I've been reading through a few of these here journals and found them really interesting. So I thought I'd have a bash at keeping one.

I don't really know where to start TBH! Well first off this will probably turn into a quite haphazard venture because that's me all over. I'm pants at knowing/ remembering what exercises are called so you'll have to bare with me for some of my descriptions lol. I'll explain them as best I can.

Ok a bit about me. I'm 37 and am at the fittest I've been since leaving school. I've dabbled with the gym over the years but never really enjoyed it until now. In August last year I set up a massage practice in my partners gym and started to mess around with the weights basically because I was there all day. I've now been bitten by the bug and am extremely fortunate to have someone as knowledgable as my other half showing me the ropes so to speak.

I have absolutely NO ambition whatsoever to compete. I train because I enjoy it and am getting a kick out of my body changing shape. My main passion is Win Chun Kung Fu and the weights come 2nd to this. I like to train pretty fast and love giant and supersets. I have the attention span of a pea and love varying my workout. This compliments the Win Chun perfectly as it helps train for speed and stamina as well as strength.

My week looks pretty much like this at the mo.

Mon -Chest & Arms
Tues - Abs (gonna start doing glutes here too)+90 Mins Win Chun
Wed- Back & Shoulders
Thurs -Abs (as Tues gonna hit the old botox cheeks) + 90 mins Win Chun
Fri - Legs

I aim for a min of 40 mins cardio a day.

Weekends off execpt for treatments.

Of course I will do treatments during the week too so training can vary depending on how many clients I have in and what they are having done.

I eat pretty clean most of the time and love cooking. I do have the odd bit of cr@p, especially at wkend but I don't beat myself up about it because it is not excessive.

Bits I like about me-

Arms, Shoulders, Upperback, bottom to a certain extent

Bits I don't like-

Tummy (skin that doesn't fit no matter how much I loose weight wise)
Lower back (kinda too saggy at the mo but I think this is due to a body shape change)
Legs (troubling me at the mo as have gained size on them at it's doing my head in....still got to get my head around that one) and jelly tops of thighs.

I'm 5ft 6 and weigh 62kg.

Progress desired!

Just train and see what happens. Nothing I can't live with for now so pretty happy.

Erm.... I think that's it.

Love & Light

Remember.....
It's Just A Ride!!!!!

Training Vidz
www.youtube.com/elfintan
www.paulgeorge.org

Ok this is what I did yesterday! I'll put in the weights I can remember. Our gym has weights in lbs and kg which makes it difficult for a mathematic bird brain like me.

Chest n Arms

Smith Machine Flat Bench -
4 sets 8 - 12 reps 30kg
Inlcine Bench (other machine with 2 seperate arms holding the plates)
4 sets 8 - 12 30kg 40kg 2 x 50kg

Giant set 4X
Cable cross overs 4 plates, 2 sets normal and 2 sets single arm.
Machine Flys 4 plates x 3, 5 x 1
Lying DB Pullovers with a 12kg (should have gone heavier on this but did them nice and slow.

all 8 - 12 reps.

Arms

Giants Set x 4 each time starting and finishing with a different excercise. 8 - 12 reps

All on the cables.

Standing bi curls
Push downs with rope close grip.
Push Downs EZ bar wide grip
Standing lateral cable curls (to the back of the ear)

Then did 4 sets 8 - 12
seated overhead pulls

Finished with 4 sets 8 - 12
single arm cross chest cable curls.

25 mins cardio before and after training.

All in all an enjoyable wee workout!

Love & Light

Remember.....
It's Just A Ride!!!!!

Training Vidz
www.youtube.com/elfintan
www.paulgeorge.org

good on ya for starting a journal mate and youve taken the first steps. does your gym have a free weight bench? rather than using the smith machine because i find it much more challenging and rewarding to use free weight bench plus it gives a freer range of movement, well goodluck mate and keep it going. Also what does the diet look like?

You are not your Job
You're not how much money you have in the Bank
You're not the car you Drive
You're not the contents of your Wallet
You're not your ****in Khakis
You are the all singing all dancing crap of the World.

We've got more benches than you can shake a stick at lol!

I've just broken myself into not using the smith machine but the lass I trained with yesterday prefers the smith machine so we used that.

