Coming out of "retirement"...Meg is training for a Figure competition...again!!!

[megdaig]

So.......my old coaches have their own NPC show to promote this year, the East Texas Physique Championships. I figured "what a fun reason to come out of retirement. The competition is October 29th, 30 weeks away, and I'm probably going to need every one of those weeks to get ready.

I did great losing all the baby weight plus some. I had gotten down to 143# and then kind of stopped dieting and just went by how I looked in the mirror. But then I stopped breastfeeding a few months ago and put back on 10#s! OMG!!! So right now I'm sitting around 153#.

Since this was all decided yesterday I have yet to put pencil to paper to come up with my plan. All I know is, the struggle will be real....and that there will be no planned cardio. I've got two turnarounds between now and then, can only workout on weekdays, and the kid is keeping me busy.

GAME ON!!!

[Cardioconvert]

Innnnnnn!!!!

[VO2Maxima]

In on this!!

[megdaig]

Starting Measurements:
Chest: 35"
Waist: 30.5"
Navel: 33"
Butt: 38.5" where did that thing come from!?
R Arm: 12"
L Arm: 12"
R Thigh, up/mid/low: 22.5" / 21" / 16.5"
L Thigh up/mid/low: 23.5" / 21" / 17"
R Calf: 14"
L Calf: 14"
Weight: 154.4#


Lifting...going to stick with the 4 day upper/lower split I've been doing, which hasn't been consistent enough lately to reap the benefits.

Diet...start at 1850 cals 125P / 70F / 100C min and fill in wherever....maybe with some vino


4/4/16 Lower 1

Lifting tempo nomenclature, indicates seconds for eccentric/ pause at full contraction / concentric.

A Deadlift 2/0/1: 10@135#, 3x10@ 185#
B Leg Press 3/0/1: 4x12@140#
C Seated Leg Curl, toes pointed 4/1/1: 8@90#, 2x8@80#
D1 Leg Extension 3/0/1: 4x12@90#
D2 BW Jump Squat: 4x20
E1 Seated Calf Raise 3/1/1 3s pause at bottom: 4x8@90#
E2 Plank: 4x30s

[adriannec]

YASSSSS!!!! In as well.

[VO2Maxima]

Slow eccentric deadlifts...making my glutes burn just thinking about that.

Mirin quad measurements. Where you taking that one from, mid-thigh?

[megdaig]

Slow eccentric deadlifts...making my glutes burn just thinking about that.

Mirin quad measurements. Where you taking that one from, mid-thigh?

This were drum the upper "meatier" section. Thinking I'll start taking three point thigh measurements.

Mid thigh is 21" and around the vastus medialis is 17" (subtract 1/2" for the right leg).

Weight is up ~1# this morning. Holding fluid in the legs since its been like a month since I've lifted them. Hoping meetings don't run long today because I'm ready for some shoulders. I just recently hit the 40# Dumbbells again on presses so pretty excited for more progress to come.

[megdaig]

4/4/16 Upper 1

Everything using a 3/0/1 tempo

A DB Shoulder Press: 2@35#, 2x12@30#
B Seated Cable Row: 4x8@90#
C Inc DB Bench: 10@30#, 10@35#, 10@30#
D Straight Arm Pulldown: 3x12@70#
E1 DB Side Lateral: 3x10@20#
E2 Face Pull: 3x10@70#

Then finished it off with 2x20@30# DB pumpers

[megdaig]

So about that "not being terribly consistent" comment...I swear I threw my back out...first time ever. I used to have a chronic tight lower back when lifting heavy but nothing compared to this. So took it easy and did what was comfortable.

4/7/16 Lower 2

A Squat: 10@95#, 3x10@115#
B Prone Leg Curl, toes pointed 4/2/1: 2x8@30# single leg, 2x8@70# both legs
C Curtsy Lunges: 3x10@25# DBs
D Hack Squat 3/0/3: 3x8@50# feet out front to target the glutes
E Seated Calf Raise 3/1/3: 2x20@45# slow and steady, feel the burn

[VO2Maxima]

Sorry to hear about the back. What did you do to it? Wish I knew someone in Houston to potentially refer you to, but I don't believe that I do.

[megdaig]

Playing catch-up on logging here. Here's what I can remember from just two days ago. My memory sucks...

