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04-03-2008, 12:34 PM
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Week 3 - Day 2
The shins are just a tiny bit sore...but I expected that as I came down hard on my feet a couple times and had to correct my stride.
So today's training: Week 3 - Day 2 V-handle lat pull downs 3 sets-12/10/8r - 50/60/70# V-handle seated cable rows 3 sets-12/10/8r - 50/60/70# Triceps rope face-pulls 3 sets-12/8/8/r - 40/50/50# Standing alt. DB press 3 sets-8/10/12r - 15/10/8# Alt. Hammer curls 3 sets-8/10/12r - 15/10/8# Alt. Cross body curls 3 sets-8/10/12r - 15/10/8# Seated DB/OH Tri-press 3 sets-8/10/12r - 23/21/19# Triceps rope press 3 sets-12/8/10r - 30/35/30#
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...I am the wanderer's wandering daughter... 
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04-04-2008, 09:02 AM
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Thursday night's ma class:
Dayum! Eric worked our backsides hard with strike and kick work. I've been keeping my gel-gloves in my bag...good thing or my knuckles would have been raw last night after class. I realized this morning that I worked my kicks so hard last night that I bruised my shins a tiny bit as well.
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...I am the wanderer's wandering daughter...
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04-06-2008, 09:38 AM
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Picked up Arnica for the shins...they are feeling better.
Spent the better part of yesterday in Chicopee, Amity had her first Kung Fu competition. I'm so proud of the little rascal! She took first place in her division. 9-10 year old, novice forms. One of our studio's other students took third in forms and weapons for his division. Am's grandparents joined us and we all went out to lunch...so I didn't get a chance to see how he did in his sparring division. The sparring is something I really hated to miss out on. I was totally amazed at how relaxed and positive the competition was! After so many years of cut-throat parents and coaches in Rissa's dance competitions and the same problems with parents and trainers/instructors in the hunter/jumper shows, as well as many of Joshua's track and cross country meets...I was totally blown away at how positive and low-key everyone was. I don't think I heard one nasty, snarky or negative comment from anyone at the competition. It was a very good experience for Am and I was very impressed with how well the competition was run and how supportive everyone was of the students competing.  Of course all the way home all Am could think about was starting her weapons training!
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...I am the wanderer's wandering daughter...
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04-06-2008, 10:56 AM
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Quote:
 Congrats to Amity!
__________________
Papasmurf: "there are no miracle supplements, fix your diet" http://www.bodybuildingforyou.com/forums/showthread.php?t=39994
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04-07-2008, 08:02 AM
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Thanks N-sarge...boy did she ever get the itch! Not a problem though as her mom and I were hoping things would go as well as they did for her.
Sunday cardio: 30 minutes - elliptical Heavy bag work: 15 minutes - kicks/strikes Weighted strike/block work: 5 minutes - 5# Monday... Week 4 - Day 1 "Machine" leg/lower body day *Since I have an amazing assortment of equipment at my new gym I have decided to incorporate a mostly 'machine' leg day. So I'll be alternating between a 'dead day', 'squat day' and 'machine day' for legs. Hack Squats 3 sets/8r - 50/70/70# 45 Degree leg press 3 sets/8r - 90/180/230# Romanian deads *From low pins in the cage 3 sets/8r - 90/110/120# Glute kickback machine (That's what I call it...it has a different name.) 3 sets/8r - 90/100/110# Hip abduction 2 sets/8r - 80/95# Hip adduction 2 sets/8r - 50/55# Hypers 3 sets/8r - 10# Machine back extensions 3 sets/8r pin@5/with 5# collar/@6 Seated calf raises 3 sets/15/10/8r - 50/70/90# Machine standing calf raises 3 sets/8r - pin@5 Decline twisting/oblique crunches 2 sets/15r bodyweight Monday night MA class: One-on-one with Eric. Finished dragon form. Had a biatch of a time with the last three kicks though...it's a series, toe kick, groin kick with the heel, spinning crescent kick which lands in 'lady horse' stance with a block and backfist. I kept coming around too powerfully on the spinning crescent and losing my balance going down into lady horse. It was driving me freaking nuts! I often have a tough time with my crescents and reverse-crescents because I spin too powerfully. This past weekend when I was doing my heavy bag work I discovered that I do much better with them when I have a bag to connect with verses just sailing them out into the air. They are the only two kicks I have a hard time 'powering down' with. Especially if I come in with my right side. On a different note...I asked Eric how "B" did in sparring on Saturday. The little guy took second in his division. He successfully sparred against a student nearly 6 inches taller than he. I was glad to hear he did so well.
