SURPRISE!!!!!!!!!

I don't really know what I did today or what the exercises were called that I was doing, but I have a good blog topic, so that's what I'm going to blog about. I was kind of in a hurry today, I had to get back for some calling hours, so I forgot to look at my board to remember what I had done.

So, has anyone ever told you to close your eyes and you had to trust and follow while they led you to a surprise they had for you? And the whole time, you're thinking "I really don't like this, why don't they just tell me what's going on." And the whole time you're thinking that, or maybe even saying it out loud, while you're stepping very carefully and being very apprehensive about the whole thing, they are saying "You're going to like it, just trust me. It's going to be worth it. You'll love it." But the whole time, you're grabbing at their hand as you stumble along the way. Maybe it isn't that you've ever been led anywhere, but maybe you've been made to closer your eyes or turn around while someone brought something to you. And when you get to the other side of the moment, you become absolutely elated at the event following all of the anticipation....right? (Well, most of the time anyway).

That's what I feel like I've gone through, with Adam, and with the Lord, for the last several months. And I'm finally brinking on the 'other side of the moment' where I get to become elated.

I have continually cried out in prayer as I have started my journey, because without help beyond what I could give myself, I knew it wasn't going to happen, physically OR financially. That's that hand reaching out as I stumble along my way. Well, I received two more checks in the mail from letters that I sent out in January. I came to my room and cried in a state of utter humility. With those, I have now exceeded the total goal that I wanted to receive in donations. So, no matter my lifting schedule, even if it increases, Adam is paid for through my qualifying competition in September. And I also have been able to start saving for costs for the competition in September, with May and June's competitions fully paid for. And, even though I still have to go to the competition to qualify, it actually calmed my nerves because I thought "The Lord is not going to provide such an open path, if I'm not going to make the cut."

And as I sat in my room and cried out of sheer gratitude, I heard the Lord say "I told you that you'd love it. You just needed to keep going."

So, today, Adam takes me over to a new seat back in the weight room that I've never been on before and he asks me if I can transfer up as high as it was. Obviously this loses a little effect since none of you are there to actually see the maneuvering I had to do. As I ***reached for Adam's hand***, and he stood and led me through it, I got up and into the right position on the seat, letting out a deep sigh of relief that it happened without incident (even though everything does). As I got done with my first set, I said to Adam "I really like this one" and Adam said "Yeah, I knew you would, we just had to get you up there." lol....anyone picking up on the pattern? Hilarious isn't it?

Now granted, this isn't the case with every exercise I do, BUT, that's still the part where I have to 'keep going' because, I may not be comfortable with how he's leading me through everything, but I sure like the outcome of being ahead 130 lbs from where I started less than a year ago!!!

So, anyway, that was today, at least part of it. It was a pretty big 'trust me' day from Adam to me, even though he doesn't have to say it anymore. But I did, and I did well.

Mi Familia

My sister came to watch me today, so I thought I'd put a title she'd appreciate. She's fluent in Spanish. :-) My dad and brother-in-law came also. It was cool.

Bench Press - 175 lbs, 3, 3, 2, 2 + burnout set of 21 at 85 lbs.
Pec-Dec - I don't remember my weight, prolly 105 or 115 lbs, not even sure of my reps, maybe 6, 6, 4 or something like that
Supersets of Close-Grip & Single-Arm Skull Crushers - EZ Bar + 50 lbs for CG & 15 lb Dumbbell for Skulls, 14, 12, 10 + Adam helped 5 for CG & 3 sets of 20 for Skulls

Machine Flies - 60 lbs, 3 sets of 15
Tricep Kickbacks - I started at 40 lbs on my right arm & got 15 holding a tempo of 1, but my left tricep hurt very bad for these, so I went down to 35 on my left arm. Then I went down to 30 for the next two sets and held a tempo of 2 instead of 1 since my weight was so much lower. And I skipped my 4th set. I'm gonna go see Jack tomorrow again for it.
Wrist Curls w/ EZ Bar - 80, 55
3 sets of 30 Side Bend Abs

Decent day, not the greatest, but nothing to get me down.

I received another anonymous donation from church. Very thankful for that. :-)

3 weeks!

My countdown is for the actual date of competition. But I have a week less than that to work out...getting VERY close.

Incline - 125 lbs, 3 sets of 10, + a burnout set of 20 w/ 95 lbs. I actually only got about 15, he helped me with the last 5 (at least).
Incline Cable Flies - 40 lbs, 3 sets of 15
Incline Cable Table Bicep Curls (that's when I hold my arms straight out at the side and only flex my bicep, so from elbow to elbow it looks straight like a table) - 30 lbs, 20, 25, & 40 lbs, 20
Incline Push Press (like the Pec-dec only on cables) - 40 lbs, 3 sets of 20

Machine Bench - 220 lbs, 15, 11, 10
Cable Bicep Curls - 40 lbs, 3 sets of 15
Wrist Curls w/ EZ Bar - 90, 70
Decline Abs - 35, 30

Hanging with Pickle & fam all weekend, then they're gonna come watch me lift on Monday!!!!!!! YAY!!!

