Sassy69 2015: Good AZ New!

[Rocky3]

Catching up ... holy crap it got hot here in Phx. We're looking at 115 all week. Even my pool is pushing 95 degrees. I definitely feel it in my little home gym where I don't keep the A/C on, but rather turn it on when I get in for cardio - so at least the first 10 minutes are at an ambient temp of around 92 degrees.

6/13/15 - Sat

40 min stairmaster

6/14/15 - Sun
30 min stairmaster

6/15/15 - Mon
30 min stairmaster / off training

6/16/15 - Tues
30 min stairmaster
Training: Shoulder & tris

6/17/15 - Wed

15 min Arc Trainer wu

Training: legs
giant:
- lying leg curl: 40/20 55/20 x 3
- adductor: <didn't catch the weight>/20 x 3
- weighted kickback: 40/20 55/20 x 3
smith squat: 95/15 105/15 115/15 115/20
fitball leg curl: 30 x 3
alt standing leg curl: 10/20 x 4

15 min foam roller

HIIT cardio: 40 min arc trainer (4 min "fast", 1 min recover)

I would faint if I had to train at such high room temperatures

[curvygirl]

6/7/15 - Sun

So, the day started w/ me oversleeping until 11 am ... I threw in some l-tyrosine yesterday to see about falling asleep earlier, except that stuff apparently doesn't hit immediately but rather like 8 hrs later. I was out cold from about 12:55 am until 10:55 am. Ate breakfast, read the paper, then took the AM load of supplements. Did some stuff online and started getting tired around 2 pm. So I thought I was going to lay down for about 45 min and then either go hit the gym (cuz it closes at 5pm) or do a flexibility / cardio thing in my home gym. I've been wanting to work specifically on my splits if I could ever aspire to do some of the stuff that Sheila Bleck does in her posing routines, and had found some youtube videos about "how to do a splits in x days" or whatever. At my age, any additional bit of flexibility will never be a bad thing Might even help me overcome the stupid tightness I've had in the last several years I have in my piriformis. So I fell asleep and just as I was starting to dose off, the thermogenic hit. BOING! That was the end of that. I was ready to go destroy a leg day. So, in the theme of balls out combat, out came the camo Otomix!

Attachment 180130
^^^^^^^AWESOMENESS!
And with them, essentially a Garranimals get up w/ all the khaki green gym stuff I own. Cheesy as shit, but it made me happy. I love those shoes and don't wear them very often.

So ...

Training: leg day bitches!
DeFranco wu
super:
- leg ext: 70/20 80/20 90/20 x 2
- 1/4 range sissy squats: 20 x 4
BB squat: bodywt/20 bar/15 95/15 135/15 185/15 x 2 - attempted 205 on the last lift but just picking it up didn't feel right so I backed off to 185 for another solid set. Really happy w/ the lifts I did tho. Generally working now on better range - these were generally to parallel.
hack squat (just cuz I haven't done these in like 5 yrs) - wide stance: 90/15 180/15 x 3
super:
- lying leg curl: 60/15 x 3
- standing alt leg curl: 15/12 x 3

<and then the gym closed>

Then I went home, fired up the Roku and did a "9 stretches to do the splits" youtube video - spent the 45 min doing that. Ima be limping tomorrow. And I have a long way to go on the splits, but I'm really interested to see if I can do that. I'm close - my flexibility is up to where it has been at my best, but still have a ways to go to do a true split and to consider doing it barefoot on a stage covered in oil & protan.

But like they say, it's good to have goals!

Software engineer, occasionally referred to as a Desk Jockey / I drive a desk for a living.

Ugh, I have been mia too long! Just the life stuff... ya know

I am a training shoe junkie!!! I LOVE those camo kicks...and now will be searching hi & low for a pair! They look fantastic but even better than that they are perfect for leg day training. I tend to wear my Converse kicks for leg day, simply coz they put me "flat" on the floor.

Please, pretty please can you share the link to the "splits/stretching" video? I'd like to join you on the split challenge!

