January 2012
6 posts
Took a rest day. Not gonna lie, I fucking needed it — as frustrating as yesterday’s practice was, I nailed 75kgx3 twice (got it for two the next) on my front squat — which used to be my 1M. I’m glad I went, but, man oh man was everything else terrible. After an hour or two of pulls you kind of want to beat the crap out of someone (and my traps, right now, agree).
...
AND WE RETURN TO OUR PREVIOUSLY SCHEDULED...
So, basically, in the last few weeks:
I joined Reddit’s BTFC challenge. Haven’t done much for it until the last couple of days; this last week was about starting training again and feeding myself off of twenty bucks in a week.
I got told by the coach that I’m starting to “look stocky” and need to “drop weight quickly” despite the fact that I have been...
The Greeks and getting jacked.
Anthony 2: 59 am
they were the first to train for physical endeavors
and Socrates thought everyone should get jacked.
Mushroom671 2: 59 am
they name plates after plate-o
knifehands asked: Bro-ette! You seriously don't look anything above 130lbs! Happy lifting and goodluck with the contest :)
GalGardner's BTFC Post 20/F/150lbs →
barbellbabe:
The strongest, sexiest woman I know is participating in Reddit’s BTFC as well :D She is exactly what I’d love to look like by the end of this challenge. Check her out for awesome upon awesome.
Yep, that’s me. HEY INTERNET, NOW YOU KNOW WHAT I LOOK LIKE IN MY UNDERWEAR.
Oh, wait, you already did. NEVER MIND.
(as a side note: YES, I HAVE BEEN LIFTING. Been home for a while...
December 2011
22 posts
"exerciser" vs. "athlete" →
rilaripped:
barbelleblog:
Yeah, you go to the gym and stuff. But are you training to be an athlete, or just a better exerciser?
Inspiring.
knifehands asked: But how do you get tone in that gym? Seriously jars of jelly that sounds like the perfect gym! My local 24 hour big box was getting so lame I decided to buy a set of bumpers and a bar for my garage. Wish I had a full cage and a coach though, train well warrior princess.
knifehands asked: Bro-ette, super jelly of that empty well-equipped gym.
nicolefleck asked: Dude. Seriously exact same feelings as you right now. Can't even articulate the frustration in my head!!! But you summed up my emotions pretty well :) get after it tomorrow!
DO I EVEN LIFT
First semi-okay lifting session today in a long time. Today’s workout consisted of snatches from blocks, power clean and jerks, front squats, and OHP, with nary a coach in sight. I’ve been lifting, but every gym session has just been incredibly shitty. I blame the holidays, personal drama, a shitty college student diet, not working hard enough, and this fucking weight cut. I...
The Lionhearted: Can we please stop fetishizing... →
missdeejers:
leahlionheart:
It’s doing a disservice to women, everywhere, who want to get in shape.
Wanting to look good naked is a totally respectable and legitimate reason to train and eat right. To attain an aesthetic ideal is a completely good reason.
But to make the entire purpose of training (or even most of the…
While I agree with the sentiment that we need to stop fetishizing...
7-11/12/11 - WOD
First workout of cut proper; accidentally forgot to eat before I headed to the gym. Shitty lifts, but I’m tired and stressed out and feeling like crap (TMI time — shark week has come two weeks early and I am very, very displeased about this state of affairs). Did some sprints, though! Shit was pretty fun. Walked off the track feeling like I could’ve done more, but kept getting...
8 tags
Not to pick a fight on the internet, but...
I don’t post or follow thinspo. I unfollow any blogs that do. Don’t take it personally.
I also don’t follow thinspo masquerading as ‘fitspo’. In general, anything involving “oh my gosh I wish I had this person’s ____” where ____ is a body part rather than a skill or talent or incredible ability puts me right the hell off, even if the person in...
Fight for it.
4/12/11-5/12/11 WODs
4/12/11
Okay day. ~1800 calories. Not much to report.
Barbell Squat:
43.1 kg x 5 reps (+57 pts)
61.2 kg x 3 reps (+77 pts)
61.2 kg x 3 reps (+77 pts)
70.3 kg x 2 reps (+85 pts)
74.8 kg x 2 reps (+91 pts)
74.8 kg x 2 reps (+91 pts)
79.4 kg x 1 reps (+94 pts)
79.4 kg x 1 reps (+94 pts)
79.4 kg x 1 reps (+94 pts)
Worked out in the shitty gym...
fitocracy member spotlight
leahlionheart:
I was interviewed for the Fitocracy Member Spotlight; it was posted today. I want to put the contents here, though, as well.
What’s your story? When, how and why did you get into your chosen sport or fitness plan?
I played ice hockey and lacrosse and ran cross country when I was younger. I abandoned fitness for college and graduate school. I began lifting seriously in early...
Weight cut, woop dee doop.
Okay, here’s the dealio.
I need to cut some weight. I’ve been losing weight pretty slowly over the past few months, although I’ve definitely seen some changes in my body fat percentage (waist size went from 29” to 26.5”; ass went from 41” to 39”, chest went from 40” to 38”, and my legs now fit into size 6 jeans). I started at 70.5kg (155lbs)...
“Never grow a wishbone, daughter, where your backbone ought to be.”
7 tags
November 2011
33 posts
25/11/11- WOD
Didn’t have time to lift much this week. Tried to max out on Friday and was kind of disappointed — yeah, I got some personal bests, but I know I can do better. :/
Oh, well. I’ve got Monday.
Workout link here.
