Jerimiah gave me some new routines ("JW") to include in the days I am on my own. It's a nice change-up. I had his "make your arms cry" routine, but it's been a number of months, and (as you may have guessed from the name), is just arms. :) These 2 new ones (two!) are more diverse, and HARD. It's 45 minutes to get through the 5 different activities, even if I super-set some. So I need to tighten up on the rest between sets a bit (which is do-able) in order to include some cardio in there. I am pretty happy with it so far, although it's just been a few times. But having something new has given me a little boost in the head space around these sessions, which are typically 2-3 days a week. I don't know what it will do for actual gains yet, but I have a feeling that it will make a difference. I am struggling with the weight a bit though. I put a few pounds on at Christmas, and it's sticking around. I started tracking food again yesterday, and we'll see what my intake is, and what kind of deficit I'll want to consider to start heading back down towards by goal weight. It's obvious that it won't be as-is, which I dread a bit. But I also want to shed some fat, so something will have to change, or I just sit in the middle between having my cake and eating it too.
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My husband ends all of his sessions with Jerimiah by saying "I think he's trying to kill me!". And now I would say the same (tongue in cheek, of course).
We are back to hypertrophy. 10 reps....and my heart felt like it was exploding out of my chest. And it's not that the speed made it cardio; just... whoa. 153 BPM is a lot for me unless I am doing sprints (bike or treadmill), but I officially achieved that squatting. I was so sure that it was more like torture than usual that I checked to see if we had done 10 reps before, and indeed, last hypertrophy cycle we did. A bit less weight, of course, but essentially same deal. So at least I know I'll get over it quick, since I could not remember and it was just September. :) I am really tired, but my head feels energetic, so that’s good. And I was a bit nauseous after, actually. And really hungry. And sitting down is basically just a small bend at the hip and then letting go (as my hamstrings are also rather sore, and don’t really want to be holding any weight in a bend). And yet… still happy. Go figure. Tomorrow is the first day back at work in 2017... all of the festivities and extra free time over. Back to routine. I almost hesitate to use that word. Routine sounds so ...routine. Hum-drum. In a rut. Same-old. It just sounds so unintentional. And I don't think of it that way at all. As I prep lunch, planned for work and the gym, it's all very intentional. I'm not just going along with the flow, but taking charge of what I do with deliberate action towards concrete goals. So yeah, back to routine. But don't get the impression I am just floating about with no special reason. See what Google tells me above/left? Let's call this one a noun. See last post. Repeat. Crapped out on 205# deadlift making this officially NOT better than anything I have ever done before. Ruminated a bit. It's weird, because I have spent quite a bit of the last few months wanting to try for best single... to see what was really possible (vs theorhitcally RPE Xreps blah blah blah) and looking forward to test week. And now that it's here I hatee that it guarantees failure. That's the whole point, after all. And I am not that good at dealing, it turns out. I am not entirely sure if I'd feel the same if I squeezed out more, or it's just hitting a limit that's a bummer. ie:
Now I have a new reason to want to hit good numbers on the real testing day tomorrow. I want a good.... everything. Something worth celebrating. And then to see how I feel. Just so I know which of the 2 above it is . Oh, who am I kidding? I just want better numbers. Period. It's not a social experiment. It's not noble. Just gimme a fucking material PR already!!! In July I had my first Powerlifting meet: and had a 90Kg Deadlift, which was by far a personal best. 198#, plus a bit. And since then, I've been sticking with the programming, and have not been up to even 185# (my previous gym PR) until just a few weeks ago. It felt good to hit that 185#, but it was not exactly *new*. Today I pulled 200#. And I am thrilled about it. Its only marginally more than my previous best, and that took 5 months to gain. And I am not known for my patience. There is just something magic about this sport. I have my whole life to create progress. Bees make only 45 grams (based on my calculations and some wiki-work) in their life. A lifes work, and it's over in a slice of bread. But they make alot of other things too, while they make that honey. Honey is just the most apparent evidence: The in-your-face proof. 1.6# is my 45bee-grams. And I'll take every sweet drop. I'm no social scientist. So if you want to read about Maslow's hierarchy of needs try Wikipedia. But there was an interesting reference to it in a book I am reading for work. I'll spare the back reference (but the book is called "Beyond Engagement" - Brady G. Wilson, if you are interested...)... but it quotes someone who ran the Boston Marathon as saying;
