Getting there.... My way....

smdiskin · 03-29-2007, 06:34 AM

Hello all....

I have decided to try to do a journal to give myself a little focus and to show myself how far I have come and how far I have yet to go....

A little over 4 years ago, I was a fit and carefree 29 year old getting on with life and looking forward to finishing my PhD.... then, it was discovered I had an Acoustic Neuroma.... or to the rest of us a type of brain tumour.... great... just what I needed.... 4 years ago it was taken out... what fun.... there followed months of not being able to walk properly, and years of being able to walk better.... and now it is improving.... I can't run, impact hurts my head... which is a pity because as long as I don't have to turn, momentum keeps you going in a straight line.
2 years ago I started getting myself into the gym.... slowly as any effort gave me a splitting headache.... and slowly started to build it up....

I moved to Botswana from Ireland (via the UK) and have been feeling so much better that I am really able to start working out closer to properly and I am enjoying it....

Goals: Build muscle mass (and if a little of the chubby stuff fell off along the way it wouldn't hurt)

Starting (today) stats:
Height: 5 foot 2
Weight: 146.... consistently at this level for 20 years regardless of fitness... went up once after my operation to 170... and fell away quite quickly
Waist: 29
Hips: 42
Chest (below boobs): 34
Body Fat: 25%

I finally made it to the gym today after my car broke down... poor old thing it's 20 years old and sometimes gets a little grumpy.... walked to work, got a spanner, walked back, fixed it, and drove back to work....

Gym: Light Legs:... felt a little tired so decided not to kill myself...
Everything in kg... so multiply by 2.2 for lbs...
Squats: after warm up sets ... 65x15, 65x15, 85x12, 95x10, 85x10, 60x10 (can't go the whole way down because of my balance... so around parallel)
Hack Squat/Press: 3 sets of 60x10
Leg curl: 5 sets of 12 at position 9 on machine... who knows what that weighs
Leg extension: 5 sets of 12 at postn 8... ??
Seated calf raises: 4 sets of 25x15
Single leg presses:3 sets of 12 with pin at position 5....
I walked there and back from work and did 10mins on the recumbent bike to loosen off after....

Food:
Breakfast 1: Orange juice, protein shake... this sould have been pre work out meal.
Breakfast 2: Chicken breast, brown rice, salad: ended up as pre work out
Lunch 1: Chicken breast, brown rice, salad.
Snack: Grapes (large bunch)
Snack 2: protein shake (I don't want anything heavy on my stomach as I am going to karate after)
Dinner: Prawns in tomato sauce with small portion of brown rice/barley and large salad.
Pre bed snack: ?? undecided

I also take a multivitamin in the morning

This all works out at about 2200 cals which has kept my weight fairly constant over my adult life.... and with an ocasional pice of chocolate or chocolate cake (good for the soul.... )
The karate is new, and things will have to be adjusted to take that into account....

So if anyone fancies saying something to give me a little direction please feel free.... please don't rip me apart though... I know there is plenty of room for improvment....

All the best......

SexyBack · 03-29-2007, 07:05 AM

hey there, and welcome! you'll get lots of help here for sure.
looks like you have a lot of stregth already, that's a good start!

smdiskin · 04-02-2007, 01:47 AM

Well, so much for that....
Someone tried to break into my house the other day, well night actually and that messed things up a bit... but was back on track yesterday....

Had a nice heavy leg session, concentrating on squats and deadlifts.... I had bought some tapes for deadlifting, and what a difference does that make.... 4 sets of 70kg (154lbs) whereas before I struggled to get just a few out as my grip was giving every time.

Today I did a nice back session.... need to work on my lats, so concentrated on wide grip stuff.....

kitebean · 04-02-2007, 02:04 AM

You are one strong woman! Your focus and spirit is commendable - and yes you will find great support here.

