Athi's gonna get her awesome body back!

[Athena]

So, um, yeah, I'm a girl and I'm in the States and I'm not ever going to compete again (so she says today)...but it's time to get serious about training again. I may look just fine to other folks but I would like to get back to my old body.

History: Competed for three years in Figure (trying to get my avi up but technology is not my friend). Started lifting in 1996, competed in my mid-40s, last comp in 2007. I have lots of health problems and birth defects, so my training may not make sense to folks some days -- that's because my shoulder or my back may be telling me to do something differently that day, so I listen.

More history: I'm 47 years old, waver between 132 and 135 lbs (too lazy to convert to kg, sorry) and sitting at 28.5% BF (as of one month ago, but due for another BF test next week). I am NOT happy. Goals are to get down to 120lbs and 18% BF.

Even more history: I've tried all kinds of training programs and all kinds of exercises. I know what works for me, after years of patiently learning. I need high volume on my upper body for it to pop (looking for 4-5 sets of 10 reps each, going to form failure not muscle failure all the time, but muscle failure happens...kinda like how shit happens, ya know?), lower body is usually low rep, high weight...but I've started running again and mountain climbing...so I'm doing higher rep on lower body now. I'm also a caver and will try to get back to swimming at some point. I know it sounds like a lot of cardio, but my formative years were spent doing lots of cardio and my body can handle it without sacrificing muscle...somehow. Remember, I'm a birth defect and I'm wired differently.

Still more agonizing history: Used to be super active at the American forums for about seven years...but the forums changed. I got tired of slapping the stupid people and really wasn't looking for a dating site, so I left...had my journal deleted...visit from time to time to support a couple of friends, but mostly stay away.

WHY I'M HERE: Ahh...finally to the good stuff, eh? Because I need some place to track my workouts and be held accountable and I looked at about five other sites before landing here. I promise to participate and not ask for too much translation.

TENTATIVE WORKOUT SCHEDULE: I have two jobs -- I'm a certified personal trainer and Medical Exercise Specialist, and I'm a part-time in-home caregiver for people who do not want to go into a senior care home. The caregiving job can be physically demanding and there are extreme emergencies, where I get 30 minutes to race to a client's house because the spouse is headed to the emergency room and I need to stay with the client for the night. The gym I work at and train at is 35 min's away, and when I get the money I'll join the little gym near where I live so I can train more consistently.

...schedule goal, though, is a four day split: Chest + biceps, back + triceps, legs, and shoulders then on their own day. I do abs whenever I can -- shoulder day or leg day or both. I rest upper body one day in between upper body workouts.

...lately I haven't had time to do bis + tris, though.

Okay...time to post a few workouts...

[Athena]

remember...i'm just too lazy to do the conversion, so i'll comment when there's an increase in weight or when you should be impressed.

working sets only listed

dumbbell bench press:

25# - 10

30# - 10, 10, 8 (holy crap this took everything i had)

drop set: 30#-5, 25#-4

...total failure on rep 6 at 30#, form failure on rep 4 at 25#...could not have done more!

pullovers: across bench, one dumbbell

25# - 8, 8

20# - 10

...left shoulder really bothering me at 25# today

incline flyes:

15# - 10

20# - 10, 10, 10 (had to scream out that last one)

decline bench press:

only Oly bar for 10, 12, 12

cardio for 30 min's

***

getting back to a full workout but need to move faster...i'm really taking too long for these workouts.

[Athena]

shoulder really bothering me today...so just did what i could...

carlman pulls:

55#-10

60-10, 10

seated lat pulls, close grip:

70-10

80-8, 8, -long break- 10

straight arm pressdowns:

40-10, 12

50-5

40-12

drop set: 50-5, 40-6

low cable rows, underhand grip:

75-10

80-10

85-10, 10, 12

lats and delts were really sore from chest workout yesterday, but because of my schedule this week i had to do chest and back this way.

