Sassy 2012-2013: Let's see where this goes!

[sassy69]

So ... life has finally settled down enough to hit the gym. First time I've been in this position since probably May. Completely uprooted my existence in Northern Cali to relocate with my company back to the Midwest. First time in so many years I'm in the same timezone as my family! And trading in suburban living for Jeffersons-style "Movin' on up to a deee-luxe apartment in the sky". LOVE IT My eastern view from the 44th floor is bit of Lake Michigan and my southern view is Trump Towers!


OK, so back to bi'ness. Over the last several months, w/ orchestrating the move and my workload during the transition, I basically stopped going to the gym, stopped eating and got minimal sleep. End result? Hey, I downsized. This was one of my goals, driving by age-aches & an on-going shoulder injury, towards shifting from BB to Physique. I was discovering how damn hard it was to dump muscle mass. Well, I've dumped some and kinda just need to get back on the wagon and tighten up, loosen up the joints and get some of the flab gone. Still need to spend some more time just getting the habit going again before setting some specific goals, but today I hit the gym in my building. I spent 20 minutes stretching and working on a tweaked back. OMG it felt good. I tweaked my back moving books the other day and spent 2 days on ice packs w/ ibuprofen. All in all, I'm still pretty flexible and just need to work on loosening up all the connections coming out of my hamstring and keep my right shoulder warm. I can tell I'm gonna have to suck up my ego until I find my pace again.


9/29/12 - Sat


Training: chest & tris


20 min DeFranco wu
shoulder wu x 3
super:
- incline DB incline: 40/12 x 3
- incline DB fly: 20/12 x 3
machine incline press: 60/20 x 4
pec deck: 50/15 x 4
machine tri ext: 30/20 40/20 50/15 x 4
rope tri press down: 90/20 x 4
alt rope cable kickback: 20/15 x 4


Checking out other stuff in the gym:
leg press .. gonna enjoy that
smith vertical leg press - LOVE that they have this! Just did a single plate press but went for the burn: 135/100 x 2
fitball crunches ... LOTs of crunches


I also walk to and from work every day, so typically walk around 2-3 miles / day. I'll be increasing cardio, but w/all the walking I've also got very sore feet. If it wasn't all on concrete it might be better, but generally I walk everywhere so since I moved to downtown Chicago, I've probably covered a good 100 miles on foot.


The best part of training today was just getting in the zone again w/ my heavy metal. THAT is the part that is addictive. The post-wu pheremones are pretty awesome too. Good to feel alive again! Let's see where this takes us!

[Suzanne]

Jealous! Have some Lou Malnati's for me!!!!

Sounds like thing are going really well

[sassy69]

Jealous! Have some Lou Malnati's for me!!!!

Sounds like thing are going really well

Hey Suzanne - Its hard relocating, but the difference in living (non-suburbs) and being closer to family make a difference! Deep dish pizza, I'm actually not a fan. We had a going away party for a guy from my office and of course there were about 50 deep dish pizzas ordered (along w/ 2 kegs of beer and literally a "wall of whiskey" ... apparently the choice beverage at this office..). I had one piece because its probably been since I was in high school that I last had it. Too much for me. Much prefer ultra thin crust / flatbread pizza. I'll keep you in mind every time I pass the deep dish tho!

[The Prodigy]

We have to hookup at some point and hang girl!

[curvygirl]

Welcome back Sassy!

I thought you looked fantastic this past season! Looking forward to hearing more about Chicago! Both you and Gail are next door neighbors to me! I'm a few hours away in Grand Rapids, MI and totally HEART Chi Town!

Also looking forward to following your 2012-2013 training! Stay strong!
Peace!
Elise

[curvygirl]

LOL! Forgive me Sassy! I totally mixed you up with Tammy P who came down to WPD this season. I totally had her image in my mind when I responded to your thread! Goofball I am! Regardless, wishing you well as you start this next journey! :D

[Sunnyday]

Woo wee she's back in the gym! I'm sooo in this! :D

Looking forward to your motivating workouts, girl!

