Fireworks! November workouts going off like a rocket
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So tired but I'm back.
After vacation had two days that equaled 19 hours total at work but decided on day 3 of being back, it was time for the gym. So, even after an 8 hour freight shift, I went to the gym. Had been over a week and I missed lifting. Decided to do the lower hypertrophy day since before my max tests I last did the upper hypertrophy. This way also I'll be doing upper on Saturday as I think I have my schedule figured out. Did a slight de-load but not on all of them as with hypertrophy day I'm at lower weights anyways, but I did feel my legs a bit more than usual during, so we'll see how I feel tomorrow.
24 lower hypertrophy
front squat 3x8 @ 75 - fine, slight de-load though not much, but felt it a bit in my quads
bar lunge 3x8 @ 65 - same as before, slow but manageable
good morning 3x10 @ 65 - in between lunge sets, nothing unusual here
leg curl 3x10 @ 60 - minor decrease but felt good, also extension was occupied so slightly out of order
leg extension 3x8 @ 65 - decrease too and tad challenging but managed
seated calf 3x10 @ 90 - kept the same and easy enough
Now to find a little more protein, try to write a couple hundred words, then sleep time.0 -
Happy Friday everyone!
This morning I managed to get a fabby workout in....the gym was busy but the Gods of the squat rack were on my side and I managed to do both SL and NRoL4W routines today (one with heavier weights than the other!).
SQ - 5x5 @ 47.5kg. I struggled with 45kg so was going to stick to that but managed 47.5kg with better form and no real issues, so will stick with this next time although I really want to do the 50kg - it sounds soooo much better!
OHP - 5x5 25kg. I failed last time with 27.5kg on each set, so back to 25kg today and hope to go back up again soon.
DL - 1x5 @ 57.5kg. Happy with my form so looking forward to going up to 60kg next time - I can use the 20kg (45lb) plates for the first time!!
Then lowered the weights and did:
DL - 2x15 @35kgs
dumbell shoulder press - 8/7/8/7 using 2 8kg weights as a superset with wide grip lat pulldowns 26kg
Lunges - 2x15 @25kg By this time I was not in the squat rack and getting the bar back over my head when I had finished was not exactly refined!
plus
swissball crunch 2x 12 with 10kg plate
glute bridges - 2x 12 with 10kg plate
press ups 2 x8
I'm definitely noticing a difference in my shape, strength and loving my motivation to get up early in the mornings to work out - up until now, I've been a strictly AFTER work kinda gal.
Oh, and got my first comment from one of the guys today. He said I was a machine hahaha!!!
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Yoga today. Ahhhhhhhhh.
Weather turned cool last night and I'm looking forward to an real autumn day, today, so I'll the dogs and I will enjoy walks. They're old and don't move like they used to, but it will be nice to be outside and not swarmed by mosquitos.0 -
Just back from the gym - today's session took me FOREVER, already considering switching down to 3x5.
Squat warm up: 1x5 20kg, 30kg, 1x3 40kg
Squat: 5x5 52.5kg
OHP warm up: 1x5 20kg
OHP: 5x5 28.5kg (I found the little 0.5kg plates, woohoooo)
DL warm up: 1x5 40kg, 50kg, 1x3 60kg
DL: 1x5 70kg
Deadlift was hard today due to squats being tough (another reason for me to think about 3x5). Also think I psyched myself out a little bit because it looked like a hell of a lot of weight on the floor so my first pull wasn't great. Switched to a mixed grip for the last 2 reps and it felt an awful lot easier.
Was pleased with OHP - after being stuck at 27.5kg for 3 sessions I blitzed 28.5kg in one. Thank you to whoever told me to tighten everything pre lift, it really helped me get that bar up there.
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It's Friday! I've been forgetting to check in, so I'll do it here. Happy to say I'm still rolling along, but it's getting hard.
