Shoulders and Arms, Y'all!

Happy Friday, y'all! I haven't shared a workout or video in a while, so here goes! This is from last night's workout. I did a modified shoulder routine and a set of calf raises, then transitioned into a concise, intense arm workout of superset exercises,, Enjoy!

Shoulders:
3-4 warm up sets of lateral raises

Lateral Raises 5 sets, 12-14 reps each (forst 3 sets I did seated , 15 lbs; second 2 were standing, 20 lbs DB)

Front Raises 3 sets, 12-14 reps (10 lb DB)

Rear Delt Machine Fly
4 sets, 12 reps (Worked up to 130 lbs on last set)

Superset:
Standing Calf Raises (machine) 4 sets, 20 reps
Upright Rows 4 sets, 12 reps
(2 sets: narrow grip - 60 lb loaded EZ Curl Bar; 2 sets wide grip - 30 lb loaded EZ Curl Bar)

(sorry in advance for the shaky video.. :-/)

ARMS!
These are groups of supersets:
SuperSet #1  3 x 10-12
Cable Str8 Arm Pushdown (100-110 lbs)
DB Concentration Curls (25 lb)

SuperSet #2 - 3 sets
Rope Pushdowns (12 reps, 80-90 lbs --- Last set is a triple drop set- 90, 60, 30 lbs - 8 reps each)
Loaded EZ Curl Bar - 21's

SuperSet #3 - 3 x 10-12
Preacher Curls (30-40 lb loaded bar)
Overhead Cable Rope Pulls (40-50 lbs)

SuperSet #4 - 4 sets 15 reps (last set of each is a "run the rack" drop: 5 reps at each weight)
(triceps) one arm reverse pulldowns (20-30 for working sets; drop started at 60 lbs)
(biceps) one arm cable curls (20-30 for working sets; drop started at 60 lbs)

Note: Because of the shoulder issue, I had to self spot -- meaning, I had to use my non-working arm to stabilize my working arm)

The Struggle: Training Through Injury

Hello, my lovelies! I hope everyone is well...

If you follow me on IG, FB, YouTube, I'm sure you've heard me mention or hashtag "TheStruggle" or something similar. Well, I'm going to briefly touch on part of that struggle; training while dealing with an injury.

The harder we train, the more likely it is that at some point, we WILL get injured. Minor or major; injuries come with the territory. I've been training (at various intensities) for almost 20 years... That's a very long time and I've spent some of that time injured. you may ask, "well, if you're injured, how are you training??" Good question. I'm going to discuss my two most recent injuries and how I dealt with and am dealing with them.

Two years ago, I suffered a strain to my VMO muscle in the right leg. VMO =  vastus medialis obliquu, or the muscle of the quadriceps group that forms that lovely "tear drop" shape above your knee (My legs aren't THAT lean yet, so no photos :-) ). It affected EVERYTHING, causing pain in the knee area and thigh. I was unable to squat, press, lunge, etc. Anything that involved a quad movement was painful. But..  I didn't want to lose my gains; I like to think of my legs as my "show piece". I avoided those movements that hurt, and concentrated on what I COULD do: stiff leg dead lifts, abduction and adduction (inner/outer thigh), leg curls, leg lifts, etc.

I went through a few weeks of physical therapy, when the PT noticed that my VMO wasn't getting better as soon as he'd expected. In fact, it had weakened. He warned that if I avoided activity involving that muscle, it would atrophy. Explained that, yes, it will hurt; but I need to keep the joint/muscle active, warm and stimulated. No need to get crazy and squat 3 plates or rack the leg extension machine; just keep it moving. I went back to doing light leg work, with extension, body weight squats, in depth warm ups and cool downs, stretching (active and static) and guess what? My muscle began to finally heal! I learned a great lesson on the importance of proper warm ups and muscle maintenance.

Currently, I'm in the early stages of a Prep Cycle and I have a shoulder impingement; which is a form of inflammation. Actually, it's an impingement, weak rotator cuff and weak postural muscles (I sit at a desk all day :-( ).  I don't know how it started, why or what I did, but it hampers every movement. I'm in therapy for it, doing my exercises, stretching, etc. I also have to avoid certain movements, such as overhead presses for shoulders and squats (I can no longer hold the bar because of the angle; it irritates my shoulder). So.. How do I train for prep??

I'm training AROUND the injury. I work within an acceptable level of pain. I can't do certain pec flyes, so I switch to a machine that is easier on the joint and I concentrate on stimulating the muscle, instead of trying to set personal bests. It's not that serious. My main goal is to stay healthy and able to train while I'm healing and rebuilding. I've moved more to machine work (cables, hammers, etc) for my training, instead of movements that put strain on the shoulder.

Two lessons to take away:
1. Take care of your body. Always remember: an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. If it takes 10-15 minutes more to warm up properly, do it. It's certainly better than months of recuperation. It took me almost a year to get back to regular leg routines and motions. It's been about a month and I'm slowly getting my ROM back in the shoulder and starting to move without pain. Certain sleeping positions still hurt, but I'm getting better.

