THOUGHTS OF A FITNESS FREAK

I really have to get my ass moving, but as usual, there is a glitch in my system.  I’ve got that photoshoot next Saturday and I am in the middle of my bulk, plus the Arnold later on in Feb and I don’t want to be “thick” in the middle for either of them. WTF? I suppose I can gain some muscle while I am a little leaner, but I know I can’t go toooooo lean or I will risk all my gains. I think my 1st show is April 18, so I will be like a freakin yo-yo for the next couple months. I like my butt though and my “thicker” body right now, the only thing missing is the abs looking like an 8 pack. Bummerooooooo…….

So, training is going pretty well. I did train abs and some serratus tonight.  Not too heavy, 120 on kneeling cable crunches, 90 on seated crunch machine (havent touched that one in ages) 70 on cable side bends, incline situps with just a 25 lb plate and hanging leg raises with a 10 lb db between my feet. I also did some db bench crunches (v type) cus I was bored.  I threw in some standing glutes on cables, seated calf raises, (doing calves 4 times a week or so now!!) and some serratus crunches on the cables. the gym was really quiet tonight, so I tried some walking lunges.  I need to practice because I lose balance for some reason and I normally have great balance.  I also have to remember to bring my hooks because I lose grip, but damn…those BURN!  I got out 4 sets with a 20 in each hand though.  Not a bad start really. I want to do them on legs day in between machines.  I saw a video where the people had to walk to the next machine doing lunges……..they were practically crying.  My kind of workout!  Im kind of twisted in that regard.

So, good things will be happening at the Gaspari Nutrition booth at The Arnold!  I have some juicy tidbits to share when the info becomes public! I’m soooooooo psyched! Stay tuned………

Its almost Friday, thank the lord.  I think I drool for fridays everyday. My daughter is 18 today.  Its weird because it goes by so fast.  One day they are little, the next, they are taller than you and use the F word. 

44 days til the Arnold!  Im so excited.  i got a roomie and I don’t know her, so that will be something new.  I also have to hook up with Ironmainden from here and some other Iron Divas and go to a gym.  Its going to be fun to work out with other women. I am so used to guys.  Nothing against guys though……….I love them…….hair and all, but no peeing on the seat please.

Tonight is back and bis again I think.  I really seem to only have a 4 day split now because I can throw in abs and shoulders most any nights. I dont need to do just an abs night anymore.  

I was trying to decide if I needed to drop a couple lbs for this photoshoot next saturday, but kind of want a fuller look for some of my photos, plus I lose my butt when I get to lean. I also am in contact with someone who may or may not be paying for some strength videos.  I say if they are not working out in a bikini, bring it on. No way I want to walk into my gym in a bikini.  I had enough trouble posing in our aerobic room for my show because it has a huge glass window.  I settled for heels and shorts and still felt like a weirdo because hardly anyone knows what figure is out here. They may have thought I was a stripper in those 5 inch heels, who knows?

Ill be back later to post something on my workout.  I have been eating better lately as well. Not that I ever ate too much crap, but for me, I was slacking.  they were making fun of me at work because all I do is eat.  they can pick on me all they want because they are starving and not losing weight and I am constantly stuffing my face.  You want a good diet, look what bodybuilders eat……….anyone that lean and still muscular knows whats going on!!!

later peeps.

