Becca's Workout Journal

[Becca Borawski]

It's been a while since I kept one of these! I kept one diligently, without missing a day (even logging rest days) for about eight years, but now haven't kept one since last fall when I moved here to Portland. Time to get back in the groove!

Monday 3/19/12
5:00pm - Elite Performance Center

Back squat day at team training practice at EPC. Busy night! Lots of folks here and a lot of fun. I am going back from having tweaked a long-standing back injury a couple months ago, so didn't go super heavy and focused on form. Did lots of sets of 5 and 3 reps. Worked up to either 155# or 165# at the heaviest.

Tuesday 3/20/12
5:00pm - PDX Weightlifting

Weightlifting practice with coach Nick Horton (one of our Breaking Muscle writers!). Working on learning the split snatch. Now that I'm getting used to it, I am loving how it feels. Helps me remember to really tighten up my core (otherwise I twist and drop it!) and doesn't annoy my lower back. Still learning technique, so just worked up to 70-something pounds.

[Becca Borawski]

Saturday 3/24/12
9:00am - Elite Performance Center

Saturdays are deadlift training for the team at EPC. We had a small crew this week. Lifted the most I've lifted in a long time - have been dealing with some injuries and things the last six months - and it felt great! Did a bunch of sets of 5 and 3, working my way up to 195#, then did one rep at #205 just to finish off. Definitely not a 1RM - no reason to do those really - they just wear you out for regular training and getting stronger.

Sunday 3/25/12
10:00am - LA Fitness

We joined a globo-gym! lol It's true. Signed up for one around the corner from us. Did a bit of cardio then a bunch of upper body exercises. I'm excited to do it to build back up my strength in my shoulders/upper-body and rehab my shoulder.

[Becca Borawski]

Monday 3/26/12
7:00pm - LA Fitness

We found a cool app that we downloaded to our founds (jefit.com) that has traditional bodybuilder type workouts in it so we are playing around with that for a while. It tells you what to do, how many reps, has animations of the exercises, etc. Pretty neat, actually. So I'm going old school bodybuilder for a while to see what happens! I've never trained this way, so it's an adventure and I'm learning a bunch of new things.

Today was "chest and back day"

Tuesday 3/27/12
7:00pm - LA Fitness

Leg day! Most of it was not all that dissimilar from strength training at CrossFit or accessory movements at powerlifting training: back squats, lunges, romanian deadlifts, and then a few machines thrown in. My legs were TIRED by the end. Good stuff.

[Becca Borawski]

Wednesday 3/28/12
5:00pm - LA Fitness

REST DAY!

After 4 straight days of working out it was time for a rest day. We still found ourselves at LA Fitness, but this time it was lounging in the hot tub to help recuperate our sore muscles.


Thursday 3/29/12
7:00pm - LA Fitness

Today was all about core exercises. This is the first time I've ever followed a more "body builder" styled protocol ever, so it's taking some getting used to, but I'm enjoying learning and trying new things. AND my core is really tired after all the crunches, sit-ups, decline sit-ups, d-bell side bends, etc, etc.

[Becca Borawski]

Saturday 3/31/12
5:00pm - LA Fitness

This day was a lot of presses, shrugs, and shoulder work. I did some modifying because the behind-the-neck movements make me really nervous in regards to impingement and my already existing shoulder injury. Had to do a little modification of range of motion on a couple movements, too, but I think this routine will help strengthen and heal my shoulders.

Monday 4/2/12
5:30pm - LA Fitness

Met up with 2 friends, so there were four of us total rotating on all the movements. It made it go a lot fast and was a lot more fun. Mostly back work and some arms. Good stuff!

[Becca Borawski]

Doing four days straight this week so we get in our four days we are committed to...and we're going on vacation Fri-Sun, so it's four straight days of training to make it happen!

Tuesday 4/3/12
7:30pm - LA Fitness

Arms and shoulders today. Exactly where I need to build strength. Feels so silly lifting little weights! lol Getting better though.

