The Best is Yet to Come

So today my chest hurts almost as bad or worse as it did during my reduction surgery recovery! Wish I still had some painkillers left! j/k I’m fairly sure that I’m this sore because I added a bunch of close grip bench presses to my last workout, because my tri’s are super sore too!

On top of that, quads and calves are still sore from Monday - guess this is what the 8th week feels like. I’m looking forward to restarting my cycle at the lower weights/higher reps with mixed emotions because I rarely get sore after the first week and that’s only due to not lifting for a week before restarting.

Please, don’t think I’m whining here, I am quite happy to have all of this pain, at least it means that all of my hard work and focus are paying off.

Should be doing my 1RM’s next week and aiming for a 100 lb bench, 165 lb squat, 165 lb deadlift, 80 lb bent over row. I think that the 1RM calculator on the BodySpace lifting stats is close when you add in multiple reps, but not quite the same as actually doing the single lift. Will have to check and see what my overhead press is, should be close to 50 or higher, since when I’m warming up for squats, I just lift the bar up and over my head instead of getting under it.

Then, I can’t believe I’m not looking forward to it, but I have the first full week of March off. I’ll still do cardio, but it’s going to feel weird without being over in the free weights. I’m sure I’ll manage to get through it without crying too much. Maybe I’ll start tanning.

My quads and calves are still sore from Monday’s squats, and now my arms and chest are sore from last night’s workout in Chicago. I was the only girl using the free weights…….gym was full of cardio freaks - can’t call most of ‘em bunnies, because they just weren’t that cute.

Did a 15 minute warmup on the elliptical and then went on to bench (silly me, I left BOTH pairs of workout gloves at #1’s, so I borrowed his for my bench)

Bench: 1 warmup set of 12 with just the bar, then 2 x 2 @80lbs - I’m thinking that next week when I check my new 1RM’s, I should be able to hit 100 lbs

Flyes: 1 x 12 @ 5, 2 x 12 @ 10 - I really hate flyes, and I’ve been told that I can switch to incline bench instead - YAY!!!!

Barbell curls and Tricep extensions: 1 x 12 @ 30, 2 x 2 @50 - that really hurt!

Hammer curls: 1 x 12 @ 10, 2 x 2 @ 20 - now I normally do these standing, but P. made me do some more sitting with 15’s until I couldn’t stand it anymore - let me tell you, the face I was making was anything but pretty.

So, I’m doing pretty well, and #1 tells me I should start doing close grip bench for my triceps……ouch, that really hurt! Did a bunch of those until I couldn’t do anymore….then it was off to the elliptical for more cardio.

Had a scoop of whey protein when we got back to the house, and munched on some carrots and low-fat dip. Was a super workout, and I am definitely sore today.

It was nice for him to see me doing a serious workout, since I don’t think he ever has! I know he’s never seen me drench my shirt and have my ponytail end up looking like I was caught in a downpour…..I think the last time we got in a workout together was some time last summer and it would have been on a cardio day for me since it was the weekend.

He was definitely impressed, and that’s very good. I’ll even let him take some credit for the end result when I finally reach my goals, since it’s his workout that I’m doing and also since he is the one who made me start taking whey protein.

We had a great time together, I got to see his new posing trunks and he went throught some of the poses for my critique. Was pretty funny at times. I’m definitely looking forward to the competition at the end of March.

Since I’m going to Chicago to work out with #1 tonight, I’ve decided to shift my workouts and move my weights up one day. So, I did my squats last night, am moving bench up from tomorrow to today, and will switch deadlifts from Friday to Thursday.

Last night’s squats - 1 set of 12 @ 70lbs, 2 sets of 2 @ 155. The last rep was super hard, but I managed to get it up - pretty sure that my form suffered though. Then it was on to leg press, extensions, abs and the rest. Legs are sore today, YAY! - this is awesome because most of the time I don’t feel the soreness when I’m working at the lower weights.

The schedule change actually works out very well since I’ll be at my girlfriend’s house on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday nights watching her boys while she’s out of town on business.

It’s kind of weird watching boys grow up - I have two older sisters and two nieces, but never really spent that much tme with boys since there aren’t many in my family. So, since I’ve known her boys for almost 8 years now I’ve gotten to watch them grow up. They are now 15 and 13 - it’s kind of odd seeing a boy go through puberty, and I now realize that it’s much more painful for them than it was for me!

On another happy note, my recovery from the reduction surgery I had in December is going super great! I’m starting to get the feeling back in the couple spots where I lost all sensation, so that is AWESOME!!!! Yippee, I had heard that it could take anywhere up to a year for the nerve endings to regenerate. Obviously, the fact that it has just been two months and I can now feel the left side as well as the right is super. Scarring is looking pretty good, size and shape are so perfect, I couldn’t ask for a better result. - AND, bonus here - #1 adores them and likes them much better than before - #2 wishes I hadn’t had the surgery - gee, too bad.