Life and Times of a Thrower

Hi! My name is Chelsea, but my friends call me Ziggy. I compete in events such as weight throw, shot put, discus, hammer, and javelin. I competed in the 2013 Maccabiah Games for Team USA. I placed second for the shot put and third for the discus and hammer. What am I up to now? Well, I'm a college graduate, in graduate school with a full time job and too heavy and out of shape. I have a year to get back into it for the 2017 World Maccabiah Games. Watch me as I grow.

[throwsweightsproteinshakes]

When you go to the gym, but forget you are a PreK teacher. Notice the flower in my hair. Let me tell you a little about myself that's not workout related. I am a PreK teacher in Cambridge. I currently live in Medford. Other than working out I like to paint, play and listen to music, go to my job (for real, I actually like it), and I like having a couple drinks here and there. Maccabiah mag is only a section of my life. If I don't medal, it wouldn't be the worst thing but I hope I do. Honestly, there have been more important parts of my life going on. I'm trying to stabilize my life while being an international athlete. All parts of my life are overlapping. I'm just trying to get by.

[throwsweightsproteinshakes]

Today's Workout and Then Some

Squats 95lbs 3x5 Dead Lift from Calf 45lbs 3x8 Calf Raises Body Weight 3x12 Single Leg Press 90lbs each leg 3x7 Seated Calf Raises 90lbs 6x8 Leg Adductors and Abductors 87lbs 3x10 Over the last two days I've received big news from two parts of my life. Does this effect me workout? Well it could. I don't know what else to say from here. I could go into overthinking about that but I'd rather not right now. Hope everyone is having a fitness fantastic Friday!

[throwsweightsproteinshakes]

A workout lifestyle is always changing. I don't get in everyday. That's okay. I actually haven't been to the gym in a week. I feel bad but there are legitimate reasons why. Last week, I strained my middle finger. I really couldn't grip anything. It was really painful Thursday and Friday last week. I also had a job interview Friday midday and I didn't want to be a mess for it. Saturday I was at King Richard's Renaissance Faire (a suggestion for a fun weekend) all day. Then for the weekend which included Sunday, Monday, and part of Tuesday, I was at my boyfriends place. To my knowledge now, he has dumbbells there. Something to think about next time. Why didn't I work out Tuesday after work? Wel for those who didn't know, starting Tuesday night was Yom Kippur. Yom Kippur is the Day of Atonement in Judaism. It's the holiest day of the year and I need to fast starting sundown the day before until sundown the day of. Working out on a total empty stomach is just stupid. So there you have it. Now I've woken up, I don't have work til noon and I don't feel like going to the gym. But I'm already half way through my preworkout and I have to. I will. Like I said, my workout lifestyle isn't always the same, but it needs to happen. Yours does too. It doesn't need to be everyday. But it sure doesn't hurt to do so.

[throwsweightsproteinshakes]

Squats 105lbs. 3x5 Standing Calf Raises 125lbs. 3x12 Leg Press 180lbs. 3x7, 270 3x4 Deadlift 60lbs. 3x8 Seated Calf Raises 45lbs. 3x10 with 30 second hold on the last Seated Calf Raises 90lbs. 3x8 As I'm in the middle of my workout, I realize it could be pretty intimidating for any people just starting their lifestyle change/workout routine/gym time. Please DO NOT TRY TO LIFT THIS AMOUNT IF YOU ARE NEW TO A GYM. Trust me, I never started by lifting tons, it's taken months and years of building this up. I've also taken time off and have to start from the bottom again. Start out with lower weights. And don't be afraid to change the weight in the middle of your routine. No ones watching, trust me. And if they are, they don't care. If the weights feel too heavy, make it lighter. If you feel like it's too easy, add some weight or resistance. If any kind of weight is too heavy, think about getting some resistance bands or use strictly body weight.

[throwsweightsproteinshakes]

I'm not really in the mood to be writing anything. My hours at my job got cut big time. I've already begun the job search about two weeks ago. Only benefit is being able to go to the gym longer. So instead, here's my workout: Bench Press 115lbs 3x5 Triceps Pulldown weight? 2x20 Bench Press 125 3x3 Iso-Lateral Hi Row 45lbs each arm 3x12 Bicep curl using 25lb plate 3x8 Seated pec fly 54lbs?? 3x10 Shoulder Press machine 55lbs Dumbbell bench press (individual arm while other arm is raised, straight into both arms) 20lbs 3x8 individual, 3x8 both One arm dumbbell lat pulls 40 3x5 each side

[throwsweightsproteinshakes]

Torn

So today is Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year. It technically started last night and ends Tuesday night. I don't have off from work and I couldn't take the time off. Going into my workout, I felt really torn if I should be working out at all. Today is one of the holiest holidays in Judaism. The fact that I'm not doing my normal of being in temple has me....lost? I know this is my fitness blog, but seeing as I'm in training for a JEWISH COMPETITION IN ISRAEL, this is relevant. I kinda wish at points like this, I was raised in Judaism differently. This way I knew what to do on my own. I could celebrate in my own home. Also is doesn't help that I'm in a new town with no one to ask for help. Well, for now I'm in my workout, legs. I guess I'll figure out what to do about the new year later. At least I brought in apples and honey for my coworkers. Happy New Year! Shana Tovah! שנה אובה!