I want you to share them here. I started out April 2006, hit the weight room in November of 06 (grew some gonads in there, let me tell you) Saw Michelle Flake rocking the figure bod in Muscle and Fitness (I think) and wanted to look like that…..and off I went. Figure made me wake up and see chicks with muscles could rock and still be girly. I did my first 3 shows 5 months later without ever even attending one and sitting in an audience. I placed 1st in FAME/WNSO Masters Fitness Model and earned my pro card, next show I placed 2nd in RI Ocean State Championships Masters Figure 35+, 3rd show was a Musclemania, where I placed 6th. (I was too lean) then I went to the Olympia show and got to work in the Ironman Magazine booth and see the shows with my good friend Dave Goodin , the Texas Shredder (he has his own show coming up again in April, check it out!) I did 3 photoshoots that weekend and Gaspari hired me as a forum rep.  I was also awarded photogallery of the year here on BB.com and they gave me my own video series.  This year my 3 goals so far are Female bodybuilding, to get in one major fitness magazine in some capacity and to go to the Arnold Classic.  One has come to light so far, the Arnold. Today I scored a photoshoot with a noteable photographer for the 26th.  I am not telling this to brag, but to let you know that if you really want something, if you put your heart into it, things will happen for you. I am still just ME, a single mom who works in a dental office.  I go to work 5 days a week, go to the gym 5 days a week, take care of the three kids I still have at home (the oldest moved out already and joined the Marines) My day starts at 530 am and doesnt end until about midnight sometimes, but its so worth it at this point.  Nowhere in my mind am I thinking about the fact that I will be 40 in 6 months. I feel 20 I think………so if you are thinking you “can’t”, think again, because you CAN. I think I have done alot of the things I have done because I had nothing to lose by trying.  My life was boring ,crappy and unrewarding. Better than sitting on your ass wondering what would happen if you had tried, but being so scared of failing, that it stops you in your tracks. I just didn’t want to spend my whole damn life wondering, “what if?”. I see alot of people here wanting to compete in their goal statement….so compete dammit! I didn’t have a trainer, a dietician, expensive suits and shoes, but I did it anyway…….and I did pretty damn good.  I spent much of my life so shy I couldnt even order pizza or talk to the guy at the tire store..it was that bad. Now I know I may fail at some things, I may not be the best at everything, but I friggin tried….thats what counts.  The “I did it” factor. so, all my girlie and guy friends here, if you want to compete….just do it. You will feel so much better for it. I have suit , shoe and tanning advice…just ask. In helping anyone here that wants it, I am helping myself too. Nobody wants to be the “newbie geek”…….all I ask in return is a picture of you smiling on stage win or lose. deal?

Tonight I did chest and tris, felt good to slap 2 45lb plates on and go nuts benching. I took my Plasmajet like a good girl of course. I also threw in some calves and did 3 sets of leg extensions and 3 of curls to get a nice leg pump going. I think I hit ever chest machine, did single arm crossovers on cables and my newest move is holding the balls on the lower cables and crossing up and over to hit the front delts as well.  Its a tough move, no leverage and makes your arms look ripped when you are doing it.  I was like “yee hah, party  time”!! I di tricep extensions (love those) tricep dips (I got 25 regular dips in a row the other night, game on) tri kickbacks and I used the tricep extension machine as well.  I skip a few exercises intentionally, so when I go back and do them , it wakes up some unused areas. Does that make sense?

Anyway, all in all a pretty good workout. Now I have to get my butt to bed. have a great night.

fern 

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Biggest question (besides abs)..how did I get my butt off the back of my legs? Dieting helped, but then you have to fill up the butt with something and that means muscle.  Glutes are large muscles, so the weight has to be pretty heavy to really build something.  I am right now uploading my glutes with cables video. Hands down, the best butt exercise on the planet.  I posted the up close one (yep, sure to get some perv views) because it shows the full range I get to tighten the entire area in one fell swoop. Of course I do other things like squats, leg presses, linear press, curls, BUTT this is a good one. One that will make you happy when your jeans are tighter in certain areas. Here is the think.its ready

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9u8I2UwAvyU

I also have a good one on the horizontal leg press that I like. I modify what is available in the gym from videos I find here on bb.com with the top trainers. You may feel a little goofy at first, doing something ‘different’, but hey……it works.

I had a great workout yesterday and my daughter comes up to me and says, “mom, its been 2 hours.  Are you done yet?”  I don’t think it was 2 hours, but I was taping and that is time consuming as well. My knee was tweaking, so I didn’t go to heavy, but did some mass repping and drop sets instead with moderate weight. No sense aggravating it more. Of course it is fine today though…..figures.

I have to go dig out my car, seeing as we got a ton of snow dumped on us this morning.  I will post more later.

Fern

I just want to ask people when they first noticed they had a muscle fetish and why it took so long to act on it.  I remember seeing Bev Francis back in the 80’s (I think), she was super huge to me and I remember I was in awe.  From there it was  I was secretly watching strong man competitions, American Gladiator and bodybuilding when it was actually on TV and sneaking envious peeks at bodybuilding magazines in the checkout isle. Maybe I just felt like a wuss and they looked super human? What brought this question to light was I was watching a modeling show and the guy said he always wanted to be a model, but his father said it was "gay"..so it got my brain spinning as to why I didn’t start out at a younger age. Why I suppressed it.  Was is pressure from society to be skinny? I actually had a weider flex machine when I was about 24 and used it quite a bit even though it was limited.  I think life just got in the way with the kids and stuff…but the fetish was still there. Then in April of 2006 I joined the gym and can now fully admit that I do have a serious muscle fetish.  Even if you don’t like huge muscles on women, you have to admire anyones dedication once you know what it takes to get where some people have gone.  I know……..Im not huge, dont want to be huge, just be the best I can be I suppose.

