Char is in the zone! 2009 is mine!

In an attempt to remain focused on my goal, I decided to keep a journal of my journey to the stage this year.  This will be my 3rd year competing and with Dr. Joe and all of you in my corner, I'm convinced that this will be my best year ever!!!!  So, my first official show this year is the Capital City Natural in Sacramento, California on July 12th.  That gives me just over 27 weeks to get ready. 

Something I should admit is that I am terribly OCD (just ask Dr. Joe for my daily totals and you'll see for yourself). I always make sure that my numbers are within a tenth of a gram of what he wants!!!!  I'm an extremely structured/organized perfectionist -- driven is a good word to describe me.  I will do whatever it takes to achieve my goal!!!!  Yes, the scale, measuring cups/spoons, and cooler are with me 24/7!!!!  I train so intensely that I've actually made myself cry because I've gone to failure and mad that I couldn't do that one last rep!!!!  I'm in my own face and harder on myself than any trainer ever could be!!!!  It's a blessing and a curse :)  It's hard for me to relax and just bust loose!!!  

So, to prepare myself mentally, I took the entire day off yesterday and did nothing!!!!  No training, no journaling, and enjoying all the foods I wanted but deprive myself.  I ate fudge, chocolate crunchy brownies, truffles (my own homemade truffles -- yikes they're good), burgers/fries, shakes, M&M's.  You name it, I probably consumed it!!!!! 

My rationalization was that I was really good through the holidays (only having one binge day since September -- not even at Thanksgiving) and had made great progress thus far,  Why not allow myself the day to just pig out???!!!!  So I did!!!!!  And spent the day like a vegetable on the couch because I couldn't move -- ICK!!!  It felt good and bad at the same time :)

Today is January 2nd -- I gained three pounds (YIKES) and woke up craving my "good" food -- although I'm still full from yesterday.  My binge is behind me and I'm mentally ready to nail my competition.  WATCH OUT!!!!

I hit the gym first thing this morning and had a good shoulder workout.  Tonight I'll go back for some cardio and abs.

TTYL - Char

Good stuff Char!!

I have to say I am pretty darn jealous - your focus and intensity is eluding me right now.  If you don't mind I'm gonna hang around and see if some of it rubs off.

When was your last show?  Is the Sacramento show Denise's???

Char your quote that hit me:  "Yes, the scale, measuring cups/spoons, and cooler are with me 24/7!!!!  I train so intensely that I've actually made myself cry because I've gone to failure and mad that I couldn't do that one last rep!!!!  I'm in my own face and harder on myself than any trainer ever could be!!!!  It's hard for me to relax and just bust loose!!!"

That is what it takes Char.   I have learned (the very hard way) that is what it takes with or without a support system from family and friends at home. 

Enter Team K.

As far as that last sentence you wrote above "It's hard for me to relax and just bust loose"  it's a paradox, and here it is Char:...your training, your cooler, your scale, your measuring cups, your methodology, and your ethics:  are IS the way YOU relax and bust loose.  You DO NOT prescribe to the culture that says ice cream and the couch and TV is the ultimate for human relaxation.  You tend not to prescribe to the fad that says alcohol, added trans fats, added refined flours and sugars must enter the diet at some point some where because "everyone" else does it.  As a result you may not have support, you may have some admirations from time to time if you are really lucky, but you may also find you have ridicule and judgement....but in the end...what you do..IS your serotonin...IS your relaxation....IS your drug.

or am I just speaking for myself?  (hmmm?)

And yes we are all in your corner.  I think we are all crowded together in the same corner in fact-- and as Murph (who I love) says, it's "disfunctional." (died laughing when I read that Murph.) but getting more and more crowded....and happier by the day. 

I did both shows last year -- Capital City Natural (Sacramento AKA Bob & Tina's show) in July and Washington State Natural (Kevin & Denise's show).  Those are the shows that I really train for.  I've done others in the past, but never "peak" or anything to get ready because I always keep the INBF shows in focus.  That's where I want my pro card <<FUTURE VISION>>

I'm really considering doing more shows this year to help build up my confidence on stage.  Unfortunately the intensity I display in the gym comes across on stage too -- smile more.  I'm too serious :)

I love Denise - such a special lady!

Stage time is a really good thing - as long as the prep stays productive and doesn't screw you up for your goal shows (I've made that mistake past years)

I have the exact same problem on stage - can't get out of my head enough to not look intense - we need to look like we are enjoying ourselves.

Yes, I love Denise to pieces.  I blame her for getting me into this sport in the first place!!!!  I'd go to the shows as moral support.  She made it look like so much fun!!!!  I laugh when I think back to her telling me that I should do it and I said, "I'll NEVER compete -- I like food too much to deprive myself!!!" 

Thanks Mary.  You said it perfectly.  Luckily for me, my #1 support system is my husband.  He is right there by my side, measuring my foods, grilling in the rain, timing my sets, counting the reps, and smiling the biggest smile ever when I walk across the stage. 

Most of my family has alienated me -- they just don't understand.  However, they are the reason I train like I do.  Both my parents have had heart surgery prior to age 50, diabetes, high blood pressure, overweight -- the list goes on. 

I decided that I wanted to be able to enjoy life and not sit on the couch watching the world go by.  My biggest high came last year when I walked off stage from my competition at Muscle Beach, joined my 14-year-old son at the rope climbing pole and beat him to the top (ALL WHILE IN MY SEQUINED SUIT)!!!!!  Mind you, I flunked the rope climb in high school because I lacked the upper body strength!!!!  What a rush. 

