Training Log 12/1/13

Sunday marked my first training session since deload week. Here's how it went:

Speed Squats: 5x3
Squats: work up to 130: 4x8@130, 8+@130
Lunges: 50 each leg
TKE: 3x20
Seated Band Adduction: 3x30
Pallof Press: 3x10
Grip Challenge with Brandon: WINNER

This was a great way to get back into training! The squats felt really good and I got 20 reps on my 8+ set, which I was thrilled with. I had jokingly told Brandon I was going to get 20 reps and then I actually did it! We had a little grip challenge at the end with dead hangs. I hung for 64 seconds and B hung for 63 seconds so I got some nice little bragging rights all day.

So True!

Catching Up

I've basically failed at updating my training log this week so I'll summarize it in one simple post. Today will be my last training session before deload week then I'll be back at it with phase two! I'm really happy with how this cycle has gone. I deadlifted last night. 175 lbs for AMRAP...I got 20. That puts my estimated 1 RM at 292, which is awesome, but I'm skeptical as to how accurate that is. I've been working really hard on my deadlift technique. I think once I get a couple small issues cleared up and work on my mobility a tad more I'll start pulling some much bigger numbers.

Squats went pretty well this week. I did 130 lbs for 15 reps. I went back and watched my video and was a little disappointed because I clearly had several more reps in the tank. I thought I was struggling way more than I thought I was.

Brandon took me birthday shopping last night and got me some crazy cool new leggings that I can't wait to wear tonight! Keep your eyes out on elitefts.com because his training log will be up on there shortly now that he's sponsored! He has awesome tips and I know you'll learn a ton from reading his stuff!

Training Log: 11/16/2013

Friday night was a really special day because it was the first time I got to lift in the garage gym Brandon and I have! I had been looking forward to it all week! I'll have to take some pictures of it next time but I'm really happy with how it's coming together. Anyway, for training it was my accessory day so it was a little of this and a little of that. And of course I wanted to play with our awesome SSB!

SSB Speed Squats: 6x2
Sumo Stance RDL: 4x12
Cable Pull Throughs: 3x25
DB Shoulder Press: 3x10
Pullups: 3x10 (2 reps of bodyweight!!!)
Kroc Rows: 3x15

This was such a fun session! I was super pumped about my bodyweight pullups; that's been something I've been working on for quite sometime. After we got done lifting all we had to do was walk inside and an awesome supper was waiting on the table for us.

11/10/2013 Training

Box Jumps: 6x3; RPE 8
Squats: work up to 115; 115 for 2x10; 115 for 10+
Front Squats: 3x6
Leg Ext: 3x15
Plank: 3x60 sec.
Seated Band Abduction: 100 reps
Band Resisted Glute Bridges: 2x60 sec.

For my last set of squats I ended up with 20 which I was pretty happy with. I'm not used to doing such high reps on my main lifts but I'm kind of starting to like it. It's definitely a change considering I'm used to doing really no more than 5 reps for them. Good start to the second week of the program!

Workout Log 11/8/2013

Friday ended week 1 of my new program. Brandon helped me out with this session. It was my accessory day but we kind of strayed from the original plan a little bit because I wanted to get some Olympic lifting in since that's something I really want to get better at and learn more about. Here's how it went:

Warm-up
Snatches & Cleans: I have no idea how many
Medicine Ball Throws: 4x6
Board Presses: 1,2,&3 board
Lat Pulldown: 3x12
Kroc Rows: 20,15,10,5 (OW!)
Reverse Hyper: 2x15

I think that was it; I didn't write down everything we did and my memory does not always serve me well. All I know is I was SORE on Sunday from those rows. I really like the Olympic lifts and medicine ball stuff I have been incorporating. I think it's tons of fun and also a really good change for me.

My LTT Experience

This past weekend I had the pleasure of attending the EliteFTS Learn to Train 7 Seminar. If you have never attended one of these seminars, I highly recommend it! Not only do you get to  listen to presentations from some of the strongest and smartest lifters in the world, you also get the opportunity to actually talk with them and get to know them while working hands on to improve your lifting.

I attended LTT 6 last May and it was really great! I must say, that LTT 7 far surpassed LTT 6! The seminar got off and running on Friday afternoon with the presentation and roundtable portion. I thought the presentations were all fantastic and very relevant and informative to powerlifting. Usually I don't do well with sitting through presentations but I found the afternoon just flew by and I felt like I obtained so much valuable knowledge!

I loved the presentations, but for me, the real fun began on Saturday when we actually got to go to the compound and lift! I'll be honest, I was a little uneasy this time around because Brandon and I were in different groups. He got the opportunity to join the nasty group, which was too good of an offer to pass up! I'll be the first to admit that I'm pretty introverted. More so than I would like. I'm most definitely a type B personality and frankly, I just don't really like to put myself in situations where I don't know people. It's not that I am by any means unfriendly, just the quiet, keep to myself type. So needless to say, being in a group without Brandon was going to force me to step out of my shell a little bit and meet people on my own.

I was in a really great group with some excellent coaches such as David Allen, Molly Edwards, Mick Manly, and Steve Goggins. I was most excited to work with Molly; I think it's really cool to meet other female lifters, especially ones who are as strong and talented as she is. We got underway with the squat portion of the seminar and I could immediately tell it was going to be an awesome day. Not only did I have great coaches helping me, I also had some really fantastic group members that I got to know a little bit and also get some good tips from. I hadn't really planned to go for PR's since I had just competed a few weeks ago and hadn't fully gotten back into training yet. Squats were feeling really good. I decided to take an attempt at 185 and then call it quits. Mick asked me what my current PR was to which I responded 187. He ended up sneaking an extra 2.5 lb. plate on each side without me knowing it so I could get a PR! Sneaky, sneaky. After successfully completing 190, I knew I could do 200 and finally achieve a big goal I've had. I took a few minutes to rest while the other group members lifted then squatted 200 successfully for the first time in my life!! I was so happy to have finally gotten that big squat and I was also really happy that Brandon had come over to check on me about that time so he got to see it too!

After squats we transitioned into bench. Bench press is a very hit or miss lift for me. I was really excited to get some good tips from my coaches to hopefully improve this so I can have more good days with it. I worked up to 115 lbs. and it didn't feel light but not terribly heavy. Molly Edwards seemed to take a special interest in me for this lift and helped me go for a PR 125 lbs. I missed the lift but she gave me some excellent pointers to implement from now on. I know 125 is very attainable in the near future.

After the benching we took a lunch break and I met up with Brandon. Turns out he and another guy in the nasty group were competing for a sponsorship with Elitefts! How cool is that? Whoever had the highest coefficient at the end of the day would be sponsored. I knew this had been a dream of Brandon's for quite sometime. He had smoked 500 on squats and still had the other two lifts left to complete. I couldn't wait to see how the rest of his day played out; I just knew he would come out on top!
After lunch we got back to it with deadlifts. My coaches did a lot of work on my form, which I greatly needed and appreciated! I only worked up to 155 and paid very close attention to my form and set up. Dave Tate joined our group for this lift and it was awesome to get one on one help from him! After we got done deadlifting there was some time devoted to accessory exercises. I wandered over to the GHR station for a bit to listen to Julia Ladewski talk about one of my favorite exercises. Then I went over and watched the nasty group deadlift. B stepped up to the platform and pulled 505 like it was nothing for a nice little PR. His next attempt was 525. He ended up missing 525 twice, but put forth an amazing effort, just like he always does. The nasty group finished up and B ended up having the lower coefficient for the day. I felt a little disappointed for him because I knew how much that sponsorship would mean to him but at the same time he walked away with a HUGE squat PR, an awesome number on bench, and a deadlift PR; that's certainly nothing to be ashamed of. Regardless of what the coefficient said, Brandon is always a winner in my book.

The day was getting ready to wrap up with the Q&A session with Dave Tate. Dave called Brandon and his opponent, Casey up to the platform and announced he would be sponsoring them BOTH! What a perfect way to end the day. I am so beyond happy for B and so proud of all he has accomplished. He has worked so hard and truly deserves this opportunity more than anyone I know. I am so thankful for all the help he has given me over the years and I am just so thrilled that he is taking me along for this journey with him.