[sassy69]

LOL! Forgive me Sassy! I totally mixed you up with Tammy P who came down to WPD this season. I totally had her image in my mind when I responded to your thread! Goofball I am! Regardless, wishing you well as you start this next journey! :D

LOL ! I'm sitting here thinking... hmmmm I haven't posted anything in nearly 2 yrs because Iv'e been having such a hard time getting out of my rut.. but to your point - I am ecstatic to see FBBs fitting in in WPD and seeing WPD trend a little more towards the girls w/ the muscle maturity. Talk about setting the bar... TAMMY!

Thank you and I am looking forward to hitting my pace again!

[sassy69]

Woo wee she's back in the gym! I'm sooo in this! :D

Looking forward to your motivating workouts, girl!

Thx SD! I'm sitting here at 2 days w/o training since this - I did do my "weighted farmer's walk" around Ikea yesterday, but I have managed to tweak my back a couple of times since last week - I imagine a combo of dragging heavy boxes around and I'm due for my monthly adjustment and I don't have a chiro here yet. I did find my foam roller tho and love the fact that I have a whole aerobics room (YES with the good aerobic floor too!) to warm up before training. Nothing makes my back happier! Still gotta work out some tightness in my inner thigh - but given what I have NOT done in the last 4 months, I'm pretty happy w/ my flexibility. Now if I could just get my feet to stop hurting ... :c/

Good things to come! I promise!

[sassy69]

We have to hookup at some point and hang girl!

When & where! I'm almost done unpacking and need to start getting a "life" going here!

[The Prodigy]

When & where! I'm almost done unpacking and need to start getting a "life" going here!

There is a show Sat nt out in Ottawa.....You going?

[sassy69]

There is a show Sat nt out in Ottawa.....You going?

I had no idea! Bummer! I haven't really checked the NPC local schedule while I'm still getting situated.

[sassy69]

10/6/12 - Sat


I can tell its going to take a little to get back on a schedule - my work schedule is still a bit squishy and I'm expecting a couple upcoming surges until I get settled. But it still feels so damn good to get in the gym. Today I decided to go down a little further south (blocks, not miles...) and start up my gym membership at XSport. There were also a couple shoe stores I wanted to hit as it gets colder I'm looking for a pair of good leather "riding boots" that will go over my calves. I actually found a nice pair so I'm really excited!


Then I finally got my butt out of the shoe stores and to the gym, it was nice to just get going. This particular gym has like 3 floors where you come in on the main level, go downstairs to the locker rooms and then up 2 flights (coming up next to the 3 story rock wall - kinda cool!). Hyuge cardio area and good weights area. All I see, however, is a 2 flight walk after leg day ... ugh! (And no I wouldn't ever sink to using the elevator.. that's admitting defeat!)


Training: Back / Bis


DeFranco WU - still very tight in the IT band.. damn that's gonna take some work!
Shoulder WU


lat pulldowns: 85/15 x 4
T-bar row: 45/10 x 5
Random BB rows
alt cable row x-over: 45/15 x 4 55/10 x 2
Dickersons: 50/15 x 4
super:
- Ezbar curl: 40/15 x2 50/10 x 2
- DB hammer curls: 30/10 x 4
hi-cable bis: 40/15 x 3
Super:
- random machine crunches
- fitball cable crunches: 100/20 x 4
- high fitball crunches: 15 x 4

[The Prodigy]

10/6/12 - Sat


I can tell its going to take a little to get back on a schedule - my work schedule is still a bit squishy and I'm expecting a couple upcoming surges until I get settled. But it still feels so damn good to get in the gym. Today I decided to go down a little further south (blocks, not miles...) and start up my gym membership at XSport. There were also a couple shoe stores I wanted to hit as it gets colder I'm looking for a pair of good leather "riding boots" that will go over my calves. I actually found a nice pair so I'm really excited!


