I changed up my split again this week. Started with lower body, then a short upper and glutes workout Wednesday, and then lower / upper. I liked this split and the workouts this week, so I may stick with this for a while. Until I change my mind again, ha!
I was happy about being able to do front squats Friday with no pain! Yay! I kept them light, but I'm hoping that I can slowly increase weight. If not, at least I can do them for higher reps. Bench felt weak this week, and I wasn't feeling my upper body workout Saturday. It was just one of those low energy days, and I was not motivated to push myself at all. I didn't sleep well the night before, so I'm assuming that's why. Dumbbell chest presses felt strong though. I've been able to consistently get 8 reps with the 50s lately, so that's a plus!
Another thing is, I don't do cleans or push presses consistently, but then I expect to be right back where I left off and get frustrated when I feel weaker. I mean, if I took a few weeks off of squats, I wouldn't expect to jump right back into the same weight, so I don't know why I expect that of clean and jerks or push presses! Duh, Lindsay, come on now. Common sense.
I skipped the isolation work for upper body that I had planned for that day because I just didn't feel like doing it, but I think I'm gonna cut back on it anyway, as I'm not trying to build my upper body right now. The compound lifts are most fun to me and what I want to focus on.
MONDAY LOWER BODY
1)Squats: 155x2x8/Pause squats: 155x2x6
2)RDLs: 135x8/155x3x8
3)Reverse hypers: 90x15/110x3x12
4)Seated leg curls: 1x15/2x12
5)Sissy squats: 17.5x2x15
6a)Frog pumps: 2x30
6b)Seated straight leg calf raise: 18/16/15/14
WEDNESDAY UPPER +GLUTES
1)Bench press: 115x4x4
2)T-bar row: 65x8/8/8/55x8
3)American hip thrust: 135x3x10
3b)Band seated abductions: 2x20
4)1 1/2 band squats: 2x20
4a)Ab wheel rollouts: 4x9 (to wall from toes)
4b)Band pull-aparts: 4x20
FRIDAY LOWER BODY
1)Front squats: 95x3x12
2)Trap bar deadlift: 185x6/195x3x6
3)BSS: 30sx2x10/40(1 DB)x12/0x20
4)Banded back extensions: 3x15
5a)Cable abductions: 2x15
5b)Banded hip thrusts: 2x20
6a)Calf raises: 12/10/10/10/8
6b)ABC plank: 3x
SATURDAY UPPER
1)Cleans and push presses-did some triples and doubles
2a)Overhead press: 75x5/80x5/75x3x5
2b)Neutral grip pullups: 0x6/10x5/25x3x5
3a)DB chest press: 40x8/50x8/50x8/40x12
3b)1 arm seated cable row: 3x10
4)Face pulls: 3x15
5)Kettlebell swings: 60x4x12
6a)Overhead dumbell carry single arm: 50x3x20 seconds
6b)Jump rope: 4x40 seconds
It's the craziest thing, but I seriously feel like my legs are shrinking. It makes no sense. I've increased portions, I've gotten stronger, I've done more to focus on hypertrophy in the last few years...and my legs have gotten smaller?! What the heck. It would make sense if I were losing weight, but I've actually gained some. Maybe I'm just getting old! Or maybe back when I was CrossFitting and pre-macro tracking, I was eating a lot more than I do now? Even though I was more restrictive as far as what foods I would eat, I was much less macro-conscious back then and ate a butt load of fats, so therefore my calories were probably higher than I thought. I still struggle sometimes with just "letting go" and eating to grow, even though I do eat a good amount of calories. My body apparently needs more!
I'm at the point now with my training where I'm like I don't know what to do. I feel like I need a goal and a purpose in my training. I am not one of those people who can just go to the gym and just do random whatever. I mean, sometimes I do that just for a break, but I prefer to have a plan and to have goals. For a while I have just wanted to focus on building my legs while still getting stronger, but since that isn't working I may as well just focus on strength. I definitely want to try to increase bench and would love to get a 300 pound deadlift! I know that after training for 15+ years, muscle and strength gains will come much slower, and that's frustrating at times. But I know there are still ways I can continue to challenge myself. I think I just need to set some clear goals and have some things to really focus on rather than being all over the place.
