It's Just A Ride!!!!!

[ActionTan]

Howdy Doody!

I keep a journal on a couple of UK websites which are very male dominated so i thought it would be interesting to also keep one somewhere where there is perhaps more female input. I'll not go into a full blown history but if anyone wants to know anything about me just ask...I'm far from shy lol.

Briefly though. I'm 39 (40 in 3 months), got into weight training through my husband who owns a gym in which I work and train and I love weight training. I am planning to compete next year for the 1st time and it's all jolly exciting. I am extremely lucky and am surrounded by some very experienced people (hubby is IFBB pro as is one of my best friends) so my introduction to the weights really was at a pro level and for this I am very greatful.

At the moment I train 3 days a week with my training partner, Dan, who is also compete in his 1st year NOT as a junior. He's a fantastic training partner and we work very well together. Split is -

Sun - Shoulders, bi's & Tri's
Tues - Calves Hams Quads
Thurs - Back & Chest

The weights in our gym are in both lb's and kilos (dumbells 10kg + are in lbs, as are most machines but the plates are in kilos lol) and they will be stated as which is is. I'll kick off with Thursdays session -

Close Grip Chins
3 x 6-10
D Grip Lat PD's
120lb x 10
150lb x 8
180lb x 6
Close Grip T Bar Rows
60kg x 8
70kg x 8
80kg x 5
Single DB Row
70lb x 8
80lb x 8
90lb x 6
100lb x 5
Chain Grip T Bar Row
42kg x 8 x 2
52kg x 6 drop 42kg x 5 drop 32kg x 6

Chesticles
Decline BB bench
40kg x 10
60kg x 8
70kg x 6
75kg x 5
Incline DB Press - still niggling shoulder
35lb x 10
45lb x 8
55lb x 8, 6
Flat Isolateral Machine press
40kg x 10
50kg x 10
60kg x 8

And that was it! Good old week! Very happy!

[partsRheavy]

Dang girl! You lift heavy! Impressive! How long have you been lifting?

You're going for BB, right?

I get teeny twinges in my shoulders every now and then. Felt 'em today in fact, but only while lifting. Nothing while sedentary. I try to do some days with higher reps i.e. 10-14 to let the tendons build up.

[ActionTan]

I've piddled about with weights on and off (although actually more off than on hahaha) since I was 18 but it was always at those kind of 'ladies only' cardio bunny kind of places so i never really got the bug. Even when I met my now husband who owns his own gym I was more beer monster than gym rat and I only ever popped into the gym now and agin to do a bit of cardio. It was only really 4 years ago when I had a career change and set up a sports massage cinic at the gym that I got into training wee bit. The main kick start was to get as fit as I could in 8 weeks before I went into hospital to have a tummy tuck (left over skin from having kids). That's where the bug started o bite. After the op I couldn't wait to get back training nd was back on the weights after two weeks. I'd say it was from then on in that I started liking training heavier...and heavier and kind of reaslised I am quite strong, not super strong by any means but it's all relative. Anyway that was over two years ago and last year I thought competing might be fun but I originally thought of doing trained figure and changed my training to suit that on the advice of a couple of trained figure girls. But I missed my RARRRRRRR ugga ugga training, the squats, deadlifts and thought 'fck it' if I'm going to compete I might as well do it in a class that I will enjoy and so I decided on BB. I'm not huge (5ft6 165lb) but I don't care. Lets face it at 40 I'm not going to make huge waves on the UK bodybuilding scene so I may as well have fun. The trained figure is VERY girlie...and well...I'm not. In fact just thinking about walking in those high heels brings me out in a cold sweat lol. So hopefully around Sept next year I'll compete for the 1st...and maybe last time lol. My training buddy Dan will also be doing the same show, obvioulsy not the same class lol, and my husband could be having a bash at the 202lb so it will be a happy household hahahahaha!

Shoulder niggle is the infraspinatus, probably a wee tear a while ago that is being a beggar!

