Sacredwlkr’s BodyBlog

Today I worked arms with Brad & Darryl.  We take turns leading the workout and today was my turn.  We started off with standing barbell curls for three 2-drop sets, then alternating dumbell curls for 4 sets followed by three sets of barbell preacher curls.  I reached a PB of 40lbs on the dumbell curls!

For triceps, we started off with overhead dumbell extensions, 3 sets.  Next was a tri-set (super set) of bench dips, reverse press and forward press.  And to top it all off, was 4 sets of hammer grip close dumbell presses.  My arms are PUMPED!    We completed it all with abs and cardio for me. 

When we were done a gentleman came over and was chatting with us. He didn’t look a day over 50 and had the body of a 40 year old.  HE IS 64!!!  I wanna be like him when I grow up! 

My strength continues to improve, especially now that I have people to spot me.  Yesterday I bench pressed up to 50lb dumbells for reps, and my pulldowns have gone up to 150!  One of my new training partners is happily impressed with my strength, which got us talking about people who are haters and who try to downplay or invalidate our strength gains.  The conversation reminded me of something that happened once many years ago.

I was in the gym, going about my workout and I noticed a couple of guys watching me and discussing the source of my strength.  I overheard one of them say, "Nah, she’s got to be juicing to lift that much."  JUICING?!

This has happened to Brad, too, and it bugs him as much as it does me.  How many of us have heard that one before?  It can be either a compliment or an insult; but it’s not fun to have all your hard work and dedication be invalidated by someone who doesn’t get it.  So, instead of getting upset, I thought I’d have a little fun with it and create a t-shirt to rebutt the ignorance.

http://www.zazzle.com/sacredwlkr/product/235833880903110521

http://www.zazzle.com/sacredwlkr/product/235157869033627446

Yesterday and last night were painful. I guess my muscles are adjusting to the new alignment of my back.  After being out of alignment for so long, they are not used to being in the proper place and boy, are they complaining!  I hurt so bad when I got up that I didn’t go to the gym and spent the day just trying to get my hips loosened.  Then, last night my back heated up at the base of my spine - that’s freaky.  This morning I could feel the temperature difference between my mid-back and low-back.  It was palpable.  After icing it’s a little better.  It’s time for another trip to the chiropractor and I should be good for the weekend and Monday’s workout.

It’s been said that pain is resistance to change; and I am changing my body so I see this as a sign that things are progressing.  (Fingers crossed, and more work on the Miracle Balls…)

So today I worked legs with the guys.  I warmed up with lunges, then went to hack squats for the first time in YEARS.  Then leg pressed up to 490 - first time since onset of back pain in ‘04.  After legs, we did assisted pull-ups, close grip pull-downs (105 - 150) and dumbell rows (50,60,65,65).  I’m still freakin’ out - I have little to no back pain, and it’s in the muscles and not the joints!  I can handle muscle pain with a good massage and strecthing.  My back is just improving daily.  I am loving life again! 

After years of back pain, no agony, I have found a way to greatly reduce my pain.  I have gone to physical therapy, sports medicine doctors, and chiropractors and massage therapists; and still, my pain persisted.  I slowly started seeing some improvement that made the pain tolerable, but I was still in pain none-the-less.  My chiropractor showed me something she had found through word of mouth:  two small balls that you balanced your body on and let gravity coax the muscles and joints into alignment.  Sounds iffy, huh?  I thought so, too.  Reluctantly, I took the balls home, half heartedly scanned through the instructions and tried the method.  The next day my pain was cut in half.  Today, after only three times on the balls, my pain is almost gone!  I would say it’s fair to estimate it is reduced 80 to 90%.  I can move more freely and no longer have to guard my movements.  There is a healing going on!  Now….on the the gym!!! 

The Miracle Ball Method  http://www.elainepetrone.com

Today I made it back to the gym after getting over another cold.  The free weight section of the gym is complete.  All that’s left is the yoga studio and the jacuzzi & sauna rooms.  The new weights are SO nice!  It’s awesome - dumbells around half the space, plenty of benches, and all new machines!  I also started using Universal’s Shock Therapy pre-workout NO/creatine complex today.  My muscles felt full during and up to a few hours after my workout, so we’ll see how it performs after a month of regular use.