Athena's Goddess Training Journal

[Athena]

Last night's workout went really well:

Treadmill, 2.5% incline, 4.0 mph: 20 minutes

Lower body circuit training, 3 sets, one minute rest between sets:
Squats, 30# x 12
Leg extensions, 45# x 12
Ham curls, 45# x 12
Walking lunges w/rear leg lift, 20
Crabs, 5 each direction

My legs were on fire after just this simple circuit and by the time I hit my third set of crabs, even though it was just five in each direction, I was near tears.

Treadmill, 2.5% incline -
3.6 mph, 15 minutes
3.2 mph, 5 minutes

This was NOT easy. My legs were kinda noodley by this point. It's funny how light all this weight is, and yet my legs feel as horrible as they used to when this workout was four times harder.

Today I feel it - not as if I can't walk, but I still feel the workout. Boy, have I missed DOMS!

This morning: Yoga.

Tonight: Treadmill, abs, lower back and pushups.

~~ * ~~

My first day back on the spreadsheet is soooooo much harder than I thought it would be. I think it's not so much the psychological part, but the withdrawal symptoms from sugar.

Cheers, all!

[HoosierHardGain]

hehehhe...you call it a simple circuit, but it looks kinda intense to me. Great job, Athena.

Sugar withdrawl is a pain...you get used to it and your body is like "hey, dude, give me some sugar!!!!!"

[Tifflex]

Hi Athi--

I think I would have quit before the crabs! I'm glad you've got DOMS.

What type of diet are you doing?

[bulldog71]

I would have been crying! That was a crazy intense w/o! Great job!

[Athena]

Originally Posted by HoosierHardGain

hehehhe...you call it a simple circuit, but it looks kinda intense to me. Great job, Athena.

Sugar withdrawl is a pain...you get used to it and your body is like "hey, dude, give me some sugar!!!!!"

Originally Posted by Tifflex

Hi Athi--

I think I would have quit before the crabs! I'm glad you've got DOMS.

What type of diet are you doing?

Originally Posted by bulldog71

I would have been crying! That was a crazy intense w/o! Great job!

Okay, guys - I'm laughing a little here! This was NOT a tough workout! Did you look at the weights? I mean, 30 pounds for squats? Even with the other stuff included, it wasn't that tough by normal standards. Put me in at my old squat weight (130 pounds when I quit full squats) and THAT makes it tough! But I appreciate the comments...it was tough for my current standards, but not by my old standards.

So anyway, as for the diet, Tiff, I'm darn near at keto again: carbs for the day include 2/3 cup oatmeal, one cup milk, one-quarter cup kidney beans, and one half apple. I think I settled on macros of 35% carbs, 45% protein, 20% fat. I'm refusing to cheat this first week. That's the toughest for me ? to get through the first workweek and then through the weekend, and then I skate much easier. Considering that I'm back to limited cardio (yet again!), I have to be stringent with my diet. I'll also have to consider tweaking it again in a few weeks depending on how it's all working out.

Last night's workout was supposed to be treadmill + pushups and core. I spent 17 min's at 4.0 mph and 2.5% incline on the 'mill and had to lower the incline to 1.5% (as low as it goes on mine!) and reduce the speed. My heel was just killing me. After a total of 30 min's I quit to do my pushups and core work, then iced my heel really well. I'll skip cardio for a few days then test my heel with flat ground walking to see how it's doing later this week.

Series: Girlie pushups, planks, reverse boats, bicycles. I wanted to more on the pushups, but I knew I had an upper body workout today and I'm trying to take it easy on my shoulders.

Series 1: 10 pushups, 1 minute plank, 30 second reverse boat, 40 bicycles
Series 2: 10 pushups, 1 min 15 sec plank, 35 second reverse boat, 40 bicycles
Series 3: 10 pushups, 1 min 15 sec plank, 35 second reverse boat, 60 bicycles

I'm pleased to say this wasn't a very big deal! My core is comin' back, baby!

This morning: Upper body - pretty good workout, considering all the little factors in my life...