[ActionTan]

Sunday shoulders and arms have well and truely been battered! I don't think I've ever felt sick doing shoulders but i did today. The pump was silly and painful....but in a nice way...well kind of lol

Single Arm Rear Delts DB
8kg x 10
25lb x 8 x 3
Reverse Pec Dec
36lb x 10
48lb x 8
60lb x 8
72lb x 5 drop 48lb x 5 drop 36lb x 10-12
Iso Hammer Shoulder Press
40kg x 10
60kg x 10
80kg x 8 x 2
DB Side Lats
25lb x 10
35lb x 8 x 2
35lb x 6 drop 25lb x 5 drop 12lb x 10ish
EZ Bar High Front Raise SS Upright Row
10kg(+bar?) x 6,6,6 - 10,10,10
At this point I think my delts are going to explode!!!!
Bi's
EZ Bar Curls
10kg x 10
20kg x 8,8,6
Tri's
Dip Machine (12lb plates) SS Reverse rip Cable PD's(10lb plates)
18pl x 8, 20pl x 8, 22pl x 8 - 50lb x 10,10,8

If my delts don't grow then Dan is in BIG trouble lol. I have also come to terms today with the fact that I really can no longer dress in typical normal lady clothes. I suppose it is a good job that I'm not a girlie girl as today I had to buy tshirt and shirts from the mens department lol. I've just been through my wardrobe and am in the process of chucking stuff out that doesn't fit. No point in hanging on to stuff because it just becomes too much of a mind fck having clothes that are too small lying around. On the plus side I did buy two pairs of jeans that fit yesterday

[partsRheavy]

You're a big girl in those men's shirts! Can you find styles that are appropriate?? Plus, they button opposite LOL.

I will confess to chopping off sleeves of some older clothes sz. small where the armholes and sleeve is too tight. I usually wear those around the house or as the bottom layer in winter.

It doesn't help that fashion designers cut clothes for "waifs" i.e. extreme ectomorphs. I think that's probably more the case in England, Europe, Asia than in the U.S.

Here in the US there are a lot of medium and large women's clothes because of obesity. But of course they're big in the waist as well.

I know the guys have trouble finding shirts and coats because the waist is too baggy if the shoulders fit.

The missy clothes sz. 6, 8, 10, 12 etc. here in the US are cut pretty large. The juniors sz. 5, 7, 9 etc. are ectomorphic and don't fit. The plus size i.e. 14, 16, 18 etc. are basically obese and baggy LOL.

During the winter, I used to be able to layer a short-sleeved blouse under a sweater but now I usually layer a sleeveless something under a sweater.

Maybe you could come shopping to the US!!!

[ActionTan]

Hahahaha! Luckily we have lots of manorexics here in the UK at the moment who like quite fitted shirts and there are loads of lumber jack styles around that I do actually quite like and are schucky warm in winter over a tshirt witout looking like I should be carrying a log on my back and smoking a pipe so all is good. Ha I'm making myself sound huge here and I'm really not lol...I wish!!!

But there again...any excuse for a shopping trip :0)

[figurebre]

1kg=2.2lbs

sorry..had to translate it for myself
Great training

[ActionTan]

I'll try and remember to post weights in 'old' money in here to help save confusion!

[ActionTan]

So legs today and what a good day it turned out to be. We decided to have a play with knee wraps on squats today. I've used them a couple of times but Dan hasn't. I have to say it doesn't half feel weird the 1st couple of sets and as I was taught to wrap knees ala Fat Pete of Adlington Barbell club fame, British Master PL champ and all round good chap with a wealth of powerlifting knowledge and one of my favourite people, the wraps were tight and not there for show. However they were not as tight as they can be...basically because I'm not yet tough enough lol! I made the mistake last time of 1st putting the wraps on for a heavy set. This time I broke them in on lighter sets so by the heavier sets I was used to them. Dan HATED his 1st set but after a couple he was getting into the groove...baby!

