Sunnyday's Training Journal

[Mac]

Thanks. You're right in that there's no real solution than just tough it out. Thankfully my new chiro has a lot of experience with athletes with my condition and he didn't give me the advice to "rest" like all the others had in the past. And thanks to him I'm off ALL pain meds/muscle relaxers for the first time in 19 years! Oh, and still training like a maniac. Can't say how pleased I am about all that!

That's great news.

For me, resting during the hip issues just made it worse over time. Getting back in the game and working it out is best for me.

I was never one to take NSAIDs but if I get a flare-up, 800mg usually takes care of it. Old age sucks.

[Sunnyday]

That's great news.

For me, resting during the hip issues just made it worse over time. Getting back in the game and working it out is best for me.

I was never one to take NSAIDs but if I get a flare-up, 800mg usually takes care of it. Old age sucks.

Exactly! I had no clue about weights when my symptoms started 19 years ago at age 27. once I stopped being a cardio queen and started weight training I started to feel better. Same here, 600-800 mg NSAIDS take the edge off when things get really bad. The move out of the sticks and back into civilization got me to the new chiro. This guy is the first health care prof who (1) took an x-ray to diagnose the underlying issue (DUH!) and (2) told me the WORST thing someone with severe osteoarthritis can do is rest! Glad to finally be in competent hands.

On the age thing...I know a badass 90-y.o. woman whose lifesyle puts most 20-y.o.'s to shame and she says, "Getting old is NOT for sissies!" Wise words!

[LisaRD23]

The cake looks awesome. I'll have to DHL you a pizza pie from here in NJ You'll get in about 3 hours or so!

Finding the right chiropractor is such a necessary thing. I've been going to the same guy for about 10yrs. I even let him adjust my daughter, she's heavily involved in track & cross country running so she always has issues. He also massages my son from time to time and checks his joints. He has a lot of muscle tightness on the right side of his body so he over compensates the use of his left side.

[Sunnyday]

Monday...legs

Nick Tumminello's lower body warmup
Donkey calves:
a few warms
6 x 4 pps x 8, Last set added 20 partials
each set superset w 30 reps dorsiflexion

DB lying leg curl:
15 x 20
20 x 20
30 x 15
40 x 12
50 x 8
45 x 20 rest paused

Squats:
BW x 6 kneeling squats on bench btwn each set
Bar x 12
65 x 12
95 x 12
115 x 6
115 x 8
115 x 10
115 x 12
125 x 8 up 10 from last week!
135 x 8 YEAH!! up 20 from last week! Bet it looked like a dying duck, LOL!!

Assisted pistol squats:
4x BW x 8 keeping balance with 2 benches, as little assistance as needed

Leg extension:
2 warms
8 x 90 x 8, about 45 sec btwn sets
8th set rest pause to 15 plus 12 partials

Nordics:
4 x BW x 12

Finished with 40 min on the elliptical

[Sunnyday]

Tuesday...abs

This is American Education Week and today was visitation day at my kids' school. So a long workout was out of the question. Rather than cut back on chest/delts day I decided to switch my Tue/Wed workouts.

Bits and pieces of Nick Tumminello's upper/lower body warmup

Side & front planks:
3 x 60 sec hold each

Dragon flags (1/2-3/4 reps only):
3 x 6

Ab wheel (kneeling):
3 x 8

Reverse crunch ss traditional floor crunch:
4 x 25 each

Finished with 40 min on the elliptical.

[Sunnyday]

Wednesday...chest/delts

I am feeling the negative effects of additional driving. Last night and this morning my hip was giving me trouble, low back also. And of course the psoas had to put its two cents in and act like a crybaby. Just another week and I get to take a break.

Nick Tumminello's upper body warmup

Over & backs:
2 warms
4 x 45 x 12

Incline bb:
2 warms
3 x 95 x 8 much better form, did only 2 shaky sets at this weight last week
75 x 20 rest paused 12,4,4

Incline DB flyes:
3 x 35s x 12

Flat DB press:
2 warms
40s x 10
45s x 10
50s x 8 shaky last 2 reps, shoulders didn't like this
45s x 10
40s x 12

Cable flyes:
3 x 10 x 15

Front DB raise:
4 x 15s x 12

DB reverse flyes:
4 x 15s x 12 overhand
4 x 15s x 12 neutral

Leaning DB lateral raise:
6 x 15 x 12

Six ways:
3 x 5s x 12 VERY pleased with this! Last few times was barely getting 8 reps!

Finished with 40 min on the elliptical

[Ibarramedia]

Attachment 175407

Here's my girl's cake. Bakery did the cake, I made the topper. Can't upright the image but at least it's here. Tomorrow we take her out for her favorite: pizza. Sadly in 20 years of living in Maryland I have yet to find legit pizza but thankfully for a 6-y.o. as long as it is pizza it will do.

A little late here but I like Armand's Pizza. What style do you like chicago or New York? How about Ledo's? I think it is a little better than Pizza Hut, Little Ceasar's and Dominos but Papa Johns is not that bad.

[Sunnyday]

A little late here but I like Armand's Pizza. What style do you like chicago or New York? How about Ledo's? I think it is a little better than Pizza Hut, Little Ceasar's and Dominos but Papa Johns is not that bad.

Looking for NY style. Have tried all the chains, nothing comes close. I can make killer Chicago style at home but NY style there just is no duplicating it without a real oven. I've heard there is a place in Dundalk but forget the name and that is a bit of a haul.

