Good last few days at they gym.....

After the move we joined the local YMCA.  Trying to get back into our old routine is a little hard since like some people it's very easy to fall into old habits.  Lifts are down quite a bit from a year or two back but overall considering my back issues I'm ok with it.  Ann and I had a great lower back workout on Sunday and Ann was back to doing deadlifts!  Unfortunately for myself, my deadlift and squat days are all but over.  Yesterday was chest day!  We usually go for dumbbells and not a standard bench.  I really like decline DB presses!  Felt good and could have gone up on DB presses but I'm trying to take things slow, remember...Rome wasn't built in a day!

New Personal Record on leg press!

What started out as a slow workout ended awesome with me hitting the 700 pound mark on leg press for 6 reps!  So stoked!

Ann

Rehabing my Herniated Disc

Well, I'm about 6 weeks into my herniated disc problem.  The disc is pressing on the nerve root coming out of my spine at L5/S1 that goes to the left side.  My back hip area was hurting pretty good and after 2 rounds of predizone I honestly didn't see much difference.  I have been doing cobra stretches which haven't helped much but I'm told they work to compress the disc back into the spine over time.  Instead of prednizone which caused me some sleepless nights and irratibility I opted for a heavy round of Advil which seemed to work as well, if not a little better than the predizone.  This past Tuesday I went in for an epidural shot of cortizone in my back.  I will tell everyone right here and now that when it comes to needles I am a wuss!  I was a little scared to do this but the doctors gave some IV to sedate me a little and before I knew it I was done!  Over the past couple days my back has felt a little achy like when you do too much yard work but the nerve issue into my butt and leg is almost gone.  I still get a numb feeling in my toe which I'm told is not a good thing.  They want the numbness and pain to be moving up towards my back and out of my leg.  Stay tuned.......

Chris

First "Brick" of the year!

Decided to try my first "Brick workout of the year.  Started off on the treadmill and ran 2 miles at around 7 MPH or so and came out to 16:20 for a time.  Then jumped on the bike and kept in the 90 RPM range for 10 miles.  Of course I didn't want to end it there so I jumped back on the treadmill and ran another mile.  So in effect I guess I did a super sprint Duathlon!  LOL!

Chris

Triathlon Endurance Training

My endurance for whatever reason is down from a few months ago so I've been trying to add more metabolic training to not only burn some fat but to build up endurance.  Yesterday I had a simple but effective workout:

10 minute cardio warm-up on the elliptical machine

5 sets of the following:

2 minutes boxing

1 min wall sit

30 seconds plank

30 seconds decline situps with medicine ball

On about set 4, I started to crash/bonk.  I took a short break then decided to push through.  Good and short workut that burns a lot of fat and helps with endurance.   

Ann

Chest Workout Day!

Had a great chest workout today! Since Chris's rotator cuff surgery, I can't do normal free bar bench presses, so I have to do them on the Smith Machine.  On my 4th set I was able to hit 120 pounds!  

Ann 

Swim Training

Had an opportunity to get to the pool to start training on my swim.  It's only been the second time I've been in a pool since September 1st so I felt the workout went pretty well considering.  I'm trying to get better form and become more streamline so if I have to do an event without a wetsuit I don't freak out.  After the holidays I will be hiring a swim coach to try and help me even more.  My goal is to get in the pool at least every other week if not every week.  The pool is about 30 min away which makes it difficult sometimes to get to.As you can see, my feet tend to go wide when I rotate and my arms are too wide through the stroke.

Ann

Chest Day!

Had a GREAT weight day today, hitting my Chest/Pecs hard!  Got up to 45LB plates (90Lbs total) on the Smith Machine Bench Press, 120Lbs on the Pec Deck, 35Lbs on Dumbbell Incline Press, and 50Lbs on the Cable Fly (Pic below).  

Ann

Great Leg day!

Getting back into the lifting and yesterday felt great!  I did multiple exercises including close in leg presses, Sumo Leg presses, Lunges, calf press.  Here was my last set of Sumo Leg presses and after multiple sets I worked up to 540 pounds with just the plates, that's 12 total plates!  I was able to do 8 reps!  

Ann

Lunges!

If you want to build a "balanced" leg that will help in all areas

 of your fitness then lunges are a great workout!

Bodyfat and weight coming back into line....

After my "bulk phase" in the winter I added a fair amount of muscle mass.  Along with it I also added a little bodyfat which is very common.  At the height of my bulk I was up to about 13+% bodyfat and a weight of about 165Lbs.  Since I've started a "cut phase" about 6 weeks ago I have now dropped my body fat down to about 9.5% and weight to about 160.  My race weight during the summer last year was around 145 to 150Lbs. at about 9% bodyfat so the additional 10+ pounds this season are mostly in the form of muscle this time around.  I would like to drop maybe another 5 or so pounds just to make running and swimming a little easier but I really don't want to drop all the weight because that will mean I've lost muscle.

Diet is similar to what I was eating during my bulk phase but with less calories and around 2100 per day.  I used to eat an additional meal in the early afternoon consisting of a vegetable, wild rice and some type of lean meat and have replaced that with 1/2 cup of oatmeal.  I've also try to avoid a lot of carbs in the evening because if you have a surplus of carbs at night it tends to turn into fat storage (at least on me).

Goals will be to lose another 1 to 2% bodyfat and drop another 5 or so pounds in the next few weeks.

Chris

A new "Personal Record" on the Leg Press Today!

Had a good workout and on my 4th set of close leg presses was able to do a new personal best of 600 punds (just plates)!

Had a fun time at WJFW (Channel 12) last evening!

We had a fun time helping out the YMCA during the "Y-watch segment during the 5 O'cock news!  When we get the video we'll post it up!

Chris

Working out while traveling

Many people make excuses saying it's too hard to exercise when they travel.  We're hear to tell you that it can be done.  Remember...no excuses!

New Personal Record!

Was extremely excited yesterday!  Felt great in the gym and was having a pretty good lifting day.  Did some warm up sets on the close leg sled machine and then started to hit it heavy.  My last set Chris added 10 more pounds to my previous record of 550Lbs.  I not only did it but I did 9 rep!  I couldn't believe I was able to do that heavy with that many reps.  Chris joked that he should have added even more.  Anyways, I was thrilled and it made my day!

Ann

Our first public appearance!

Ann's Leg Annihilation Day !

I had a great leg day!  I was able to PB on my close leg press, leg extension and calves!

Deadlifts!

Had some fun at the gym yesterday! Lifts were up, my back was feeling pretty good for once
so I decided to see what I could do with some deadlifts. This was my 5th set and I never 
was able to go this heavy before due to a "tender" back. Felt "accomplished"!

Workout 1-19-12

Great Workout! Legs today for me! PB'd on squats with 245lbs @ 6 reps on my 4th set and PB'd on close leg press with 500lbs @ 6 reps! Ann meanwhile blasted 45lb DB Incline Presses, PB'd on the Pec Deck with 140Lbs at 8 reps and Pb'd with Decline Bench on the Smith Machine with 90lbs at 8 reps! Way to Go Babe!

Close grip Lat Pulldowns

Had a very good workout and was able to go up in weight.  I still need to get my lats a lot larger if I have any chance of doing well in a competition.....