Pete & Repeat

Brian cracks me up. :-) I think he cracks me up the most when I'm driving him crazy. lol. But it all balances out. Today I hit 165 lbs. for a much easier double. When I told him it felt much better than last week he said "It always does. I don't know why you worry about it. You get worried and then all of a sudden here comes a meet and 'Oh, I feel great'. We do this all the every time." lol. And he's half-laughing and half wanting me to smack me in the head while he's saying it. I just smiled at him. It still doesn't feel exactly how I want it to, but, it definitely feels better. Another one of his favorites that he pulled out today is "When you go to the meet are they gonna ask you what you benched 3 weeks ago? Are they even gonna care? You don't have to be on today. You have to be on 3 weeks from now." He's great. ;-) And he's also exactly right. (but shhh, we won't tell him. lol.)

So, here's the numbers:
Competition Bench - 145 lbs., 155 lbs., 165 lbs.(2 sets), doubles.
Dumbbell Military Press - 30 lbs., 35 lbs., 40 lbs., 45 lbs., all for 5. (Me: That's crap. I used to do 50's and this feels heavy. B: Are they gonna ask you when you go to your meet how much you military press? Has anyone ever asked you that before? lol.....Okay, I'm starting to get the point....until next meet. hahahaha)
Skullcrushers - 55 lbs., 65 lbs., 70 lbs., all for 5.

<3 Stretching <3

Great day. :-)

And The Award Goes To.....

Today was THE day! :) I got to present Brian with his Businessperson of the Year award. I was doing really well and I wasn't nervous at all about my speech. Started out great. Then about half way through, I got all choked up and almost made myself cry. lol. So, my voice was rather shaky, but, I made it and got quite a few compliments. When Brian came up to get his award we got a standing ovation :-D And he had a smile on his face, so I'm pretty sure I get an 'atta girl' on the evening. He didn't have to talk very long and he did quite well himself :-) Brian had a suit & tie on & I had makeup and jewelry on. And we took pictures of this monumental event cuz it doesn't happen very often for either of us! lol. I had so much fun. Our table was a blast. I could hang out with my gym crew every night. Love them all.

Today's Gym Numbers:

Cambered Bar Rows - 75 lbs., 10. 85 lbs., 95 lbs., (2 sets) 8.
Dumbbell Rows - 35 lbs., 12. 40 lbs., & 45 lbs., 10.
Pullovers. 35 lbs., 10. 40 & 45 lbs., 12.

<3 Stretching <3

Brian kneeled on my back absolutely perfectly today. I didn't move a bit and the exercises felt so great. It was an excellent day, all the way around. :-)

Congratulations Brian. You deserve it :-)

Part II

http://articles.elitefts.com/articles/training-articles/hard-to-train%e2%80%a6but-training-hard-part-ii/

Here's the second part of my article, published with Elite Fitness. :-) I'm working on a #3 now.

Today was rough. I hardly slept last night from spasms. 4 hours, tops. I was pretty tired. I struggled with 165 for 2. Brian says he knows how I work and next week and the week after I'll be fine. I believe him. I'm too hard on myself to be objective about stuff like that. So, one more perk of having someone at my side for every workout. When I can't trust myself, I can trust him cuz he's seen it all in me. I'll be just fine. Deloads + Spasms are not a good combination on me. I was rebounding quite well on Wednesday...I was just extra tired today.

Numbers:
Competition Bench - 150 lbs., 155 lbs., 165 lbs., 160 lbs., all for 2, plus a single at 165 lbs.
Dumbbell Bench - 40 lbs., 50 lbs., 60 lbs., 65 lbs., all for 5.
Triceps Pressdowns - 90 lbs., 10. 110 lbs., 120 lbs., 130 lbs., all for 8...I think I did 2 sets of 130 lbs., but I can't remember.

<3 Stretching <3

Rebounding.

Honestly, I think I'm still working my way back from my deload week. My body just doesn't handle that well. It's much better than it used to be. But, it still doesn't like it. Today was decent. Decent doesn't cut it for competition mode though. Time to get my focus on.

Competition Bench - 145 lbs., 160 lbs., for 3. 170 lbs., for a single, 165 lbs., for 2.
T-Bar Rows!!!!!!!!!!!! - 65 lbs., 8. 70 lbs., 6. 75 lbs., 2 sets of 5.
Y,T's - 5 lbs., 3 sets of 10.
Spider Curls - 15 lbs., 2 sets of 12.
Lateral Pulldown - 90 lbs., 10. 100 lbs., 2 sets of 8.

