Sunnyday's Training Journal

**cook** · 08-19-2015, 01:42 PM

Some good advises here.I competed in pl for about 6 years so I wish I could offer something that would be useful but nothing comes to mind.I will probably think of something the day after your meet.Anyway good luck we all wish you the best.

**Sunnyday** · 08-19-2015, 01:46 PM

Originally Posted by cook

Some good advises here.I competed in pl for about 6 years so I wish I could offer something that would be useful but nothing comes to mind.I will probably think of something the day after your meet.Anyway good luck we all wish you the best.

Thanks for the well wishes, Cook! I'm pretty unsure of myself so I think it's best I stay conservative and just get the weight up consistently without getting red lighted.

**Sunnyday** · 08-19-2015, 01:57 PM

I couldn't get a good rhythm going today. Lotsa people talking and I let myself get distracted. Time got away from me. Maybe I just need to be rude? Protein farts don't seem to work.

Dynamic stretching and band work for warmup

Ab wheel rollouts:
3 x 20
^^a woman kept talking to me DURING these sets, even with my earbuds in. It was horribly annoying. Between sets she talked even more.

Cpt chair hanging knee raise:
3 x BW x 25

Weighted ball crunch:
sit in stability ball, bend backward, touch med ball to floor behind, crunch up
3 x 12 x 25

Side planks:
3 x 60 sec hold each side

Front planks:
3 x 60 sec hold

Finished with 16 min on the elliptical.
^^I was trying for 20 but my time limit was up in childcare.

**Ibarramedia** · 08-19-2015, 05:47 PM

Originally Posted by sassy69

Some advice a PL friend of mine posted on FB yesterday:

it's never heavy. As soon as you think it is, it does become heavy. But it's not heavy, you just aren't strong enough. If I can't lift it, it's because I'm not strong enough, not because it was heavy. I'm not just talking about lifting either ‪#‎itsneverheavy‬

I like that. " You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to sassy69 again."

**cook** · 08-20-2015, 06:34 AM

I've been giving this some thought and some things I remember from way back.You are not trying to "blast you pecs" you are trying to bench press the most weight you can.The best way to lift more weight is to shorten the distance you have to lift it.By getting the maximum arch in your back the bar gets to your chest in the shortest motion.Women seem to be better at this than men.I think they have an easier time getting limber.I used to get the opportunity to ask Doug Young questions (he was one of the best benches ever) and I remember he said pull your elbows in and when you start the lift off your chest you should feel like even your lats are helping in the lift.I was never able to get that feel but it makes sense.

**Sunnyday** · 08-20-2015, 09:51 AM

I'm familiar with Doug Young. And I remember your squat story when he told you he was working in with you.

When someone of his caliber speaks, you listen. And take notes.

Thankfully I love training lats and I have a very good MMC with them. So all of what you said makes total sense. I'll definitely be using those tips!

**Sunnyday** · 08-20-2015, 12:30 PM

Just checked the entries and it appears my name has been added. I don't see an updated roster but I see that the number of entries has gone up. Looks like this is a go. Gulp.

**sassy69** · 08-20-2015, 01:04 PM

Originally Posted by Sunnyday

Just checked the entries and it appears my name has been added. I don't see an updated roster but I see that the number of entries has gone up. Looks like this is a go. Gulp.

COMMIT! COMMIT! COMMIT!

Remember ... IT's NOT HEAVY!

**Sunnyday** · 08-20-2015, 01:11 PM

Thanks, girl!

Been a hard week over here. Training isn't what I'd hoped it would be. Kids' doc appointments, kids' PT, sports practices popping up unexpectedly. Couldn't do more than a warmup in the gym today. It seems as soon as I make a commitment for myself OR just try to make time to take care of myself then the family jumps up and says NO WAIT WE NEED YOU OVER HERE! Ugh.

**Sunnyday** · 08-22-2015, 09:59 AM

Day off from training yesterday. Took the fam to Hershey Park. Many thanks to my husband's employer for organizing the crazy deal. We had catered, free flowing food and beverages all afternoon plus Turkey Hill ice cream. They've done this deal before but with meal vouchers - not the same. The catered deal under a pavilion where you can eat/drink all you want all day long is BOMB! Called it my cheat "day" and had pulled chicken and ice cream sandwiches.

The deal was so reasonable for the 5 of us that we bought an extra ticket so our big girl could invite a friend so she had someone to ride the big kid rides with her. They did all but one roller coaster twice.

