Push It

[mini-natty]

Hi everyone!

This week is my de-load week. My w/o was:

1) 4x10R goblet squats
2) 4x10R push-ups
3) 20R KB swings
4) 4x10R inverted rows
5) 30sec plank

Working at an easy 65% 1RM .

Nancy
How are you? Thinking of you.

Hearty
Congrats on both your DS's doing so well this year! They seem like such good boys . I do think that the kids are getting bombarded with more work then when we used to go to school. I see it with my sister, who is just now finishing HS.
Congrats on the 5K too! That's awesome .

Jennifer
I'm glad to hear your back is getting better even though it is still bothersome. I was watching a new Elliott vid today, and he recommends more yoga and stretching (daily) for people over 30yrs old, especially those who have had old injuries or chronic pain. I really hope you feel better soon!

Have a good day everyone

 

[heartymax]

DS15 football team won the game for a perfect season. Our neighbors came to see him play so that was nice. 7-6 victory.

 

[heartymax]

Today was Party Rockin Step 1 which is way more complicated than workout 2. I added on Burnsets Biceps and Triceps for a great workout. I really missed strength training and it has put a smile on my face this week.

 

[Jenniferlove]

Hi all,
So, has anyone seen the Captain Phillips movie? Craig and I saw it this afternoon - WOW. It was great. It would have been great even if it weren't based on a true story.

My dad's moving back to MO from MT so we have his cat staying with us for a while. She wouldn't eat for a few days at first so I had to coax her with some Fancy Feast She's used to dogs and our dogs used to be used to cats... however one of our dogs had decided that Kitty must be prey because she keeps licking her chops and trying to get too close to her. we've had to keep Kitty in the basement; it's a finished basement so I go downstairs and hang out with her so she's not alone. My dad should be fully ready and moved into his new house in another week or so -- Kitty will be happy to see him.

It been a crazy-busy week at work. It's all good, though. AND -- my back is finally better - WOHOO!!

I definitely don't mean to be Debbie Downer, on the other hand you all understand the frustrations of muscles and workouts so I'll just spill it and vent. The shoulder/neck are still bothering me. I'm still working with a massage therapist; she says the arthritis in my shoulders and asymmetrical physique (one side higher than the other [scoliosis]) is causing most of the those problems since now my back has finally loosened up. And I'm older now so things just progress. Guess what - turns out some stretching can actually harm some muscles yet benefit others. Apparently there is a delicate balance. Who know that stretching could actually hurt me worse?!

Here's the GREAT news; workouts this week have been wonderful. Pedal Power, basic Triceps work (4 different exercises, 15 reps of each), Party Rockin Step #2, Flex Train (such a blast), glute activation drills (body-weight and banded exercises) and Total Body Stretching with the ball about 3 times. This morning was Afterburn and it felt great - so good to get back to one of my favorite tough and low impact workouts... however I avoided over-head work and instead did inverted rows and reverse curls as a substitute for all the shoulder work in AB. Oh yeah, my favorite of the week - it's also been nice to get back into my hip thrusts

Tash,
I agree with Elliott that people lose elasticity with age. I'm 43 and I've always stretched. I, of course, am stretching now more than ever with and without the foam roller.

Your workouts are still great, as usual
How's Bella doing with school? How are her lunches going? For a while you were wondering what you were going to be able to pack for her since peanut butter is off limits.

I know it's Canada and all but snow already - geesh! That actually is one reason my dad is finally leaving Montana. He is tired of the cold and the wind; it's already snowed there as well.

Nancy,
I am thinking of you and your family during this difficult time.
I bought Bret's Bodyweight book - love it. It's been interesting reading; I love the layout of the book in general.

Toni,
France?! Wow! Has he ever been there before? Glad he's home and you two are spending quality time together.
Glad to hear things at home are peaceful

Heartymax,
Still enjoying the running, eh?! Glad you're back to enjoying the weight work, too. I can relate to missing that.

Nice job on even attempting PRS#1 - I opened it but am not ready to try it. I want to do PRS#2 a couple more times before going with the hard one

Stacie,
I saw the Boy Scouts passing out bags for people to load up with canned food donations; I thought of Tyler. Does he do that in his troop?

How has your weight lifting been going?

