Training the tear drops which are defined as the vastus medialis muscle group located in medial aspect just above the knee. This is a difficult muscle to isolate and develop. In tall people the leg muscles are lengthy which adds more difficulty in developing this muscle group. Here is how the trainer @craigtinnelle on Twitter had me train this AM.
Warm up:
100 reps on leg extensions set weight
25#db in each hand knee step ups to high step on box 10 each leg x 3 sets
Isolated leg extensions 10 x 3 sets pyramided ( this machine targets the tear drop area)
No rest in warm up sets.
Working sets:
Leg press: Three different positions 1. Toes down heels up on closest bar toward bottom of sled. 2.Walk feet up midway keep feet slightly apart and 3. Walk feet up to top of sled keep feet slightly apart.
Set 1:
Position 1 x 10 reps hold at top additional 45# plate added another 10 reps
Set 2:
Position 1 x 10 reps hold at top additional 45# plate added feet move to position 2 additional 10 reps, feet move to position 3 additional 5 reps
Set 3:
Position 2 x 10 reps hold at top additional 45# plate added feet move to position 3 for 10 reps then move feet to position 1 for 10 reps
Set 4
Postion 3 x 10 reps, move feet to position 2 for 5 pump reps then move feet to position 1 for 10 last reps!
The idea here was pre exhaustion on the tear drops with warm up sets so by the time the leg press was started the tear drops were already burning and tight. Ending weight on leg press was 370 which is not much weight but lots of volume was put into the pyramided sets. The only rest between sets was long enough to unwrap and rewrap knees. It is necessary to do full range of motion with sled all way down to bottom touching and all way to top. After completing set 4 my tear drops were exploding on fire. That was it for today.
Happy Training.
Saturday, February 11, 2012
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Is Competition Worth it?
I ask myself this question every year after a show is over and the judges have told me the same thing. "You have to get bigger". I differ with that repertoire only because I personally feel women need to look like women in bodybuilding. If not then an audience is looking at an androgenous enhanced female with hardened features. Is that aeshetically appealing?
When I first started in bodybuilding twenty years ago, women did not look like they do on stage today. The look was feminine and sculpted not massive, ripped and shredded. So, where is bodybuilding going with women and where does this leave competitors who do not want to leave the feminine side of bodybuilding. The good news is NPC introduced the Physique Division this year into the USA Championships. Yes, physique is suppose to be a softer version of bodybuilding. Yet, the USA Physique Division winner did not look like a scaled down version of a bodybuilder. She looked like a bodybuilder who crossed over and didn't drop enough muscle. Therefore, it looks like NPC is still going for the size in physique as well. It will be interesting to see the division outcome when it comes to the state level in 2012.
Again I ask is it worth it to compete? Yes, because one can lean down in preparation for more muscle development through training. A lean body takes back the weight in muscle development through training, it is the ongoing sculpting that takes time to achieve in development. This concept is the most important in bodybuilding as it gives the competitor their own signature look.
Two pictures I put into this blog, the LA Class 2011 and the USA 1992. The old body tan made us look light golden under the stage lights in 1992.
Happy Training.
When I first started in bodybuilding twenty years ago, women did not look like they do on stage today. The look was feminine and sculpted not massive, ripped and shredded. So, where is bodybuilding going with women and where does this leave competitors who do not want to leave the feminine side of bodybuilding. The good news is NPC introduced the Physique Division this year into the USA Championships. Yes, physique is suppose to be a softer version of bodybuilding. Yet, the USA Physique Division winner did not look like a scaled down version of a bodybuilder. She looked like a bodybuilder who crossed over and didn't drop enough muscle. Therefore, it looks like NPC is still going for the size in physique as well. It will be interesting to see the division outcome when it comes to the state level in 2012.
Again I ask is it worth it to compete? Yes, because one can lean down in preparation for more muscle development through training. A lean body takes back the weight in muscle development through training, it is the ongoing sculpting that takes time to achieve in development. This concept is the most important in bodybuilding as it gives the competitor their own signature look.
Two pictures I put into this blog, the LA Class 2011 and the USA 1992. The old body tan made us look light golden under the stage lights in 1992.
Happy Training.
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| LA Classic 2011 |
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| USA 1992 |
Friday, August 19, 2011
High Intensity Legs/Glutes/ Hamstrings
Today the intensity was heightened for legs with pyramids, high reps, and super sets. We had five competitors so for maximum performance we broke off into groups of two and three.