"After I ran the Boston Marathon, I had no motivation whatsoever. My diet and my training schedule went to pot. I need to set another goal for myself before I fall apart." Oh, Snap. ....And I do kinda remember that feeling after the London meet in July. I have continued training, but I know for sure that it's a slightly different feeling than training towards prep for a meet. Which is OK. I think actually that may be one of the things that makes Powerlifting the sport for me. There is ALWAYS a goal. Because it's not a specific event at which you measure your progress.... well, of course it IS, if you go to a meet, but also... it's not. Every few months you cycle through the program and BOOM! PR baby! I found my magic. My girlfriends is yoga. I can imagine that it might be much the same. My goal tomorrow: Just one squat at a time. Just one more. My goal for January - test and new PRs for all 3 (Squat, Benchpress and Deadlift). And then we'll set them again, AND schedule a meet! I know it's called a "Meet" because people... well, they MEET. But I am going to think of it as just the place you meet your goals. Seems I have had a number of updates in the last 2 weeks. Nothing specific is going on; just really enjoying myself, happy, fulfilled. Some moments of 'blech' occasionally interrupt, but I feel as though this is one of the ways I count my blessings. I talk about them here, and acknowledge it that way. It also reinforces my contentment.
It was a good day at the gym today. We gradually are working back to meet-level weights with the new form (high-bar squat and conventional deadlift). I miss low-bar and sumo. But I am gradually improving with these movements, and I know it will make these lifts stronger no matter what style I choose. And the high-bar does seem like less stress on the lower back (which is weird, because I don't think it's supposed to be. But it could just be because it's so much lighter, still). 140# squat and 155# DL today. 15# and 45# to add, respectively, to hit my July OPA-meet PR. There was still gas in the tank, so I might be closer than I think! It would be good to be there by the end of the year. Then in January I can start to prep for a spring meet. I won't do a meet until I can add 40# to my meet total. Road to a 500# total....... Long and winding. But sunny and clear! I was talking to the Mavens last week about long term goals with powerlifting. And I told them what I am about to tell you. I want to qualify for nationals in 2021. It's a long way away, I know. But I will be in the next age group up, and I figure I can improve at least for 2 more years... (I don't really improve in any great leaps, but I think it's reasonable to make some small gains for at least that long). and then even maintaining, for the year I would be Master Level II, the standards should be do-able.
I think it would be an amazing experience, and if I can't do it by then, well, it's unlikely I'd ever be able to do it. So I am setting the bar (pun intended) for a meet around my 50th birthday with PR #s. Now I just have to do the work, which I enjoy anyway! That's me. Talking to my weight. I have put on a few (ahem) pounds. Nothing major; but since I am still wanting to lose a few pounds (10 to go), ... and because I know I have been less than disciplined, ... it's kinda important to call myself on it.
So ... here I go.... now talking to myself: It's not sneaking up on you. It's not quiet. It's not even an IT. It's YOU, and choices YOU make. And I applaud you for having some compassion and enjoying that pizza. And that wine. And The Keg table bread and butter (all of it). And the midway at the CNE. But don't let that be the new habit. Compassion... and Control. In balance. Not one or the other. I restarted the clock on MyFitnessPal today: and will track from here, fresh. No baggage for the better or the worse. Now, I'll go eat some blueberries! Who says struggle is to be sympathized with? Certainly not Seth Godin. This one really resonated with me.
http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2016/08/the-lottery-winners-a-secret-of-unhappiness.html I really do feel fortunate about the struggle in the gym. It's not crazy or anything (I have seen some others suffering @ the gym..., but I am not nearly so hard-core). Nevertheless, unlike some other things in my life, it does not come easy. It is a struggle. I have mentioned it to a number of people as a peculiarity that somehow this was was part of it's joy. But I didn't have better words for it, until now. Thanks, Seth. |
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