4 supersets:
Mod grip lat pulls
Superset with
Straight arm pullovers w/lying overhead tri extensions

3 sets of very light bench presses - I put 10 pounds on my spinlock bar and watched my form very carefully and kept my grip to right outside my shoulders.

Tonight: stretching while watching The Biggest Loser!

[someday]

fwi......i just sent you a lengthy pm, but it wasn't sent to you because you have chosen the feature not to receive pm's in your profile. i didn't want you to think i was blowing you off, so i figured this was the best way to let you know.

[HoosierHardGain]

The weights may have been light, Athi, but the workouts were still impressive. I think I get my worst cases of DOMS when I lower the weight of a lift!

[Athena]

Originally Posted by HoosierHardGain

The weights may have been light, Athi, but the workouts were still impressive. I think I get my worst cases of DOMS when I lower the weight of a lift!

Okay. You're making me feel better about it!

[HoosierHardGain]

Hey sweetie, how is everything going?

[Tifflex]

How is life Athena?

[Athena]

Originally Posted by HoosierHardGain

Hey sweetie, how is everything going?

Originally Posted by Tifflex

How is life Athena?

Good today! Been working at it slowly but surely. I don't have numbers to post, but last week's workouts look something like this:

Four sets (2 supersets) upper body:
Straight arm pullovers w/lying overhead tricep extension
Mod grip pull downs
and
Bench press
Bicep crossovers

Four sets of each superset. Keeping the weight light but slowly inching it upwards


Lower body consisted of the same circuit with increasing weight as well:
Squats
Leg ext
Ham Curls
Walking lunges w/rear leg lift
Crabs

During the third set I pulled my left knee as I was finishing the walking lunges (stepped too far out with my right foot), so I quit quickly and iced it. That was Tuesday; yesterday it felt good as new.

Cardio is spotty at best with my heel. It's being stubborn, but so am I. I took two full days off of everything, then walked early this morning (only lasted 30 min's in the sudden winter weather at 6:00 a.m. today!), then did my yoga and more stretching, then did my pushups and core again for the week. After the yoga, my shoulders were tired, so I only did two circuits.

My planks are up to 90 seconds; my reverse boats are at 45 seconds; girlie pushups are at sets of 15 (today with my knees on a two inch cushion); and my bicycles are at sets of 100.

Still feeling like there's a wide load attached to my arse, but it seems to be shrinking, which is cause for celebration!

Diet is good. It's killing me to be on a precontest diet, essentially, with no contest in sight! But I've survived worse and I'll survive this. I get to cheat a little next Friday with The Boy for dinner; then again the following week. The dieting won't stop though, for a very, very long time...

Hope everyone is well and happy! Spring is here! Time to start peeling off the outer layers!!

[Athena]

Christos anesti, everyone!

Today was Eastern Orthodox Easter, so I kinda leaned over the edge of wagon (didn't quite exactly fall off). Did a 45 minute walk this morning, plus about 45 minutes of good stretching, then did four circuits of delt work with two pound weights: neutral grip front raises, pronated grip front raises, side raises, rear delts. I'm really thrilled with this because the last time I tried these it really bothered my shoulders and this time they are quite happy!

Tomorrow I'd like to walk before work, but it's going to be a long night. Dad's having another reaction to this latest round of chemo and the only thing I can think of is washing everything in laundry detergent without fragrance or dyes. So I'm doing load after load after load of laundry. My mom is out of town for the weekend and I want to get as much of this done before she comes home tomorrow.

Hope everyone is well and having a safe and healthy weekend!

Cheers,
Athi

[Tifflex]

Thanks for the PM Athi.

I hope your dad is better today.

[Athena]

Not sure how Dad is today -- need to call to check in. Thanks for asking!

~~ * ~~

This morning's workout: chest and back

Feeling well enough to start a real split, start expanding the workouts, and consider inching up the weights, so today I did two supersets, keeping my rep range between 10-12:

Superset 1: four sets
Lat pulldowns
Straight arm pullovers w/lying overhead tricep extenstion

Superset 2: three sets
Bench press
Bent over barbell rows

Shoulders were clicking during the bench press, but I kept to 25 lbs, with my hands just a half-inch further out than they were last week. I'm not going to push my luck any on this exercise, but I do need to increase the width of my grip somewhat to hit my pecs more than I am now (right now it's almost all triceps).

