GoodyGirl's Lean Mean Machine Journal

Ok, so here we go. This is the very first post for my Journal. A little bit about me first. As my name suggests, I am female, born in 1977, so I am currently 32 and live in Australia. I grew up loving sports and began playing soccer at age 16. My first and only ever field position was goalkeeper, primarily because no one else volunteered to play that position. That appealed to me instantly. The fact that no one else wanted to play there made it appear like a frightening task and it became an immediate challenge for me. No one else wanted to do it so I thought I would show them how it was done! I loved it. I also used to compete in a local swimming competition until around age 14. Each year at school, I won the Swimming Age Champion trophy. My broad shoulders and back made this an ideal sport at the time, but short, explosive distances were my passion, or at least what I was best at.

I remember hitting the gym casually around about age 16 to lift some weights for fun and increase my fitness. These were my first experiences in the male dominated gym world, but I enjoyed it even though it was at times very intimidating. Studying the science of Human Movement was eventually what I decided I would love to do upon leaving school and off I went to University to complete an Exercise Science degree in 1999. 2 days after graduating, I ruptured discs in my lower back and after years of ongoing severe back pain, I needed an operation in 2002 to replace those ruptured discs with artificial ones. 3 ruptured discs were later discovered in my neck after chronic episodes of neck pain and one of those discs was also replaced with a titanium insert in 2004. Throw in a sudden ruptured brain aneurysm needing an emergency craniotomy in 2002 and then 2 children in the ensuing years and exercise and any job prospects took a back seat!

Anyway, here I am now, 6 months into my gym membership. I have lost 12kg (26lb), gained muscle and strength and am looking to continue my weight training. Am currently 73.6kg (162lb). I am slightly limited in which exercises I choose to do to avoid exacerbating my back and my gym has no squat rack or power rack which sucks! Only Smith machines which I have normally hated with a passion! But considering my current circumstances with my back, the smith machine actually is working quite well for me. So, when I quote weights on Squats and Bench you will all know I'm referring to a Smith Machine, so weights will most likely look slightly inflated over those that would not be performed in a smith machine.

Where do I want to be further down the track? I'm really not sure yet. I want to become more muscular, that's for sure. I like the look and feeling of being muscular. How big? Not grossly huge but athletically muscular and leaner. I would like to have visible abs for the first time in my life! And when I get them, you'll all be the first to see them! I still want to look feminine and not manly. I'm doing this naturally. I have already had some ignorant friends and others assume because I have made great gains in strength and muscle that I must be taking something. It's not possible for a girl to get big muscles they say. I don't judge those who do use steroids or other growth promoting substances, it's all a personal choice, but it's not something I am interested in at all.

Some people have massive misconceptions about girls and weights. I have already had one lady in the gym tell me “You need to stop!”. That's not going to make me stop. That just gives me more drive! Silly woman. A lot of people who do not exercise do not understand why girls would ever enjoy lifting weights. Most of them are in terrible shape, maybe it's just a jealousy thing? That's why I love the gym so much. The boys on the gym floor understand and can appreciate the hard work and dedication. Girls lifting decent weights also understand, but some of those that steer only towards cardio equipment, stare and appear to make superficial judgements. It's written all over their faces, sadly.

Anyhow, I plan on posting my workouts here, diet stuff, results, thoughts and questions and maybe photos too. I am already feeling more motivated by joining this forum. I'm going to see what is possible with my body and test my limits. So far, it's been immensely satisfying for mind and body. I have added some albums already to my profile. I will continue to add more as time progresses to show results. Thanks everyone in advance for reading my journal and for any future contributions and advice. New posts coming soon, promise!

Bye for now.

Good to have you here. Good luck with your goals.

And now a welcome to Journal land Geeze, I already like you from all of your thoughts on girls training + you have a degree in exercise science. Looking forward to tagging along! (PS. The guys here love things in lbs, lazy sods make me do the calculations for them!)

Thanks Guys! I'm looking forward to all of this too!

Originally Posted by Risk10k

(PS. The guys here love things in lbs, lazy sods make me do the calculations for them!)

Hahaha, yeah, I thought they might. I have already done conversions for them. Blah. I hope they appreciate it! Clap for GoodyGirl please

Here's how I'm going to work things for people who use Kilograms (like me) and those who use Pounds. Kilo's will be listed first and pounds in brackets. If I get lazy and forget the pounds, you'll have to do your own calculations! Without a calculator!!

