Workout check-in - May-king big changes this month
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I was happy today, I hauled around a 25lb bag of sugar around costco like it was nothing!
Squats 5/5/5/2/2 - 225lbs - Attempt #2. First two sets were great. 3rd set I was starting to good morning i and turn in my knee. After that I gassed. Much better form than last attempt, but it seems like a long way to go.
OHP 5x5 - 77.5lbs - yes! I did it and it wasn't difficult, I was banging these out without any issues. Crap, 80lbs next.
Deadlift 1x5 210lb with straps - I think it was pure willpower that got the lockout on these. My grip was barely holding on even with straps and it feels the straps are doing the hard work. I really need to do more deadlifts, I feel more confident in my OHP form than these. It's annoying there's less reps on these, but the same time I understand why there's less reps. Just bleh.
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I feel like I have been away forever! My last lifting workout was April 30th, so here is my first May check-in!
After nearly 2 weeks away, my app suggested a deload of 10%, so I went with that.
Workout B
Squats, 5x5@115 lbs. I struggled a bit with the last set, but overall felt pretty good. I will probably repeat here though.
OHP, I think I ended up with 6x5@50 lbs because my app kept crashing on me, and I think I ended up with an extra set. Oh well, they felt pretty good, so I will try 55 lbs next time.
Deadlift, 2x5@95 lbs. This seemed like more than a 10% deload, but I have been struggling with this lift so I decided to go ahead and drop back that far and work back up slower than I was going. I ended up doing 2 sets because 95 lbs is still pretty easy for me.
No accessories today (mostly because I forgot-lol), but I did do an hour on the elliptical to finish up the morning.0 -
awkwardsoul wrote: »I was happy today, I hauled around a 25lb bag of sugar around costco like it was nothing!
i love that side effect. all my groceries go into a pannier bag, and after i warehouse my bike i have a flight and a half of stairs to go up to get home. i love being able to just casually hoist it with my left hand and saunter on up. and you can fit a LOT of stuff in a mountain-equipment-co-op pannier. like, a preschoolish child.
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canadianlbs wrote: »so i did extra sets and extra reps and took my time just to spite him, because i don't know who his parents are but they should have eaten him while his bones were still soft.
Hahaha where do you come up with this stuff?!canadianlbs wrote: »bench: i'm disappointed. i did mucho warmup and in the end still only got my 5 sets at 70lbs, the same as last time. and they were hard. but they're done and (cross-fingers) if they were hard that must mean my body will grow me more muscle for them. right?
Did you warm up too much? I try to keep it light for bench warm up so I have energy to do my sets.0 -
Started week 2 yesterday.
squats 5x5 @ 55#
My form on my squats were much better than last week. Set 4 and 5 were killing me though.
bench press 5X5 @ 55#
BP was pretty good my right side is way strong than my left though. I have to focus to make sure my right side doesn't do all the work. Hubby said to do them slower and this should help.
ROW 5x4 @ 75#
70# was a breeze however 75# was brutal. My form went to crap on set four so I think I will work at this weight until I can get all 5 sets with good form. Hopefully Friday.
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5/9
Stronglifts B
Squat 5x5 @ 125 Leg press 2 x 5 @ 270 lbs
Overhead press 4 x 5; 1 x 4. Had to de-load to 50 lbs.
Sumo Deadlift 145. First attempt at a sumo dl; it's waaaaaay easier on my lower back than the conventional dl.
5/12
Stronglifts A
Lunges 4 x 5 @ 50 lbs Goblet squats 2×5 @ 35 lbs. A combo of my not getting my *kitten* out of bed on time and some leisurely lunks at the power rack resulted in my not getting to do shoulder squats.
BP. 65 3 x 5. Didn't have my fractionals so jumped from 62 to 65 lbs.
Row 72 3x5. Working on my form.
Planks 3 @ 45 seconds.0 -
Squats: 75 lbs. Going to move up next time.
Bench press: 50 lbs. Going to try to find fractional plates. 50 is getting easy but no way I could do 55 yet.
Row: 70 lbs
Finally dug my sewing box out of storage from my move and took measurements. I really hope to see some changes since the scale isn't moving.0 -
MissHolidayGolightly wrote: »canadianlbs wrote: »so i did extra sets and extra reps and took my time just to spite him, because i don't know who his parents are but they should have eaten him while his bones were still soft.
Hahaha where do you come up with this stuff?!
i was hoping someone would notice that one, because it isn't mine and i want to give credit for it. it's my lovely artsie friend who taught high school for 25 years and in some really rough cities and schools. that one came from an imaginary letter that he of course only wrote in his head, to the parents of one of the (i assume) worser of them.