Keep positive and balanced - and work HARD

And wow, Botswana! Were you born there? What's it like?

smdiskin · 04-02-2007, 05:43 AM

Hello....
No I am not from Botwsana... I came here in January... I'm originally from Ireland, but lived in the UK from the last 9 years.....
This is a very interesting country though.... well worth a visit... but not cheap for the tourist....
New Zealand is a place I would love to go... my parents have friends living near Christchurch....

smdiskin · 04-04-2007, 02:01 AM

Right, so....
THings are progressing....
Had a day off the weights yesterday..... but did karate.... my poor little feet have blisters... need to get them hardened up....
Anyway... following a rubbish nights sleep due to people trying to break in again.... got to the gym this morning and had a chest workout... I felt so weak today.... that 45kg bench press felt like 60kg....

Workout: after warm up sets
Flat bench press: 3 sets 45 kg for 12 reps, and 4th set at 45 kgs for 9 reps.
Flat flyes: 1x13x10kg, 2x12x12kg, 1x10x15kg, 1x8x15kg.
Incline dumbell press: 1x12x16kg, 3x10/12x20kg, 1x12x18kg
Incline flyes: 4x10/12x12kg
Dips: 3x10
Cable flyes: 3x12x4plates
Tricep extension (high): 4x12x7plates
Tricep pressdown: 4x10/12x10plates
One arm low tricep extension: 4x12x2plates

Well that lot left me feeling like i had been in the gym.... and then I went to work... happiness....
I must admit to quite liking flyes... for me they are very effective... I know lots of people say that they are more for shape and definition, but I have always been able to build with them, and my chest is starting to have some good shape... I nearly have a cleavage... which being flat chested in the normal sense of the word ... is great....

kitebean · 04-04-2007, 02:25 AM

Wow great session girl!

What do you mean by 'plates' in this context? 4x12x7plates

Sorry about the people trying to break in. I have loved travelling in interesting less developed countries but have never tried living in one, it sounds like it is pretty challenging.

I lived in the UK for 10 years and have been in NZ for four, I absolutely love it, it's home now.

How long are you going to stay there?

smdiskin · 04-04-2007, 02:45 AM

Hi there....
The plates are the ones on the weight stack... and I have no idea how much they weigh.... I suspect about 5kg each.... which would be about right as that would make it approximately the weight I was lifting in a previous gym where the plates were labelled in kg....

Botswana is lovely.... I reckon we will stay about 4 years... my initial 2 year contract is quite short to make the most of things... but I reckon after 4 years we will probably want to go home....
Where in the UK did you live? We were just outside Edinburgh until recently...
All the best....

SexyBack · 04-04-2007, 09:47 AM

nice workout! keep it up!

I hate when the plates don't tell you the weight incraments!

smdiskin · 05-23-2007, 05:07 AM

Well it seems I'm not very good at journalling.... but... trying again... as things were going well.... fun and games at the house, but at least they've stopped breaking in ....
Mu husband arrived last week ... after 4 months of not seeing him.... it was great.. and I had a couple of days away from the gym.... got back to it on monday and had a good back/biceps session.... yesterday I hammered chest and tris and today I did legs..... not the most complicated of workouts... but my legs are coming along nicely....

So for me today... (I'm just trying to reset my targets etc and see where I am)
Me: 146lbs.... my body really likes being there... ah well... get the muscle on and lose the fat... who cares if I am 146.... as my sister passes out in dread at the thought (she thinks 120 is too much ... but surprisingly doesn't think I am fat... even though I wear Fattie Ballattie sizes... her words...)

Workout:
15mins CV warmup... ti was quite cold here this morning and I don't want to pull anything....
Squats: 2x15x135, 1x12x175, 2x12x200, 2x10x225, 1x10x200, 1x10x175, 1x20x135. and some idiot walked into me on the second set of 225... I coudl have dropped it on him... or worse on me...
SLDL: 1x15x110, 1x12x155, 1x12x175, 2x10x200, 1x9x225, 1x10x200, 1x10x175.
I was fairly tired after all that lot....
Sissy squats: 3x12x150
Leg curl: 1x12x70, 1x12x80, 1x10x90, 2x10x100
Seated calf raises: 3x15x80
Standing calf raises: 3x15x80
Don't want any more size on the calfs.. they are quite big, but need some more definition.....

