April updates

“Though at times the story of your life is unsettled, at its center there is the certainty of hope and the promise of good things to come.” ~Unknown

I was joking this week a few times at work when people stopped me to tell me they had been reading my blog and how much they had enjoyed reading the updates. Until today it’s been more than a week since I’ve shared anything. Don’t go into shock…or withdrawals.:)Things have been a little busy and crazy lately and well, after this update, perhaps it’ll make sense why I haven’t been online quite as much this week on my blog, facebook or twitter. You can joke…I think we all know I’m the one in withdrawals of social media.:)

One thing that’s happened this past week is that I’ve been contacted by the International Federation for Spina Bifida & Hydrocephalus. They’ve expressed an interest in sharing a bit about Chance’s story on their web site and hoped to direct parents facing similar challenges with a spina bifida diagnosis to the many things I’ve written during my pregnancy with Chance and after his birth. They were among the many who reached out to me back in the fall when I was so unsure of the decisions we were faced with. I don’t think I realized seven months ago that those thoughts following the diagnosis and all the crazy thoughts I’ve shared since would really make as much of an impact as they have. I’ve had hundreds of people reach out to me – many offering support and advice and others seeking help for themselves as they’ve since been faced with the same tough news. I suppose all this time I’ve felt a little selfish blogging so many personal thoughts assuming people are reading (or should I say “listening”)…I’ve come to learn many are seeking to read my thoughts and that somehow they’re helping and hopefully will continue to help others.

When I was pregnant with Chance and we received his diagnosis I recall thinking that he’d be special and would impact the lives of so many others and felt as though his presence in my life would lead us to finding way to help others somehow. It’s kind of crazy this little guy of mine has helped move so many and that long before he was born he was helping others. Yes, there’s a promise for “hope” and a certainty that good things will come regardless of how many challenges we may be faced with due to his spina bifida.

In recognizing how challenging and moving his journey was to our family and because I know how important it is to hang on to all these thoughts I have begun designing a book this past month. It’ll essentially be a visual and written record of his pregnancy, birth and some moments in the weeks following his birth. I’ve considered doing this throughout the time I was pregnant with him and now that he’s here I know it’s important I do this for him and our family…and yes, for the many others out there that it may help. I’ve already been asked by quite a few people if I was planning to do something with what I’ve written on my blog…and the answer is…yes, of course. It’s far from “done” but here’s a quick glimpse of one spread…I’m sure you’ll hear more once this thing is finished.

The last week has also been busy with meetings at work and getting geared up to teach in the summer…yes, that’s just a few weeks away! I just shared a photoshoot on the blog and though I haven’t done any formal photoshoots with the kids I’ve continued to take tons of candid photos. Now that Jason and I are back at work it’s fun juggling the kids. Between Hope in school, piano lessons and softball practice/games we are learning to find balance. I have to admire this moment with Hope and Chance last week just prior to her piano lessons. I was in the midst of getting things together and getting Jaylen ready and looked over and she was practicing piano with Chance. She’s a little anxious to someday teach him how to play the piano.

Hope & Chance playing piano

This past week we also had family come in town to visit. Jason’s aunt & uncle flew down from Chicago. It’s their second visit since Chance was born and he certainly enjoyed his time with them. I really adore this photo during one of his alert moments with Jason’s aunt. He’s holding his upper body up really well these days.

Allison & Chance

For those of you who have followed along on my blog since Chance was in the NICU you may recall he had a panda security blanket that we had brought him when he was just a couple days old. When he had to have his first shunt surgery the NICU secured his belonging somewhere and we assumed they were in a safe place. We didn’t even think to ask about it because we assumed he couldn’t have it when he was being monitored so closely after his second and third surgery. We arrived home and realized it that day and contacted the NICU. Unfortunately they have yet to find it but we’ve been told everyone will continue to keep an eye out for it. Though it’s not the same as the original one he was given in the NICU we went ahead and made sure he had another, more for the sentimental memories that come with seeing it. Perhaps they’ll find the original someday, but if not we know just seeing it will bring back special memories with our baby boy.

Allison & Chance

My older sister also visited us to meet Chance for the first time. It’s the first time we’ve seen her since Jaylen was about Chance’s age. Chance was in love with all the attention he received this weekend.