<3 Stretching <3

Started a volunteer position yesterday working at a Hospice Office. Waiting for my test results to come back so I can go visit patients.

4 days till I get to present Brian with his award! :-D

Speech! Speech! Speech! Speech!

So, I've been working on my speech to present Brian's award next week. I'm super excited! I had a minor issue with the timing, as I have 5 minutes to speak and my speech started out between 7 & 8 minutes. lol. But, I worked for over an hour on it last night and a little bit today and I finally got it down to 4 minutes and 53 seconds. ;-) Hey! It's under 5 minutes! Right?! I can't wait. :-)

Competition Bench - 145 lbs., 155 lbs., for 3 at an 8 (meaning, 2 left over). 160 for 2.
Close Grip - 135 lbs., 140 lbs., 145 lbs., all for 3.
Dumbbell Military - 25 lbs., 8. 30 lbs., 35 lbs., all for 5.
Skullcrushers - 45 lbs., 55 lbs.(2 sets), all for 5.

<3 Stretching <3

Not my best numbers. I'm really unsure of what was so off today. But, Brian says it'll fix itself. So, I'm standing on that and just moving forward to Wednesday :-)

Still Small Voice.

I was listening to my radio in my car today. The song '1979' by Smashing Pumpkins came on. I couldn't name you one other song by Smashing Pumpkins. And I actually don't even know 95% of the words to '1979', but, I get a comforted feeling when I hear that song. It's not a christian song or anything of the sort. But, along with my blood-related big brother, there are 3 guys that he was best friends with in school that I also call my 'big brother' and one lived with us for a short time. I remember sitting at the top of my hill on my driveway back when he was in high school talking and laughing with him while he was doing yard work one day and was letting me help. THAT song came on the radio and he started telling me stuff about the Smashing Pumpkins. We were laughing and having a good time and I felt safe and accepted at that time. And every time I hear THAT song, I think about that and it makes me feel the same way.

“A silent look of affection and regard when all other eyes are turned coldly away--the consciousness that we possess the sympathy and affection of one being when all others have deserted us--is a hold, a stay, a comfort, in the deepest affliction, which no wealth could purchase, or power bestow.” ~ Charles Dickens

I found this quote this week. It's a new favorite of mine. I love it. It makes me smile. It reminds me of God's Still Small Voice. Cuz in my opinion, God's Still Small Voice doesn't actually have to be words or something specifically spoken to us. To me, 1979 by Smashing Pumpkins is God's Still Small Voice...cuz it reminds me of a time that made me happy and safe and accepted. And, not all the time but, a lot of times it comes on when I need to feel that and remember that I am safe and accepted and should be happy about it!!!!!

Today I was balancing myself on the end of the decline bench getting in position to get stretched. Brian asked if I was okay before he took my chair away and I said No, he had to help me lay back first. He grabbed my hand and I squeezed his thumb cuz I couldn't tell where I was on the bench or what was around to grab ahold of. Very quietly he said "I'm not gonna let anything happen to you." And I exhaled and I looked up and said "I know" and laid backwards without even thinking about it. I don't know why it takes reminding and I can't just know instinctively all the time. I do know instinctively most of the time. But, we all have our days. Right? And that's when the Still Small Voice shines through.....if we listen for it and believe it when it speaks. I think that a lot of my bad days are because I want the Still Small Voice all the time! I want reminded all the time! But, that isn't faith...and it can tend to get annoying to the one that has the job of reminding all the time. I'm sure even God shakes His head at us sometimes and says "But, I've told you. Why don't you trust me?"

So here are today's numbers:

Barbell Rows - 65 lbs., 85 lbs., 95 lbs.(2 sets), all for 10.
Dumbbell Rows - 35 lbs., 4 sets of 12.
Brian moved up today to put his whole shin on my back. His knees were almost in my shoulder blades. But, it helped A LOT to keep me in position and the exercise felt very very good!
Pullovers - 35 lbs., 12. 40 lbs., 2 sets of 12.

<3 Stretching <3

My competition is back on! In 4 weeks!!!! AND next Sunday i get to present Brian's Businessperson of the Year award to him!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm so excited :-D

No Pain! (No REALLY, No Pain!)