Caitlin,
So, what kind of running shoes do you wear? If you already mentioned it I'm sorry I missed it.

How have your workouts been going?

I best get - I have some reading and writing to do. Have a super Saturday!

 

[TRSTACIE]

Good morning ladies! I have nothing positive to say about my workouts . I have been spending all my free time working. Hopefully tonight I will get something in because I know I need to be more balanced.

Nancy
My deepest sympathies for your loss. I only have one sister and to lose her would be devastating.

Natasha
Bella looked so cute in her costume! I have to say though that she is looking more and more like you every day.

So based on your status updates, are you only working out 3-4 days a week now? I think I read in a previous post that it's what Nia recommends. Also, are you strictly doing weights and no cardio?

I have been thinking about getting a squat cage instead of a squat rack because a pull up bar is included. I sometimes curse living in an apartment because even if I did get one I have no idea where I would put it !

HeartyMax
Congrats to your sons on doing so great! I agree with you that kids these days have so much more homework than we had. Tyler has already had to give impromptu speeches and detailed presentations. Plus, they even have tests and quizzes now and he is only in 3rd grade!

Thanks for the feedback on the step! I hope to get it the next time it's on sale. I'm hoping too that it will help my knee not get sore after doing step.

Great job on the 5K! I actually thought about running the other day and it reminded me of you.

Jennifer
We have food bags too right now for cub scouts. To be honest though, I usually just go to the store and buy stuff to fill the bags with. It's doesn't feel right to ask people to give for the food drive after we just asked them to buy popcorn from us!

Congrats on getting the workouts back in track! It's an area that I need a lot of help in right now. The good thing is it's not from lack of desire but from lack of time. I think the first one is harder to conquer than the second one.

Are you excited that your dad will be living closer to you now? Depending on your relationship, it could be a mixed blessing! I love my dad but sometimes he can be moody and hard to be around.

Toni
Glad to hear that things are going well with DH!

 

[mini-natty]

Hi ladies!

I totally utilized my de-load week to the fullest. I only did 2 official w/o's in addition to my daily walks. I was SO ready to give 110% to my w/o today!

1) 6x4R deadlifts @ 105lbs!!!!! Left a few reps in the tank, but I feel like could have easily DL 115lbs .

2) 6x4R chin-ups superset w/
6x4R barbell overhead press @ 45lbs! I'm DEFINITELY getting stronger from when I started this program.

*beach work*
3x10R barbell curls
3x10R lying tricep extensions
3x10R lateral raises

Stacie
I do 3 full body w/o's and 1 cardio session/week. At first I was a bit skeptical at the simplicity of this type of rotation, but now I KNOW how effective it is. And plus, my life does not revolve around exercise anymore. There are not enough words to describe how much I love Nia's program! Everything she talks about on her blog has been true for me. I honestly don't think I can train any other way now.
Sorry to hear about work . Have you even considered trying Nia's program? She has a time crunch rotation in this program (Beautiful Bad A$$) that is only 2X/week.

Sorry I gotta jet and take Bella to the doctor. BBL for more personals!

 

[atompki1]

Hey everyone!! Just to catch up last week was:

Sun KickMax(punching/kicking combos only) + LLA(core work only)
Mon GS Back, shoulders, biceps
Tue Pedal Power
Wed GS Chest, triceps
Thur Rest
Fri Cardio Leg Blast

Today I'm starting the 90 XTrain rotation. I really like the way it works to strengthen my smaller muscles, so I'd like to do that again. I'm going to be blending some of the new workouts into it. I'm going to sub FlexTrain/X10 for SuperCuts at times. Spin will be replace with Tabatacised where ever it appears. I'll be using GG standing work combined with XT Legs floor work. RK and the MMA workouts will replace HardStrikes at all time(don't like HS). This time with XT I'm also going to do the Rear Delt work, which I didn't do last time. Additionally, I'll do the 100 rep challenges. I'm thinking this will really prepare me for STS again. I want to make sure I do STS all the way through the next time since I didn't last time.

I started the week with Low Impact HiiT + core 1

Tasha
Hope Bella isn't going to the doc for anything serious. Are you moving the the next phase of Nia's program soon? Is the next phase just heavier weight are is there a change in exercises?