2. Heal the injury, but don't completely stop working. Keep active, keep moving. Get treatment for a sport injury and ask what movements you can do to maintain those gains and progress. There are many ways to work around an injury, without making it worse or slowing down the healing. Even though I can't hold a bar to squat, I still squat with a machine; can do dumbbell lunges; and can leg press (my  power movements). I also still work shoulders, but I'm careful of which movements to do; I can do raises, and rows, but no presses. I'm lucky to have a good base of muscle at the moment, so my main concern is maintenance.

Being injured is tough for anyone, especially those of us who are serious about training. It's hard on the body and the mind. I have a hard time dealing with the fact that I can't do everything I want to and it saddens me. But I get past it, do my exercises and keep the training going and moving forward.

Take care, y'all and stay healthy!

Playing the Hunger Games: Dealing with Hunger when Dieting

Hey my Lovelies! I hope this finds you well… As you know, I am in the middle of contest prep and of course that includes the dreaded “D” word.. DIETING. Grrrr…. I know, I know.. That’s a cuss word. I hate dieting, because I hate being hungry. I’m not ashamed to say it.. I LOVE FOOD! Not junk food per se, but actual REAL, whole foods.. oats, eggs, chicken, tuna, etc. When I diet, I crave these foods. Esp Oatmeal and Peanut Butter with a lil Sugar Free Jelly.. (yum.. having a flashback). Anyways, Hunger can be a b…. , especially when you’re used to eating a ton of food. Well, I’m going to share with you my tips and methods for dealing with and playing “The Hunger Games”.

1. Coffee (or tea)

Yes, coffee. It’s funny, I was never a fan of coffee in college or law school, but I love it now. A cup of coffee goes a long way in helping to stave off hunger pangs. Of course, in prep, I have to have it black. But I add a few drops of vanilla stevia (liquid) and I’m good to go. I prefer Café Bustelo myself or Starbucks Blonde Roast. I will say this.. the caffeine in coffee does absolutely NOTHING for me.. lol. Coffee is more like a flavoring now. Tea is also a good option. I love the teas by Tazo, particularly Wild Sweet Orange or Passion (it’s purple! Oh snap!).  Green Tea, hot or cold, is a big helper AND a metabolism booster!

2. Plain old Water

Downing water, staying hydrated will also help with hunger. It’s been said that sometimes, when we are hungry, we most likely are thirsty. So when hunger strikes, try downing a glass of water and waiting a while to see if the feeling dissipates. Besides, if you’re drinking enough water, you’ll be jumping up to pee so much, you won’t have time to think about being hungry. J If you’re allowed, crystal light is a great option.

3. Gum.

* hides head * I am a well known gum addict. I can chew gum until I go to sleep. I’ve been known to wake up with gum in my mouth from the night before. Now, gum can help with hunger but… be warned.. 1. The gum has to be sugar free (SF) or you’re adding calories to your diet. 2. Unfortunately, SF gum does have a few miniscule calories, so be mindful. 3. It can make you gassy and bloated. Yeah, I keep it real around here. The chewing can fill your tummy up with air, and cause some gas. I usually drink some lemon water to ease the bloat.

4. Keep Busy

I notice when I’m hungry at work, it helps to focus ON WORK to keep my mind off the hunger. Sometimes, it works and the time flies by. Other times, when I’m really hungry, I find  myself staring at the clock in the corner.  L

5. Supplements – BCAA drinks

Ahh.. the lovely BCAA drink. I usually drink my Top Secret Nutrition BCAA Hyperblend drink during my fasted cardio, so as not to die of hunger. It also has caffeine so it gives me a lil energy boost. I keep a container at work for the same reason. The mid-day slump + hunger is not the best feeling. When that hits, I take a scoop, mix with water and a lil lemon juice (I love lemonades) and I’m cool for a lil while. When I don’t have the BCAA drink mix, I have been known to make a cup of hot green tea, pop open some BCAA pills, blend the two in a shake cup with ice and a packet of crystal light (lemonade of course) and sip on that until it’s meal time.

6. Protein Shakes: While I’m not adding this in as a way to deal with hunger, but if a protein shake is your meal, there are a few ways to make it more filling.. 1. Mix with less water, make into a pudding. I’ve done that in the past when it was protein and peanut butter. Use less water, maybe add some fiber to thicken it, and freeze for a bit. Follow up with a glass or two of water. 2. If you have access, blend the protein powder with ice to make a thicker shake. The added water (from the crushed ice) will fill you up.

7. The saddest option: Suck it up and deal with it. Unfortunately, sometimes, the above options don’t work and you have to just deal with it. It’s not the worst thing in the world. Sometimes, a lot of this is mental. You have to fight the urge, even when it sucks. Willpower, man... Will. Power.  :-/

DISCLAIMER:  Take my advice with a grain of salt. These things have worked for me, but may not work for everyone. If anyone’s in prep or working with a coach/trainer/etc, run it by that person. Don’t let me get you into trouble.. lol.

I hope the above tips helped. Mind you, if you’re dieting, expect to be a lil hungry, but you should not be starving, dizzy, or on the brink of death. That’s just crazy. As you lose fat, your body adjusts to the lesser calories. However, if you’re in maintenance, you shouldn’t be THAT hungry.

x0x0,

L.