Group of 4 super sets: tempo here was go go go go, rest 30 sec go go go go rest 30 sec. till all 4 sets were completed with each one pyramided to the competitors strength.
Sitting knee extensions x 25 x 4 sets pyramid up
Sitting knee extensions focus on tear drops x 25x 4 sets pyramid up
Lying hamstring curls x 25 x 4 sets pyramid up
Standing glute kick backs x 25 x 4 sets pyramid up
Total 400 reps
Group of two super sets pyramided up in weight. Tempo was go go rest 30 sec go go rest 30 sec.
Incline leg press x 10 x 5 pyramided up ending with 4 plates each side.
Seated leg press x 10 x 5 the whole stack 350 through all 4 sets.
Total reps 100
Ultimate squats: no super sets, pyramided, deep to the floor.
Free weight squats 15 x 4 sets #95, #115, #135 reps counted if butt hit marker off floor.
Since we had groups of two and three I didn't have the other three competitors routine to blog.
A great conditioning training session my legs were numb when I left but felt so good. Always, I down my amino acids then a protein drink after training.
Happy Training!
Group of 4 super sets: tempo here was go go go go, rest 30 sec go go go go rest 30 sec. till all 4 sets were completed with each one pyramided to the competitors strength.
Sitting knee extensions x 25 x 4 sets pyramid up
Sitting knee extensions focus on tear drops x 25x 4 sets pyramid up
Lying hamstring curls x 25 x 4 sets pyramid up
Standing glute kick backs x 25 x 4 sets pyramid up
Total 400 reps
Group of two super sets pyramided up in weight. Tempo was go go rest 30 sec go go rest 30 sec.
Incline leg press x 10 x 5 pyramided up ending with 4 plates each side.
Seated leg press x 10 x 5 the whole stack 350 through all 4 sets.
Total reps 100
Ultimate squats: no super sets, pyramided, deep to the floor.
Free weight squats 15 x 4 sets #95, #115, #135 reps counted if butt hit marker off floor.
Since we had groups of two and three I didn't have the other three competitors routine to blog.
A great conditioning training session my legs were numb when I left but felt so good. Always, I down my amino acids then a protein drink after training.
Happy Training!
Saturday, August 13, 2011
Training Goals 2012
Competitive bodybuilding is a challenge, that I love and endure to keep my shape along with physical and mental health. When the show is over and life slows, I meet with my trainer to review pictures, and look at what needs to be improved with nutrition and training for the following year. It is a process of building and shaping the body with science till the final stage day when I am able to express the artistic poses.
I've been training and competing in competitive bodybuilding for 20 years. My first shows were with NANBA, then I continued to compete in NPC shows. Lately, women's bodybuilding is changing across the spectrum; the judges look for the growth and development along with symmetry and presentation, but I see more competitors coming in that are not dieted. The irony is getting beat by girls who are bigger and not well dieted. I am quite happy with my size as my goal is not to obtain a pro card. I do quite a bit of fashion modeling involving photography for newspaper ads, catalogs and general media. I am a business owner working as a family nurse practitioner, in all I have a big plate with little corners.
Looking at 2012, Craig and I have decided to continue training for bodybuilding with improvement in width of lats and a little more of a outer sweep to the quads. Also, the focus will be on the upper part of my glutes for more devlopment. It took a long time to build the lower glute now the upper needs more rounding. Upcoming shows I am looking to repeat the LA Classic in July 2012. Overall, we win when we accomplish our goals in developing the body.
Happy Training Days
I've been training and competing in competitive bodybuilding for 20 years. My first shows were with NANBA, then I continued to compete in NPC shows. Lately, women's bodybuilding is changing across the spectrum; the judges look for the growth and development along with symmetry and presentation, but I see more competitors coming in that are not dieted. The irony is getting beat by girls who are bigger and not well dieted. I am quite happy with my size as my goal is not to obtain a pro card. I do quite a bit of fashion modeling involving photography for newspaper ads, catalogs and general media. I am a business owner working as a family nurse practitioner, in all I have a big plate with little corners.