23/11/11 - WOD
Personal bests all around yesterday! Feeling pretty proud of myself. My torn callouses, hurt back, and hurt hand are all nagging me, and I’m terrified of next week’s competition. Missed that 200lb squat, again, but I’m really close. Should get it by next week, maybe, or the week after.
I’d like to squat 110 kilos/242 lbs by February or so.
gal_gardner earned 3009 points...
21/11/11 - WOD
1.5 hours of snatching, three torn callouses, and shark week.
I’m too goddamn tired to even bother with the copypasta.
FOOD, GIVE ME FOOD.
EDIT:
Here’s the Fitocracy log. No lifting tomorrow (pulling an all-nighter to study; will possibly go do sprints and bodyweight stuff after I nap). Wednesday will probably be a long overdue heavy clean day.
Finally getting my snatch form...
1 tag
18/11/11: FUCK YEAH
gal_gardner earned 2721 points for:
Snatch:
15 kg x 5 reps (+27 pts)
24.1 kg x 3 reps (+41 pts)
24.1 kg x 3 reps (+41 pts)
24.1 kg x 2 reps (+40 pts)
24.1 kg x 2 reps (+40 pts)
29 kg x 2 reps (+48 pts)
29 kg x 3 reps (+50 pts)
32 kg x 2 reps (+53 pts)
32 kg x 1 reps (+52 pts)
32 kg x 2 reps (+53 pts)
32 kg x 2 reps (+53 pts)
...
ATTENTION, YELLOW AND RED PLATES
I’M COMING FOR YOU.
themarcoharder asked: Do you do a full squat when you snatch? I could power snatch 40 kg but when I tried doing a full squat under it, I always got off-balance. Could have been the shoes [I use Chucks] or just me not being coordinated or strong enough to pull it off.
17/11/11 - WOD: Throw the bar as high as you can....
Had a breakthrough on my snatch today. All it took was a quatrillion sets, frustrating form work, wanting to throw something against the wall, wanting to cry and throw in the towel, a whole lot of “there’s no way you’re doing that” and a bribe of twenty bucks.
I never got the twenty bucks (and don’t expect to), but I’m FINALLY MAKING PROGRESS ON MY SNATCH...
missdeejers:
Brodin who art at Gold’s Hallowed be thy veins Thy pecs are swole Thy arms are jacked On bicep day as well as tricep day Give us this day our daily gains Forgive us our plateaus As we forgive those who are skinny hardgainers And lead us not into starvation mode But deliver us from carbicide For thine is the preacher curl, the hammer curl, and the dumbell curl And throw this fuck-wit...
14, 15, 16/11/11
Keep forgetting to post my workout logs! Not that anyone’s terribly interested in them, but here you go.
November 14th was BLUURRRGH day:
gal_gardner earned 2251 points for:
Barbell Squat:
35 kg x 4 reps (+45 pts)
45 kg x 5 reps (+60 pts)
55 kg x 3 reps (+69 pts)
65 kg x 3 reps (+81 pts)
70 kg x 3 reps (+88 pts)
75 kg x 1 reps (+88 pts)
Attempted 85...
themarcoharder asked: Can I just say this: after seeing the squat pics, I was deeply convinced that you're really beautiful. Cheers, and well done, madam. Keep lifting. Marco, from Manila, Philippines
13/11/11 - WOD: "Have you heard?"
Went to a different gym to train this morning. Cleans were cut short by the AC’s newly implemented “quiet hours” that basically prohibit you from using the Oly platforms between certain times.
I talked to one of the gym staff and he literally told me, as he was putting signs on the platforms, “If it’s not on the platforms, I don’t give a shit.”...
11/11/11 - WOD
Fixed my starting position in the snatch: snatches feel five hundred thousand times easier than they used to. Still working on not psyching myself out and getting that third pull — because I can get up with way more weight, I just need to get it up there first.
I’m also noticing an unfortunate tendency of catching it higher the more weight I put on the bar, which is completely...
4 tags
9-10/11/11 - WOD: STUDYING KILLS (your gainzzz)
9/11/11
gal_gardner earned 1186 points for:
Snatch Balance:
15 kg x 3 reps (+16 pts)
24.1 kg x 3 reps (+26 pts)
29.1 kg x 2 reps (+31 pts)
31.1 kg x 2 reps (+33 pts)
35 kg x 1 reps (+36 pts)
38 kg x 1 reps (+39 pts)
38 kg x 1 reps (+39 pts)
40 kg x 1 reps (+41 pts)
40 kg x 1 reps (+41 pts)
40 kg x 1 reps (+41 pts)
Attempted — and...
7/11/11 - WOD
Tried for an 85kg squat: close, but no cigar. I guess 80kg (176lbs) ain’t bad, but…
gal_gardner earned 1924 points for:
Power Snatch:
33.1 lb x 10 reps (+25 pts)
55.1 lb x 3 reps (+35 pts)
77.2 lb x 3 reps (+49 pts)
77.2 lb x 3 reps (+49 pts)
77.2 lb x 1 reps (+46 pts)
77.2 lb x 3 reps (+49 pts)
77.2 lb x 3 reps (+49 pts)
...
“Instead of weighing yourself, take personal stock in a more direct fashion. Feel...”
– ASK LESLEY: How Do I Stop Hating My Body (Part One) @ XOJane.com (via curvesahead)
Another thing I wish I’d read earlier in my life — but then, I probably wouldn’t have taken it to heart. It’s taken me years to stop struggling with dysmorphia. Some days I still do.