Down to the Valley...

One of my really good friends at my church once gave a sermon about how we weren't made to live on the mountain tops, we were made to live in the valleys. Apparently I had been on the mountain top long enough, and the Lord decided it was some valley time.

I'm not up for much chatting tonight about my day at the gym, so I'm just going to tell you about my routine for today. It will look just fine, and like I don't have reason to be in the valley...but I still have a very long journey to travel mentally. I'll get there though...I'm not giving up or feeling defeated...I just didn't expect it today.

With Adam: Bench, 135 lbs, 8, 7, 6, 6. Dumbbell Incline Press, 35 lbs, 3 sets 12 (it was cake, he has to increase my weight next time). Skull Crushers and Close Grip Bench, EZ Bar + 50 lbs, 2 sets, SC were 12 & 10, CGB were 11 & 14.

Without Adam: Smith Flies, 70 lbs, 12, 12, 10, 8. Single Arm Overhead Tricep Extension, 15 lbs. 4 sets of 20 on each arm (this was actually more difficult than I thought it would be at that weight). I did Wrist Curls a bit differently again today, still with the EZ Bar, but my hands were palms down. I got 40. And two sets of 30 Plate Twist Crunches.

Today was also my first day of my swimming routine. It was tough and made me very tired...but it gave me more to work on and improve and push through. I did 5 laps of breast stroke and 5 laps of back stroke, rather slowly, for my warm-up. Then I did 5 minutes of a "drill" I picked to do treading with my arms straight out to the side and moving them back and forth just under the water. The core of the routine is called the "build". I did 20 laps of breast stroke. Then 4 laps of "pulls", which is keeping your arm straight and your hand together as it "pulls" the water back. Then my cool-down is the same as my warm-up. It took me about 45 minutes. That will be one short day a week...the other short day, I will do back stroke during my "build", and pick a different "drill". On my long day, everything will double, except the "pulls", and I'll do 20 laps of back stroke and 20 laps of breast stroke for my "build".

OH! I almost forgot! One more sponsor today!!!! I need $670.00. Thank you Jesus.

I ALSO forgot that I did a great set of "2 inches" today. I did it with 125 lbs!! I started with 95 lbs, at the beginning of this training phase. So, that was really awesome.