Then I finally got my butt out of the shoe stores and to the gym, it was nice to just get going. This particular gym has like 3 floors where you come in on the main level, go downstairs to the locker rooms and then up 2 flights (coming up next to the 3 story rock wall - kinda cool!). Hyuge cardio area and good weights area. All I see, however, is a 2 flight walk after leg day ... ugh! (And no I wouldn't ever sink to using the elevator.. that's admitting defeat!)


Training: Back / Bis


DeFranco WU - still very tight in the IT band.. damn that's gonna take some work!
Shoulder WU


lat pulldowns: 85/15 x 4
T-bar row: 45/10 x 5
Random BB rows
alt cable row x-over: 45/15 x 4 55/10 x 2
Dickersons: 50/15 x 4
super:
- Ezbar curl: 40/15 x2 50/10 x 2
- DB hammer curls: 30/10 x 4
hi-cable bis: 40/15 x 3
Super:
- random machine crunches
- fitball cable crunches: 100/20 x 4
- high fitball crunches: 15 x 4

Which Xsport did you get a membership at? Did you get a powerpass? NOW we can train together yahoo!!!

[Sunnyday]

You got my attention with the tight IT band. I've got one that has been fighting me for months. What are you doing to get it to let go? I'm looking for ideas.

[Laurie Schnelle]

Hey girl!! I'm following your journey!! Keep up the great work :)

[sassy69]

Which Xsport did you get a membership at? Did you get a powerpass? NOW we can train together yahoo!!!

As far as I know I have access to all of them.. I asked that because some gyms assrape you on their prices based on location and homey don' play dat. They said it should work anywhere. I joined at the Piper Alley location in Lincoln Park but the one I went to was on S. State St. yesterday. That would imply I can use at least w/in the city.

[sassy69]

You got my attention with the tight IT band. I've got one that has been fighting me for months. What are you doing to get it to let go? I'm looking for ideas.
Hey Sunny - the first time I ever had issues w/ an IT band was the result of working at home on a shitty desk chair. It had a tendency to lean forward so I always felt like I was sliding off. So I started the habit of sitting on one leg - which resulted in a rotated pelvis. It took me a year of chiro + ART to work that out, but the end result is that I still tend to get very tight on one side. I also tend to be a bit lopsided so I get adjusted about 1/month where my chiro was telling me my hips would drift off about 1 inch every month based on how well my feet / knees/ hips lined up. So I imagine over time we all have our natural push/pull imbalances that start to really show themselves after 40.

Keeping in mind that I've been incredibly sporadic to full-on no show in the gym for several months now. I go in cold and I'm still able to do almost full extension stretching - meaning I'm almost as limber as I've ever been. But the one tight area is IT / piriformis. So its systemic and not just because I trained something. I haven't explored the full description of the tightness because it still seems to originate in the IT band area - but stupid tightness when I try to do a front splits. So sorta hamstring / sorta tendon in the back there.

My approach:
Start with my DeFranco lower body warmup (scroll down to "Agile 8": http://www.defrancostraining.com/ask_joe/archives/ask_joe_08-10-03.html)
Then a yoga moment - you know where you lay on your back and flip your legs over to stretch your lower back? - I do that & hold it for a while. Then I'll do ~21 reps of sort of an active warm up of
- flip over to that position
- don't hold it but instead come back and on the release to sitting upright - fling legs out to a front stretch approaching a front split, continue the motion forward to as far as I can go on the stretch
- on the rebound come back over and do the "yoga" lower back stretch again.

-- I saw this done on some video somehwhere and adapted it to myself because that lower back stretch is the best feeling thing on the planet to me considering I sit on my ass all day and based on stress / bullshit levels on any given day at work, it will reflect in how far I've slid down in my chair. The other thing w/ the front split stretch is that its still an active warmup of sorts so I can work my way out to a static front split stretch in the next part of my stretching.