Monday: Treadmill
Tuesday: Rest
Wednesday: Squat 5/5/5/5/3 130lb (first failure) -- Bench 5x5x80 -- Row 5x5x80
Thursday: Treadmill
Today: Squat 5x5x130 (barely made it, form isn't great) -- OHP 4/5/5/2/3 x 85 (ouch) -- Dead 1x5x140
Because I do my workouts in the morning and I hate getting up, I'm usually crunched with time. Failing on the OHP wanted me to wait 5 minutes between lifts. I don't have 25-30 minutes to spend on just OHP. I may have been able to do it if I rested, but I seriously doubt it. When I picked the bar off the rack I was like, "Whoa! This is heavy, how am I going to even get this over my head?!" Obviously I didn't consistently get it over my head, but I didn't wait 5 min. either. I also "cheated" on a couple of them and sort of bounced before thrusting the bar up. So I think OHP is going to be backing off a bit. I don't mind though, 80 was hard enough - I'm fine with it, I didn't expect to nail the 85 once, let alone 25 times, LOL.0 -
Yay for your Ohp progress in particular. This is my most troublesome element but I too have been tightening up and it definitely makes a difference. Plus, gotta be good for the core too!!
I need to try the mixed grip for DL....but I just keep forgetting and struggling instead!!0 -
Less than stellar workout, but I pride myself here in saying I went in, did the work and did not die. Lol
Bench 122.5x 4/4/3/4/3
That 3rd set I attempted a 4th rep and got stuck midway, so had to do the roll of shame. A first when not going for a PR, and a second in all my lifting career. I was considering asking for a spot on my last set, but i waited like 2 mins to see someone come close that wasn't busy and I had no luck, so I went for it. I might've had another rep there if I did have someone behind me, but hey, post deload, TOM and exhausted lifting = not too bad all things considered. I'll nail it next workout
I was also warming up for the next lift in between sets.
Pendlay Rows 100x5x5
Not a lot to say about this one. Was originally gonna jump to 105 but resigned myself after the 3 reps @95 felt really heavy.
Moving on to the GBB stuff:
8 min AMRAP (25lbs KB)
-1 arm KB russian snatch x5/arm
-trx assisted pistol squat x5 per leg
- split stance kb 1 arm row x10/side
got through 3 rounds and up to 4 rows per side.
10 min AMRAP
- KB wide stance sumo deadlift (35lbs) x20, 15, 10, 5, 10
- Wall walks x2, 3, 4, 5, 3
The wall walks were excruciatingly tough! Last time I did them I was 15lbs lighter and not still a bit injured. I think it's a good addition though, as I could feel my entire upper body was engaged, including that area I injured. No pain. Just felt weak, lol.
I need a bath now O_o
Congrats on everyone progressing on their OHP. I think I'm going to add it back in on a regular basis soon. ^^0 -
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Thursday...
Squat - 65kg, 4/5/4/4/5 (3rd time failing... time to deload)
Bench - 30kg, 5x5
Row - 42.5kg, 5x5
Bummed about having to deload on my squat, but my shoulder has been f*cked lately so it may be for the best until I get some treatment for it.
Yesterday...
No Yoga.
My studio doesn't have a Vinyasa class I can go to on Friday's and I've decided to stop doing Bikram until my shoulder is fully healed (too many backbends).
Went to the gym instead and did some ab work and cardio....
Alternating crunches and scissors - 3x20 of each
Plank - 3x1min
Cardio - 5km (31min) + cool down (5min)
Today....
REST DAY!!!0 -
Today's workout. Now I have about 7 hours of painting to do.
Squats- 5x65/75/85/95/105, 5x5x110
Sumo Squats- 5x5x95
OHP- 5x45/50/55, 4x5x50
DL - 1x5x140
I'm so weak at lifting the OHP. I tried for 55lbs and lost my form so dropped down to 50 lbs. Anyone have any advice on other lifts or exercises I can do to increase my strength to be able to increase the weight of this lift?0 -
Oh I wish I could give some input on those Ohp issues as it might mean I had cracked it myself ...!!
Today's workout for me:
SQ 2X12@ 30KG 5/5/5/4/5@50KG. Really narked I missed that one rep! Will try for the full set next time.
BP 1x5 @30 KG and 5X5@35KG
Row 5X5@35KG.... Down from 37.5 last time as I felt my back curve last time.
Someone posted a clip on the difference between motivation and discipline and.it watched that today. At the gym it was definitely discipline that saw me through today rather than motivation!!