Stacie
I hope work settles down soon. All those hours take a toll on you after a while

Jennifer
Venting is certainly allowed!! Glad to hear you are really figuring out how to do some works even with all the problems you have had. Your body will certainly appreciate that in the long run!! I loved FlexTrain also, which is why I'm using that instead of SuperCuts. I've only gotten to do it twice so far and I really want to do it more.

HeartyMax
Great job on the 5K and congrats on your son's win

Nancy
{{HUGS}} I'll be praying for you and your family.

 

[Jenniferlove]

Good Morning, hard to believe the weekend is already over.

Sunday was small-group and church then running some errands; dinner time came before I knew it!

Mr. Whisper is up bright and early this morning; therefore so am I. Since I crashed so early yesterday and Craig went to bed late it was only fair that I let Craig sleep.

Dawn has been running over to check out Kitty; she just stays curled up in her cat bed - not worried or threatened. Dawn will sniff her for a bit and then walk away. By the time we give Kitty back to my dad (this weekend) she will have made herself at home here. Sigh.

Sunday I warmed up with glute activation drills followed by cable hamstring kick backs, Pedal Power Premix #3, and then Total Body Stretching Ball#2. I foam rolled a little bit.

The activation drills were 1 set of 20 each and then the last rep I held the isometric contraction for 20 seconds:
Leg lifts, Pilate's style Clams (which actually is also Bret's style); personally I think it works the glutes more effectively and evenly for me than Cathe's style. Then I did the exercise my chiro recommended which is basically a pizza press while lying flat on my stomach. That decompresses a stuck nerve (which I don't have anymore) but I gotta say, I really feel that one in the glutes, too!

I really miss my upper body workouts and my neck/shoulders are feeling better. Rather than force anything I still will take it easy but I do need to keep the muscles around the joints activated so this morning maybe High Reps or a hodge podge of whatever upper body exercises I feel like. BTW, I did biceps reverse curls and pull ups the other day in place of some of the Afterburn shoulder work - loved that! I mentioned that on the Cathletes FB check-in group (which is also a fun place to check in) but I don't recall if I mentioned it here the other day. Reverse biceps curls - who does them? They are such a nice change!

Stacie,
That's very thoughtful and generous of you to fill the food bags yourself. You're a very giving person!

I hope work settles down so you can get back to the workouts you enjoy. I wonder if baby steps would help; maybe 1 set of 3 exercises for one body part a day; the first exercise would be a warmup set, and then end the sets with some good stretches. This way you're doing something and it would only take 15 minutes.

I am glad that my dad's moving back! Also, I am glad that I'm glad that he's moving back. Frankly I was surprised that I felt glad about it. We don't have a lot to say to each other but the good part is that he and Craig really hit it off well so that takes the pressure off me. And I also appreciate and respect that my dad did the best he can (as did my mom) to raise me and my brother. No one is perfect but they both tried and gave us a good life

Toni,
Your rotation sounds fabulous! I'm practically drooling over those workouts. Your substitutions are awesome. I have completely forgotten about Low Impact HiiT - I'll have to pull that one out.

Thank you for understanding and encouraging me; I do love my workouts and it is stressful having them taken away. It's good to be on track. I'm too young to have the issues that I do but sometimes a healthy lifestyle can't ward off genetics completely!

Heartymax,
Congrats to your son's perfect football season! How exciting for them!

Tash,
Congrats on 105 DL! You certainly are enjoying and proceeding well with Nia's program. It sounds really good! A while ago I tried incorporating some of her methods (body weight with Bret's glute work) into my rotations and but that didn't seem to last very long - seems like forever ago; I want to get back to the inverted rows and work on doing pullups. I just really love the endorphins from working out frequently. I can imagine it's quite a thrill, though, to be able to deadlift 105/115lbs!

Are you volunteering at Bella's school yet?

Nancy,
How are you doing?

Gotta get - have a super day!

I'm still reading through Bret's book;

 

[Nanbo]

Hello My Fit Friends!
I finally arrived back in town last night and am back at work today. My awesome boss has told me to gently ease back into things and not worry about trying to put in full days right now. He is amazing.
Needless to say, this past week has been very trying emotionally and physically. I did not eat very much and had zero energy for even push-ups . I tried to do some bodyweight stuff, but I just didn't have the fuel to power myself.
My brother's service was perfect and the outpouring of support was astounding. He was the kind of guy that had no enemies; always volunteering to help others and always making everyone feel good about themselves. The stories that people told about him made me feel proud and lucky to have had in my life.

