And Now Back to Our Regularly Scheduled Program

After whatever I've been doing the last few months, I got back in the gym for a real, honest-to-goodness lifting session.

Warmed up: 10 mins bike, assisted dips, a few light deadlifts.

Deadlifts - 55 x 5 with Dips x 3
Deadlifts - 75 x 5 with Dips x 2 x 1 eccentric only
Deadlifts - 75 x 5 with Dips x 2 x 1 eccentric only

Push Press - 35 x 6 with Pullups x 3
Push Press - 55 x 5
Push Press - 55 x 5 with Pullups x 2

A set of high pulls to catches with 35#

I felt like I just ran a mile - lungs burning, heart pumping, breathing hard, and buzzing loudly. Nice.

Yes

Through the years, I have combined meditation, action, and the Iron into a single strength. I believe that when the body is strong, the mind thinks strong thoughts. Time spent away from the Iron makes my mind degenerate. I wallow in a thick depression. My body shuts down my mind.

H. Rollins

More Ponderance

I've read a few blogs recently that seem to be written in direct reaction to my posts on frustration and getting past low motivation or whatever it is that ails us/me. (Not that they were, just seem like it -- Natural Messiah and TTP are two of them.) The posts have been making a lot of sense for many reasons.

I've been trying the HIT protocol. Perhaps the science is there, perhaps it could work, but I am not "feeling" it. I don't think it's for me. And this is the second time I've tried it. I like that super slow could factor into my workouts, but it can't "be" my workouts.

Why? Well, I'm not sure I'm seeing results. But that is only secondary. First and foremost - I want to do other stuff! I'd like to embark on a less structured experiment. Right now I've been thinking of deadlifts and squats. I really want to do those. And bike sprints. Really. I actually WANT to go to the gym and hit the iron, hard. Deadlifts and dips. Overhead squats. Maybe some bench press. The big three are calling me! Pull ups. Handstands. Work on the TRX because its FUN to me.

So that's what I'm going to do. Whatever I'm "feeling" for the next couple of weeks. And in this process I'm going to try to really understand my feedback cues, for exercise and nutrition. Overworking? Tired? Ready to go? I've been fasting about 16 hours every day. It feels good to me so I'm going to keep doing it!

No plan. No sets, reps, planned exercises. Just HARD WORK.

(Except maybe a plan for yoga on Thursday with my only exercise buddy - I sometimes wish I had another with whom to hit the weights!)

Weekend activities

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving ... or just a wonderful weekend. I took a walk Thanksgiving morning (Thursday) and took some pictures along the way. I was up early and there was still fog around. Fasted about 17 hours. That day I stuck to my paleo plan except I did have a little taste of each pie - apple and pecan. Just tiny slivers, a holiday treat.

Friday I ran errands with my husband (picking out appliances!) and fasted for about 15 or so hours. Saturday we had our last tailgate of the season. Fasted about 17 hours and did FlowFit in the morning.

Today, Sunday, I did my HIT. I walked to and from the gym (about a 20 minute walk each way) to enjoy the great weather. I was down on the TUL for just about all exercises -- I'm wondering if that has something to do with the mid-week activity, sleep, or something else. No fasting today.

Mid-Week Workout

Random pictures for your pleasure.

Gym. After work. Ate small meal about 2 hours prior.
Treadmill sprints (one hill) - 20 minutes of treadmill time.

Abs with TRX (pull throughs and knees to chest, suspended legs)
DB pullover, 20#, 1 set
DB Bi Curls, 15#, 1 set
Hip bridges, 5x5x5 (both legs, one leg), 1 set

I'm amazed at how fast I can run these days. I'd like to do a sprint session outside this week. Too much sprinting?

Legs were a bit sore from Sunday HIT session. Arms/back were feeling it after last night.

(Sidenote: did two sets of pull up in the AM while getting ready)