Errything you posted on flexibility, tightness & splits I can so relate to. Back in the day...I could do a great side split...but 40+ years (You and I are very close in age ) later it just ain't happening. I am notoriously tight...to the point my achilles ache quit a bit. Also, being a fellow "desk jockey" aka as librarian who sits waaaaaaay too much during the work day. That surely does not help! I stretch but not nearly enough! Like you said having "goals" whether small or big is a great thing and stretching with a purpose might help me immensely...

I Sheila Bleck! I have always been a fan of hers too!

[sassy69]

Here ya go:


You can find the Otomix camo shoes here:

http://otomix.stores.yahoo.net/stingrayboot.html (the product picture on the left cycles thru all the available colors / prints so give it a second and you'll see the camo)

Also sign up for their newsletter and you'll get email notices of sales. They regularly have sales of 30-33% off. There's a Father's Day sale for 33% off - that helps a lot considering the $120 price on those babies.

[curvygirl]

​Thanks Sassy!

[sassy69]

6/18/15 - Thurs

PM Training: back & chest

shoulder wu
pec deck: 40/20 50/15 x 2
TRX overhead pullover: 15 x 3
bent over BB rows (short ezbar / supinated grip): 75/20 95/15 105/15
machine row (pronated grip): 70/15 80/15 x 2
HS incline chest press: 35's/20 45's/15 x 2 35's/15
cable row (close grip): 75/20 85/15 95/15 95/20

40 min arc trainer HIIT (4 min / 1 min)

[sassy69]

6/19/15 - Fri

10 min Arc Trainer wu

Training: shoulders

cable in/out (just out): 20/15 x 3
BB behind the neck shoulder press: 20/15 40/20 x 3
reverse pec deck (extended arms) fly: 30/15 30/20 x 2
super:
- face pull: <forgot weight>/20 x 3
- iso-prone superman scapular pulldowns: 30 x 3
DB lat raise (alt legs up on bench a la Capt Morgan): 10/15 10/20 x 2
- -- leg on bench adds a little imbalance to force more stability - but does show up as a weakness in forearms / wrist strength
seated shoulder press (facing towards seat back, elbows in at bottom, push up and forward w/ arched back); 70/20 x 2 50/20 x 2
super:
- reverse ham crunch: 20 x 3
- fitball plank: 60 sec x 3
leg raises: 15 x 4
alt cable vacuums: 30/20 x 3

Cardio: 30 min arc trainer (cut it short due to way too long since last meal)

[sassy69]

6/20/15 - Sat

Training: Leg day

15 min DeFranco wu
5 min arc trainer

lying leg curl: 40/20 50/20 50/15 x 2
smith squat: 45/20 95/15 135/15 x 3
power squat: 70/15 160/15 250/15 x 2
smith vertical press:135/20 225/20 275/15 315/15 365/12 x 2
-- Ended up spending extra sets to make sure I could rack the bar lock w/ my feet. This one doesn't feel like its as reliable as one I used at my old gym in California, despite being the same make /model smith rack. Eh today was all about trying stuff to "get the burn".
RLDL: bar/20 95/15 135/15 x 3
adductor: 40/20 x 2
super:
- ham crunches: 20 x 3
- fitball plank: 60 sec x 3
hanging abs: 20 10

Stick a fork in me ... done.

[Curt James]

seated shoulder press (facing towards seat back, elbows in at bottom, push up and forward w/ arched back); 70/20 x 2 50/20 x 2

Does that take pressure off lower back? Or what's the purpose of facing the seat back?

I've been doing standing overhead bb presses and there's a lot of pressure where I don't need it. Tried seated presses on a bench with a rack and seat back, but that wasn't much better leaning back to unrack the bar.

Great journal!

[sassy69]

Does that take pressure off lower back? Or what's the purpose of facing the seat back?

I've been doing standing overhead bb presses and there's a lot of pressure where I don't need it. Tried seated presses on a bench with a rack and seat back, but that wasn't much better leaning back to unrack the bar.