Diet is pretty sound and will post sample up very soon and i'll see if i can get into the swing of posting anything food wise up on a regular basis.

Love & Light

Remember.....
It's Just A Ride!!!!!

Training Vidz
www.youtube.com/elfintan
www.paulgeorge.org

ORIGINAL: ElfinTan

We've got more benches than you can shake a stick at lol!

I've just broken myself into not using the smith machine but the lass I trained with yesterday prefers the smith machine so we used that.

Diet is pretty sound and will post sample up very soon and i'll see if i can get into the swing of posting anything food wise up on a regular basis.

thats a good idea mate, it will keep ya honest and gives other members the opportunity to help give ya feedback

You are not your Job
You're not how much money you have in the Bank
You're not the car you Drive
You're not the contents of your Wallet
You're not your ****in Khakis
You are the all singing all dancing crap of the World.

I have to say I'm not anal about my food and I certainly don't weigh it! I KNOW what a large portion is and when it's excessive. If I was trying to bulk or do some serious cutting then obviously more accurate amounts would be important to me to acheive a certain goal. These however are not my goals. I have, in the past, lived a lifestyle that was extremely strict, dietry wise and other wise, and I have no desire for anything to become all emcompassing again. I love training and eat relatively well but sometimes daily life gets in the way, as it does with all of us.

Sample daily food intake

brekki @ 8ish oatabix & PP or banana Natty PB & milk or bagel with Natty PB or pastrami.
11's salmon & salad
2pm bing oats and casien or chicken, salad and rice/1/2baked potatoe/pasta
4pm - 5pm labrada low carb MR
7pm - steak & salad, mince n peas, turkey and pasta
10pm labrada low carb MR

Meals during the day are interchangable and time variable depending on what I have on and what time I will train, for example today I had 2 clients in at tea time and didn't finish with them until 6.15pm and I start Kung Fu for 90 mins at 7 so I had a flap jack and I didn't have my dinner until 8.45. We have a microwave and a george forman at the gym so there is somewhere to make warm food. I might have a handful of nuts too and a banana depending on how i feel. Unfortunately my days are not set in stone and I have a physical job so I need to have variation in my diet and add/ subtract things as I need to.

I know this is probably not conventional but it works for me very well. Weekends I slack off because I like to. I'm not a big eater anyway so I can't PIG out. I also enjoy a glass of wine but haven't been drunk for AGES. For me it's everything in moderation.

FFS I'm waffling again and haven't even posted training yet.....sorry lol!

Love & Light

Remember.....
It's Just A Ride!!!!!

Training Vidz
www.youtube.com/elfintan
www.paulgeorge.org

Smeeee again lol

New bums n tums today lol

3 x 30 sit ups (incline bench)
3 x 15 kneeling cable crunches 100lb
3 x 15 hanging leg raises 9 god i hate these lol)

3 x 15 kick backs on the hip swingy machiny thingy
3 x 15 of RG's pelvic floor raises with a 15kg on me (in the quiet corner lol)
3 x 15 hypers

10 mins cardio pre workout
30 mins post

90 mins Win Chun

That was it really!

Love & Light

Remember.....
It's Just A Ride!!!!!

Training Vidz
www.youtube.com/elfintan
www.paulgeorge.org

Pretty good day today!

Dragged myself onto the treadmill at about 9.30 with the paper and did half n hour.
Ate nice and clean every 3 hours and had we had our wednesday night treat tonight. Sticky toffee pud with ice cream....rather scrummy that was too.

Back & Shoulders

10 min warm up on treadmill.
Back
Wide Grip Lat pull downs
4 x 8 - 12 5 plates, 6 plates & 2 x 7 plates (12lb plates)
Cable rows with rope
4 x 12 1 x 5 plates, 3 x 6 (10lb plates)

Superset 4 x 12
On cables
Kneeling underhand pulldowns (close grip) 6 plates (10lb plates)
Straightarm Lat Pulldowns 4 plates (lb as above)
Alternating start excercise

Shoulders.
DB press 3 x 12 (20lb DB's)

Giant set 3 x 10
Lateral side raises
Front raises (both with 5kg plates)
Reverse peck deck 3 plates.....can't remember if the are 10 or 12lbers on this

Finished off with seated shoulder press 3 x 10 @ 40kg

10 mins cool down on the treadmill and then I was fit for nowt.

