Lifting Move of the Week: Straight Arm Pull Down

Okay – you guys totally crack me up with the comments yesterday!  Not sure I am going to eat any more Brazil nuts…

It was dark and rainy when I got up. I drank a protein drink before going to the gym, which was just plain whey isolate in milk. No flavor or sweetener. The isolate is the only type I can do this with. I decided today was a no-added sugar day, so I drank it straight up. Yep – I am hard core!

Exercise Set/rep/weight Muscle worked
Barbell Deadlift 3 sets of 10 at 75# Lower body
Straight Arm Pull Down 3 sets of 12 at 50# Back
Barbell Chest Press 3 sets of 8 at 55# Chest
Planks 2 holds of 75 seconds

1 hold of 1 minute

 Core
Standing 1-leg calf raise 3 sets of 10 each leg with 15# DBs (30# total) Calves and balance!
Prone Cuban Snatch 3 sets of 10 with 10# DBs (20# total) Shoulders
Lower Back Extension 3 sets of 10 at 100# Back
Overhead Press 3 sets of 12 with 12# DBs (24# total) Triceps

It was pouring when I finished. Good thing I didn’t bike. I went home and picked up John and we had bagels! Off to Panera Bread. It was freezing there, as per usual. What is up with that?? I needed a non sweet bagel, so I decided on a sesame today.

Lifting Move of the Week: The Straight Arm Pull Down:

This is just a nice break from the seated lat pull down. The real trick is to keep the movement happening in your back and not your arms. Practice with just holding your arms out in front of you (go ahead and do it now) and lift and raise and notice the feeling in your back. It helps to draw your shoulder blades back. That is the feeling you are looking for (feeling for?).

Break from work for lunch time!  When you do a no sugar day, it really makes you have to pause and think about what you are eating more than usual.  No yogurt with cereal today!  I decided on a nice omelet with a laughing cow wedge and sauteed broccoli.  Plus a baby macintosh apple.  These are small apples!

I was talking to John about how good it was and he just made a funny face.  He doesn’t like the laughing cow or broccoli.  What is wrong with him, anyway?

I totally got absorbed in work until John brought out my afternoon latte.  He actually had forgotten my no sugar today and put pumpkin drizzle on top of it, but then scraped it off.  Now that is thoughtful.    He also puts some whey isolate in it as well for that protein boost.

Caffeine Power!  Good thing caffeine is not an illegal drug or I would have quite the problem.

Yesterday, Shelley asked when the duathlon is.  It is the 17th, so about a week and a half away.  We actually have not signed up for it yet because it is totally weather dependent on us doing it.  I will not do it if it is raining, as the bike event is scary in the rain (not to mention totally miserable).   I decided if the actual race day doesn’t happen, I will go ahead and do it on my own on a nicer day since I have been training.

John also made dinner tonight.  Not only do we have a plethora of apples, we have a platoon of potatoes!  I don’t know what he was thinking when he shopped over the weekend.  So, he made a low fat bacon potato soup.

It was pretty good.  Think I got enough cinnamon on that pear?  I have probably had 2 tsp today :mrgreen:

My evening task?  Coffee roasting.  This is my set up.

I wish I could hook up my 1 kilogram roaster, but it needs 3 phase 200 amp power, which would be about $800 to do.  So it languishes in the garage.

This is decaf I am roasting to have tonight.  I wish I could have some of that apple cobbler tonight, but it will still be there tomorrow (I hope).  I will likely have some more fruit.

Gratuitous Pixie.

For some reason, Pixie likes the umbrella.  She always gets under it when we dry one out.

Pink item of the day!  My camera case, which also doubles as my wallet.  A food/fitness blogger must always be prepared 😀

The Breast Cancer Site

Question:  Do you go back and read comments on blogs or do you forget?

24 thoughts on “Lifting Move of the Week: Straight Arm Pull Down”

  2. Cindy

    I did a no sugar day too. I picked up a plain greek yogurt and at it all day today..as dressing, on my breakfast…snack.

    with a couple strawberries (okay that’s a tiny bit of sugar) it was a nice mix of bitter and creamy and sweet.

    I really liked it.
    Pixie is ADORABLE under the umbrella.

    I keep meaning to try that protien coffee but I am scared. and I don’t think I have the right powder.

    and I agree. non sugar days DO make you think, you have to plan a lot more!

    have a great night!
    .-= Cindy´s last blog ..THE FRESH ONE =-.