Great journal!

My trainer manages to come up w/ slight modifications to just about everything he has me do - all of it is based on traditional lifts, but all tweaked just a bit to do a couple primary things:

- Remove pretty much all pressure on my elbows - my forearm tendonitis is much, much better after all the ART I've done this spring - in fact, it's been about 6 weeks since the last ART treatment. However it can flare up w/ next to no pressure at the insertion point and that would set me back immediately.
-- so for ex w/ this variation, I also bring my elbows in close in front on the bottom of the lift and sort of push from the front instead of elbows out to the side.

- Be careful of my right shoulder - which is also exponentially better from all the ART - but again, it's a losing battle if I start irritating it again. So things are focused on building strength around that area as well so the irritated part can start to build itself.

Facing the other way also puts the motion forward but still supported, which allows a greater arch in the back - another thing we're doing a lot of is strengthening the rhomboid area as well as improving flexibility along the spine.

It's frustrating when I don't always quite pick up the modifications that he's doing - makes me feel stupid when the basic move is stuff I've been doing for decades, but the variation is probably something as subtle as a different grip or shorter ROM or isolating more (e.g. chest out, more arch in the back). But I'm not arguing w/ it because I'm not getting hurt and I'm getting stronger. Nothing like where I used to be, but definitely moving forward.

[sassy69]

6/21/15 - Sun

Repeat Friday (shoulders) - wanted to get more familiar w/ what I was doing - hard to pick up all the nuances when you're on a trainer's time clock.

[Curt James]

Thanks, Sassy. I'm going to try facing the bench next workout.

[sassy69]

Thanks, Sassy. I'm going to try facing the bench next workout.

Also note that I"m recording this stuff more for my accountability than as instruction for other people - obviously I'm leaving out a lot of detail about each individual movement. For this specific one, also note that I'm using a neutral grip so I'd almost compare this to a 2-handed version of a 1-handed OH press on the thing where you stick a (full-size) barbell in that little hinge you stick in the corner (or just stick one end of the BB on the floor in a corner), put your weights on the upstanding end and push forward/up.

[Sunnyday]

Checking in and catching up. Awesome to see you still training injury free and doing more!
You still thinking about a show in the near future?

[sassy69]

Checking in and catching up. Awesome to see you still training injury free and doing more!
You still thinking about a show in the near future?

The goal since I started this thread was to compete in a show here in AZ in November - NPC Western Regional show - mid Nov. If I'm really on my prep, there's also the Phx Europa in Oct, but that could be pushing it.

One interesting note is that I'm starting to not be as excited about the WPD category, because all I'm seeing is more & more jacked looks at the pro level. After all the negativity around FBB, and I really mean it was enough negativity circa 2010 when WPD started, that I got really depressed about it, I"m not so sure I'm going to stay as excited about it as I would've otherwise. But I'll hold my opinions until I get on stage again. At the moment I'm doing it for my own purposes. Anything beyond that, I can probably take or leave right now.

And that's not to say I don't respect the current competitors, but having been watching and occasionally receiving so much negativity for a look that this is already trending towards, its sort of the same shit all over again and bullshit / hypocrisy about what WPD is supposed to be.

JMHO. And God knows, I'm getting old. I got nuttin to prove except that your body & your attitude don't need to reflect your chronological age.

[sassy69]

6/22/15 - Mon

Training: back/chest

5 min arc trainer wu

close grip lat pull down: 70/20 80/20 x 2 90/15
neutral grip row machine: 70/20 x 2 80/20 x 2
-- can I just repeat how effing mad it makes me that my stupid gym doesn't have a HS iso-row machine???? What fucking gym doesn't have a plate loaded row machine???
alt side cable row: 40/20 x 4
BOSU plank w/ alt hip flexor: 25 x 3
cable "pec deck": 30/20 x 3
incline DB press: 20/20 30/20 35/30 40/20 (omg these are pansy ass...)

30 min step mill HIIT (3 min/1 min) + 10 arc trainer (4 min/ 1 min)