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...I am the wanderer's wandering daughter... Last edited by Hawkwind; 04-08-2008 at 10:19 AM.
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04-08-2008, 03:36 PM
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Tuesday April 8th, '08 - "Power Hike" at Conant Brook Dam
Since I have my ma class tonight and wanted to 'save' my legs just a little bit, yet didn't want to miss out on the chance to do some trail conditioning on such a beautiful day I decided on what I have decided to dub a "Power Hike". Basically...a hike in which I travel fast and light to bring my legs and lungs in for my upcoming backpacking season. So, right after lunch I changed into my 'trail clothes', mixed up some gatorade for my trail bottle and jumped in the Blazer to head to Conant Brook. No running this time, so I dressed in one layer, long sleeves to keep the sun exposure down since it was mid-day and there is not much of a tree canopy at this time of year. I headed out on the same downhill trail I chose last time, only this time I headed off on a side trail. My goal today was to take as many 'up and down' and variable surface trails as possible while keeping up a fast clip. There was a nice breeze to keep the air moving and I picked up the scent of a fox along the way, not heavy, but enough to know it had been in the area. I trekked up and over the side of the hill and down to where a bunch of trails intersect. Choosing to head up to an old pond that we locals have called "Squires Pond" for years, I have no idea if it is even identified on any recent maps...but I have fond memories of that pond. In the winter Tracy and I used to take the snowmobiles and a couple friends out to the pond and ice skate. In the nicer weather we would ride our horses out to the pond and while I relaxed in the shade of the hemlocks Tracy would cast a line in from her portable fishing pole. (The first time she ever produced that little travel pole I about died laughing!) Now there was something about that remote little pond that always 'bugged' me when I was a teen. I never noticed an inlet or outlet, just steep banks almost all the way around. It was definitely in a glacial carved 'bowl', but it wasn't a vernal pool, there were bass and bullhead in the pond...and Tracy and I figured that years back someone had stocked the pond with catches from the Conant Brook. (She always released what she caught.) Now, as I've gotten older and become a bit of a history buff I 'know' about 'ice ponds'. Ponds that were used by local folk back in the day to carve blocks of ice during the winter to be stored to use as refrigeration. Today as I looked out over Squires Pond I noticed that there was indeed still a few patches of ice...and that reminded me of my curiosity about a seeming lack of an inlet or outlet on that pond. I stood there for a few moments scanning the pond and the steep banks of the pond. Curiosity won out. I decided that it was time to make my way around that pond and get my answer. So I headed for the steeper side of the pond first, located a game trail and started to wend my way through and under heavy mountain laurel. I had to stay 'scrunched' down a good part of the way and quite often there wasn't much between myself and good dunking should I lose my footing. As I made my way around the pond I spotted a pair of mallards, and a short while later a pair of wood ducks. I made my way about half way around and spotted on old beaver lodge, and continued on to unexpectedly come upon a 'lean-to' of sorts made out of beaver shorn logs, pine boughs and a green tarp. The lean-to was placed in such a way that regardless of the time of year it was pretty much impossible to view from across the pond unless you knew exactly where it was located. I checked around for a trail in...and there was none. Only the many and varied game trails. I paused for a few moments to contemplate the crumbling structure and remembered how back in the day a group of us from the 'hill' built similar 'camps' out in the forest when we were teens. It had probably been built by one or a couple of the local teens a summer or so ago. There was no sign at all of a fire pit, and for that I was grateful. It was a well thought out 'cold camp', placed in a great spot, with a spectacular view out over the pond. Nice to know that even know there are those that are wise enough to understand the concept of 'no-low' impact 'stealth' camping. Continuing on around the pond I spotted a lone Canadian goose. I searched for sign of its mate and nesting site. I found instead another old beaver lodge, but no sign of the nest. The goose was keeping close to the lodge, so I suspect the nest was in the area. I moved along quietly so as not to disturb the area too much. I found a wider game trail that moved up over a hill and decided to follow that for a bit. It led to the top of a rather steep drop into another 'glacial bowl' with a dark still partly frozen vernal pool. I turned around to head back and finish making my way back to where I had started. The whole journey taking me about 20 minutes even though I had to make my way through some very heavy brush. (And I was right...there is not stream inlet or outlet, the whole pond is spring fed and rather shallow.) In short order I was back on the trail. Instead of heading off towards another beaver pond that is locally known for its spring heron colony I decided to make my way back to the trail that follows along my favorite brook. Following that loop trail should bring me back to my Blazer within the same time frame I had originally planned. This time when I arrived at the next trail intersection there was no 'repair' noise, so I continued on to follow the loop that would bring me back behind the Conant Brook Dam. I was pleasantly surprised to find that one of the boggier and more irritating water crossings had been repaired! Making my way back along the old road and down to the causeways I was also happy to find that the water was down enough for me to cautiously make my way over the smaller of the two causeways and back to the trail up to my Blazer. I arrived at my Blazer 5 minutes after the hour. I had planned on 1 hour of fast hiking. Not bad...for a short hike that included an impromptu 20 minute bush-whacking adventure.