Our little ones have been too small to ride anything exciting...until this year. My son was finally big enough this year and was DYING to ride his first big kid ride. I took my son on his first real roller coaster and we found out he did NOT like it at all. He was cool on all the other rides, even the ones that would have made me puke (one almost did). Our 6-y.o. is the thrill seeker of the family so she cried when they measured her and was about a half inch too short for any of the big kid rides. So I promised her next year I'd take her on all the roller coasters she wants.

Couple of pics from the top of the ferris wheel. That was about the only time we were holding still all day. LOL!

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**baby muscle** · 08-22-2015, 11:07 AM

That looks like a day they'll remember for a long time! Sucks being too little to get on the big kid rides. Remember those days? The following year is the thrill of being "big enough". It comes too soon to us adults but time seems to plod along when "you're always to little".

**Sunnyday** · 08-22-2015, 11:20 AM

Originally Posted by baby muscle

That looks like a day they'll remember for a long time! Sucks being too little to get on the big kid rides. Remember those days? The following year is the thrill of being "big enough". It comes too soon to us adults but time seems to plod along when "you're always to little".

^^Exactly! I still remember the first time I was big enough to ride those rides AND being able to go the first time with a friend instead of my parents!

**Sunnyday** · 08-24-2015, 03:07 PM

Nick Tumminello's lower body warmup plus Chiro prescribed mobility work

Morning calf training:
single leg hops x 10 ss standing calf raise w 5-sec hold at top x5 (3 sets)

DB lying leg curl:
2 warms
30 x 10 w 5-sec isohold
30 x 10 w 10-sec isohold
30 x 10 w 15-sec isohold
30 x 10 w 20-sec isohold
30 x 10 w 25-sec isohold
30 x 10 w 30-sec isohold

I had planned split squats in the Smith but it was occupied. Tried them with a bb but my balance issues signaled me to stop after the first set with the empty bar.

Pistol squats:
using 2 benches for minimal balance help, tap BOSU at bottom
4 x BW x 12 each leg
First set was super wobbly. I've been doing calf training barefoot at home so I got the idea after that first set to take off my shoes and do these barefoot. AWESOME! As in NO balance issues the last 3 sets. Yay!

Paused duck squats in the Smith:
2-sec pause on toes & no knee lockout at top
4 x 65 x 10

Leg press ss DB SLDLs:
2 pps x 10 ss 25s x 10, repeat 2 more times without stopping (30 reps each)

Finished with 20 minutes on the elliptical.

Chiro-prescribed static stretching at home.

Evening calf work:
bilateral standing calf raises to failure
unilateral calf stretch x 30 sec each side (2 sets)

**Sunnyday** · 08-25-2015, 03:55 PM

Shoulder warmup - dynamic stretching

DB twist press:
3 x 30s x 10

Band pull aparts:
3 x 10

Flat bench:
still trying to ramp this up as if in a meet but haven't quite figured it out yet
45 x 8
60 x 5
75 x 3
85 x 1
95 x 1
105 x 1
110 x 1
110 x 1
115 x 1
115 x 1

So for giggles I pulled of the pair of 35s I was using and put them on the scale: 35.5 lbs each...71 lbs for the pair. Assuming the bar is AT LEAST 45 lbs, I just benched 116. That is 0.8 lbs OVER the state record for my age/weight. Woo hoo. Yay me. I won't feel confident until I can nail 120 several times in a row under ideal conditions. Going to check the rule book to see by how much I have to beat the record to call it beat.

Cable crossover:
3 x 10 x 20

Over & back presses:
3 x 45 x 10

Front bb raise:
3 x 35 x 15

DB reverse fly leaning on incline bench:
4 x 15s x 12

Leaning DB lateral raise:
4 x 25 x 8 each side

Six ways:
1 x 10s x 8 plus 20 partials

Finished with 20 minutes on the elliptical.

**sassy69** · 08-25-2015, 04:08 PM

Originally Posted by Sunnyday

So for giggles I pulled of the pair of 35s I was using and put them on the scale: 35.5 lbs each...71 lbs for the pair. Assuming the bar is AT LEAST 45 lbs, I just benched 116. That is 0.8 lbs OVER the state record for my age/weight. Woo hoo. Yay me. I won't feel confident until I can nail 120 several times in a row under ideal conditions. Going to check the rule book to see by how much I have to beat the record to call it beat.

Stud! How awesome when you're just down to technicalities!