January Goals
krokador
Posts: 1,794 Member
Well I wasn't ready to post these yesterday and apparently no one's posted a thread for this one in the mean time, so here goes! (Obviously will be more specific than the year goals!)
- Get down to 195lbs by the end of the month. This is a bit aggressive but the Holiday bloat hasn't been around for *that* long so it should be possible
- Work my way up to 25 continuous push-ups (from 20 on Jan 1st)
- Work on my squat form for 15 minutes 3 times a week with relatively light weights (I did 95 for 5x5 today). I wanna have the motor skills well down by the time I transition back to a different program.
- Lose an overall 5 inches on ALL my measurements combined. This might actually be very conservatives, but hey, if I blast it out of the water, not going to complain ;D
No lifting goals because I will only be doing big compound lifts as "accessories" after my main workouts for the next 5 weeks. I'll just make sure I keep the motor patterns and possibly correct form issues if they show up
- Get down to 195lbs by the end of the month. This is a bit aggressive but the Holiday bloat hasn't been around for *that* long so it should be possible
- Work my way up to 25 continuous push-ups (from 20 on Jan 1st)
- Work on my squat form for 15 minutes 3 times a week with relatively light weights (I did 95 for 5x5 today). I wanna have the motor skills well down by the time I transition back to a different program.
- Lose an overall 5 inches on ALL my measurements combined. This might actually be very conservatives, but hey, if I blast it out of the water, not going to complain ;D
No lifting goals because I will only be doing big compound lifts as "accessories" after my main workouts for the next 5 weeks. I'll just make sure I keep the motor patterns and possibly correct form issues if they show up
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My goals for January:
* Create and settle in to a good routine, balancing school, fitness, and social time.
- I'll be working on figuring out my time commitments and life in general this week.
* Lift 3x / week
* Log all food and exercise, and continue with my caloric sweet spot experiment.
* Lose 4-6 pounds.
- I'm hoping to front load the year a bit with weight loss, so I'm going to lower my calorie goal and am fully expecting my lifts to stall. It is what it is.
xoxox,
C.0 -
Right, the more detailed monthly goals I was going to figure out. Hmmm
Weight - 175 (from 179.6)
Bench - 90 lb since I am on minor de-load after barely pushing past 80 lb
OHP - 65 lb
Meh to rows
Squat - hmmm 150 ... sure, that works
Deadlift - 175 just cause
Other - blog, change one blog to an official web site, jog for 10 minutes at one time, edit at least 10 chapters, get other online stuff caught up
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i'll join the weight-loss wagon. i've been using 'i'm lifting more seriously!' as an explanation for a month, but that doesn't really excuse some of the stuff that i've been getting up to. so time to stop pretending it does, i think.
- weigh less than 134 pounds by end of the month. i know i lose weight extremely slowly and i don't want to stall the lifting, so not going to plan more than that. all i want is to arrest this slow creep upwards and capitalize on having a consistent bike commute once again, to turn it into a slow creep downwards. no matter how slow.
- squats: going to back up, find a form i'm not ashamed/afraid of, and then move forward again. i was kind of ego lifting for at least part of last month to get to 100, but over the long term it's not worth it. if i'm lucky and get rewarded for doing the Right Thing here, i should be able to get back to 100 and possibly make 105 by the end of this month.
-deadlifts: this is ambitious, but i'm going to say 150.
- bench: the last real bench session i did pre-shoulder was 70lbs and it felt surprisingly smooth. i think i'll aim for 80, be happy with 75.
- ohp: i did 50 last month. very iffy (shoulder) but things do seem to be improving with it. so groke willing, i'll aim for 60 and take 55.
- rows: okay, here's the truth people. i don't want to do rows. i don't just not-like them, i don't think they're safe for my back unless i want to hire someone to police my form every. single. time i do them. they're the only lift where i can't check my own form at all, and it's really not working out well for me. not sure what i'll try for instead; i may go back to the pullup project if my shoulder's okay about it.
