SHOULDERS!!!
I love this day! Decided to switch it uo a bit, and since I superset during my other workouts why not try it on a shoulder day?
*sidenote*Well I don't think I put this before, but after reading an article about how trainer shoes are bad for form with bodybuilders because they push you to the balls of your feet instead of the heel, I took time to study, specifically on legs and shoulder days, to see how the shoes affected my form, power, ability to control movement, and if any increase in mind muscle connection. I trained a week studying these four aspects of my training in correlation to shoes and last week I worked out bearfoot(socks of course), but on leg day since I have a bad foot from surgery, health issues ect. I wore my very thin Addidas the virtually have no extra cushion, just a rubber sole and plastic mesh outside...Major difference and now I know why Arnold and other Golden Age idols trained bearfoot, it feels absolutely awesome! I feel like I have more sability and power through my movements and less rocking. I will continue this until the owner of the gym tells me not to, he's a good friend of mine so I don't see that happening anytime soon ha.**
So I started with Seated Military Press supersetted with Behind the Neck Barbell Press(20 second breaks between the two with a minute break between sets) For once I timed myself for endurance. F-is for in front, B is for behind the neck
135lb Fx20 Bx15, 155lb Fx17 Bx13, 185lb Fx12 Bx8, Then I moved the bench from straight up down a knotch and did only front presses at 205lb, I was hoping to feel a stretch where the front delt, which by now is fatigued, and the chest meet to add a little thickness in that area since my chest is lacking. It worked so I did two sets of 10 reps.
Front Dumbell Raises Hammer Style(Palms Facing Eachother)4 sets. Reps for both arms combined.
35lb x20, 45lb x20, 55lb x14, 35lb x26. At this time I was feeling heavily motivated, one of my favorite gym songs was on the iPod, "Hey John, What's Your Name Again?- The Devil Wears Prada. Music motivates and moves the weight for me. I felt like an ANIMAL! I was dropping the dumbells after every lift, I NEVER do that.
Side Dumbell Laterals. 4 sets. "GTKTS! If you don't know what it means you aren't going hard enough"-Travis Gray State of Ohio Powerlifter Record Holder.
F*ck 25's, started with 35's x20, 45's x 15, 55's x10, 65's x8(broke form on last two for cheat reps)
Cable Lateral Raises. 4 sets of 35lb x20 each arm. I like the way combining cable and DB shapes the medial head on the delt.
Bent Over Dumbell Flys.
25's x20, 30's x20, 35's x20, 30's x18. Everything I had.
Wide Grip Front Raises with Barbell, I remember getting excited to do 5reps of 135lb...this week I added to it.
95lb x25, 115 x18, 135 x12, 165 x6(PR)! This felt great.
Decided to use strap during shrugs for the first time in many months. Barbell Shrugs
135lb x40(deep burn), 225lb x20, 315lb x13, 365lb x8.
Not close to my PR of 4 rep shrugs with 455lb, but I don't see a point in ever going that heavy again, my Traps and Delts respond so well, like my legs, I don't need a ton of weight to get them to grow.
Finally did some Behind the Back Smith Machine Raises/Shrugs.
135lb x20,x17,x15,x21...Keep it light and simple to make sure I'm hitting the lower Trap in the upper/middle part of my back. This has attributed to a greater increase in my thickness in my upper back ans shoulder region.
I haven't seen the Bully in a week so I wonder if he gave up or what seeing as he works full time in a factory and complained he tore both his shoulders. Maybe I discouraged him? That is never my goal, I want to be an inspiration to others. I know he is going through a rough time so I wonder if I should get ahold of him and reach out to him. Maybe he could be my new lifting partner? I'm simply thinking outloud, but I know surely his presence greatly motivates me and I can go a little harder with a spot. Though I do like the fear of going solo becuase it is either "push the weight or die here" most of the time lol. What is stronger than Fear? I have a fear of being small and skinny so I lift, is that because I was tormented for my size as a kid? OR is it because I never fit the "ideal" look of a male. I'll be honest here 2 years ago my physique was classified as a "pre-pubesent teenage girl" and I thought I looked good until I got a job at *** and learned more about nutrition. I ate like sh*t and since I have an allergy to everything under the sun, lactose intollerant, shellfish, high doses of Citric Acid, etc. I never ate well, but I loved grains. I cpould eat hot dog buns solo all day. Maybe I am rambling here, but I am just looking back at my progress and how I used to lie about my weight ans aay I was 10-15 pounds heavier and now how I hope on the scale and all I can do is smile. Hell none of my clothes fit that I bought in the summer of 2011!!! Not even my PES shirt I got 10 weeks ago looks right on me anymore. I buy large T-shirts because I get room in the torso and the arms are snug enough that they look good and won't stretch to much when I go to scratch my back or stretch. Now, that I;m out of *** I'm learning even more.
When I first got on this site I thought I knew it all because my job taught me a lot, but it was all outdated. I got offended easily when I was corrected, but now I just ask for a link to the information and accept it. I have only been active for 27 days and I continue to grow, Physically and Intellectually. Some how over the past few weeks I've been able to connect with myself more, usually dring a Natty Test Cycle I get irritated and want to punch everything insight and I am very short with people and myself, but now I find myself digging deeper. Stimulation of the brain maybe? I have mental blocks from my childhood from when my Grandmother died of Cancer, she took care of me every day and even saw her first movie theatre film with me, Pokemon 2000(let's you know how long ago that was!). I am very active in the Ralys for Life(Cancer walks) and attend 2 a year since 2002(She passed in October 2001 on my birthday). During the ceremony I begain to think about her and I could remember things I have not been able to in years... I cried.. Could you imagine that? lol Here I am in my PES shirt looking like a Bada$$ and I'm crying becuae I can remember things... This inspired me to do something I never have before, I signed up as a Cancer Survivor and put on a purple shirt.
In October 2009, 8 years after my grandmother passed and at 16 years old, I was diagnosed with Skin Cancer on my stomach and left shoulder. I never talk about this nor do I tell anyone so feel special lol. Immediately they begain to freeze and burn the sites and scrap it off, the physical pain was unbelievable, but I loved it. Do I consider myself a survivor? Not really because I knew for about a half hour before asking to remove it as quickly as possible. The soreness lasted for 3-4 days and I thought to myself that lifting gave me the same pain on a lesser scale. So another motivation to workout is the rememberance of what I endured. Odd right? But none-the-less and as cliche as it may be, the pain tthe iron gives m reminds me I'm alive and still here.
So this may have beeb completely off topic, but this update has got me thinking even more. I know that a career in the fitness industry is my calling,no matter how long it takes, whether I become a representative for a company, just a trainer of athletes or in a gym, work in labs developing new and greater supplelements or training techniques, I will forever be connected to the world of physical fitness and the pain it brings. But the pain is temporary, the glory is forever, right? lol
Thanks for reading guys! Chest and Biceps tonight!!!
Stay Tuned.