Brutal leg workout, movie night and Black Swan review

Hey all - Happy Saturday! I hope everyone's weekend is off to a great start. Mine sure is...I'm currently relaxing in bed with my pups watching a Criminal Minds' episode that I actually haven't seen before - Heaven!

I'm also nursing what could possibly be two of the most SORE quadricep muscles in recorded history. Thursday was leg day - ay yi yi.

SO let me take you back ... Thursday - I got up, went to work and did two miles at lunch on the elliptical. After work, I went back to the gym to work quads and biceps with Shari.

Here's what we did:

Squats with the bar - This was a progression (12 reps, 10 reps, 8 reps, 6 reps). The bar was 45 lbs so I stayed with that for the first set of 12. We added 10 lbs for the 10 reps, which was 55. Then we put on 10 lbs more for the 8 reps. By the time I was down to six, I was squating 70 lbs.
Leg press - It took me a few sets to find the right weight for me. It's 100 lbs. That I can do that easily but it makes me struggle toward the end. We did that for three sets of 10 to 12.
Leg extensions - Ugh. By now, the legs were really starting to scream. I did three sets of ten on 60 lbs. Shari made me do it VERY slow and controlled (which is the correct way to do it - I hate seeing folks using momentum).
Step-ups - By this time my legs were jelly. Total. So the step-ups kind of sucked. It looked like I was drunk. Wabbling all over the place. Plus I was stepping-up on a really tall bench while holding eight pound weights. I did two sets of ten on each leg (well with each leg leading) but I had to move to a lower bench for the last set.

Then it was time for biceps. Quads and biceps would never be something I'd put together on my own. I would just have a leg day. So this is interesting. Here's what we did:

Bicep progression - 12, 10, 8, 6 reps - standing curl with 30 lbs. I didn't increase the weight. I couldn't. My biceps are weak! But I could complete all with 30 lbs with good form.
Hammer curls - I used two 10 lb dumbbells and did it on a partially reclined bench. This is so much harder than standing, for me. It doesn't let you cheat by moving your body or picking up momentum. Three sets of 10.
Preacher curls - This is another move that won't let you cheat. Damn it. : ) It's where you are seated with a wedge/bench type deal infront of you. It's hard to describe. Here's a picture ...


It's the hardest move to me. I hate it. But I finished all three sets of 10 with about 15 lbs (total not on a barbell).

Then it was the ab exercise - three sets of 15 hanging leg raises. That's another interesting thing about the program. I only do ONE ab exercise a day. Jim (trainer) says that's all I need because so many of the other exercises engage the core. AND diet is the most important way to a lean core.

When all of this was done, I got in another mile on the elliptical for a total of three. I left the gym, went home and cleaned the house (which was tricky with da jelly legs). Later, I realized I was going to be in agony come Friday morning so I soaked in a bath of Epsom salt to try to stave off the pain. (It didn't really work but eh - why not give it a try). I was asleep by 9:15 - DONE!

Friday - I woke up and even before I put feet to floor I determined that this was going to be a rest day. There was just NO way that I could do the hams/tris work out that was on the schedule. Walking was going to be a challenge. Sitting was going to be excruciating. Working any sort of leg "work" was going to be absolutely out of the question.

So I relaxed. At lunch, I decided to go with Erika and Louie to our favorite Thai restaurant. I pretty much stuck to the diet. I didn't eat the egg roll, of course, and I took THREE, only three bites of the jasmine rice. I mean it's chicken and veggies. Not bad, right?

Mmmmmm....

I would tell you what this is but I can't pronounce it - basically it's spicy chicken and veggies. Notice how the carrots are cut like a lotus flower and the rice is a heart. LOVE this place!

After lunch, it was more work then home to see about the kids. I changed then drove over to the island to meet Erika and her sister for a quick bite (I had salmon and white beans on spinach) and movie - "Black Swan." Nevin and Mary also dropped by to have a drink with us. Fun!

But now let me say a few words about "Black Swan."

First of all, if you want a feel good movie, this is not for you. Skip it. I personally love dark (not necessarily scary but thrilling) movies. I know that Natalie Portman has gotten tons of praise for this role - Nina (although I pretty much forgot every character's name while watching it). The characters' identities weren't really memorable. Their traits were, but not their names. They didn't "become" these people. If that makes sense.

Don't get me wrong, Natalie Portman was good. But her character was a vunerable, mealy mouthed kind of chick. That's exactly how I see her in every movie. She seems drawn to this type of character. (Granted, I don't watch a lot of Natalie Portman movies.) Was her performance Oscar worthy? By comparison, maybe. I haven't seen any of the other actresses' movies that she's up against. I just know that overall Nicole Kidman and certainly Annette Benning are better actresses than she is, but their performances in these movies ... I dunno.

I think that the story line and, even more so, the cinematography were the real stars of this flick. The WAY it was filmed (like an independent film almost) was the best part. I also loved the way sounds were played-up. Very much like, "Requim for a Dream" (which I adore). The breaking in of the pointe shoes, the water from the faucet, bare feet on hard wood floors, popping of joints.

We all liked it. It definitely startled us in a couple of scenes. Also, for me, watching the dancing was super fun. Being a former dancer (even though I wasn't necessarily good), it was fun to watch and I was even able to relate a bit, of course, on a much MUCH smaller level.

After that, I bid farewell to the Capek ladies and went home. Hung out with the doggies, talked to J on the phone (Denver is going well). Then it was lights out. Great night!

Q: What do you feel is the hardest weight lifting move? It's preacher curls for me FOR SURE!

Q: Have you seen "Black Swan" if so what did you think? I just gave you my 37 cents on this so I'm eager to hear your thoughts.

Q: If you have seen it, do you think Natalie Portman deserves an Oscar? Again, I probably gave you too much of my opinion on this in this post - ha!