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...I am the wanderer's wandering daughter...
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04-09-2008, 12:15 PM
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hey Amy dropping in to say hello. Glad to see you are still hardcore at your training and with life.
Big hugs, take good care... and I love the leg day addition
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http://www.myspace.com/cubanchick8772
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04-09-2008, 12:57 PM
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Stellar read there Hawk! Sounds like it was a gorgeous day! I can definitly relate to your latest issues w/ your kicks. Seems that actually hitting something like a heavy bag helps me maintain my balance.
__________________
Papasmurf: "there are no miracle supplements, fix your diet" http://www.bodybuildingforyou.com/forums/showthread.php?t=39994
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04-09-2008, 01:11 PM
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 We had to shoot our kicks out over a chair last night at one point. Being tall with rather good aim I had no trouble with that ... but poor "J"...his chair came flying at me a few times! Wednesday's Trail work: Jog/sprint/power hike - 30 minutes at Conant Brook Dam. Ouchie...running on bruised shins and sore glutes/hams was interesting to say the least. I chose three of my favorite intersecting loops to work through.Making sure to get the water crossing over with sooner in my work. It was overcast, damp and chilly today...I went out in tech shorts and two top layers, but didn't need to change out although I did need to keep my light weight gloves on so my fingers didn't ache from the chill. It was very quiet out on the trails today. Something I appreciate greatly. Journey to lower bodyfat musings: I was having a 'grouchy gear' day. I discovered that due to continuing to lean out that my hip pouch/belt for my keys and inhaler and such is loose and cannot be made smaller. Eh, I just spotted one at EMS over the weekend that will carry two water bottles. I hadn't made up my mind about the new one...but I have now! Before I left to run and while I was changing into my tech wear I realized that more than a few of my racerback tech tops are getting too loose as well, I had noticed that about a couple of them last summer and rarely wore them, but now they offer no support at all, especially during a run. Time to weed them out. Bleh...means I have to replace them soon. And...I discovered that some of my tech wear shorts are also loose, good thing most of them have a 'draw string' at the waist...because trying to find tech shorts smaller than a size four is nearly impossible! I had noticed yesterday that my tech wear convertable pants are fitting much nicer in the glutes and quads and much looser in the waist/hip/tummy. As far as some of my 'daily wear'...I just tossed a couple of my favorite bras to the back of my lingerie drawer...they are 'too big'. So the 'girls' are down a size as well...glutes are back to filling out my non-stretch Levi jeans too. A couple of my 'skinny' jeans are back in my daily wear pile as well. I have to check how my summer mini's fit...I have a sinking suspicion that I may be on the hunt for new mini's this year. That's a catch-22...I love my mini's and I am particular about the style and fit of my mini's...it will take me forever to replace them if they are too loose! So I guess that the good news is: Even though my weight loss has one again 'stalled' according to the scale. It seems I'm continuing to lean out after all. It's too early to check my bodyfat % with my digital calipers...and I really should stop dragging my feet on getting my measurments...but, it's kind of nice to see my back muscles ripple when I pull my tech wear tops on. (Yep! I keep checking my back in the mirror! That is where I have wanted to see change the most!) I'll be so happy when I get down a bit more...my bodyfat % is still too high around my midsection...and it is being rather stubborn about hanging on when the rest of me is leaning out so nicely...I figure it's a result of the stress I'm under, the problems with my meds dosage, as well as the screwed up diet problems I'm still working to sort out. It's been a battle just to get to where I'm at. The journey to a lower bodyfat seems to be taking forever...but at least it's still going in the right direction! BTW...when I get to where I want to be...Victoria's Secret is gonna love me! 
