I'm brand spanking new and this will be my first training season for highland games. I've been an athlete my whole life but I'm not a weight room expert, however, I'm not completely a novice. My goal is to gain as much knowledge and strength this year as I possibly can being a newbie. I've searched the internet trying to find fellow heavy athletes in Louisville, KY but I haven't found any buddies proximal enough to consistently practice with. If I could find someone in my city then I could devote at least a couple days a week to throwing practice, but with my schedule and my location I think I¡¯m going to have to improvise until things change.

I was hoping that posting my workouts and progress would get some responses that would be helpful for me as a solitary newbie.

My workout plan is based off a 10-week powerlifting competition plan. Its goal is to increase my squat, deadlift and bench 1rm by 10% in those 10 weeks. I¡¯m three weeks in and I¡¯m going to start supplementing this program with Olympic lifts on my non heavy days. An issue I¡¯m finding is that I don¡¯t really know what my 1rm back squat is since I¡¯m nearly 2 years off a major knee reconstructive surgery with serious quad atrophy. I¡¯m trying to ease into heavy, heavy lower body lifts without hurting my knee once again. I¡¯ll appreciate any tips or any suggestions any of you may have.

So here¡¯s what I¡¯ve done thus far this week:

             Day 1   BB back squat (¡Ö80%1rm) 6x4 @ 135lb.

                          Leg press (max) 3x9 @ 360lb.

                          Good morning (submax) 3x9 @85lb.

                          Leg extension (max) 3x9 @ 50lb.

                          Swiss ball crunch with 25lb. KB 3x12

             Day 2   Bench press (80%1rm) 6x4 @105lb.

                          Incline bench press (80%1rm) 6x4 @ 75lb.

                          Chin-up body weight 3x9

                          DB row (¡Ömax) 3x9 @ 40lb.

                          Close-grip bench press (¡Ömax) 3x9 @ 65lb.

                          BB curl (¡Ömax) 3x9 @ 40lb.

Day 3   BB back squat (¡Ö80%1rm) 6x2 @ 135lb.

                          Deadlift (80%1rm) 6x5 @ 175lb.

                          Lunge (submax) 3x12 with 25lb. Kettlebells

                          Hanging Leg curls bodyweight 3x12

                          Swiss ball crunches with 25lb. KB 3x12

             Day 4   Bench press (80%1rm) 6x2 @ 105lb.

                          BB overhead press (¡Ö80%1rm) 6x5 @ 75lb.

                          Lat pulldown (submax) 3x12 @ 50lb.

                          Cable row (submax) 3x12 @ 50lb.

                          Cable push-down (submax) 3x12 @ 40lb.

                          DB curls (submax) 3x12 @ 20 lb.

Today's workout I tried going heavier on my back squat. I'm kinda afraid to find my 1rm without a spotter with my bad knee. I don't think I'm actually doing the 80% of my 1rm in my squat but I'm working my way up there.

BB back squat (supposed to be 80%1rm) 6x5 @ 155

Leg press (max) 3x9 @ 360

Good mornings (submax) 3x9 @ 85

Leg extension (submax) 3x9 @ 50

Hanging leg raises (bodyweight) 3x9

Swiss ball crunches 3x9 25lb. KB

pseudo hammer throw twists 4x10 25lb. KB

I would have done more but I had to run to the dentist. I feel like I cheated my workout today, but we'll have some good one-on-one time tomorrow after class. Upper body is always my favorite.

Bench Press (80% 1rm) 6x5 @105

Incline bench press (80% 1 rm) 6x5 @75

Chin-up 3x9

DB row (max) 3x9 @ 45

Close-grip bench press (max) 3x9 @ 85 (failed on the last rep w/o a spotter, nice!)

BB curl (submax) 3x9 @ 40

Pseudo hammer twists 4x10 with 25lb. plate

One word: jello, but the good kind of jello.

Today was an awesome workout thanks in part to my firefighter/trainer friend. Even though I've never thrown an event, we came up with some simulating exercises today.

Kettlebell Iso power cleans with shoulder press 3x10 25lb., 3x10 35lb.

Caber lifts, 45lb. shrug bar with 6x10lb. weights added on, 3x10 - assuming caber position (hands, feet and all) lift bar off ground and pull as far up as possible. Great posterior chain exercise and it has to be very similar to the actual caber toss.

Hammer spins, 8lb. sledge hammer with 10lb. added on 3x10 spins - basically a hammer throw minus the release, spinning hammer 10 times around each set working up to maximum velocity on 3rd spin. My core loved this.

One leg put squats, 10lb. KB 12 each leg - holding KB like stone, balance on leg and bend over so that back/other leg/head is parallel with floor, squat down and up maintaining straight and level back.

