June check in and chat:June-o mess with these chicks

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  • DaniH826
    DaniH826 Posts: 1,335 Member
    I know you're only supposed to do OHPs on B days, but does anyone occasionally do them on both?

    I did OHP 3 times a week for a long time and didn't seem any worse off for it.

    A typical workout for me would be squat, bench, deadlift, then OHP.

    Or squat, bench, power clean, row, then OHP.

    The Stronglifts police will not come after you if you OHP more than "you're supposed to" per some spread sheet. It's a fabulous lift, and if you have flabby underarms and weak shoulders like me, then the more OHP, the better, far as I'm concerned.

    The A/B workouts are designed with the thought in mind to increase your strength as quickly as possible by keeping the workouts short and manageable and by giving your muscles plenty of time to recover. It's a very effective system which, like Starting Strength, is specifically geared towards giving you the most amount of strength in the shortest possible time.

    But, if you have a lot of patience and don't particularly care to get uber strong in 12 weeks ... then do OHP every workout, if you love it. Cause, why not?
  • 3foldchord
    3foldchord Posts: 2,918 Member
    I took a week off, due to vacation.
    Decided I did not have time or envy to drive to my parents in this heat. I have to go there to do session B, which is what my app says I am on.
    I am at low enough weights I can still do my 5x5 at home with the Youth Weight Bench, but not Deadlifts.
    So I did A at home on the back porch, in this summer heat. jotted it down on the dry erase board.
    My weights are the same, didn't go down with a week off, like I thought I might!
  • belle_of_the_bar
    belle_of_the_bar Posts: 474 Member
    Hallelujah!!!! I got 5x5 on my OHP today! I'm so excited.

    Workout B
    Squat 65 5x5
    OHP 45 5x5 !!!!
    DL 105 1x5

    I'm pretty pleased with myself. I hope you all had a great Friday. :flowerforyou:
  • DaniH826
    DaniH826 Posts: 1,335 Member
    I think you should buy BB....it's 19 workouts so it's plenty to keep you occupied....and hold your attention for awhile :laugh:
    @Dani: I totally second the recommendation for Nia Shanks Beautiful Badass. That's a whole lotta workouts for $34. I actually bought her (S)hero program with it, for an additional $11 bucks or so, and that's the program I'm doing right now. I like the simplicity but with a bit more variety. I'll do this for 16 weeks and then start one of the other 19 programs. Holla!

    I'm definitely going to get and do BB. I do have dumbbells that go up to 35 lbs and so I might shell out the extra few bucks for (S)Hero just as a long-term thing. I did a few sets of dumbbell rows with 25 lbs yesterday and those felt pretty badass compared to my tenners, so I'm definitely hooked on heavy dumbbell work now. Bring it!
  • JamBlaze
    JamBlaze Posts: 90 Member
    I know you're only supposed to do OHPs on B days, but does anyone occasionally do them on both?

    I did OHP 3 times a week for a long time and didn't seem any worse off for it.

    A typical workout for me would be squat, bench, deadlift, then OHP.

    Or squat, bench, power clean, row, then OHP.

    The Stronglifts police will not come after you if you OHP more than "you're supposed to" per some spread sheet. It's a fabulous lift, and if you have flabby underarms and weak shoulders like me, then the more OHP, the better, far as I'm concerned.

    The A/B workouts are designed with the thought in mind to increase your strength as quickly as possible by keeping the workouts short and manageable and by giving your muscles plenty of time to recover. It's a very effective system which, like Starting Strength, is specifically geared towards giving you the most amount of strength in the shortest possible time.

    But, if you have a lot of patience and don't particularly care to get uber strong in 12 weeks ... then do OHP every workout, if you love it. Cause, why not?

    Thank you! That's a great response and you're right. I started this program because I wanted to feel myself getting stronger - I have no time limit or deadline, I just want to do my best, so thanks. I'm going to up the frequency :)
  • MrsWells1983
    MrsWells1983 Posts: 160
    Hi! I started strong lifts yesterday (was going to start NROL4W, but I need too many accessories so figured SL 5x5 would be a better place to start me off).

    I am training at home and am pretty sure I'm going to be addicted to lifting. I'm starting with basics (also seeing a PT to discuss form and technique) and hoping that I can start seeing a difference in my body composition in the not too distant future.

