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Julie's Journey to New Strength!

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  • Julie's Journey to New Strength!

    Ok this is my first log/journal so bear with me, lol. I’m open to any tips any of you have. I’ll give you a background. I’m 29, 5’1, 110lbs, and type I diabetic. I’ve been a multi-sport athlete since 4. I went to college to play softball and swim. Between my FR & SO yrs I had dislocated my shoulder for the 3rd time. I tried to play fall softball my SO year, but ended up redshirting bc I started chronically dislocating/subluxing. Turns out, I had a torn rotator cuff, stretched capsule, and a labrum tear. I then had surgery. 6 months into it, I had to have surgery again to break through the capsular adhesions. About 1.5 yrs later, I dislocated again. Surgery #3 left me with virtually no rotator cuff, so they installed hardware, lol. Docs told me that I would not be able to go back into competitive sports. So, I focused back in on college and went several years with hardly any training. My body really started wasting away, I was down to about 95lbs (I have always been very small, never got to 100lbs until 2nd sem. of college.) So, I decided that I was going to start back weight training, but I feared that I was going to be very limited due to the shoulder (esp since my docs recommended against it). I trained for a year and got up to about 105ish. Then a friend of mine who is a PT convinced me to get in the free weight room at the gym in April 09. He had me convinced I could do things that I was told I could not. That’s where my journey began.

    My workouts look something like this:

    Mon/Wed/Fri: Cardio in A.M./Upper body P.M.
    Tues/Thurs: Cardio A.M./ Lower body P.M.
    Sat: some kind of fun activity… cycling, kickbox, swim, etc.

    This is the highlights of where I was at on 4/20/09:

    Bench: 45lbs, 3x10 (with spotting)
    DB Chest Press: 12lbs, 3x10
    Military Press (Smith Machine): 45lbs, 3x10
    Military Press (DB): 10lbs
    Lat Pulldowns: 60lbs, 3x10
    Rows: 40lbs, 3x10
    EZ Bar Curl: 17.5lbs, 3x10
    V Bar Tricep Press: 45lbs, 3x10
    Shrugs (Smith Machine): 25lbs, 3x10

    • At that time, I was only using multi’s, fish oil, and ON Whey Protein.

    • I started using WF/PW 7/19/09. I added GM 9/28/09. I added PI 10/5/09. I added OT 10/23/09.

    This is the highlights of where I am at as of 10/28/09:

    Bench: 100lbs, 4x10
    DB Chest Press: 30lbs, 3x15
    Military Press (Smith Machine): 85lbs, 3x10
    Military Press (DB): 25lbs, 3x15
    Lat Pulldowns: 85lbs, 3x10
    Rows: 75lbs, 3x10
    EZ Bar Curl: 37.5lbs, 3x10
    BB Skull Crushers: 42.5lbs, 3x 10 (wasn’t able to the bar on 4/20)
    V Bar Tricep Press: 85lbs, 3x10
    Shrugs: 85lbs, 3x 10


    Before the CL products I was making moderate gains, but once I started those… my training went through the roof. When I started using them in July, my goal was to bench 100lbs by my bday (10/13). In July I was at 70lbs (before CL). My new goal is bench my body weight (cleanly) by Christmas. (That’s why I am thinking of adding BG & GGs to further assist me.) I know everything isn't based on your bench, but the bench means so much more to me than that. For me it's something I never thought I could do at my size/shoulder injuries. Once I saw what I was doing there, it inspired me to feel like I could do anything elsewhere. It empowered me.
    Last edited by JC32; 10-30-2009, 07:58 AM.
    ~Julie

    Currently Taking:
    - CL's WF, BG, GB, PW, GGs, OT, OX

    My CL 2010 Log: http://controlledlabsforum.com/showt...283#post124283

  • #2
    That sucks about your shoulder! I know being an athlete, it must of been tough, not to perform at the level you had done in the past. That can wear on you mentally.

    Good luck and keep us updated!