Yet again enjoyable
......but not as enjoyable as the sticky toffee pud!

Love & Light

Remember.....
It's Just A Ride!!!!!

Training Vidz
www.youtube.com/elfintan
www.paulgeorge.org

OOOOHHHHH only just spotted this.

Just a couple of things I'd like to comment on

1)

am extremely fortunate to have someone as knowledgable as my other half showing me the ropes so to speak.

That's an understatement if ever I read one

2)

I have absolutely NO ambition whatsoever to compete

I hope to remind you of that one day when we're helping one another with dream tan backstage

I have skin that's too big for me too

and................I'm going to have 'sticky toffee pudding' added to the swear filter so I don't have to read it again

Before picture Jan05 BNBF finals Oct07 Sponsored by Muscle Finesse

PMFSLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!

That did make me giggle!

We can play I bet my skin is bigger than yours.....bet I win. I was thinking of having it made into a wee pocket to put my purse in, at least it would be useful lol

As for dream tan backstage NOOOOOOOOOOOO WAYYYYYYYYYYYYY my buttux aint coming out for anyone. I don't even own a kibini (although this may change....stay tuned lol)

Will remember to wispa treats! They keep me sain hun and I figure if Little Legs can have them as then so can I.....that's my argument and I'm sticking to it!

Will also one day work out this multiple quote lark too!

Love & Light

Remember.....
It's Just A Ride!!!!!

Training Vidz
www.youtube.com/elfintan
www.paulgeorge.org

Well it's lil old me again!

I have to say I didn't do that much yesterday. I think I managed 30 mins on the treadmill and had a kung fu training in the evening for 90 mins and it was a really good session!

I bought some of that nicotine gum stuff yesterday in boots. It's not too bad actually. Thiung is I don't actually smoke that much so even the lowest dosiage ones would put more nicotine in my system that when I smoke so I've gone for the lowest dose and am only chewing half at a time. Now I've got it in my head that I'm not giving up, just kinda not smoking properly. I had 2 yesterday and had one this evening. We'll see how tomorrow goes!

Legs today! Yayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!!!!!!!

I'll have to get this down while I remember it lol.

20 mins treadmill.

SLDL with DB
12 x 25lb wide stance
12 x 25lb close
12 x 35lb wide stance
12 x 35lb close
SS with
DB leg extentions off the incline bench
2 x 12 (25lb)
2 x 12 (35lb)

Vertical Leg Press (lying on ya back pushy uppy one)
3 sets 40kg
15 wide stance and 15 close

Lunges
3 x 12
SS
Seated Leg Curls
3 x 15 - 20

Finshed off with a giant set.
Seated Calf Raises
3 x 20 (6 plates if i remember rightly)
Hypers
3 x 20
Leg Extentions
3 x 12

20 mins on the treadmill to walk it off.

Well that's all for me until next week! Although I have a 90 min treatment to do in the morning but that should help me stretch my legs.......or leave me in a collapsed heap on the floor.....who knows!

TTFN

Love & Light

Remember.....
It's Just A Ride!!!!!

Training Vidz
www.youtube.com/elfintan
www.paulgeorge.org

ORIGINAL: ElfinTan

PMFSLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!

That did make me giggle!

We can play I bet my skin is bigger than yours.....bet I win. I was thinking of having it made into a wee pocket to put my purse in, at least it would be useful lol

Well mine's a suitcase

Before picture Jan05 BNBF finals Oct07 Sponsored by Muscle Finesse

ORIGINAL: ElfinTan

I have absolutely NO ambition whatsoever to compete.

YET!!

Keep it up girl
xxx

www.monstergym.co.uk

Journal:
http://www.muscletalk.co.uk/m_417820/mpage_1/key_/tm.htm#417820

PMSL!!!!!!

I'm telling ya's my ass is saying firmly (or not so firmly actually) in me pants!
And besides there is noooooooooooooo way I could walk in them heels without a) looking like a really bad tranny b) breaking my neck!