Anyway... that's it for today.... back to work....

SexyBack · 05-23-2007, 07:11 AM

Hey, glad to hear you are still going strong. and that's great your hubby is home! I hope you will journal some more!

smdiskin · 05-24-2007, 02:09 AM

Actually made it back here today....

Thanks SexyBack.... comments do help keep a body motivated....

Well today was shoulders day.... I think I left them in the gym... can't feel them right now.....
I really need to work on my shoulders... need some size there ... I think someone fogot to give me rear delts when they were handing out shoulders...

So this is what I did today....
25mins CV warm up.... it is really cold here in the mornings... feels worse than Scotland ever did.... and this is the middle of Africa....

DB Shoulder press: 1x15x27.5, 1x12x33, 3x10x35
Arnold Press: 3x10x27.5
Cable reverse flyes: 5x12x12
Upright cable rows: 1x15x50, 1x12x55, 3x10x60
DB lateral raises (hands by sides not in front): 6x12x15
Wide DB delt rows: 3x12x27.5
Cable lateral raise: 3x12x8 (starting to really burn now)
Front cable raise: 3x12x8..... old shoulder injury not letting me do more
Dips: 3x10x bodyweight
Haging leg raises: 4x12
Ball curls: 4x14

Why is there so little for the front delts... RSI about 18 months ago wrecked my shoulder... and at the time could hardly lift arm above waist height... some sort of impingement syndrome... getting back slowly but surely... so it's the pushing stuff I need to rely on at the moment... presses etc... But I've always had problems getting any size on the rear and lateral delts ... and I have found over time that I need high volume (med to high rep) and using weights that are about as much as I can lift... seem to be able to recover from a set very quickly... good or bad I don't know, but it's the way I am...

However, any ideas on shoulder exercises would eb great....
Thanks

smdiskin · 06-07-2007, 02:33 AM

I'm really not much good at this journalling lark...
I enjoy reading how others are getting, and it's really motivating... thanks girls...
Even though I've not been here much, my training is going quite nicely... starting to see some good gains... did my back today... I quite like back training.....

So what did I do.... came in and did a 15 min warm-up on the elliptical... then..

Bent over BB row 1x15x90, 3x10-12x110 1x10x90
Bent over DB row 1x13x35, 3x10-12x45
Cable row 3x12x120
Lat pulldown wide grip 1x15x90, 3x10-12x100
Lat pulldown wide-ish grip palms facing each other 3x10x100
Lat pulldown shoulder width grip palms facing each other 3x10-12x100
Lat pulldown narrow grip palms facing towards me 3x12x80
T-bar row 3x10x90

Well I felt that lot.... but need to start upping the weights again soon.... 12 reps are starting to get a bit too comfortable... ah well...
I think I will soon start on cutting back on the food a little... wouldn't mind seeing a little more definition in the lower body especially in the coming months...
Promise to self.... cut back calories to about 2000 per day.... (about 2500 at present).....

smdiskin · 06-08-2007, 02:26 AM

Yay.... a second day in a row here....
Well today was a little more gentle... a bit of CV 40 mins intervals... and arms... nothing too dramatic....
Tomorrow is heavy leg day so that should hurt.... I do like training legs and i wish I could get a bit more weight on them.... it's all a bit slow... ah well ... slow but steady ....
Any one got any ideas for legs... I am starting to get more mass on teh outside of the quads, but there seems to be much less on the inside and it needs balancing up...
Thanks for your help and ideas....
I'm going to stop rambling now....

kitebean · 06-08-2007, 08:13 PM

YAY for 2 days in a row!