Tanya & Chance

Tanya & Chance

Hope was quite thrilled to have her cousin Ashley visit. On Saturday they celebrated “caturday”. Yes, that’s what I said…”caturday?!” Apparently Saturday is a good day to get made up like a cat…and if you do I suppose Saturday becomes “caturday”. Okay, sure…whatever they call it they’re pretty funny celebrating the day.

Cat-urday

My niece Ashley was here last summer when we learned we were pregnant. I recall feeling so bad during the time she visited and we got to do very little because I was so fatigued and nauseous. Seeing her holding Chance this past weekend reminded me of that week or so and I’m having a tough time believing how fast time has flown by since then. Ashley is the oldest grandchild in my family and Chance is the youngest…nearly 17 years difference. This weekend we were actually shaking our heads more because it seems like just yesterday that she was the itty bitty baby we were all holding.

oldest & youngest

Yes, balance is an important thing for me these days. When I’m home most things get done when Chance is sleeping or content or when Jason or Hope are helping. I returned from pumping the other day to find Jason and Chance surfing facebook…a totally priceless moment. Hey, whatever it takes for me to be able to get things done…right. Heck, I’m sure it’s only a matter of time before this little guy realizes everyone is talking about him on facebook.:)

Jason & Chance

Last night we got to go out grocery shopping as a family. Yes, it’s the little things that are important to me. Usually Jason and I work such differing schedules that it’s tough too coordinate much time together as a family and  usually errands are ran around what we might have going on so it’s rare we all get to go out together and with Chance so little it’s definitely one of the very few moments we’ve had together out and about as a family of five. Before we left I decided to take a quick photo of Chance & I while we waited for the rest of the gang to get ready.

Me & Chance

Jaylen ran out beside us and shouted “me too”. He wanted to be in the picture too…which certainly makes me smile. And Jaylen tells me this picture is a “good one” of me and my boys. I agree.:)

Me & my boys

Aside from all these busy moments I suppose I’m still settling into the realization that I’m raising a child with spina bifida. Things seem a lot more “normal” these days but I can’t say it makes things easier. I’d like to compare this challenge of knowing my baby boy has spina bifida like starting over caring for a baby like it’s the “first” baby. I find myself at times just as fearful and worried about the littlest things, though I’m sure things are just fine. I suppose I’m still holding my breath wondering what else could possibly happen. I’m sure reading so much about spina bifida in books, online, and on other families blogs haven’t necessarily helped eliminate all my fears…in fact, I almost feel like I know too much and it makes me a little more fearful. However, I know it’s incredibly important to know what “could” happen in the event we face additional challenges. So as I pause each time I feel a little worried I’ll try to continue to remind myself to enjoy all the moments and pray that his spina bifida doesn’t cause too many more worries as our baby boy continues to grow.

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March 23, 2025 - 5:45 pm

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But no matter what bucket of shoulder-training neglect you finish up in,
the wonderful news is that it is all going to stop after reading this article.
We’re going to offer you all the assets you
should practice your shoulders effectively.

Focus on performing the raise in a clean, controlled movement, bracing your core to stop any momentum from serving to to ‘swing’
the weight up. Focus on leading with your elbow and bringing your arms
parallel together with your shoulders. Also, remember
that you hit your anterior and posterior deltoids together with your again and chest, so it’s necessary
to emphasize lateral delt workout routines in your coaching.

One Other chance is that you can emphasize your shoulders for a time period.
To do this, hit every different physique half 2 occasions a week after which add a
specific shoulder day.
It assists in actions similar to lifting an object directly in entrance of you or swinging your arm ahead throughout a run. Implement the methods and workouts suggested in this guide, and you’ll be amazed on the fast progress in the growth of your deltoid muscular tissues.

For these guys who’re just starting out or don’t have access
to a full health club, these bodyweight workouts are
for you. If you’re looking for more nice exercises to add to your dumbbell deltoid workouts, you’ll find a way to take a look at my article
on Finest Dumbbell Workout Routines for Shoulders to see extra examples.
Let’s say you don’t have access to a cable machine, resistance bands, or a
barbell, however you might have plenty of dumbbells.
Press the weights overhead in an arcing movement, stopping wanting locking out the elbows.
These three wide shoulder workout blueprints will completely
ship a tough punch to every head of the deltoids and you need to
give one of them a shot on your next shoulder day. The face pull just isn’t solely a really good trap isolation train; it hammers your rear delts too.
Lateral raises are one of many best possible ways to focus on the medial
deltoids. Any variety of the lateral increase is going
to work wonders for the deltoid space, so lengthy as your approach is infallible.
This variant of the seated dumbbell press is a unbelievable
approach to goal every head of the deltoid array in a single motion.
Grab a pair of heavy dumbbells—about twice the burden you’ll use for normal laterals.
Hold the dumbbells by your sides, tense the lateral delts, and start to maneuver them outward as far as you’ll find a way to.
Strive to do brief, fast reps while maintaining maximum pressure in your shoulders always.