LTT 7 was such a great experience and I am so glad I got to attend. Not only did I meet so many amazing people, but all the proceeds went to the Make a Wish Foundation, which is a cause I personally love. I'm so happy that I was able to be a part of making a child's wish come true. I took home a ton of valuable knowledge, a PR, and learned that even though I might be an introvert, I can still come out of my shell and make friends. My hope is that I can take the knowledge I have obtained from these seminars and pass it on to others. At the end of the day that's what it really is all about; live, learn, and pass on!

Training Log 11-6-2013

FINALLY!!! I'm back to training! I took a week off after my competition to rest and recover then I took a week to kind of just do light training. I basically just did what I wanted and didn't follow any real plan. Then the EliteFTS Learn to Train seminar was approaching so we decided to wait until after that to officially start my program to see what kind of new tips I could pick up. So, after about a three week hiatus, I am finally back! Brandon is helping me with my programming still and I've really liked the first week. I'm incorporating a power movement at the start of every workout to help with my speed and power in my main lifts. It's different than what I am used to, which is probably a sign it's exactly what I need. I started the week off on Monday with my squats, Tuesday with bench and then yesterday was deadlifts. My main lifts are based off the Juggernaut Method, which should help to add some good muscle mass to my frame. Here's what yesterday's session looked like:

Warm-up
Speed deadlifts: 6x1@150 lbs
Sumo deadlifts: 4x10@140 lbs, 10+@140lbs
SSB wide stance squats: 3x8
Bent over barbell row: 3x15
Ab wheel rollout: 3x15

So on paper I know it doesn't look like much but on my 10+ set I got 20 reps. It felt like cardio. I've felt really good and strong this week so it was probably good that I took so much recovery time.

One Year Reflections

This is the time of the year when I always take a moment to sit back and think on the last year. With my birthday in the coming week, I take some time to reflect on the events of my past year; not just in terms of my training, but in my life in general. What made the past year great? What could I have done differently? What mistakes did I make? Have I grown as a person in the past year? Sometimes, it's hard for me to face those questions because frankly, I may or may not like the answer. This past year has certainly had its ups and downs, as will any year.

My year in terms of:

1. Training
Since this is primarily my training log, I'll start by reflecting on my training over the last year. This is the part of my life I would say I most definitely excelled. This year I was able to add over 50 pounds to my deadlift, completely rebuild my squat (and am on the brink of squatting over 200), and I also put up my first 135 bench (in training, not competition). I competed in three powerlifting meets, which really drug me a bit outside of my comfort zone, which is most definitely something I needed. It helped me gain way more confidence in my lifting than I had before and I was fortunate enough to meet many great people along the way. I remember in February 2013 I deadlifted 200 for the first time. Now, less than a year later, my opening attempt is far less than that; I'd say that's some decent progress. This year I've really learned to listen to my body from a training standpoint. Before, I was just go, go, go all the time. I had the "more is better" point of view. Now I realize that in some cases less really is more. Since I've started listening to how I feel and not pushing it when I know I shouldn't, I've seen great increases in my lifts as well as a pretty good decrease in my body weight.

2. Work
Work. This is where it gets just a little trickier. Overall, not a bad year in the work force by any means. My full time job has stayed the same while my part time job has changed. I do feel like I put forth really good effort in my full time job. Sure, there are days where motivation is lacking and the days where working in customer service tries my patience to the brink, but all in all that has just made me a more mentally tough person. I have my good days and not so good days at my full time job but my boss makes me feel very valued and that helps tremendously. As for my part time job, I no longer am a trainer at the YMCA. I just recently quit and it was a tough decision for me. I'm an easy person to get along with and yes, I'll admit that I let people take advantage of me. However, as I get older and wiser I can see more and more when people are taking advantage of me. That was the situation here so I stood up for myself and realized it was time to move on down the road. I found a new personal training job which is good overall. They expect me to learn a set of sales skills that I do not possess so it will be a challenge but I'm trying my best to overcome it.

3. Personal Life
I'm not really sure where to begin with this one. This is the part where those questions from the beginning become a little harder to answer. What mistakes did I make? Tons. What could I have done differently? Really, a lot of things. Have I grown as a person? By leaps and bounds. I've done a lot of growing up the last year. I've always been mature, but I've dealt with some things over the year that helped me learn and grow as a person. I learned that everyone really does make mistakes, sure, that's something we hear our whole lives but now it has true meaning to me. Not only do we all make mistakes, but everyone really does deserve a second chance. If they blow the second chance, then chances are they shouldn't get a third, there's a fine line between trying again and being naïve.  Even the strongest relationship is fragile. I don't just mean a boyfriend/girlfriend relationship, any relationship, whether it be friends, siblings, parents, whoever. They're fragile. Treat them with care.

As I think back over my 23rd year, I really can see all the changes that have occurred. It's just like the saying goes "day by day nothing seems to change but pretty soon everything is different." How true. Sure, the year wasn't always smooth sailing, but I do like where my life is heading. I'm so thankful for all that I have and for that one special person who is always there to help me with whatever it may be. I've learned that life isn't always what you plan for it to be; you just have to adjust your course and do your best. I truly believe as long as I am a good person and as long as I work my tail off I'll have good things coming my way. Now it's time to make 24 the best year yet!

My Video

Here is the video from all my lifts last weekend. Enjoy!

Post Meet Reflections

A successful meet is officially in the books! This past Saturday I competed in NASA Unequipped Open Nationals and I could not have asked for a better day. I felt like I made some excellent progress during this training cycle and I went into the meet with the mindset that I was going to get four PR's. The meet started on a great note when I had zero trouble making weight. I basically was just careful about what I ate all week and drank a lot of water and was able to weigh in at an easy 147. After weighing in Brandon and I hit a near by buffet and enjoyed a nice carb loaded supper.

Saturday morning I woke up and was ready to go! I felt good, strong, and well rested. The meet got underway about 10:00 with the curl and clean competitions; two events that I wasn't competing in. The meet started for me around 11:00 with squats. Brandon and I agreed beforehand that I would pick my opening weights but after that I wanted him to make all my calls. Knowing what is on the bar and having time to think about it juts psyches me out and kind of intimidates me, especially if I know I'm going for a PR. Since all the weights are measured in kilograms, I could have Brandon make my calls without me even knowing what the weight was since I always train in pounds.

I chose to open my squats at 170; my former PR from just three months ago. I knew my squat had progressed way more than my other two lifts and felt very confident in this; especially since I was able to squat 175 for a fairly easy triple towards the end of my training. I took my opener and got three white lights! First lift of the day and I already had a tied PR! I wasn't sure what B would pick for my second attempt but I knew he would be a bit riskier with attempts than I would be which is another reason why I wanted him to make my calls. I always play on the safe side with  my numbers, even when I know good and well I could do more. I did my second attempt having no idea what was on the bar and once again it was a good lift! When the third attempt rolled around, I knew that it had to be at least 200 pounds, since that was a goal I had in mind for this meet. I tried not to think about it and took my attempt. Sadly, it was my first (and only) miss of the day. I got out of the hole just fine but about halfway up I just couldn't go anymore. Looking back at the video it looks like I really just need a little more time to get a bit stronger; it will certainly be there in a few weeks with a little more work. After my third attempt I found out I had successfully done 187 for my second and missed 203 for my third. I was a little bummed for a second when I found out I missed 200 but hey, I just got a 17 pound PR, that's a huge accomplishment for a short amount of time!

Next up was bench press. I opened with 105, the same thing I always open with. Bench press is very hit or miss for me. Some days I'm on and feel like I could do 130 pounds with no trouble and other days 90 pounds feels like a ton. I took my first attempt and could tell it was going to be a good bench day. Attempts two and three were also good and I ended up with 121 pounds; a six pound PR!

After bench press we had a little down time so we ventured over to Subway where I was finally able to enjoy a sub for once! (I follow a gluten free lifestyle and typically only deviate from it on meet days) I was starting to get a little tired just from the day so Brandon ran and got me some coffee so I could get a little caffeine boost. I had originally planned to open deadlifts at 220 but after crunching some numbers we realized if I opened at 225 then I would have tied my old total and everything else would just be icing on the cake. I went ahead and changed my opener and hit 225 pretty easily. The second attempt was definitely harder and the third was a straight struggle, but I got it! I walked away with 253 pounds on deadlift, a five pound PR! My total for the day was 562, which was a 28 pound PR! For only three months I was beyond thrilled with that!