- shoulder rehab. just, in general. i feel like i've made brand new progress with it in december, so i can actually almost picture it being trouble-free at some point. maybe even by the end of the month.0 -
canadianlbs wrote: »
- rows: okay, here's the truth people. i don't want to do rows. i don't just not-like them, i don't think they're safe for my back unless i want to hire someone to police my form every. single. time i do them. they're the only lift where i can't check my own form at all, and it's really not working out well for me. not sure what i'll try for instead; i may go back to the pullup project if my shoulder's okay about it.
Can I suggest: Dumbbell rows? Chest supported rows? T-bar rows? Heck, seated rows? (Power) cleans are also somewhat of a back exercise. There's not just the one. If the barbell row doesn't feel right/safe, it's not worth pushing it imo.
And whike Pull-ups are a good endgame, those and the lat pulldown work a much more vertical path and leave out some of the back muscles to a degree. I like having both a horizontal and vertical pull in my routine - maybe it's just me?0 -
And whike Pull-ups are a good endgame, those and the lat pulldown work a much more vertical path and leave out some of the back muscles to a degree. I like having both a horizontal and vertical pull in my routine - maybe it's just me?
you're completely right, but it's exactly my back muscles that are getting messed up from the rows because i can't tell when i'm torquing from the spine to compensate for the limitations on that shoulder. i can't see a way around it right now. i just can't do a thing about 'feeling' my form from inside because i'm so used to this shoulder being a mess, i wouldn't know 'normal' if it stole my coffee and called me bad names. and there isn't anywhere in the gym i go to where i can do rows without compromising my spinal alignment anyway, just by trying to check myself visually. even with seated cable, i'm on the far side of the central pulley column so i can't see through it to my image in the mirror.
i've been trying for 6 months to come up with some kind of resourceful workaround, and it just feels like sometimes you need to recognize when resourceful is taking you nowhere, you know? or even doing you more harm than good.
guess i'll dedicate this month to mobility rehab and in the meantime i may have to just try to work my back muscles separately with reverse hypers or something instead.0 -
canadianlbs wrote: »And whike Pull-ups are a good endgame, those and the lat pulldown work a much more vertical path and leave out some of the back muscles to a degree. I like having both a horizontal and vertical pull in my routine - maybe it's just me?
you're completely right, but it's exactly my back muscles that are getting messed up from the rows because i can't tell when i'm torquing from the spine to compensate for the limitations on that shoulder. i can't see a way around it right now. i just can't do a thing about 'feeling' my form from inside because i'm so used to this shoulder being a mess, i wouldn't know 'normal' if it stole my coffee and called me bad names. and there isn't anywhere in the gym i go to where i can do rows without compromising my spinal alignment anyway, just by trying to check myself visually. even with seated cable, i'm on the far side of the central pulley column so i can't see through it to my image in the mirror.
i've been trying for 6 months to come up with some kind of resourceful workaround, and it just feels like sometimes you need to recognize when resourceful is taking you nowhere, you know? or even doing you more harm than good.
guess i'll dedicate this month to mobility rehab and in the meantime i may have to just try to work my back muscles separately with reverse hypers or something instead.
If you have a decently light resistance band, you should work on band pull-aparts and shoulder dislocation. Those might help you "rehad" that shoulder and the pull-aparts actually work your back and rear delt when done correctly. I warm-up with a sequence of 10 horizontal, then 5 moving one arm up to almost vertical, do 5 on the other side, 10 dislocations trying to get my hands as close as possible on the band, then another 10 with a pronated grip keeping elbows tucked in. It's kept my shoulders happy ever since
And if you have access to a TRX, Recline rows are *really* hard to mess up and adjustable to any degree just by changing your body angle. You basically plank up and pull yourself to the cables. I don,t think there *is* a way to cheat that one. Just have to keep the core tight throughout. It's BW so shouldn't be too dangerous, and you'll know right away if you aren't straight just by the way the straps "react".0 -
Recap -
December Goals
1.) Complete my upcoming 5k in less than 40 minutes. This is nothing stellar for most, but I am NOT a runner, but I like having something to look forward to. Although signing up for these events during cold/sick months is not the smartest idea! - Not so much...but we did have a group of 3 and a "no man left behind" mentality so I am totally ok with this!