I was looking through my old training logs when I felt like my legs were bigger, and I actually wasn't doing as much for my legs as I do now. Often, my second leg day was just some sprints or prowlers, or a CrossFit workout, or just a few leg exercises. I've been so focused on upping the volume for hypertrophy...but maybe that's just not what my body responds to. I did do more treadmill sprints and jumps back then, so that is something to consider adding back in? I just don't knowww.
But I'm not stressing about it. I know that my physique is NOT who I am, and it's not my life's purpose. This is just a hobby, something that I enjoy. Seeing what you can achieve and how you can improve is fun...as long as it doesn't consume your life or become where you find your joy and fulfillment. Thankfully, for me, I realize that it's not what ultimately matters in life, and it's not where I find my fulfillment. I know that I can lose my health, my strength, in the blink of an eye, and that muscles are just temporary. It is all meaningless if it's all we're pursuing in life to the exclusion of everything else-like loving and serving others, growing in our relationship with Christ, and living out God's purposes for us. If I succeed in anything in life, if I succeed at building the most sculpted, muscular physique but fail to reach people for Christ...then ultimately, I have failed.
With that being said, as long as you realize those things, I don't think there is anything wrong with having a hobby that you enjoy, with having fun and continually trying to improve and challenge yourself with your training. It's just something that I have and always will love! But even if I don't build another ounce of muscle for the rest of my life, I will always be thankful that I'm healthy and that I have the ability to move my body, and I'll never take for granted that gift.
I was happy about being able to do front squats Friday with no pain! Yay! I kept them light, but I'm hoping that I can slowly increase weight. If not, at least I can do them for higher reps. Bench felt weak this week, and I wasn't feeling my upper body workout Saturday. It was just one of those low energy days, and I was not motivated to push myself at all. I didn't sleep well the night before, so I'm assuming that's why. Dumbbell chest presses felt strong though. I've been able to consistently get 8 reps with the 50s lately, so that's a plus!
Another thing is, I don't do cleans or push presses consistently, but then I expect to be right back where I left off and get frustrated when I feel weaker. I mean, if I took a few weeks off of squats, I wouldn't expect to jump right back into the same weight, so I don't know why I expect that of clean and jerks or push presses! Duh, Lindsay, come on now. Common sense.
I skipped the isolation work for upper body that I had planned for that day because I just didn't feel like doing it, but I think I'm gonna cut back on it anyway, as I'm not trying to build my upper body right now. The compound lifts are most fun to me and what I want to focus on.