Today my DH surprised me by stopping in where I work with a picnic lunch: turkey and havarti on a whole wheat croissant, MacIntosh apples, and sea salt & pepper potato chips (a very rare indulgence). It felt good to get something in my stomach...and something yummy at that! It was pleasant to sit outside in the sunshine with the autumn colors still hanging to the trees.

I'm going to head home a little earlier than usual today and pick up with Bret's Strong Curves. I'll try not to overdo it, but I am so anxious to get back to it! I've been considering doing just the glutes with Bret and using Cathe for everything else like Jennifer did.

Well, that's about it for now. I just want to thank all of you for your heartfelt condolences and healing thoughts. I'll have to read back through your posts and see what I've missed: Tasha is probably dead-lifting her couch by now!

 

[mini-natty]

Jennifer
I'm glad to hear your back is feeling better! You are such a champ that you'll be back to your normal kick-butt self in no time . You did the right thing by taking it easy though -- there is really no need to rush the healing process, that's for sure.
Thanks for the DL congrats . It IS a thrill to be lifting weights into the 100's now .
I love when kitties and doggies make friends. It's so cute .

Toni
No Bella does not having anything serious. Thanks for asking . She just has this persistent cough that is not going away . I have brought her to the walk-in clinic a few times just to make sure she is not getting a chest infection.
I'm on Phase 2 of Nia's program now. It's 6x4R instead of P1 5x6R, so yes the weights WILL be heavier. No, the exercises remain the same during both P1 & P2. I will be doing this program for 1 year, increasing my weights in both phases.

Nancy
Your brother's service sounded very nice. Again, I'm very sorry for your loss . I can't image how tough this has been for you.
How thoughtful of your DH to pack such a tasty picnic lunch .

Have a good day ladies!

 

[heartymax]

Nancy----the service sounded really nice. Your comment about Tasha has me cracking up.

Jennifer---take it easy on the upper body. Awesome of you to say such great things about your dad. I understand that parents can make things stressful. I love and enjoy my mom dearly but she can stress me out. Good to know Craig and your dad hit it off nicely.

Toni---how is cheerleaders season? I thought about Jasmine the other day when I heard my son talking about the competition.

I was sluggish over weekend (TTOM) but felt better yesterday. We did some yard work and everyone pitched in to make things go faster.

This morning was Muscle Endurance. .

 

[Jenniferlove]

Good morning,
Yesterday was a hodge-podge of full body workout; nothing too strenuous but a nice variety of total body exercises. Followed by a nice, long stretch of course

This morning was glue activations, total body foam roll, and then Party Rockin' Step #2. It's so fun! Impact is minimal, it's pretty steady state which doesn't tax the body too much, yet I was dripping sweat and having fun

Nancy,
Welcome back; I hope the memorial service helped you all find peace and comfort knowing that he had so many people who loved and cared about him as much as you. He will always live in your heart.

It was a very thoughtful (and delicious) picnic that your husband brought to you! Glad you got some nourishment in your system. I'm also glad to hear that your boss is so great - that makes the working environment so much nicer!

Enjoy Strong Curves/combo workouts Glad you're back in the swing of things. I really enjoyed using the breaks between sets doing inverted rows and ab ball roll outs. So when it was time to strength train using weights with Cathe I only needed to focus on shoulders/tricpes/chest because I really felt that back/biceps had already been covered.

You made me laugh when you said Tash was probably deadlifing her couch by now

Tash,
Did you check out any of the training vids that Bret posted of the 2 girls? I thought of you when I read the article! I haven't had a chance to watch the videos but plan to. The reason I thought of you is because of how strong you have gotten, and how much stronger you will get! Maybe one day you will be working out with Nia or Bret and get yourself involved in a competition

Yoga can be harmful to the back depending on what's going on with it (like my back, for example). Forward folds enhance disk buldging and irritate nerves, in addition to the twisting/rotating/bending. Some exercises can be safe, but with a degenerated/herniated spine Yoga and Pilates is contra-indicated. This is also why I don't do sit-ups. In my Pilates class I avoid particular exercises because they are not good for my back. That is another reason why I like to use the foam rollers in my class; it supports my lower back and gives me better exercise options. Plus it's just plain 'ol different than the norm

I hope Bella's cough goes away soon. Coughing is so annoying!

