Mutterings of a GrumpasaurusBex

PixieLandGirl · 9 Jul 2013 at 18:30

I decided at the back end of last year to get my fat ass back into shape & improve my general health also. I started at a local gym on machine weights but a mixture of things there (cost, attitude, facilities) resulted in me switching to an alternative gym.

I'm not sure anyone will be interested in the puny weights that I lift but I thought it'd be useful for me to track how I progress.

PixieLandGirl · 9 Jul 2013 at 21:35

Hey FF - I'm not sure what the whole program looks like at the moment. One of the lads at the gym is training me and will look to mix things up every 4 weeks or so.

Other than the w/loss, I'd say improve strength in the muscle groups. I've not really thought about any other aims & maybe that's something I need to consider. I just wish it was shedding 'a little' fat

.

Diet wise, at the moment it's a little out of whack but in general complex carbs, protein, veg & fruit (strawberries, raspberries & pineapple). Little dairy, little → no processed foods where possible. I don't drink tea, coffee or milk & tend to drink water 95% of the time.

I don't generally like fish so I take cod liver oil supplements. I'm a fussy eater in some ways, I don't really like nuts, seeds, eggs, most fruit, cottage cheese ... the list goes on

.

For flavorings I tend to use dried spices & cook in olive oil. I've also now got coconut oil in /shakes fist in the air at the failed almond & coconut pancake attempts

.

The last month has been particularly bad diet wise with more sweet cheats than I should have & eating out.

PixieLandGirl · 9 Jul 2013 at 23:15

BennyC said:
Needs some squats.

Lol leg/lower body day will be later in the week

Leg day will usually consist of some of the following body squats, lunges, weighted lunges, bulgarian squats, deadlifts, stiff leg deadlifts, push press, stiff leg good mornings, squats with bar, kettlebell swings & step-ups on a small box.

Other things I may cover in the week:
• Oblique twists
• Tricep pushdown @ cable machine
• Skull crushers
• Bicep curls
• Hammer curls
• Lateral raises /w plate
• One arm d-bell rows
• Shrugs
• Push-ups (I'm awful at these

)
• Front lat pulldowns

I may have missed a few things, I'm terrible with the names of things & I'm still learning them

.

PixieLandGirl · 10 Jul 2013 at 11:44

mrthingyx said:
We'll have you at GrumpasaurusFlex in no time.

Oh, come on - none of you thought that, or saw it coming? Seriously?

I think FreeFaller was asking about the structure of your routine - I know you say "some of" but it is quite helpful to do a consistent set of lifts week to week so you can track your progress and adjust to make sure you're on your way to achieving your goals.

Lol

Unfortunately I don't know what the program is. I turn up, get tortured, shower & then go to work

.

Day 2 - Wed 10 Jul
Warm-Up
• 10 min treadmill warm-up | incline = 0.2 → 0 | Speed = 5

Lifts/Weights
• Rotator cuff /w d-bells 2 x 15 @ 5kg weights each hand
• Lat pulldown | 2 x 25 @ 27kg
• Standing shoulder press /w d-bells | 1 x 20 @ 5kg weights each hand | 1 x 15 @ 5kg
• Active rest | 20 x v-sits
• Tricep pushdown @ cable machine superset /w bicep curls x4
— TP = 1 x 15 @ 25kg | BC = 1 x 8 (each arm) @ 7.5kg
— TP = 1 x 12 @ 20kg | BC = 1 x 8 (each arm) @ 7.5kg
— TP = 1 x 10 @ 20kg | BC = 1 x 8 (each arm) @ 7.5kg
— TP = 1 x 15 @ 15kg | BC = 1 x 8 (each arm) @ 7.5kg
• Skullcrushers superset /w hammer curls x 3
— SC = 3 x 15 @ 5kg | HC = 3 x 15 @ 5kg

Circuit x 3
• Leg raises x 30 pulses
• V-sits x 15-20
• MB slams x 25

Misc
• Standard push-up x 2
— My arms were about to drop off by this point

but at least they were clean

Warn Down
• 7 min treadmill | incline = 0.2 | Speed = 4

PixieLandGirl · 10 Jul 2013 at 17:05

mrthingyx said:
That's either bootcamp-ing or that routine is being made up each time...?