    My stats:

    H: 163cm
    SW: 105.7kg
    CW: 101.5kg
    GW: 65 - 70kg
    BF: Not sure where I am up to at this Fat2Fit stuck me at 54%, but I'm seeing someone next week with calipers who will hopefully give me a better idea (I know these methods are not totally accurate, but it's better than not knowing).

    I'm also 30, married and a mum of 3 from Australia.

    Anyway can't wait to get more into the program!

    Tam :smile:
  • lwoodroff
    lwoodroff Posts: 1,431 Member
    My status this morning in case you aren't on my fl (and if not, why not?! Add me you gorgeous BAMFs!).

    I've recorded the full horror of the EIGHT pound gain I've had over the last few months of uncontrolled eating, inadequate logging and lack of cardio work. The only consolation is that the heavy lifting has minimised the impact of that on my clothes. Today is day one of being disciplined with eating and logging. If I don't close my diary out please kick me! Also I need to think of a way to add in more cardio than a quick HIIT session on the bike, preferably without compromising my lifting, which I am loving Soooo much! Tl;Dr version: I've been a pig and put on some timber, time to sort it out! Keep me accountable :-)

    I'm not overly worried but need to get everything lined up and under control. I don't want to compromise my lifting, but do you think I should drop a session for cardio or try to add in some finishers? I work out late and don't eat until 9pm those days as it is...
  • JamBlaze
    JamBlaze Posts: 90 Member
    My status this morning in case you aren't on my fl (and if not, why not?! Add me you gorgeous BAMFs!).

    I've recorded the full horror of the EIGHT pound gain I've had over the last few months of uncontrolled eating, inadequate logging and lack of cardio work. The only consolation is that the heavy lifting has minimised the impact of that on my clothes. Today is day one of being disciplined with eating and logging. If I don't close my diary out please kick me! Also I need to think of a way to add in more cardio than a quick HIIT session on the bike, preferably without compromising my lifting, which I am loving Soooo much! Tl;Dr version: I've been a pig and put on some timber, time to sort it out! Keep me accountable :-)

    I'm not overly worried but need to get everything lined up and under control. I don't want to compromise my lifting, but do you think I should drop a session for cardio or try to add in some finishers? I work out late and don't eat until 9pm those days as it is...

    How much cardio are you currently doing? I wouldn't drop a weights session. Personally, I do 2 sessions purely weights, then 1 session there I do a 15 - 20 minute run afterwards, and then I do a workout DVD OR go for a run on the weekend (I lift Mon - Weds - Fri). Seems to be working fine for me.

    Sorry to hear about your gain, but good for you for tackling it head on! At least it's just single digits, hey?
  • lwoodroff
    lwoodroff Posts: 1,431 Member
    Just Hiit after lifting (about ten mins on the bike). With a full time job, 2 small girls and a husband who runs it is hard to have a regular schedule and a little bit of a life! I know food is the biggest element of this..
  • JamBlaze
    JamBlaze Posts: 90 Member
    Honestly, don't beat yourself up about it. You realise where you've gone wrong, you're on it - everyone has periods where they go off track, get fed up, complacent, distracted, whatever. The weight will come off again.
  • kirabob
    kirabob Posts: 481 Member
    lwoodroff - I'm still in the camp of: If your clothes still fit the same, some of that is muscle. Seriously - heavy lifting + eating at a surplus SHOULD, according to the laws of physics, create some mass. How are you feeling in your skin? That's ultimately more important than the scale - and you know that! Okay, lecture over. If you feel like you need more cardio, drop down to 3x5 on everything to shorten up the weight sessions and then yes, add a finisher on to each session. But I still think you look hawt and shouldn't worry!
  • jstout365
    jstout365 Posts: 1,686 Member
    lwood - Yep, I'm with Kira. I wouldn't drop the lifting, but just add some finishers at the end. I find 4-8 exercises done one right after the other (super sets) with little rest can get the HR up, but you don't have to do "cardio" and they can support the lifts. I think you are right and the diet is going to be the key. Get that under control again and you will see the scale number start to drop. I would suggest to not change any of the exercise component and just focus on diet first. See how that goes in July and then if you still feel like you need more cardio, then look at it. One thing you may start to find is that you don't need to lose all 8 lbs to look like you did before.
  • kirabob
    kirabob Posts: 481 Member
    Stitches come out on Monday - hopefully squats will be okay soon!

