Rowyn's Recompin' Journey

[Rowyn]

Alright, I am finally diving in and starting a journal! Feels kinda weird to have interwebz eyes on you, but it seems others get a lot of motivation from it so I will give it a whirl. I will probably put this in both the Ov35 and Female Forum sections since that’s where I spend the most time. So hello to my fellow Ov35 peeps and keep on keepin' on to the ladies who may be reading!

I started lifting as a freshman in college, you know, “doing the machines”. I liked the results, but the gym was tiny with little equipment and I wanted to do more. Problem was that the free weight area was the college guys’ domain (especially 20 years ago lol), and I had no idea what I was doing. A girlfriend of mine who was also interested in weight training got a big bodybuilding poster with illustrated exercises….we poured over it and then hit the gym together and managed to start figuring things out on our own. Eventually I joined a better gym and started lifting more seriously. I progressed, but became comfortable with a certain level of muscle and fitness and didn’t really go much further than that. It was not yet a hobby, just one of the things I did to stay fit.

Life is a roller coaster of ups and downs, and with kids and obligations my fitness level would wax and wane over the years, but I always included weight training as part of my program. After this last child, as I was getting my sh*t together and hitting the gym again, I looked around to try to find a new hobby that wouldn’t take too much time away from the family but would allow me to have fun with something athletic. One day as I drudged from the free weight area over to the cardio machines, I thought about how much I enjoyed lifting. It was like a light bulb came on I decided right then as I jogged on the treadmill to make bodybuilding my hobby: I would find a program, get back to the basic big lifts and retrain form, and go at it. I wanted to recomp my body using bodybuilding as my tool.

16 weeks later I had managed to drop three dress sizes yet only lost three pounds doing so! I like the “competitive” nature of the sport, though you are only competing with yourself, every week is a new challenge. I don’t intend to enter any shows, I am not frantically trying to fit into a bikini for spring break, I don’t want to “tone up”….I want to be muscular, curvy, strong and fit and have fun all at the same time.

Currently I am endeavoring to continue the recomposition, I would love to be a little more lean and def more muscular I choose to recomp cuz I hate deficits lol and it sux to go into the gym feeling weakly. One of these days when I stop seeing results I will prolly need to cut and see where I am at. I am running a Layne Norton style program with two heavy days and three volume days. Only been at it for a few weeks but I am enjoying it so far. As a side, I am also learning some of the power lifts for kicks, and that has added entertainment to my gym time as I struggle to clean and jerk lol. My first day of high pulls included a bloody lip from whacking my chin so there will be no vids of these movements for some time

Short term goals: I have a bad right rotator cuff (from lifting like a typical idiot when I was young) and my traps have become bunchy and over-developed to compensate for it. I am working on some physical therapy movements and you will never see a whole lotta shoulder in my journal, lol. 1)So working on middle back, rear delt area to help pull my forward posture back while trying to avoid form issues when utilizing front and side delts to keep my traps from helping too much. 2). Leg focus (particularly hamstrings) needs to start happening a bit more, heehee. I luvs to deadlift but I hates squats!! Actually, just started deadlifting in June so its like a new toy, spending a lot of time doing it

So ‘nuff talking, here was my day today:
Lower Heavy Day

Deadlifts:
135/10, 185/5, 205/5, 205/5, 205/3 ugh*, 205/3 still ugh*, 185/5 playin’ safe, 135/10 to stretch it out.
*Back feels a little tweaky today, I maxed my deadlift less than a week ago, perhaps that’s why.

Supersetted with seated calf raises:
110/12, 110/12, 110/10, 110/8 toes out, 110/8 toes out

BB Squat:
Bar only pause squat X 20, 95 pause squat X 10
145/5, 145/5, 145/5, 145/5, 145/5
Finished these fairly strong but since my back is sore I held off the weight

Supersetted with one legged standing calf raises
BW + 45/9 each side, BW +45/9, BW + 45/8, BW + 45/8

SLDL (on platform):
115/10, 135/5, 135/5, 135/5, 135/5, 135/5

[BankWalker]

1st

[BankWalker]

It's a good thing to start Rowyn. I just started one last week. It's already doubled the volume of my sets... just on the accountability factor alone.