Pickle Motivation!!

Hey Everyone

Gonna be short and sweet today. BECAUSE!!!!!!!!! I get to go get my sister from the airport!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I haven't seen her for A YEAR AND A HALF!! I call her Pickle, hence the name of today's blog. I am SO excited. I just kept everything moving right along today so I could get home and get ready to go get her & her fam.

Barbell Military - 95 lbs., 4 sets of 6
Single Arm Incline Backwards Row - 30 lb DB, 12 & 2 sets of 15
Incline Lateral Raise - 10 lb DB's, 3 sets of 15
Incline Backwards Fly - 15 lb DB's, 2 sets of 15

Machine Military Press - 130 lbs, 4 sets of 15
Iron Cross w/ Band - 4 sets of 25
Rope Wrist Curls - 2 sets of 2
Alternating Supermans - 2 sets of 20
Plate Twist Abs - 2 sets of 20

Major God-thing

You know that God wants you to do what you're doing when you turn into a phenomenon. Adam took me up 10 lbs today on my bench. I'm 130 lbs. more than what I started at 10 months ago. He said, handicapped or not, to come as far as I've come in a year is insane. He said people just don't do it...especially when they can't use their legs to help them. He told me to ask Mary where she went in her first year. I'll have to do that, but I know she said it took her two or three years to get to 200 lbs. So, after my pep-talk, I'm feeling pretty stinkin' good. And Adam gave me a bandana today from one of his brands that he gets samples from for doing his triathlons. So, now, I can take it to my competition and I won't be alone. :-)

Bench - 175 lbs, 3, 3, 2, 2, & a burnout set of 95 lbs, 18 reps. I did this last week also, but forgot to blog it. It's my new 'drill', in place of negatives.
Pec-Dec - I'm not positive about my weight but I'm saying around 115 lbs. 8, 6, 6
Straight Arm Overhead Pulls & Skull Crushers were supersetted - 15 lbs. on each side of the EZ bar. I did 3 sets, all my reps were between 12 & 15 on both of them.

Machine Flies - 60 lbs, holding tempo of 2...reps 15, 10, 10, 7
Cable Tricep Kickbacks - 30 lbs, holding tempo of 1...reps 17, 12, 12, 10
Wrist Curls w/ EZ Bar - 60 & 40
3 sets of 30 Side Bend Abs.

Really great day. I needed it.

4 weeks

Today felt like a breeze. lol. My dumbbell days are usually fantastic...even though I don't like them. I think it's because I expect them to be bad, so I'm always doing better than I thought I would. I went in and did my half first because my cousins were leaving today at noon and I wanted to get home to see them. So Adam turned it into a burnout day, since I already used energy before he came back to work with me. I don't remember all my numbers with Adam.

Machine Bench - 200 lbs, 25, 20, 20
Cable Bicep Curls - 30 lbs, 30, 25, 25
Single-Handed Rope Wrist Curls - 4, 2 (each hand)
Decline Abs - 30, 23

Smith Machine Incline Bench - 95 lbs, 25 reps, 105 lbs, 25 & 15 reps
Dumbbell Bench - 35 lbs, I'm not sure what my reps were. 3 sets though. I got at least 15 reps.
Incline Dumbbell Bench was 25 lbs & Incline Dumbbell Bicep Curls were 15 lbs. 3 sets of each. Bicep curls were 15 reps I think. I don't know what reps were for Incline.

Exhausted

Military Dumbbell Press - 45 lbs, no idea what my reps were
That new backwards pulldown thing that I did last week - 55 lbs 15, 11, then 45 lbs, 15, 15
Decline Single Arm Rows - no idea what weight - 15, 9, 15
Pull-Ups - 12

Machine Military - 120 lbs - 4 sets of 20
Iron Cross w/ Band - 15, 16, 15, 15
Reverse Wrist Cursl w/ EZ bar - 50, 40
2 sets of 30 Supermans
2 sets of 25 Plate Twist Crunches

I'm very ready to be done with this week and start over.

...

There isn't really an appropriate title for yesterday. I did well, but not much improvement. Sorry I'm a little late. As most of you know, I lost my grandma on Sunday afternoon. So, yes, I went to train yesterday, but I was pretty busy following training, so I'm just getting the time to blog this morning.

Bench - 165 lbs, 4, 3, 3, 2
Pec-Dec - 140 lbs, 5, 7, 6
Skull-Crushers supersetted with Close-Grip Bench - EZ Bar + 50 lbs - I think it was 12 Skull Crushers & 15 Close-Grip Bench that he was shooting for. I did three sets but I'm not sure if I got all my reps

Smith Flies - 70 lbs - holding tempo for two seconds - 12, 8, 8, 5
Cable Tricep Kickbacks - 30 lbs - holding tempo for one second - 4 sets of 20
Wrist Curls w/ EZ Bar - 85, 60
3 sets of 30 Side Bends for Abs

Prayers please. I'm sad.