[Athena]

dumbbell bench press:

30-10, 10!, 10!

drop set: 30-7, 25-3

drop set: 30-4, 25-4

...failed on rep 5 at 30# and again on rep 5 at 25#

...have a big YAY!! written at the top of the page for today.

decline bench:

10#-10

15-10, 8, 10

...had my coworker spot me on the last set...coulda gotten more out of myself on the second set, but hadn't bothered to get a spotter yet.

high cable box flyes: do not like these...usually do my cable box flyes at just above shoulder height but the cables do not adjust vertically at our gym. not doing these again at this gym.

20#-12

25-10, 8, 10!, 10!

(superset core work in with the box flyes)

incline flyes:

15-10

20-8, 8

...shoulders just really hurt by the end of this workout

[Athena]

only 4 hours sleep the night before...

bicep curls (db):

20-10 x five sets (lots of body english to get the last two reps out!)

bench dips:

10 x five sets

balance work

cardio

[Athena]

finally! due to some changes on my second job, i can start going heavy with legs!

squats:

15-10

20-10

30-10, 8

....oh, the days of putting 80# on the bar and going at it are gone...but they'll be back soon enough.

bulgarians:

0#-10

10# each hand-7, 10, 10

...hand to change shoes...right foot was killing me when it was back on the bench, so the second and third set went much better

**superset with**

angled leg press, varying foot widths:

30-12

50-12, 12

straight legged deads, varying foot widths:

0-10

20-10

40-10

**45 min break to work with a client**

40-10, 10

angled leg press calves:

30-10 x seven sets

...toes out, in, fwd, etc.

lower back/core work

[Athena]

kinda depressing to post these numbers, but i'm trying not to focus on where i am right now...just trying to focus on how far i've come in the last month since i got serious all over again.

the old numbers will come back.

[Ninja]

Good work keep it up :clap:

Why you posting on here from the states? You from nz?

[Athena]

Good work keep it up

Why you posting on here from the states? You from nz?

posting here because i couldn't find any other intelligent bb forum on the planet/interwebz. i used to belong to the popular american site...still belong there but don't participate much.

[Athena]

okay, i don't have internet access at home (way too expensive in the mountains), so i don't get to the forums much. i'll just post some highlights from these last two days.

Monday, Feb 4: chest

all pressing today -- really need to stimulate my delts on more than just shoulder days.

db bench press inching it's way back up: 30-10; 35-5 (failed on rep #6); 30-10 (everything i had!), then another 8 screaming reps for the last set

incline db press: struggled to get the last reps out on each set -- 20-10; 25-10 for 3 sets

decline oly still feeling weak on these, but they'll come back -- 15-10; 20-6 (failed on #7); decided to see what i could still do at 10#...only got 10 reps out for the last set

Tuesday, February 5

quick run with my new training partner (okay, about 40 minutes' run), then legz:

wide stance straight legged deads for the inside of my legs: 30-10, 10; 35-10 (grip slipping on everything but don't want to use straps just yet...)

close stance straight legged deads for a last set: 40#-8

supersets: bulgarians with step ups

bulgarians 10# each hand 8 reps -- step ups 10# each hand 10 each leg

bulgarians 15# each hand 8 reps -- step ups 15# each hand 10 each leg

bulgarians 20# each hand 8 reps -- step ups 20# each hand 10 each leg

lying leg press calves one set toes forward, one set toes out, one set toes in...50# on sled for 10 reps each set

~~ * ~~

feel good so far...but i imagine getting up to use the bathroom in the middle of the night will be a challenge.

[Athena]

buggers, it's been way too long since i updated this thing.

realized earlier this week that i'm sabotaging myself (both diet and cardio) because i'm afraid of the work that will be involved in getting back into shape. that made me puke a little, but at least i figured out what the problem is.

Highlights:

Monday, Jan 18: awesome chest and back workout. not a fan of this split, but it's what i can go with these days. numbers up on bench presses (flat, decline, incline), and kinda up on back work.

monday night i figured out i've been giving in to fear...so tuesday i punished myself a bit...