That's not a Rocky line up there in the title today....I REALLY discovered having no pain! lol. Brian's been doing a new stretch with me. I hang over the end of the decline bench and traction my back. Brian presses a little on my back and pulls a little on my legs to try to force a little more of a stretch. Well, today he took the orange stretchbands put one around each foot, pulled them and attached them to the opposite end of the bench on opposite sides. IT HURT. And then he released me. And NOTHING hurt!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! My back didn't hurt AT ALL sitting back in my chair! Twas absolutely wonderful ;-)


Competition Bench - 125 lbs., 145 lbs., 170 lbs., 165 lbs., all for 3, except the 170 was for 2.
Dumbbell Floor Press - 40 lbs., 50 lbs., for 8. 65 lbs., for 7.
Triceps Pressdowns - 90 lbs., 110 lbs., 120 lbs.(2 sets), all for 12. :-) He really had me in a great position today. They felt wonderful.

<3 Stretching <3

Limbo

So. Now we're waiting. To hear if there's a competition. We will know definitely by next Friday (probably not before). We kinda started a cycle, but, trying not to kill me just yet. ;-)

Competition Bench - 140 lbs., 150 lbs.(2 sets), all for 5.
Double-Armed Dumbbell Rows - 35 lbs., 12. 40 lbs.(4 sets), all for 10, and for 3 of them Brian had me supinate my hands to try to pull my lats into it more.
Y,T's - 5 lbs., 2 sets of 12.
Dumbbell Curls - 3 sets of 12.

<3 Stretching <3

Back in Action

So, we're awaiting the 'official' word for the competition rescheduling. But, we must act like it is as close as it is. Today felt super crappy but that's because I hardly did a thing last week. haha. I still had fun though :) Good day.

Competition Bench - 135 lbs., 150 lbs., 145 lbs., all for 5.
Close Grip - 135 lbs., 145 lbs., 135 lbs., all for 5.
Dumbbell Military - 25 lbs., 3 sets of 12.
Skullcrushers - 45 lbs., 55 lbs.(2 sets), all for 10.

<3 Stretching <3

End "Girlie" Lifting

Brian handed me 20 lb. dumbbells for inclined flies today and it felt HEAVY!!!!!!!! That's enough of that!!!!! lol. Back to the big business next week.

We did weight releasers for bench today. Good gauge to throw in once in a while to see how tight I'm really staying. I did pretty good for most lifts. The next to the last one really sucked, but, it was cuz I wasn't tight enough. So, I know that and I corrected it. Then the inclined flies and we did some inclined triceps extensions.

I haven't mentioned this yet, but, I really can't not put it in for you all to know. I'm too excited: Brian won Businessperson of the Year for Columbiana. :-D I'm so excited!!!!!! We get to go to a banquet and stuff. It's gonna be so much fun! It's in a few weeks.

Anyway, then we stretched today also. :) Tomorrow I'm gonna do a lighter cardio and then it's back on the competition horse again.

Movin' On Up!

We played with the ropes today. And I made it all the way up to the top!!!!!!!!!! Only once....and with chalk on my hands. BUT! I made it!!!!!! :-D It was awesome. I've never done that before. Made me really happy. I'm definitely stronger!!!!!!

Then we did some 50 lb. kettlebell shrugs and some flies with 15 lbs., and 20 lbs., Then we did the back stretches that we did on Monday.

I love relaxation weeks. Refreshes me for the pressure that's just ahead. :-)

Puppet

God's funny. :-) He's teaching me this lesson that I don't have to be in control. So, what happens today? Brian puts me on the TRX, and then he puts a strap around me and while I was doing pushups, if I fell over to one side or the other and my hip popped out, he would just pull me back the opposite way with the strap. I totally wasn't in control of any of it. He was just pullin' the strings, like a puppet! lol. I just had to let it happen, and it did!!!!!!!! And I had to trust that it'd be okay. And it was. :-)

My competition was cancelled due to bad weather, so, I get another princess week ;-) We're keeping with the deload week. And then doing another 4 week cycle and hopefully the competition will be rescheduled for 5 weeks from now.

Today was TRX day. That's always a happy day. Especially when Brian figures out better ways for me to do it. And that was today. :-) Then, not only did we do real well with the TRX, we figured out some stretching for my back and some small exercises I can try to strengthen my back with. Both worked SO well. It was a really great day. I needed to just relax a little and have fun. So. That's what we did.

I Get On My Knees

There's a quote by Abe Lincoln that fits well today: "I have been driven many times to my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere else to go. My own wisdom, and that of all about me seemed insufficient for the day."