[whatevergirl]

Hi Rowyn

Your workout looks incredible. Your deadlifts...wow! Like your goals...and story here. It always interests me to see why people choose weight lifting...what leads them to the sport. I think you look great...good luck and I'll be lurking.

[kimsquit]

in for progress pics!

[discdoggie]

Hi Rowyn. It's about freakin' time!!!!


Oh yeah. Subbed, too.

[Pretty Hardcore]

Great start to your journal, Rowyn. Looking forward to see how your recomp goes.

Fantastic leg workout today, heavy squats and deads on the same day, that's tough.

I'm subbed.

[peacesells]

The Journal will definitely help with motivation and accountability. I know I've received a couple PM's when I've "gone missing" for a week.

Solid workout you posted. You are strong. Looking forward to seeing you progress.

[-=FLEX=-]

Good job today, and congrats on starting the journal.



-=FLEX=-

[Brackneyc]

Hi Rowyn. It's about freakin' time!!!!


Oh yeah. Subbed, too.

This^^

Welcome

[michvolley]

Niiiiiiice deadlifts! Woot!

[Meatpants]

In. Kick arse, acquire names.

[Rowyn]

Phew, that wasn't too bad, everyone was nice, lol!

It's a good thing to start Rowyn. I just started one last week. It's already doubled the volume of my sets... just on the accountability factor alone.

I am thinking the same thing, that it will help keep my azz in gear! Thanks for stopping, I will go check out what you are up to as well!

Hi Rowyn

Your workout looks incredible. Your deadlifts...wow! Like your goals...and story here. It always interests me to see why people choose weight lifting...what leads them to the sport. I think you look great...good luck and I'll be lurking.

Hey WEG! I have lurked in yours too, not sure how you do both the distance running and the lifting but its a pretty cool combo! Me, I can run a few miles for fun, but I am not a "runner" per se. Just getting in the cardio. Though I can see how the rush of it can be addictive!

in for progress pics!

Only if you occasionally provide the male version of the gifs that rock your journal, lol (yes, I do lurk)
Though your avis could suffice quite nicely I was thinking I need a date for progress pics since I just started a new program, and that would mean sh*t just got REAL!

Hi Rowyn. It's about freakin' time!!!!


Oh yeah. Subbed, too.

What can I say, I'm a little shy with this sorta stuff. Opinions, now, that's another story, snort!

Fantastic leg workout today, heavy squats and deads on the same day, that's tough.

Thanks for stopping in, I have lurked in yours too! I dunno how this squat/dead thing is gonna play out, I am heading up for a srsly hot bath and bed shortly. Really I probably need to back off the deads a little and save more for the squats, but I got caught up in all this Ov35 DLing fascination lol. I mean really, what program do most of you run in which you try maxing so frequently? Actually, probably need to switch to front squats to balance the posterior chain work but I hate those suckers. Feels like I can't breathe properly.

The Journal will definitely help with motivation and accountability. I know I've received a couple PM's when I've "gone missing" for a week.

Solid workout you posted. You are strong. Looking forward to seeing you progress.

That's what I am hoping for! Thanks for the encouragement

Good job today, and congrats on starting the journal.



-=FLEX=-

I know, I know. If it ain't journaled, it didn't happen lol. But I got a much loved and dog eared Oxygen training journal in my bag!

This^^

Welcome

Niiiiiiice deadlifts! Woot!

In. Kick arse, acquire names.

Thanks ya'll, for the warm welcome to the journals! I figured since I lurk here so frequently and the (ov35) Misc is often full o' silly and really I AM actually here to connect with other lifters, time to focus on the journaling section.

