Workout check-in - April-tle bit more awesome
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MissHolidayGolightly wrote: »Hit hot yoga this morning, then went to the gym for workout B.
Squats 5x5 at 150. These felt kind of heavy, but I'm chalking it up to lifting post-yoga. I plan on sticking here this week regardless.
OHP 5x6 at 75. I added an extra rep to all the sets to help me strength wise. I think it'll help me get to the next weight without failing (hopefully). I plan on doing 7x5, 8x5, 9x5, 10x5, then back to 5x5 at the next higher weight.
Deads 1x5 at 195. These felt heavy but I was able to get them.
Accessories: narrow squats 3x10 at 95# and body weight lunges 3x20.
I've done hot yoga after lifting and it felt great. I think I would have trouble lifting if I did it before though. Is it possible to switch the order of your workouts if you regularly do both?
Thankfully, I don't do it often. My day just happened to fall this way yesterday.0 -
Deload day deadlifts
95 lbs x 5, 105 lbs x 5, 125 lbs x 5 I could have repped out a couple more but nah.
Front squats 3x8
Circuit
Thrusters
Split squats
Toe taps
12/9/6/3
I'll run a leisurely 5k at lunch which I'm looking forward to. It should be nice our and it isn't sprints! I think I like deload weeks too much.0 -
I was on Workout A today:
Squats, 5x5@125 lbs. These were really tough, but I did get all 25 reps with decent form. I am repeating here next time at the very least, but it felt good to get up to this weight.
Bench, 5x5@70 lbs. I barely got the last rep of the 5th set up, so I recorded it as a fail so I will repeat here next time.
Rows, 5x5@75 lbs. These were tough but got all reps in. I will try 80 lbs next time.
Accessories: calf raises, 4x15 BW, RDLs, 3x10@75 lbs.
Cardio: an hour on the elliptical.0 -
Today was a lift day...
5 min. cardio warmup
Squats: 2x5x45, 1x3x75, 5x5x125
Bench: 5x5x85
Row: 5x5x85
I feel inadequate, my posts are so short here LOL.
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Squat - Goblet squats 4x5 30lbs
Leg press 2 x5 340lbs
BP 5x5 60lbs (yay!)
Rows 4x5 70 lbs. Form was terrible still struggling with these.0 -
So I am proud of myself that I picked it back up after some bad stuff, really the last 4 months have been major stress. So, deadlifts and bench press are a bit lower but will pick it up, I could have deadlifted more but easing back in. When I get to squatting 205 that is 1.5 my body weight and at that point I am going to move on to 5 x 3 then intermediate, I guess Madcow, will see how that is, might want to throw in some other things too. I was almost at intermediate when I got hit by that truck December 5th, so this is the 2nd time I have worked up to it. Not sure what I will be deadlifting by then, think I will be back at 200 probably Saturday so we will see how that shakes out. Lifting is really a blessing to me. Had I not started lifting a year ago, I would never be able to handle all the stress in my life right now as well as I have been handling it.
Workout B (Wed)
Squats 1 x 5 - 125
Squats 1 x 5 - 145
Squats 2 x 5 - 175
Squats 5 x 5 - 185
Deadlift 1 x 1 - 185
Deadlift 1 x 5 - 190
Bench press - 5 x 5 - 100
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Hey I've got a question!
Today I did my second workout of SL5x5, so the first time I did workout B.
I had some serious troubles with the overhead press. Even the starting weight of 45 lbs was too much, so I adjusted to 33 lbs (I count in kg so I went from 20kg to 15kg). And even that was pretty tough.. I could get it up, but for some reason I ended up standing on my toes, like if I used them as an extra to get the weight up..
Is it normal/okay that I'm even having trouble with the starting weight..? I'm 5' and I weigh around 121lbs.0 -
MalineVD - Yeah, no worries. I could do the bar okayish but then tried adding a little weight and my form was all kinds of blech when I was starting out back when I did stronglifts. I had to go down to a lower weight on a fixed bar instead of using the regular bar for a little bit, then work my way up. The OHP is also the hardest one for many of us to increase on, so I've seen around the site and not just in this group.