4/12/16 Upper 2

A1 Lat Pulldown: 4x8@120#
A2 Flat DB Bench Press: 4x6@40#
B1 BB Row: 3x10@80#
B2 Low Pulley Front Raise w/ Rope: 10@50#, 2x10@45#
C1 Cable Upright Row, straight bar: 3x12@65#
C2 Rear Delt on Pec Deck: 3x12@60#


4/13/16 Lower 1

A KB Deadlift: 4x10@80#
B Leg Press: 4x12@180#
C Seated Leg Curl, toes pointed: 3x8@90#
D1 Leg Extension: 4x12@110#
D2 BW Jump Squat: 4x20
E1 Seated Calf Raise, 3s pause at bottom: 4x8@180#
E2 Plank: 4x30s


4/14/16 Upper 1

A DB Shoulder Press: 2x12@35#, 2x12@30#
B Seated Cable Row: 4x8@100#
C Inc DB Bench: 2x10@35#
D Straight Arm Pulldown: 3x12@80#
E1 DB Side Lateral: 3x10@20#
E2 Face Pull: 3x10@80#

[VO2Maxima]

Here's what I can remember from just two days ago. My memory sucks...

I take it you don't write down what you do? If I didn't, I would not remember anything to put in my log, nor would I remember what I did from week to week...so it's definitely not just your memory.

Strong work! I'm assuming A1 A2 etc means supersets? Pre-exhaust lats then bench sounds brutal. I don't think I use my lats on dumbbell bench as much as I do on regular bench, but still, that sounds like a tough superset.

[megdaig]

Sorry to hear about the back. What did you do to it? Wish I knew someone in Houston to potentially refer you to, but I don't believe that I do.

Seems it ended up being the same old same old once the two days of sharp pain subsided.

A while back I was seeing a chiro for my rotator cuff issues. He believed it all stems from a very tight posterior chain.

I've been picking back up with foam rolling. Oh it hurts so good.

[megdaig]

I take it you don't write down what you do? If I didn't, I would not remember anything to put in my log, nor would I remember what I did from week to week...so it's definitely not just your memory.

Strong work! I'm assuming A1 A2 etc means supersets? Pre-exhaust lats then bench sounds brutal. I don't think I use my lats on dumbbell bench as much as I do on regular bench, but still, that sounds like a tough superset.

I write down my workout on a post-it and just get after it and I usually write down the weights as soon as I get back to my office but lately I've been so busy with work that I've pushed my workouts to the afternoon and by then I'm racing to beat the traffic out of town so I don't take the time to put it on paper. Meh.


And you're exactly right...A1, A2 is a superset. I didn't really feel like I got a good lat workout, that is until I stretched my shoulders today. But I will say that on Upper day 1 I am definitely feeling the lats swell.

[megdaig]

Already behind for the week since work closed the office yesterday with all the flooding. BUT...my house didn't flood this time! Managed to get only 6" of rain in my neighborhood so we were spared.

But before all that fiasco, got a ton of yard work done this weekend, probably a good 10 hours worth of work. Finally ripping out all of the front landscaping to go minimalist modern. I spent a good 2 hours hacking and ripping out some holly bushes and digging up and hauling tons of river rock. So that counts as cardio, right?

4/19/16 Lower 2

A Squat: 2x8@115#, 5@135#, 5@155#, 5@165#, 5@115# shoes off...ankles still rolling inward
B Prone Leg Curl, toes pointed: 2x8@40# single leg, 8@90# both legs
C Hack Squat, toes at edge of plate: 3x8@70#
D Leg Curl on ball: 2x8 on 55cm ball...slow slow slow



So one of these days I'm gonna have to think about starting to diet a bit...but for now....gainz!! Just kidding, I'm still weak and not in a position to eat above maintenance.

[megdaig]

4/21/16 Upper 2

A Wide Grip Lat Pull-down:
2x10@80# (w/u)
2x8@120#
2 sets of 8@110# + 5@60# w/ 5s concentric/eccentric constant tension

B1 Upright BB Row:
3x10@50#
10@60#

B2 Face Pull:
4x10@85#

C1 T-bar Row:
10@35#
3x10@45#

C2 Single Arm Shoulder Press:
5s concentric/eccentric constant tension. Used the plate loaded chest press for this.
2x8@10#
2x6@10#

D Rear Delt on Pec Deck:
3x12@60#

[anandagirl]

In! Glad to hear the back is feeling a slight bit better

[VO2Maxima]

I would totally count yard work as cardio. I've counted snow shoveling as cardio and that definitely does not last for 10 hours (thank God).

Have your ankles always rolled inward? That may be a ROM thing rather than a strength thing...if you can't dorsiflex your foot enough to hit depth, you can actually get more ankle ROM with some pronation (ankles rolling in). Ankle dorsiflexion could be limited by calf flexibility, or it could also be limited by the bony shape of your ankle (which obviously cannot be changed). Heeled shoes can help, won't need quite as much dorsiflexion. Will also need less dorsiflexion with high bar than low bar, and less with front squats than either of those. But really, unless you're getting ankle or foot pain, I wouldn't worry too much about pronation, it's a pretty natural movement.