It was a fantastic day and I'm so happy with how things turned out. Not only did I reach  my lifting goals but it was really awesome to meet other female lifters! I don't plan to compete again until around March so until then I plan to train hard and stay focused. I have some big numbers in mind for my next competition and can't wait to take some recovery time this week and get going again!

I want to end this post by giving a huge thank you to Brandon, without whom I never would have come this far. He is the greatest coach I could ever ask for and always believes in me and has never once given up on me. I've always been a good self motivator but with his encouragement he gives me that extra little boost I need and I can't thank him enough for all the fantastic programming he does for me! All in all I'd say we're a pretty great team :)


B and I with my Junior Division champ trophy!

Thanks for always seeing the greatness, B!

Time for a Change

"If you want something different, you must DO something different."

Change is an inevitable part of life, and unfortunately, something that I have always had a hard time dealing with. I get settled into things and as much as I hate to say it, I guess I just like the routine (that sounds so boring, doesn't it?) I get into the swing of things and it feels comfortable. I like that feeling.

But the last few months, that feeling of comfort started to irritate me. I was discontent. I didn't enjoy my routine anymore. Ever been in that situation? On the one hand, you want to change because you know you're not as happy as you should be and you know you can do better but on the other hand you've had this same routine for well over a year and you like the comfort of it. You like knowing basically what each day is going to be like.

Let me back up a little bit.

I have had the same personal training job for about a year and a half now. Not a terribly long time, but I've only been out of school for about two years, so I've been there for the majority of my time in the "real world." When I first got offered this job I was thrilled! It was going to be perfect! I honestly could see myself staying there for many years and climbing the ladder into a higher position. I began as a personal trainer and also taught TRX classes a couple times a week. I loved it! I was building up a good amount of clients and I really felt like it was an excellent fit.

But then, ever so slowly, and really without even realizing it, things changed.

Funny how that happens, huh? One day you feel like you're on the right path and then the next day you wake up and think "wow, I'm really not living up to my full potential. What the heck am I doing?" I tried to turned a blind eye to these feelings and pretend like I was still happy and content like I had been for so long. Then, one night while mindlessly scrolling through Facebook I saw that quote that one of my friends had put as their status: "If you want something different, you must DO something different." For whatever reason, that hit me like a ton of bricks. I wasn't going to magically start loving where my life was going if I kept turning my head to my feelings of discontent. If I wanted something different in my life I had to make the change; no one is going to do it for me! Wow, talk about a wake up call.

So what did I do? I applied to grad school (and got accepted), found a new personal training job where I will actually be able to hold a conversation with someone about programming and why Bosu balls are useless, and put in my two weeks notice at the job I had once loved and thought I would have forever.

For someone that doesn't like change, that's a lot of change.

One of my biggest fears is not living up to my full potential. I would confidently say that I do very well for myself but I have specific goals in mind and while I do just fine supporting myself, I'll be disappointed if I do not reach those goals. It's very important to me to continuously grow as a personal trainer, coach, and just as a person in general. I felt that I was no longer growing and knew that it was time to change things and move on to something that would help me grow and better myself.

Change is a very scary thing for me. It always has been. I have a tough time transitioning into new things and I get scared that I'm going to make a wrong choice. But if you feel like you can do more then you have to make that change because if you're not happy and you stay where you are, isn't that kind of like failing? You may as well take a chance on something new, say a prayer, and hope for the best. At least then you can't say you didn't try. I have a lot of new, exciting opportunities coming my way and I've decided the journey will be a whole lot more enjoyable if I learn to embrace change rather tan fear it.

Two Weeks Out

Well I'm officially less than two weeks out from the meet! Things are going really well overall. I think I pretty much have my openers picked out and this week I'm going through and hitting all those numbers. I'm feeling pretty confident about things and am ready to go! I've been focusing a lot on recovery to make sure I don't miss out on that aspect as I tend to do a lot of times. My workouts lately have been pretty low volume in preparation for the meet. Honestly, workouts like that make me really antsy and kind of unsatisfied. I love the feeling of pushing myself and I love the high volume workouts. I just have to accept that I have to go a couple weeks without that. I'm anxious to compete and then recover and get back with my regular lifting. I did my deadlifts yesterday and have bench Wednesday and squats on Thursday. My squat has improved by leaps and bounds and I am so much more confident with it than I was before. I have my good days and bad with bench and deadlift but I feel like they have both improved, but not as much as I would have hoped.

Workout Log 9/20/2013

Saturday evening after work I got my bench session in. Here's how it went:

Warm Up
Bench Press: 5x5@100lbs
DB Shoulder Press: 2x20
Pull-ups: 2x12
Dips: 2x12
Rows: 2x15
Band Pull Aparts: 75 total reps

Honestly, I wasn't overly pleased with this session. The bench press felt way too heavy and my energy levels were just way lower than I would have liked. After the workout I met up with B and we had an awesome supper at Scotty's. Certainly not the training session I had hoped for this close to meet time but I just have to brush it off and keep working hard; I'm too close to lose my focus. I got some much needed rest this weekend so hopefully this week I'll be on top of my game!

Workout Log 9/18/2013

Wednesday was the best day ever for squats!!

Warm Up
Squats: work up to a heavy triple
Front Squats: 4x5
RFESS: 3x10
Leg Extension: 3x15
Bent Row: 2x15
Hanging Crunch: 50 total reps
Cardio: 20 minutes HR below 130 BPM

Well for my heavy triple I ended up working up to 175! My old PR was 170 so I was thrilled to hit a triple at 5 lbs. OVER my PR! I got a video of the lift and my depth was great for all the reps and I probably had a couple left in the tank. It's so great to see my work paying off! :)

Workout Log 9/17/2013

Here is a summary of yesterday's training:

Warm-Up
Close Grip Bench: Work up to a heavy single then 3x3@85%
Shoulder Press: Work up to a heavy triple
DB Bench: 3x12
Pull-Ups: 3x12
Tricep Press Downs: 50 total reps

This was a pretty straight forward and quick session. I was pretty happy overall with my close grip bench. My energy levels have been awful this week, same with my appetite. I'm hoping the weekend will let me re-charge and get back on track a bit.

Workout Log 9/16/2013

Yesterday I was back at it with deadlifts. My volume is starting to drop off a bit in preparation for October.

Warm Up
Ultra Wide Sumo Deadlift: work up to a heavy single then 3x3@85%
Wide Stance Paused Squats: 3x8
Wide Stance Good Mornings: 3x12
Cable Pull Throughs: 3x25
Stir the Pot: 3x20
Cardio: 30 min HR under 130 BPM

So I'd say this went pretty well overall. My muscles felt a little tighter than I would have liked and my deadlifts felt a bit heavier than I would have liked but all in all no complaints. I've been having some weird thing going on with my appetite where I really don't ever feel like eating and I can tell it's starting to catch up with me strength and energy wise.

My Beef with "Commerical Fitness"

Disclaimer: The people and places I am referring to will remain nameless. This is not meant to be a rant, simply my findings and observations that not only make me shake my head, but also make me sad that things like this are commonplace in fitness facilities.

Over the last couple years I have spent a decent amount of time in big, commercial fitness facilities whether it be as an employee or a member. I'm a very observant person and recently a couple things have been brought to my attention that I really just can't keep quiet about. I love being a personal trainer. It is by far the most fun and rewarding job I have ever had. I love helping my clients meet their goals while also getting to know them on a personal level and forming a special bond with them. Sure, when you enter the commercial setting you will certainly have your guys who devote every day of the week to biceps. You'll have your women who think the Stairmaster is the be all end all. Yeah, there will be bros in barely there cut-offs flexing in the mirror; believe it or not, my pet peeve doesn't lie with any of those members. My pet peeve is solely with the trainers and management of the facilities who call themselves "experts" but in reality do nothing more than encourage bad habits and teach improper form to those who do not know any better.