TRAINING: LEGS
30th Oct 09
VOLUME, VOLUME & MORE VOLUME
BURN BABY, BURN!

SQUATS
5 sets
40kg (88lb) x 10 reps
60kg (132lb) x10 reps
80kg (176lb) x 10 reps
90kg (198lb) x 10 reps
100kg (220lb) x 10 reps

SEATED CALVE RAISE
5 sets
25kg (55) x10 reps
30kg (66) x10 reps
35kg (77) x10 reps
40kg (88) x10 reps
40kg (88) x10 reps

LEG EXTENSIONS
5 sets
35kg (77) x10 reps
40kg (88) x10 reps
45kg (99) x10 reps
50kg (110) x10 reps
55kg (121) x10 reps and hold at end

STANDING CALVE RAISE
5 sets
40kg (88) x10 reps
50kg (110) x10 reps
60kg (132) x10 reps
70kg (154) x10 reps
70kg (154) x10 reps

HAMSTRING CURLS
5 sets
32.5lb x12 reps
50lb x10 reps
55lb x10 reps
62.5lb x10 reps
62.5lb x10 reps

STEP-UPS ONTO BOX (est. 17 inch box height)
with Dumbells
5 sets
20lb DB's x 20 reps (10 reps each leg)
30lb DB's x 20
40lb DB's x 20
45lb DB's x 20 (puffing, panting and cursing under my breath!)
40lb DB's x 20

One last exercise just to hammer myself & for something different
BOX JUMPS (est. 17 inch box height)
with Dumbells
5 sets
Bodyweight (BW) x 15 reps
10lb DB's x 15 reps
15lb DB's x15reps
20lb DB's x 15 reps
20lb DB's x 20 reps

Note to self: Measure box next time and see how good (Or bad) my estimate was.

OUTCOME= OUCH!!!

Think I may have made a boo-boo. Not sure. Anyone know if the standing calve raise plates are 10lb or 10kg? There are 10 plates on the one I use, numbered 1 through 10 only. My reasoning for assuming it's in kilo's is I figure I will be able to lift more whilst performing standing raises as opposed to seated calve raises. As I did 40kg seated, it's not likely that I did less than this whilst standing. Also had my son on my shoulders tonight to try and work it out. He is 6 (about 25kg or 55lb). It felt easier than the gym. Hmmmm does anyone know or are all standing calve raise machines different?

TRAINING: CHEST/TRI's
SAT 31st OCTOBER 2009

BENCH PRESS
5 sets
20kg (88lb) x 10 reps
30kg (132lb) x10 reps
40kg (176lb) x 10 reps
45kg (198lb) x 8 reps
50kg (110lb) x 5 reps
(fatigue at 4th rep, racked bar, waited 10sec, then finished 5th rep)
Thrilled! I've been waiting to hit 50kg (110lb) for a while. Today was one of those days. Everything went just right! Yay, I hit 110lb!!

INCLINE DUMBELL BENCH PRESS
5 sets
20lb DB's x10 reps
30lb DB's x10 reps
35lb DB's x10 reps
40lb DB's x6 reps (someone walked past and said "Don't drop it" as I was about to go for 7th rep. Broke all concentration. Why do people do that?! ARGH, I hate that! )
35lb DB's x10 reps (this set felt great, even easier than other sets with 35lb DB's!)

CABLE CROSSOVERS
5 sets
25lb x10 reps
30lb x10 reps
35lb x10 reps
35lb x10 reps
35lb x10 reps

TRICEP PUSHDOWNS
5 sets
30lb x10 reps
32.5lb x 10 reps (horribly difficult but completed..... just)
30lb x10 reps
30lb x10 reps
30lb x8 reps, then had to drop weight to 22.5lb for last 2 reps


CLOSE GRIP PUSH-UPS to isolate tricep
(Hands on bench with fingers pointed inwards and facing. No knees on ground, no girly push-ups here!)
5 sets x 10 reps

TRICEP KICK-BACKS
5 sets of 10 reps with 10lb Dumbell

DIPS
to test myself.
First attempt: 3
Second attempt: 4
Want to work on dips for sure! Next time I do triceps I will attempt dips first before I am fatigued. They were nasty!

EXTRA EXERCISE
Abdominal Plank Holds
(Feet on bench, elbows on a lower aerobic step-up block)
Held, also alternated 1 leg at a time in air and holding for 5 seconds.
Also alternated knees marching.
2 sets x 1 minute each.