[megdaig]

Got thrown a curveball at work on Monday so it felt really good to squeeze this workout in this morning while I was in "hurry-up-and-wait" mode.

Left the gym quivering but now it feels like I could do the workout all over again.

Ask me how I feel in 2 more days...


4/26/16 Lower 1

A KB Deadlift: 4x10@80#, against wall to focus on hip hinge
B Leg Press: 4x12@180#
C Seated Leg Curl, toes pointed: 3x8@90#
D1 Leg Extension: 4x12@100#, thought these felt easy, apparently 10# less than last time. Guess I ought to use a note pad.
D2 BW Jump Squat: 4x20

[megdaig]

Soooo....spent all day out in the field troubleshooting one of my units and I can't tell you how many stairs I climbed. My hammies cramped up just thinking about the hundreds of feet of stairs I was going to have to ascend. I suppose "Monday" leg day was a success after all

4/27/16 Upper 1

A DB Shoulder Press:
10@35#
8@35#
6@35#
rack run...4 reps each @ 35/30/25/20#

B1 Seated Cable Row: 4x8@100#

B2 Inc DB Bench:
8@35#
2x8@30#

C Straight Arm Pulldown:
2x12@85#
2x12@80#

D1 DB Side Lateral: 3x8@20#
D2 Face Pull: 3x10@80#

Threw in some FST-7 to get a better pump...
E Machine Side Lateral Raise:. 7x12@30#, 30s rest b/w sets

[megdaig]

Tapped my coach today...gonna meet up this Saturday to talk game plan. I kind of need someone to be accountable to [i just lie to myself ] and as more motivation to actually go through with this. I don't know why, but I seem to be in a wishy-washy state. I do want to compete again but I think the combination of cost and wanting to have more size has got me second guessing a bit... I do want to spend more time building but I'm about 7# away from my max off-season weight so not much more room to gain in time to begin cutting. Maybe I'll just be one of 'those' girls and maintain/recomp through the summer and bulk over winter


5/2/16 Lower Day 2

A Front Squat: 3x5@115#, 2x5@135#
B Prone Leg Curl, toes pointed: 3x10@40# single leg, 10@90# both legs
C Single Leg, Leg Press: 3x10@sled only, 10@25#
D BSS: 2x8@40#...still can't seem to get my foot positioning right on these...
E Leg Curl on ball: 2x8 on 55cm ball

[megdaig]

5/3/16 Upper 2

A Wide Grip Lat Pull-down:
12@80# + 12@90#(w/u)
3x5@120# + 5@80# w/ 5s concentric/eccentric constant tension
2x5@110# + 5@80# w/ 5s concentric/eccentric constant tension

B DB Row:
3x10@45#

C1 Incline DB Bench Press:
3x8@30#

C2 Cable Rope Front Delt Raise:
8@50#
8@45#
8@40#

D1 BB Upright Row:
3x10@60#

D2 Rear Delt on Pec Deck:
3x10@60#

[sy2502]

How did I miss this thread???


IN!!!

[megdaig]

Sunday 5/8/16 Check-in

Weight was 153.6#





I did workout last Thursday and Friday but didn't log those workouts.

Met with coach on Saturday and we are going to work on my programming and I'll be training with him 2x a week I miss our intense workouts but kind of scared because I'm not as strong as he remembers me being...but I'm certain I'll get back there quickly...

Oh....and that means I'm now up to 2 gym memberships [but never again 4 like that one time] so now I can workout on weekends if the weekdays gets too hectic like it has been.

Started dieting. He wants to try high fat, high protein, gonna pick his brain more on why this method, ran out of time on Saturday. It's almost like RFL but a lot more calories.... Just wish carbs were a bit higher so I can eat more cheese I'm taking Liberty with making substitutions because I still haven't found a way to fit that many fats in and still try to hit carbs without having to lather everything in oil or choke down coconut oil. Right now I'm dressing my salads and going to hide a bunch of fats in some mashed cauliflower.

Targets are 1740cals 110F / 140P / 48C (in grams)



Yesterday I just dicked around in the gym for a quick 30 minutes due to time constraints.

5/9/16 Lower Day

A1 Leg Press: 12@90# w/u, 4x12@180#
A2 Prone Leg Curl, toes pointed: 4x8@90#
B1 Leg Curl on 35cm Ball: 3x8
B2 Leg Extension: 2x8@150#
C Leg Extension: 2x20@90# burnout sets


Tonight is either back or shoulders with coach. I'm pumped! Or will get a pump at least.

[sy2502]

Just wish carbs were a bit higher so I can eat more cheese

Only processed cheese has carbs. Real cheese has no or minimal carbs.

