Daily check-in: December why you started!
Options
Replies
-
DawnEmbers wrote: »I'll have to try out different times and *kitten*
How does trying out different *kitten* work, exactly?
****
And no workout for me tonight. Sore throat started last night, sneezing has just started, so I'm going to bed early to try to nip this in the bud. Grrr.
0 -
And no workout for me tonight. Sore throat started last night, sneezing has just started, so I'm going to bed early to try to nip this in the bud. Grrr.
really glad you did that - not that you sneezed, but that you went to bed. never know, maybe sleeping to get rid of the cold will secretly make you even stronger at the same time.
i went tonight; the 100lb honeymoon is wearing off a little. went okay, but less stellar than on monday, the day when i Ate Everything, All Bleeding Day Long. plus, very crowded gym so i skipped some of my usual startup stuff just for the sake of a shot at the rack.
squats: 2x5@65, 1@5@95, 3x5@100, 1x5@95, 1x5@100. new warmup weight is 20lbs more than my previous 45lb convention, and i was aiming for 1 set at 95 and then the next four at 100. just didn't have it after i'd done the third one at the high weight, so i went back down to 95 for the 5th set. and then i did another one at 100 from sheer stubbornness. i just wasn't as strong today as i was on monday and i probably felt the lack of proper warmup/stretching as well. my form wasn't seriously terrible, but it wasn't as good either.
ohp: this one's good news. 2x12@30lb to warm up, before squatting even. then when i was finished with squats i hung onto the rack like a packrat and did my ohp there. 1x7@45, then 5x5@50. i had intended to do 7x7 with teh lower weight, but it would have been like driving at 50 in rush-hour traffic; selfish and antisocial. so i went for higher weight for the sake of the shorter and fewer sets. was surprised to actually do 50lbs. still trying to get the finer details of form figured out. no-one TELLS you what those things are in the ohp. i think my best set was the one where i actually got the bar onto my front delts before kicking off with the reps. i'm not sure if it's kosher form because i had to put my elbows out in front of the bar and kind of bring my shoulders forwards as well to do it. but i was stronger like that, for a fact.
pulldowns: nice. i've been neglecting this a little, but i put in the time today as a shoulder rehab thing. 22.5 pounds on the double-cable (i think that's 45 on just single cables). i did sets of 8-12 at the three grip widths close, midbar and bar ends. working totally for smoothness and comfortable shoulder joint position through every pull, trying to hit a lot mroe of the rear-side rotator cuff muscles and less of the front. and i did two super-sets of that before the deadlifts.
deadlifts: whoo-hoo. i'll just cut to the chase: in amongst all my warmup and deloaded reps, i did my working set of 5 (actually 6, maybe even 7) at my own bodyweight again. big-girl errything, 135 pounds. before and after and around all of that, i did a whole bunch of additional reps at weights ranging from 65lbs up all the way to 115. form form form form, always the form. i'm finding my dl form is still hit and miss, so i keep meaning to go in there some day and squat nice and light, and then spend an entire handful of hours, pretty much just doing deadlift homework.
maybe on saturday. or maybe not, idk.0 -
DawnEmbers wrote: »I'll have to try out different times and *kitten*
How does trying out different *kitten* work, exactly?
*cough* I mean, assess, missed a letter there. Though... nah, I've never even given my own butt much thought, let alone others. lol I told one of my online pals that I used to avoid squats and her response was "do it for the butt."
0 -
Feeling a bit brighter each day.
Squat 5x5 @ 145lbs
Bench 4x5 1x4 @ 85lbs
Row 5x5 @ 80lbs
Done and done0 -
Finally got back to the dang gym after a month long bout of sickness running through my house and then a "surprise" root canal. It feel so good to pick up my trusty barbell
Squat 4x5 @35lbs 1x5 @45lbs I don't know what got into me, but I picked up my 35lb bar and it felt.. light... like, they were really easy and I got really low, so I backed away from my trusty bench (I've been squatting over a bench for form) and I was still okay! So then I thought, I want to squat in the actual squat rack, everything went smoothly. Then I thought, I want to squat the actual 45lb bar! And boom! I did it!