Tuesday, Jan 19: supersets, weights + cardio combined, including plyos

superset 1:

squats: oly bar only, 5 sets of 10 each, varying foot widths

surfboards: 5 sets of 10 to 16 each, pushed myself harder as the sets went on

superset 2:

sidekicks (martial arts) high: 5 sets of 16 each

14 inch platform straddle jumps: 5 sets of 10 to 16 each, pushing myself harder as the sets went on

superset 3:

bulgarians, no weight: 5 sets of 10 each

leg presses, sled weight only, varying foot width: 5 sets of 10 to 16 each

my quads were on fire when i was done with all this...there was no rest during all that work...

then --

calf raises, bodyweight only, 3 sets of 10 each (one set toes forward, one set toes in, one set toes out)

20 jumping jacks

10 X jumps

plus abs, lower back work, yoga and stretching

wednesday I did an hour of kenpo (martial arts)...woke up thursday with sore shoulders and lats...

thursday it was shoulder day in the weight room, regardless of the agony i was already in...

kept it simple...front, seated rear supersets...side raises with face pull supersets...then standing dumbbell overhead presses. tried oly overhead presses but that bar wouldn't even flip up in front of me -- i had nothing left.

planning on a run today.

i've got to get my crap together...this weight won't come off if i don't make the effort, ya know?

[Pseudonym]

Good work keep it up

Why you posting on here from the states? You from nz?

posting here because i couldn't find any other intelligent bb forum on the planet/interwebz. i used to belong to the popular american site...still belong there but don't participate much.

Just saw this journal now. I think I like you already.

[Athena]

Just saw this journal now. I think I like you already.

Yeah, I was originally going to confess that I left the American site because I got tired of bitch-slapping stupid people...then worried it might sound too harsh here.

~~ * ~~

Friday: 30min easy jog

Saturday: 40 min easy jog...plan on a bit of bi/tri work this morning, too

Cheers!

Athi

[Athena]

YESSSSSSS!!

I started two months ago at 132 lbs / 59kg w/nearly 29% BF

My goal is 120 lbs / 54kg and 20% BF

Comes out to about a 3lb increase in muscle

I weighed in last month at 134.5lbs...not the right direction.

Yesterday I weighed in at 128lbs! WOOT! It's finally coming off! Later this week I'll check BF% to make sure I'm truly headed in the right direction.

[Athena]

Monday, Feb 25

Started with a 40 min jog.

*decline db press -- four working sets. found out i'm weak at slight decline, which explains why my pushups are non-existent! good to start this w/o with this exercise...will keep this order for next several weeks.

*db bi curl w/outward twist -- four working sets.

* flat db bench -- four working sets...not too shabby a performance after the brutal declines

*ez preacher curls -- four working sets...coulda worked harder on these

*db incline press -- four working sets...tough sets here

followed by ab work

****

Tues, Feb 26

not a lot of sleep last night...coyote pack surrounded the house, alpha male outside our bedroom window, for about 30 minutes last night. whole pack was communicating, trying to see what they could flush out. if we weren't jam stuck in the middle of trees, we would have fired off the shotgun into the branches to get rid of them, but it's not too smart considering all the factors.

then i yanked something out of place in my thoracic spine.

kinda made it up today for legs as i went along...

*leg extensions, toes forward, toes pointed, toes out, toes in. four sets of 10-12 reps, three different weights. going for endurance here

*angled leg press: four working sets...each one heavier than the last. kept surprising myself. wanted to keep the reps low but kept screaming out 10 reps each time instead.

*back squats: three killer working sets -- felt awesome on my aching subscapularis...seriously good.

*standing calf raises

****

tomorrow more kenpo (martial arts)

****

all the hard work is paying off ... gotta get this little layer of fat off my ass!

[Athena]

hubby looked at my arms last night and said, "hey! yer gettin' yer guns back!"

good week last week of training and it's been a killer week thus far as well. i'll post numbers tomorrow since i don't have my journal with me right now...but i'm trying to piece together why my right shoulder has been dislocating on barbell overhead presses. i'm going to add pullovers back into my workout. i don't recall the shoulder dislocating when i was doing pullovers, and i've been skipping them lately...so i'm thinking there's a connection.