    Comment


    • #3
      Hehe..the bionic woman....well bionic arm anyways. So I take it your shoulder doesn't bother you anymore?
      laurie@controlledlabs.com

      Disclaimer : The above post is my own PERSONAL OPINION and DOES NOT REPRESENT the official position of any company or entity. It DOES NOT constitute medical advice. CONTROLLED LABS products are produced in a GMP for Sport certified facility (no hormones produced in the facility / no cross contamination).

      Comment


      • #4
        Originally posted by HotRod View Post
        That sucks about your shoulder! I know being an athlete, it must of been tough, not to perform at the level you had done in the past. That can wear on you mentally.

        Good luck and keep us updated!
        Thanks! It was very tough... I was usually on 2 softball/baseball and 2 swim teams since I was 4, played basketball and volleyball in JR/HS. I was lost. Had no idea what to do with free time. Even when I was playing sports, I would go play another sport for fun.


        Originally posted by bull.dogz View Post
        Hehe..the bionic woman....well bionic arm anyways. So I take it your shoulder doesn't bother you anymore?
        LOL For the most part my shoulder is fine. Still have arthritis. Occasionally still deal with muscle guarding and muscle tightness, which throws off my GH rhythm. Lately I have kinda shocked it by going up in weights so quickly, but I go to a neuromuscular massage therapist that works on muscle re-education (so it doesn't associate certain movements with pain and then muscle guard). Internal/External rotation is still a little suspect, but thats mainly a hardware limitation than flexibility/ROM. lol But it's def. A LOT better than what it was. It's corrected my posture a lot and I'm sure that decreases a ton of stress too. Oh and the OT doesn't hurt it either!
        Last edited by JC32; 10-30-2009, 11:02 AM.
        ~Julie

        Currently Taking:
        - CL's WF, BG, GB, PW, GGs, OT, OX

        My CL 2010 Log: http://controlledlabsforum.com/showt...283#post124283

        Comment


        • #5
          Awesome! Ill keep up with this! Good luck. Its great to hear a story behind the passion
          "Greater love hath no man, than to lay down his life for a friend" John 15:13
          CFD

          Comment


          • #6
            barbell benching isn't going to help your shoulder at all...only make it worse lol


            try shoulder dislocations -- like 50+ per workout -- freaking a-maz-ing... and shoudler traction too..

            Comment


            • #7
              Originally posted by farmerson12 View Post
              Awesome! Ill keep up with this! Good luck. Its great to hear a story behind the passion
              Thanks!


              Originally posted by jdiritto View Post
              barbell benching isn't going to help your shoulder at all...only make it worse lol


              try shoulder dislocations -- like 50+ per workout -- freaking a-maz-ing... and shoudler traction too..
              I know, I'm an ATC and I would NEVER (ever) recommend this, lol. Nor did my doc seem to like it. Totally agree that it's truly stupid. HOWEVER, it is defying all logic (not by itself exactly), but my shoulder feels 100% better than it did... I've yet to feel any instability, inflammation, etc. It might be a little sore, but not much more than my left. It's helped beef up my stabilizers, help with posture, etc. Does that mean it won't get bad... no... lol But I baby'd a gimp shoulder for far too long... As long as I feel confident that I'm not pushing past the limit, I'm going to continue. I will say that once I get my body weight... I will probably go back down to 90/95lbs and work on sets/reps instead of weight. I'm just out to set everybody wrong and say I could bench my body weight. lol
              ~Julie

              Currently Taking:
              - CL's WF, BG, GB, PW, GGs, OT, OX

              My CL 2010 Log: http://controlledlabsforum.com/showt...283#post124283

              Comment


              • #8
                try floor presses -- the benefits of benching but little to no stress on shoulder girdle

                Comment


                • #9
                  You know in all honesty, I probably don't come down much lower when I bench vs. a floor press. ROM wise, I can only physically come down to about 2in. above nipple line. So, I don't come down quite as low as most people do. But a floor press is a good idea... throw that in to give my shoulder a break. BUT that's after 110... lol
                  ~Julie

                  Currently Taking:
                  - CL's WF, BG, GB, PW, GGs, OT, OX

                  My CL 2010 Log: http://controlledlabsforum.com/showt...283#post124283

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Welcome to girl power Looks like you have made some pretty awesome gains! Always good to see other girls lifting "big-girl" weight!!

