Sandi's Training Log

[sgi4950]

Hello Everyone,

My name is Sandi, I live in Texas and I co-own a construction company that keeps me on the run along with a busy social life.

I have been working with Mehdi via his fitness coaching since March, 2009. I’ve been weight training consistently since November 2007 and have read the training logs and the Stronglifts website since its inception to help keep me motivated and learn more about diet and lifting. In March I read that the fitness coaching was opening up and I hopped aboard.

I have had personal trainers and worked out on my own over the years but have been unable to stay consistent in my training. This and that in life always seemed to always take precedence. Then one day I finally decided I was tired of being flabby and my back and knees hurting. I was sick of making excuses so I started weight training again and haven’t looked back.

Here’s my current personal data.

Female, 49 years (geez that seems old when you actually write it down)
Weight – 126
Height – 5’4”
B/F – 21% (ultimately I want to get to 15% but for now I’d be happy to break through the 20’s)

I have a gym at my house and I train M/W/F. My lifts have been modified from the 5x5 to 3x5 lately as I’ve been struggling with plateaus as well as a few minor aches and pains. Here are my PR’s on the lifts/exercises we’ve been doing. I haven’t done any 1RM’s so these numbers are from my working sets.

Box Squats – 150 lbs.
Bench – 105 lbs.
Press – 85 lbs.
D/L – 205 lbs.
IR’s – 15 w/elevated feet and 6 w/elevated feet and 25 lbs
Push-Ups – 33
Chins – Neutral Grip – 7

I’ll start posting my training log with tonight’s workout and look forward to learning from and talking with others in the forum.

[joda]

Hi Sandi,
Great lifts! I am green with envy at your chinups and pushups!
Looking forward to watching your progress.

cheers!
joda

[XCouchPotato]

Hi Sandi:

Welcome aboard. Looks like your doing great! As far as age is concerned, your a young chick comapred to me and believe me I don't feel old. I'm looking forward to following your progress.

[Kathy]

Hi Sandi - Glad to meet you! And super lifts...How on earth can you do those IR's w/elevated feet?! I am SO jealous

I look forward to following your log/progress.

[zizzy80]

Hey Sandi,

Mehdi led me to your training log. And I was impressed!!! I was worrying about doing too much weights and there you were, posting the similar weights (and more, way way more body weight exercise numbers!!!), and you weigh like, 40 lbs less than I do!!

Dropped my worries right away.

Awesome work with your pushups and chinups and inverse rows!!

[sgi4950]

Hi Joda,

Thanks for the welcome. Those chin-ups have been hard in coming...I've been stuck there for quite some time! Mehdi has told me to start doing the push-ups with added weight so I guess that will be my next push-up challenge.

I’ve been watching your log since you started with S/L’s and your progress has been impressive. I’ll keep checking in on you and see how you are doing with those B/W squats as well as everything else!

Thanks again.
Sandi

[sgi4950]

Hi X,

Thanks for the welcome and the kind comments. I know what you mean about age. When I write it down I don’t believe it myself! I checked out your training log and you’ve made a lot of progress since you started with SL’s. So you have a lot to be proud of. Keep up the hard work and I’ll keep checking in on you!

[sgi4950]

Hey Kathy,

Nice to meet you too. Thanks for the kudo’s on the lifts. I’ve been following your log for quite some time and your lifts are quite impressive themselves. Especially your squats, those are awesome and I’m jealous. I know what you mean about the hips…when I got to 150 lbs my body screamed STOP!!! It seemed like once I got past my BW my hips were sore every day. I deloaded and cut back the reps/sets to give the hips and groin a break.

BTW, I think I’ve been able to do better at the Inverted Rows because I’ve been sucking on the Bench…I take my failure on the bench out on the IR’s!

Thanks again for the welcome and I’ll be checking out your training log. Keep up the hard work.

[sgi4950]

Thanks Allison for the kind words,

It's been nice having another girl in the fitness coaching. I've been watching your log since you got in the group. You've been kicking my butt with your progress on all the lifts! Not only have your lifts been good but your body composition has really changed. Very nice. Not to worry about the body weight exercises, those will follow with time. Keep at it, every day, the food too and you'll get to those size 4's!

Love your training log name.

[sgi4950]

Just a little history on why I am where I am now with my training.

I hope my training log isn't going to be too boring as progress has been hard to come by lately. I've hit quite a few plateaus and have had to deload and modify sets/reps either because I couldn't hit the weight or because of aches and pains. It stinks, but peaks and valleys...it's a part of it all...I keep reminding myself.

In addition to that, my training was at about 2.5 hours and I was squeezed for time so Mehdi changed my program up somewhat. I've been in a stall pattern with my measurements/BF for almost a year now so we've added the cardio and cut some of the accessory exercises. I actually like the add'l exercises but with no changes in body composition the cardio and more eating tweaks are the course of the new plan.

Here is today's training and a few notes...

Squats – 3x5x125
Press – 3x5x85
D/L – 1x5x210
GHR – 3x7
Elliptical – 20 minutes

Squats – No pain at all with squats today! I was really happy about that. The 125 felt pretty heavy and I wondered how I got to 150 previously. I've been dealing with some groin and hip issues so I've deloaded and am working my way back.

Press – These went better than normal today. I narrowed my stance just a bit to help me keep everything locked down. The fifth rep of the 2nd and 3rd sets were a struggle but I managed to keep everything tight and no back strain. So…on to my prior max of 85 lbs, yikes. I really want to get beyond 85 lbs this time…even 86 would feel good!

D/L – This is the first time during the D/L that I wondered if I was going to get the last rep. Hopefully it’s not a bad sign of things to come. 220 before I leave town….or bust!

GHR – I threw these in today as I really feel they help my posterior chain…and I like them, they are a personal challenge!

Elliptical – Once again, very exciting….not…but done.

That’s it on today’s training. Overall a good training day.

[LizzyLifts]

Hi Sandi,
So good to meet you and see your log...your stats are all impressive and inspiring for me, as i am roughly the same size, weight AND age! I am new to training and love it. Glad you posted your log. Looking forward to reading more.

I spent 6 very happy years in Texas, btw...in and around Austin...y'all have a great weekend!

liz

[joda]

I hope my training log isn't going to be too boring as progress has been hard to come by lately. I've hit quite a few plateaus and have had to deload and modify sets/reps either because I couldn't hit the weight or because of aches and pains. It stinks, but peaks and valleys...it's a part of it all...I keep reminding myself.

On the contrary, your log is already interesting! Think how boring things would be without peaks and valleys. Seeing how others overcome them is one of the best things about reading the training logs.

Good luck!

[guru]

Hi Sandi,

Enjoyed your log in the coaching section, especially WWMD. You've made great progress. That deadlift is just awesome. Looking forward to enjoying it here too.

[sgi4950]

Hey Guru,

Thanks for the note and I'll be keeping up with your log again too. WWMD...that is pretty funny. The guys I work with still use it.

Thanks for the kudo's on the D/L and the progress. I've ran in to some plateaus lately so I'm hoping the interaction and input from the training logs gives me a boost.

[Lesleylifts]

Welcome Sandi!
Those are very impressive numbers. I am fairly new to SL (May 09) and have made some progress, but I would love to reach BW squats and beyond. I'd love to know your rough stats when you started doing squats, etc. ie - how far have you come? I find it motivating to read other people's progress, especially when I am struggling.
I look forward to following your log.