[Sunnyday]

With fingers crossed I am planning to take some pics on Tuesday. Last time I tried this a year ago it was a total bust, the woman I asked to help me forgot her glasses and didn't tell me until AFTER we were done taking the pics - UGH!! So hopefully the person I have helping me this time will work out better.

Stopped cardio, did a light lower body circuit yesterday. Planning a light upper body circuit on Sunday and try a new dry out, something I read that John Meadows does. I'm excited to see how this works for me.

[Sandpig]

Can't wait for the pics.
Unfortunately there's no drool smiley on my phone

[Sunnyday]

Sniff. Pics not gonna happen. Sigh. Sniff

For the life of me I cannot figure what went wrong. I woke up yesterday looking flat, bloated, and squishy. As TBS would have said, "DEEP WOODS OFF."And I even FELT off. Over the course of the day it only got worse, mentally and physically. I woke up this morning and for the first time in MONTHS I cannot see my abs. Days ago there were veins all over them. Needless to say, I'm sad, depressed, disappointed, and discouraged to have worked a year and not know what to do to change the look. This is worse than a bad offseason look for me. I'm out of my diet budget money so as much as I'd prefer to just diet a few more weeks the diet has to stop now. Even if budget wasn't an issue the kids' schedules are crazy busy and cardio isn't an option at this time.
Sigh. So finish the pity party and on to offseason.

[Ibarramedia]

Sniff. Pics not gonna happen. Sigh. Sniff

For the life of me I cannot figure what went wrong. I woke up yesterday looking flat, bloated, and squishy. As TBS would have said, "DEEP WOODS OFF."And I even FELT off. Over the course of the day it only got worse, mentally and physically. I woke up this morning and for the first time in MONTHS I cannot see my abs. Days ago there were veins all over them. Needless to say, I'm sad, depressed, disappointed, and discouraged to have worked a year and not know what to do to change the look. This is worse than a bad offseason look for me. I'm out of my diet budget money so as much as I'd prefer to just diet a few more weeks the diet has to stop now. Even if budget wasn't an issue the kids' schedules are crazy busy and cardio isn't an option at this time.
Sigh. So finish the pity party and on to offseason.

I'm so sorry to hear that. How is your stress level? The amount of cortisol may affect that. You mentioned juggling the kids schedules and running the household. Real life stuff. Just maybe it is catching up.

[Sunnyday]

I'm so sorry to hear that. How is your stress level? The amount of cortisol may affect that. You mentioned juggling the kids schedules and running the household. Real life stuff. Just maybe it is catching up.

Great minds think alike, I think that's exactly what's going on. The kids had a 2-day swim meet over the weekend but on Friday night my son wasn't feeling well and running a fever. I left him home with my husband (and he doesn't have the best bedside manner or instincts when it comes to sick kids) so I had just one kid in tow BUUUT it was my turn to work the concession table so without my husband there to help I was running back and forth up and down 3 flights of stairs between pool-spectator bleachers-and slinging food at concessions and trying to get my 6-y.o. to all her events. If you've ever been to a swim meet with 10 other teams participating it is like Christmas at the mall, LOL! Meanwhile my 14-y.o. was at her dad's and texting me about having an awful time (although she DID make her varsity swim team which is super cool...So yeah...I'd say all that ON TOP of an already stressful life probably took its toll.

Today I woke up feeling and looking a little better. Not as bloated and nowhere near as foggy. Went to the chiro and got all fixed up so I'm ready to rock this holiday!

Meanwhile...my youngest swam her little heart out and beat her best times in everything. There was a vendor there selling custom t-shirts with the meet's logo/date on front and I let her design the back and each sleeve. Turned out to be the most expensive t-shirt I've ever purchased (didn't help that I let her design one for each of her siblings!) But really she earned it. In mid-May of this year she could't make it across the pool on her front OR back. At the meet she swam 50 yd backstroke, 50 breaststroke, 50 freestyle, and a 100 yd freestyle! She was the youngest swimmer at the meet by a full year. And while she came in dead last in every event, she swam each event legally while others nearly twice her age got disqualified. And she had fun, which any parent/coach ought to know is the most important part.

In other news...

my oldest started high school swim team practice yesterday. Cool coincidence their team suit is the same design as my other kids' year-round team suit, just in a different color. Very excited for her!

I decided to take a few days off and completely away from the gym and it has actually been great! I know, that's crazy coming from me. My family needed it as much as I have. Yesterday I got ALL my holiday shopping done online! I've gotten most of it done early before but never all of it. Woot!

So over lunch yesterday I was brainstorming with my oldest about what to do to decorate my son's room. DUH!!...STAR WARS!! So online we went and pulled the whole room together in a few hours! Wall color, bedding, wall art, window treatments, down to the last detail. I ordered everything I could besides paint and when my husband came home and I told him he gave me a look like "No fair, why can't I have the Jedi room?!!" This really is going to look cool when it's all done. I even found a pair of remote controlled Jedi-blue laser sabers that mount on the wall as night light-sconces! Oh, and then there's the Death Star "planetarium" that projects the Star Wars constellations onto the ceiling! Oh man, this room is gonna look so cool!

So while shopping I stumbled across the coolest collection of Star Wars travel posters! Has anyone else seen these? If I didn't already have a theme for my basement/movie room I would do them as a theme.

[Curt James]

Not sure if this is legit, but...

[Sunnyday]

As one of the original fans who saw the first 3 episodes the first week they were each released in the theaters, I can't even put into words how excited I am to see that! Wish we still had the "jump" smileys.