I filmed some video today.  I will post a couple on my site.  Back and bis and it went well.  25 lb db’s are now pretty easy to get 5 reps on curling.  Next week I am going to jump up to 30’s and see how it  goes.  My bent over rows on the smith machine are up to 100 lbs.  I can get out 10 reps easy and then I stand up and row upright with 85 to hit the shoulders. I forgot to bring in my hooks and was too lazy to go back out to the car, so my shrugs stayed at 35 today.  My left hand gives out before my traps do and it is the same with db rows, the lack of grip kills me.  Its better than it used to be though.  I didn’t take the Plasmajet today because I want to take it for legs tomorrow, so my strength increases are still with me, even having not taken it for a couple days. Lat press downs have to be my new favorite.  I use a small bar and lean into it.  There is just something satisfying about them and I will post a short video if you have never done them because I think you will like it.  I feel like an idiot filming lately.  The gym is very crowded with new people who don’t know why I am filming myself. I hope they don’t think I am doing it for perverts or something. Most of the regulars know why  am filming though.

My abs are absolutely killing me. I laid off the weighted abs for awhile intentionally and now am paying for it. I was just trying to concentrate more on the things that needed size and abs werent one of them.

Let me load up some videos and I will be back later

Lets see, this may start off sounding bad, but it’s just my own curious thoughts. I was at the gym tonight and had to tinkle and when I walk in the locker romm…….BAM…..naked chick up close and personal, bent over, boobs hanging, cootchy in all its glory…….it wasn’t what I was expecting.  Anyhow, she was not in great shape, but that is not the point I am trying to make………the point is, she didn’t care. How does one get that way?  here I am, looking better than I did in my 20’s and I still don’t have the balls to drop trou in the locker room. Sure, I wear tiny stuff in my pics, but I am normally self concious.  Is it BECAUSE of being self concious, that we try harder to get in shape? I have noticed this phenomenon before on the beach.  You see the "big mommy ladies" hanging it all out and then most of the slimmer ladies use a wrap when the leave their towels to walk on the boardwalk and stuff. We ARE hard on ourselves, our own worst critics and we usually want what we can’t have. Is this like a disease?  Body dysmorphic disorder? I remember being 18, 102 lbs or less and thinking I looked "fat", so I rarely ate anything………I  remember my hair starting to fall out and being proud of the fact I could go the whole day without eating, like it was a friggin acheivement of personal strength. Now, at almost 130 lbs I am pretty happy with my appearance, BUT that nagging weight number is still there.  Many women my height compete at 110 lbs.  Adela Garcia is 2 inches shorter than me, competes at about 105 lbs and has serious muscles, so why am I 25 lbs heavier than her, but don’t look as ‘big’ as she does? Im a "stick" at 115 lbs! I suppose we just have to find our own happy medium…….

I did all abs tonight and some serratus crunches.  I did kneeling cable crunches, cable side bends, standing cable crunches for serratus, weighted hanging leg raises, bench crunches, incline situps and leg lifts on the bench.  All my bench stuff is with a 10lb db or more between my feet (as well as my hanging leg raises.) My usual weight on cable crunches is 130 lbs.  The stack goes up to 150, but it pulls me off the floor. Side bends on cables, about 80 lbs.  I used a 25 lb plate for incline situps.  I did bruise my spine doing the standing calf raises like an idiot.  The thing is, IF you do something STUPID, LEARN from it!! Im never doing them again and if I do….kick me in the ass, you have my full permission.

I spotted my new "gym buddy" tonight on his flat bench.  He usually gets 225 for 2 reps, but he got to 4! Now I will make him spot me.  We did talk about the fact that guys can smoke my numbers, so its hard being a woman in the gym. My max bench is only 145lbs. Damn, do I feel like a girl……….