There have been many times in my life that I thought I had reached the end of my rope. There have been times that I couldn't imagine feeling any more lonely, or any more hopeless, or any more hurt, or any more scared...you get the picture.

The question about being driven to your knees is this: Did you get back up by your own power? Or did you let God meet you there and help you back up? There's a song by Carrie Underwood that says "Jesus take the wheel. Take it from my hands cuz I can't do this on my own. I'm letting go. So give me one more chance. Save me from this road I'm on. Jesus take the wheel." There have been many times in my life that I've been driven to my knees. I thought I had reached the end of my rope. I thought I couldn't feel any more lonely, any more hopeless, any more hurt, any more scared...you get the picture. But...I've always found a way...ON MY OWN...to fix or patch or continue forward. I've cried out in desperation, but, I've always either been too impatient to wait for God to take care of it or I've felt like I would let God down if I needed help and couldn't take care of it myself. I never REALLY gave it over. I've always found something in me to get back up without taking God's hand and letting Him lead me. Until recently.

I finally found something that means more to me than anything else has ever in my life. And I finally realized that I have absolutely no control over any of it. At all. No part of it whatsoever. When I actually thought about that, instead of just agreeing with someone who said it, that it scared me more than I've ever been in my life. And then...I got on my knees. And I found out what it's really like to cry out to God and to let Him take over. And then...I spoke in tongues for the first time since my relationship with God started 11 years ago. It was pretty amazing. I actually felt Him there, instead of feeling like I was talking to the walls. And for the first time, I admitted my most vulnerable feelings in my heart to myself without someone physically there to hug me or tell me that it'd be okay. It was scary and awesome all at the same time. A truly indescribable experience. I laid there for a while. And then it actually felt like someone put a hand under my arm to help me up into bed. And I knew everything would be okay...and that I didn't have to do anything to make it okay. That was a pretty freeing feeling also.

There is another song called "On My Knees" by Jaci Velasquez. The last time she sings the chorus, she adds a few extra words. It says "See I don't know how but there's power, in the blue skies, when I'm on my knees."

The conclusion of my evening was this. I will make it to the Paralympics. I will make it training in this gym with My Trainer. And I don't have to make it happen. I have to let it happen. And I'm not alone...not physically nor spiritually. :-)

Friday's lift didn't go very well cuz I hadn't slept from spasms and was really feeling icky from my ear infections. I don't have numbers and we didn't do a lot. I just know that I bombed 180. But I did 2 singles of 170. Today went very well :-) Brian had to move his knees out wider on my back because I have a bruise, but it ended up working out really well and I think I'll have him do it that way from now on when I do rows. He strapped me down VERY well on pullovers and I didn't move at all. Light weight cuz of deloading for competition. I leave on Thursday and I'll report in sometime over the weekend. I weigh in on Saturday at 8:30 and lifting starts at 10:30. Thank you all for your prayers and please continue.

Light weight!

I've decided that stress must make me lose weight. It never used to be like that. But, everyone says that our bodies change every so many years, so that must be what happened. My weight was stuck for I don't even know how many months! Since around a month after Malaysia. Now all of a sudden I'm down pretty low! Lower than I had intended to weigh in! BUT, I'm still benching GREAT! And I've gotten to eat what I wanted a couple of days ;-)

Competition Bench - 150 lbs., 165 lbs., 170 lbs., all for 2.
Dumbbell Rows - 30 lbs., 15 and then 3 sets of 12.
Y,T's - 5 lbs., 2 sets of 10.
Lateral Pulldowns - 80 lbs., 90 lbs., 100 lbs., all for 10.

<3 Stretching <3

Brian propped my feet up on Dumbbell Rows and it worked out pretty well :-) He didn't have to lean on my back today. I don't think it would work on a heavy day, but, it was good today. And then we stretched my back out before we stretched my hips. That was interesting. I laid on my belly on this pad where people do back raises and I held onto the handles with my hands where people usually put their feet underneath. Then Brian pushed my legs under me. Haha. It's always entertaining with us. I have done such a 180 since we started training together. My favorite days are now days that we experiment and try new stuff, that no one has ever tried with me before. I still get nervous and jumpy, but, Brian distracts me and makes me laugh and I don't stop talking to him anymore. It's a sigh of relief that I can trust him and I know nothing is gonna happen bad. :-) Love training.