[megdaig]

Only processed cheese has carbs. Real cheese has no or minimal carbs.

Excellent point. I do have a lot of Brie left in the fridge I'm sure it won't hurt to be over on protein macros....

[megdaig]

A bit of different training strategy with coach. I'm not allowed to count reps but to focus solely on the targeted muscle....so a lot of this is approximation.

5/10/16 Shoulders

A1 Smith Machine Press:
W/U 15@45#
15@ 65#
15@105#
Drop set 10@105#/65#/45#/25#/85#
Drop set 10@85#/65#/45#/55#/75#

A2 DB Side Lateral Raise:
W/U 15@10#
4x15@10#

A3 Battle Rope, alternating:
200
3x100

A4 Sledgehammer Swings:
3x10 each side



B1 Rear Delt on Pec Deck:
15@55#
15@70#
2x15@80#

B2 DB Side Lateral Raise:
4x10@20# drop to 15@10#

B3 DB Side Lateral Raise Above Head...like a windmill, focus on pushing outward the whole ROM:
2x10@10#
5@10# drop to 5@5#
10@5#


Had lunch with a vendor yesterday so only packed one meal in case I got hungry...came back from lunch and had a huge upset in one of my units so management told me I was to stay and work until I fatigued out which is 16 hours....so calories were super low. Got home around 1 AM and couldn't sleep for sh!t so up at 7 AM and somehow had to work a full 8 hours today. Compound that with the fact that the kid woke up at 2:30 AM the other morning...I'm exhausted and tonight's workout is gonna be brutal...

[megdaig]

Wow! I just finished working out 30 minutes ago and already forgot what we did...I'm so delirious...


5/12/16 Back

A1 Wide Underhand Grip Cable Row:
15@60#
14@90#
12@100#
10@110#

A2 Wide Grip Lat Pulldown:
15@90#
15@110#
2 sets of 10@125# drop to 20@90#


B1 Wide Grip Lat Pulldown:
4 reps w/ 1s pause at full contraction, 10 normal reps, 4 more 1s pause reps
3 sets@80#
1 set@90#

B2 Rear Delt on Peck Deck:
20@55#
3x20@40#


C One Arm DB Row:
Drop set, 10 reps, alternating sides before dropping down to next weight
10@65# / 55# / 45# / 35# / 20#


D1 Band Straight Arm Pull-over:
4 sets of 20

D2 Assisted Pull-up:
3x10@#14
10@#12

[megdaig]

Took progress pictures on Sunday...can see some VERY subtle changes, but nothing earth shattering. I'll maybe post up this weekend's check-in since I expect some more visible changes, and it would be a good time to take measurements. Weight is hovering around 150# so I think I'm doing pretty well with the flexible dieting...hell, I even at a piece of pizza on Tuesday And I still haven't brought myself to give up my wine, but at least I'm motivated to keep it down to a few glasses every other night instead of a bottle a night....JK...I wasn't drinking a bottle per night every night....just seemed like it :O


5/17/16 Shoulders

A1 Seated BB Military Press:
w/u 10@45#
15@65#
2x8@85#

A2 DB Side Lateral Raise:
4x10@10#

A3 “Zombie Walk”:
Push-up position, feet on floor sliders….drag yourself across the gym using the shoulders….
3 times down and back….
Make me wanna puke


B1 Incline Smith Machine Press:
15@65#
12@85#
Drop set 10@105#/85#/65#

B2 Rear Delt on Pec Deck:
15@55#
10@70#/55#/70#

B3 Plank:
45 second standard / 30s both sides


C DB Side Lateral Raise:
10@5#/10#/15#/20#/20#/15#/10#/5#


D1 Shoulder Press on Back Side of Iso Lat Pull-down:
Single (right) / Single (left) / Double (together)
2x12@10#

D2 Plank:
45 second standard / 30s both sides





5/19/16 Back

A1 Wide Grip Lat Pulldown:
20@60#
15@90#
15@110#
15@120#
8@155# drop to 4@90#
8@140# drop to 4@110#

A2 Rear Delt on Pec Deck:
First set with yellow band 20 reps
20@55#
15@55#
15@55#
15@55#
15@55#


B1 Overhand Wide Grip Cable Row:
15@90#
15@110#
15@120#
10@100# drop to 10@60# feet on floor, leaning slightly forward

B2 KB Side Lunges:
10 to each side @BW
10@35#
10@35#
10@35#


C1 T-bar Row:
10@40#
10@40#
8@40# drop to 6@30#

C2 Assisted Pull-up:
10@#13
10@#11
8@#11

C3 KB Side Lunges:
10@35#
10@35#
10@35#

[sy2502]

Really solid workouts Meg!