I was pretty lathargic when I woke up this morning and went into work later. Once I was there though I had a treatment to do pretty much straight away and that got me going. Then training I had loads of energy....even kinda enjoyed cardio.....I think I'm becoming dellusional through lack of substantial nicotine! Don't rush to congratulate me though I've still not 'given' up and have had 1 or 2 in the evenings but non during the day and I've still only had about 7 of them chewing gums since Thursday lol.

Anyway enough of that drivle...training today was the bllx and felt ace.

50 mins uphill treadmill (while waiting for TP to turn up, went for it while I was up for it)

Chest & Arms pretty much the same as last week!

Bench Press
4 sets 8 - 12 reps 10g x 1 , 15kg x 3
We didn't use the SM today and I'm just building my confidence up with the bar so hoping for improvements here!

Inlcine Bench (other machine with 2 seperate arms holding the plates)
4 sets 8 - 12 20g, 30kg, 40kg x 2

Cable cross overs 4 plates, 2 sets normal and 2 sets single arm
Supersetted with
Lying DB Pullovers with a 15kg
4 x 12 for all the above

Bi's & Tri's

Giants Set x 4 each time starting and finishing with a different excercise. 12 reps

All on the cables.

Standing bi curls 3 plates
Push downs with rope close grip. 5 plates
Push Downs EZ bar wide grip 4 plates
Standing lateral cable curls (to the back of the ear) 4 plates
All 10lb plates

Then did 4 sets 12
seated overhead pulls

Finished with 2 sets 8
single arm cross chest cable curls. 3 plates!

Then got myself back on the treadmill and did 20 uphill! ( I had Sunday treat to walk off......will tell you what it was when you've finished dieting Kitty lol)

I felt really good today for some bizarre reason. Who knows what it is.....must be Spring in the air

BTW I've never mentioned what sups I take have I? I'm soooooooooooo bad at this as tablets make me gag. Capsules are ok'ish but them big dobbing things that look like suppositories get stuck in my throat even when I half them. got one stuck about 3 weeks ago and it was seriously lodged....not going up or down. It took me about 10 mins to get it out....not very ladylike in the end and since then I've refused tablets lol.

So the answer is 'not alot at the moment' Appart from 2 Kre- Evolution (absolutely fantastic stuff) pre and post workout + Glutamine post workout.

Well I reckon I've waffled enough for one night!

BNM signing off!

Love & Light

Remember.....
It's Just A Ride!!!!!

Training Vidz
www.youtube.com/elfintan
www.paulgeorge.org

There really must be something in this bloody chewing gum! I did an hours treadmill this morning, 45 mins of it on incline. Then I was chatting to one of the lads and just stayed on and speeded it up. Then did another 25 mins this afternoon. 15 mins on steepest incline then brought it down a gradient per minute. I forgot I used to do this...makes the time go by a bit quicker too. Our treads have 15 gradients so I start on level 1 for a min, then level 2 for a min and so on. When it gets to the top I'll stick on it for 10 - 15 mins then bring it down the same way. That's what I did this morning whilst yacking.

I did a bit of abs and butt.
Same as last week really. Then have just got back in from 90 mins wacking people in the head and getting wacked back.....was great fun! My arms got a bit tired though from training yesterday. We do this things called Chi Sau (rolling hands) and its pretty knackering on the arms and shoulders....bloody good though!

TTFN

Love & Light

Remember.....
It's Just A Ride!!!!!

Training Vidz
www.youtube.com/elfintan
www.paulgeorge.org

Ah well it's been a couple of days since my last rambling. So here's some more. First training in very brief....honest lol.

Wed was supposed to be back and shoulders but time was short as I had a client and then had to shoot to an appointment (more of later) so I just did a few of sets on Lat Pull down for back and a quick shoulder sesh.
3x dd press (20lbs)
side laterals
Front laterals
rear delts all on the cables as a giant set. 3 sets starting with different excercise each time.
Finished off on shoulder press 40kg 3 x 10 - 12

Today was favourite legs.....I LOVE EM!!!!!!!!
It was a bit higgledy piggledy to be honest for some reason today. Am still getting used to new TP who likes lighter sets with more reps as opposed to me who prefers heavier and low reps. I'm sure we will find a middle ground.