I recently started helping a friend of mine with his workouts. He's a small guy and wants to put on some weight and get strong. Pretty basic goals. Throughout the course of our conversation a couple weeks ago, he mentioned that he had talked with a personal trainer at the gym where he went just to get a little advice since he didn't really know where to begin with his workout regime. This trainer, who claims to have all this education and certifications told him it was perfectly fine to lift weights seven days a week so long as he didn't work the same muscle group two days in a row; he really didn't need any rest time. Not only that, he was also informed by this "trainer" that it was fine to not squat and deadlift; just go ahead and keep running a lot, that'll be enough for your legs. HELLO??? Did he not say he wanted to gain weight? Sure, let's run 5 miles a day, never take time to recover, and completely forget about two of the bread and butter lifts. I bet this poor kid will put on a ton of weight in no time.

Sad, but possibly true.

A few days later I was doing my workout and I happened to notice one of the women who is pretty high up on the totem pole at the facility was also working out. I didn't really pay much attention to her because I was in the zone and was focusing on my own workout. I passed by her just as she asked someone how much the barbell weighed. I'm sorry, isn't that one of the first things we learn as "fitness professionals?" Once again, I shook my head and brushed it off, all while watching one trainer having a client doing quarter squats (at best) and another trainer having a client balance on a bosu ball and do squats (if an earthquake comes, at least this client will know how to squat). Sadly, things like this seem to be the norm. What happened to the classic effective exercises like squat, deadlift, pull-ups, and push-ups? These days, from what I observe, trainers in the commercial setting stay away from those exercises. If they do happen to have a client do squats or lunges it seems it can't be done without some sort of stability ball or other gizmo that is completely unnecessary. (Oh, sorry, I forget, we just want to work the core more.)

 

Maybe I'm just a big nerd, but in my free time I love to read articles on training, not only about my own training but also how to be more efficient as a personal trainer. My favorite websites are elitefts.com and girlsgonestrong.com. I also enjoy Juggernaut, TNation, and lift.net. Yeah, I have a degree in Health and Fitness from a Big 10 school as well as a personal training certification from one of the best national organizations. But you know what both of those things are? Pieces of paper. That's it. The day I passed my personal training test I didn't automatically become a fountain of knowledge. I would be willing to say that 90% of what I know about training came from talking with others who know more than I do, reading articles on credible websites, and most of all, getting my own experience under the bar. You can get all the certifications and degrees that you want, but all that knowledge is basically meaningless without going out and getting your own experience.

Mostly, I'm just sad about what the field I love is turning into. Of course, there are certainly still lots of credible trainers out there. Unfortunately, it just seems that for every trainer who actually knows their stuff, there's three trainers who don't know their stuff. It's very disheartening to me when I observe trainers at the gym who are clearly not helping their clients. And the saddest part for me is the client has no idea. They put their faith, trust, and a whole lot of money into this trainer and are inevitably going to be disappointed when they either don't see results or get an injury.

I have been employed in the commercial fitness industry at various facilities for about two years and in my opinion, it just gets worse and worse each time they hire a new trainer. I've been volunteering at a private facility for a few months and I absolutely love it. The owner and the other trainer are very knowledgeable and the clients see great results and love coming in to workout! At this small private facility, the owner isn't money hungry; it's not all about how many sessions he can sell in a month like it is in most of the commercial facilities. There's not a single machine or silly bosu ball in the facility (seriously, what is with those silly things??). It is such a refreshing change of pace for me to be able to go into a facility and talk about 5/3/1 or the cube method and not get blank stares from my co-workers. I love going there and seeing the trainers actually care about their clients, not only care about their workouts, but legitimately care about them on a personal level. Volunteering in the private sector has certainly restored some of my faith in the fitness industry.

I'm not aiming to tear down the commercial setting because I'm sure their are some very knowledgeable people at some of these facilities. If you are looking to find a trainer, I highly recommend you do some research and find someone credible in your area. Don't just stop by the nearest big chain gym and think you're going to get a trainer who is going to make magic happen. I've seen some trainers who may meet with 12 different clients in a day and would have each client do the exact same workout. Clearly they weren't too concerned with tailoring a workout to meet specific goals. If you work with a trainer, don't be afraid to ask them why they're having you do something. If they get defensive about you asking questions or stammer around and can't give you an answer, then chances are they have no idea why they're having you do the exercise. If you want to know how certain things about the workouts are going to help you meet your goals, go ahead and ask! If you don't know something, it's okay to ask; that's how you learn!

Basically, before you hire a trainer just make sure you do your homework. Ask the trainer about not only their education and certifications but also about their own experience with their own training. If you get a bad vibe or just don't like what you hear then don't be afraid to move on down the road. The right trainer is out there, I promise!

 

Workout Log 9/13/2013

Friday night I was able to get in an awesome bench session with Brandon. Here's how it went:

Warm-up: Foam roll/mobility
Bench: Work up to 100 then 5x5@100lbs
DB Shoulder Press: 3x15
Dips: 3x10
Pull-ups: 4x8
OA DB Row: 4x12
Skull Crushers: 3x12
Band Pull Aparts: 75 total reps
Reverse Hyper: 2x20

The 5x5 on bench wasn't exactly 5x5. I was having some trouble getting all five reps in each set so B had me do sets of three for most of them. He helped me out with my set up so I could get a better arch and had me use a wider grip so my stroke wasn't five miles long. His tips really helped! I took a video of some of my sets and could definitely see a difference. After we trained he took me out for supper at an awesome Cajun place; plenty of rice and chicken! Then we stopped by the new frozen yogurt place for a fantastic dessert! What a perfect post training meal. Today is my deadlift day; I'm feeling a PR :)

Workout Log 9/11/13

Well I've fallen a few days behind on my logs. But there is what happened during my Wednesday squats:

Warm-up: Foam roll/mobility drills
Squat: Work up to 160 then 5 reps@160
Front Squat: 4x5
Walking Lunges: 3 sets
Leg Press: 3x15
Leg Extension: 3x20
Conditioning: Thrusters/squat to upright row

I was very happy with my squats. I took a video and my depth looked to be right where it needs to be. The biggest issue is just working to keep my knees out. This was a tough but awesome session! My legs were sore for several days.

Workout Log 9/10/2013

Yesterday was a bit of a hectic day and I wasn't able to get my training in until about 9:00 last night, which if you know me, night workouts are not exactly my strength. Although, I must say this was the best night workout I've had in quite some time.

Warm Up
Decline Bench: Work up to a heavy single then 3x3@85%
Shoulder Press: Work up to a heavy set of 5 (try to beat last week)
Pull-Ups: 3x8-10
DB Floor Press: 3x15
Pressdowns: 50 total reps
Rear Delt Destroyer Set: 100 total reps

Decline bench is a very frustrating lift for me sometimes. I lift at two different gyms and due to the different angles of the decline, my weights very quite a lot. Last night, I was at the gym where I can't get nearly as much. Still a good session though. I was pretty happy that I was able to beat my shoulder press from last week, definitely some good progress there. This evening I have squats (moving up in weight!) and I also have a fun little conditioning thing I'm going to try. It should be awesome!

Workout Log 9/8/2013

What a fantastic day of deadlifts! I did deficit pulls yesterday to help make me stronger off the floor.

 

Warm Up: Foam Roll

Deficit Sumo Pulls (from ~1.5'' deficit): Work up to a heavy single then 3x3@85%

Wide Stance Pause Squats: 3x6@55%

Wide Stance Good Morning: 3x12

GHR: 3x12-15 (with WEIGHT)

Cable Pull Throughs: 3x15

Up and Down Plank: 50 total reps

Cardio: 20 minutes with HR below 130 BPM

 

I don't have a ton of experience with deficit pulls so I wasn't really sure what to expect. I got up to 245 and knew I still had some left in me. I went for 255 and low and behold I have a new PR! My old PR for regular deadlifts was 248 so pulling 255 from a deficit was a huge accomplishment! I was so happy I almost cried. The squats felt pretty good also. My legs were toast by the end of this. I was excited that I was actually able to hold some weight for my GHR's today! (It was only a 10 pound kettlebell but hey, progress is progress). I got some pretty decent videos of my deadlifts and squats. I think on my deadlifts I just really need to focus on my back; it looked like it would start to round a little and my hips had a tendency to want to come up a bit quick but overall I was pretty pleased with it all. My paused squats looked pretty good on the video. I haven't compared the two yet, but it looked like my pauses were a lot better than last week. I'm finding that I actually somewhat enjoy the cardio. I've found that depending on what kind of cardio I'm doing I can prop up my kindle and catch up on some reading which just makes the time fly by!