2.) Get in 3 workouts a week - Done!
3.) Squat 110 by end of year! - Done and surpassed. 115lbs baby!!!
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January Goals -
1.) Track food every day
2.) Loose 2lbs
3.) DL 140lbs
Simple. Just gotta stay away from the chocolate and stick to the plan!!
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@krok, i like the recline rows
no trx but it's actually a fun thing to do on a smith machine, ime. and it actually doesn't seem to be as bad from that position, though i may be kidding myself about that.
i can get level in the sense of bringing the bar up to the same place at the same time on both sides. i just can't ever be sure i'm using the same muscles in the same ways at the same time on both sides, to get it done. what i really need is some kind of full-body armour thing that will keep my torso even and stop me from shrugging my entire shoulder up. sleeveless of course so i can work with my arms. and then walls on both sides to make sure neither elbow flares more than the other one does, and a low enough ceiling for me to know if one elbow is rising higher and touching before the other one does. i need to be able to do my rows from inside some kind of box.
i'm not giving up yet, but i'm going to have to work with what i've got too, i think.
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Read Starting Strength fully. I've read bits but it's time to actually read it. With this, correct form issues as necessary.
Similar to this, I would like to work on doing a thumbless grip when I squat as Rippetoe recommends. I tried it before and had a very difficult time then dropped it. My wrists are strong from years of yoga but I don't want to risk injury, especially as I become able to squat more weight. Plus, I don't want to hurt the rest of the joints in my arms.
Either restart another 12 weeks of SL or get on a new (similar) program. I'm doing SL right now but just floating after having completed the first 12 weeks. It's not like I'm not lifting, I just perform better when I'm committed to a program.
I'm probably not going to do this in January but I'd like to consider doing a bulk and I want to start researching it. I'm including it here so that I keep it in mind.0 -
MissHolidayGolightly wrote: »Similar to this, I would like to work on doing a thumbless grip when I squat as Rippetoe recommends. I tried it before and had a very difficult time then dropped it. My wrists are strong from years of yoga but I don't want to risk injury, especially as I become able to squat more weight. Plus, I don't want to hurt the rest of the joints in my arms.
The trick to the thumbless grip is all in the upper back tightness. Between that and your shoulders normally not being able to bend very far, the bar won't move and your wrists really don't take much of the grunt work, either (well, unless you let the bar roll into your fingers. Don't do that... lol). Chest out, shoulders back, head neutral, big belly breath = win
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My biggest January goal is to not gain any weight.
Second is to get back into running. I am so out of habit with that. Twice a week if there are 2 days that are above -10. (AKA not this week burrrrr).
Keep following the SL program. In February I will re-evaluate things like OHP and rows but for Jan I follow the weight increase schedule and the deload protocol.0 -
My goals have to be more modest as I have not been meeting my goals.
a) track my food every day (I haven't missed a login day and lost my streak even while on vacation, but my december food tracking was spotty)
b) Lift 3x weekly
c) Keep to my deficit
d) determine my "what next" goals as I am nearing my goal weight
Honestly that is it. They are very general but I will get back to a SL weight goal on my squat etc after I get back into the groove. I really really fell out of habit in December.
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Okay, this is my first time posting goals. I'm taking the plunge.
- Lift 3x/wk
- Cardio 2x/wk
- Continue logging in MFP daily (I just hit 125 day streak!)
- Lose 5 lbs
Weight lifting goals
- Squat - 120 lbs
- Bench - 80 lbs
- Row - 90 lbs
- OHP - 65 lbs
- Deadlift - 150 lbs0 -
An update on my goals for January:
* Create and settle in to a good routine, balancing school, fitness, and social time.
01/30 -- This hasn't really happened yet. I'll keep working on this in the coming month.
* Lift 3x / week
01/30 -- Aside from this week, when I had the flu, I did my workouts consistently 3x / week. Really enjoyed getting back on a nice MWF schedule.
* Log all food and exercise, and continue with my caloric sweet spot experiment.
