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Workouts and Tracking Update

MONDAY UPPER BODY  PUSH
Bench was super light on the program this week, but I did a few sets with a pause a couple inches off the chest, since that's my weakest point of the lift. Was able to go a little heavier on landmine presses finally! The decline tricep extensions were aboslutely killer. My triceps were shaking so bad on the last couple reps, so I had to keep dropping weight! I decided to do some farmer's walks since I had some time left and wasn't sure I was going to do any glutes since I was still sore from Saturday. But then I ended up doing some easy glute stuff anyway.I was sore for days from the rollouts!

1)Bench: 6x5 @ 60% (did a pause off the chest the last 3 sets)
+ wide grip pullups 4x5
2)Dumbbell chest press: 50x7/7/6/40x12
3)Landmine press: +20x8/+15x2x8/+12.5x10
4)Decline lying dumbbell extensions: 17.5x8/15x8/12x10
5)Pull-aparts: 4x20
6)Trap bar farmer's walks: 185x3x25 seconds
7a)Band clams 3x20
7b)Bench "froggies: 3x20
7c)Ab wheel rollouts: 2x8(toes)2x10(negatives)

WEDNESDAY LOWER BODY
I don't know why these workouts are kicking my butt, but they are! Was able to get up to 195 on squats for 2 sets of 3, then did a couple back off sets, and one sort of "amrap" set with 165. I got 9 reps and wimped out because I COULD NOT BREATHE. Seriously, it's a problem. Decided to do paused deadlifts from a deficit this week just to switch it up. They were pretty hard, even with a weight that was only about 65% of my max. I am really liking the reverse hack squats, so I did those again. I just really feel them in my quads. After that I decided to skip the RDLs and do back extensions. I tried them single leg, but for some reason they were just killing my back, so I went back to double leg and felt it way more in my glutes.

1)Squats: 195x3/195x3/185x3/185x3/165x9
2)Deficit paused deadlifts(conventional) 155x3/175x4x3
3)Reverse hack squat: +140x12/+160x12/12
4)Back extensions: 35x12/single leg x 12/10/ 35x12
5)Walking dumbbell lunges: 30x3x10/leg
6a)Calf raise: 150x12/170x10/175x10/10/8
6b)Single leg hip thrusts: 3x12

FRIDAY UPPER BODY PULL
Pullups were tough this week but I did use wider handles, so that would probably be why.  The workout was pretty short so I just played around afterwards with some handstand walks and muscle ups. Then I jumped in on the CrossFit class while they were practicing snatches to get some tips on mine. Was actually a little sore from the snatches the next day!

1)Weighted neutral grip pullups: 25x5/35x4/37.5x4/37.5x4/30x4/0x10
2)Dumbbell chest supported row: 40x3x8 w/hold at top
3)Single arm seated cable row: 3x12
4)Face pulls: 3x15
5a)Alternating dumbbell curls: 30x7/25x8/2 arm: 17.5x12 + 15x6(drop set)
5b)Lsits 4x15 seconds
Handstand walks, muscle ups, snatch practice


SATURDAY LOWER BODY
Totally just winged this workout again. Started with front squats, since it's been a while since I've done them. Then hip thrusts and a split squat and leg curl superset. I was so sore from back extensions on Wednesday, but it didn't interfere with anything during the workout. Just hand to roll out my hamstrings really good. Instead of sled drags this week, I did a little 31 rep birthday finisher of squats, squat jumps and band glute bridges. Kind of fun for something different!

1)Front squats: 125x8/7/7/6
2)Hip thrusts: 145x10/165x10/185x10/205x10/205x10
3a)Dumbbell Bulgarian split squats: 35x9/30x9/30x9
3b)Glute ham raise: 0x14/15x10/Leg curls: 3x15
4)Band walks: 3x15
5)Seated calf raise: 70x15/13/12/12
Finisher:
31 squats
31 squat jumps
31 band glute bridges
Rest and repeat

So I tracked calories all week, and it didn't take much to get me right back up to where I want to be. Like I said, I wasn't really much lower, just a couple hundred calories. So just little things like eating a cup of cottage cheese instead of a half cup, more potatoes with lunches, and eating one of my protein muffins instead of an apple for a snack brought me up to where I want to be. So now I'm back up to 2200-2400, which is where I'd like to be. Upped it to 2500 for Wednesday's leg day.

If I'm not gaining the weight back, it'll be easy to add even more. Like I said,  I don't want to start obsessing about calories and macros again, and I'm not really worried about trying to gain a ton of weight-I just don't want to lose. I've worked too hard to build my muscle to lose it! Plus, I also don't want my lifts to suffer.

This is a great post that Tara from Sweat Like a Pig posted on her Facebook page that explains exactly why I do NOT track macros any longer. I have found pretty much all of it to be true for myself. Sometimes I wish I had never tracked, because once you do, it's really hard to ever go back to not thinking about macros when it comes to eating. I know it's great for beginners who don't really know much about how much they're taking in, or getting the right amounts of protein, fats, carbs, etc., but once you have it down, there comes a point where you have to let it go unless  you really want to do that for the rest of your life. I am good with getting in enough protein and a balanced amount of fats and carbs, so there is no need for me to try to hit macros spot on. Just a check in with calories EVERY now and then is all I will ever do.

Anyways, here are some pics from my birthday dinner yesterday! We went to Longhorn, one of my favorites, especially for that dessert! Then we went to Christmas in Charlestown to walk around and look at lights, which is all I wanted for my birthday!

Have a great week everyone!


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