After this I do static leg stretches - I know we don't recommend static stretching before training, but that's why I spend 20 minutes w/ the above active warmups first. I have found that I have the ROM in my stretches, again, at least to the best that I've ever been able to do - but the 'first level' tightness keeps me from getting there, and also has a tendency to start tweaking randomly during a training session if I am not really confident that I'm fully warmed up and stretched. Its more of a feeling than a guarantee -but we all know our bodies so that's what I'm operating on. Continuing:

To get to that tight area that hits when trying to do a front split, ... ok I was trying to find some videos that outline what I do because I made up a lot of it - this is probably a good summary w/ some stuff I want to start incorporating:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NdC8cZuHJ_E

Years ago we used to do a huddler stretch when I ran track. These days they say to not do that, but given I've been doing it since I was kid, I can do it, and frankly its one of the only things I can do that hits that point where the tendon runs into the butt/pelvis between the ham and the glute. Its just so damn hard to get a good stretch on that area, and this does it. I work on front & side splits - I can't do them all the way, but almost. I have to watch hyperextension on my knees these days - they are also damn tweaky.

At the end of all of this, if it is leg day, I should be golden as long as I keep moving. I'll start w/ several bodyweight squats (similar to how this guy does: around 53 sec & 128 sec - ATF squat ROM: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nhFSzkkrxA8) This is partly to get warmed up for that particular motion as well as to let me knees get used to that motion and be confident that they are not going to start tweaking. Basically if I don't do this little test run and tried doing even a body wt squat w/o all the warmup stuff, I can probably plan on getting stuck in the "down" position and can't get up w/o me knees going nuts. With the warmup, I'm probably ok to go up to 315 box squats w/ confidence. W/o it, I"ll get stuck just doing the motion. I also wear knee sleeves these days. I don't lift heavy enough to do a knee wrap anymore, but I do use the elastic (not neoprene) knee sleeves for just a little bit of support on the joint.

A side note on the knee stuff - I've been in a couple for MRIs on my knees and have had a variety of bursitis issues over the last 10 years so its probably a combination of natural push/pull imbalance (I've been told my hamstring is overdeveloped) and general wear & tear from more than 3 decades of training. So not sure its somethign that I can "fix" but this the preventative maintenance I do these days).

Over time & consistency I expect to get back to full ROM in the splits w/ much less tightness. But the really interesting (well... "interesting" is me being philosophical, but it's still really just "sucky") thing is that in the last couple years, it is the "recovery time" that becomes less important -i.e. time off from the gym, and the consistency of getting in the gym and staying active & flexible that is more important to keeping the tightness away. Its really very humbling and very illustrative of how "aging" affects your body. It used to be how hard it was to NOT go to the gym and force yourself to take a day off regularly to allow muscles to recover. These days it is more important to maintain regular use & flexibility - this is the stuff that general youthfulness (i.e. probably just simply higher hGH levels) made a non-issue - but as the levels of "youthfulness hormones & processes" start to reduce, you have to add things to your daily regimen to compensate for it and statements like "training smarter, not harder" start to take on new meaning.

The Jack Lalanne quote in my sig is spot on. "Inactivity is the killer" - on so many levels but also so fundamentally.

[sassy69]

10/7/12 - Sun


Training w/ a friend today so repeating Biceps:


Training: Chest / bis
shoulder wu
Incline press WU: 25/20 x 5
flat bench BB press: 65/15 x 3 95/10 x 3
Pec Deck: 60/20 x 2 75/15 90/10 x 2
Machine press (burn outs): 70/20 ... repeat to failure
super:
- ezbar curl 21's: 45/21 x 5
- DB hammer curl: 30/10 x 5
hi cable bis: 40/20 x 4
machine preacher: 30/25 x 4 - various combos of TUT

[Sunnyday]

Thank you soooo much for going into all that detail for me! I read in your previous posts about the DeFranco warmup for upper bod but never tried it for lower bod and I am gonna be adding it in on each and every lower body day fo sho!

The yoga stretch you are referring to I believe is called the plough. I love it too. You can get a great stretch in the low back and tie ins if you get into that position and drop your knees beside your ears then back out again.

