2008 Competition Prep and Training

[Tatyana]

Re: 2008 Competition Preparation



My legs are STILL mullered.

Something that amused me to bits happened today in the lab.

Our two analysers in the main lab are set together in a way that you can brace yourself between them and do dips or leg raises.

So while I was in the main lab, the two young men I work with, who do work out asked me 'how strong are your triceps'?

I said 'quite'.

So of course, they asked how many dips I could do.

One of the young men could only do one (he is about 107 kg and 22% bodyfat), and the other could do 2, although it was wobbly.

I had no idea but got on the analyser and banged out about 15, then dipped and held it, pushed up slowly (twice).

I only stopped as I knew tonight I would be doing high volume skull crushers



It is times like this that it is so empowering to feel strong and fit.

I also did back tonight.

No cardio, but after work, I did my grocery shopping, and I was walking for at least an hour, and I ended up carrying about 40-50 lbs home.

Now I have three 12 hour days in a row at work

Sometimes my schedule sucks.

 

[Tatyana]

Re: 2008 Competition Preparation

The first of my three long days at work are over, my work schedule is a bit bonkers at times.

It is either things like this, three long days, or I will only be working two nights in a week.

No weight training yesterday, it was cardio, walking and lots of it.

I wore my heart rate monitor, because I have one and I like gadgets.

In total I walked 3 hours, but only 45 min in the gym.

I burned about 500 kcals in this time.

I was going to leave the cardio in the gym, but in the evening, I had a patient with some seriously abnormal triglycerides and glucose, so I had to phone his doctor.

While I was checking on his request form, I noticed the clinical detail: BMI of 48.

It is seeing those sorts of things daily in the hospital, and then all of the obese people when I walked to the town center to do my grocery shopping that are serious motivation.

How people let themselves get into that state, it is a bit of a concern. It is not like it happens overnight, but once that weight is on, it is such a huge effort to take it off.

Just for fun, I am wearing my heart rate monitor all day today at work, just to see how many calories I burn.

I have worn a pedometer at work before, and in one one call session, I have logged up 6 miles walking, and that is basically just in the lab.

A couple of observations so far:

Just walking around, my heart rate is about 70 bpm.

As soon as I carry something heavy (groceries can weigh up to 40 lbs) or walk up stairs or uphill, it increases to about 90 bpm.

It takes a massive effort for me to get my heart rate up to 110-120 bpm on a treadmill, the incline has to be at least 10% and at 4 km/h.

I don't think that walking is ideal for me, I am going to do more on the bike and x-trainer, or interval running.

 

[Tatyana]

Re: 2008 Competition Preparation

My days are sort of running into each other now, one more to go.

Today as an experiment, I wore my heart rate monitor the time I was out of the house.

Here is the results of my little experiment:

14 hours 32 min

1511 kcals total

Average heart rate 72 BPM

I did 45 min on the bike after work tonight, it was easier to keep my heart rate higher, but I did notice that my monitor did 'cut out' a few times.

Weird thing today, usually I don't have to deal with patients, and I quite like that to be honest.

I had to phone a young diabetic to let them know something was so seriously out of range, he needed to come into the hospital.

He was out and about and said he might be able to make it in later, but if not defo tomorrow.

Even me telling him that his heart could stop beating didn't seem to phase him that much.

This is the only good thing about working tomorrow, I will be calling him again if I don't see him in AE.

 

[Tatyana]

Re: 2008 Competition Preparation

I finished off my high volume training yesterday with legs.

There is something to be said about how quickly you adapt to training, as the high volume squatting was not nearly a difficult as it was 6 days ago.

I started back on heavy this week, back and tris, and it was one of those AWESOME workouts, full on grunt session.

I moved some serious weight

Close grip pull downs 65 kg/143 lb

Dorian rows 50 kg/110 lbs

Hammerstrength seated rows 40 kg/88 lb a side

This is where I started to had my first amusing moment in the gym.

I grabbed an already loaded E-Z curl bar for french press/skull crushers and one of the somewhat newbie Russian lads in the gym said to me 'Isn't that a bit heavy for you?"

It was, as it was about 10 kg more than I am used to about 42 kg/92 lbs, but I managed it.

After all he said was 'wow, you are strong for a woman'

My next amusing moment was after deads, and I had a new PB, 110 kg/242 lb for 3 reps, then I repped out at 100 kg/220 lbs.

It is a bit embarassing, cause even though I can move this much weight, I am a bit spastic at loading and unloading the Olympic bars, and another lad in the gym (also quite a newbie) asked if I needed help and helped me put my weights away.

That just doesn't happen in my gym, and it was all about the whole helping out another lifter when you know they just pushed themselves to the max.

I do love my gym.

I also did 45 min on the x-trainer after, which FLEW by as another girl I know got on the x-trainer next to me and we had a lovely chat.

GOD, I can feel all the muscles in my back already. It could be interesting tomorrow.

 

[Thandie]

Re: 2008 Competition Preparation

I finished off my high volume training yesterday with legs.

There is something to be said about how quickly you adapt to training, as the high volume squatting was not nearly a difficult as it was 6 days ago.

I started back on heavy this week, back and tris, and it was one of those AWESOME workouts, full on grunt session.