Another Day

Incline - 115 lbs, 4 sets of 10
Dumbbell Bench - 45 lbs, 3 sets of 15
Lying Dumbbell Bicep Curls - 15 lbs, 3 sets of 10
Bicep Flies with Band, 2 sets of 30

Single Arm Cable Bicep Curls - 35 lbs, 3 sets of 20
Machine Bench - 200 lbs, 20, 15, 12, 10
Reverse Wrist Curls - 60 & 45
2 sets of 25 Decline Abs.

I, once again, was supposed to do more decline abs, but it just wasn't in me. I'm not sure what the deal is with that. That's my favorite ab exercise!! But, I've been really struggling with them the last couple of weeks. I'll get back up, soon.

4 weeks until my last day of training...5 weeks until competition. :-)

Day of Supersets

Today was a lot of supersets and 'burnouts'...going until I stop on a lighter weight.

Smith Military Press - 115 lbs, 5 reps, supersetted with 65 lbs., 20 reps (i think). I don't think I got all the reps with the 65 lbs on all the sets. And I didn't get all 5 reps on my last set of 115 lbs. We did 4 sets.

Close Grip Pulldown - 100 lbs, 12 reps, supersetted with 50 lbs, 20 reps. 3 sets. I got all those.

Cable Straight-Arm Pulldown - 40 lbs, 15 reps, supersetted with Lateral Raises, 15 lb DB's, 10 reps. We did 3 sets.

Machine Vertical Military - 120 lbs, 4 sets of 20
Iron Cross w/ the Band, 4 sets of 20
3 sets of 30 Supermans
2 sets of EZ Bar Wrist Curls, 80 & 70

Adam said that I got 4 on my first set on Monday when I was benching. I thought for sure it was three...but I'll he was very adament. So, that means I went up five lbs and did the same reps as last week. That's REALLY good. Everything is paid for me to go to my first two meets, except for me eating when I get there, which I will be able to take care of. But, arrangements are made and fees are paid and such, so it's actually "official". I'm competing in May, and a month later, in June.

DONE with Negatives!!!!

Adam said today that it was my LAST WEEK of doing negatives!!!!!!!!! YAY!!!!!!!!!!!! NOT a fan of negatives. I know they help, but I'm still not a fan.

I had a blast at Mary's this weekend. The men's gymnastics final was SO amazing. I got notification today that I got approved for my grant from the Challenged Athlete's Foundation!!!!!! So that will help with competition expenses.

Okay, Here was today's routine:

Bench, 165 lbs, 3, 3, 3, 2
Incline Smith, 135 lbs, 6, 6, 4
Cable Straight Arm Overhead Pulls, 45 lbs, 1 set of 15, 55 lbs, 1 set of 15, and 60 lbs, 1 set of 16.
Cable Skull Crushers, 80 lbs, 2 sets of 15

Machine Flies, 60 lbs, 15, 12, 10, 7, but I held for two seconds in front of me before I did another one.
Cable Tricep Kickbacks, 30 lbs, 20, 15, 13, 15
Single-hand Rope Wrist Curls, 2 sets of 2 with each hand....these were HARD.
3 sets of 30 Side Bends for Abs.

REALLY good day. School is going well also. Hope everyone is doing well!!!!

Greetings, from Ann Arbor

Hello everyone

I'm a little late blogging today. I was late coming home from the gym because I had to get my car checked at the dealership and I wanted to leave earlier, rather than later, for Mary's, so I didn't get my blog time in.

Had a really great day.

Dumbbell Bench, 55 lbs, 4 sets of 12
Dumbbell Flies, 35 lbs, 3 sets of 12
Dumbbell Incline, 45 lbs, 2 sets of 12 and 2 sets of 10
Dumbbell Incline Bicep Curls, 15 lbs, 1 set of 15 and 2 sets of 20

Cable Bicep Curls, 30 lbs, 3 sets of 20
Machine Bench, 200 lbs, 2 sets of 20 and 2 sets of 10
Rope Wrist Curls, 2 sets of 5
Decline Abs, 20 & 15

i was supposed to do a lot more abs. But I was thoroughly exhausted. Thanks for all your prayers for my blood draw. It went well...she got it on the first try.

Not so "Godzilla"-like day

I wasn't very pleased with my performance of today's workout. But it's been a long week, mentally, and I'm very ready for it to be over. Tomorrow I go get my blood drawn, for a physical, so, those of you that are early-risers can be praying for me around 7:40...this event usually doesn't go over very well with me.

Military - 45 lb. Dumbbells, 9, 8, 8, 9
Machine Single Arm Pulldown - 55 lbs, 13, 11, 10, 10
Decline Rows (both arms) - not sure about the weight, I think I ended up at 80 lbs., but he increased every set, 4 sets of 15
Int./Ext. Rotation w/ Band - 2 sets of 20

Machine Military - 110 lbs, 20, 20, 20, 12
Iron Cross w/ Band - 20, 20, 20, 17
Rope Wrist Curls - 6, 5
3 sets of 20 Supermans