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MissHolidayGolightly wrote: »Did you warm up too much? I try to keep it light for bench warm up so I have energy to do my sets.
yeah, this could be. i did do a lot of warmup because i couldn't just make up my mind to breathe in and go for it. and then once i did start i found it was hard to find a comfortable place for the bar what with the bruise it turns out i still have on one hand from my fall. just generally not really my day for the bench.
i don't guess the two extra sets of squats helped much either. bit off my nose to spite someone else's face there.0 -
So, after humming and hawing over whether I was going to stick with SL5x5 or try something different, I decided to start ICF, but at his recommended deficit level, which is 3x5 for main lifts and 2 sets for accessories. Today was day 1. I think I like it
It is nice to get out of the cage, though the 3x5 did make me feel like I was cheating...
Squats - 3x5 at 135 lbs. Felt hard, but good hard.
BP - 3x5 at 65 lbs. Fairly easy. Will do 70 next.
Bent over row - 3x5 at 65 - way too easy. I wasn't sure how different these would feel from Pendlay rows, so I erred on the light side.
Barbell shrug - 2x8 at 40 lbs. These feel strange :P
Skullcrushers - 2x8 at 30 lbs. Awkward. I feel like my arms move too much. Will work on it.
Barbell curl - 2x8 at 30 lbs. Ok. It is kinda cool to do this in front of the mirror and see my little bicep pop out. I felt very bro.
Hyperextensions - 2x10 with a 10 lb plate. These were fine, pretty easy, but I am short and even with the pads at the lowest spot I kind of had to reach to get proper flexion in my hips. There is another place to do them outside of the weight room with the machines, so I will have to look at that one and see if the pads go lower.
Cable crunch - 1x10 at 25 lbs, 1x10 at 35 lbs. These were weird. I want to watch a couple more videos to make sure I am doing it right.
And.....at the end I usually do some assisted pull ups and negative on the machine, but it was in use, so I decided to try the pull up bar on the cable machine for some negatives. I brought over the biggest step they have, and still couldn't reach the bar
So I hopped up and started pulling myself up to do a negative, then I realized...I was pulling myself up! I tried again from a real dead hang and got about 75% up. Last time I tried from a hang, I barely moved. Yay! I am so close to a real pull up, so now I have to try every time I go 0 -
Rough day at work with someone calling in sick. We are always short handed and I had other stuff to do that I couldn't work on because I had to cashier instead. Made for a kind of blah evening but luckily things got better once I went to the gym. Tomorrow will be sad at work as it's the boss man's last day since they are changing store managers at random on us. I have to do some baking tonight still so I'm gonna be really tired tomorrow too.
Stage 4 - A1
warm up with 3x5 @ 65 low bar squat - I usually do high bar but am going to work on low bar on day A this time around.
front squat/push press 3x8 @ 60 - my left shoulder was grumpy during these. I might separate and do front squat then do OHP next time cause I can't hold it right when doing both combined.
step up 3x8 @ 25 - not bad
one point db row 3x8 @ 25 - only fell over on occasion
push ups 3x8 on the floor - okay, I did them first but I wanted to try. I need to work on form but managed all sets on the floor (no knees either cause those never worked for me and my pudgy stomach)
static lunge 3x8 @ 50 - used small step instead of the classroom one and the fixed 50 barbell
plank 1x60... I started a second set and gave up. I'm going to maybe do these at home and work on them as I'm struggling to keep going when I do them at the gym for some reason.
horizontal cable wood chop 1x8 @ 15 and 2x8 @ 40 - two different cable machines as during my second failed plank attempt, someone took the one I had been using. I don't know how the weights are set up but yeah they ended up feeling around the same though on the one it was at 15 and the other 40.
shrug 3x10 @ 30 - okay
assisted chin up/negative 2x3 @ 10 - I did slow drop downs then pull back up but only a few.
Now to worry about those cookies for work.0 -
Happy happy happy happy!
Finally hit the 45lbs with the overhead press! It took me 3,5 weeks, but I don't care, I got them. They weren't pretty and if I'm totally completely honest there was 1 rep in set 4 that was kind of a fail. But I want to do them perfectly, so someone else would probably count it as a rep. Will stick to this weight for the rest of the week though, until I can hit them smoothly!
Squats: 1x5 88lbs - 1x5 83lbs - 3x5 77lbs. My squats are getting tough. I could do all the sets in 88lbs I think, but I completely bend over forwards when I get up. So I think I will stick to 77lbs for this week so I can tweak my form. I don't mind being slow in adding weight. I just want my *kitten* to the ground or it doesn't count!
OHP: 5x5 45lbs Victory of the day!! Finally I could get that stupid bar up! I was ridiculously happy! Must've looked really funny for the supermuscled gymdudes!
