ironwings journal *

[ironwings]

Had a good last bi/tri/chest day today. Warmed up with a nice long combo complex, deadlift to power clean press, and a leg complex with BB to get the heart pumping. And, I sweat profusely. Just like a girl

Bicep curls 3x12, 40lb bar
Incline bicep curls 3x12, 10lb db
Tricep dips from 2 benches 3x10, 35lb plate on legs
Tricep overhead extension, 3x10, 30lb bar
Skull crushers, 2x20, 30lb bar
Decline BB Chest Press, 3x15, 65lb
Smith flat bench plyo chest presses, 3x12, 35lbs
Incline flyes, 3x10, 15lb db
DB calf raises, 4x20, 70lbs - 2 sets toes in, 2 sets tows out (plie)

Finished it off with a 8 round tabata of jump rope 40 seconds, plank 20 seconds.

I went up on my tricep dips to a 35lb plate from a 25lb plate I had been using. Just about all summer I've only been lifting the bar (45lb) for my chest with high reps. I haven't been training it much. I have a lot of muscle definition in my upper chest so I backed off for awhile. I looked in the mirror today and I swear I just keep losing my breasts! Pitiful. Today, I went ahead and pressed 65lb - Tat inspired me with her 135lb. I think my highest I ever got to was 85lb. Geez.

Tomorrow is my last leg/glute day - we'll see how far I can take it ;-) My legs are starting to get that dull ache so I am now actually looking forward to my two weeks of complex/cardio only.

I've enjoyed my high volume so much I may stick with it for my upcoming VAR cycle. I implemented it half way through my last cycle and saw tremendous difference in my body - I'd love to see what I can do for a full 8 weeks.

 

[ironwings]

Here I am up at 4am, AGAIN. My sleep cycle has been off lately. I have been getting 4 or 5 hours a night and I need a good 7 - 9. My skin is showing it and I feel exhausted by mid day. There has to be a way to get back on track. I haven't slept well since August.

I had this crazy muscle twitch last night at the top of my right tricep. My nervous system must have been on overload! It was the first time I have ever had this so it kept me up for a bit. Good thing legs are today ;-)

 

[Thandie]

Here I am up at 4am, AGAIN. My sleep cycle has been off lately. I have been getting 4 or 5 hours a night and I need a good 7 - 9. My skin is showing it and I feel exhausted by mid day. There has to be a way to get back on track. I haven't slept well since August.

I had this crazy muscle twitch last night at the top of my right tricep. My nervous system must have been on overload! It was the first time I have ever had this so it kept me up for a bit. Good thing legs are today ;-)

Good morning!
I thought I was the only one up at 4..
Have a good leg workout!!

 

[ironwings]

Fried the legs today. I knew I would overdue it and certainly I did. When I got home and was in the shower shaving my legs - I couldn't feel the razor. My CNS was completely fried and the nerve endings under my skin were numb. I imagine I won't be able to walk for a week. Why do we do this to ourselves?

Warmup of Complex 6 (RDL, power clean press, good morning, squat, power press, SLDL, row) and a Leg Complex (SLDL to clean press, front squat, RDL) for 10 minutes. I don't count these. I do as many as I can and then rest 45 seconds or so and go again.

-Smith sumo squats, 105lb, 3x12 - power up
-Supersetted with bench frog kicks 3x12
-Single leg bench step ups with knee raise, 55lb on back, 3x10 each leg (I thought I was going to need resuscitation after these!)
-Smith single leg presses, knee to chest, foot flexed, 95lb, 2x12, 1x10 each leg
-Smith deadlifts, 105lb, 2x10, 1x8
-Smith single leg glute raise, 35lb, 1x10 each leg - failure

Couldn't perform normal boxing drills or tabata or abs. I was done and about to cry. **This program is the first time in a VERY long time that I've used a Smith Machine. I built my strength with BB but now I am loving the Smith. Who knew?

Stretched between each set - rest time approx. 45sec. Spent a good 15 minutes stretching before I could walk.

Onebreath had a good idea, although I know it is going to be almost impossible to do. First rest week of nothing but steady state cardio for 45 minutes. Second week, complexes and a mix of HIIT and steady state. Tomorrow will be my first test - although he'll be there and won't let me do anything else. I hope I can climb a treadmill! I might get some abs in shhh...

