Sumo Deadlifts Form, Progress, and My Workout Routine

A year and five months ago. Sumo deadlifts 1x5 or 3x5 of 135 lb.

I pulled my lower back nine months ago due to rushed stretching and not warming up properly.  I could barely walk out of the gym and had to call off work the next day, couldn't do squats or deadlift for two to three weeks. This is when I realized how important it is to stretch and warm up properly because it could make or break your workout and even injure yourself. Stretching and warming up are also great so you won't be that sore the next time you workout. If it's your first day for a while even if you do everything properly, you will still be sore the next couple of days because you have been gone from the gym and your body isn't used to your workout a few weeks ago.  This video was eight months ago, after my back injury. I was so happy that I was able to to my normal weight for 135 lb.  for 3x3 with sumo deadlifting. Sumo deadlifting helps take some weight off of the lower back due to a lower range of motion. 

Overview of Workout Routine

Disclaimer: I am not a professional lifter/trainer. These workouts were researched on our own and based on my own experience.

I now stretch my whole body focusing on the back, thighs, hamstrings, and calves using a foam roller and doing some regular stretches and also incorporating yoga poses including: the baby pose, the snake, and the dog pose. I cannot go to the gym without streching and foam rolling. On the way to the gym, we drink some pre-workout from the brand Cellucor with two scoops each bottle shaker with water. If you're a beginner to this I would slowly start with 1 scoop. You don't want to drink an hour before the gym because it won't last that long, your body will get rid of it within the hour because we can't digest it, it just helps you get through with your sets and reps. You don't want to drink right before your workout because you might feel full and bloated and could lead to throwing up, trust me because I almost did.  We take a break from it for a couple of months after finishing a whole container for about two to three months.My favorite flavor is the strawberry margarita. You might feel a little bit itchy it's because of the beta alanine in the pre-workout, which goes away within the hour from taking it. When I go to the gym, I do at least two warm ups on my major workout for the day. For example for leg day my major workout and my first workout will be squats, so I warm up with just a bar, then 10 pounds on each side, and the last warm up would either be a 20 or a 25 lb. on each side. For chest and arms day the main workout is chest press or incline chest press. For back and shoulder day it's deadlifts or rows.  The number of my sets and rep. depends on whether or not my boyfriend and I are doing bodybuilding (lower weight with more reps) or  power lifting (higher weight with less reps) because we switch it up every couple of months depending if we want to bulk or shred. After doing the first main workout, we do about five assistance workouts and one super set for our last set of workouts. We workout three times a week and after every workout we try to do some cardio like running a mile as fast as you can, walking around the track/treadmill, and currently we are doing 5 sets of sprints around the track. Cardio and abs are not a big concern for us because when you lift weights you technically are doing cardio and abs because you incorporate that with your workouts. For example, keeping your core tight for squatting before you lift the weight and squat down, it helps brace the back and the weight will be easier to push up.

I have been going to the gym for about four years now and most of the things we do are researched and had some trial and error to see what worked for us.

About six months ago. Hit a new PR (personal record) sumo deadllift 1x1 for 165 lb.

Four months ago. Sumo deadlifts 3x3 for 155 lb.

My boyfriend and I are currently doing rows as our main back day workout, just taking a little break from deadlifts. It is great to switch up workouts for the area of focus so that your body won't get used to it and you shock your muscles and that's how you gain stronger muscles. Just like switching from deadlifts to doing some rows.  Some great shoes to squat/deadlift on are Converse and Nike Metcon because it has a flat insole and your feet are flat and not elevated.

***If you don't know /not sure of what you're doing please ask a professional trainer and also your doctor before taking any supplements.

Sephora Haul 2015 Part 2

Belif The True Cream Aquabomb for normal to oily skin types
I love this moisturizer. It has a gel texture. It is really hydrating on the face and I love combining it with the May Coop Raw Sauce.

Boscia Exfoliating Peel Gel, $34
I am so glad my coworker introduced me to this. This is the best exfoliator that I've ever tried! It is not abrasive on the face but I do it about every after 2-3 days. It makes my face so smooth after I use it and you can see the dead skin cells peel off with the gel, which is gross but so satisfying!