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...I am the wanderer's wandering daughter...
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04-09-2008, 01:29 PM
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Blah! Post the pics of you in the mini's I say!
Good work on the continued loss Hawkie! It ain't easy but you have never been one for easy!
__________________
Papasmurf: "there are no miracle supplements, fix your diet" http://www.bodybuildingforyou.com/forums/showthread.php?t=39994
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04-09-2008, 01:41 PM
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Keep up the work Amy, you are a real trooper and can do anything you put your mind too
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04-12-2008, 07:45 AM
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Well...the end of this week proved to be hellish for me. I ended up hammered by my allergies and asthma...over-extended myself helping others and nearly collapsed from exhaustion yesterday. Well...actually I did collapse a bit, for 4 hours! No MA training Thursday night...I knew I wouldn't make it through even a half hour, so I stayed home and rested. I did get my lifting in though. Week 4 - Day 2 Upper body *trained at home due to being so tired. Not exactly happy with how things went. Wide grip lat pull downs 3 sets-12/10/8r - 50/60/70# Wide grip seated cable rows 3 sets-12/10/8r - 50/60/70# Face pulls 3 sets/8r - 40# Seated BB press 3 sets-6/8/8 - 47/37/37# *very, very unhappy that I had to drop 10 pounds here...I just didn't have it in me for 47 today. Alt. Arnolds 3 sets-8/10/12 - 20/15/10# Machine vertical bench 3 sets/8r - 40# Incline DB flyes 3 sets/8r - 15# EZ bar curls 3 sets/8r - 30# Close-grip bench press 3 sets/8r - 37# *I was gassing out badly when I hit bi's/tri's, hence only one exercise for each verses my normal two. Friday night: Kick work - somewhere between 45 minutes to an hour, didn't time it. I'm just plain determined to improve my kicks and worked through them all. But jeez...unless I'm working with a bag my crescent is still too powerful the majority of the time. I have managed to control my reverse crescent better. Also note to self: Put away my dayumed DB's and BB's before working/practicing my kicks and forms...I nearly smashed my right foot a good one last night on one of my loaded barbells... 
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...I am the wanderer's wandering daughter...
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04-13-2008, 08:13 AM
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Saturday cardio: 30 minutes - elliptical
*I would have preferred a trail run, weatherman said 50% chance of rain...so I decided not to chance getting soaked...I should have gone! We only had 'spits and spurts' of rain throughout the day and it was sunny and warm. Today it's chilly again.  But...I went on a search with Chele to find a used bookstore I had learned about a while back We found it.  Jan had a seizure yesterday...watching her fade is getting harder by the day. I'm finding that I cannot run or train hard enough, or bury myself in work deep enough to escape the pain of watching someone I love die so slowly. Every time I pass the ambulance in town I wonder if it's for her...every time I leave town to hike or take to the woods to train/run...I wonder if I'm going to come home to bad news again...you start to look at the blinking light on the answering machine with loathing when it keeps bringing you bad news. Sunday cardio: elliptical - 40 minutes *Yeah...trail training/conditioning is ON! **So...I 'bit-the-bullet' and tried on my 'tightest' mini...it barely fits, as in rather loose. So that means none of my other minis will fit at all. So...I guess I go 'mini-less' for a while and also means that none of my jean shorts will fit either and that three of my favorite dresses are not going to fit either. I figure it is not such a good idea to be buying minis or shorts until I have an idea where I'm going to 'land' at size-wise. I should be happy...but I'm going to miss my favorite mini and my jean shorts! And also means that I had better start a 'doesn't fit' pile again...yeesh...this time around I'm 'tossing' a lot of favorite stuff...tech wear, tops, shorts, dresses, and jeans...my wardrobe is shrinking! 
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...I am the wanderer's wandering daughter... Last edited by Hawkwind; 04-13-2008 at 11:21 AM.