Awesome, awesome workout. Can't wait for the weather to get warmer so I can get my hands on some weights and let them fly! I might do some kilt shopping tonight to get ready for my first season.

I guess I should introduce myself now and give you guys some of my background. I've played many sports throughout my life, softball being the sport I played the longest - going on 19 years. I was a field hockey goalkeeper in college, where I was named on the first year All-American team. After I finished my last college season I was recruited to a women's semi-pro tackle football team here in Louisville. I was the quarterback/kicker/free safety for the Nightmare until I had my knee blown out from a hit. I suffered the "trifecta" of knee ligament injuries, and a couple months out of rehab I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis.

Being the competitive person I am, it's been difficult to not train for competition or to experience the rush of a sport. Recently I saw Adriane Blewitt compete at the Columbus Scottish festival and was inspired to give highland games a go.

As a shorter stature athlete I know that height limits can be a detriment or an asset. Being shorter has made me improve my speed, agility, and strength so I could make up in other aspects where my height left off.

Got to love those stalky/stocky frames...

Keep working hard and get some film up!  Great way to get pointers and improve.

BB back squat (80% 1rm) 2x6 @ 155

Deadlift (80% 1rm) 6x6 @ 175

Lunge 3x9 with 25lb KBs

Leg curl 3x9 @ 55

HLR 3x9

Swiss ball crunch 3x9 with 25lb. KB

Bench press (80% 1rm) 6x2 @ 105

BB overhead press (submax) 6x6 @ 70

Lat pulldown (submax) 3x9 @ 50

Cable row (submax) 3x9 @ 50

Cable pushdown (submax) 3x9 @ 50

DB biceps curl (submax) 3x9 @ 25

Mondays and Wednesdays are stupid long class days so they are now my official "gym off day". I do, however, have cardio kickboxing and fencing as classes on those days.

So today's workout was flexibility and balance training in kickboxing, and a whole bunch of leg work doing advances and retreats in fencing.

Wish I could make it home before my gym closes but at least I broke a sweat today.

Classes cancelled. Snowed in for the day.

If I have to be stuck in for the night then I might as well enjoy some homemade Irish stew and soda bread! Oh, and don't forget the Smithwick's. I know some of you have to be jealous.....

We short people unite! There's not many sports left where not being over 6' isn't necessarily a detriment.

But you're right, I do get excited when I see somebody shorter than me. 

BB back squats 6x6 155

Leg press 6x3 360

Good mornings 6x3 85

Leg extension 6x3 60

Hanging leg raises 6x3

Swiss ball crunches 6x3 25lb KB

Not feeling so great today, I think my RA and lupus is acting up again. Having most of your joints aching is not conducive to a good workout. I hope this flare doesn't last as long as the last one.

Bench press (80% 1rm) 6x6 105

Incline bench press (80% 1rm) 6x6 75

Chin-up 3x6

DB bent row 3x6 55

Close-grip bench press 3x6 85

BB bicep curl 2x6 50, 1x6 60

Does anybody have those days when you go to the gym and you just feel wimpy? Weight that shouldn't be heavy feels like it weighs a ton? Well, today was one of those days for me. Now I have that trash bag commercial in my head. I'm wimpy, wimpy, wimpy but I need to be hefty, hefty, hefty!

i don't feel wimpy until i come on here and read what all the strong people are lifting.  

Yeah, Michael, that too!

I’m currently living by the perspective that it’s not about comparing yourself to others, but how YOU progress on the field and in the gym. Being the competitive person I am it’s hard not to look at Adriane’s log and these huge guys' logs and not feel like a total wimp. I keep telling myself that I’m getting stronger every time I go to the gym and if exposing my not so hefty posts gets me some advice then I will continue with the hopes of becoming big and beefy one day.

50 minute cardio kickboxing class

Another long Monday so I won't get out of class till the gym closes. But my bad knee has been barking at me all last night and all today so maybe it's a good thing that I can't go to the gym for a heavy leg day and mess it up more - cause I'm really good at that.

Does anybody have an opinion on weightlifting belts for deadlifts? I'm thinking about getting one before I bump up my weight on deadlifts.

Long time, no see NASGA forum!

Let's see if I can remember everything I've done on our split....

Wednesday: 50 min cardio kickboxing and 2 hour fencing class

Saturday: KB iso power cleans with shoulder press 3s X10r 25lb. 3s X 10r 35lb

1 leg put squats 10lb KB 4s X 12r

caber lifts with 45lb. shrug bar plus 60lb. weights 4s X 5r

Sunday: CPAT training with the firefighters: tire flips, tire drags, medicine ball slams and throws, hose bundle carries and squats.

Today: 50 min cardio kickboxing and tons of stretching due to yesterday's fun new exercises!