I moved some serious weight

Close grip pull downs 65 kg/143 lb

Dorian rows 50 kg/110 lbs

Hammerstrength seated rows 40 kg/88 lb a side

This is where I started to had my first amusing moment in the gym.

I grabbed an already loaded E-Z curl bar for french press/skull crushers and one of the somewhat newbie Russian lads in the gym said to me 'Isn't that a bit heavy for you?"

It was, as it was about 10 kg more than I am used to about 42 kg/92 lbs, but I managed it.

After all he said was 'wow, you are strong for a woman'

My next amusing moment was after deads, and I had a new PB, 110 kg/242 lb for 3 reps, then I repped out at 100 kg/220 lbs.

It is a bit embarassing, cause even though I can move this much weight, I am a bit spastic at loading and unloading the Olympic bars, and another lad in the gym (also quite a newbie) asked if I needed help and helped me put my weights away.

That just doesn't happen in my gym, and it was all about the whole helping out another lifter when you know they just pushed themselves to the max.

I do love my gym.

I also did 45 min on the x-trainer after, which FLEW by as another girl I know got on the x-trainer next to me and we had a lovely chat.

GOD, I can feel all the muscles in my back already. It could be interesting tomorrow.

Sounds like a fab workout, Tat...

 

[Tatyana]

Re: 2008 Competition Preparation

It was an awesome workout.

I had yesterday off, I really need to get more sleep and I ended up working late due to another scientist having an emergency.

I have also had to rearrange my on calls, and now I am working the next two weekends (that will end up being 5 weekends in a row), and working late again on Friday.



Today I realised I am almost as pure as the driven snow except for the following:

Not enough sleep

Not enough water

Too much coffee

Too much artificial sweetners

Cardio is starting to come along

I think I may need to develop a bad habit

Chest, biceps and calves today and as chest is my weakest body part, no amazing lifts.

Also keeping this short and sweet so I can get up for cardio in the morning.

Tonight, 50 min on the bike, average heartrate 127 bmp and 294 kcals burned.

I also walked for about an hour and a half today as well, just due to journeys to work, the gym and lunchtime grocery shopping.

 

[Tatyana]

Re: 2008 Competition Preparation

Just got in from a run on the beach, I am so HAPPY, I managed to get out of bed and do fasted morning cardio.

It was a sort of run, jog, walk thing on the beach

42 min
280 kcals
average heart rate 132 bpm

Last night - heavy legs and shoulders.

I didn't go heavier on many things except

Stiff leg dead lifts 60 kg/132 lbs (could go heavier, I really need to start taking a journal to the gym)

Standing military press 42 kg/95 lbs

I am getting into cardio, and even though I love the excuse of no cardio on leg day, I did walk after training last night.

11 percent incline, 3.5 km/h

41 min
228 kcals
average heart rate 119 bpm

(god I love my heart rate monitor)

I am also walking about 1.5-2 hours a day just due to lifestyle, walking into work and back, walking downtown and doing my shopping.

 

[Tatyana]

Re: 2008 Competition Preparation

Morning cardio again before work (on call today, I can't wait till I have a weekend clear)

43 min
282 kcals
Average heart rate 132 bpm



It looks like I have burned 2600 kcals this week, which hopefully equates to close to a lb of fat (3500 kcals)

I do have to say, the HUNGER was bonkers yesterday, I do think that morning cardio does kick metabolism into high gear.

On a good note, it made me drink a LOT more water just to deal with the hunger pangs between meals.

 

[Tatyana]

Re: 2008 Competition Preparation



I was on call Sunday night, and after working Saturday day, Sunday day was a bit of a write off.

I finished off my heavy 'week' last night with back and tris.

A lot of the stacks in my gym are just numbered, and the exact weight of some of the plates ??????

I was training in my other gym in Rayleigh, so I have a much better idea of what I am lifting

Close grip pulldowns 80 kg/176 lb

Bent over rows 50 kg/110 lb

Cable seated rows 100 kg/220 lb

Close grip push downs 80 kg/176 lb

French Press 35 kg/77 kg

Tonight I moved into more of a drop set type of training, chest and biceps

I love training chest, mostly as it has been so hard to build up any pecs

Flat flyes 18 kg/40 lb

Incline DB press 22 kg/48 lb

Flat Bench 50 kg/110 lb

Dips

E-Z curls 37.5 kg/ 83 lb

Seated DB curls 12 kg/26 lb

No cardio tonight, I am riding my bike to work tomorrow, could be interesting

 

[Tatyana]

Re: 2008 Competition Preparation

This morning I cycled into work, it is between 12-13 miles, and freaking hilly in places.


It took me 1 hour, 21 min, I burned 519 kcals, and my average heart rate was 130 bpm.

I thought I was going to have to walk up bloody Bread and Cheese Hill on the way home, it was a bit scary speeding down it this morning.

However, it only took me one hour and five minutes to get home, burned 399 kcals, average heart rate was 126 bpm.



I used to catch a lift with a woman who lives close to me, and if all went well, then it would take 20-30 min, but with traffic, it often took a lot longer.

Walking to the station and catching the train takes about 45-50 min.

I think I am onto something here.

I don't think I would want to do this in the winter with the rain etc, but while the weather is great, I am going to use my bicycle commuting as much as possible, I am just going to have to watch for over-training (or it is going to sort out me not getting enough sleep).