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04-15-2008, 02:35 PM
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Well, I've just plain been wiped-out for nearly a week now. My auto-immune system is just sorta struggling along and I'm pretty sure it's due to my allergies and thyroid. Just not a good combination to have them both acting up I guess. I wanted to lift today since I took yesterday off to go see Kim and get my blood work done. Kim agrees that I probably need to go up a little bit more on my Armour thyroid meds...but we are waiting to see what my TSH levels are before we raise my meds again. I should know my results Wednesday or Thursday. In the meantime, other than the fatigue and chills that have been plaguing me, Kim is very happy with my progress. My weight is down, the worst of the 'side effects' of being hypothyroid are gone, my color is better (I was very, very pale and looking drawn out this winter) and I'm coping fairly well with the diet changes as well. Anyhow...as to lifting today, it just wasn't going to happen. I dropped exhausted yesterday about 3 PM, so badly that I couldn't 'pull it' together to get to my MA class last night. I crashed early (for me) and was up at a reasonable time (for me), had a good 'pre-workout' breakfast, but just couldn't get over the groggies and a slight headache that has been plaguing me the past couple of days. So I decided that instead of trying to lift and end up ticking myself off with a poor lifting day that I would get some trail conditioning in. I figured that if I got out on the trail and couldn't pull it together for a power hike that I could at least take my time and get some mileage in. Power Hike - Conant Brook Dam approx. 5.5-6 miles approx 3.5 mph Changed into my tech wear and grabbed my hydration pack. I didn't fill the reservior or even take it with me. Just my trail bottle with gatorade, but I had my long-sleeve tech top and my Blazer keys and cell phone and such with me...kind of 'just in case' since I felt so awful heading out. I also grabbed my trekking poles this time around since I planned to hitting a couple steep grades that always have loose footing. Parked in my usual spot at Conant Brook and pulled on my hydration pack. I haven't worn it since November and that day I had on 3 layers...so I had to pull in the compression straps quite a bit! It was cool today...so I pulled my lightweight gloves on to keep my hands warm until I warmed up. Instead of heading downhill like I have the past couple of times out I decided to take the steep grade up the hill and check out the beaver dam from a vantage point on a ledge just over the top of the hill. I could tell from the top that the water level around the pond and dam were still to high to get through to the otherside. So I backtracked a couple hundred feet to an old side-trail that went down the steeper side of the hill to meet up with the trail junction at the bottom. Good thing I had my trekking poles, the old trail is barely used and the leaf litter was thick and slick! I ended up doing a 'sideways shuffle' to keep from landing on my backside and going down through the brush on my behind...I made it down to the trail junction in good time and headed out on a loop that is approximately 4-4.5 miles. I was finally warmed up so I was able to toss the gloves into my pack. My headache was finally starting to abate a bit thankfully and I was able to keep up a good pace, running the uphill grades and making good time on the down hill grades. As I was coming through a section of trail I haven't been on in ages I noticed old beaver work. Knowing that the stream was quite a ways from that area I started to check through the trees and sure enough I could tell that the critters had been rather busy at some time. Without a second thought I left the trail and headed through the brush to see how far the 'addition' to the original pond was...and was surprised to find that the beavers had increased the original pond about another quarter mile! As I came back around it dawned on me that I hadn't paid the slightest bit of attention to where I had come in off the trail. My second thought was that it really didn't matter because I've been all over these woods since I was a kid and that no matter which direction I went I would end up in a area I knew well. A few moments later I was back on the trail, having returned to it less than a hundred yards down. I continued on the trail and in short order was following along beside the original beaver pond. I shook up a couple male wood ducks and slowed my pace just enough to see if the herons have returned yet. No sign of them at all. I picked the pace back up and pretty much power walked through a couple old fields that abut what had been family land on J's side. (Most of it was sold after his uncle died a few years back.) The swallows have started to nest in the boxes the DCR have set out in the fields and I was 'dive bombed' a few times as I boot-scooted my way around the Munn Road side of the pond. In short order I was making my way at a fast clip back to the Conant Brook Dam area. I was nearly back to a trail junction on the East Hill side of the Conant Brook area when my watch chimed an hour. I was making really good time on the trails even with a jaunt into the brush for a bit. Barely five minutes later I was on the old road into the back of the dam. I was making such good time that I decided to branch out and add at least another mile to my hike. So I swung up a side trail that heads to the top of Conant Brook Dam and made my way at good clip to that area. As I was coming through the tree line I could see a guy coming off the top of the dam to the trails that go down into the back area. He didn't spot me, but I noticed he headed towards the causeway that has been flooded out the past couple times I was in the back area. I decided to head that way myself and see if the water was down enough to cross over, if so I could head back up via a different trail, with the last of my hike being uphill, but also bringing my mileage total closer to 6 miles. I was very tickled to find the water is down and the causeway open again! I continued along at a good clip, slowin |