  5. debby

    Depends on how much time I have. I get really mad at myself if I ask a question and then I forget to go back and check for answers. (thanks for the answer on the nut butter. I definitely like the idea of added sweetness to nut butter, if I ever get around to trying it.
    .-= debby´s last blog ..I Just Ate Soup =-.

  6. Fran

    That’s funny you ask that question because before I started reading your blog I thought that I needed to ask you again.

    If I click to be notified of a response to your comment I got empty emails from your blog so I never click it.

    But every blog/post I comment on I subscribe to the comments and read them too.
    The only one I can’t read are the comments on yours and I would really love that.

    Could you please look into the possibility of adding an RSS button for the comments on your blog?

    Because once I’ve commented I never go back to a blog, I read the comments through my Google reader.

    xxx

  7. Amy

    One of the things I love about blogging are the comments – I always read them on my own blog and very often on other people’s blogs. After reading the comments on the Brazil nuts, I was reminded that here in Belgium they call them “paranoten”, so just like in Brazil, “Para nuts” – must be the region or tree they come from?
    In any case they are the single best food source of selenium – one nut contains a whole days worth of it – so don’t stop eating them, even if they do look like toes!
    .-= Amy´s last blog ..Absolutely gorgeous day &amp awesome long run! =-.

  10. Jody - Fit at 52

    Did straight arm pulldowns today too! I do them every back workout.. sometimes like your video & sometimes on the body motion cable machine. I do a full back routine so these long with all those wide & close grip lat pulldowns, some type of row & a few more things…. I love the straight arm pulldown though!

    I also use cinnamon like you do too Lori.. love that stuff! And love that Pixie pic!

    I try to go back & read comments but blogging being so time consuming, it depends…
    .-= Jody – Fit at 52´s last blog ..How Much Chocolate =-.

  14. Leah

    I always read comments on my own blog, but I don’t always have time to read comments on others’. If time allows, I do.

    “Good thing caffeine is not an illegal drug or I would have quite the problem.” Amen! 😀
    .-= Leah´s last blog ..End Results =-.

  15. Heidi

    I love the straight-arm pulldown. It definitely gives me serious upper back DOMS! Good call with the cinnamon – I’ve always tried it on apples, but now I have to go pick up some pears. You can’t beat some of the health benefits in such a yummy spice.

    I love reading comments on my own blog and others. They are often very inspiring and make me think of things from an entirely different perspective.
    .-= Heidi´s last blog ..A fest for gluttony =-.

  16. Roz

    Hi Lori,
    Haven’t commented for a while, but read regularly. Love your blog, and LOVE the pictures of Pixie!
    I love reading comments on blogs! and ps: Impressed that you roast your own coffee beans.
    .-= Roz´s last blog ..New Word Wednesday 8 =-.

  18. Shelley B

    Pixie and the umbrella – love it! Cats are so strange with what they like. One of mine has to climb the ladder every time we have it out. Ok…..

    I don’t blame you for not wanting to bike in the rain – no need to have an accident that would lay you up and keep you from exercising. Hope the weather does turn out nice on the 17th so you can do the Du.

    I like to read the comments, and try to go back and see if the blogger has added anything. Always fun to see everyone’s take on the same subject. 🙂
    .-= Shelley B´s last blog ..Wednesday Workout Update =-.

  19. Ang

    If I have extra time I read the comments after I read someone’s blog. They can be a lot of fun!

    Pixie is so adorable! I love seeing her pictures.
    .-= Ang´s last blog ..Dreary Weather! =-.

  21. paula

    Now you’re a real coffee oficionado (did I spell that right? prolly not). Wow, roasting your own beans is pretty darn cool. I hope it doesn’t rain so you can do your dualathon. You’ve trained so hard. Lori, thanks for posting those weight lifting moves. They’re pretty helpful. Now I just gotta use them, hah?

    Pixie is the cutest.
    paula

  22. Kim Zepp

    I love reading the comments on my own blog.
    When I read someone else’s blog, I almost always read their comments, too. There’s always something interesting! 🙂 Plus, that helps me find links to other blogs that I’d like to read. (I have fun clicking on other people’s blogs here on your comment section!)
    .-= Kim Zepp´s last blog ..Akron Half Marathon Race Recap – Sept 26- 2010 =-.

  24. South Beach Steve

    I keep debating roasting my coffee this way, but for now I do it in an iron skillet over a charcoal fire. Yeah, it is a lot of work, but I get a certain sense of satisfaction from doing it this way. Weird, I know.

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