So, Team K & hubby as my support system, and the total respect of my son that mom can still kick his butt, what more could I ask for???

Well, I was a little ticked off this morning.  I'm up another pound and a half.  Jeez, just one day of bingeing and it really does a number on the body.  Let's just say that it gave me the extra drive I needed in the gym.  I started off my morning with abs followed up with 45-minutes of cardio -- then my arm workout at lunchtime. 

I want to thank "Team K".  Knowing that I'm going to be journaling my daily activity for all to read, I didn't want to embarass myself with not being able to lift wimpy weights!!!  I thought of all of you and told myself that if anyone from the forum were with me, I would be able to finish the set.  Mind over matter!!!  You all rock!!!!  You're my inspiration.

ARMS -- all exercises w/60-second rest between sets:

1.  triple set (4 sets @ 15 reps):

• cable machine rope pushdown = 30/30/30/35
• cable machine overhead rope extension = 50/55/55/55
• overhead ez bar extension = 20/20/20/20

2.  super set (4 sets @ 15 reps):

• cable machine tricep pushdown = 40/40/42.5/45
• cable machine low rope overhead extension = 30/30/32.5/32.5

3.  triple set (4 sets @ 15 reps):

• ez bar reverse curls = 20/20/22.5/22.5
• hammer curls = 8/8/8/10
• ez bar wide grip curls = 20/20/22.5/22.5

4.  three-position wide grip cable curls (4 sets @ 10 reps each) = 20/20/20/22.5

Physioball Abdominal Routine (1x):

20 crunches
20 crunches left arm overhead
20 crunches right arm overhead
10 crunches (5 sec up)
20 crunches arms out palms up
20 crunches arms overhead reaching
30 rotational crunches
20 crunches arms back overhead then reaching

Good night.

Great job Char - I'm watching you; and love what you did on the ball there.  You also do a lot of cable work - gosh -- good for you.  When Sean puts me on a cable I cringe.  I just love throwing around plates and db's.

May I suggest something (and I hope you don't mind)  Please Char, remember that binge as the good deed it was supposed to be.  No frustrations.  You needed the mental break -- you did something you never ever do.  Proactively there are still benefits for you:  it jump started your met rate and you are using those carbs (if you don't cardio-wash them away) to build build build - so smile smile smile - you are beautiful.

Thank you so much, Mary -- that made me feel so much better.  I tend to be very hard on myself.  You're right.  The binge did serve its purpose.  I'm more focused and driven!!!!  I WILL MAKE AWESOME CHANGES THIS YEAR AND DO WHATEVER IT TAKES!!!!

Thanks for your encouragement.  I love how everyone is so supportive of each other.  You really made my day -- big smile on the West Coast!!!

Have a great day!!!  BTW, your picture is AWESOME!!!!  DANG!!!!!

Char the potter throws the clay on the wheel in a mass and then sculpts it into a beautiful form.  Thanks for the compliment on the picture.

Char great job on the workout.....and beating your son to the top of the rope poll.......

What a killer day!!!!  Woke up to our first winter storm.  Winds blowing about 60 mph and rain coming down sideways!!!  Still I managed to drag my sorry little butt out of bed at 6:00 am to drive the hour into the gym.  Pure dedication for sure -- toward the end of my workout, the power went out at the gym.  That was not going to stop me from finishing my workout.  The few of us still there continued with our workouts with the emergency lighting.  You know that you spend a lot of time at the gym when you can find your way around in the dark as if it were your own home!!!!!   

Quads (all exercises performed with 60-second rest between sets):

1.  Stationary bike (average hr = 151)

• 5-minute warm up
• 10 minutes of intervals (30 seconds hard @ 105+ rpm / 30 seconds easy @ 75+ rpm)
• 5-minute cooldown.

2.  Three-position leg extension (4 sets @ 10 reps each) = 30/30/35/35

3.  front squats (4 sets of 10 reps) = No weight.  I have hip issues that prevent me from performing this exercise correctly.  I've been working on my form to train my hips instead of worrying about the weight.  Added 10 pound plates under my heels to help in stablizing.  Getting a little better with this exercise.  Not near as wobbly.

4.  leg press (3 sets of 30 reps) = 60/65/70

5.  dumbell forward lunges (3 sets of 15 reps each) = 8/10/10

6.  smith machine back squats (4 sets of 10 reps each) = 30/35/40/45

7. seated calf raises (3 sets of 30 reps) = 30/30/35

Lower abdominal routine (1x):

20 crunches
20 leg raises & pelvic tilts
20 crunches
20 dips & drives
20 crunches
30 bicycles
20 crunches
30 scissors
20 crunches
20 kick-outs

Enjoyed the rest of my day relaxing at home listening to the storm blowing outside.  Ended my day with 45 minutes of cardio on the incline treadmill (intervals).  Average hr = 139. 

Calling it a day.

Hey!!! 

     It's my little sis Char!  Welcome to Team-K!!!  Char had a killer year last year and it will be even better this year!    We first met thru body for life,  a group of us traveled around the country doing lift-a-thons raising money for the Make a Wish Foundation and others.  Talk about fun and not being able to move for a few days after.  We ea lifted close to 100,000 lbs in 4 hrs and the guys would almost double that.  We even made the gennius world record book.  Kevin and I want to do a lift a thon up here in WA next winter for one of our local charities.

    Char is our little ever ready battery--- always on the move.