01/30 -- Yup. Doing well with all tracking. Though I'm not sure how much closer I am to figuring out my "real" TDEE. So many variables and moving parts make this rather complicated, but I'm going to keep at it.
* Lose 4-6 pounds.
01/30 -- Down 7.0 lbs since 01/03. Almost 4 lbs. of this is likely due to being sick, but I'm going to do my best to make it a permanent loss and keep the momentum going.
xoxox,
C.
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Results for the month
Weigh 175 (from 179.6) - Yep, I made it to 175 before scale died.
Bench 90 - Well, I failed at 90 so on de-load again.
OHP 65 lb - Yep, failed at 70 but got 65.
Meh to rows - I'm doing better on them now.
Squat 150 - almost there. I probably could do it, going to try next time.
Deadlift 175 - Woot! I made it all the way to 190.
Other: blog, change one blog to an official web site, jog for 10 minutes at one time, edit at least 10 chapters, get other online stuff caught up - Well... I did a little blogging but no web site, I did jog for 10 minutes a couple of weeks ago, didn't edit even a full chapter and I'm partially caught up online. Work in progress still.
Not bad overall for January. Hard to believe I've been active and losing weight for 5 months but still plenty more to do. Now to figure out February.0 -
1. Get down to 195lbs by the end of the month. This is a bit aggressive but the Holiday bloat hasn't been around for *that* long so it should be possible
2. Work my way up to 25 continuous push-ups (from 20 on Jan 1st)
3. Work on my squat form for 15 minutes 3 times a week with relatively light weights (I did 95 for 5x5 today). I wanna have the motor skills well down by the time I transition back to a different program.
4. Lose an overall 5 inches on ALL my measurements combined. This might actually be very conservatives, but hey, if I blast it out of the water, not going to complain ;D
Well january has come to an end so here's a recap:
1. 195.8 is close enough.
2. Hey, I uh, completely forgot about this one. I guess I'll have to try it... Damn i *just* finished lunch, lol... aaand my left hand cramped up after 3 (it tends to do this when I'm not warmed up
). Maybe tomorrow.
3. Kept working at it alternating for 5x5, then 5x3 at 10lbs more, then 5x3 front squats at the previous weight, and cycling. Last front squats I ended up doing full cleans and I think that's what I'll do this week as well just because I know I need to get back in the game with those for a challenge in a month or so
4. Iiiiiisssh. I actually seem to have GAINED 5 inches overall. No idea what happened here. Gonna check again tomorrow. Maybe I was bloated after my workout and bath this AM? *wishful thinking*
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MissHolidayGolightly wrote: »Read Starting Strength fully. I've read bits but it's time to actually read it. With this, correct form issues as necessary.
In Progress: I've started Starting Strength but need to keep reading. Will continue this in February.
Similar to this, I would like to work on doing a thumbless grip when I squat as Rippetoe recommends. I tried it before and had a very difficult time then dropped it. My wrists are strong from years of yoga but I don't want to risk injury, especially as I become able to squat more weight. Plus, I don't want to hurt the rest of the joints in my arms.
Met: I started using it correctly and it feels good and natural now.
Either restart another 12 weeks of SL or get on a new (similar) program. I'm doing SL right now but just floating after having completed the first 12 weeks. It's not like I'm not lifting, I just perform better when I'm committed to a program.
Not met: I want to finish SS before deciding to start another program or another SL round. I'm still doing SL now, though.
I'm probably not going to do this in January but I'd like to consider doing a bulk and I want to start researching it. I'm including it here so that I keep it in mind.
Still under consideration.0 -
I was slow getting into running but I am starting to hit my stride for training now. Funny how an event can make me motivatedLlamapants86 wrote: »My biggest January goal is to not gain any weight.
Second is to get back into running. I am so out of habit with that. Twice a week if there are 2 days that are above -10. (AKA not this week burrrrr).
Keep following the SL program. In February I will re-evaluate things like OHP and rows but for Jan I follow the weight increase schedule and the deload protocol.
Stuck with 5x5 3 times a week so I say I got that goal.
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