[kimm4]

Impressive work, subbed!!

[hochspeyer]

I don’t want to “tone up”….I want to be muscular, curvy, strong and fit and have fun all at the same time.

Good job- great attitude!

[righter]

Welcome to the journals!

Impressive as hell DL's. Whoa. You're strong!

Me subbed 2.

[Rowyn]

Impressive work, subbed!!

Yay, hey Kim! I sometimes lurk your journal but then I start feeling weakly, heh. That is until the GUYS start saying the same thing lol.

Good job- great attitude!

Hey Hoch, thanks for reading!! Its all fun for me, a way to compete with myself and possibly battle aging all at once, lol.

Welcome to the journals!

Impressive as hell DL's. Whoa. You're strong!

Me subbed 2.

Hey Righter! The DLs go up pretty fast once you get the movement down and acclimate your back to the new type of work. You will see yourself when you start DLing!

Okay, day 2 of journals. These Ov35 journals are a busy place, only one comment in my journal in the Fem section! Woke up feeling pretty good despite the heavy day yesterday, but hongry phew! The dog next door woke me up early and I lay there trying to go back to sleep and then thought about the apple pie oatmeal I had made the nite before...and I was up. I eat this oatmeal every single day, have been eating it for months and months, love the stuff. Steel cut oats, cinammon, vanilla, diced Granny Smith apples, scoop protein powder and 1 tbp PB.....

So today was Upper Heavy Day. I had dumped OH presses for a bit b/c my shoulder was acting up, I tried (and failed) to re-incorporate them today. My volume shoulder day I do diff types of presses that don't seem to aggravate quite as much (Arnolds for example), so perhaps I should move one of those to this day. Thoughts?

And for my pal DD, I moved pullups right up front to try to conquer the danged things! Phew, 135 lbs never felt quite so much like dead weight as when I was hanging on that bar looking up at the ceiling and hoping to move somehow

10 mins rotator cuff warmups

Upper Heavy
(program calls for 3-4 compound push/pull, 1 accessory, 3-5 working sets, 5 rep range)

Pullups
BW X 3 (sad I know, but I JUST realized I could even do one!), BW (w/25 assist) X 5
BW X 2, BW (w/25 assist) X 5
Done, lol. (2) BW (with 25/assist) X 5

DB Bench
35/12, 45/5, 50/5 (testing shoulder, felt good), 55/5, 55/5, 55/5, 55/5, 55/5

Supersetted with Pendlay rows
(I had been doing BB bent over rows, but wanted to focus more precisely mid back. I get a little too upwards with the bent over rows. Its an awkward position and I am still getting comfortable with it. Its weird/fun to deload the weight each rep. Funky thing. I could NOT do 95 without causing body movement but I could add sets easily at 85)

65/10, 95/3 fail form, 85/5, 85/5, 85/5, 85/5, 85/5, 85/5

Overhead Press
oly/15
65/5, 70/5, 70/4, 70/4, 70/3, 65/4 Shoulder def started to hurt Haven't gone up in weight with these in a looong time.

Push Jerk (for fun and practice since the bar was loaded, bout 4 sets of 5 reps at 65)

Supersetted with flat DB fly
25/12, 30/5, 35/5, 35/5, 35/5, 35/5

And that's all folks! I ain't no cardio bunny, so you won't be seeing too much of that sorta stuff in here, hee hee.

Tomorrow I am off, should be off Thurs as well but I am going to go do some PLing with a trainer friend. It will be lite stuff for the fun of learning the movements. Then I have the three day volume split. Now to go read your journals as well!

Suggestions for alternate shoulder work would be good if any have advice?

[discdoggie]

Pullups
BW X 3 (sad I know, but I JUST realized I could even do one!), BW (w/25 assist) X 5
BW X 2, BW (w/25 assist) X 5
Done, lol. (2) BW (with 25/assist) X 5

That's not sad, it's happy!!!! We all---every single one of us---started off with that first one.