Next VAR cycle starts in November so I have to be ready to hit it.

 

[the_alcatraz]

This looks great

Thank you for sharing. Def. keep us posted!

 

[ironwings]

My first rest day! I've been dreading this but in the end it was a great experience. I had been listening to a series called "A New Earth" by Eckhart Tolle, and haven't had time to concentrate on it lately. I popped that on my ipod and away I went on the treadmill. I learned how sometimes the things we love to do aren't necessarily because of the action but more that while doing it we are in the present - not thinking about anything else but what we are doing. I relate to that with my weight lifting. I think of nothing else but my form, my breath, my strength. I'm completely in the moment. It is that being in present feeling that we get addicted to. If only we could always be in the present - could you imagine if our ego's completely left us?

Anywho, I'm going to enjoy listening to this for the next couple fo weeks. I've been doing drills and tabatas for so long I forgot what it was like to get on a piece of cardio equipment for a full 45 minutes! This will surely help.

Workout - Treadmill Cardio Preset Program - incline 15, speed 3.6, 45 minutes - kept heart rate right around 140.

Oh, and by the way. There is this feeling I get when I cycle (which I haven't done in over a year) that is just pure heaven. An endorphin rush I suppose. I got it today! About 38 minutes in.

 

[ironwings]

Today, not so excited. My legs/hips/glutes are hurting like a mother. None the less it was cardio time. On an empty stomach this morning (rare for me).

Workout: Treadmill, started with preset cardio program but it stopped reading my heart rate 1/2 way in. Sweaty hands I guess! 35 minutes @ incline 15, speed 3.6. 10 minutes @ incline 12, speed 3.6 - pretty sure heart rate stayed around 140 - got up to 145 a few times.

I wanted to girlie cry my legs hurt so bad. New Earth is still good though - no ah ha moments today - just listened to people calling into the webcast asking about ego and being in the present. All I could think about was how bad my legs presently hurt. I was in the present.

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I had a nice little surprise this morning. Hopped on the scales and down to 132 (and I'm carrying a bit of water from my monthly cycle). I think I mentioned before I eat out alot on the weekend, sodium disaster I know. Matter of fact, I was having these dizzy spells quit often on Mondays and Tuesdays. After journaling a bit I figured out it was because my sodium intake is so low during the week and sky high on the weekends! The family went out to a Japanese restaurant Saturday night and it was delicious but about an hour later I was plopped on the couch dizzy, dizzy, dizzy. The rest of the weekend was low sodium for me. Figuring all this out has been a good experience - now I can make much better choices when eating out. I'm getting ready to move to a new home and the plan is to eat out less. It has a nice open kitchen that me and the bf can both fit in AND I can see my son playing. Perhaps I can learn a few recipes from needto's cookbook. We practiced this past Friday by cooking steak at home - I think I could get used to this.

I wasn't trying to lose too much more fat but a recent thread about physique photography and some upcomging video shoots I have to do has my butt on the burner. I guess I should be shooting for 15% bf. Good grief.

I'll be taking in fewer calories this week and next since I'm not lifting. We'll see where I come out then....off for some green tea.

 

[the_alcatraz]

Push yourself...come January, it's going to be a surprise

 

[ironwings]

I know, I know. Onebreath is limping like a wounded dog today from his DC workout. I start another high volume workout similar to what I just did - I'm addicted - week after next. Good lord at the rate I'm going I'll be down to 15% by then and will have to eat like a horse to keep up with those DC workouts! I'm ready for ya!

 

[ironwings]

Today I did cardio in the afternoon between clients. My feet were killing me from being on them all day but I headed over to that treadmill (weights were calling my name) and started on my journey without my lipoflame :-( 15% incline, 3.6 speed for 45 minutes. Got a good stretch in and then back to work. Everyone is asking me at the gym what is wrong. They've never seen me not lift. LOL

I didn't get near enough calories in yesterday - around 750. How about I just say I'm calorie cycling? My body still aches a bit so I am coming to terms with this rest. It WILL be good for me. I'm thinking of only one week though, not sure I'll make it two. Matter of fact, I know I won't.

Morning cardio tomorrow. I'm thinking maybe some complexes too.
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