Tomorrow is back and bi’s day…..one of my fav’s. My back hurts, but i will still do some stuff.  It ist my back muscles, it’s the damn gap in my vertebrae from the scoliosis, so I will just do some light sets for the next week or so. no big deal.  have a great night! 

I have to admit, most of what I eat is pretty stinky.  I am constantly being harrassed at work for it.  yesterday I brought in some EggWhites International mixed with spinach and nuked them for breakfast. You should have heard them bitching.  Then I eat stuff like boiled chicken and broccoli…..stinky…….oh, and we all know what boiled eggs smell like. I try to eat at my desk in the backroom ,but they drove me out with pitchforks and torches. Ever smell one of their Lean Cuisines in the microwave?  it smells good at first, but then smells like a heated can of dogfood…….but do I bitch? NO. THEN, they kind of made fun of me because of the Arnold being in Ohio…they were like “big deal, it’s Ohio”. They don’t know it’s one of the biggest fitness expos in the country.  You know, people make fun of you and they think it’s in “jest”, but I really don’t think it is sometimes. Also, we have this one woman who is just too forward and says things like, “I hate your hat” and “your boots are ugly” right to your face. What kind of rock did she grow up under? Granted, I am not always Ms Congeniality, but do people hear themselves sometimes?

My workout was great last night.  It was the usual lame forearms and calves, but I took a whole sleeve of Plasmajet and was feeling great. I did try going back to using the standing calf raise, but really should refrain from using it because now the gap in my spine hurts. I guess it is now a no no for me once again. I did think if my back was stronger, it wouldnt affect my scoliosis, but I guess it’s not. I did do seated calf raises and someone had but the wood platform under it to make it tougher and left 4 25 lb plates on it, so I did all four.  I was too lazy to take off the weight even though I think they had left the gym. Does anyone else have the problem of feeling like one leg is working harder than the other while doing calves?  I always feel like my left side doesnt contract as tightly as my right.  I know, its weird. 

For forearms, I did 20 lb hammer curls, 40 lb barbell behind the back wrist curls, alternating raises in front, barbell curls hanging wrists off the bench and thats about it. In between sets I did some leg extensions and seated curls, hanging leg raises and incline situps and roman chair.  Simple stuff just to get a pump.  I really don’t want to just sit there between sets when bodyparts are a little tired, whats the point? I feel lazy because time for me is limited, so I have to get the most out of my visit.

I’m supposed to spot my new friend tonight.  He is kind of new to the gym and is trying to beat his bench max.  I think he is at 225 or something, but now my friggin back hurts, so I hope he doesnt drop the weight on his face. He is the son of a co worker and new to the gym, but he loves it. I gave him a can of creatine to try.  His goal is to get peak in his bi’s, so I said I would help him. I think he’s about 22, so if I can help him with his form he will certainly get some great gains.

On a sad note Lance,M has taken down his profile photo and says he thinks he is quitting the gym. Stop by his page and spread some cheer.  We all go through the negative thing, you know that. He has lost his enthusiasm. Maddi and Daretosaur are kicking ass in the 2008 transformation challenge and my testers fitnesspeanut,Darese and Danicax has scored an additional 6 weeks on the Gaspari lean and fit stack as well as a can of SizeOn to further boost gains!  Go ladies!!

Talk to ya later,

Fern

Nope, didn’t work out tonight.  BECAUSE of Plasmajet ( I will be using this word alot because it’s my new toy for awhile) says, "Take Plasmajet ONLY on the days you actively work out" and "Do not exceed more than 4 servings per week and DO NOT use more than every other day under any circumstances". Crap, that means I have to do math now. Chicks arent supposed to do math…….we have credit cards and debit cards..who needs to count? Just kidding.

So my new split might be thurs fri sat sun tues, skipping monday and weds.  I know there are 3 days in a row!! ( I am not a real blonde!!) This means I have to do something light without PJ on Saturday.  Probably abs calves and forearms or something. I am doing calves 3 days a week or more as it is. I have been throwing in random mixed bodyparts along with my regular heavy workouts.  On chest and tris, I did some 50 lb leg extensions and just mass repped til it hurt as well as some seated hams and seated calf raises(heavy) . I did shoulders kind of heavy with the presses and I gotta tell you, driving home wasnt easy.  They were so pumped and beat.  Its pretty satisfy to be sore because to me it means an effective workout..not a waste of time.