Heartymax,
Nice job on Muscle Endurance (that's always been one of my faves) especially after doing yard work. Our yard needs much work - maybe that will be on our agenda this weekend. The leaves are everywhere!

I just finished reading the book of Job. Made me realize that whatever issues I am dealing with I am allowed to have my feelings about them but that I should always know that God is enough and that my issues are temporary. Maybe this little break has helped me gain some new perspective.

Gotta go - have a wonderful day!

 

[mini-natty]

Hi ladies!

Despite it being TTOTM, I'm feeling very strong and energetic these days . Not sure if was that nice de-load week I had last week or what . Maybe it was the lasagna I made yesterday .
My w/o today was:

1) 8x4R front squats @ 75lbs. If anyone has ever done front squats, you guys KNOW how tough those are . I video'd myself from my laptop just to check my form (LOL it was funny to see myself "in action"). I did the same with my deadlifts, and my form looks pretty good! I'm using my high step to gauge my depth, which is set at 10inch. That height is slightly below parallel, which is OK, but eventually I would like to really hit a lower depth. Baby steps

2) 6x4R push-ups (15lbs vest) superset w/
6x4R inverted rows

3) 3x20R hip thrusts @65lbs (ohhh my butt )

Jennifer
Yes I read Bret's article on FB but I did not see all the vids. I love reading about women who are so strong! It's very motivational! Thank you for thinking of me . Not sure if I would consider training for a competition, but you never know what the future hold.
I never knew that some Yoga positions would be harmful for the back depending on the problem. It's good you are avoiding certain exercises that won't further facilitate the problem.
BTW, don't forget S&G toning section if you want a nice low impact, total body w/o! I always liked that one .

Hearty
If I ever DO decide to try and DL the couch, I will make sure to take a vid and post it for you all to see .

Have a good one ladies!

 

[Nanbo]

So, I have VERY slowly gotten back into my workouts by reducing the weights and reps on some of the exercises. It felt good to "feel" alive ! I did Bret's SC Beginners w/os where I left off for week 3 (A & B) on Monday and Tuesday. Tonight I'm going to do one round of X10 Low Impact and keep it short. I'm also back to eating my normal meals again! About 3 weeks ago I had made a bunch of lentil/veggie soup and some bison chili and froze individual portions...I'm really glad I did that because it is making meal time easier !

Jennifer, thanks for the tips on SC Combos! I plan on revamping my routine after this week....

Tasha, sorry about Bella's cough...I hope they can pinpoint the cause so she (and YOU!) can get some rest! Do you find the 6x4 reps easier than the 5x6 reps? When we were doing Cathe's STS I found that M3 was easier for me than the previous mesocycles in that I could go MUCH heavier! I still need to try push-ups your way with the weighted vest using more sets of less reps (did that make sense?). I think I get better results strength-wise with lower reps and heavier weights. But I do enjoy the endurance type weight training as well...!!!

Well, I need to tackle the mound of work I have in front of me so I'll be giving Toni, HeartyMax, and Stacie a big shout out and signing off for now!

 

[mini-natty]

Hi everyone

My w/o today was:

1) 8x4R squats @ 85lbs

2) 6x4R parallel bar dips superset w/
6x4R barbell rows @ 75lbs

*Beach work*
1) barbell curls 3x10R
2) lying tricep extensions 3x10R
3) lateral raises 3x10R

Nancy
I'm glad you are slowly able to get back into your w/o's .
I remember you mentioning Bison before and I have yet to try it! I need to make a stop at the butcher shop .
Yes I do find 6x4R a bit easier than 5x6R. For the squats, Nia has you doing 8 sets instead of 6 . Those never get any easier! I find "strength" training a different animal than endurance and hypertrophy. I actually prefer it and find you can actually focus on form a lot better.

Hope everyone is having an awesome day!