[righter]

I eat this oatmeal every single day, have been eating it for months and months, love the stuff. Steel cut oats, cinammon, vanilla, diced Granny Smith apples, scoop protein powder and 1 tbp PB.....

Yummmmmm! That would wake me up too. Or keep me up until I ate it.

My volume shoulder day I do diff types of presses that don't seem to aggravate quite as much (Arnolds for example), so perhaps I should move one of those to this day. Thoughts?

I'd move the arnolds and go heavier if you think the shoulder can handle it.

Pullups
BW X 3 (sad I know, but I JUST realized I could even do one!), BW (w/25 assist) X 5
BW X 2, BW (w/25 assist) X 5
Done, lol. (2) BW (with 25/assist) X 5

Way to go! I really struggle with these. DD is the one who inspired me to start trying them unassisted. I have yet to get one fully unassisted. I take the pin out, but stand on the bar, which uses some gravitational assistance. Dead weight pulls are in my future though! Congrats on getting 3!

Nice job, too, on the DB Bench, Overhead Press, and DB flys. Have you tried face-pulls? Rear delt pulls?

[Rowyn]

That's not sad, it's happy!!!! We all---every single one of us---started off with that first one.

Truth. I was amazed as hell when I jumped up and grabbed the bar and did the FIRST one, and the only reason I tried was because of you

I'd move the arnolds and go heavier if you think the shoulder can handle it.



Nice job, too, on the DB Bench, Overhead Press, and DB flys. Have you tried face-pulls? Rear delt pulls?

I think thats a good idea, I may move the Arnolds presses though I so hate to not have an overhead press. But if it hurts, it hurts, lol.

I do more shoulder work on the volume days coming up, so you will see rear delt work then. The program has 2 heavy days of just a handful of compound lifts where you are trying for 5X5s, then 3 days that look like a regular bodypart split (Back/Bis/shoulders, Legs/Calves, Chest/Triceps) of 3 X 8-10. The volume days have some compound stuff (that are DIFFERENT than the heavy days), then also a little isolation work. So for example on leg volume day I do hack squats, leg presses, walking lunges, and leg extensions/hamstring curls as well as calves again. Back/bis would be T bar rows, preacher curls, 3 pt rows, Lat pulldown, hammer curl, reverse grip lat pulldown and incline curls. I like having the week broken up like that, its more interesting at the moment. Previously I was doing a volume program and I sometimes just felt a little queasy at the power rack looking at 10 X 10s of squats to do, so this seems "easy".

[kimsquit]

So today was Upper Heavy Day. I had dumped OH presses for a bit b/c my shoulder was acting up, I tried (and failed) to re-incorporate them today. My volume shoulder day I do diff types of presses that don't seem to aggravate quite as much (Arnolds for example), so perhaps I should move one of those to this day. Thoughts?

if nothing else, why not do some lighter Arnolds as a shoulder warmup before doing the heavier OH presses?

Arnolds are my 1st shoulder exercise on Chest/Shoulder Day and the lighter warmup sets almost always work the "grinding" out of the joint before I go heavier








oh and brb restarting firefox to view your progress pics

[Pretty Hardcore]

Pullups
BW X 3 (sad I know, but I JUST realized I could even do one!), BW (w/25 assist) X 5
BW X 2, BW (w/25 assist) X 5
Done, lol. (2) BW (with 25/assist) X 5

Great job, LOL, that exactly what I did, I didn't even think I would be able to do it when I tried.