My legs are completely SMASHED from yesterday's workout. I think adding the box jumps as extra torture was responsible. My traps are also extremely sore even though it's been almost a week since I worked them. Maybe it was from the Step-ups and holding the dumbells. I probably inadvertently shrugged them at the same time. May be from that and the weighted box jumps too? Oh, and my chest is gonna be extra sore tomorrow. I can feel the pain already! Lucky tomorrow is a rest day!

I think we may have someone here who does more volume than me!

Originally Posted by GoodyGirl

Clap for GoodyGirl please

Welcome, great to see more girls in here..

(someone walked past and said "Don't drop it" as I was about to go for 7th rep. Broke all concentration. Why do people do that?! ARGH, I hate that! )

That has never happened to me and I hope it doesn't! I prob would throw the dumbell at them! Not joking.

Originally Posted by lonesXedge

I think we may have someone here who does more volume than me!

Volume reigns supreme! Oh yeah! Oh the pain, the pain!

Originally Posted by lil' power

Welcome, great to see more girls in here..

Thanks. All we need now is another million girls to get off their backsides and start training.

Originally Posted by skinny99

That has never happened to me and I hope it doesn't! I prob would throw the dumbell at them! Not joking.

It's the second time now it's happened to me. Other time doing Seated Dumbell Shoulder Presses, someone spoke to me late in a difficult set and then it was all over. Very frustrating. They deserve a good kick up the backside! I never speak to anyone if they are performing their set.

Wow. That's an interesting back story. What caused the various injuries if you don't mind me asking? The brain aneurysm sounds really really scary.

Congrats for pushing on anyway - you're like the bionic woman now with plastic and titanium holding you together!

Its good to hear your point of view on women lifting weights. There were a few girls who lifted proper free weights (squats, deads, bench, oly) in my last gym and they had total respect from all the other guys in there. I understand it must have been very intimidating. Girls often have to work harder on technique because of the obvious strength limitations on females, and I think there is something more impressive about watching a lean, mean, non-bulky girl do perfect full squats with a reasonable weight than seeing a massive dude repping out a massive weight with terrible form.

If you're interested in getting abs you should search for a member called "Built." She used to be a very active poster here a few years ago and even did a Q+A column for the main site for a while but then disappeared. I think she fell out with somebody or something. She went from over-weight to ridiculously lean through careful dieting and weight-lifting. She has a blog here http://builtblog.wikidbody.com/ You should check it out along with her old posts for some inspiration.

Excellent sessions! I feel my lactic acid building up just reading them :O

Where abouts in Aus are you?

Originally Posted by lonesXedge

I think we may have someone here who does more volume than me!

Haha, that's what I was gonna say!


Great work in here!! Great attitude and great work ethic!

Originally Posted by drummer

Wow. That's an interesting back story. What caused the various injuries if you don't mind me asking? The brain aneurysm sounds really really scary.

To cut a long story short, years of repetitive bending, twisting, lifting and reaching under load in a retail setting gradually weakened the discs until they eventually ruptured. Back pain began 3 years before the discs ruptured. As for the aneurysm rupture, yes, very frightening. I will never forget the feeling of wanting to die to escape the pain and that's no exaggeration. It was horrendous. 50% of people that suffer one die immediately, of the 50% left, another 25% die on operating table, then the last 25% may or may not have ongoing loss of brain function. I was the lucky one! I will also search for "Built", thanks for the tip.

Originally Posted by Risk10k

Excellent sessions! I feel my lactic acid building up just reading them :O

Where abouts in Aus are you?

After those sessions, this is the most amount of DOMS I've had in a long time! I'm in N.S.W. ----> State of the Mighty Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs!

Originally Posted by Chris Rodgers

Great work in here!! Great attitude and great work ethic!

Thanks very much. I'm already highly impressed with all the encouragement.

Yesterday was the first day I have actually taken the time to calculate calories and the breakdown of protein, carbs and fat. Purely out of curiosity really. I'm not yet really obsessive about intake. I am certainly being very disciplined with my food intake though and whilst I am still seeing improvements, I will probably not calculate it regularly at this stage. It's too time consuming as well with a young family. I generally eat the same foods day to day, so it's likely it will be about the same on a daily basis anyway, give or take a protein shake or protein bar etc.

