meg -13 wks to nasa natls.

a.m.
back squat
3 reps x10 sets 155#

warmup on bar:
45#
75 x5
95 x4
115 x3
125 x2
135 x3
145 x2

i don't squat again until next friday... when i test my one rep max! am also gonna go for a heavy single on my deadlift, as it'd be my last chance to go heavy on that lift before the meet. pretty tired from the last three weeks, looking forward to the backoff before maxing. and i can get a good amount of z1 under my belt, baby shreds!

a.m.
back squat
5 reps x7 sets 150#

used belt AND knee sleeves today. this and tomorrow are the last squat workouts i have before testing max next week, so wanted to do them in equipment. video is third set. fourth set actually felt the best. first set felt so heavy, i was wondering how i was ever gonna survive! but i think i was just tired. have you guys seen the 'insane clown posse' emoticon?! => what.



warmup on bar:
45#
75 x3
95 x5
110 x3
125 x5
135 x3

a.m.
A1. Shoulder Press @ 31X1; 8-10 reps x 3 sets; rest 90 sec
48# x10, 53 x10, 58 x7
A2. Weighted Pronated Pull-ups @ 30X1; 3-5 reps x 3 sets; rest 90 sec
bodyweight x5, 2.5# x3, x3 -didn't expect much here. actually felt really good, just couldn't do much. maybe using a little too much arms, not enough back. probably, definitely. but i know for a lot of women who've had the same surgery, it can take a really long time to get their pullups back, so i'm happy to even be able to get over the bar
B. SA DB Press @ 21X1; 9-12 reps/arm x 3 sets; rest 60 sec b/t arms
20# x12 all sets
C. Barbell Skull Crusher @ 3010; 9-12 reps x 3 sets; rest 2 min
33# x12, 39.6 x12, 44 x12 -LOVE THESE!

midday
60 min z1 elliptical

a.m.
back squat
7 reps x5 sets 145#

felt heavy today, wore belt. did not wear belt during warmup.

warmup with bar:
45#
75 x7
95 x5
110 x7
125 x5
135 x3

one thing worth noting, so that months from now when i'm on another strength cycle, i can read this and talk myself out of doing something really dumb. remember that 5k i ran at z1, with no real cramping to report? well, yesterday a.m. i woke up and it took me a year to walk to the bathroom... MY CALVES! killed me all day, still hurting. i soaked, rolled, rubbed, stretched... dying.

here's snapshot of the first run of this area of the arm cycle. subbing a good amount of stuff this time around. some stuff i just have no need for, and other stuff, it's more important i continue to build my strength back to where it was before going there.

midday
back squat
9 reps x4 sets 135#



colin pointed out, as i get tired, doing kind of a squat, into a 'good morning'. i think focusing so much on not collapsing, i'm letting my hips get away from me. pretty happy with this workout. in another lifetime (almost exactly one year ago), at my first powerlifting competition, i maxed at 135#. it was pretty bad, i lacked confidence in the lift, and my depth was very questionable. them calling it a good lift was charitable. and just this past jan., i hit 135# for a 10 rep max, so doing nine for four sets today, is pretty good progress... ESPECIALLY considering i took three weeks off in feb. AND, gentlemen, close your eyes, thank god i started my period this a.m.! due to test max 4/19, so i am in the clear to not be on my period at that time. likely to avoid complete emotional breakdown for not hitting p.r. due to visit from aunt flo.


A1. Close Grip Bench Press @ 30X1; 8-10 reps x 3 sets; rest 90 sec
55# x10, 60 x10, 67.5 x10 -first conventional bench since before surgery. SOOOOO HAPPY to be back on the bench. felt great, couldn't have asked for it to have gone any better.
A2. Standing DB Rows @ 31X0; 8-10 reps x 3 sets; rest 90 sec
20# x10, 25 x10, x10
B1. Ring Holds; 20 sec x 5 sets; rest 30 sec
so hard. i was trying like hell to turn my wrists out, shoulders were caving in. this used to be one of my strong suits, will take work to get it back. think i will do shorter holds next week, to try and maintain better position.
B2. Scap. Pullups; 5 reps x 5 sets; rest 30 sec
easy stuff!

for bs, warmup on the bar:
45#
75 x7
95 x9
110 x7
125 x5

laaaate p.m.
30 min z1 run

signed up for the rave run 5k long before i decided on the squat cycle. so did it z1 and am going to cram arms and squats into sunday, so that monday can be a total rest day. saturday is usually rest, and it's important to me i have one day a week where i do nothing.