 

Workout Log 9/6/2013

Happy weekend! Here's a summary of yesterday's bench press day:

Bench Press: work up to 95lbs then 5x5@95lbs
Seated DB Overhead Press: 3x12
Dips: 3x12
Pull-Ups: 4x12
OA DB Rows: 4x12
Skull Crushers: 3x10
Band Pull Aparts: 75 total reps
Cardio: 30 minutes HR below 130 BPM

I had a video of a couple sets of my bench and I was a little disappointed in my pauses. Maybe it was just me, but I didn't think my pauses were nearly as long as I had intended for them to be. On the plus side, 95 pounds is starting to basically be a breeze for 5x5 so I'm definitely making progress. Overall I'm really happy with how everything is coming along. I'm thinking I may do some sled pulls this evening or do some light cardio. Tomorrow is deadlift day so I'm not going to get too crazy today.

Workout Log 9/4/2013

Here's what went down yesterday during my training session:

Warm Up: the usual
Squat: work up to 155 then 155x5
Front Squats: 4x6
RFESS: 3x10
Leg Press: 3x15
Bent Row: 3x15
Leg Extension: 3x15
Plank: 3x60 seconds

My quads and glutes are actually pretty sore today and those planks are surprisingly killing my abs! I was able to get a video of my squats and it looks like I really just need to focus on spreading the floor with my knees a bit more but overall a million times better than a few months ago. I definitely look and feel a lot more confident with my squats.

Workout Log 9/3/2013

Yesterday was my incline bench day. I've been fighting some sort of irritating sickness since about Saturday night. I was unsure if I should lift or not since I hadn't really eaten much and wasn't feeling 100%. I got to feeling better after work and decided to go ahead and give it a shot (I hate getting my lifting days off schedule.) The session went really well and I was actually able to tie my PR on incline! After I got home I felt not so great again and basically skipped supper and slept for 11 hours. Here's how the session went:

Foam Roll
Incline Bench: work up to a heavy single then 3x3@85%
DB Shoulder Press: work up to a heavy set of 5
DB Incline Press: 3x15
Pull-Ups: 3x12
Face Pulls: 50 total reps
Tricep Pressdown: 50 total reps
Cardio: 30 minutes, HR under 130 BPM

I'm really glad this session went so well! I was hoping to beat my PR but all things considered I'm really happy to have tied it. My chest is a little sore today, which hardly ever happens. My weight has been steadily declining, which I'm mostly attributing to the cardio (I think?), either way, I won't complain. Today I'm doing squats (and fingers crossed I'm able to video this!!)

In honor of Wednesday:

Workout Log 9/1/2013: 1st Session Post Deload

Deload week is over! I definitely feel very recovered and was more than ready to continue with my program. The hit the ground running with my first session with some heavy deadlifts against bands. I had some videos from this workout but I'm having technical difficulties with that but hopefully eventually they will find their way here.

Warm-up (rumble rollers HURT)
Sumo Deadlifts against Bands: Work up to a heavy single then 3x3@85%
Wide Stance Pause Squats: 3x8@50%
Wide Stance Good Mornings: 3x10
GHR: 3x12
Reverse Hypers: 3x20
Planks: 3x60 seconds
Seated Band Abduction: 3x30
supersetted with:
Band Resisted Glute Bridges: 3x40 seconds

For my deadlifts I worked up to 225 pounds and then the bands were adding at least 50 pounds at the top so I was pretty happy with that. Brandon helped me out with this session and gave me some good pointers on my deadlift. I only have five weeks until competition time so it's very important to make each session count and give it my all. I've been battling a sick bug for the last few days so yesterday was a rest day to try and feel better. My next session is going to be incline, which has always been a hard lift for me.

Just a reminder I am still taking online clients so if you would like to have a workout program written by a professional just contact me! Discounts are currently available! joanicorbin@gmail.com.

Workout Log 8/28/2013: Deload/Cardio

Yesterday I did my bench deload workout and cardio.

Bench: 75x3x5
DB Bench: 3x12
Band Flys: 3x15
Band Tricep Extension: 50 total reps
Band Pull Aparts: 100 total reps
Pull-ups: 3x10
Cardio: walk for 30 minutes: average HR was 121, max HR was 131 (got a little higher than I meant to)

I've been feeling really good from this deload. I'm definitely going to be ready to hit it hard again starting on Sunday; I'm starting to get a little antsy and restless, which is a good sign that I'm getting recovered.

Workout Log 8/26/2013 CARDIO

Good morning! Yesterday was cardio day. It's really not that exciting to write about since I was just on a treadmill for about 30 minutes. (there's really only so much you can say about that). Big thanks to SpongeBob for making the 30 minutes a little more interesting:


SpongeBob Cardio

Anyway.

For my cardio my awesome coach has told me to make sure I keep my heart rate under 130 BPM. I tell people this and they look at me like I'm a crazy person. A big misconception is the harder and more intense the cardio is, the better. For me, this isn't the case. I do hard conditioning 2-3 times per week, which works my anaerobic system. Turns out, I have kind of been neglecting my aerobic system. By keeping my heart rate lower not only am I training my aerobic system, but I am also not putting stress on my body; therefore, it is training my heart and helping me recover!

A lot of you are probably thinking "isn't this the girl who gave up steady state cardio because of the negative effect it was having?" Yes, that's true. But I believe that most everything is good in moderation. Steady state cardio was having a negative effect on me back when I was overdoing it and spending 2+ hours a day running at a steady pace. It is very important to do some sort of cardiovascular training because really, who wants to be winded walking upstairs? Not me. Plus, by only doing high intensity cardio, not only am I still not expanding my aerobic capacity, but I am putting unnecessary stress on my body and slowing down the recovery process. Vicious cycle.

For those of you that are wondering, here is the difference between your aerobic and anaerobic systems: Aerobic means "with oxygen" and, thus, anaerobic means "without oxygen"
During aerobic exercises, oxygen is used to produces energy and during anaerobic exercises (high intensity) oxygen is not the energy source. Aerobic exercises are meant to be able to be sustained for long periods of time. Types of these exercises would be long distance running, biking, etc.

During anaerobic training, you will find your heart rate getting high very quickly and you will see that you cannot sustain the activity for nearly as long as the aerobic exercises. Anaerobic training doesn't use carbohydrates, but instead uses fat for energy. Anaerobic activities consist of sprinting, weight training, prowler pushes (anything you could not physically sustain for a long period of time)

It's important to find a balance with both types and find what works best for you. I think these extra 30 minutes will really do me good!

Also: If you are interested in having a program written for you by a fitness professional I am currently accepting new clients for my online training program! If you are interested in learning more about it feel free to shoot me an email: joanicorbin@gmail.com

Have a fantastic day! Anaerobic exercise, anyone?

Workout Log 8/25/2013

Deload week is off to a great start. I feel better already!

Foam Roll
Squats: work up to 110 then 3x5@110
Close Stance Leg Press: 2x20
Leg Extension: 2x20
Planks: 3x1min
Foam Roll/Stretch

Pretty straight forward and just enough to work up a sweat. This week I am also starting steady state cardio (HR under 130 BPM). This is just to work on my cardiovascular system a little and to try and decrease my resting heart rate. Saturday evening I took my sled and bands to the park and got in a nice little session then Brandon and I went out for Mexican and Orange Leaf (my last carbs for a week) Today is a rest day but plan to do my cardio. This week (probably Wednesday) I'm getting my hormone levels tested to see what the dealio is with all that. I'm kind of nervous about it but really hope they can find the answer as to why I'm not progressing like I should.

Make it a great day, everyone!

Any questions or comments contact me at joanicorbin@gmail.com or find me on Facebook at Joani Corbin.

Workout Log 8/23/2013

Yesterday was the last workout before my deload begins. It was a really great way to end the cycle. Here's how it went:

Squats: 65x5, 95x5, 105 for 2x5
Bench Press: work up to 95 then 95 for 5x6
OA DB Rows: 3x12
Face Pulls: 3x20
Pull-ups: 50 total reps
Ab Wheel: 3x12
supersetted with:
Push-ups: 3x12
Conditioning: KB swing/jump rope Tabata
Cool Down
Diaphragmatic Breathing

That's all, folks! I'm delaoding for the next week. I'll post all those workout even though they won't be nearly as exciting. Tonight I've got some sled drags in the park planned. Have a great weekend!!