I have IT band issues and they have plagued me my entire adult life so I am glad to find somebody else with similar issues. Flexibility seems about where yours is but with all my sitting in the car driving kids to and from stuff things can get what I'd call tighter than baseline if I don't stretch faithfully. No doc or PT ever told me it was my IT band or suggested stretches, just that I had a nasty case of scoliosis and misshaped sacrum and to "take it easy". Well I listened. For YEARS! It's like your sig line - inactivity IS the killer. The lack of activity only made things worse for me! So about 2 years ago I got back into the gym and a year ago I found a chiro worth his salt and for the last year he has had me doing stretches, ART, you name it to get my left hip area to start firing again and stretch the IT band AND he tells me to keep active. So I'll listen to him. Turns out from all that listening to docs with their taking it easy my right side started compensating like crazy for the problems on the left! Now a year later I'm finally getting some balance back. Moral of the story - stay active!

[sassy69]

10/8/12 - Mon


Training at my complex so some limitation on leg eqpt available, but still expect to be doing the leg day shuffle tomorrow...


Training: Legs
De Franco wu
ATF Squats: bodywt/15 bar/15 65/20 95/15 x 4
leg press: 360/25 x 4
Super:
- good girl: 120/25 x 4
- bad girl: 120/25 x 4
leg ext:105/20 x 4
seated leg curl: 90/20 x 4


Abs:
- fitball cable crunch: 100/20 x 4
- kneeling cable crunch: 130/15 (front / left / right oblique) x 3
- various ab stuff

[sassy69]

Thank you soooo much for going into all that detail for me! I read in your previous posts about the DeFranco warmup for upper bod but never tried it for lower bod and I am gonna be adding it in on each and every lower body day fo sho!

The yoga stretch you are referring to I believe is called the plough. I love it too. You can get a great stretch in the low back and tie ins if you get into that position and drop your knees beside your ears then back out again.

I have IT band issues and they have plagued me my entire adult life so I am glad to find somebody else with similar issues. Flexibility seems about where yours is but with all my sitting in the car driving kids to and from stuff things can get what I'd call tighter than baseline if I don't stretch faithfully. No doc or PT ever told me it was my IT band or suggested stretches, just that I had a nasty case of scoliosis and misshaped sacrum and to "take it easy". Well I listened. For YEARS! It's like your sig line - inactivity IS the killer. The lack of activity only made things worse for me! So about 2 years ago I got back into the gym and a year ago I found a chiro worth his salt and for the last year he has had me doing stretches, ART, you name it to get my left hip area to start firing again and stretch the IT band AND he tells me to keep active. So I'll listen to him. Turns out from all that listening to docs with their taking it easy my right side started compensating like crazy for the problems on the left! Now a year later I'm finally getting some balance back. Moral of the story - stay active!

It's horrifying when you're told to NOT use your body like it was designed to be used. I know doctors have to deal w/ so many levels of detail when they are trying to isolate a source of pain or issue, but damn... you MUST start w/ basics. You just MUST. It doesn't happen fast and you have to spend the time to get down to what your specific issue is. But that's where there's so much to be said for being intimately familiar w/ and in tune w/ your own body. No one else can do that for you.

Good for you that you found the right combination of help and work. I have to find a new chiro here - I had an amazing guy in CA - how can you go wrong working w/ a guy who is a former linebacker himself, works on all the major sports teams in northern Cal AND has a brother-in-law who is a Swedish national level bodybuilder?? (And his office is less than a mile from my house...! AND is open on Saturday mornings!)

[Sunnyday]

It's horrifying when you're told to NOT use your body like it was designed to be used. I know doctors have to deal w/ so many levels of detail when they are trying to isolate a source of pain or issue, but damn... you MUST start w/ basics. You just MUST. It doesn't happen fast and you have to spend the time to get down to what your specific issue is. But that's where there's so much to be said for being intimately familiar w/ and in tune w/ your own body. No one else can do that for you.

