Lindsay's Ramblings

It was such a beautiful morning that I couldn't resist taking my workout outside today! It's just nice to get some fresh air and sweat your butt off in the sun! Joined by my workout partner, Asher.  Except he didn't do much! ;) Here's what I did:   1)Single leg squat to chair: 3x10 2)Single leg foot elevated glute bridge: 3x12 3)Single leg calf raise off step: 3x12 w/20lb dumbbell/1x30 4)Band monster walks   FINISHER: 1-2-3....10 Goblet squat + 10-9-8....1 arm KB swing (w/25lbs) Do you enjoy working out outside?

I'm changing up  my leg workouts for a little while since I'm having some on and off pain in my knee and my upper hamstring is still giving me some trouble. I'm thinking the hamstring thing has got to be tendonitis or ischial bursitis...I don't really know what can be done for it, but I'm just going to stay away from heavy squats and deadlifts for now. So right now I'm just going to focus on single leg exercises and glutes, and do some isolation exercises before my compound lifts. I'm also going to add in the leg press, which I haven't done in over a year!  I don't really enjoy using machines at ALL, but for hypertrophy, I think the leg press is good to incorporate into your training every now and then. I just feel like right now my legs are stuck and aren't growing at ALL! And like I said, I've actually went down 2lbs in the last few weeks despite upping my caloric and carb intake! Right now I'm taking in around 2200-2400 calories,

My sister's baby shower was Saturday, and it was so much fun!   It's so nice having my sister around the family again and seeing her happy and healthy. I feel like I have my sister back! This baby is an answer to my prayers and has been such a blessing already, and she's not even born yet! My sister has not looked this good and healthy in years. After highschool, Mindy started hanging with the wrong crowd, and then when my dad died, she just spiraled down from there. She got more and more into drugs and involved with the wrong people. I watched her change right before my eyes. She turned into a completely different person-she wasn't the sister I knew. Growing up, we were best friends-she was the one I talked to about everything and who always made me laugh! She stopped coming around the family, and whenever I did see her it just made me sad. She always had this empty look in her eyes, I guess from whatever drugs she was on. For so long, I felt like I r

"There is no program, workout plan, DVD, supplement, or diet that can substitute for unwavering desire and unbreakable discipline. Training hard has to become more important than partying, eating clean has to be more important than Happy Hour. Bottom line is - you will reap the results of the path you choose. Decide what YOU want more - and don't you dare complain that you don't reap the results of the way YOU chose to ignore. Without the mental fortitude, these 'substitutes' will be nothing more than a band-aid that makes you feel better for the moment, but does absolutely nothing for your long-term success. Substitutes don't teach you that your mentality primes your body for progress or that pain paves the way to change. They don't teach you to get back up a 12th time up after being knocked down for the 11th. YOU have to get out of YOUR comfort zone and experience that for YOURSELF. All these substitutes teach you is that you can remain comfortable, put

Loving... DIY natural beauty remedies. I'm a little late jumping onto the bandwagon, but I just started using coconut oil on my hair and last night mixed it with some honey for a face mask. Right now I'm obsessed with getting my hair healthy and growing it really long, so I'm hoping the coconut oil will help. Anyone have any tips for getting your hair to grow fast? Eating... everything in sight, ha! It feels like it-rice, cereal, potatoes...no food is off limits! Of course, I added in more calories and increased my carbs at dinner and ended up losing 2lbs!! Even the week I had 3 yummy treats, my weight went down! Really? Only I lose weight while trying to do the opposite! WTH. Anyways, my most recent find the other day at Kroger were these sweet potato chips. They are sooo good, and have only 3 ingredients. You just gotta be careful with them if you have portion control problems. ;) But sometimes ya just need something a little crunchy and salty, and

From my own experience, I know how easy it is to become so caught up in your physical appearance that you neglect what truly matters more than anything -your relationship with Christ. Having a fit and healthy body is important while here on Earth, but it won't matter in Heaven. We most definitely  should take care of our bodies, but it should not become what your life revolves around. What are you doing each day to strengthen your relationship with Christ? Are you more focused on pursuing the perfect body than pursuing God? "While bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also the life to come." - 1 Timothy 4:8

As I've mentioned, once or twice a week I like to finish my strength workouts with a very short(usually around 5 minutes) "finisher". One reason I like them so much is because it's a fun and  SHORT way to get a little "cardio" without realy feeling like you're doing cardio!  There are endless combinations for finishers, but here are some that I came up with. A good idea is to time yourself and try to beat your time the next time you do it!       5 minute amrap:  (as many rounds as possible in 5 minutes) OR 3-5 rounds for time :                5 thrusters, 10 KBswings, 15 plank jacks or mountain climbers               12 goblet squats, 12 KB swings               8 pushups, 10 deadlift burpees, 12 goblet squats               5 pushups, 6 renegade rows, 7 lunge jumps, 8 plank crossovers(each leg)   Pyramids:              6-5-4-3-2-1 lunge jumps(each leg) + 20 double unders(or 40 singles)between each set               6 -->1-->6 of: Goblet