Yesterday I consumed 1660 calories (on chest/tri's day)
210.0 Proteinn (about 1.3g/lb BW) is this too much???
130.0 Carbs
25.7 Fat

Today was a rest day. I went on a picnic and resisted all temptation again. Going out with family and friends changed nothing about the way I ate, so I was proud of myself for not hooking in to M&M's, crisps and other treats. Kicked a soccer ball around on the beach and ran a little in the sand. I felt happy being in the sun and on the beach. I must do it again! Hell, I'm close enough. I should take advantage of it more often.

Had some photos taken today for reference for the start of my journal. I will try and figure out how to add them. I'm a little uneasy about showing full body shots but I know by doing so, it will give me more motivation to improve it and show everyone I CAN DO IT!! I will get stronger, more muscular and leaner! And show that bimbo in the gym that told me I needed to stop weight training, that I will have abs one day! (She laughed at me when I told her that's what I wanted)

Ok, here we go peoples. This is me at 6 months into my training program at 74.6kg (162lb). A few facts first.

FACT 1: I have not worn a bikini since my honeymoon and still have not worn one in public since then. So, you're seeing a whole lot of GoodyGirl right now (in a 9 year old outdated style bikini)

FACT 2: I am in far better shape now than back then.

FACT 3: I am still a fair way off what I want to be.

FACT 4: I have never posed before. So I WILL look like a gumby and will not have poses even close to looking like what they should. Please go easy on me! hahaha

FACT 5: I have a lot to learn still!

FACT 6: I have no tan, I hope that you are not blinded by the following images.

FACT 7: I am going to put loads of hard work and dedication into my little mission.

FACT 8: I WILL BECOME A LEAN MEAN MACHINE!











Oops didn't flex my legs above..... note to self..... next time!









Will add some more at a later stage (with a better bikini) to compare to these. I just wish I had taken some at the very start of my gym membership. DOH! oh well, can't change the past.

The difference between 2 months of weight training (left) vs 6 months (right)

Here you go folks, fancy some titanium in your spine? This is what I live with every day.





Above: Lumbars



Above: Cervical Spine

Originally Posted by GoodyGirl

Some people have massive misconceptions about girls and weights.

After a phone call with my brother tonight, include him too
Anyway, I need some sleep, it's been a big day and I'm up early in the morning to get to the gym when it opens. HIIT tomorrow morning for 30-35mins, weights tomorrow night.

Looking great Alli! Your quad seperation is crazy, nothing to be ashamed of in here.

Def subbing to this journal, keep up the great work goodygirl I'll be watching

Your lifts are outstanding. Keep up the good work, I'll be checking in!

START OF RANT
I'm weight training! Whoop-dee-doo! So what? What's wrong with it? Nothing! I'm not doing anything illegal, immoral or fattening! Why is it some people have such huge misconceptions about women wanting to lift weights? And why do people feel like it's ok to have a dig at you when you work hard to make good gains? I fail to understand it. Why do I feel like I always have to justify myself? Men lifting weights don't feel like this! Do they? They generally only get positive feedback, women on the other hand have to deal with idiots who are not well educated or have silly ideas about women and weights and muscle growth. Weight training is not changing who I am. Why can't some people see that? I am enjoying it immensely! Some people (not ones on the forum, ones in real life) need to back off.
END OF RANT

Originally Posted by mweav6387

Def subbing to this journal, keep up the great work goodygirl I'll be watching

Thanks Mark, I've began keeping a close eye on your journal too

Originally Posted by Risk10k

Looking great Alli! Your quad seperation is crazy, nothing to be ashamed of in here.

Thanks Cliff! I'm very happy with the results showing in my quads so far. I have also built up my hammy's a fair bit, this was a MUST given my dodgy back, to build some more muscle and strengthen the hammy's will help my back in the long run.

Originally Posted by Painzer

Your lifts are outstanding. Keep up the good work, I'll be checking in!

Thanks to you too Painzer. I just checked out your deadlift and squat video's. WOW! I'm impressed! Nice work Is that gym set-up at your home?

At times we also have to deal with misconceptions about why we lift. A lot of people do not understand why someone, male or female, would invest so much effort into lifting. I've heard more than one snide comment hurled my way before. One of my favorites was someone telling me I would die before I'm 40 from steroid abuse. Funny thing is I've never used steroids and I'm already over 40. Ignorance is a common condition these days. Don't fret the small stuff - keep focused on your own goals and let people believe what they will. They tend to do that anyway.