~athi

[Athena]

awesome progress this past week, even with the right shoulder dislocating.

ended up taking three days off weights, which i didn't think was possible anymore, but my second job has been demanding lately.

sunday was back and triceps in the barn. on the second floor of the barn (on the property we're renting) is an aggravating home gym. i can get a decent back/triceps workout in though.

lat pulls, bent over cable rows, high single arm cable rows, straight arm pressdowns -- 4 or 5 sets of ten each...lats were beautifully pumped and full when i was done

then tricep pressdowns, overhead pressouts, and inside to the kitchen to do bench dips off the counter. triceps were fried at the end...felt really good.

today once again, i decided to try a long jog before my leg workout. couldn't say why i'm trying this...i'd like to see how my legs respond.

40 minute jog followed by

squats - 5 working sets of 9 or 10 reps

straight legged deads - 4 working sets of 10 reps

leg extensions (toes forward, out, and in) - 6 working sets of 10 reps each

interesting to see that my weights are almost my max weight after a jog...not going to do this all the time. next week will be a heavy leg workout.

cheers,

athi

[Athena]

[Android]

love this, so true! :clap:

[Athena]

love this, so true! :clap:

thanks! still learning this system...gotta figure out how to get my avi up and how to post normal sized pics inline in my journal.

[Athena]

Friday was a quick maintenance workout...today was the full deal.

Lat pulls

Bent over straight bar cable rows

Carlman pulls

Straight arm pressdowns

Tri pressdowns

Overhead tri pressouts

Bench dips (in the kitchen on the counter edge!)

Four to five working sets of each. The guy who owns the property installed a crappy home gym on the second floor of the barn. I can get a good back and tri workout out of it but that's all. He also left plates scattered in the back yard.. we've scavenged them and are setiing up a bench upstairs soon. The home gym was loaded with bird and animal crap when we found it.

[Athena]

Monday was good. Once again, I ran 40 minutes before doing my workout. I like this...it's tearing down my legs each week.

Squats - five working sets. Went heavier this week. Could only squeeze out six or seven reps on a few of the sets. Felt awesome!

SLDLs - five working sets. Heavier again. Yes!

Standing lunges - three working sets. I was trying not to cry at this point.

Angled leg press - no weight, 20 reps. Just a chaser set for true agony.

Tuesday was rough...very little sleep again...plus I needed to do cardio of some sort.

Supersets of face pulls and side raises. Five working sets.

Supersets of front raises and incline rears. Five working sets including a coupple heavy sets on front raises.

30 minutes easy cardio.

Rested today. Legs are feeling it, as are the medial delts. Back at it tomorrow!

[Grover]

You enjoy running I guess as you do a fair bit of it.

Have you thought about changing it around a bit, ie doing more HIT focussed training rather than just running.

How is your diet tracking?

Regardless keep at it, good luck with goal

[Athena]

You enjoy running I guess as you do a fair bit of it.

Have you thought about changing it around a bit, ie doing more HIT focussed training rather than just running.

How is your diet tracking?

Regardless keep at it, good luck with goal

Eh...I'm more like jogging, and it's only one or two days a week right now. I do some speedwork but don't note it in my journal, and would like to do straight-on, high intensity interval training on a treadmill, but it's not quite possible at my gym right now. I love that stuff. Best leg workout...really.

Diet could be better. It's good, but I need to get back on track completely.

Thanks for checking in!

~Athi

[Athena]

saturday back and tri's -- not the most intense workout, but it was good. nice pump. bent over cable rows, lat pulls, and straight arm pressdowns; tri pressdowns and overhead cable pressouts.

today (monday)

short jog with some speed play before legs today...just 35 min's.

then i kept it simple: angled leg presses...five working sets. higher weight than i thought i could go...just kept increasing it. one working set of bulgarians to finish it off.

just something simple today, but my glutes and hammies are really feeling it.

tomorrow is chest and biceps. yay!