To strengthen your shoulder, you must attempt growing the intensity of your workout.
The drop-set, compelled reps, and the pause-and-go technique are some
strategies for intensifying your exercises. Repetition and Consistency Cycle
via Y, T, and I with no break, then rest.
The great thing about delts is that you simply never have to worry about running out of shoulder workout routines.
The magic of the Dumbbell Arnold Press in concentrating on the rear deltoids lies in the rotational motion of the arms.
This rotation activates the shoulder muscle tissue from various angles, with a major emphasis on the rear deltoids.

The train goes beyond the vary of movement of traditional shoulder
presses, making certain a complete exercise for the rear shoulder muscular tissues.
Unlike most overhead press variations, this exercise works your anterior and posterior deltoids pretty
equally. That’s as a outcome of you’ll need to make
use of your rear delts to cease your arms from falling ahead as you use your anterior deltoids
to push the weight up. When it comes to building a well-developed
again, most lifters concentrate on lat pulldowns,
barbell rows, and deadlifts.
And that isolation is the bent-over reverse fly, which is the dumbbell version of the reverse
pec deck machine. Hold a weight plate or pair of dumbbells in entrance of your body.
With minimal movement out of your torso and keep your arms at a fixed angle, increase the
plate the entire way up, until it’s above your head (B).

Maintaining your arms straight, raise the dumbbells until they’re in line with
your brow. Bring the dumbbells back down good and slow, before exploding again up to the highest.
Stand holding two dumbbells at shoulder top with an underhand grip.
Undertake a fighting stance and bounce on your toes as you shadow box.
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, and hold a kettlebell in front of your shoulder together with your palm in, elbow tucked,
and the weight resting on the highest of your forearm.
Press it straight up, rotating your arm so your palm faces forward.
Grasp a lightweight resistance band in both hands and interact your glutes and abs.

You’ll be building as much as completing one hundred press-ups in a single go,
which can result in incredibly robust shoulders,
as properly as terrific triceps and popping pecs.
It’s an excellent choice for folks with out entry to weights
who simply wish to spend a couple of minutes figuring out every day, rather than committing to a number of lengthy exercises every week.
Seize a set of resistance bands and get ready to
feel the burn in your higher arms and shoulders.
This exercise uses the 21s approach, by which you do 21 reps of each
exercise—seven reps of the underside half of the transfer, seven of the
highest half, and then seven of the full range.
That’s what this routine does, and it includes a
resistance band routine to graduate to as nicely.
Dumbbell workout routines require more stabilization, engaging the primary muscular tissues and various stabilizer
muscular tissues around the shoulder and higher back. This increased recruitment enhances general shoulder stability, improves joint well being, and contributes to the event of a stronger, extra resilient
higher body.
The barbell upright row is the third and ultimate
train you have to construct one of the best shoulders possible.
This train primarily targets the medial (lateral) head of the shoulder, which we know by now could be crucial
for building round shoulders. As I mentioned in the video, one-arm rear delt cable flyes
make for a great ending exercise in a shoulder workout.
And it would not take long when you go again and forth from right arm to left without resting—you should have the ability to get three
sets per arm done in lower than three minutes.
For a complete shoulder exercise that finishes with one-arm rear delt cable
flyes, click on beneath.
Download StrengthLog and begin tracking your progress – it’s one of the simplest ways to ensure
you’re all the time on track and get optimum results from your efforts.
If you struggle to do chin-ups, you can help yourself by looping a resistance band over the
chin-up bar and standing on the other end. Or you are in a position to do supinated lat pulldowns as a substitute, although that’s not an option when you practice at home.
The machine bicep curl is, in essence, a
kind of preacher curl, but it goes one step further and removes any balance requirements.
That makes it an ideal ending train for a great pump at the end of a
exercise. Use a lower weight and stress good form
in the spider curl to put maximum stress on your biceps.
Except, with these push-ups you want your arms to be a good quantity behind your
shoulders. Subsequent, I wish to move on to a lateral increase where we use whatever
you may have at house. You can use a guide bag, duffle bag, or
just loop a belt via some gallons of water.
This exercise simulates the actions of a waiter carrying a stack of plates via a restaurant.
The dumbbell lateral is the best factor you can do to
isolate the lateral head of the deltoid. It’s surprisingly difficult, so be positive to use a weight that allows
you to management the entire movement. The lateral deltoid begins at the outer edge of the acromion process and
the scapula close to the base of the neck. It attaches to the deltoid
tuberosity on the high of the humerus, or higher arm.
The function of this part of the muscle is to boost the arm out of your sides out laterally and up until it’s parallel with the ground.
Here’s another transfer that’s as much about shoulder well
being as it is about shoulder strength.
I’ve combined my data of analysis and expertise to convey you the most practical bites to
be applied to your coaching. Right Here is a prime view to
have the ability to see the activation of the deltoids from one other angle.
As I go to raise these dumbbells up, the primary transfer is NOT this.
These muscle teams want so badly to kick in to help with the raise, particularly through the first
few levels of the motion. Earlier Than I get into the nitty gritty of this shoulder constructing technique I needed
to show you ways I KNOW it works. Bend at the hips
so that your torso is 45 levels, but hold your
head, backbone, and pelvis aligned.
So, to make an extended story brief, take care of your shoulders in order that they
don’t allow you to down whenever you want them most. Shoulder pain may be very debilitating, making even the most
fundamental everyday actions like sleeping or brushing your teeth uncomfortable.
Take a easy 10 minute dynamic heat up to ensure your joints are loose and feeling
good. Warming up is also a good time to find any
pain points you want to concentrate to before diving into your exercise.