run felt good, right calf got a little tight. no real cramping and wasn't winded. def stayed in z1.

a.m.
back squat
3 reps x10 sets 150#

warmup with the bar:
45#
75 x4
95 x4
110 x4
120 x2
130 x3
140 x2

a.m.
back squat
5 reps x7 sets 145#

thurs and fri this week and next are pretty heavy, so was thinking about using my belt. did first set no belt, second set belt (videos below), and after looking at the video, i was pretty confident doing it without the belt, maybe just be more concious of my position coming out of the squat. mmm... yeah, you do a set with a belt and then one without, you're like, "screw this!" wore belt last four sets. i don't see an alarming difference between the two videos, but there is a definite difference.



visible panty line, holla!

warmup on the bar, this a.m.:
45# x? a lot, get everything moving
65 x5
85 x3
100 x5
110 x4
125 x3
135 x3
115 x3
130 x3
i did all the bolded sets. i think i could've gotten away with replacing the red sets with those blue sets. a lot less lifts, and i think a good progression. for me, it's really hard to gauge warming up for something heavy, at high reps.

a.m.
A1. 1 1/4 Shoulder Press @ 31X1; 6-8 reps x 5 sets; rest 90 sec
40.5# x8, 43 x8, x8, 45.5 x8, 48 x7
A2. Weighted Supinated Pull-ups @ 31X1; 2-3 reps x 5 sets; rest 90 sec
bodyweight x3, 5# x3, 6.25 x3, 7.5 x3, 8.75 x3 -these went a million times better than last week... but then again, it was only 2-3 reps...
B1. SA DB Seesaw Press @ 30X1; 6-8 reps/arm x 4 sets; rest 90 sec
20# x8, x8, 25 x4, x4 -bit off more than i could chew with 25#, but i would've rather been dead than do 20# all sets!
B2. Lying Powell Raise @ 3010; 6-8 reps/arm x 4 sets; rest 90 sec
7.5# x8, 10 x8, x8, x7 -realized after the second set that i had the bench incline at 30degrees, did previous two weeks at 45 degrees, but i was like, fuck it.
C. Standing Tricep Extensions @ 3010; 6-8 reps x 4 sets; rest 2 min
25# x8, x8, 30 x5, x6 -i don't regret going to 30# when i did, even though i didn't hit six on that third set

midday
60 min z1 elliptical

showed colin video of my last set, chest collapse not as bad as i built it up to be in my head. last couple reps happening much worse.

a.m.
back squat
7 reps x5 sets 140#

spaced out on the warm-up, thought i'd be doing sets of five reps, so i didn't feel properly prepared hitting seven. collapsing bad, bad, bbbbad, bad, bad. butt comes up well before chest, increasingly so every rep. thurs supposed to go up 10#, only going to go up five.

a.m.
A1. Incline Bench Press @ 40X0; 6-8 reps x 5 sets; rest 90 sec
47.5# x8, 50 x8, 52.5 x8, 55 x8, 57.5 x6
A2. Ring Rows @ 2010; 12 reps x 5 sets; rest 90 sec
B1.Push-ups @ 2020; amrap (-1) x 4 sets; rest 90 sec
10, 9, 10, 10
B2. Standing Cable External Rotation @ 3010; 6-8 reps x 4 sets rest 90 sec
resistamce 10 x8, r10.5 x8, r11 x8, r11.5 x8
C. Single Arm DB Curls @ 31X0; 8-10 reps/side x 4 sets; rest 60 sec b/t arms
15# x10 all sets

midday
45 min z1 row

a.m.
back squat
9 reps x4 sets 130#

i can't stop thinking about this, can't stop talking about it! this was the toughest thing i have ever done in the gym, damn proud of myself! when i took the bar off the rack for my third set, it felt fucking heavy, but i got it done. happy easter!

a.m.
back squat
3 reps x10 sets 135#

not the best night's sleep, was worried i wouldn't have the confidence this a.m. to hit ten sets of 135#, but got it done! didn't feel "heavy" until set eight.

a.m.
back squat
5 reps x7 sets 130#

felt like dog shit when i woke up, just all tired and unmotivated. during the one minute drive to the gym, i was already talking myself out of doing the squats, deciding to hit some z1 and squat at lunch. but after three minutes on the airdyne, i felt like a long z1 was going to suck more than squatting. as soon as i started warming up with the bar, i instantly felt better. definitely helped having the tv on, vitale was talking 'march madness' and that guy has so much energy, it got me going! fourth set is where it started to get tough.

