Wednesday, February 9, 2011

So what is "Figure" anyways?

After training shoulders with Laura today we ran through quarter turns, walking, and the procedure to pop out my lats (still working on it – it’s not a natural movement). Apparently I need to learn how to walk too! There is so much more to the competition than achieving a great muscle structure. The posing (quarter turns) and even the walking is so contrived, but you have to make it look natural. For example, you’re supposed to look relaxed, when in reality you’re constantly flexing everything but your forearms, and even thinking about how your fingers are posed. It’s craziness! Craziness I can get on board with though =) Luckily I gave a great PT who has been putting in extra time to research and make sure I learn what I need to before the EC! I have just under 64 days to practice practice practice and master my posing.



I found this video on YouTube, it just so happens to be of last year’s Emerald Cup, one height class above mine, running through their quarter turns and the crowning of the top 5. This is it; this is what I’m going for, in case you wondered ;)

Day 33

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

6:20 am 40 min Cardio

Elliptical “Cardio Blast” program

449 cals burned

7:15 am Protein Shake #1


1 scoop milk chocolate MyoFusion with water and ice in my bullet

8:00 am Breakfast


½ cup oatmeal with 1/3 cup blueberries
Coffee (really good coffee! Starbuck’s Blue Java mmmmm)

11:15 am Marketing Munch


8 oz. chicken breast
8 asparagus spears
Hot tea

12:00 pm Training Shoulders with Laura @ the SRC


1) Front Raises (alternating)
Set 1: 12 lbs x 20 reps
Set 2: 12 lbs x 20 reps
Set 3: 12 lbs x 20 reps

Superset with

2) Dumbbell Shoulder Press (alternating)
Set 1: 20 lbs x 20 reps
Set 2: 20 lbs x 20 reps
Set 3: 20 lbs x 20 reps

3) Dumbbell Arnold Press
Set 1: 15 lbs (per arm) x 10 reps
Set 2: 15 lbs x 10 reps
Set 3: 15 lbs x 10 reps

(There were actually 4 sets, but the first one didn’t really help as Laura was helping me get the form down. These are hard, but I like them!)
Superset with

4) Lateral Raises (alternating)
Set 1: 12 lbs x 20 reps
Set 2: 12 lbs x 20 reps
Set 3: 12 lbs x 20 reps

5) Upright Cable Rows (single arm – full set then switch)
Set 1: 20 lbs x 10 reps each arm
Set 2: 20 lbs x 10 reps each arm
Set 3: 20 lbs x 10 reps each arm

6) Straight Arm Push-downs
Set 1: 60 lbs x 10 reps
Set 2: 60 lbs x 10 reps
Set 3: 65 lbs x 10 reps

These are great for your lats, which I need to build up, but they make your triceps look hot in the mirror! ;)

We then got the key to one of the group fitness rooms which have two walls of mirrors so that Laura could show me how to pop my lats out. As she had promised it is hard to do. I got one lat out for a moment, but my arms were up too high. This is something that takes time before it feels natural so I’ll be practicing nightly from now on.

After Laura left I did just a couple things more:

7) Hammer Curls
(alternating)
Set 1: 20 lbs x 16 reps
Set 2: 25 lbs x 10 reps (owww too heavy left arm died early)
Set 3: 20 lbs x 16 reps

Superset with


8) Overhead Triceps Extensions
Set 1: 20 lbs x 12 reps
Set 2: 25 lbs x 10 reps
Set 3: 20 lbs x 10 reps

9) Assisted Pull-ups 3 Ways

Set 1: 70 lb offset x 6 reps wide grip x 6 reps rev. med. Grip x 6 reps narrow grip
Set 1: 55 lb offset x 4 reps wide grip x 6 reps rev. med. Grip x 6 reps narrow grip
Set 1: 70 lb offset x 6 reps wide grip x 6 reps rev. med. Grip x 6 reps narrow grip


These were really tough today. I was pushing it but I had that involuntary leg muscle quiver going to the point of causing the weight cable to do the same, lol. I always consider that involuntary quiver in a muscle not being worked to be a good sign of really pushing it though! I think it just meant that Laura had put together a killer shoulder workout today =)

1:30 pm off to my Tax Midterm!


1:55 pm Snack
1 cup brown rice
1 Chobani Strawberry NF Greek yogurt
Hot tea

6:15 pm Dinner


Deli Roast Beef
1 Slice Muenster
1 pc SJI 9 Grain Toast
1 small yam
Steamed baby bok choy

7:30 pm Still Starved

200 cal pack raw almonds
1 Opal Apple
Hot Tea

8:30 pm Before Bed Treat

8 oz. Can Sparkling Cranberry (90 cals)

Daily Cal Tally

1,810 Ingested
(1,448) BMR
(839) Training
(477) Net Loss =)

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