Trying to keep the weight modest on all of these exercises and to focus on building up my muscular endurance for now. I'm impressed with myself -- really! This is new for me...the old Athena would go all out and injure herself all over again!

The heel feels really good. Stiff stiffens up occasionally, but not nearly as often as before. Yesterday was a total rest day, so tonight I might have a quick walk around the neighborhood when I get home...not sure...

Cheers, all!
~Athi

[HoosierHardGain]

Smart move keeping the weight down on the movements, Athena. Extra injury is NOT what you need at this point. *hug*

[Athena]

Originally Posted by HoosierHardGain

Smart move keeping the weight down on the movements, Athena. Extra injury is NOT what you need at this point. *hug*

Thanks! The Boy is proud of me as well. I just so badly want to know that my body has completely healed from whatever caused it to attack itself earlier this year ... don't want to permanently injure myself at 42.

~~ * ~~

Today's TOTAL leg workout! (Everybody say, "YAY!" ) Weights are approximate, don't include spin lock bar weights; rep ranges between 10-12; circuit training with 60-90 seconds rest; 4 series.

Warm up: 11 min's at 1.5% incline (my 'mill doesn't go any lower), 3.2 mph. Heel felt just fine.

Series 1:
Squats, 30#
Leg ext, 35#
Ham curls, 35#
Stiffies, 20#
Walking lunges w/rear leg lift, 20# (2x10#)
Crabs, 5 each direction unweighted

Series 2-4:
Squats, 40#
Leg ext, 40#
Ham curls, 40#
Stiffies, 30#
Walking lunges w/rear leg lift, 20# (2x10#)
Crabs, 5 each direction unweighted

Cool down: 5 min's at 1.5% incline, 3.0 mph

~~ * ~~

My legs feel good -- they were a little noodley, but not as bad as I thought they'd be, which is just fine. The knee held up and the heel feels good -- can't ask for more than that these days!

I hope everyone has a fantastic afternoon and evening! Stay healthy and remember to ALWAYS tell the ones you love how much they mean to you!

Athi

[Athena]

Today's workout: 50 min's HRT on the treadmill.

My 'mill is programmed with my weight and age, so it does all the work for me. This is where my control issues come on! I'm trying to ignore the speed adjustments, incline adjustments and the flashing lights and just watch the same news clips over and over, but I always have the urge to touch the buttons.

Today the incline went up to 6.5%, and my heel didn't even notice. Yay!



Tomorrow's planned workout: Arms & shoulders

[Tifflex]

Yay for heel not noticing the incline!

Check your PM.

[Samraiwise]

I'm sorry for my intruding,

I want to thank you my lady for your kind words, and a great story from your own sad experience. It's very encouraging and means me a lot. I think I believe you. I really want to think that my father knows how grateful I am for his being my father and what now I think of him as my father, and also he's waching over me and his granddaughter.

I'm sorry to hear about yours. *bow* I miss your journal, which is full of rich thoughts about not only w/o but also one's job and family and it always encouraged me. You are one of the most inspiring person in BB.com. I wish you a great life ahead that is what your father really want you to have.

Take care and hopefully we'll talk again somewhere in time,

-Kaz

[stayfit2008]

Ya know,..if your thinking about competing in 2011,..you may want to start another one of these again,...

[Athena]

Originally Posted by stayfit2008

Ya know,..if your thinking about competing in 2011,..you may want to start another one of these again,...

oooooohhhhh, how did you get this resurrected?! DANGIT! I seriously thought this had gone way away, but apparently it hadn't!

Okay, you're right, and I've been thinking about starting it back up as well.

~~ * ~~

My life has been consumed by studying for (and passing) my Medical Exercise Specialist certification, and now getting my business up and running, plus working my regular job full time and taking care of Mom (senile dementia -- I now live with her full time) and giving away/donating all my belongings to two charities (one that works with U.N. refugees just arriving in the U.S. and other supports a battered women's shelter).