DB Bench
35/12, 45/5, 50/5 (testing shoulder, felt good), 55/5, 55/5, 55/5, 55/5, 55/5

Supersetted with Pendlay rows
(I had been doing BB bent over rows, but wanted to focus more precisely mid back. I get a little too upwards with the bent over rows. Its an awkward position and I am still getting comfortable with it. Its weird/fun to deload the weight each rep. Funky thing. I could NOT do 95 without causing body movement but I could add sets easily at 85)

65/10, 95/3 fail form, 85/5, 85/5, 85/5, 85/5, 85/5, 85/5

Overhead Press
oly/15
65/5, 70/5, 70/4, 70/4, 70/3, 65/4 Shoulder def started to hurt Haven't gone up in weight with these in a looong time.

Overhead Jerk (for fun and practice since the bar was loaded, bout 4 sets of 5 reps at 65)

Supersetted with flat DB fly
25/12, 30/5, 35/5, 35/5, 35/5, 35/5

Nice, really heavy weights. 55lb db bench is fantastic. Great job.

[miss-fit]

Great to see you started a journal...will definitely be lurking here Great work so far & looking forward to seeing your progress

[righter]

Previously I was doing a volume program and I sometimes just felt a little queasy at the power rack looking at 10 X 10s of squats to do, so this seems "easy".

Nods. I'm thinking about starting a 10 x 10 this spring, but like you, those numbers make me a bit dizzy. It's daunting, to say the least. Once every blue moon I'll throw in a "100 rep" day for legs to shock them--100 reps of everything, and I'm so wiped out afterward. I can hardly imagine that for every session, but I may get crazy enough to try it!

[Whatanejit]

Subb'd!!

[Rowyn]

if nothing else, why not do some lighter Arnolds as a shoulder warmup before doing the heavier OH presses?

Arnolds are my 1st shoulder exercise on Chest/Shoulder Day and the lighter warmup sets almost always work the "grinding" out of the joint before I go heavier

oh and brb restarting firefox to view your progress pics

Will try that, but this is more than a grind I think. I saw your vid of DB bench, and I was most impressed by the way you put your very first rep up---with elbows so low to your chest. I could never do that, I have to kick the DB's off my knees into the top locked out position and start there. If my elbows went too much below parallel that shoulder would just fail.

I actually think it would be a good idea to do new pics since I am at the start of a new program and rely more on sight than anything else to measure progress (srs, lol).

Great job, LOL, that exactly what I did, I didn't even think I would be able to do it when I tried.
Nice, really heavy weights. 55lb db bench is fantastic. Great job.

TY, I don't BB bench cuz its just too hard on my shoulder and I would need a GOOD spotter, so just stick to DBs mostly. You should see some of the PLer chicks in the Fem Forum section, lordy! But I just remind myself that the aesthetic result is what I am aiming for, the weights I use are relative.

Great to see you started a journal...will definitely be lurking here Great work so far & looking forward to seeing your progress

Hey there lady Thanks for stopping in!

Nods. I'm thinking about starting a 10 x 10 this spring, but like you, those numbers make me a bit dizzy. It's daunting, to say the least. Once every blue moon I'll throw in a "100 rep" day for legs to shock them--100 reps of everything, and I'm so wiped out afterward. I can hardly imagine that for every session, but I may get crazy enough to try it!

Only good thing is that you obviously don't work at the same weights you would at other programs, but it will def make you want to throw up. Literally

Subb'd!!

Yay, its my friend with a gif for every event possible, lol!

Today is still a rest day, good DOMs going on in the upper body. When I walk out of the gym on heavy lower days, I feel trashed. But I have been recovering more and more rapidly from them. Upper heavys don't FEEL exhausting when I do them until later....

[Meatpants]

Enjoy your day off Jean.

[-=FLEX=-]

Enjoy your day off Jean.

Day off already???

Didn't this thing just get started?

And we're slacking in here already?

I am disappoint.





-=FLEX=-

[Rowyn]

Day off already???

Didn't this thing just get started?

And we're slacking in here already?

I am disappoint.





-=FLEX=-

Hmpf, the JOURNAL just got started!

I am not slacking, I am GROWING, lol.

[miss-fit]

I am not slacking, I am GROWING, lol.

I'm gonna use that