I had a nice long day off work and plenty to do. Went out to lunch with coworker and made some progress on a potential apartment move. There are some minor drawbacks but the financial side makes up for them easily. I also made sure to get some cardio in for the food part along with later going to finish Stage 2 at the gym. I even got some house stuff done and writing tonight. Productive day with more to do tomorrow.
Morning workout: Les Mills Grit Strength
I hadn't been to a class in months so it was nice to go again. Different moves and a different instructor. I still struggle to keep up on certain things and this time around there are a lot of push ups, which I can't do on the ground, not even on knees variety as my stomach gets in the way too much. If I go again, I'll have to check if we need to do lots of pushups so can set up a step with risers.
Evening workout: NROLFW Stage 2 - B4
box deadlift 2x10 @ 115 - wanted to use the 35's to see how it would go, fine except the second set I had a grip issue and had to set down in the middle and fix that.
bulgarian split squat 2x10 @ 22.5 - used a moveable seat thing that was near pulldown but it felt a little too tall still.
underhand lat pulldown 2x10 @ 70 - one of the only ones I didn't increase on this time.
reverse lunge from box 2x10 @ 20 - okay.
db prone cuban snatch 2x10 @ 5 - didn't increase here but the 10's were taken, so that's why.
sb crunch 2x10 @ 25 - okay the 25 plate is awkward to hold for that
reverse crunch 2x10 bw - eh, okay
glute bridge 2x10 @ 25 - bar would be easier as plate is award on these
prone cobra 1x 70 seconds and 1x 90 seconds, made it to 90 but barely
bench press 3x8 @ 75, bicep curl 3x10 @ 30, db bench 3x10 @ 20 and wrist curls 3x10 @ 20 - okay on accessories. Had a guy come over and tell me how I didn't have to do wrist curls that way, to use one of the seated benches to put my wrist on, but I do it this way cause I want to sit down on the bench, so eh.
Made it through stage 2 and look forward to starting stage 3 on Thursday. Am going to probably regret all the lunges and stuff from the class and lifting tomorrow when I'm trying to jog 2 sets of 10 minutes. Fun times.0 -
Back at it! It was the first time in forever that I took 2 days COMPLETELY OFF. No walk, no stretch no bodyweight stuff, no yoga, NOTHING. My hips were super tight this morning as a result xD But I guess I needed the rest.
Decided to finish off my crossfit open journey with the scaled version of 15.5 today.
27-21-15-9 for time:
- calories on the rower (top resistance)
- 45 lbs barbell thrusters
Took me 14:35. Wasn't pushing to 110% as this is a deload week and I'm not competing. Was trying to find a groove on the rower and more importantly, the right technique for thrusters. I think I'm getting somewhere with it.
Then moved on to a chest/triceps/biceps workout (Bro time!) -- and I'm including my warm-up sets today, lol
Incline Barbell Bench
45x8
65x5
75x5
85x3
90x3
95x3
100x3
105x2x3
supersets (-> is a dropset):
- DB Flat Bench
30x12, 35x2x12
- 1 Arm DB Row
30x12, 35x2x12
-Rope triceps pushdown
45x15, 50x15, 55x12->25x18
- EZ Bar curl
20x15, 25x12, 30x12->15x16
I also included something in the warm-up where I'm trying to get a bit of volume on bodyweight movements to get better at them. This one was relatively easy, but a good way to grease the groove, so to speak:
5 rounds of 2 recline rows, 4 push-ups and 6 bw squats unbroken. And I did a jump rope 10-100 jumps ladder in abotu 5 mins. Trying to have fun with it because to be honest I've been feeling like crap lately and I need to not put too much pressure on myself so I can get back on the horse and all.