i kept track of my warmup with the bar, because i always struggle with how many reps, at what weight, is the sweet spot to prepare me, but not tire me out. 45# x5, 65 x4, 85 x5, 100 x3, 110 x4, 120 x3... think this felt good. tomorrow is sets of three at 135#, will probably use same weight progression, but 85+ hit 2-3 reps only. of course, all depends on how i feel. plans could, and usually do, change!

a.m.
A1. 1 1/4 Shoulder Press @ 31X1; 8-10 reps x 5 sets; rest 90 sec
38# x10, x10, 40.5 x10, x10, 43 x9
A2. Weighted Supinated Pull-ups @ 31X1; 3-5 reps x 5 sets; rest 90 sec
bodyweight x4, x3, x3, x3, x3
B1. SA DB Seesaw Press @ 30X1; 8-10 reps/arm x 4 sets; rest 90 sec
15# x10, 20 x10, x10, x10
B2. Lying Powell Raise @ 3010; 8-10 reps/arm x 4 sets; rest 90 sec
7.5# x10, x10, 10# x8, x8
C. Standing Tricep Extensions @ 3010; 8-10 reps x 4 sets; rest 2 min
20# x10, 25 x10, x9, x7

press a lot better this week, but my sup. pullups were terrible. we think it's my back that's super weak right now, the ring rows will help with that. i felt like my triceps and shoulders were gonna explode outta my skin during this, got my pump ON, fo' sho'.

midday
60 min z1 elliptical

midday
back squat
7 reps x5 sets 120#

felt pretty easy. i ate sooo many corn chips about an hour before doing these, so i felt bloated as shit and sturdy as hell.

midday
A1. Incline Bench Press @ 40X0; 8-10 reps x 5 sets; rest 90 sec
45# x10, 47.5 x10, x10, 50 x8, x9
A2. Ring rows (perfect reps, using back, not biceps) @ 2010; 10-12 reps x 5 sets; rest 90 sec
12 all sets
B1. Push-ups @ 2020; amrap (-1) x 4 sets; rest 90 sec
8, 10, 10, 9
B2. Standing Cable External Rotation @ 3010; 8-10 reps x 4 sets rest 90 sec
r9 x10, r9.5 x10, r10 x10, r10.5 x10
C. Single Arm DB Curls @ 31X0; 10-12 reps/side x 4 sets; rest 60 sec b/t arms
15# x12, x12

ran out of time to finish my curls, spent too much time bullshitting between sets. but i did demo some chest-to-bar pullups for a girl at the gym, and happy to report, i still got it! that was my first kipping pullup since surgery and it was all good.

late a.m.
back squat
9 reps x4 sets 110#

in the past, nine wouldn't seem like "high rep" to me, but i was getting pretty winded by rep five. rest was 3-4 minutes-ish between sets. currently training squats with no equipment, and nine reps definitely made me miss my knee sleeves! you get that little bounce, makes it a million times easier. have been on an eating frenzy the past few days, reigning it in tomorrow.

midday
75 min z1 elliptical

a.m.
back squat 135# x5

A1. 1 1/4 Shoulder Press @ 31X1; 10-12 reps x 4 sets; rest 90 sec
38# x12, 40.5 x9, x7, x7 -trip OUT! that 12th rep wasn't even hard, but i fell off so bad for the following sets. talked with colin, he says it's my muscle endurance. i'm strong, but my ability to recover is not on point right now. so for now, throwing out the rule that if i hit the top of the rep range, always go up in weight. will feel it out, workout by workout.
A2. Weighted Supinated Pull-ups @ 31X1; 3-5 reps x 4 sets; rest 90 sec
@bodyweight x5, 2.5# x4, x3, x3
B1. SA DB Seesaw Press @ 30X1; 10-12 reps/arm x 3 sets; rest 90 sec
12.5# x12, 15# x12, x12
B2. Lying Powell Raise @ 3010; 10-12 reps/arm x 3 sets; rest 90 sec
5# x12, 7.5 x12, x10
C. Standing Tricep Extensions @ 3010; 10-12 reps x 3 sets; rest 2 min
15# x12, 20 x12, x10 -LOVE these!

p.m.
60 min z1 row

a.m.
90 min z1
(15 min airdyne + 15 min row x3)