May Coop Raw Sauce Essence, $14
I didn't know exactly what it does and how great it was going to change my skin so I bought the smaller size to try it out. I love this so much! I noticed a difference within a week of using this. I use this before any kind of serum or face moisturizers or anything I put in my face. This product is meant to be applied first so the products that you apply after will be absorbed better by the skin. I use it both day and night. 

Sephora Collection Sleeping Mask Discovery Set, $20
This thing made the dryness on the side of my nose disappear! I apply the May Coop Raw Sauce and then I apply my night cream/ moisturizer (you don't have do because sometimes I don't either), then I apply the sleeping mask and just let it soak overnight and you will notice a difference right away. My skin is softer, more supple, and super hydrated!  Right now any of the Sephora Collection Face, eye, or sleeping masks are Buy 2 Get 1 Free! 

Josie Maran Whipped Argan Body Butter in Red Rooibos, $35
I love this body butter so much! This is really a long-wear hydrating body butter that I apply every morning especially for the dry winter months. I love applying body butter because it lasts all day and you don't need to keep reapplying because you won't get dry or ashy! I am currently on my second tub and I'm running out! This scent and Sweet Citrus are my two favorite scents from the line.

Caolion Hot & Cold Pore Pack Duo, $30
The hot side does warm up the face and the cold side cools down the face. I didn't see any difference in my skin after doing this treatment with the instructions given. My pores didn't go anywhere and it didn't make a difference that I could notice. I returned this product.

Farmacy Hydrating Coconut Gel Mask Soothing (Kale), $24
I got one mask as gratis and I had to buy it for myself! This is the most hydrating mask I have ever tried. The pack comes with 3 masks. It is really saturated that I use the leftover from my mask as a serum. Before I apply my mask I made sure my face was clean and washed. I leave this mask for as long as 30 min. and gently press any leftovers all over my face and my neck and leave it overnight.

La Vanilla Deodorant in Pure Vanilla, $14
I love this deodorant. It stays on the whole day, it smells so good! My favorite deodorant ever!  I haven't noticed any white marks on my clothes. They also have different scents but this one is my love!

Marc Jacobs Lip Lock in Makeout, $24
This is probably the third or the fourth time I'm repurchasing this product. I love it so much. It doesn't smell like anything. It's a lip balm and it doesn't have any color to it. It's so hydrating and I love putting this when I have that really drying liquid lipstick to go on top. This is the body butter for the lips.

Urban Decay Revolution High Color Lipgloss in Quiver, $22
I love these new glosses from Urban Decay I currently own the shade Liar, which is more on the nude-pink wearable side. I got Quiver because it's like the perfect pink that's not too out there. I love the formulation on these glosses, they are not sticky. They are so pigmented that it gives you a full color and wear it on its own! 

Urban Decay Perversion Mascara, $22
I was really eager to try this mascara and hoped to like it. I don't like this mascara at all! It smudges on my lower lash line and it starts to fall apart midday. I had to return it.

Alterna Caviar 10-in-1 CC Cream, $39
I love this product for my hair! I always apply it after applying my Alterna Bamboo Kendi Oil or my Agave Hair Oil. The oils hydrate and softens the hair. This product makes my thick hair under control because it can be a really bad hair day when your hair is frizzy and puffy. So it does tame the hair, make it less frizzy and puffy, and it also does a lot of benefits for the hair. It's a hair treatment and a style cream.

Bobbi Brown Intensive Skin Serum Foundation in Warm Honey, $62

I liked this foundation. I didn't have any issue with it. It contains spf and it was really pigmented. You only need a little bit because it is a serum. It made my face look dewy and it looked really natural. I had to return this because I got a dark shade I got Warm Honey but I should've gotten the shade before that. It's just really hard to pick foundations especially buying them from online.

Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation in #6, $62
This foundation changed my life! This was one of the greatest discoveriesI found in 2015! It makes my skin so flawless looking. It's a little dewy and I only need about a pump for my whole face. It lasts for more than 8 hours for me! It is so awesome that I don't mind repurchasing it even for the price!