Vertical leg Press x 6, 3 wide & 3 narrow
20kg (20 reps), 45kg(15), 70kg(15)

Calves SS x3
Standing calf raises on shrug machine. 40kg x 20
Calves on leg press 70kg 10 - 15

2 sets DB lunges 20 reps
seated leg curls (15 - 20) with standing single leg curls (10 - 12)

ermmmmmm......oh yeah!
SLDL x 4, 2 wide & 2 narrow. 30lb db, 35lb db
DB leg extention x 4, 2 x 30lb & 2x35lb These are awesome.....love em.

I finished off with 40 mins cardio.

In fact it's my cardio this week that has amazed me. I've done at least 40 mins as usual per day this week but as a change I've done most of it on a VERY steep incline. Varying the speed and gradient and it's been good fun. I've had tons of energy and the only thing I can put it down to is cutting right back on the cigs. Now I'm not what I would class as a heavy smoker by any stretch of the imagination ca 7 rollups a day max. The difference has been significant though. I'm not sure if it is down to the less smoking.....am having 1 in the evening with a coffee/cuppa/glass of wine. It could be some additive in the gum. It could be that I'm not having any coffee during the day at all (get rid of the triggers). It could be hormonal changes (period). It could be the bloody weather. All I know is that there is a bloody difference. Well lets see what happens huh!

Well that was my week. Oh yeah another Win Chun class on thursday as per. We're in the gym tomorrow as we don't have cover so we have to go in. Might do some cardio depending on whether my legs will take it lol.

Happy WKND

x

Love & Light

Remember.....
It's Just A Ride!!!!!

Training Vidz
www.youtube.com/elfintan
www.paulgeorge.org

Well it's Monday again! And what a miserable day...weatherwise that is!
Well 'almost' not smoking is going pretty well. I've not had a any gum yet today and no cigs. I don't think I had any gum yesterday either but I did have a cig late in the evening with a coffee. It really isn't the physical addiction but the psychological one. The mind is a funny old thing. I've tried to give up once before, cold turkey so to speak, and it drove me bloody insane. ALL I could think about was cigarettes, I was counting the bloody days since I last had one and I was a bit of a miserable cow (understatement) and that was after reading The Easy Way to Give Up Smoking....easy way my bloody A***!!!!!! This time things are going much much better. I've not got it into my head that I have stopped. If I want a cig then I will have one....hey presto makes not having any easier. Anyway enough of that....

Good old Chest n Arms today. TP desterted me and gone on holiday for a week!

Chest & Arms pretty much the same as last week!

Bench Press
4 sets 8 - 12 reps 10g x 1 , 20kg x 3
Was quietly pleased with that. Felt comfy and getting used to benching.

Incline Bench (other machine with 2 seperate arms holding the plates)
4 sets 8 - 12 20g, 30kg, 40kg x 2

Decline Chest Press Machine
3 Sets 8 - 10, 1 x 3 plates 2 x 4 plates

Cable Cross Overs 4 plates
Supersetted with
Lying DB Pullovers with a 15kg
4 x 12 for all the above

Bi's & Tri's

Giants Set x 4 each time starting and finishing with a different excercise. 12 reps

All on the cables.

Standing bi curls 3 plates (dropped to 2 plates on a couple of sets to make the 12 reps)
Over Head with rope 3 plates
Push Downs EZ bar wide grip 4 plates (dropped to 3 as above)
Standing lateral cable curls (to the back of the ear) 4 plates
All 10lb plates

My forearms felt like they were going to explode hence dropping the plates for some reps on some sets. OUCH!

Tricep push down!
3 sets 1 plates
Finished with 3 sets 8
single arm cross chest cable curls. 3 plates!

10 min treadmill incline warm up.

35 min incline treadmill pw.

I didn't feel very strong today at all...that is probably because I'm not very strong lol. Looking back at the workout though and the heaviness in my arms as I type and the exploding arm feeling when training I'd say it was a pretty good workout lol.

Til Then
x

Love & Light

Remember.....
It's Just A Ride!!!!!

Training Vidz
www.youtube.com/elfintan
www.paulgeorge.org

If you swam you would notice the cv difference even more. Keep it going and don't have a fag if you don't want one.

www.monstergym.co.uk

Journal:
http://www.muscletalk.co.uk/m_417820/mpage_1/key_/tm.htm#417820