extra fat from Christmas....it wasn't pretty.  I'm up to 125 and 16.9%.  Not happy.  I've not been clean over Christmas and I'm paying the price.  So, back to clean eating.  Not as anal as pre-competition....just better food choices and no cookies everyday, dammit.
 
I've cycled through 2 different routines since September.  Right now I'm back on a 5/10/20.  I'm stronger...sweeeet.
 
Post more later...

Sleep, eat, workout....repeat as needed.


Short term goal: 15%
Currently: 14.5%
Starting: 17.8%
Goal met!

Ok, so for the past few months, my diet has been lazy.  Bad habits I'm going to curb; drinking diet pop like it's water, eating "junk" after supper, eating anything after supper.
 
Lifting; 4 day split as usual.  I can't change much there b/c of work.  Like I said, I've been cycling through different things...1st building on balancing my right/left sides.  I've gained great form on my shoulder and hip on the right side.  Now I'm back to adding some weight behind it.  I will continue to watch myself....and if I notice poor posture returning, I will drop weight and work on correct form again.
 
Back/Bi's today!  I'm hoping to add some width and thickness to my back. So...with that said:
Pullups/close grip row compound, 5 reps, 4 sets  (unassist/70)
Lat pulldown/supported T bar row, neutral grip, compound, 10 reps, 4 sets  (80/15)
Reverse grip row, 10 reps, 4 sets  (60)
Straight arm pull down, 20 reps, 4 sets.  (60)
Preacher curls 5 reps, 4 sets  (40)
Alt Incline hammer curls 10 reps, 4 sets   (10)
spider curls EZ bar, 20 reps, 4 sets  (empty bar)
 
Again 5 is heavy, 10 is mod and 20 is light

Sleep, eat, workout....repeat as needed.


Short term goal: 15%
Currently: 14.5%
Starting: 17.8%
Goal met!

shes back

Hey Bend....kinda like a bad penny, eh?  I'm always turning up. 

Ok, so Valentine's Day was a Choc Fest.....  Took the rest to work and became a "Choc Pusher".  Wouldn't be so bad, but....I work at a gym!?  Such a great example!

I'm very happy w/ myself.  I'm benching 105# now for the first time.  I've had shoulder issues and wanted to create a strong base before I added on weight.  I'm now benching 98% of my bodyweight.  I'm planning on increasing that here in the near future....hehehe.

I will be experimenting w/ Fast Twitch, preworkout.  Only a 1/2 scoop, though.   200mgs caffeine can be "interesting".  So, one should be plenty.

Chest/Tri
 
Bench press 5reps 4 sets @ 105
Incline press/fly compound set 10 reps, 4sets both @50
Pushups 4 x's to failure
close grip BP 5 reps, 4 sets @50
Tri extension w/ rope 10 reps 4 sets 35#
Skull crushers 20 reps, 4 sets 30/20#
 
decline situps 4x's to failure

Big leg day tomorrow!!!  Love leg day... ( no not being sarcastic) 

Sleep, eat, workout....repeat as needed.


Short term goal: 15%
Currently: 14.5%
Starting: 17.8%
Goal met!

...Ouch*  That's me, attempting to lower myself down onto the computer chair.  Yes, yesterday was leg day.  Then, they were short at the front desk @ my gym, so I filled in...standing on my feet all day after doing a bunch of legs.  BUT, it's a good "ouch".  hehehehehe...
 
Jam'n Squats 230# 5reps 4 sets  boy....does that hit glutes
Squats 115# 10 reps, 4 sets
Smith lunges, rear leg of 10" step 50#-25# 20 reps, 4 sets  ...and this too.....ouch.
Seated ham curls 90#, 5 reps, 4 sets
Cybex ABD/ADD machines 110#, compound set of 10 reps, 4 sets 
Bridge lifts, feet on bench, 4 sets to failure  I'm toast here....;)
 
I'm focusing on glute work on this, Leg day #2.  Leg day #1 will be more rounded.
 
Not to mention, we got more snow!!!  Ok, I'm officially done with Winter.  We've now broken the Top 10 all time snow records for our area.  We've made it to #7.

Sleep, eat, workout....repeat as needed.


Short term goal: 15%
Currently: 14.5%
Starting: 17.8%
Goal met!

So, the butt feels a lot better.....wow.  That was a workout.  Back and Bi's today.  Had to the biceps at home...stupid snow storm cancelled school and I don't like to leave my girl at home for long periods of time.  Still did a good one.
 
Hey Folks!  Give me your 2cents....  I'm working on my back.  Here's my back routine.  I'm wanting to develop a better taper and thicken it up a bit on the lower traps.
 
Lat pull down/seated narrow grip row. Compound set. 5 reps, 4 sets (these are heavy)
Pullups/supported T-bar row. Compound set.  10 reps, 4 sets (mod weight)
Straight arm pulldown 20 reps, 4 sets (light weight)
 
Thought behind compound lifts is to tax out the lats hard since I only do back once a week.  I will do bent over rows and single arm rows on another rotation.  Thoughts?
 
For my traps, I do wide grip upright rows on my shoulder day.
 
Bi's:  Preacher curls 40# 5 reps, 4 sets
Hammer curls 10# dumbbells 10 reps , 4 sets
spider curls w/ empty EZ curl bar 20 reps, 4 sets.

Sleep, eat, workout....repeat as needed.


Short term goal: 15%
Currently: 14.5%
Starting: 17.8%
Goal met!