[throwsweightsproteinshakes]

Ughh

Today is Friday. TGIF. But in reality, I'm just tired as all get out and wanted to sleep. So I did. And now I'm ten minutes late to the gym. But it's all good. It's more than the person on the couch or who decided to sleep in even more. Any little bit helps. So you do what you need to do. It could be any small act. Take the stairs (I have to, I live in in an apartment in the third floor and no elevator). Walk to work if you can or bike. Do this weird push up challenge going around online. Just do something. Or as Nike would say Just Do It Today's Workout: Bench Press 115lbs 3x5 Incline Bench Press 75lbs 3x8 Triceps Pull down (arms together, single arm, single arm hand facing me) 3x10, 3x10, 3x8 (I can't tell you the weight because they have been etched out on the machine) Above the shoulder bicep curl using the cable crossover machine 3x8 Bicep curl 3x8 25lb plate Iso-Lateral Hi Row 45lbs each arm 3x10

[throwsweightsproteinshakes]

Sportswear

So today I decided to work out my biceps triceps and shoulders. Well I normally wear a t shirt for the gym but decided I needed the extra wiggle room so I went for a tank. It's actually one of my favorite tanks. It stays "Running to the second star on the right." My sister got it for my birthday. It's pretty tight. But I figured why not. No one should ever let the fear of what others think dictate what clothes they wear. Not just workout clothes, but any clothes

[throwsweightsproteinshakes]

I was going to make a transformation Tuesday photo, but using Tumblr on safari won't let me. I use the Tumblr app for my personal blog. Oh well. Today's a chest and back day. Some abs too cause I know I need to work on that too

[throwsweightsproteinshakes]

Back at It

It's been a week since my last workout. No I didn't get lazy, well not fully. If anyone can recall, I got sick. And I would've loved to take two days off and just get better instantaneously, but it doesn't work that way. I still had to go to work and deal with the sniffling sneezing coughing children who got me sick in the first place. So after lots of soup, tea, DayQuil and NyQuil, I'm finally feeling 90%. (My throat still kinda hurts when I yawn) And as I was getting better, good old Ms. Period made her way into my life. So Friday, Saturday, and Sunday were CRAMP CITY. So I'm getting back into it. Today is legs but I'm not going overkill with any weights. Nothing too heavy. And funny enough, exercise is supposed to help with cramps. Mine have kinda gotten worse. Huh.

[studytwice]

You want to work harder? Then work harder. You want to be better? Then be better. You are brilliant, fierce, independent, wonderful just like you are. You can do this.

Something I needed to hear, so I said it to myself. (via studytwice)

[throwsweightsproteinshakes]

I lasted 20 minutes

3x10 squats with only the bar (45 lbs) 3x10 straight leg dead lifts with only the bar (45 lbs) 3x15 calf raises by body weight 2x10 both 2x10 single leg hamstring curls Then I hit a wall. My head went in a haze my vision blurred a little bit and I just felt weak and as if I couldn't do anymore. Maybe I could've but honestly I didn't want to find out. Especially since I was the only person in that section of the gym. So now I'm on a bike, pedaling st average pace, nothing too extreme. Tomorrow's another day. I know I said today was a test but honestly if 20 min is the only thing I can get in, that's better than nothing.

[throwsweightsproteinshakes]

Today is a Test

And what I mean by that is that even though I've taken Vitamin C up the wazoo and washed my hands a ton, one of my students had gotten me sick. Sore throat, congestion, headache. So today is a test. Let's see how I feel during and after my workout and it will determine if I'll be working out the rest of the week. Again, today's post is about self care. Not working out when you're not feeling the best isn't the worst thing in the world. Don't take it out on yourself. Your body needs to be 100%.

[throwsweightsproteinshakes]

Emotional Struggle

In the last week or so, I've been dealing with stress from work which has really got my emotions running (long story). I took yesterday, Thursday, off because my left leg wasn't feeling right. A story for another time. So I'm back at it, but I just didn't feel great. I'm not feeling my workout and I don't want to be here (I'm currently typing this from the gym). I got up from bed this morning, made my morning drink and got my things together for the gym and work. I wasn't happy about it but I needed to continue on this journey or otherwise fail at one of the biggest moments of my track and field career. So now I've gotten to the gym and I usually start with the treadmill. But I just couldn't. So now I'm at the bench press. Sometimes I can't do everything I want in the gym. My mental and emotional capacity can only take me so far. We need to take care of ourselves, in every sense. Physical. Emotional. Mental. If something is off, it'll effect everything else. Take care of yourself and everything will fall into place eventually.

[throwsweightsproteinshakes]

Okay maybe it's just me but I used to always love my chest. Like chest muscles. Then last year or so I moved onto my triceps. Now? I'm lovin my hamstrings. I don't know. I walked onto the treadmill and just felt stronger there. I looked in the mirror behind me and they looked tight and strong. I don't see it as douchey (unless you're there admiring your body for a full ten minutes), but I think it's okay to admire the work someone puts into their body.

[throwsweightsproteinshakes]

How to be entering a gym

So I've noticed when I leave the locker room, ready to start any workout, I make sure I walk with my shoulders back and my chest puffed out a little. My head is also up, not looking down or looking into my phone. My workout is going to start right and it all starts then, at least for me. Start with strength. Start with confidence. Start strong. It also helps me not run into people when my music is bumpin. So no matter where you start, go into your workout with confidence. Or at the very least, fake it til you make it.

[lonniiii-deactivated20170829]

NOTE TO SELF: Drink more water, stay productive, block out any negativity, keep grinding. Stay executing your goals this week.