updated diet

let the lean down begin...

Weeks 11-
Non work out days		Work-out days
Meal 1		Meal 1
1 large egg		Same
6 egg whites
1/3 cup fruit
Meal 2		Pre workout
4oz beef		1 scoop whey protein
1/3 cup fruit		8oz water
		1/3 cup of rice	cooked
Meal 3		Post workout
4oz chicken breast		1 scoop whey protein
1/3 cup cottage cheese		8oz water
		1/3 cup of rice	cooked
		1/3 cup cottage cheese
Meal 4		Meal 4
4oz chicken breast		Same
1 cup veggies (any kind)
Meal 5		Meal 5
4oz beef		Same
1 cup veggies (any kind)

i've had a very rich, fatty diet for years.  before taking on my coach, i never cooked chicken off the bone or without the skin, and never had an egg sans yolk.  the egg whites and the chicken breast are the worst part here, a close second is the absence of cheese and milk.  what she had giveth, she hath taken away!  if there is a god, i'll start wasting away, and some good stuff will find it's way back in here.  i dip the chicken in spicy brown mustard... lots of mustard.  i look at the chicken as merely a vehicle to get mustard to my mouth.

still drinking a gallon of water a day... that's never an issue for me!

week 10, day 2

Standing Strict Press	3x5	60-70	65, 69, 72
One Arm DB Push Press (strongman style, 2 hand clean)	3x5	30-40	30, 40, 45
Deadlift	4x6	185-205	185, 195, 200, 205	use straps, these deadlift sets
Block Pulls	2x2	145
	2x2	165
	1x2	185
	1x2	200
	1x2	215
	3x2	230-240	230, 230, 240
Bent over rows	3x15		85, 90, 90	hit low on belly button
narrow grip lat pulldown	3x15		60, 70, 70

GOOD training day!

shoulder press was a million times better than last time i did it.  week 7, 73# triples were a struggle, and i KNEW i was stronger than that.  today, it was all on point.  happy with 72# x5

Single Arm DB PP is the kinda stuff i LOVE!!!!!!!!  when i did them week 5, i was strict pressing it and 35# was really hard for my left arm.  getting that little oomph from the push press was nice, and i feel confident that had i started heavier than 30#, my last set would've been 50# ;)

deads, i was grunting a little sooner than i would like to see happen.  200# felt heavyish.  by the finish, the straps had rubbed my wrist raw (in one tiny, itty bitty spot), so i skipped them on the block pulls when it got tough. clean grip, then went mixed from the second set at 165# on.

week 10, day 1

Week 10
	Bench Press	4x3	100-110	100, 105, 110, 110	set 1, 2 video
	Close Grip Bench Press	2x5	90-100	90, 100	video
	Back Squats	3x3	95
		2x3	115
		2x3	135
		1x3	155
		4x3	170-180	170, 175, 175, 180	video

love-hate training day.  i hit all the numbers i'd hoped, but some old [bad] habits came into play.

bench, i turned my legs on late in the lifts.  110# is probably the heaviest triple i've ever benched. i continued the wider grip this week, and it felt great.  i think i got so preoccupied with that and my shoulder position, i forgot the leg drive cue.  i have confidence in my setup, i will focus on the legs next week.

close grip bench made me realize how much the wider grip engages my chest, and my old setup was all triceps.

back squats, 180# is definitely the heaviest triple i've ever hit.  185# was my one-rep max last april.  i positioned the bar lower on my back, which i guess got me so wound up, i completely forgot to do anything right and lead out of the squats... with my butt.  womp, womp, wooooomp.

squat notes from coach

From: urbankstrengthteam

Date: April 07, 2014 9:54:13 AM

To: teenywahine

Subject: Re: Quick question... 