OHP 2x5, 1x3, 1x4, 1x2 all at 45lbs, these things are rough, omg.. But I'll get there!
Deadlift 1x5 @70 lbs. These are rough, but I think I now have my form correct and they feel a lot better
Then I went for a short 2m run since I felt so good last night.
Happy Thursday y'all0 -
Workout B
Squats-5@45, 5@95, 5x5@115
OHP-4@55, 5@55, 3x5@50
Deadlift-5@150(difficult, form felt off), 5@70
Good mornings-2x10@45, 2x10@55 (first time doing these, love them)
Romanian deadlift 10@70
Squat rack area was empty today so I commandeered it ;-) it's really starting to feel like I need to work out at home. The squat rack safeties are high up and I cannot do low squats unless I get out of the rack completely. It's pretty tight in that area, too. Leg press machine right near it, feels cramped. I do deadlifts there, too and there are no low racks for loading weights for DLs. I usually put the lower weights on the bar, pick it up and move to the floor, then put on the big plates. It feels awkward to me.
0 -
Post buffet fueled workout today. It was pretty good and I didn't gain too much weight from bloating lol. I've been trying to get to 150lbs for my deadlifts as a goal and decided to try it out today since I had more energy. I'm happy I made it, but didn't want to push it too hard since I still have a higher volume workout this weekend.
Squats: warm up + 5@70,80,90,90
OHP: 5@45,45,50,50
DL: 5@95,105,120,140, 1@145, 2@150(1.4xBW PR)
Alternating deltoid raise: 2x16 @8lbs0 -
Squat 115 5x5 which was hard. Funny how on 110 was easy on Monday and also how I mentioned how 110 felt easier than the previous 105. I'm blaming that damn cycling class I went to. Will repeat 115 on Friday and see how it goes. This is about the time it gets hard for me so I'll probably try to up my squat weight weekly instead of every workout.
OHP 50 5x5 and it wasn't bad. I threw in a couple extra reps, too. I started doing these and I got swarmed with men doing clean and presses. I was like, "Sure guys, way to one up me." They then started jump roping (like the speed whip kind) while I was deadlifting. I was terrified I was going to lose an eye or a limb or at least my hair.
Which brings me to deadlift, 155 1x5 plus an extra for funsies and another one with a double overhand grip. I then had to put my plethora of weights away which was a workout in itself. I had a plethora because the clean and pressers took the 45s so I had to use multiple 25s and other small ones and I couldn't put away my warm up plates because of the whipping obstacle course.
Tomorrow's workout will be deja vu (115 squat, 80 on bench, and 60 on row). Then I'm going to a holiday party where I'll feel fabulous and muscular!0 -
Messed around with squat form with the empty bar. Knees hurt least with wide stance and toes pointed almost 45 degrees, but also better with narrower than usual stance and about 20 degrees on the toes. Will need to keep working on this.
BP: 5/4/4/5/4 @72.5 -- this was a bit better than last time, so I'm pleased.
Rows: 5x5@85 -- these are starting to get hard, but I got them done.
Also ran 6 miles. I had posted in the December goals thread that I wanted to make up my mind about whether I'm running a marathon in May. I registered for it the other day so I anticipate getting to a point where I'm just maintaining strength on squats and deads after the training gets serious. I'm kind of scared and kind of excited.0 -
@SkepticalOwl good luck on your training!
Workout B tonight (and my second 5x5 in a long long time)
Squats 150lbs 5x5 The thing I love about doing more reps less weight is I feel I can be more explosive in the movements. I am, however, really feeling the increased volume. I was still quite sore from Tuesdays and I think I will be feeling it tomorrow.
OHP I was going to do 65 lbs but decided to take it a little easy and start out at 55lbs
55 lbs 5x5 they felt good and explosive
Deadlifts, like OHP I decided to take it a little easier and just build up. At 10 lbs increases it won't take too long to get back to my normal
1x5 165 lbs
Lots of foam rolling and stretch because I am sore.