 

[Nanbo]

Since I’m easing back into my routine, I took last night as a rest night (I worked out 3 days in a row and was ready for a rest !). Tonight is Strong Curves BB Week 3 Workout C. Tomorrow I’m going to attempt Flextrain. Yesterday I did BW walking lunges at work and got a great glute/quad burn going! I can do 42 one way down the hall outside the lab, so round trip I got in 84. I got some interesting looks from folks, but several joined in. They want to know when we’re going to do in again! It’s great to get people fired up about moving ! One of the students brought in her bands and asked if I could show her some stuff (boy, can I !!!). I just got done watching the video from Nia about the push-back push-ups and am rarin’ to give them a try! I bet you’ll love adding those on to your shoulder work, Tasha!

This weekend I hope to spend some time re-organizing my rotation. I have so many great DVDs and get overwhelmed by all the choices. One thing that makes it easier is only doing HIIT or Tabata style cardio. I can put the other cardio DVDs away for a while. I'll be using Bret's glute stuff along with Cathe and that's where things get tricky because I want to keep my workouts under an hour. I'll be using Jen's advice about the combination of these wokouts. I'm sure it will all fall into place !

I'm looking forward to lunch today, nice to have an appetite again! Hope everyone has a great start to their weekend!

 

[CDPotier]

Hi all

I just alternate step, kidckboxing, high impact aerobics and HIIT. I also alternate my lower body with my upper. Today I did 40 minutes of Party Rocking Step, and then I did half of IMAX 3. I did my upper body with Muscle Max.

I also decided that I am not going to put up photos of my new boyfriend Colin unless we are dating longer, so it could mean the fourth, fifth or sixth date. I am going out on a limb now, and since this week was our fourth date, I am putting up some photos of Colin Some of you wonderful people seem to work out more than I do.

 

[mini-natty]

Hi everyone

My w/o yesterday was CCC...but not really lol . I only did 1 round of the exercises and for the "core" I did jump rope instead (with an actual rope). Came out to approx. 25min and felt more like a hiit w/o. I truly think my dread for the w/o stems from the repetition because I honestly don't mind the exercise moves. Still, I'm much more happier and in my element lifting some serious iron . Me and my barbell have a beautiful, loving relationship .

Have you guys seen Elliott's recent vid about walking? He is a big fan of walking for health (as you all know, so am I). Here is the link if anyone is interested: Out of Shape? Just Do THIS - YouTube

Nancy
I just went to check out Nia's push-up variation .
Glad you are getting your appetite back .

Have a great Sunday ladies!

 

[Nanbo]

Woke up this morning with some DOMS in my left calf and my left shoulder....I know the calf is from yesterday's Flextrain (haven't done serious cardio in about 2 weeks other than X10 low impact), and I assume the shoulder is from trying out the push-back push-up combo of Nia's. Yikes, that's effetive ! So today I'll do some gentle stretching and some walking and call it a rest day !
Bye for now!

 

[Jenniferlove]

Hello, and happy Beautiful Sunday!

I've missed checking in with you all - looking forward to catching up. Busy this week, especially yesterday - spent the majority of the day cleaning but we sure needed it.

My last several workouts have been Glutes, HiiT 40/20, Flex Train, and this morning was glute activation drills + Pedal Power. I've also done Total Body Stretching Ball#1 and Ball#2 several times. Foam rolling my neck and traps isn't easy to do but I'm managing quite well.

Tash,
Oh my gosh, 75# front squat?! I bow to you! VERY nice job on the 65#x20x3 hip thrust - those are awesome and I love them so I definitely can relate to that sting! Your strength is fascinating - I look forward to hearing more about your progress.

It's great that you recorded yourself to check your form

I haven't done Cardio Core Circuit in a long time; I like the way you changed it up. When I do it I do my own ab exercises - usually planks and ball rollouts - but I believe I did a premix that skipped the core sections and found it to be a great cardio workout, not to mention much shorter which is convenient

Nancy,
Oh my gosh, that is one long hallway! How FUN that some people wanted to join you, but not only that -- 84 of them?! Geesh! Taking workout breaks with coworkers will be awesome. It's great that they are interested!

Bret's book has push backs in it; are Nia's similar to those, as well as the ones Cathe does in Flex Train? I love them! I thought about having the Pilates class do them but I think that one is too advanced. Instead I've decided to just do an isohold for a while at the bottom phase of a pushup. They will be surprised on Wednesday Cathe has that move in one of her workouts but I can't recall which one it is.

Well, fit and fab ladies, I hope the rest of your day is wonderful.