Don't be afraid to lower the reps and up the weight, you will be amazed at what you are capable of, I promise

My legs seem to be quite balanced, mix of leg press (change the position of your feet- sometimes wide, sometimes normal, sometimed narrow), hack squat, squats, box squats, RDL's, SLDL's, regular Deadlifts, leg curls, leg extensions etc. Looks like you are doing most of these already?

smdiskin · 06-13-2007, 02:58 AM

Thanks Kitebean..... it's always nice to get comments.... especially helpful ones....

Well as you can see I didn't make it to the journal since friday.... not good...
Had a nice session with legs on satuday though... but I think arm days are not going to happen again for a while... tweaked my poor shoulder... and it was making such good progress... (RSI.... a mouse related injury... over a year though... pain in the proverbial)... saying that I had a good but modified shoulder workout yesterday... I now have a bloke tagging along wanting to work in with me and learn technique etc.... I have aquired 3 "people" to train in teh last week and I'm not even working in the gym... I used to be a gym instructor when I was a student... but it's been a while...

Anyway... today I did a nice back session... when my shoulder is better I'm really going to start lowering weights all around as Kitebean suggested... I really want that 150kg (330 lb) squat and DL...

Today was mainly (just max weights listed)
Barbell rows 10x110lbs
SLDLs 8x225lbs
Pulldowns (wide, medium and narrow) 120lbs
Cable row 10x150lbs

Felt that..... at least tomorrow is a day off... meeting in Pretoria... never been there so I hope it's nice..... I've heard that J'burg is a bit rough... anyone Know anything about Pretoria?

Food for today... well much the same as most days... not very inspiring but I like it.
0630 PWO Slice wholewheat bread and peanut butter (I found this really great PB that has so much less added sugar than most brands and as a result is 29/100g protein, much fewer carbs and same fat)
0830 walking out of the gym to get changed 1/2 serving of Whey powder
0900 breakfast proper... chicken breast, banana, apple
1200 tuna, avocado, salad
1500 grapes... not very hungry in the afternoon
1800 chicken breast curry (my recipe, no ghee etc), small portion of brown rice, veg.
Before bed: 1/2 portion of Night Charger... tastes c**p but has lots of good stuff in it... only have 1/2 portion as I assume full portion is for a bloke of about 90kg and I'm not....

All that lot is between 2200 and 2300 calories... weight not changing at all but... that's not the plan.. need more lean mass... and I think I can see the muscles better.. Yay....

twinnett · 06-13-2007, 05:13 AM

Nice lifting! Wow...225# SLDL...impressive!

valby · 06-13-2007, 06:06 AM

Ah huh! I found your journal, thx for posting in mine. I am off to bed but will back later to do some reading

smdiskin · 06-19-2007, 12:54 AM

Back again...
Having a day off lifting today... may do some CV later, depends on how I feel...
Had a good weekend in the gym, did my chest and shoulder workouts around my tweaked shoulder on saturday and sunday... not breaking any world records, makes you really think about form...
Yesterday I had a nice leg workout and actually squatted 240lbs... a post-op PB... still some way to go but I'm aiming at 250 in the next 6 weeks... target is my pre-op 330lbs... slow but sure....
Also tried those Bulgarian split squats... vicious... even with no weight... very hard on right leg due to really bad balance... stayed near something to hold onto in case I fell over....
Tomorrow I'm planning a hard back session...

kitebean · 06-19-2007, 01:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smdiskin

Yesterday I had a nice leg workout and actually squatted 240lbs... a post-op PB... still some way to go but I'm aiming at 250 in the next 6 weeks... target is my pre-op 330lbs... slow but sure....

WOW that is impressive! 330lbs???? sheeesh 240 is beyond me!!!!

valby · 06-19-2007, 03:37 AM

Hi, I hear ya on the bulgarian split squats I tried with just the bb and was pretty wobbley.

You are REALLY strong..I will be impressed when I can squat over 100 pounds

over 300 that's just awe inspiring