    Leg curls 3x8 @65 - my legs were NOT wanting to do this today
    Leg extensions 3x8 @80

    Bench 3x5 @102.5 Woot! Creeping up!
    Inverted Rows 3x8

    Leg lifts (slow) 3x10 each side
    Bird dogs 3x10 each side
    Glute Bridges 3x10 @ 30 lb. (used a fixed barbell)
    Pallof Press 3x10 @15 lb. each side
    Woodchoppers 3x10 @15 lb. each side

    Farmers walk, 30 steps @40 lb. each side
    Waiters carry, 30 steps @30 lb. each side

    Those last two pretty much wore me out. I always do carries as part of my warm-up, but doing them at a heavier weight is definitely challenging!

    Off to take the kiddo to the splashgrounds. Happy Saturday everyone!
  • Will_Thrust_For_Candy
    Will_Thrust_For_Candy Posts: 6,109 Member
    lwood....yup I'm with jstout and kira.....as usual :laugh: I also wouldn't drop any lifting and I would add some finishers. You can do so many different types....from barbell/dumbbell complexes to tabata style cardio, it just all depends on what you feel like doing that day! Is it possible for you to take the kids for walks or make fun games with them to get some extra in? I have *gained* 15lbs in the 6 months since I started lifting, so I know what you are going through. Funny thing is though, that my clothes all still fit with most of them fitting even better :laugh:


    In other news....I'm so damn sore today I can hardly walk (or sit on the toilet :laugh: ) I hadn't squatted as it was for just about 2 weeks so add the weighted lunges onto the squats and holy doodle! I figured I would be okay since I only did 2 x 8 (each leg) at 65lbs and then 2 x 12 (each leg) at 45lbs.....but maybe it's just too much to start. I guess I will see how long it takes me to recover from this and maybe reduce next workout which is not until next Saturday.
  • dafoots0911
    dafoots0911 Posts: 347 Member
    I am a lurker too but decided it is better to be a contributing member to this group. I really receive a lot of inspiration from you ladies and it keeps me going. Hopefully I can inspire other women as well, especially those 50 and older since I am 56 years old.

    Okay here are my stats:

    Squats 105#
    Bench Press 55# (had to de-load because form was wrong)
    Pendlay Rows 65#
    Overhead Press 42#
    Dead Lifts 110#

    As you can see my weakness is upper body strength but I am working on it slowly. Don't want to injure myself because it takes longer to heal.
    You are doing great. I am 54 and it's great to see "mature ladies" lifting heavy. Keep up the good work and friend me if you'd like.
  • DaniH826
    DaniH826 Posts: 1,335 Member
    I love seeing ladies my age and older take up barbells! It's never too late to get stronger!

    So today I took on our 35 lb dumbbells that I've been carefully avoiding up until now (chicken much?) and did a farmer's walk with them (thanks Kira for that idea). Oh. My. Word. I lasted about 100 feet until my grip strength (or rather lack thereof) forced me to finally put them down again. But, I picked them up, and I walked with them! *happydance*

    Then I tried it with 25 pounders and made it much further. Added 3 rounds of a barbell complex with a few kettlebell swings, and that wraps today. Rest day tomorrow and then back to more heavy lifting on Monday..

    Stay strong ladies, and enjoy your weekend!
  • lwoodroff
    lwoodroff Posts: 1,431 Member
    Thank you wise and wonderful ladies, I did just do out for a mile and a half run today, will still be lifting tomorrow but key is logging everything. So I'm going to be disciplined and see how I go! Mwah :-)
  • beacrys
    beacrys Posts: 72 Member
    I want to THANK whoever suggested I up my calorie intake to my TDEE and not eat back exercise. I have been having the hardest time losing weight. Well, not anymore it seems. I stepped on the scale after six weeks of not doing so and I have lost six pounds. I was shocked and very pleased.

    The lifting is changing my body quickly. I have lost fat and I have definition that is becoming more apparent. I do find it hard to meet my protein macro. This is my challenge right now and I need to make it or I feel weak in my lifts.

    I am still going slowly given I am 54 and had little fitness for the past few years other than walking and running for a bit. I have read Starting Strength and I read and log on his forum. Being and older beginner I only add weight when I think my form is good and I am comfortable with the weight. I do not want to get side tracked with an injury and my body does take longer to recover, especially if I don't eat enough.