I am also getting a lot of foot cramps, most noticably when I set up to DL. Any one have any ideas on how to fix that. I have been eating well and drinking plenty of water.0 -
Llamapants86 wrote: »I am also getting a lot of foot cramps, most noticably when I set up to DL. Any one have any ideas on how to fix that. I have been eating well and drinking plenty of water.
calcium and/or magnesium. kind of makes sense in a way, since heavy lifting prompts your body to start building more/denser bone tissue, so your requirement might actually increase on those two.
or i'm totally bro-sciencing it. but i know from the cramps and my calcium/magnesium pills do seem like they help a whole lot.
0 -
Llamapants86 wrote: »I am also getting a lot of foot cramps, most noticably when I set up to DL. Any one have any ideas on how to fix that. I have been eating well and drinking plenty of water.
What kind of shoes are you wearing?
0 -
I've been annoyed with myself because I've been feeling blah and unmotivated the last week or so, even after some rad workouts. I'm officially letting myself off the hook -- between the end of a strangely stressful semester and this cold, I think my mind and body were just trying to keep it together. I just need to make it through Sunday, then can relax a little. Send good vibes my way, please!
And you gals continue to kick serious *kitten*, inspire me, and teach me. Thank you. 0 -
Good morning! Everyone is doing so brilliantly!
@Llamapants86--I used to get terrible foot cramps. I upped my "iums". I now take supplemental calcium, magnesium, and potassium. I haven't really been bothered by foot cramps for over a year now. I used to get them all the time, especially at night. Very painful!
Today's workout:
Squat: 5 x 5 @50
Press: 5 c 5 @45
Deadlift: 1 x 5 @80
After the deadlift I really felt "light", almost like there was no gravity. It's amazing to think that once upon a time I was carrying 80 lbs (and more) as excess weight!
Question--Does anyone else experience crunching sounds when they lift? I get this especially in my upper back. I have heard that it is nothing to worry about. I am not sore or haven't strained anything, just curious as to what it is. Ligaments? Tendons??
Have a great day everyone.0 -
Whew! I am a terrible, terrible workout designer. lol. This is what I put myself through today (keep in mind this is a deload-ish training session, so I wasn't aiming to go super heavy. I kept everything as crisp, clean and fast as i could)
Power clean & Jerk
65x4
75x2
85x1
95x5x1
Back squat
45x5
65x5
95x3
115x2
125x8x2 (EMOTM)
Seated single DB shoulder press @ 30lbs: 6 / 8 / 6
sueprset with
Barbell curl @ 45lbs: 10 / 8 / 7
For time: 10, 8, 6, 4, 2
- Ring rows & dips ( broken down muscle-up)
- burpouts (burpee with sitouts instead of a push-up)
- box jumps @ 18'
I didn't scrape my shin jumping, yay! I went pretty low because I was actually scared. Took me a bit over 13 minutes I think?
Anyone wants me to write them a program? lol
@scientific crunchy? I get that in my upper back too when I stretch my shoulders down a bit, but it usually goes away after 2-3 reps. Pretty much every move I make when I wake up cracks a bit - I just retain a lot of gas in my joints and when I first get them working in the morning I sound like a bowl of rice crispies xD
@llamapants any chance your calves might be stiff? Doing some bw calf raises beforehand might help just release the tension and ggive your ankles a bit of oiling up.0 -
Ugh today was a doozy but I did it. Too much prosecco last night
Squat 115 again 5x5 still hard but easier than Wednesday.
Bench 70 5x5. I de loaded from 80 because I could barely get 70 up. Will attempt 80 again next time.
Row 60 5x5 again. It was ok but will stick to it at least once more.
Now off to get Chinese food and get dolled up for a night out at the community VFW lol!
