It's all starting to pay off...

You know you're doing something right when the most focused person in the gym pauses his own (crazy-insane-and-oh-so-inspiring) workout to tell you that you're "working harder than anyone in here.. it's so nice to see someone actually DOING something." It's also great when someone overhears your out-loud-musings about ditching the 35lb dumbbells for the 30lb ones and comments "hey, that's more than most guys use..." Makes you reconsider for sure. :) Hee!

Yesterday we ditched the chin-up machine for good. It's do or die time - no more sissying around. We're not quite at the unassisted level - still need the bands to get our chubby butts up off the ground - but we're creeping closer and closer. G has moved up to the orange/purple band, and i am warily looking over at the skinny yellow/black one... Friday... yeah, Friday. It's all in the mind, right?

Today's erg workout left G seeing stars and me wanting to explode from multiple ends. Gross but true. I for one was extremely reluctant to get myself on that hard, slippery little seat.. but I am so glad I didn't let temptation to get the better of me. (Plus having the Biggest Loser on TV doesn't hurt the motivation factor either!) My fastest SUSTAINED 30-second split time: 1:32! Whoop whoop... I've never seen the numbers go that low before.... the rush was nuts!

G left yesterday's -23-degree temperatures today and flew off to Florida to have a family reunion and to run a half-marathon with her brothers... which reminds me, I better hurry up and register for the Burlington half-marathon before my time to do so is up....

powerlifting and overload...

And still we're lovin' it.

So, today's workout challenged us to add 20% more weight and really utilize our spotters... but what happens if your spotter can't reach over the back of the decline bench (because it's sized for a freakin' ogre)? And should you worry when you hear "you're gonna have to go get your own weight because i can't lift it"?? Or how the hell do you spot on the lat pull down? This has been a week of trial and error (and thankfully no injuries!!) We tried to focus really hard today but still there were giggles and laughing fits because we felt soooo awkward as we tried to figure out how best to help one another. Hopefully we can get some answers when we see the team again on Saturday...

Still - we worked sooo hard and then worked some more. It is amazing to catch a glimpse of a really strong woman in the mirror and then realize, with much relish, that hey, that's you! Or to go over the 100lb or 150lb mark on lifts that just a few weeks ago you could barely do half that... :)

We were on such a high after our weight routine that we went a little crazy. So we did a self-test 500m sprint on the erg before our mandatory cardio (two words: Goals. Met.). And finished with 3 sets of 10 inverted row thingies and a good, long, relaxing (haha) wall sit. Life is brill.

When sickness hits...

...you get creative. Poor G is down for the count :(  It'll be a day of fun in my basement "gym" for me... and we'll just figure out a way to make the weight workout somewhere else. Or maybe we'll switch Sunday for today - hopefully she'll be back on her feet in time (and for tomorrow's team workout - yipes!). It's sooooo frustrating when life socks you one in the eye and you can't do a thing about it. Blargh! Feel better soon G!

Week 12

Transitioning into power lifting. It's going to take us a little time to figure out exactly what weights to work with, and despite a few (very) humorous episodes and one extremely long fit of giggles, we got through today's workout feeling like we accomplished something quite substantial. We tried a different gym location that we ended up not being so crazy about (despite the sauna and hot tub) - so we're heading back to familiar ground (and faces) on Wednesday. We'll come back just for the sauna and soak on our day of rest :)