The Roman Gladiator

Sorry folks, I have really let this blog slip over the last week or so.  It’s not like I have a lot going on! :)  Well I had a good workout yesterday, but today I am feeling really spent.  I’m talking exhausted!  The baby is doing pretty well.  He is constantly battling gas though.  I feel so bad for the little guy.  Hopefully that will pass, and we will probably be changing up the formula pretty soon.  His big sister had the same problem with Similac.  I am battling some serious soreness in my biceps today.  Really strange.  The only lift I can think of the activated my bi’s yesterday was seated rows.  I also upped the resistance on the elliptical, but I can’t imagine that affecting them that much.  Maybe it is related to holding the baby so much.  Who knows?  Well today is turning out to be an unscheduled rest day.  My body needs it, and I’ll get back on track if I have to finish with 2-a-days.  Weighed in at 239.4 today, a new low!  Feels good to be in the 230’s if only for a fleeting instance.  I now weigh less than when I started Auburn.  Although, by the end of my freshman year I was at around 204.  I don’t want to ever see that number again, I look emaciated!

Fat Loss 1 A

Fat Loss 1 B

I must admit my title format is becoming a bit arduous!  I had a stellar workout today!   I really enjoyed the switches implemented by NROL.  For the un-initiated, the sets changed from 3×15 to 3×12 and the rest period between sets dropped from 75 seconds to 60 seconds.  I almost feel like I’m getting a cardio workout at that pace, especially with the compound lifts.  My weight increased substantially today.

Barbell Squats

90-120 (on Smith Machine, only counting plates) No free weight squat rack at my gym.

Cable Seated Rows to Waist

130-145

Dumbbell Push Press

25’s-40’s

Dumbbell Rotaional Lunge

Body Weight-10’s (These struggle because of knee injury)

I also had a nice conversation with a former UA football player, David Gilmer, after my workout.  He asked me what I was training for, lol.  We talked a lot of high school/college football, and we knew a lot of the same coaches and players.  He actually attended a few of the games I played during my high school career, and it was fun to reminisce.  It was also nice to find some camraderie at the gym.  I workout at one of these SNAP chains.  It doesn’t have a traditional gym’s feel.  It suits my goals better than the other options available here.  It’s close, it is open 24 hours (that’s a big one), and it has a full compliment of equipment (minus some of the straight free weights due to liability).  I’ve met some nice people there, but often my workouts are so sporadic (anywhere from 5AM to 9PM) that I haven’t had the opportunity to build a lot of relationships.  That’s what you folks provide though, so that helps with my consistency.  If I could figure out how to upload an excel sheet, I think that would be useful, so you guys could see my progress from workout to workout.  If anyone knows how to do that, let me know!

Baby harrird should be here by Thursday, which is a scheduled rest day!  Have a great day!

Well sorry for missing yesterday. I got really sick to my stomach last night and crashed about 6pm. Not sure what that was, but I’m feeling much better today. Yesterday’s workout went much better as well, so I guess I needed a break-in of sorts. Hopefully tomorrow’s will be even better. Just weighed in at 241.8, a new record! Life should get very hectic in a couple days, so hopefully I’ll be able to adjust well.

Check out the progress pics page (updated today).

Cheers!

So today wrapped my second 1A workout. It went MUCH better than the first one! It is always such a motivator to see actual gains from one session to the next. My lunges were still crappy, but much improved. I added weight on 2 of the 6 lifts, and my form improved throughout. My body weight was up a little today (maybe a pound and a half) but I thought I looked better in the mirror.

I’ve been thinking about my trip yesterday and I’m really happy that I kept it clean through the visit to Auburn, which would have been unthinkable just 3 months ago. My mind used to fill with things like: “How often do you come back down here?” “Take your sister out for a nice meal, she deserves it.” “You’ve earned this.” I would always justify my cheats. Those days are gone. Had some nice chicken and broccoli for lunch.

Exhausted! Not from lifting. Drove the younger sister to the loveliest village on the plains, my Alma Mater, Auburn University. They gave a great campus tour, and I really think she will be in attendance soon enough. Got the kiddos some gear at the bookstore so they should be stylin’ and profilin’… well as soon as James gets here.

Wow! Today whipped me pretty good too. I mean just when you think you are in shape… I’m starting to think maybe I should have done the break in. I think the main issues concerning my difficulties are as follows: unfamiliar exercises (read untrained muscles), high reps (for me), AND shortened rest periods! It feels great though pushing through boundaries. Today I had the most trouble with Bulgarian Split Squats, I vote to leave those to actual Bulgarians! I have never completed one in my life prior to today’s workout, and honestly I’m not sure if I even completed one today. I did attempt 3 sets though I had to go down to BW only. My knees just aren’t my strongest area. Only one way to improve though. The deadlifts were exhausting, and I did have to sub incline sit-ups for the last Swiss-ball exercise (no broom handle to be found). All-in-all the punishment is exciting, I feel like I did the first few days on the Lift Like a Vigilante program. By changing things up, hopefully my body will stay confused and keep growing. Guess the Marine adage holds true once more, “Adapt and Overcome.”

Looks like a strong turn out for the Spring 52 Day Challenge. Very exciting!

I’ve got to tell you my numerous doubts about the quality of the workouts in NROL have been effectively dispelled with one workout! I had to summon some serious fortitude to keep from blowing chunks in the parking lot. Gentlemen (and baseballmom since you’re the only lady that reads this to my knowledge), I shit you not. Honestly, I’ve never really focused on the rest period between sets. I had no idea it could have such an impact. There have been times when I’ve deliberately shortened rest periods, but I have NEVER put myself on the clock. Knowing that I only had 75 seconds to recover really made me have a purpose in the gym. Normally my focus is limited to the time in which I’m actually performing the rep. Today I was constantly preparing for the next set. That heightened awareness kept my adrenaline pumping (which is pretty damn good for Fat-Loss, I imagine). Also, I haven’t done sets of 15 in YEARS. That was a serious shock for my body. My comfort zone is in strong 6-8 rep sets. Hey, I was a lineman after all. Over the past couple of months I’ve been working off 4×10 routines, so moving to 3×15 today was a challenge in itself. AND I had Squats and Lunges (Lower body, the Bane of my existence!). All-in-all tons of challenges today. Now, I’m not sold on this program yet, it’s got to give me some physical changes before I’ll go that far. But it’s off to a hell of a start.

Official Starting stats:
Weight - 244.6
Waist - 42″ @ navel