0 -
ScientificExplorerGirl wrote: »Question--Does anyone else experience crunching sounds when they lift?
i snap and crackle quite a bit any time i rotate my shoulders, in particular. and when i get properly settled into a plank and then pull my lower abs in, my mid/lower spine kind of goes off one vertebra at a time like a string of tiny firecrackers. i had/have this great big male friend with one of those giant-sized skeletons, and when one of HIS vertebrae drops into place you can hear it from another part of the room.
in my case i'm pretty sure it's mostly just tendons/ligaments 'snapping' as they roll over some kind of bone protrusion. actual crunches scare me. i get them very occasionally and pretty much only in my knees, and they always feel like something much more serious happening, like cartilage having a fit of some kind.
0 -
i'm officially allowed to Not Lift today. started the day with a worksite massage and ended it at the chiropractor's. he released something in my c3 or c4 vertebra that has been there for some time, and also found something in my mid-upper back which was twisted as well - probably whatever caused me the grief about a week back. the back one was pretty hard to put right and i'm supposed to not lift tonight, but he says i'm good now.
however, the really neat part was astonishing him by telling him what i mean by 'lifting' when i told him that i was doing it. guess he was thinking 8-12 reps of isolation with the machines or the little pink weights, but when i explained sl he was really a) impressed with the 'completeness' of the programme itself, b) enthusiastic about me going heavy and being ambitious, and c) supportive. all he said was that 'we' don't like people to lift when they're out of alignment because it trains you in the muscle habits of accommodation instead of the 'proper' ones. said i can go back tomorrow, but i should keep myself to 'fifty percent' of my current weights, sets and reps, in order to give my muscles a chance to retrain how it feels to lift when i'm not out of whack. other than that he was all about it. so @crabada will have a buddy for her deload-and-retrain thing, if she's still looking for one.
he also recommended stretching after the workouts as well. i like this guy a lot because he keeps adding kinesiology and sports-med degrees to his wall, and he's very into all that. according to him, what 'we' have found is that gentle stretching after lifting helps to promote building of 'healthy scar tissue', i.e. you get a better quality and alignment of fibres from your muscle growth. so okay; i'll do it.
pretty good way to spend 50 bucks. i should have done this a long time ago.0 -
canadianlbs wrote: »so @crabada will have a buddy for her deload-and-retrain thing, if she's still looking for one.
YAHOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
0 -
Workout B is done. Since I work mornings on Friday right now, I waited a bit after work, then went to the gym. Oddly, the weight area was less busy just after 8:30 pm on a Friday than it was after 11:00 pm on Monday. The squat rack was easy to get to and I kept it for OHP as no one was really around. I had to wait a little before deadlift but the guy didn't take long. Also, I tried just doing the non-cardio part of my warm-up first and did the treadmill at the very end. Think I like it that way so I'll try it out for a while and see how that goes.
Squats - 5x5 @ 105
OHP - 5x5 @ 55
Deadlift - 2x5 @ 125
I wasn't going to increase squats but couldn't find the 2.5 ones (found them during the set but oh well) so ended up with 105 but think I'll do this again next time. Since I kept to the squat rack for OHP I didn't have to used the other bars or lift first from the floor. Managed to increase from last weeks 50, so that was nice after Wednesday's fail on bench. And it has bugged me to do 1 set on deadlift because it is such effort to get it set up with the plates stacked under, so I did an extra set. I think I am going to try it with the 45's next time. I don't like the 35's, they are a pain to move on the bar and are worn so the edges but my hands. This weight didn't feel too hard till second set, so we'll see if I can do the regular 45's with no stacking underneath next time.
Feeling pretty good. Going to lift on Sunday instead of Monday to utilize coworker's gym since she has the day off, though I'll have to do it before work as I don't have another day off till Thursday. Maybe I can try at the 80 again since I'll have a spotter. But then I won't lift until Wednesday and might throw in a cardio day where I can try to jog longer. Can't imagine what a marathon takes or even a half one. I can barely jog for 8 minutes. I'm just doing it on occasion right now, but in spring I'll start training for a 5k once I know which one I'm going to do and when. But for now, I focus on the lifting. 0