Wednesday 4/4/12
6:00pm - LA Fitness

Today played more to my strength - which of course means it's the stuff I don't need to do as much. A lot of leg stuff - quads, glutes, and hamstrings. I skipped the calf exercises. I don't need bigger calves! lol

Worked out with our friend Eric and all three of us worked HARD. I was overcome by a five-minute yawning fit after one set of squats - pretty much friend my nervous system, I think! Felt really awful...and then really good when we were done. Perfect!

[Becca Borawski]

I haven't been posting, but starting this week I am getting back in the habit of keeping my journal here!

For the past couple months my boyfriend and I have been very dedicated in following the Wendler 5/3/1 program and have been getting great results. We have been experimenting with different accessory exercises to go along with the main lifts. Our primary goal right now is strength gain, so we haven't been doing a lot in the way of cardio. I am considering adding some jumproping in though so lean up a bit.

More to come!

[Becca Borawski]

Last week's training -- week 3 of cycle 2 on the Wendler 5/3/1 program:

Sunday 8/12/12 - 9:00am
Deadlift Day

All the deadlifts today were done from a 2" height off the ground. We are working on our set up - that is the weak spot for both my boyfriend and I - so we are going to periodically work in lower and lower blocks until we are strong and have a good set up off the ground. Consquently, I added 20# to all my Wendler weights to make up for this.

8x95
8x115
5x135
3x155
3x170
20x190

Accessory work:
Bodyweight rows, varying grips, hanging off the power rack - 14, 8, 12
Pushups - 7, 10, 10

Monday 8/13/12 - 6:00pm
Press Day

Skipped the workout today - had a migraine.

Wednesday 8/15/12 - 6:00pm
Squat Day

8x65
8x95
5x130
5x145
7x165

All squats done wearing a weight belt. Maybe could have done 1-2 more on the last set, but didn't want to fry myself after going so hard on deadlifts this past Sunday and the migraine on Monday.

Accessory work:
Knee ups in dip station - 7, 8, 10, 8
Good mornings - 6x65
Switched to RDLs 'cause GMs did something crazy to my neck - 30# db's, 2x8

Friday 8/17/12 - 6:00pm
Bench Day

6x45
6x55
5x75
3x85
13x95

Getting a lot stronger on these - for the powerlifting meet in December I'd love to do a bodyweight bench press. I'll be weighing in at 132# for that competition.

Accessory work:
Bent over barbell row, 95# - 9, 10, 11
Ring dips, with feet elevated on bar in front of me - 5, 3, 3, 5, 4

Sunday 8/19/12 - 9:00am
Deadlift Day

5x95
5x125
5x135
5x145
3x165
17x180

From the floor this week. Wore my belt on the last set.

Accessory work:
30 deadhang pull ups (overhand), using mini-band assistance

[Becca Borawski]

Monday 8/20/12 - 6:00pm
Press Day
5x45
5x50
3x55
11x60

Shoulders felt tired from yesterday's deadlifts still. That's why we have our one back-to-back workout be deadlift/press -- I'm least concerned about press compared to squat or bench. Yesterday in the deadlifts I felt like my shoulders were working hard...and like my arms were going to be 2 inches longer by the time I finished my last set, so I'm not surprised they were tired today.

Accessory work: -
Knee raises in dip stand: 3x10
Bench press, 65# - 3x15
Bent over barbell row, #75 - 3x12
Ring dips, with feet elevated on bar in front of me - 5, 4, 5, 4

Feeling a lot stronger on the dips!

[Becca Borawski]

Wednesday 8/22/12 - 6:00pm
Squat Day

We are doing Wendler 5/3/1 and the fourth week is "deload" week, so the weights aren't very exciting. But recovering does indeed feel good on the body and I'm using the time to focus on perfecting form, breathing, and tightening the crud out of my core during the squat.

5x45
5x70
5x85
5x105

Accessory work:
Accessory work also coordinatingly lighter since it's deload week. It's really nice to be able to do all these exercises after rehabbing my injuries for so much of the last year. Took a lot of patience, but I'm generally able to do a lot of things I couldn't for a long time (like carry groceries without being in pain!)

Superset:

• Pullups, deadhang, black or purple band - 3x8
• D-bell shoulder press, 15/20# dbs - 3x10

Superset:

• Ring rows - 3x10
• Pushups - 3x10

Dips, on paralettes - 3x10