The Deadlift....You're Doing it Wrong!

A couple evenings ago I was at the gym doing my Wednesday night training session of deadlifts. I had my headphones in and my best "don't talk to me face" on because I was in the zone and really didn't want to be bothered, as per usual when I'm doing a tough workout.

I hadn't even made it through my warm-up set of 135 pounds when I could feel the eyes of the same man who hovered over me during my squats watching me deadlift. I finished the set, put the bar down, and pretended like I didn't see him walking over to me because, well, I just really didn't want him to bother me during my deadlifts like he did during my squats. He made it clear he had something to say and since I'm nice to a fault a took my headphones out to see what his deal was this time. (at the squat rack earlier right as I had the bar on my back about to start a set: Him: "Hey how many sets you got left??" Me: "I'll be done when I'm done, bro, don't you see this bar on my back??")

Anyway.

I decided to see what he had to say about my deadlifts. Maybe he had some great secret that was going to change my deadlift forever! Doubtful, I mean, we are at the YMCA, after all. Besides, I had first doubted this man's credibility when he asked how many sets I had left on the squat rack and proceeded to wander over to the smith machine to do squats with considerably less weight than I was doing and a super tight belt that he left on for his entire workout (bicep curls and all) Anyway, back to the deadlift conversation:
Him: "You know you're doing that all wrong!"
Me:  "How so?"
Him: "It's that wide stance, sweetheart. What are you doing? I've never seen anyone do that without getting hurt."
Me: "It's called a sumo deadlift. Don't you see how long my legs are? This is a thousand times better for my build than a conventional stance."
Him: "No, sweetheart, you're wrong. You're just setting yourself up for failure with that."
Me: "Well, I'm a personal trainer and a powerlifter and my coach is an elite level powerlifter. He and I both think sumo is the best for me and it feels way more natural than conventional so I think I'm just going to stick with it.
**Put my headphones back in and went about my business.
The conversation continued for a few more minutes but those were the high points. As a side note, I hate when strangers call me pet names.

 

I was both intrigued and annoyed by this little situation. I used to pull conventional and had such bad low back pain it hurt to live my daily life some days. After switching to sumo, all the pain has completely disappeared. Seeing that I am a very curious person by nature, I decided to further research the topic today.

I found a great article by Eric Cressey, one of the best strength coaches in the industry, and this is what he had to say about sumo pulls: "I like the sumo deadlift quite a bit for those who aren’t quite mobile enough to get all the way down to the bar for conventional deadlifts from the floor.  It’s also grown in popularity among powerlifters over the years because it shortens the distance the bar has to travel."

I have had some mobility issues that I am currently in the process of correcting. My hip mobility and hamstring mobility left a lot to be desired. I found that with the sumo stance it was quite a lot easier for me to get to the bar as opposed to conventional. A lot of times, I do some warm-ups in the conventional stance because I think it's important to be proficient at both. I have found that as my mobility issues improve, my comfort in the conventional stance is also improving.

Photo courtesy of elitefts.com

(note the sumo stance)

Another thing I found in was quest for knowledge was a recent article published on elitefts.com where Zane Getting had this to say: "I’ll start by saying that everyone is built different. We all have unique leverages, strengths, and numerous other contributing factors that will dictate what the best form is for each of us to use. The first thing that every lifter needs to do when approaching the deadlift is take a look at how they are built and what their strengths/weaknesses are, and then pick the form that best suits them."

I found numerous other credible sources that validated my belief that pulling sumo is not wrong.
 When it comes down to picking which stance to use, remember to consider a few things:

1. Do you have mobility issues? If so, you might find it is easier and more comfortable to be in the sumo position.
2. How are you built? If you have long legs like me, you might find the sumo stance will be your best bet. If you have short arms and a long torso, you also might find sumo is best, whereas if you have monkey arms and a short torso, you'll probably like conventional.
3. Which one feels most natural to you? When it comes down to it, you just have to experiment with sumo and conventional to see which one is the most comfortable. There are probably tons of people built similar to me who prefer conventional stance. It's all about finding what works for you.

Sumo pulls are not wrong, nor are conventional; it really comes down to personal preference. And to the man at the gym whose name I did not even get: next time you want to offer criticism make sure it's constructive and you're not just picking apart something that someone has clearly worked hard on. And just a word of advice, you may want to make sure you're not making yourself look silly by offering criticism on a topic you evidently know nothing about. Oh, and one more thing, sir, I apologize if you were insecure that a girl was lifting more than you.

Basically, just make sure you do your research and know why you do what you do. If you are injury free and seeing progress, then chances are you are doing something right. I guess in the future I just need to work on my "don't talk to me face" at the gym.

Workout Log 8/21/2013

Last evening was leg day! Squats and deadlifts were on the to-do list:

Warm-up
Squat: Work up to 135 then 5x5@135
Deadlift: Work up to 210 the 5@210
RFESS: 3x8-10
Close Stance Leg Press: 4x15
Seated Band Abduction 3x30
supersetted with
Band Resisted Glute Bridges: 3x40 seconds
Pallof Press: 3x15

The squats felt easier than ever yesterday; the deadlifts not so much. I was a bit worked up after an irritating encounter with a senseless man working out. Stupidity gets me worked up pretty quick so in all actuality the irritation he caused probably helped me pull a little harder on my deadlifts. I spent extra time on mobility yesterday. My hamstrings were still pretty sore from Sunday (a sign that I'm under-recovering since yesterday was Wednesday) I have bench tomorrow and then deload week next week then back at it until October!

Workout Log 8/20/2013

Happy hump day! Here's a summary of yesterday's training.

Warm up

Decline Bench: Work up to a heavy single then 3x3@80%
DB Floor Press: 3x15
Inverted Rows: 3x10
DB Shoulder Press: 3x15
Lateral Raises: 3x12
Pull-ups: 30 total reps
Push-ups: 20 reps
Conditioning: Sprints

Last week I got 135 on decline so the goal this week was 140; however, I missed. I hate missing lifts but I think this goes to show that a deload next week is definitely a great idea. Despite the missed attempt it was still a good session! Today is squats and deadlifts :)

Workout Log 8/18/2013

Yesterday was a super fun day! Brandon and I went up to Purdue to train with our good friends Justin and Amanda. B had deadlifts and I had squats and we both hit some PR's! Since I had access to equipment that I don't normally have I did some different things than I normally do.

Squats: Work up to 155: I was supposed to do 155x5 but ended up doing 155x7 for a nice little rep PR!
Low Box Speed Squats: Doubles for I'm not sure how many sets (I got to talking with friends and lost count a little)
RDL: 4x10
GHR: 3x12
Pull-ups: 3x6

This was such a fun session and we had a great time catching up with friends! Brandon hit 500 on deadlifts, which was awesome! After some great training we went out and enjoyed a nice supper. Today is a rest day and tomorrow I'm back at it to try to beat my decline bench from last week.

Workout Log 8/16/2013

Yesterday brought another great day of benching!

Bench: Work up to 95 lbs then 5x5@95
Incline DB Press: 3x15
Dips: 3x12
Lat Pulldowns: 3x15
Pull-ups: 3x12

I battled a bad headache all day yesterday and wasn't really sure how the workout would go. Benching went really well! I think I could have done 100 and been just fine. After I got done benching I really felt my energy levels nose dive. Overall a good session though!

Workout Log 8/14/2013

Yesterday was my favorite workout of the week (because I get to deadlift) Here's what it consisted of:

Squat: work up to 135 then do 5x5@135
Deadlift: work up to 205 then 5@205
Standing Leg Curl: 3x15
Leg Extension: 3x20
Seated Band Abduction: 3x35
supersetted with:
Pushups: 3x12
Conditioning: Hill sprints and sled drags (I have no idea how many)

The squats at 135 felt a lot better than they did last week and the deadlifts were challenging but doable. The sprints about did my in; definitely something I need to work on.

Enjoy the day!!!