BB Squats
Bar x 10
132lbx 10
132lbx 10 (wraps on)
176lb x 8
220lb x 5
110kg x 5 - last weeks PB x 3

115kg x 3 - Happy Days - Decided to go for 120kg 1RM for the hell of it but...
120kg x 3 - went shit or bust on the 1st rep and it was easy so went for 2 more - VERY happy days. Filmed!
Leg Extensions
80lb x 8
90lb x 8
100lb x 6
SLDL DB
45lb x 10
70lb x 10
90lb x 10,6
Lying Ham Curl
40lb x 8
50lb x 6
30lb x 10 - squeeze and hold...hams were caked and baked!

[ActionTan]

So legs today and what a good day it turned out to be. We decided to have a play with knee wraps on squats today. I've used them a couple of times but Dan hasn't. I have to say it doesn't half feel weird the 1st couple of sets and as I was taught to wrap knees ala Fat Pete of Adlington Barbell club fame, British Master PL champ and all round good chap with a wealth of powerlifting knowledge and one of my favourite people, the wraps were tight and not there for show. However they were not as tight as they can be...basically because I'm not yet tough enough lol! I made the mistake last time of 1st putting the wraps on for a heavy set. This time I broke them in on lighter sets so by the heavier sets I was used to them. Dan HATED his 1st set but after a couple he was getting into the groove...baby!

BB Squats
Bar x 10
132lbx 10
132lbx 10 (wraps on)
176lb x 8
220lb x 5
242lb x 5 - last weeks PB x 3
I was going to do another set at this weight but hubby and training buddy voted heavier and who am I to argue lol!
253lbx 3 - Happy Days - Decided to go for 264lb 1RM for the hell of it but...
264lb x 3 - went shit or bust on the 1st rep and it was easy so went for 2 more - VERY happy days. Filmed! - will post asap!
Leg Extensions
80lb x 8
90lb x 8
100lb x 6
SLDL DB
45lb x 10
70lb x 10
90lb x 10,6
Lying Ham Curl
40lb x 8
50lb x 6
30lb x 10 - squeeze and hold...hams were caked and baked!

[ActionTan]

Sorry about the double post....I hit send on 1st post by mistake as I was converting all KG's in LB's!!!!! x

[ActionTan]

Back
Close Grip Chins
BW x 10,7,6
Wide Grip Lat PDs(15lb plates)
8pl x 10
10pl x 8
12pl x 6,5
Close Grip Tbar Rows
40kg x 10
60kg x 8
80kg x 6,5
Single Arm DB Rows
70lb x 8
80lb x 8
90lb x 8
100lb x 6
SALPD's
60lb x 10
70lb x 8
70lb x 8
70lb x 8 drop 40lb x 8 squeeze and hold
Decline Chest Press Machine - this is our ego killer lol (12lb plates)
5 x 10
6 x 10
7 x 8
8 x 7 - never gone above 6 plates on this!
Iso Flat Bench Machine
40kg x 10
60kg x 10
70kg x 8
80kg x 6
Started off on incline pec dec - hurt shoulder - went onto pec dec - hurt shoulder GRRRRRR -
Cable Cross Overs
3 x 10 a 30piddlinglb

Chatting to Dan today and we're having a slight change of split from next week -
Tues - Legs & Calves
Thurs - Back & Arms
Sun - Shoulders & Chest

Still the same kind of stuff just a bodypart shuffle to pep it up!

[partsRheavy]

Take care of your shoulder!!!! Hope it's just something minor!!

[ActionTan]

Will do! It is minor and having it treated but it's bloody annoying lol...patience isn't one of my virtues ;0)

[ActionTan]

Only shoulders today because we will be doing arms with back on Thursday. At least that will mean just one pressing day for chest and shoulders so only fcking my shoulder up once a week!

Rear Cables
20lb x 12
30lb x 9,9
30lb x 8 drop 20lb x 8 drop 10lb - rep out
DB Side Lats
25lb x 10
30lb x 8,8
35lb x 5 drop 25lb x 10
Iso Shoulder Press
40lb x 20 x 3
80lb x 8
Plate Front Raises
15kg x 10 x 3
FST7 Reverse Pec Dec
50lb x 3sets (8-12)
40lb x 3 sets (8-12)
30lb x 1 set x 8 - squeeze and hold!