    So again very grateful for this group. This is where I got such great info and inspiration. I don't post much but I do read.

    Current stats:
    SQUAT
    55 LBS.

    OHP
    30 LBS.

    DL
    75 LBS.

    BP
    40 LBS.

    ROWS
    70 LBS.
  • beacrys
    beacrys Posts: 72 Member
    I am a lurker too but decided it is better to be a contributing member to this group. I really receive a lot of inspiration from you ladies and it keeps me going. Hopefully I can inspire other women as well, especially those 50 and older since I am 56 years old.

    Okay here are my stats:

    Squats 105#
    Bench Press 55# (had to de-load because form was wrong)
    Pendlay Rows 65#
    Overhead Press 42#
    Dead Lifts 110#

    As you can see my weakness is upper body strength but I am working on it slowly. Don't want to injure myself because it takes longer to heal.
    You are doing great. I am 54 and it's great to see "mature ladies" lifting heavy. Keep up the good work and friend me if you'd like.


    So good to see women my age here! I am also 54 and a I am a beginner.
  • jstout365
    jstout365 Posts: 1,686 Member
    Squat and OHP today. Finished with a barbell complex and some other accessory work.

    Squat 1x5 @ 80, 90, 100 with a pulse at the bottom. I think the pulse is harder than the pause.
    OHP 5x5 @ 75 - I'll move up to 3x5 @ 80 next week. I'm thinking that will be my progression for OHP - start at 3x5 and add a set each week until I can do 5x5 then move up 5 lbs and drop back down to 3x5.

    Barbell complex with the oly bar for 2 rounds at 8 reps each exercise: Upright rows, overhead squat, good morning, lunges (8 each leg), push presses, cleans, front squats. I took a min or two rest between rounds.

    Other accessory work was 2 rounds of: 15 each leg adductor resistance band pulls, 20 8 kg kettelbell pirate ships, 15 leg lifts to bottoms up, 10 each side 8 kg kettlebell woodchoppers.

    Rest day for me tomorrow and then a busy week that ends with my hubby coming home for good from his away assignment for work. I'm excited about that.
  • Will_Thrust_For_Candy
    Will_Thrust_For_Candy Posts: 6,109 Member
    Squat and OHP today. Finished with a barbell complex and some other accessory work.

    Squat 1x5 @ 80, 90, 100 with a pulse at the bottom. I think the pulse is harder than the pause.
    OHP 5x5 @ 75 - I'll move up to 3x5 @ 80 next week. I'm thinking that will be my progression for OHP - start at 3x5 and add a set each week until I can do 5x5 then move up 5 lbs and drop back down to 3x5.

    Barbell complex with the oly bar for 2 rounds at 8 reps each exercise: Upright rows, overhead squat, good morning, lunges (8 each leg), push presses, cleans, front squats. I took a min or two rest between rounds.

    Other accessory work was 2 rounds of: 15 each leg adductor resistance band pulls, 20 8 kg kettelbell pirate ships, 15 leg lifts to bottoms up, 10 each side 8 kg kettlebell woodchoppers.

    Rest day for me tomorrow and then a busy week that ends with my hubby coming home for good from his away assignment for work. I'm excited about that.

    Great workout lady!
  • 3foldchord
    3foldchord Posts: 2,918 Member
    Yesterday I did my 5x5 squats.

    Today I hiked 2 hours (hills and steps)

    My thighs hate me tonight. I will have to hobble to church tomorrow.
  • cpiton
    cpiton Posts: 380 Member
    I wanted to thank DaniH :flowerforyou: for a post she made about Pendlay rows the other day. When you compared them to bench presses, it finally clicked for me and I felt much more comfortable with my form. No idea why this didn't occur to me before, but it didn't. No rows today, though...

    Terrible, horrible, no good, very bad workout today, but I got through it.

    Squat 185 (soft fail--form, due to hip flexor issues)
    OHP 70 (moved to 3x5 today)
    DL 185 (was supposed to be 195, but my concentration was bad and I just could not get it)

    Next workout will be better, I'm sure. :smile:
  • inkysmurf
    inkysmurf Posts: 168
    Hello
    was a bit unsure about lifting today as over the last 2 days I've walked just under 26 miles and wasn't sure if my body was upto it, but I actually felt like a superhero lifting this morning.