The effectiveness of Reverse Pec Deck Flys in targeting the rear deltoids lies in the mechanics of the motion. As you carry out
the reverse fly motion, your rear deltoids are activated to manage and execute the movement against resistance.

This train ensures a direct and intense workout, specifically honing
in on these essential shoulder muscle tissue.
What makes the Wide-Grip Lat Pulldown significantly efficient for the rear deltoids?

Made up of the Rhomboid Major and Rhomboid Minor, the Rhomboids stretch from the top of the spine in our upper
again down between the shoulder blades. They assist us in contracting (pulling together) our
shoulder blades, and power in them in is crucial for overhead workout routines and throwing motions.
A bent-over version with dumbbells is nice, either freestanding or with the
head resting on a bench. If you are hitting the rear pec-deck machine, use a neutral or palms-in grip—not
palms-down—to maximally activate the muscle.
As before, I’ve ordered the workout routines to go from front to back, and from body weight to resistance band workouts.
Well-conditioned deltoids enhance arm movement
fluidity and efficiency. In specific, you’ll need to concentrate on a mixture of compound actions and isolation moves.

For example, an Overhead Shoulder Press with a Cable
Entrance Raise.
See; it’s all well and good working on the medial deltoids and
making that one area grow outwards, however you’ve received to do
not neglect that the medial deltoid is attached to an underlying structure.
A good exercise routine can deliver direct results to your shoulders.
And I’m going to indicate you why using dumbbells could also be a better
way to build big shoulders. These greatest triceps stretches will forestall your arms from
being overtight and overworked.
In the case of pronated or neutral grip rear delt flyes or raises, the pronated grip will target some muscle fibers within the rear delts that the impartial grip doesn’t and vice versa.
Nevertheless, when many guys do wide-grip upright rows,
it feels awkward and painful in the shoulder joint.

To keep away from this, I recommend doing the Smith Machine One-Arm Upright Row.
This motion places the vast majority of the give
attention to the middle head of the deltoid and minimizes pain and damage risk within the shoulder.
One Other advantage of this exercise is that, as a end result of you’re only utilizing one arm,
you probably can isolate each deltoid to advertise balanced growth.
The features of the anterior deltoid are flexion, horizontal flexion, and medial rotation of the shoulder joint.

This train is diversified by altering the angle (wide for more shoulder), slender (more anterior deltoid and triceps),
grip width, and even rotation. All options are good, however it relies upon what other exercises you’re doing in your exercise.
You can be taught more about this exercise in our article evaluating the Arnold press vs shoulder press.
You want a lot of shoulder mobility to carry out the squat, deadlift, and bench, however this must match
by shoulder stability also. Balanced shoulder
coaching that focuses on all three deltoids will
enhance your shoulder stability and improve your performance with the big 3
too.

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