Deadlift: 5x5 88lbs. This was always my favourite lift, so this weight felt fairly easy and good. Looking forward to hitting my bodyweight in this one (120lbs).
Now fooooood! I could eat all the freaking time!!0 -
Yay! @MalineVD - Good job. What is really fun is when you can squat with the big 45 plates (135) then follow right after that with an OHP using the 2.5 plates (around 50)... Yeah, it's quite the amusing sight.
Great work on the OHP progression and some day that will be your easy warm up weight (just can't promise when).
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Squat and bench day.
Squat 135 lbs x 5, 140 x 3 and 155 lbs x 2
Bench 75 x 5 85 x3 95 x3
I realized for the last couple of months I've been really not pushing for amrap on my last set. It might be one of the reasons my progress has been sub of what I would like. You only get what you put in. So for the next cycle I'm going hard on amrap because let's face it. I usually have one more rep left.
Then I did wow for SISM.
6/8/10/12/5 ohp at 45 lbs
And 60 bw squats between those reps
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5/11:
goblet SQ 5# 5x5
OHP 45# 5x5 - no fails this time!
DL 65# 5x5 - was supposed to be 75# but since I can't add it was 65 lol
bodyweight hang 2x20 sec
5/13:
goblet SQ 5# 5x5
BP 50# 5x5 - very doable, will go up next time
BR 60# 5x5 - same
bodyweight hang 1x25 - really tough today0 -
I tweaked my shoulder or pulled/pinched something from my neck down to my shoulder blade. It really hurts when I move I head back so looks like I'll be resting a few days to see if the pain will subside. It's too bad because I'm missing my SL workout for the day. I'll try to run today as a substitute.0
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&?$&(FTYIFTY%$%? Stupid runkeeper app...
Today has been a test of rolling with it and I must say I *am* frustrated but I think i can let it go. Was supposed to run first thing this morning but when my alarm rang I just couldn't even and I set it back for an hour later.
8x200m sprints (2 min rest/interval)
When came the time to go do it at lunch I hesitated between bringing my rain jacket along because it was kinda cold (but that thing is like a too-big sauna). After my warm-up I changed my mind, raced my first 200m interval to the car, then realized I didn't have my keys with me so I jogged back inside to leave the stupid thing in my office, then back out to restart the workout.
The split counter on runkeeper and the workout cues got all mixed up so I ended up losing track, running during my rest and having to go right back at it, and then thinking my last run was the one before last and taking it easy so I could go balls to the wall on the last one only to find out my workout was over (but just cuz, I sprinted ALL OUT from one stop sign to another to use that "built-up" energy anyway). Also tried a stopwatch app to keep track of splits because I had no idea runkeeper did (and even though it does, 4:54 min/km doesn't exactly tell me how long the interval took. I'll have to convert >_<) and I forgot my actual watch and I should've had my bluetooth headset because the cord kept getting tangled up or catching in the wind and AAARGHH!!!
All in all I did like 10 intervals instead of 8 and now that I've saved the workout I've apparently lost my splits (oh, the website still has them , phew!)? It,s just not been my week *sighs*0 -
Workout B (Wed)
Had to deload a bit on the Deadlifts, probably beacause less than 5 hours sleep last night, but didn't want to skip because planning to do my last 5 x 5 Sunday, then going to 3 x 5, 1 x 5 and on to Wendlers to see how that is.
Squats 2 x 5 - 175
Squats 5 x 5 - 205
Deadlift 1 x 2 - 195
Deadlift 1 x 1 - 115
Deadlift 1 x 5 - 200
Bench press - 1 x 5 - 80
Bench press - 5 x 5 - 900 -
Keep going ladies!! 0
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Yeah...still doin' nothin'. Keep rockin' it girls. I'll be back on the crazy train this weekend...hopefully good and rested and ready to kick some arrrsse 0
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First barbell workout done!! Happy dance!!! It was so fun, like starting over but in a good way.
Did some general warmup, treadmill, body weight stuff then 5x5:
Squats 70 (these felt the same as Dumbbells)
BP 60 (felt different than db but still good)
Rows 45 (these felt much easier than with the db)
Hangs from pull-up bar
Good mornings
I'm excited to be able to finally be able to progress.
Everyone else, love reading your posts...keep on being awesome! You all motivate me!!!