Tarte Swirl Power Cheek Blush, $34
I wanted to love this brush because of all the Youtubers and because it is a cheaper alternative to the Nars Ita brush, it's just a little bit chunkier in comparison to this. I hate to say that this didn't work out for me. It was too dense for my liking, it was so thick and made it challenging to contour my face.  It felt heavy on the hands and it made me feel like I'm holding a big eraser and rub it on my face. I had to return it.

Too Face Chocolate Bon Bons Palette $49
I thought I would never buy this product because of the packaging. I don't own any of the Chocolate Bar Palettes but I do love this one! It has the most wearable colors out of the three. These smell like chocolate! They are pigmented and so easy to apply and blend on the eyes. I will be doing a review and swatches of the palette on a separate blog post!

Sephora Collection Color Switch by Vera Mona Instant Brush Cleaner, $18
This product is launching this week or next week. I love this tool because it makes it easier for me to switch colors and not have to wet my brushes with the brush cleaner and wait for it to dry. I mean you can just get a paper towel or tissue to switch colors but it's such a waste. I love this because it's travel friendly and you can wash it off when it gets really dirty and you can also flip it and use the other side.

Tarte Tarteist Lip Paints in Fomo(VIB ROUGE Exclusive!), TBT, Hangry, Lovespell, Twerk, Manbun, and Frenemy, $20 each
I love these liquid lipsticks! I am going to do a separate blog post with more details and swatches :)
I did return two shades Lovespell and Manbun because they look so close to Twerk and Frenemy.

Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes Mascara, 21
This is a repurchase for a couple of times now. I love this mascara because it does amp up my lashes. Even though it's not waterproof it stays on even when I go to the gym, and it's easy to remove at the end of the day.

Tarte Gifted Mascara, $21
This is also a repurchase. I love this mascara, it doesn't smudge and it lasts all day until you remove it. I love using this to layer or by itself, but I don't  like using it for my bottom lashes because this mascara has a large brush.

Tarte Tarlette in Bloom Palette, $45
Just like the original Tarlette palette I love this one as much! I am going to do a separate blog post containing a review with swatches.

Sephora Collection x Hakuhodo Brushes, ($54, $38 BOGO)
These brushes are so soft! They are really high quality and they do not shed. They are easy to clean. They apply products beautifully on your face. I am so happy I got these as BOGO because that was such a steal!

Nails Inc. 45 Second Top Coat with Kensignton Caviar, $15
This is the best top coat that I've ever tried! I love that it dries so quickly and it makes my nail polish last longer, and it does give a gel-like effect on the nails. My nails are always breaking or my polish always chip within the first 3 days, but this product is awesome and I've been enjoying doing my nails recently.

Beauty Blender Makeup's Best Friend Set
I love my beauty blender but I had that for a year, and it was time to replace it/ have a backup just in case I'm cleaning one at a time. The highlight of this set for me was the micro beauty blender, to be honest I thought it was a waste of money to buy the micro beauty blender. I am glad that I got this set and got to try it because I love it so much for blending my under eye corrector and concealer. It is so much more precise and so much softer that the original size beauty blender. I am planning on buying it on its own for backup. I also want to try the activator that it comes with, so when you don't have water around, you can damp your beauty blender on the go!

Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipstick in Double Dare- cocoa blush, $20
I love the Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipsticks and I have almost half of the whole line! The whole line is so pigmented. It is a liquid lipstick so it can be a little drying to the lips but it's not like the Colourpop Ultra Matte Lips that it's really sucking out the hydration out of your lips. Just exfoliate and make sure you're wearing a lip balm underneath and you're good to go. I love this color because it is wearable and you don't have to think about it. It's one of those grab and go products that you can wear anywhere.

Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipstick in Bow & Arrow- fawn nude, $20
I wanted to love this shade so much because it's always out of stock and I got my hands on it. I just don't think this shade looks nice on my skin tone because it's a shade that makes me look dead. I had to return it.

Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipstick in Mother-dusty mauve pink (top), $20
I liked this color but it wasn't anything special and I feel like I already have a lot of lip products that looks just like this one, so I returned it.


Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipstick in Exorcism-ripe blackberry (bottom), $20
I love vampy lips and I love this shade! I recommend using a lip liner for the darker shades because it's really easy to mess up and it just makes your lip stain more crisp and clean. I am planning on doing a separate blog post to swatch all of the Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipsticks that I own.