MONDAY LOWER BODY
1)Squats: 155x2x8/Pause squats: 155x2x6
2)RDLs: 135x8/155x3x8
3)Reverse hypers: 90x15/110x3x12
4)Seated leg curls: 1x15/2x12
5)Sissy squats: 17.5x2x15
6a)Frog pumps: 2x30
6b)Seated straight leg calf raise: 18/16/15/14
WEDNESDAY UPPER +GLUTES
1)Bench press: 115x4x4
2)T-bar row: 65x8/8/8/55x8
3)American hip thrust: 135x3x10
3b)Band seated abductions: 2x20
4)1 1/2 band squats: 2x20
4a)Ab wheel rollouts: 4x9 (to wall from toes)
4b)Band pull-aparts: 4x20
FRIDAY LOWER BODY
1)Front squats: 95x3x12
2)Trap bar deadlift: 185x6/195x3x6
3)BSS: 30sx2x10/40(1 DB)x12/0x20
4)Banded back extensions: 3x15
5a)Cable abductions: 2x15
5b)Banded hip thrusts: 2x20
6a)Calf raises: 12/10/10/10/8
6b)ABC plank: 3x
SATURDAY UPPER
1)Cleans and push presses-did some triples and doubles
2a)Overhead press: 75x5/80x5/75x3x5
2b)Neutral grip pullups: 0x6/10x5/25x3x5
3a)DB chest press: 40x8/50x8/50x8/40x12
3b)1 arm seated cable row: 3x10
4)Face pulls: 3x15
5)Kettlebell swings: 60x4x12
6a)Overhead dumbell carry single arm: 50x3x20 seconds
6b)Jump rope: 4x40 seconds
It's the craziest thing, but I seriously feel like my legs are shrinking. It makes no sense. I've increased portions, I've gotten stronger, I've done more to focus on hypertrophy in the last few years...and my legs have gotten smaller?! What the heck. It would make sense if I were losing weight, but I've actually gained some. Maybe I'm just getting old! Or maybe back when I was CrossFitting and pre-macro tracking, I was eating a lot more than I do now? Even though I was more restrictive as far as what foods I would eat, I was much less macro-conscious back then and ate a butt load of fats, so therefore my calories were probably higher than I thought. I still struggle sometimes with just "letting go" and eating to grow, even though I do eat a good amount of calories. My body apparently needs more!
I'm at the point now with my training where I'm like I don't know what to do. I feel like I need a goal and a purpose in my training. I am not one of those people who can just go to the gym and just do random whatever. I mean, sometimes I do that just for a break, but I prefer to have a plan and to have goals. For a while I have just wanted to focus on building my legs while still getting stronger, but since that isn't working I may as well just focus on strength. I definitely want to try to increase bench and would love to get a 300 pound deadlift! I know that after training for 15+ years, muscle and strength gains will come much slower, and that's frustrating at times. But I know there are still ways I can continue to challenge myself. I think I just need to set some clear goals and have some things to really focus on rather than being all over the place.
I was looking through my old training logs when I felt like my legs were bigger, and I actually wasn't doing as much for my legs as I do now. Often, my second leg day was just some sprints or prowlers, or a CrossFit workout, or just a few leg exercises. I've been so focused on upping the volume for hypertrophy...but maybe that's just not what my body responds to. I did do more treadmill sprints and jumps back then, so that is something to consider adding back in? I just don't knowww.
But I'm not stressing about it. I know that my physique is NOT who I am, and it's not my life's purpose. This is just a hobby, something that I enjoy. Seeing what you can achieve and how you can improve is fun...as long as it doesn't consume your life or become where you find your joy and fulfillment. Thankfully, for me, I realize that it's not what ultimately matters in life, and it's not where I find my fulfillment. I know that I can lose my health, my strength, in the blink of an eye, and that muscles are just temporary. It is all meaningless if it's all we're pursuing in life to the exclusion of everything else-like loving and serving others, growing in our relationship with Christ, and living out God's purposes for us. If I succeed in anything in life, if I succeed at building the most sculpted, muscular physique but fail to reach people for Christ...then ultimately, I have failed.
With that being said, as long as you realize those things, I don't think there is anything wrong with having a hobby that you enjoy, with having fun and continually trying to improve and challenge yourself with your training. It's just something that I have and always will love! But even if I don't build another ounce of muscle for the rest of my life, I will always be thankful that I'm healthy and that I have the ability to move my body, and I'll never take for granted that gift.
I've been reading your blog for quite some times (and follow on IG!) and I actually think you put size on your gluten and legs, and still manage to stay lean. I totally understand where you are coming from though. Its funny because I am in the same place with my training thoughts, and need a goal or something to work towards. I have so much going on in my life that I'm lucky I can get a workout in just for mental sanity. Anyway, keep up the good work because I definitely see progress!
ReplyDeleteThanks, I appreciate that! We're always our own worst critics. I'm not as looks focused as I used to be, but I don't want to be going backwards. :/ Thanks for commenting!
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