Your bench press is looking great! Good full breathes on your reps, and having sore glutes and hamstrings is an excellent sign of leg activation. Work your squat bar position a little bit lower on the delts. By doing so you can decrease the lever length (of your back) which will help reduce 'lawn-chairing" during the lift and it can also help stack the weight more directly over the hips. This may take a little bit of wrist and shoulder flexibility.

week 9, day 2

Push Press	5x3	90-105	90, 95, 95, 100, 105 x2	video
2 second eccentric Deadlift	4x2	165-185	165, 170, 185, 185	speed on concentric
Sumo Deadlift	5x3	135-155	155, 155, 155, 155, 155
GHR	3x10
Leg Press  (machine is 103#)	3x20		230, 270 270
Face Pulls	2x30		32,5, 32.5

i could just kick myself for that last push press set!  i didn't push the bar away from me, but i never pushed my head through.  still happy with the pp, overall.  was tough to get started.  while warming up, i kept jerking it!  i spent ~7 months, prior to this cycle, trying to break my pressing habit and honing my jerk, so it was almost automatic to drop under the bar.

sumo actually went pretty good.  planned on taping it, but camera started acting weeeird.  it is pretty significant how much less you have to lift the bar when doing sumo vs. conventional.... but hitting a higher number with sumo would probably be pretty far off for me.  maybe something to explore next year.

gh raises were SO MUCH better today than they have been.  still went unloaded, but they felt solid and was able to use a little less momentum.

leg presses... hmmm... i think the pp spent me.  leg press felt exceptionally heavy.  calves are tight, which makes my ankles sore, so everything was just kinda, blah.  oh, and i totally peed during the second set.  ew!

i have some baby shreds on my back, that i see working in my bench videos.  are those my face pulling muscles?!

sunday, Sunday, SUNDAY training with colin

week 9, day 1

Week 9
	Bench Press	4x6	95-105	95, 105, 105, 105	video
	Floor Press	5x2	95-105	95 all sets
	Back Squat	1x10	bar
		2x4	100-110	100, 110
		1x4	120-130	130
		1x4	140-150	145
		6x4	160-170	160, 160, 170, 170, 170, 170	video
	Pause Squat	4x2	130
	BentOver Rows	3x12		85 all sets	video

good training day!  at first i was totally bummed that the program was changed from bench heavy singles (dying to try 125#!), but this day helped me A LOT!

widest i've ever gripped for bench and i did feel a lot more powerful and in control.  i was driving more through the legs than ever before.  how do i know?  hammies lit up at the end of my sets.

floor press was a little tough, but i think mostly fatigued from bench.  they weren't impossible, just not speedy enough to go up in weight.

finally filmed my rows and glad i did!  didn't realize i was using so much momentum.  second and third set, more controlled, strict movement.

week 7-8 notes from coach

To: teeny-wahine
Subject: Re: Video update
From: urbankstrengthteam
Date: Tue, 1 Apr 2014 07:59:50 -0400

Hey Megan, thanks for getting those videos up. Your form over-all is looking great, but I do see a few fine points where things can continue to improve and help you get a few extra pounds on your lifts. 

Bench Press-when you grab the bar, set your thumbs in first with palms facing slightly outward, then rotate your hands to set your grip in on the bar. Focus on trying to bend the bar. This will increase the amount of activation in your forearms and back.

    Pin your shoulders back and down. Squeeze your glutes together before you unrack the weight, as soon as it is unracked push down through the heels and outer edge of your feet.  

    On your heavy sets make sure you are getting enough air between reps by breathing through your mouth. And let's take your grip out a fingers width this next week.

Squat-Good breathing and form. Make sure you are pushing out low on the belt and leading the ascent of the squat with your shoulders. Make sure to push through your heels and the outer edge of your foot, and you can try turning your toes out a little more to recruit more glutes.

OHP- push your head through as soon as possible, this will activate more upper back

Deadlifts and rack pulls are looking good. If you aren't already, push your knees out toward your elbows and push your hips through as soon as possible.

Great job the past two weeks. We'll continue doing more volume at a high intensity, it looks like your coming up on squat and bench pr's very soon.