Stop Doing What You Don't Enjoy

Monday: 4 mile run
Tuesday: 7 mile run
Wednesday: 5 mile run (with intervals)
Thursday: 6-8 mile run
Friday: 4 mile run
Saturday: Rest
Sunday: 8-12 mile run (depending on what I'm training for)

From 2008-2011 that was my normal workout routine. The mileage would vary a little bit depending on whether I had a half marathon in the next couple months but that was the basic jist of what I did week in and week out.

Let's back up a little bit. There was once a day when I truly did love to run. I wouldn't say I necessarily looked forward to going but I always looked forward to the feeling I had when I was done; I felt like I had really accomplished something, because hey-there are lots of people who can't even run one mile and I would go out and do 5-10 like it was no problem. Once I started college in January 2008 my mileage greatly increased. I was no longer active in sports like I had been in high school but I needed a way to stay in shape. I really didn't know much about weight lifting at the time so I picked up running basically because I really didn't know what else to do.

I'm the type of person who likes to work towards a specific goal; that's what led me to doing 5K's, which led to 10K's, which led on to half marathons. I really hit my prime with running in early 2011. I was doing a couple half marathons a year with shorter races in between. I was go, go, go all the time and was clearly not giving myself the needed recovery time. My mileage increased to at least 6 a day; usually more.



Completing a race: Summer 2010



 I'll be honest, I wasn't just running a ton because I wanted to do well in my distance races. In my mind, running burned a lot of calories and the more calories I burned the more weight I would lose. I struggled with image issues a lot when I was younger, from about ages 13-20. While it's not something I like to talk about or share with very many people, it was definitely a struggle for me. From very low calorie diets to over exercising, the problems were clearly there, so in my mind, the more I ran and more calories I burned and I better I would feel about myself, right?

Wrong.

I wasn't losing weight but gaining. I remember one day during my Junior year at Purdue trying to put on my favorite pair of jeans and they wouldn't fasten. "Well, I'm sure the dryer shrunk them." Yeah. Because blaming the dryer was certainly easier than thinking that all my running basically back fired on me. This article http://articles.elitefts.com/training-articles/women-running-into-trouble/ which was featured on elitefts.com awhile back does an excellent job of explaining the effects that steady state cardio has on some people, females especially. Turns out I was severely harming my metabolism and thyroid by doing something that I thought was helping me.

Once I stopped worrying about the scale, I was much happier

Not only was the weight gain evident, I just all around didn't feel good. All the running was putting far too much stress on my joints. At 21 years old there were days I couldn't get out of bed without hobbling like a little old lady for the first few minutes due to all the pain in my knees and ankles. Unfortunately, at that time in my life I wasn't listening to what my body was telling me. In my mind, I needed to push past the pain and keep going: couldn't slack off for that half marathon coming up! There would be days the pain in my left foot was so intense I could barely walk. After two episodes of my ankle swelling up so big I couldn't put my shoe on, my mom decided it was time to take me to the doctor. Turns out I had been putting way too much stress on myself (surprise, surprise). Due to all the running, I had developed severe tendonitis and was told to cut back the running. For good.

Right before my first half marathon

 By the time this happened I was tired, burnt out, and just all around sick of running. I didn't like it anymore. I dreaded the thought of running any distance, let alone mile upon mile. So I stopped. I finally realized it wasn't good for me;  I didn't like the way I looked or felt. It was time for a new athletic outlet. I tried out swimming and that stopped about as quickly as it started. After that I decided to try a route that wasn't cardio based. With the help of two people closest to me, I started lifting weights and it made all the difference.

Now, two years later, I'm happier, healthier, and more confident than before. I no longer dread going to the gym and having to hop on a treadmill for hours. I look forward to my training sessions and find that it is the highlight of many days. My image issues have improved greatly; I no longer find myself worrying about how many calories I burn or what the number on the scale says. I'm focused on being strong and healthy and I've found that by doing that, the rest will take care of itself.

B and me after a recent weight lifting competition-he's been one of my biggest inspirations.

The point I'm trying to make isn't to tell girls to stop running. Just find what works for you; for some people, that could be running. It wasn't the thing for me so I explored other options until I found a good fit. If you dread your workout, chances are it's not the thing for you. There hasn't been a single day where I dreaded lifting weights. Sure, there are days where I'm not quite as motivated as others, but I never wake up in the morning and groan about having to lift weights like I did with running.

Now, don't think I just completely stopped with the cardio. I do still do cardio, it's just not the long duration, steady state distance running that I was so dedicated to. My cardio now consists of sprints, sled drags, and conditioning drills. It's shorter, more intense, and much more enjoyable.

While running really isn't a part of my life anymore, I still have good memories of the days when I did enjoy it and all I accomplished. It was something I was incredibly dedicated to for quite some time and I'm proud of what I was able to accomplish. But as time passed, it was no longer enjoyable for me, nor was it putting me on the path to achieving my goals.

With life in general, it's important to find things you enjoy doing. Whether it's your workout, your job, whatever it may be, find things that you are happy to do and the rest will fall into place.

Workout Log 8/13/2013

Yesterday brought yet another successful training session. It was upper day and I made the switch from incline bench to decline. Here's how it looked:

Decline Bench: Work up to a heavy single then do 3x3 at 80%
DB Flat Bench: 3x12
Arnold Press: 4x10
Lateral Raise: 4x10
Bicep Curls: 3x12
supersetted with
Skull Crushers: 3x12
Pull-ups: 30 total reps
Abs

For my decline I worked up to 135 and then did 110 for my 3x3. I've been having a ton of energy for my sessions so if it looks like I did a lot, that's why. I'm really pleased with how everything is going training wise. My body weight is dropping and I'm getting stronger; pretty good combination! Today is Wednesday which means one thing: squats and deadlifts today!!!!

Go Purdue!!!

Workout Log 8/11/2013: Lower

Sunday Funday meant another day of legs! I only had an hour to get this session in, which I generally like to have a little more time than that but I got everything in and it was awesome!

Squats: work up to 150 then do 150x5
Front Squats: 3x5
RFESS: 3x10
Good Mornings: 3x12
Close Stance Leg Press: 3x15
Single Leg Hip Thrusts: 3x8
Seated Band Abduction: 3x30

Last week I did 150x5 on squats as well and it felt much easier this week. I added weight to the hip thrusts as well. This was a very challenging session but I feel great today! I have some soreness in my glutes but nothing too crazy.

Quick shout out to Brandon who competed in his first Olympic lifting meet Saturday! He killed it! He snatched 165 pounds and clean and jerked 231 pounds all at 136 pounds body weight! He has great things coming his way in both powerlifting and Oly lifting; so happy for him!

Have a great Monday! Any questions or comments feel free to let me know: joanicorbin@gmail.com

Workout Log 8/9/2013: Bench

Friday evening was bench day! Here's how the session went:

Bench Press: work up to 95 lbs then do 5x5 at 95 (paused)
DB Shoulder Press: 3x15
Dips: 3x12
Lat Pulldown: 3x12
Skull Crushers: 3x15
Pullups: 30 total reps (finishing out my 100 for the week)
Conditioning: Tabata KB swings

This was a great end to the week! 95 for 5x5 felt very doable, which I feel a couple weeks ago it would not have been so I certainly feel like this program is working very well for me!

Workout Log 8/7/2013

 

Yesterday was leg day! My very favorite. My energy levels have been crazy good this week which has led to some pretty fantastic workouts. Here's how it all went down:

Warm-Up: The usual
Squats: work up to 135 then 5x5@135
Deadlift: work up to 200 then 200x5
Front Foot Elevated Reverse Lunge: 3x10
RDL: 3x12
Leg Extension: 3x20
Cable Side Bends: 2x20
Hanging Leg Raises: 3x15
Conditioning: Rowing intervals

My work schedule has been a bit less hectic this week so I've had more time than normal to devote to my training sessions which I have loved! Today is a rest day, thankfully. I slept awful last night and definitely feel like a day off from lifting is needed. Hopefully tonight I can get some good sleep because my wagon is draggin' today.

Coffee would be fantastic right now.