Trying something a little different with setting up my workouts. I may change things up as I go...but this is the tentative plan for the next 6 weeks. MONDAY-Upper Body Delt Focus 1.Clean and press OR clean and jerk 3x3-5 2.Military press 4x6 3a. Wide Grip Pullups 5x amap 3b.1 arm DBoverhead press  4x8-10 4a.Cable face pulls 3x10-12 4b. Reverse bench crunch 3x12-15 5.Lateral raises 2x12 -Handstand practice-            5 MIN FINISHER WEDNESDAY-Lower Body 1a. Leg curls 1b. Standing calf raises 4x8-12 2. Bulgarian split squats 4x8-10 3.Trap Bar Deadlifts 2x6 4.. Barbell hip thrust 3x10-12 5. Cable abductions 2x12 6. AB wheel rollouts -L-sits- FRIDAY-Upper Body Chest Focus & Arms 1. 1 arm DB snatch 3-5x5-6 2. .Bench press 4x6 3a. Cable row or chest supported row: 4x8 3b. DB incline chest press 4x8-10 4a.Pushups 3x8-12 4b. Pullups 3x8-10 6a. Bicep curls 3x10-12 6b.Tricep Extensions 3x10-12 -Front lever practice- SATURDAY-Lower + Conditioning 1a. Glut

I was on my deload week last week, so I went to the gym and used lighter weights, not going all out and lifting as much as I could really lift.   I was still feeling the weights, but just not using the same intensity as I usually do when I'm lifting. It got me thinking that this is how so many women train when it comes to lifting weights-without any real intensity! For example, I was doing 1 arm rows with 35lbs, when I normally would use around 55-65lbs. Now, since I have been training for so long, I am at the point where I can make a lighter weight “feel” heavy by really putting my mind into the muscle I’m working. BUT just because I can feel the muscles working doesn’t mean I shouldn’t challenge myself to go heavier if I can, as long as my form is good. It’s all about the intensity you put into it . When you lift a weight, you should put 100% focus and intensity into that lift! Another example: I was doing some battle ropes after one of my workouts but not going all out

The instructions of the Lord are perfect, reviving the soul. The decrees of the Lord are trustworthy , making wise the simple. The commandments of the Lord are right, bringing joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are clear, giving insight for living. Reverence for the Lord is pure, lasting forever. The laws of the Lord are true ; each one is fair.   They are more desirable than gold, even the finest gold. They are sweeter than honey, even honey dripping from the comb.   They are a warning to your servant, a great reward for those who obey them. Psalm 19:7-11

I have noticed that many people have this mindset about working out as "punishment" for eating bad or to burn off as many calories as possible to try and "undo" the damage after eating something they "shouldn't" have. This is so  NOT the right mentality to have!   Don't ever think of going to the gym as punishment! The gym is a place where you go to get stronger , to push your body physically because that is what God created it to do; it's a stress reliever , an outlet, a place to get away from the worries and cares of life; your “me” time. It’s where you go to feel better, look better, and move better, so that you can enjoy life to the FULLEST and be confident in the skin you’re in. With each workout in the gym you are creating a better future for yourself -a future that doesn't involve letting yourself go and growing weak, frail, fat and miserable. Working out is  NOT punishment.    

I have something going on with my left knee....and I am not too happy about it. It cracked really loud one day when I squatted down(not during training), and now it's sore and painful. That's partly why I'm taking it easy this week with my workouts. My upper hamstring issue is back again, too-not as bad as last year, but I'm feeling a little pain when I bend foward like when doing a Romanian deadlift. The only thing that I can think of that's causing it was adding sprints back in, which I was also doing the last time I started having the same issues. Guess I just can't sprint anymore. :(   So I have to confess..so far this week I've had a huge cinnamon roll and a slice of homemade peanut butter pie! Both were things that people gave to us(I know better than to buy that kind of stuff and have it in the house-my willpower is not that strong!). Yeah, I totally could've been super "hardcore" and not let myself eat it or wait for my weekend &

My client, Beverly, came in to work with me a few years ago when she was 63 years old. She had never lifted weights or been on any kind of structured exercise plan before then. She just knew that it was time to make a change. Since that day, Beverly changed her diet around completely and has been consistent with her workouts for the past 3 1/2 years. As a result, she has lost over 30lb and 17 inches, plus she has gained muscle and most importantly, strength! At 67 years old, she can deadlift more than her bodyweight for reps and has done 12 real pushups! She is awesome-she works hard, never complains, and she never uses age as an excuse not to do something! I also have to mention my mother-in-law. For the past few months, I have been sending her workouts for her to do on her own in her home gym. Like Beverly, she had never really been on a structured weight training plan before and has only been working out for about 8 months now consistently.She has gone from being excited