So in regards to that I'm taking tomorrow as a recovery day and I'm going to attempt to max out a 5/3/1 setup on the flat bench on Friday before my pull-up/back workout xP Cuz then I'll be another 4 weeks without benching haha.0 -
Hey I've got a question!
Today I did my second workout of SL5x5, so the first time I did workout B.
I had some serious troubles with the overhead press. Even the starting weight of 45 lbs was too much, so I adjusted to 33 lbs (I count in kg so I went from 20kg to 15kg). And even that was pretty tough.. I could get it up, but for some reason I ended up standing on my toes, like if I used them as an extra to get the weight up..
Is it normal/okay that I'm even having trouble with the starting weight..? I'm 5' and I weigh around 121lbs.
It is totally normal. It is all dependent on your strength. OHP is my weakest lift personally.
Since you are struggling, you can stay at the 15kg for a few sessions until you feel more confident with it. If you would rather, you can stay at 15kg and add a rep per set per session. So, you've already done 5x5 (5 sets of 5 reps each). Next you can do 5x6 (5 sets with 6 reps each). You can work up to 10 reps in each set, then bump up your weight and go back to 5x5.0 -
Is it normal/okay that I'm even having trouble with the starting weight..? I'm 5' and I weigh around 121lbs.
my first workout b, i was so enthused that i pressed the 45 bar . . . and then spent the better part of a week terrified that i had totally damaged every part of myself from the nipples upwards. it's a really tough lift and i don't think i've ever seen even a man in my gyms pressing more than 100lb or so. and ohp involves some relatively small muscles so using lower weights while you get used to the form is definitely a smart move.
the toes thing might be because the bar is finishing too far in front of where it should be? that would pull you forwards as your body tries to keep its balance, and bring your heels up. what you're looking for is to have the bar end up stacked directly over your centre of gravity, i.e. mid foot. that should put it above your own shoulder joints; that way the weight of it travels directly to the ground via a straight line (your bones) and it's much easier to keep it up there without leaning forward/back or putting a lot of strain on your shoulder muscles to keep it stable.
i go mostly by the lifting advice of mark rippetoe, and what he says is [bunch of complex stuff i don't get too well myself, and don't want to advise in case i steer you in a direction that would be bad for your back] to get your face out of the way of the bar , and then 'slam' your torso forward under the bar as soon as it's gotten past your forehead. i don't know if i'd advise slamming exactly when you're just starting out, but you do want a movement that will bring your shoulders under the bar.0 -
Yesterday was a cardio day. I did a 5k on my lunch break.0
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@xcalygrl I was planning on doing that! Thanks for the tip!
@canadianlbs I think my form is pretty okay. I used to do crossfit where I've spent a year on doing the correct form of deadlifts, squats, presses etc before I increased my weight a lot. And dated a personal trainer, always helps a lot ;-) I have no troubles at all with a push press (with a little dip), but everything involving lots of shoulders and arm strength I struggle with. I'm going to check in the mirror and ask my gympartner to check if I lean forward, because it has been over a year since I've lifted properly and I need to get back into it. Thanks so much for your reply!0 -
@xcalygrl I was planning on doing that! Thanks for the tip!
@canadianlbs I think my form is pretty okay. I used to do crossfit where I've spent a year on doing the correct form of deadlifts, squats, presses etc before I increased my weight a lot. And dated a personal trainer, always helps a lot ;-) I have no troubles at all with a push press (with a little dip), but everything involving lots of shoulders and arm strength I struggle with. I'm going to check in the mirror and ask my gympartner to check if I lean forward, because it has been over a year since I've lifted properly and I need to get back into it. Thanks so much for your reply!
If you're used to doing push presses, there's a good chance you're dipping at the knees without noticing and using some momentum to push the bar overhead. Try sitting down on a bench and doing the same weight, it'll force you to use ONLY your upper body strength and not the hip extension as part of the power to press the bar overhead.