Happy Training Days
Friday, August 12, 2011
Sunday, August 7, 2011
Leg Day in Hell
May 13, 2011
I think the title says it all. The hour was set for high intensity legs no air conditioning. The downside is contest prep is always more intense than winter training. I am 10 weeks out of LA Classic Bodybuilding, Fitness, and Figure Show. I will be competing in Women's Division Heavy Weight Bodybuilding. This year NPC has changed some divisions adding bikini and physique so my plans are to compete in physique after this year.
In these exercises super sets mean one exercise then go to next exercise for sets of 4 and high intensity is just that no rest till trainer decides to call it.
Warm up leg extensions super set with leg curls x 4.
Leg extensions 40#, 60#, 80#, 100# x 10 reps
Leg curls 40#, 60#, 80#, 100# x 10 reps
High wide stance leg press super set with front squats
Leg press 2 plates 15 x 4 sets
Front squats using the Smith machine with 2 -25# plates 15 x 3 sets (feet forward approx 12" and knees stay closed) Sitting to chair height.
Regular squat with wide stance legs forward sitting as low as possible 2- 25# plates 10 x 2 sets
2 min rest rest water
Leg curls super set with glute kickbacks
Leg curls 40#, 60#, 80#, 100# 4 sets of 10
Glute kickbacks 90#, 120#, 140# 160# 4 sets of 10
Leg extensions super set with seated hamstring curls
Leg extensions 80#, 100# 100# 100# 4 sets of 10
Seated hamstring curls 70#, 90#, 120#, 140# 4 sets of 10
The air conditioning was off to make me work harder and fatigue out the muscles. A very wicked sick session with only one rest period during the hour.
Note: These high intensity sessions are not to be done without a trainer or someone with an advanced training background.
Happy Training Days
A Beast Leg Day
April 10, 2010
Sunday was an unusual training day since we had Valerie in from out of town, the trainer decided to hit legs and turn up the intensity.
To start we went out and lunged the parking lot up and back x 1 approximately 100 feet.
Circuit 1
Seated Leg Extensions 40x15, 60x15, 80x15,100x15,120x10
Seated Calves 45# x 15 x 5
Anterior Tibialis 5# x 15 x 5
Circuit 2
Seated Leg Press 45# each side, each set added another 45# plate till a total of 4 plates. Feet kept together and low on sled. Sled lowered keeping knees together to bottom. 4 sets of 10 pause at bottom and press up.
Abd on reverse abd bench 4 sets of 15
Seated Calves 45# 4 sets of 15
Circuit 3
Front squats using the Smith machine. Feet and knees together placed approximately 1 1/2 feet forward from body. 25# each side to start x 10, 2 more 25# plates added x 2 sets x 10 each with last set 25# fast 25 reps. All sets except for last set was pause at bottom and press up. Total 4 sets.
Triceps 70# x 15 x 4sets.
Assisted pullups last exercise weight depended upon individual. First 3 sets x 15, 4th set x 10.
This leg routine left all of us exhausted, dizzy and nauseated. Valerie flew home probably wondering what she got herself into with this competitive Physiques Gym. You can find us on Facebook under Physiques Gym.
Happy Training Days!
Sunday was an unusual training day since we had Valerie in from out of town, the trainer decided to hit legs and turn up the intensity.
To start we went out and lunged the parking lot up and back x 1 approximately 100 feet.
Circuit 1
Seated Leg Extensions 40x15, 60x15, 80x15,100x15,120x10
Seated Calves 45# x 15 x 5
Anterior Tibialis 5# x 15 x 5
Circuit 2
Seated Leg Press 45# each side, each set added another 45# plate till a total of 4 plates. Feet kept together and low on sled. Sled lowered keeping knees together to bottom. 4 sets of 10 pause at bottom and press up.
Abd on reverse abd bench 4 sets of 15
Seated Calves 45# 4 sets of 15
Circuit 3
Front squats using the Smith machine. Feet and knees together placed approximately 1 1/2 feet forward from body. 25# each side to start x 10, 2 more 25# plates added x 2 sets x 10 each with last set 25# fast 25 reps. All sets except for last set was pause at bottom and press up. Total 4 sets.
Triceps 70# x 15 x 4sets.
Assisted pullups last exercise weight depended upon individual. First 3 sets x 15, 4th set x 10.
This leg routine left all of us exhausted, dizzy and nauseated. Valerie flew home probably wondering what she got herself into with this competitive Physiques Gym. You can find us on Facebook under Physiques Gym.
Happy Training Days!
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