Workout Log 8/7/2013: Incline Bench

Yesterday's session was really great! I was feeling really good and ready to get after it. Usually incline isn't my favorite but today it was awesome. Here's how the workout went:

Warm-up (the usual foam rolling/mobility)
Incline Bench: work up to a heavy single (95 lbs)
Incline Bench: 3x3 @ 85%
Arnold Press: 3x12
Bent Over Row: 3x12
DB Chest Press: 3x12
Lateral Raise: 3x10
Pull-ups: 50 total
Pallof Press: 3x15 supersetted with push-ups 3x10
Cleans: Not sure how many I did, just wanted to practice

Really good session; minus the bruise I ended up with from my cleans (long story but it probably looked like I had never been in a gym before). I was pleased with 95 on incline. It went up fairly easily and I think 100 will be very attainable for next week.

That's all for now! Any questions or comments feel free to get at me: joanicorbin@gmail.com. Make it a super great Wednesday!!

Workout Log 8/4/2013: Squats

Happy Monday!

Yesterday I had Sunday Fun Day with some squats/legs. Brandon joined me for the workout and it was fantastic! We stopped by IHop for a pre-workout omelet then hit the weights! Here's what the training session looked like:

Squat: Work up to 150 for a set of 5
RFESS: 4x8 (more weight than I've ever used on these)
Close Stance Leg Press: 3x20
GHR: 4x10
Front Squat: 3x5
Seated Band Abduction: 3x30
Single Leg Glute Bridges: 3x8
KB Complex for Conditioning

This was a great session. I'm happy with how my squat is coming along since we started from square one with it. This week is the second week I've had my new Olympic shoes and I feel like they are really helping out. I'm still focusing a ton on mobility and recovery as I definitely think that has also played a big part in my squat improvement.

Brandon had an article published on lift.net over the weekend on mobility. It's a simple and super smart method. You all should check it out! Here is the link:
http://www.lift.net/2013/08/03/mobility-cubed-how-to-program-your-mobility/

Have a fantastic Monday, everyone!

Workout Logs- Start of Week 3

Yesterday marked the start of week 3 of training since the last competition. It has been going great! Brandon wrote me a really awesome program that is kind of a mixture of a couple different things and is doing wonders for my squat, which has been my main focus since it was kind of lagging behind my other lifts.

I had my first training session in my Olympic shoes yesterday-I think those things are magic! It was a great workout and my squats felt soooo much better with those shoes; hitting depth was much easier.

 For this cycle, I'm focusing a ton on recovery. I do a ton of foam rolling and mobility drills and it really is making all the difference. Every day I practice my breathing as well. Who would have thought I didn't know how to breath? Turns out I haven't been breathing through my stomach but instead my chest. Also as part of my new program, I'm doing 100 pushups and 100 pull-ups every week, which will help drastically with both strength and physique.

I'm back to carb back loading as opposed to carb nite and I definitely think it's the better option for me. Apparently, my body needs carbs more than once a week, which is A-Okay with me! I've been keeping the back loads clean: a lot of white rice and potatoes, and the occasional trip to Orange Leaf; the best and worst thing I could have possibly discovered!!

With my bench, I'm really emphasizing the pauses because in competitions I feel like that's my big weak spot. Deadlift had been going really well, but that's my favorite lift :) I'm really very pleased with how everything has been going during my training sessions. I'm looking to compete again in October so my plan is to stay focused and get STRONG!!!

More updates to come! Work hard and enjoy the week!

NASA Open Nationals Meet Write Up

After much sweat, hard work, and determination the meet is officially in the books! It was not only a great meet but also a terrific learning experience. I ended the day going 8/9 on my lifts, which I have no complaints about at all. Here's a little recap of the whole experience.

I had the pleasure of competing in this meet with Brandon; which doing a meet with him was something I've been wanting to do for a long time and I loved every second of it. Our good friend Marshall also competed and it was great to spend time with him as well!

One of my goals for this meet was to compete in the 148 pound weight class. This meant dropping a few pounds and learning about weight cutting, which was not an easy task. I ended up weighing in at 146.8, which I was absolutely thrilled with! Goal one had been completed and the competition hadn't even begun yet.

Squats were first and I was feeling a little uneasy. I've been having some trouble with my squats, so much trouble that a few months back Brandon and I completely started over at square one with it. I've been working a ton on mobility issues but I was still feeling a little uneasy after warming up. I opened with 150 and got 3 white lights. Whew! That was a relief! I went up to 160 for my second attempt and it was also good and I didn't even struggle. I contemplated going up to about 185-190 for my third but my gut told me to play it safe so I stuck with 170. Again, the lift was good. Not huge weights but considering the struggles I've had with squats I was beyond happy with that.

Hitting all my squats was a great confidence booster for the day! Once squats were out of the way, my nerves began to calm down a bit and I was ready for bench. I opened at 105 and got it easy. Next up was 115, which was also good. I went for 121 on the third attempt and had my only miss for the day. This training cycle I'm really going to focus on my pauses because that is what is really getting me I think. I had certainly hoped for more on bench but it was still a tie for a comp PR and at a lighter weight class, so no complaints at all.

After bench I had some time to relax before deadlifts so I enjoyed my Arby's chicken fingers and curly fries, compliments of Brandon's parents and then enjoyed some cookies for dessert. I must say, cutting weight was difficult but having two days of being able to eat anything I wanted was super!

Once deadlifts came around I was starting to feel a little drained for the day but was excited because deadlift is my favorite event. I opened with 210 and it felt good! Second was 233 and third was 248. I hit all three and ended with a 3 pound PR! What an awesome way to end a fantastic day!

Brandon also had a really great meet! He also had a deadlift PR and rocked on squat and bench too! (all at 132 pounds!) I really couldn't have asked for a better meet. Everything went really smoothly and I'm very happy with how it came out. I ended up winning the junior and novice divisions for my weight class and B won best overall lifter!


Brandon, Marshall, and myself...such a great group!


Brandon and me with our awards


Proving to myself that I CAN squat well


Giving Brandon a hand off

The video of all my lifts

 

 

I plan to compete again before my birthday in November so I can compete in the junior division one more time. I don't have an exact meet picked out yet but next week I start my hard training again. I took last week off and have been easing into this week.

 

I would like to end this post by giving a huge THANK YOU to Brandon. He helps with write all my programs and is always so happy to answer all my questions and he bends over backwards to help me. I certainly would not be the lifter or person I am today without all his guidance and support. I can't wait to see what the future has for the two of us because I just know it will be fantastic. He is an amazing person and lifter and has so many great things coming his way and I am very blessed to be able to share this journey with him.

 



Meet Preparation

My oh my! Where has the time gone? Preparation time for this meet has just flown by! Saturday is the big day with weigh ins tomorrow evening. I can tell the nerves are starting to get to me a little but I know I have worked hard and done my best and I have faith that everything will fall into place.

My goal is to compete at this meet in the 148 pound weight class. My ultimate long term goal is to be a 132 pound competitor, but one step at a time :) My weight has been doing some strange things the last few months, I suspect a hormone imbalance and am trying to get it all sorted out and back on track but that's a whole different topic that I could spend hours talking about.

Anyway, back to the meet. I have about 6 pounds left to lose, which I plan to do with a water cut. I wasn't 100% sure if I was going to cut for this meet until about a day before it was time to start cutting but I feel like I will be so much more competitive in this weight class as opposed to the 165 class when in reality I've never weighed 165 a day in my life.

My week has consisted of a ton of water, seriously, I feel like I've drank an ocean of distilled water, lots of dandelion root, magnesium, chicken, hard boiled eggs, broccoli, and asparagus. It really hasn't been as bad as I thought it would be. Don't get me wrong-I'm super pumped to hit up that buffet right after weigh ins but I feel pretty good right now. Today and tomorrow will be the true tests though. Last night was my last meal until after I weigh in so today and tomorrow I don't get any food or liquids. It's 11:00 am right now and I'm definitely feeling that I haven't had my coffee today but overall not as bad as I expected. (ask me in eight hours)

Tomorrow morning, depending on where my weight is, I might have a sauna session but I'm hoping my weight will be low enough by then that it won't be necessary.

I've almost got my whole bag packed and ready to go (this includes the stupid amount of gluten free cookies I bought last night) My plan for the next 36 hours is just to stay calm and relaxed and know that I have truly done the best I could in terms of training and getting my weight down. Now I'll just send up a few prayers and have a little faith.