It is quite an ego-destroyer, btw. Go down to however much weight you can handle, get used to the feel and build from there. After a few workouts, stand back up, lock your glutes and see if you can replicate the same feel (avoiding the dip at the knees). Another trick to prevent getting up on your toes would be to grip the ground as if they were claws, it forces your calves to get engaged and thus makes it less likely you'll go loose and let yourself pull forward.
There was a guy OHPing 135+lbs for like 5 reps a set this morning, but he kinda made me cringe as he was arching his back soooo bad. My lower back hurts just thinking about it xD
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@krokador Thanks! That's a really good tip for trying to do it on a bench and see how that goes. And ego-destroyer, yeah.. Definitely considering the fact that my two gympartners are guys who have never lifted in their lifes (while I already have a background) and they can easily lift loads more than I can. But I don't like to compare. My body, my rythm, my possibilities and my goals
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Nothin yet - that TOM had me in so much crampy pain this morning that I couldn't manage to get up for a workout. It's a cardio day, though, so maybe later I'll go for a walk or something. I hate this TOM so much...it's a beast for me. Tomorrow is lift day and if I am in a bad shape in the morning again I at least have a backup plan where I can fit it in the evening. Nice to have the option this week!0
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Great progress ladies!!!
I successfully pulled my slated 3 reps of 200lb deadsquats (trap bar)! My prize was a pair of boots (that I'm wearing today) and I get to try to push and pull 100lb benches and rows tonight x's 3.
The really exciting/scary part for me is that next week I get to lift more than I weigh for the first time ever!
OHP can still go die in a fire though.
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Squat 115 5x5 repeat. It was hard because I don't feel very good today. Feeling better after lifting though! Up to 120 Friday.
Bench 85 5x5 again and it was fairly easy. I stayed at 85 to work on my depth - I did 5x5 last time but some reps didn't come down to my chest. Got em right this time. Oh jeeze, time for 90 lbs
I haven't benched 90 lbs since high school with my gym teacher getting in my face telling me not to wimp out. I may picture her when I do it to see if it helps.
Row 80 3x5, 85 2x5 I don't love my form on these but I don't really care that much.
Accessories:
Assisted dips -28 3x5
Skull crushers 40 3x8
chest fly 20 3x10 (this was easy but I couldn't find the 12.5-lb dumbbells)0 -
Last Night's Workout
Warmup - 5 min on treadmill at a 5% incline
Workout: All 5x5
Squat 70# -
Bench 60# -
Row 70# -
Had a few shaky sets, felt a bit weak yesterday...I think because I'm a bit tired from playing ball on Monday night. Will need to adjust my calories once ball seasons starts officially next week.0 -
Last night -
Squat - 5x5 at 140 lbs. These are feeling better, though I caught my knees falling in a couple times. I will for sure be here for a bit. I had a bit of a breakthrough. I was reading Wendler, because I am thinking of switching to that shortly. He says to drive your elbows under the bar when coming up out of the bottom of the squat. I found this helped my keep my chest up and keep if from dropping when coming up out of my squat. I have problems with my shoulders/chest dropping when coming up when I have my elbows back, but not when I think of pushing them under the bar. It also made the weight seem a lot easier. Definitely sticking with that. Repeating this weight until I feel like I have form nailed.
OHP - 5x5 at 52.5. These felt good. I am going to keep this weight but go up in reps as my form sucks at 55.
Deadlift - 1x5ish at 170. Definitely -ish. I got them all, but 3 were ugly. First was good, second my grip started to slip and I almost dropped it. Third was good again because I squeezed the bar hard. Fourth was sloppy and didn't really have any sort of lockout. I don't think I was even perfectly straight up. Rested about 10 seconds then tried again. Fifth I almost dropped again. I think one of my issues with grip is that I think so much about lifting the weight, I don't think at all about my hands. If I really concentrate on squeezing the bar, my grip was great. When I think about everything else, I let my grip weaken. Another little breakthrough.
Assisted pull ups 3x4 at 25 lbs. Friggin hard :P
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