Good for you that you found the right combination of help and work. I have to find a new chiro here - I had an amazing guy in CA - how can you go wrong working w/ a guy who is a former linebacker himself, works on all the major sports teams in northern Cal AND has a brother-in-law who is a Swedish national level bodybuilder?? (And his office is less than a mile from my house...! AND is open on Saturday mornings!)

100% truth!
I think the problem for peeps like us is when we become patients of doctors who are not or have never been serious athletes. They just don't know what to do with us and assume our problems stem from overtraining and/or drug abuse. Because of my experiences I've become a big advocate for getting deeply in tune with one's own body. And with that goes finding like minded docs.

[sassy69]

Doctor, heal thyself. (And stay out o' my bi'ness!)

[sassy69]

10/9/12 - Tues


Training: shoulders / tris


shoulder wu
BB push press: bar/10 x 2 65/10 x 2
machine seated press: 50/20 x 2 60/20 75/15
upright rows: 50/15 x 4
DB front raises: 10/15 x 3
DB side raises: 10/15 x 3
reverse pec deck: 60/20 x 4
machine tri ext: 40/25 x 2 50/20 60/10
rope tri pressdown: 80/20 x 3
cable tri kickbacks: 20/15 x 3

[tammyp]

hey mama! so glad the move has worked out for you...i love chi..i used to go all the time when my bff lived there working for lululemon and air was super cheap then...i miss having a hook up there! sounds like you are right in the city...awesome for a single working girl like yourself....!

[sassy69]

hey mama! so glad the move has worked out for you...i love chi..i used to go all the time when my bff lived there working for lululemon and air was super cheap then...i miss having a hook up there! sounds like you are right in the city...awesome for a single working girl like yourself....!

Can't complain! The shopping is getting dangerous tho :) Still figuring out the type of jacket I need tho - I'm not used to being cold AND dealing w/ rain. The wind throws a twist in there too because short of a taxi ride, I have to walk at least 5 blocks to or from work. Its still fun tho. Walking to work in the AM on Thursdays I pass the Farmers Market out in front of the city center, and the walk home is always seeing what Trump Towers looks like as the sun goes down and the city lights come on. Even seeing the sun come up reflecting on the buildings is awesome!

[tammyp]

sounds it! when she first moved she was down town...then went to deerfield.....she worked in a high end mall out there...though i liked her down town digs much better!

[sassy69]

sounds it! when she first moved she was down town...then went to deerfield.....she worked in a high end mall out there...though i liked her down town digs much better!

The only down sides I've found so far are all the panhandlers and the cost of parking a car somewhere. My folks are coming to visit on their way down to the winter home and the biggest concern so far is where to leave their car for 2 days and not break the bank...

[tammyp]

that was why she moved to the burbs.....the parking alone was what killed it!

[sweetjane57]

You will need a WARM, really warm coat! They dont call it the windy city for fun! Especially since you are near the lake! Enjoy it :) I thought I would NEVER leave Chi! Spent 32 years there...and then I met Nate.lol So much to do, just so little time. Life is very fast paced in big cities. Parking, taxes, and traffic are the biggest CONS of the city, be thankful you can walk to work, not many have that option!lol

[sweetjane57]

this may be helpful

http://chicago.bestparking.com/#1

[The Prodigy]

I am refusing to acknowledge the fact it is getting cold! I took my North Face Jacket to the cleaners and don't even want to pick it up! Scarves, hat, earmuffs....in Chicago you need them all! People wrap themselves like a mummy!

Parking is ALWAYS a problem! That is what I hate about coming into the city! To many street rules about where you can park, to easy to get towed or get a ticket! I lived in the city for a few months...and was SO glad to get back to the burbs!! lol!!!

Let me know your schedule if you wanna grab a workout or coffee!

[sassy69]

I am refusing to acknowledge the fact it is getting cold! I took my North Face Jacket to the cleaners and don't even want to pick it up! Scarves, hat, earmuffs....in Chicago you need them all! People wrap themselves like a mummy!

