This morning’s weight training was a real doozy. It was chest, shoulder and abs. 
)
2 x 5/4/3 Incline Smith Machine
2 x 5/4/3 Incline Dumbbell Pres
1 x 5/4/3 Pec Deck
2 x 5/4/3 Front Raise
1 x Max Drop Set Exercise Ball Ab Crunch
I don’t include my weights because I don’t believe they’re important anymore. It isn’t about chasing the weight and to see who can lift what, it’s about good technique and form. As long as you can feel the exercise working in the muscle and you’re putting in 100% that’s all you can ask of yourself. )
Three sleeps until the INBA ADF Bodybuilding & Figure Titles. Can you guess that I’m excited? LOL!! We have a competitor staying with us and another competitor to help once we get there, so although we’re not competing we’re still busy busy busy. And the piece da la’resistance is presenting trophies to the winners of our divisions of which I hope to get photos of. It’s a fun competition which I absolutely love and can’t wait to get back up there next year. 12 months and counting! ;o)
Water
0600-0700hrs: 750ml
0800-0900hrs: 750ml
0900-1200hrs: 750ml
1200-1500hrs: 750ml
1800-2100hrs: 750ml
Here’s what an average working day water consumption looks like for me. I drink one bottle in the hour that I’m home in the morning before I ride into work. Then another whilst I’m training at the gym, this is a very important time to rehydrate. Then the third is between gym and lunch. I start slowing down my intake because I’m less active in the afternoons so I only drink one between lunch and when I ride back home. And then last but not least I drink my last one at home during the course of my evening. I like to finish it early so I’m not getting up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom. )
On weekends I usually drink one to two less bottles as I’m not as physically active so therefore don’t need to rehydrate as much. That and an excessive water consumption can put unnecessary stress on my kidneys which I certainly don’t need. That’s why I’m always vigilant not to over do things. )
I know how often I took you for granted
when I was growing up.
I always assumed you’d be there
when I needed you….
and you always were.
But I never really thought about what that meant
till I got older and began to realise
how often your time and energy were devoted to me.
So now, for all the times I didn’t say it before,
thank you, Mum…. I love you so very much!
– Author Unknown
It’s 12 months out this week until I compete again so here’s what my supplement plan is going to look like once I’m finished with my elimination diet. The picture above is of my supplement container for home which stores a week’s worth of supplements and I have a smaller one at work for my lunchtime supplements. Like I always say, it’s pays to be organised in this sport. )
0600hrs
3 X Branch Chain Amino Acids (BCAA – Leucine, Isoleucine & Valine)
3 x Fish Oil
1 x Glucosamine
1 x Evening Primrose Oil
1 x Multi-vitamin
2 x Dialene 4 (fat burner and a new product I’m trying)
1 x Se7en (new product I’m trying)
1200hrs
3 X Branch Chain Amino Acids (BCAA – Leucine, Isoleucine & Valine)
3 x Fish Oil
1 x Glucosamine
1 x Evening Primrose Oil
2 x Dialene 4 (fat burner and a new product I’m trying)
1800hrs
3 X Branch Chain Amino Acids (BCAA – Leucine, Isoleucine & Valine)
3 x Fish Oil
1 x Glucosamine
1 x Evening Primrose Oil
1 X Vitamin C
1 x Se7en (new product I’m trying)
Squats have always been an exercise I enjoyed but I was never 100% satisfied with them. The reason being was I couldn’t achieve the depth that I wanted until recently that is. Since I started being trained and training with my husband he’s changed everything in that respect. It was back to the drawing board for me and start from scratch. )
I was able to squat quite reasonable weight but I failed to get the desired depth to maximise my squat benefits. So what he did was take all the weight away so I just started with the 20kg Bar. # 1 focus was my technique and form, first the shoes had to come of so I had flat feet on the ground for better stabilisation. Then secondly was concentrating on form to ensure I was doing is right for my physique to prevent an injury. And last but certainly not least, was working on building my confidence in that I wasn’t going to hurt myself or even get squashed. LOL!! )
Slowly but surely my husband has worked tediously with me and my new found love and confidence for this exercise is incredible to say the least. Each week I increased the weight little by little and now I’m finding those increases easily achieved and then some. Taking a step backwards so that I could move forward in leaps and bounds has been one of the best things for me. My confidence and love for this exercise is second to none now. I can’t wait for leg day next week. Bring it! )
It also reminded me of another mind over matter instance that happened last year. I’d loaded up the hack squat, jumped on and started pumping out the reps but found it difficult on this particular morning but carried on none the less. I just put it down to “comp prep” and feeling the effects more so that day. Once I’d finished I’d started unstacking the weights when out of the corner of my eye I noticed there was more weight on the rear of the machine that someone had obviously left on the day before. Little did I realise that I had an additional 20kgs stacked on top of my weight. So what this proved to me that it’s all mind of matter and you don’t have to be physically strong to achieve you just have to be psychologically strong or at least believe in yourself. )
Believing in yourself and your capabilities and you too can ACHIEVE ANYTHING!