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i'm eating an apple. don't really want it, but carbs. because deadlift.
workout b. i just did it more or less by the book this time round.
squats 85lb. surprised me. captain selfish breathing down the back of my neck once again so i got it done and got out. form still not coming naturally, but at the same time i'm strangely strong considering i'm supposed to be having trouble with form. all the pre-lift stretching and planking and chris-duffin-ing might have helped me this time, but his form of the valsalva thing is a schmuck.
i'll say this though. holding that inflation through the whole rep is hard - i'm not coordinated enough for it yet. but there's this: doing it once i've got my grip and my shoulder settled is about the best way of picking the bar up that i've ever found. looking forward to incorporating it into that phase at least.
ohp yeah, not so much. left the rack to captain selfish and did it solo, so i stayed more with a weight that let me like my form. 2x10@30, 3x5@40, 1x3@45, 1x5@40. i did like my form; i just didn't think i was doing a 'challenging' weight.
deadlift: 5x1@120lb. 3-rep warmups at 10lb increments from 50lb up. 120 was greedy and i'm unimpressed with myself for not staying where i should have been, at 110. so 120 again, next time.
i did a lot-a lot of shoulder and rear rotator stuff with the cables as well. basically external rotation in a couple of planes.0 -
I was supposed to lift today but I'm still feeling busted up from the last session, mostly in the right hip. I'm thinking my fatigued form that was leaning to the right on squats pulled something.
With that said, I did yoga instead and feeling a little better and loose. In weird, I got more flexible than last time I did yoga. Not sure how hauling weights around can do that, but it did.0 -
Posting this am--I keep forgetting to post here. I am down to lifting 2x per week due to other Summer activities.
Squats 5x6 100 lbs
Bench 5x5 67.5 (up!)
Row 5x6 80
Also did Krok's EMOTM. I'm still shaking!
OHP
6+2 ladder plus BW Squats
48 OHPs plus 67 squats-- I was on round 5 before I couldn't go on. Used 30 lbs for the OHPs.
I think I am going to feel this one later!0 -
UBB 2.0 Conquer W3D2 -- Back at it after 2 days of full upper body rest (barring some ball/foam/band work). I did do 8x200m sprints yesterday to get my legs moving. Shoulder is about 95% - still a bit uncomfortable up in the top position but no more pinching. However I seem to have developped some forearm tendonitis on the same side. It doesn't flare up much unless I do chin-ups or barbell curls so I'll tough it out until my next deload - it's going to be somehwat lengthy because my 2 OCRs are only a week apart now and I can't imagine myself testing maxes in-between with how sore I know I'm going to be.
1A) Power Cleans EMOTM x4 - 2 reps at 105lbs, then 4x2 at 110lbs
90% was closer to 112.5 and I have the fractional plates to make that happen, but I didn't wanna overdo it on the left arm either
2A) Strict Press 67.5x10, 70x8, 72.5x8, 75x6
2B) Light assist pull-ups 3x3, heavier assist (but lighter than last week) x8
3A) EMOTM x12
- ODD: 3 recline row transitions into triceps extension (MU sub) + 3 burpee broad jumps (still not confident enough with box jumps)
- EVEN: TRX assisted pistol squats - 35 total per leg (I made sure I was barely using my arms on these, so the rep count is lower)
I then took that 60s cold shower for the 6th day in a row (1/5th of the way in! Brr!) and I don't know if it's cuz the temp dropped near freezing last night, but this one was effin painful.0 -
I was so close to skipping today, but I told myself (sternly, of course-lol) to get up and go. I did allow myself to deload my squats a bit because I was just not feeling it this morning.
Workout A
Squats, 5x5@105 lbs. I was supposed to do 115 lbs, but just wasn't feeling it. Even 105 lbs felt tough today
Bench, 5x5@60 lbs. Deload on this from my two week break. Felt pretty easy, so 65 lbs is on deck.
Rows, 5x5@65 lbs. Also a deload. I had been up to 80 lbs, which were tough. These felt easy to start, and then rough near the end, but am planning to go up to 70 lbs.
Accessory: RDLs, 3x10@65 lbs since the bar was already set here from the rows.
Cardio: 45 minutes on the elliptical.0 -
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Yesterday workout B
squats 5x5 @ 65# These were pretty good.
Deadlift 5x1 @ 105# I was amazed I could lift it!
OHP 5x5 @ 35# I see that I am going to have a love hate relationship with this exercise. I got it done but it wasn't pretty near the end.
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indianarose2 wrote: »
"Toughness" Challenge I'm doing, trying to get myself to suck it up and do the little things that made me succesful in the past, figured doing something "harder" would make it all easier. Plus, lots of health benefits to cold showers! Skin and hair, muscle soreness, blood pressure, that kind of stuff
http://www.menprovement.com/benefits-of-cold-showers/0 -
Still struggling with my form on the OP
Squat 5 x 5 @135
Overhead press 1 x 5; 2 x 4; 2 x 3 @ 50
Sumo Deadlift 1 x 5 @ 1450