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Thank you! I feel the same way, I'm the ONLY girl at my gym that really lifts "heavy". 99% of them are in the "Nautilus room" and if they come in the free weight room it's just to hit on the guys. lol It just ticks me off. The guys are cool though, they respect that I'm in there to do work!
                      ~Julie

                      Currently Taking:
                      - CL's WF, BG, GB, PW, GGs, OT, OX

                      My CL 2010 Log: http://controlledlabsforum.com/showt...283#post124283

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        K here is my workout from today (Fri's are long long, thank God for PW/PI!)

                        Bench - 100lbs 3x10
                        DB Military Press- 25 3x15
                        Lat Pulldown - 85 3x12
                        Cable Rows - 75 3x12
                        Cable Supermans - 35 3x12 ... superset... E-Z Bar Curls 32.5 3x12
                        Single Arm Rope Ext. - 25 3x10... superset... Single Arm Cable Kickback
                        Sword Pulls - 6 3x15... superset... theraband... Rear Delt Flys - 3x15
                        Pullups (spotted) - 2x15
                        Chinups (spotted) - 2x15
                        Abs

                        Then I jumped on a spin bike for about 45min...
                        ~Julie

                        Currently Taking:
                        - CL's WF, BG, GB, PW, GGs, OT, OX

                        My CL 2010 Log: http://controlledlabsforum.com/showt...283#post124283

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Originally posted by Slash32 View Post
                          K here is my workout from today (Fri's are long long, thank God for PW/PI!)

                          Bench - 100lbs 3x10
                          DB Military Press- 25 3x15
                          Lat Pulldown - 85 3x12
                          Cable Rows - 75 3x12
                          Cable Supermans - 35 3x12 ... superset... E-Z Bar Curls 32.5 3x12
                          Single Arm Rope Ext. - 25 3x10... superset... Single Arm Cable Kickback
                          Sword Pulls - 6 3x15... superset... theraband... Rear Delt Flys - 3x15
                          Pullups (spotted) - 2x15
                          Chinups (spotted) - 2x15
                          Abs

                          Then I jumped on a spin bike for about 45min...
                          Awesome! what are sword pulls?
                          "Greater love hath no man, than to lay down his life for a friend" John 15:13
                          CFD

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            From an AT stand point we call them sword pulls, you may all call them something different... It's almost literally the motion you would make drawing a sword from the hip across your body, only you stay rotated thumb down and you only come up to parallel to the floor/90deg. Then a tight post. delt. squeeze at the end range. My post. delts were HORRIBLE to start (still not great). Those superset with the theraband fly really light me up!! Especially since I do them at the very end.
                            ~Julie

                            Currently Taking:
                            - CL's WF, BG, GB, PW, GGs, OT, OX

                            My CL 2010 Log: http://controlledlabsforum.com/showt...283#post124283

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Bench - 90 5x10
                              DB Chest Press - 30 2x12
                              Military Press- 85 3x10
                              Lat Pulldown - 85 3x12
                              Cable Rows - 75 3x12
                              Shrugs (Smith Machine) - 85 3x10
                              Cable Supermans - 35 3x12 ... superset... E-Z Bar Curls 32.5 3x12
                              Decline Bench Skull Crushers - 15 3x10... superset... BB Skull Crushers - 42.5 3x 10
                              Sword Pulls - 6 3x15... superset... theraband Rear Delt Flys - 3x15
                              Pullups (spotted) - 2x15
                              Chinups (spotted) - 2x15
                              Abs

                              - 45min on upright bike this a.m. (HR interval program)

                              * Had to go to 90 on bench bc my right trap was super tight/fatigued and it really messed up my form. So I went down and weight and increased sets, which seemed to work.

                              *** I start BG & GGs tomorrow... we'll see what happens!!
                              Last edited by JC32; 11-02-2009, 05:44 PM.
                              ~Julie

                              Currently Taking:
                              - CL's WF, BG, GB, PW, GGs, OT, OX

                              My CL 2010 Log: http://controlledlabsforum.com/showt...283#post124283

                              Comment

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