Parking is ALWAYS a problem! That is what I hate about coming into the city! To many street rules about where you can park, to easy to get towed or get a ticket! I lived in the city for a few months...and was SO glad to get back to the burbs!! lol!!!

Let me know your schedule if you wanna grab a workout or coffee!

I'm waiting for a brutal blast - but I've been at least trying on winter jackets to see what I might want to get. Something that can handle a winter football game or a walk to work in a snowstorm.

I am very thankful to have a monthly parking permit at a nearby parking ramp. But I also don't really gain anything in terms of getting to /from work with that - I'd end up walking just as far from a $20/day lot to work as I would just walking from my house. I can catch the train for 1 stop - about 8 blocks. But I still have to hike about 6. Only other option is to cab it.

Gail - my schedule is pretty open outside of my 9-5 / M-F work schedule. I *think* the Red Line runs all the way up to Skokie right??

[sassy69]

10/15/12 - Mon


Got a little sidetracked w/ figuring out what exactly I was trying to do since I was sans training partner after 3 days .. its easy to get spoiled. So I set a goal of being "photoshoot ready" by the Arnold Classic (end of Feb 2013). That's about 4 1/2 months off. I am also looking at doing a qualifier show in Physique somewhere in the Midwest in the spring. I found 2 shows in May that might be the target. It wwould be awesome to be able to hit one of the national shows this year. So as a starter, I dug up a training split from a dear friend circa 2006. It looks similar to Poliquin's German Body Comp - but basically giant sets at an aerobic pace. Initial goal is just to tighten up and lose some of the fluff and improve my conditioning. Diet is getting jump-started a bit w/ a keto-style to start the next couple weeks. I also need to do a little investigation on how to save my feet - feels like sore bursa.


AM cardio: 20 min stairmaster


PM: chest & bis
shoulder wu
incline DB wu: 25/20 x 3
Repeat 3x:
- DB incline press: 40/12 x 3
- DB fly: 25/12 x 2 20/12
- cable x-over: 40/12 x 3
Repeat 3x:
- machine preacher: 40/12 x 3
- ezbar curl: 45/12 x 2 35/12
- db hammer curl: 25/12 x 2 20/12

[The Prodigy]

I'm waiting for a brutal blast - but I've been at least trying on winter jackets to see what I might want to get. Something that can handle a winter football game or a walk to work in a snowstorm.

I am very thankful to have a monthly parking permit at a nearby parking ramp. But I also don't really gain anything in terms of getting to /from work with that - I'd end up walking just as far from a $20/day lot to work as I would just walking from my house. I can catch the train for 1 stop - about 8 blocks. But I still have to hike about 6. Only other option is to cab it.

Gail - my schedule is pretty open outside of my 9-5 / M-F work schedule. I *think* the Red Line runs all the way up to Skokie right??

Saturdays I travel to shows most weekends (sometimes for the whole weekend), but Sundays I try to get back in time to hit legs...would you be up for that? Oh..I live in Arlington Heights...but right by the metra station and Arlington Racetrack..if you needed to take the train! If you wanted to drive there is TONS of parking up by me! Text me! Let's get this party started!

[sassy69]

Looking forward to a Prodigy-driven leg day -- looking like some time in November!

10/20/12 - Sat
Drove up to XSport / Piper's Alley - I'm LOVING this gym - except for ..ytf do they have ALL the leg eqpt together EXCEPT the leg extension, that is half a gym away and nestled in w/ all the upper body machines? Huh? Just adds a 50 m sprint into the super set. Ugh. STOOOPID!

Training - Quads

DeFranco WU
ATF squat: bodywt/20 bar/20 65/20 85/15
Giant sets repeated 3x w/ 1-2 min rest between each circuit
- leg press: 360/12
- hack squat: 25's/12
- (50 m sprint)
- leg ext: 90/12
Super - repeat 3x
- abductor:120/12
- adductor: 190/12
super - repeat 3x
- donkey calf: 400/20
- seated sliding calves: 250/20

[AVBG]

^^ some good intensity in that workout Sass! (Lubs reading your stuff)

[The Prodigy]

Looking forward to a Prodigy-driven leg day -- looking like some time in November!