Stila Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick in Patina $24
Love these lip stains from Stila. They are creamy and pigmented. They don't make my lips extra dry. It's one of my favorite formulations for liquid lipsticks. This shade and Aria are the most wearable colors from the line. They also just released new colors which I plan on buying some more.

Sephora Collection Eyebrow Razor, $15
I use these when I'm feeling lazy to pluck, and it hurts, I don't have time, need a quick touch up before I go somewhere. I love these I've been using these kinds of razor for years. I don't have an issue with them at all. They don't hurt and they make my eyebrows look crisp. Nicole Guerriero on Youtube uses these for her upper lip area and she's been doing this for years and didn't have a problem with them. I tried it myself and it does a quick and clean job without having to wax or thread them. I never had an issue with hair growing darker or faster or thicker. These are always handy to have for everyday and for traveling.

Boscia Konjac Sponge, $15
I don't even know why I got this again. I bought one last year and I repurchased it recently so I can replace my old one. I was really thinking whether or not it really made an impact on my skincare routine, and it didn't. I returned this item, and have decided to use my Clarisonic Mia 2 more often. You can use your Clarisonic daily both day and night, just feel it out if your sensitive or it's ok for you to do that. The Clarisonic rep. at work told me that it was okay to use it daily both day and night, and you can change the brush head depending on your concerns like pores, there's one for sensitive skin and the brush is much softer and less dense. I have not started to do Clarisonic daily but that's what I plan on doing.

Lancome Teint Idole Ultra 24H Long Wear Foundation, $47
Lancome has recently reformulated this foundation. I have not tried the older formulation but my friends said that they were a bit drying. This new formulation has a natural matte finish. It is not gonna be super matte like the Kat Von D Lock-it Foundation. This foundation just keeps your face oil-free looking and it is a little bit dewy on the skin. If you are oily you always have to set it with a powder and finish with a mist to bring back some of the dewiness. If you are dry I don't recommend setting the foundation with powder. I would just add a face mist after I do my blush, bronzer, contour, and highlight. I have combination skin type and I both set with powder and a face mist. I probably used this less than 10 times so far, and I don't know if that's enough to say more about it. It's not my favorite foundation because I've just been all about dewy foundations for a long time now but when I feel like going for a matte look I would go for this foundation because I know it's not gonna be too dry for me.

Next Blog Post: 2015 Beauty Favorites

Thoughts: Nivea Post Shave Balm

As all you guys might know already, this product has been raved about by a lot of Youtubers and beauty bloggers because NikkieTutorials raves and lives by this product as a primer and because it's really hydrating as well.

I have combination skin and I do get oily on the t-zone. It's going to be a short review on this one.
I do think this is really hydrating because it has glycerin as it's second ingredient. I use this as both my moisturizer and my primer. I don't think it's a great primer. I noticed even with setting it with the Laura Mercier Translucent Powder, I was very oily in the t-zone area after a couple of hours. My all time favorite primer that I use everyday is the Hourglass Mineral Veil Primer, it is lightweight and it keeps my oily t-zone at bay. I do set it with Laura Mercier Translucent Powder with any type of foundation or BB cream that I use. With that being said, if I use the Nivea Post Shave Balm I have to mix it with an actual primer for it to actually maintain my face oil-free. I do enjoy it as a moisturizer because it's really hydrating like my Belif Aqua Bomb which is my favorite. The little thing that bothers me is that the Nivea Post Shave Balm peels off and leaves residue all over my face after I buff in my foundation. It's not a big deal but it just bothers me a little bit. The manly scent smells good but it does go way after drying.

**The Part 2 of my Sephora Haul would be up by Wednesday and my 2015 beauty favorites will be up by the end of the week. Skincare/Haircare favorites will be for next week. In two weeks: DIY Vanity Light and some review/swatches, and maybe my fitness favorites. Thanks for being patient! ❤️

I also just made a Snapchat (ktheebest) know a little bit more about me (and my dogs), and other things I do on a regular. See little reviews, newness relating to beauty, fashion, and fitness. I'll also post some deal alerts.