Either way, consider me as having missed your point...

I'd say it's made up each time

. Also turn that

upside down

.

Friday should be leg day if my left knee doesn't give me too much grief

.

PixieLandGirl · 10 Jul 2013 at 21:04

Ha, no pics as I'm camera shy

PixieLandGirl · 11 Jul 2013 at 15:08

wozza2k said:
It's ok. They don't need to see your face :x

Ha, if they have any sense they won't want to see the rest of me either

PixieLandGirl · 11 Jul 2013 at 15:35

mrthingyx said:
What is wrong with your knee?

When I was younger I suffered from osgood schlatters disease which resulted in me having to quit all of my sport activities because it became to dangerous to continue as my legs would give way and all in all it was very painful.

From time to time I get similar symptoms, mainly in the left and occasionally in the right.

PixieLandGirl · 11 Jul 2013 at 15:47

Andybtsn said:
I can't even have leg days as I can't build up muscle in my left thigh due to smashing my knee cap to pieces 11 years ago and damaging all the nerves etc. Sucks eh.

Whilst some would rejoice at the lack of leg days, it does indeed suck that you can't do them at all.

icecold said:
I had osgood shlatters AND condromalacia patella in both knees, fun times.

Look in the mobility thread for ways to stretch your quads and anterior hip.

Cheers I will do.

PixieLandGirl · 11 Jul 2013 at 16:00

mrthingyx said:
How interesting... I would ask about how your treatment went and what remedial work you currently do, but that would be:

a) intrusive.
b) depending on how sensitive our mods are, potentially interpreted as 'medical'.

So...

How is your hip and ankle mobility? Can you squat (bodyweight) to/below parallel with a nice straight back?

Practically speaking, your training log is probably more interesting from a number of perspectives simply because of what you're trying to achieve, like a number of the weightloss logs on here (I'll call him out: Maxeh', for instance), so keep at it.

I would personally change the emphasis of your routine (your 'upper body' routine is not what I would suggest for what you're trying to achieve at this point), but the key thing is finding something you enjoy (I won't ask about enjoying "torture" - murky area... ) and sticking to it.

With your current routine as is, I would really concentrating on getting your diet nailed and sticking to it.

Keep it going!

The treatment back then was quit all sports until the bone settled. I tried physio etc but it didn't help and actually made it worse due to the pressure applied. I went back 5 years after the diagnosis, had x-rays to confirm the bone was settled and we agreed that surgery wasn't worth it (the lump I have is small enough etc).

I enjoy working all of the muscle groups ... as much as I moan I can't move 48-72 hours later

.

For squats I'd say parallel, and the lad that helps me train says I seem to have retained some of the flexibility from being a gymnast when I was younger.

I do sometimes get aches in my hips but it tends to clear after a few days. Bar maybe the one time when I over stretched during weighted d-bell lunges & it hurt to lay on thatside, walk or generally move for over a week.

EDIT: I should add that it's been a good 10yrs since the original diagnosis and with the stopping of all activities for 5yrs I picked up really bad eating habbits & became super lazy.

Also I did mention in my OP that Dec last year was when I kind of gave myself a kick up the rear. Well I started training at the old gym late Jan and to date I've lost 4 stone. Which whilst I'm happy with I'm also incredibly embarrassed that I should ever have had to lose that in the first place.

PixieLandGirl · 12 Jul 2013 at 11:29

So we left legs to give my knee a bit more time to rest so that I can get back to normal hopefully next week.

Sweating and glowing like a lobster after this, if only I could curl up in bed

.