10/20/12 - Sat
Drove up to XSport / Piper's Alley - I'm LOVING this gym - except for ..ytf do they have ALL the leg eqpt together EXCEPT the leg extension, that is half a gym away and nestled in w/ all the upper body machines? Huh? Just adds a 50 m sprint into the super set. Ugh. STOOOPID!

Training - Quads

DeFranco WU
ATF squat: bodywt/20 bar/20 65/20 85/15
Giant sets repeated 3x w/ 1-2 min rest between each circuit
- leg press: 360/12
- hack squat: 25's/12
- (50 m sprint)
- leg ext: 90/12
Super - repeat 3x
- abductor:120/12
- adductor: 190/12
super - repeat 3x
- donkey calf: 400/20
- seated sliding calves: 250/20

Yeah Buuuuuudddddy!!!

[sassy69]

^^ And its only gonna get better!!! (Altho I'm probably going to be walking a little slower the next couple of days....)

I'm ok when I'm training, but walking around (e.g. to/from work) and a bit during cardio, I've got a lot of foot issues. There seems to be some pretty regular bursitis in the middle of my right foot - feels like right at the joint of my middle toes. This is odd because its no where near any of the bunion surgery or hammertoes I"ve had corrected. In fact I haven't had any issues w/ my right foot since my surgery in 1991. This is also the foot that had the 25 lb plate dropped on the big toe in early 2010. It may just simply due to ongoing impact but I need to get it checked if there's any issues w/ toes / joints. And my poor left foot still gets some pain in my heel - same feeling of bursitis - from the plantar fasciitis I've been dealing w/ the last 5 yrs or so. Its not been bad, but it sucks that both my feet are tender when I have a lot of walking to do.

Gail - can you recommend any good sports / podiatrists in the downtown area?? And while we're at it, any good chiropractors / massage therapists in the downtown area?

[sassy69]

10/21/12 - Sun


Training: Chest/Abs


shoulder wu
DB incline press: 55/10 x 2 50/12
machine incline press: 25's/15 x 2 35's/12
DB pullovers: 55/12 x 2 60/5 + 55/5
pec deck (focus on negatives): 50/20 x 2 70/10
super:
- lying leg raises: 15 x 3
- oblique v-ups: 15 x 3 x 2

[The Prodigy]

^^ And its only gonna get better!!! (Altho I'm probably going to be walking a little slower the next couple of days....)

I'm ok when I'm training, but walking around (e.g. to/from work) and a bit during cardio, I've got a lot of foot issues. There seems to be some pretty regular bursitis in the middle of my right foot - feels like right at the joint of my middle toes. This is odd because its no where near any of the bunion surgery or hammertoes I"ve had corrected. In fact I haven't had any issues w/ my right foot since my surgery in 1991. This is also the foot that had the 25 lb plate dropped on the big toe in early 2010. It may just simply due to ongoing impact but I need to get it checked if there's any issues w/ toes / joints. And my poor left foot still gets some pain in my heel - same feeling of bursitis - from the plantar fasciitis I've been dealing w/ the last 5 yrs or so. Its not been bad, but it sucks that both my feet are tender when I have a lot of walking to do.

Gail - can you recommend any good sports / podiatrists in the downtown area?? And while we're at it, any good chiropractors / massage therapists in the downtown area?

Us suburbia people don't go to doctors in the city! But I love who I go to in the burbs! lol!!!

[sassy69]

Us suburbia people don't go to doctors in the city! But I love who I go to in the burbs! lol!!!

I hear ya - I got a great recommendation for a guy up north, but us city folk ain't gonna go to the burbs.. or more specifically its gotta be nearby otherwise I won't be able to go. The search continues!