    Workout B today and hit first teeny tiny goal - I deadlifted half my body weight - hurrahhh a:-)
    squat 5x5 @ 27.5kg (60lbs)
    overheadpress 5x5 @ 15kg (33lbs)
    deadlife 5x5 @ 30kg (66lbs)
    prone planks 1min, 45secs, 30 secs
    5 x chinups (floor to door height)

    happy lifting x
  • kirabob
    kirabob Posts: 481 Member
    Wow, daisybee - 26 miles! Was this part of an event? I can't believe you lifted after all that - WTG!
  • inkysmurf
    inkysmurf Posts: 168
    not quite :-) an event just a mini holiday.

    2 days of non stop walking and sightseeing in london. We were relying on a beta version of Google maps that had us twice walk a few miles in the wrong direction as well... and a claustrophobic friend meant a tube was not in the equation.

    My fitbit rocks for tracking and my vans rock for walking.

    Hope everything goes ok for you getting your stitches out (p.s getting a wee wtg from you has made my day - thank you x) .
  • DaniH826
    DaniH826 Posts: 1,335 Member
    I wanted to thank DaniH :flowerforyou: for a post she made about Pendlay rows the other day. When you compared them to bench presses, it finally clicked for me and I felt much more comfortable with my form. No idea why this didn't occur to me before, but it didn't. No rows today, though...

    Terrible, horrible, no good, very bad workout today, but I got through it.

    Squat 185 (soft fail--form, due to hip flexor issues)
    OHP 70 (moved to 3x5 today)
    DL 185 (was supposed to be 195, but my concentration was bad and I just could not get it)

    Next workout will be better, I'm sure. :smile:

    You're quite welcome. All this stuff is so technical, every little bit helps to get our heads around it. It's really not as simple as "here's a barbell, now go lift it".

    Hey, you're gonna have those days where everything is hard and every lift seems to go to crap. Lifting is a mental game as much as a physical one, and your mental state has everything to do with it. Not to mention diet, sleep, overall stress burden, etc. Then you're gonna have days where everything clicks and you breeze through the whole thing and come out on cloud 9. And days in between.

    You're doing wonderfully!!! Great numbers!!

    Rest day for me today, meaning I'm gonna catch up on yoga and maybe get in the pool for some aquatic shenanigans if the weather holds.

    Happy Sunday!!
  • Will_Thrust_For_Candy
    Will_Thrust_For_Candy Posts: 6,109 Member
    Ugh epic fail on my pull-ups this morning. Back to the drawing board and watching video's on ways to modify. Or perhaps I need to get another resistance band that is provides even more resistance. This was definitely a blow to my fitness ego though, I must say :sad:
  • DaniH826
    DaniH826 Posts: 1,335 Member
    Ugh epic fail on my pull-ups this morning. Back to the drawing board and watching video's on ways to modify. Or perhaps I need to get another resistance band that is provides even more resistance. This was definitely a blow to my fitness ego though, I must say :sad:

    I sat my butt down on my bench just a little bit ago and used my Olympic bar resting on my squat rack to pull myself up. Worked like a charm. And after about 10 reps or so I was really starting to feel it. So I figure I start there and just add reps until those muscles back there are developed enough to pull more of me than just my upper body weight.

    I'm going to do a pull-up one of these days! You start where you start, eh?
  • Will_Thrust_For_Candy
    Will_Thrust_For_Candy Posts: 6,109 Member
    Ugh epic fail on my pull-ups this morning. Back to the drawing board and watching video's on ways to modify. Or perhaps I need to get another resistance band that is provides even more resistance. This was definitely a blow to my fitness ego though, I must say :sad:

    I sat my butt down on my bench just a little bit ago and used my Olympic bar resting on my squat rack to pull myself up. Worked like a charm. And after about 10 reps or so I was really starting to feel it. So I figure I start there and just add reps until those muscles back there are developed enough to pull more of me than just my upper body weight.

    I'm going to do a pull-up one of these days! You start where you start, eh?

    This is a really great idea Dani! Thank you :) I am very, very weak in my upper body so I was prepared to not be able to bang a whole bunch of perfect ones out to begin with.....but I figured that with like 130lbs of resistance, that I would be able to get even half of one done. No go. I am going to try your idea next workout though. How much higher than you did you place the bar?