Day 3 - Fri 12 Jul

Warm-Up
• 10 min treadmill warm-up | incline = 0.2 → 0 | Speed = 4 → 5
• Chest press /w d-bell 1 x 10 @ 8kg weights each hand

Circuit x 4 /w 10 sec rest in between each exercise & core after 4th set
• Chest press /w bar | 20secs @ 10kg
• Bent over rows /w b-bell | 20secs @ 10kg
• Good mornings /w b-bell | 20secs @ 10kg (x2) | 20secs @ 20kg (x2)
• Stiff leg deadlifts /w b-bell | 20secs @ 10kg (x3)

Core x 2
• Leg raises | 40 x short
• Side plank | 30 sec each side
• V-sits | 20 | 10

Circuit x 2 /w 10 sec rest in between each exercise
• Chest press /w bar | 20secs @ 10kg
• Bent over rows /w b-bell | 20secs @ 10kg
• Good mornings /w b-bell | 20secs @ 20kg

Warn Down
• 7 min treadmill | incline = 0.1 | Speed = 3.5

PixieLandGirl · 12 Jul 2013 at 12:02

mrthingyx said:
You see... this is why I weightlift: 3 reps, and then it's 2 minutes rest.

Nice to see that your 'lad' is giving your legs a reasonably shoe-ing whilst protecting your knees.

2 mins rest .. :eek:

... you slacker you

I jest of course, if I was lifting what you are I'd need to rest for the next year or so

.

PixieLandGirl · 12 Jul 2013 at 13:08

Freefaller said:
Well done on the weight loss 4st is a lot of weight to lose - and good on your for keeping it going.

Thank you. I really enjoy the weights so I think that makes it easier to stick to.

I just need to find something to help when my sweet tooth is craving bad things.

PixieLandGirl · 15 Jul 2013 at 11:53

PixieLandGirl · 15 Jul 2013 at 12:21

mrthingyx said:
Push press without the legs? Impressive.

How does this work?

Hehe, well it should have been push press, instead I guess it should be noted as standing shoulder press .... /goes to click the edit button

PixieLandGirl · 17 Jul 2013 at 22:29

PixieLandGirl · 18 Jul 2013 at 10:17

MoNkeE said:
So never mind the workouts, youre two weeks on now, feeling any improvements?

Hmm, nothing major at the moment. I guess, I am achieving higher reps (like yesterday) than I would have thought I could do & what have you. Although I am feeling pretty tired but I've been having a busy/stressful few weeks.

I need to start planning & prep'ing my meals ahead again as I've been slacking with this.

PixieLandGirl · 19 Jul 2013 at 11:10

Day 6 - Fri 19 Jul

Leg day - We found today that low reps don't aggravate my left knee, so from next week onwards it'll be low reps & working on lifting more weight.

Warm-Up
• 8 min treadmill warm-up | incline = 0 | Speed = 5
• Stretches

Lifts/Weights
• Body squats 1 x 6 | 4 x 6 @ 7.5kg in each hand
• Plank - Front | 4 x 30 sec
• Squats | 1 x 10 @ 20kg | 1 x 6 @ 25kg | 1 x 6 @ 30kg | 1 x 6 @ 35kg | 1 x 6 @ 40 | 1 x 6 @ 45kg
— At the 8th rep on the first set I could feel my knee getting aggravated, I went to 10 but thought I'd best not go to the 12th rep as intended.
• V-sits | 20 | 15 | 15 | 15
• Bulgarian squats | 1 x 6 each leg
— My knee felt a bit sore so I left it at the one set

Warn Down
• 5 min treadmill | incline = 0.1 | Speed = 4

PixieLandGirl · 19 Jul 2013 at 11:39

MoNkeE said:
Body squats as a warm up is fine, but I wouldn't be planking before doing the heavy part of the session!

LiE said:
Definitely this.

Ah, newbie question incoming! What's the reason for this?

PixieLandGirl · 19 Jul 2013 at 11:44

LiE said:
Pre-exhausting your core before doing a lift like squats isn't great. You need your core to be fresh to help with keeping the lift tight.

That does sound logical. I guess I shouldn't mention that he had be doing the V-sits in between each set of lifts?