I have to get a jump on my personal training studies.  I bought all the stuff, just have to get back into it and do some serious studying. Then you have to take a weekend seminar to get certified and buy some insurance.  I love watching the biggest loser and I want to be the one to help people in the same way.  Its hard helping online, so hard to assess people’s needs and eating habits.  We are all different and it would help to train someone in person. I would also like to do some competition training as I gain more experience. Ad you know, classes are few and far between.  We are like mice picking tidbit of information and hoarding it.

As for children here………a 10 year old and 13 year old….both girls.  Very impressionable , so please be careful what you make public to others here. I know, my blogs are sometimes adult with all my truck driving swearing (like kids don’t swear……my arse) I would like these girls to grow up strong and confidant (unlike some of us screwed up people)and will personally kick the ass of anyone who says anything inappropriate to a child. Yep, its the mommy side of me……..

Take care you guys and hopefully a bunch of us can meet up at the arnold and have some laughs. 

My workout was through the roof last night.  I was kind of skeptical because using the superpump250, I didn’t really feel the need to use another product and was thinking, "how much better can it get?". So, the most noticeable difference was when I picked up a weight, it seemed ‘easier and lighter’ than last week.  I went up to 130 on my pec flies from 115.  Doesnt sound like much to you men, but its more than I weight at the moment.  Also my flat bench was up to 135 for 5 and I may have done more, had I had a spotter. Seriously, I was all over the place.   I will have to add to this post later because I really want to log my numbers for future reference. I have to get to work.  I was going to log last night, but bodyspace was going super slow and I didn’t have time.

Check out the ladies going for transformation 2008! Also, why not go for the transformation of the week here if you haven’t already tried.  I got it before about a year ago and its a big motivator.

I know, boring post.  I was running around alot yesterday after work. My heads in the clouds because of the whole Arnold thing.  It may not be huge for some of you, but it was one of my goals for 2008 and a week into 2008, it came to be reality…….so dream big. Because if a mommy of 4 from CT can do it, so can you. I don’t have an advantage, just a will to succeed and a passion for fitness………..

Gaspari Nutition has invited me to work for them at the Arnold Classic in Ohio! After my last 2 shitty months, this is a real good thing.  In fact, I am so excited….I may vomit. For those of you who don’t know what it is, I will do a post about it with all the info later.

I had a good legs day.  I cheated on that post.  My hams hurt, but not my quads, so I was a little dissapointed.  I am doing 140 on leg extensions and then doing drop sets, so I know I worked them, but they are just not sore. I only did 6 45’s on presses because of my stupid knee.  No health insurance makes for cautiousness, ya know? It doesn’t hurt unless I go heavy and it isn’t a shooting pain, just a funny feeling, like a strain.

I know alot of women want to know about the booty.  How to get a better booty.  Lots of them hide in clothes anh actually have “white chick” ass.  That translates into flat and droopy. I’d have to say the best thing for droopy ass is glutes on cables.  Get a bench, put one knee on it and hook your ankle up to a low cable and swing your leg back behind you.   This targets the entire glute.  I don’t think women squat or leg press enough weight to build a glute muscle up.  It is a huge muscle (potentially) and need some signifigant weight to bring it up. I also like the romanian deadlifts for glutes and hams. Grab a barbells and bend over with your arms and legs straight (I have a video) and stand up, pulling in your butt at the top of the move.  If you think some dude behind you is looking at your butt, go to a corner or do it at home. I do it in my shorts because I think it’s funny to catch them looking. They get whiplash. haha.  Also, the horizontal leg press with your butt and back off the sled, making it more like a hack press works well.  Tight and tuck at the top of that move and your butt will be sore for sure.

I got my Plasmajet supply last night.  I will be blogging my experience.  You know I am trying to bring up my legs and calves.  My upper body is okay, my legs are okay, but I always wanted those ‘athletic chick’ legs. Not real big, just greatly full and defined, even in gym clothes. 

Im doing chest and tris tonight.  I haven’t been doing abs night at all lately, just a few moves.  My abs are fine and I am doing some maintenance work, but my obliques are thick enough.

Hope everyone had a great weekend.  My nephews have left, the house will be quiter and I can catch up with everyone now!!  Yee hah.  I also am in contact with a couple local photographers because I need new pics to submit to M&F.  Gym clothes photos actually.  I want to be in one magazine before I am 40.  7 months to go!!