So my weight is still up around 136 and it is what it is. These past two weeks have been my "starting back up" workouts because I've been off for a month. I'm just doing my three day split for the next month or so with lighter weights plus my cardio, trying to ensure I don't injure myself right away.

~~ * ~~

Monday: back/chest/forearms
Wednesday: legs
Friday: delts, bi's, tri's

~~ * ~~

Wednesday, Nov 25: Legs
Leg ext warm up: 30#-10; 30-10
SUPERSET:
Hacks: 0-10; 0-10; 20-8; 20-8
Stiffies (3-1-1 count): Oly-10; +20-10; +20-10
Walking lunges: 20# each hand-16 x two sets
SUPERSET:
Leg ext: 45-10 x three sets
Ham curls: 30-10; 30-8

Treadmill: 30 min's, 1.0-1.5 incline, 3.6 - 4.0 mph

~~ * ~~

Thursday, Nov 26: Cardio
Swim, 55 min's -- included 5 speed interval sets -- empty stomach

~~ * ~~

YIKES! The weights and workouts are embarrassing...but that's what happens when you start over.

Thanks, StayFit2008!!


~Athi

[Athena]

Friday, November 27: Arms

Supersets:
BB curls: 20-10;30-10; 30-8; 30-8
skullcrushers: 30-10 x three sets

Supersets:
preachers: 15-8; 15-8; 17-6
kickbacks: 10-12; 12-10; 17-6

Supersets:
bi curls w/twist: 15-10; 17-8; 17-8
front delt raise: 10-10 x three sets

Supersets:
side delt raise: 10-10 x three sets
v-leg raises (abs): 10; 10

Single arm cable pull downs: 30-4, 20-4 (DS); 20-10; 24-6

~~ * ~~

Arms were pretty tuckered out from yesterday's swim!

[stayfit2008]

Well Hello Athena,...

[Al Swearengen]

Originally Posted by Athena

Friday, November 27: Arms

Supersets:
BB curls: 20-10;30-10; 30-8; 30-8
skullcrushers: 30-10 x three sets

Supersets:
preachers: 15-8; 15-8; 17-6
kickbacks: 10-12; 12-10; 17-6

Supersets:
bi curls w/twist: 15-10; 17-8; 17-8
front delt raise: 10-10 x three sets

Supersets:
side delt raise: 10-10 x three sets
v-leg raises (abs): 10; 10

Single arm cable pull downs: 30-4, 20-4 (DS); 20-10; 24-6

~~ * ~~

Arms were pretty tuckered out from yesterday's swim!

looks good kiddo!

[TwoWalks]

Originally Posted by Athena

YIKES! The weights and workouts are embarrassing...but that's what happens when you start over.
~Athi

Young Lady, I for one am glad to see the phoenix rise back up from the ashes. Now you and I both know its not the weight that matters.

What matters is you are back lifting them

[Athena]

Originally Posted by stayfit2008

Well Hello Athena,...

Originally Posted by Al Swearengen

looks good kiddo!

Originally Posted by TwoWalks

Young Lady, I for one am glad to see the phoenix rise back up from the ashes. Now you and I both know its not the weight that matters.

What matters is you are back lifting them

I'm going to borrow a line from The Three Stooges, here: "Hello, hello, HELLO! HELLO!"




It's nice to be back, that's for sure. I've been lifting (only been off for a month) but the accountability of a journal sure is nice to have again. I know the progress will come quickly from here...I've started over before so this is, like, nothin' new, dudes.


~Athi

[TwoWalks]

Originally Posted by Athena

I'm going to borrow a line from The Three Stooges, here: "Hello, hello, HELLO! HELLO!"




It's nice to be back, that's for sure. I've been lifting (only been off for a month) but the accountability of a journal sure is nice to have again. I know the progress will come quickly from here...I've started over before so this is, like, nothin' new, dudes.


~Athi

Some told me once that everything has a beginning and an end. I have proven that theory wrong, I have began a hundred times but have never ended.