I think I will stick with the same weights for a session or two, concentrate on form and push on from there. Slowly but surely I will get there!!!
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Felt good when I woke up, finally got a whole night of sleep! But I guess TOM + deficit starting to catch up to me. After the 4/3/3/3 today my squats looked like this:
185x3/2/2
seeing as I wasn't getting anywhere, I switched the weights and went for an AMRAP @ 145 and got 8 reps
Time for a deload, I guess. Gonna work my way back up from 160 and start using my fractionals after 180 now.
The GBB workout went like this:
EMOTM x6
-> Double KB Manchild (Squat clean thruster) with 2x25lbs. Got 3, 4x4 and 5 on the last minute
6 min AMRAP
- Pike Press x4
- KB goblet drop lunge x6/leg (started with 25lbs for 2 rounds, then dropped down to 20lbs)
I got 5 rounds and 3 lunges per side. Legs were shaky and tiiiired
The finisher, which I have aptly names Snatch me if you can is a race to
- 50 alternating single arm power KB snatch /arm (used 25lbs)
- EMOTM after the first minute, do 10 sit-outs
Cap: 10 minutes. Time? 9:52
So yeah, 100 snatches and 90 sitouts (45 per side)
Towards the 35th rep I was basically just digging into my dignity more than anything. According to my hair, I basically went super saiyan (if you know Dragon Ball). I kid you not.
Before:
After:
Happy to be getting an off day tomorrow. Although a part of me is considering going in just so I can switch back to doing Squats while rested. Lol. We'll see.0 -
love the faces, krok
i had trainer day yesterday. i absolutely never understand WHY, when trainer day is actually so much lighter than the workouts i do by myself . . . i end up feeling so drained after them. no wonder i'm paying him. there has to be something that he's doing right.
so what i did was bench at 70, which went perfectly fine and was light enough to let me pay real attention to form. and deadlift, which i got at 135, so yay for the big plates again. i think i did around 15 of them at that weight, broken up. i need to stay here and work harder at certain things with deadlifts before i move up. specifically upper back, traps, and hip hinging/abs.
and then 3x5 sets of rows at 75 for accessory. and that was the entire workout except that i sneaked in two or three sets of 5 ohps with the bar when i was done with deadlifts, though.
oh. and he has a personal-improvement challenge that you can do every month if you like. this month is either static wall handstand time, or goodmornings done with the resistance band. i like the idea of both but i chose the gm's. too shy to let the guys all see me with my upside-down face turning purple and my eyes bugging out.0 -
Oh...I wanna play handstands at home!
I'm still super setting stuff to keep the time down
Squat 120# 5-5-4 last one failed to keep my chest up and kind of collapsed in the middle.
Row (DB) 55# 3x5
OHP 65 5-4-4
SLDL 20# dbs 3x8
Chin up: BW 5-5-4
TRX ham curls 3x8
Some accessory band work for lays and rotator cuff
Tomorrow cardio.0 -
heheheh, very nice @krokador
Went to gym after work. Thighs are still achy from Thursday's lifting so tomorrow should be fun as time for back squats, but tonight was upper body and I did a little jogging. Looking forward to Monday and Tuesday as those are my days off, the first since I got back from vacation. Need to do laundry and write as I'm very behind in NaNoWriMo.
25 Upper Power
bench 3x4 @ 95 - heavy but managed
db incline bench 3x10 @ 25 - easy enough
bent row 3x5 @ 90 - used the fixed weight barbell, not bad
lat pull 3x8 @ 70 - felt tad heavy, didn't de-load much but this has been hard to increase
ohp 3x3 @ 75 - okay
bar curl 3x8 @ 40 - eh, curls
skull crusher 3x8 @ bar + 10 - heavy and a slight struggle
Then walk warmup/cool down (5 minutes each) and 20 minute jog on treadmill.
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Just back from a weekend away, eating and drinking too much with friends. Great fun, but time to get back to the gym!
Squats: 5x5 @ 64.5 kg - easy peasy!
OHP: 4/3/5/4/3 @ 22kg - hmm. Not easy peasy
Deadlift 5 @ 60 kg. I need to increase but I'm scared!
I have a day off tomorrow so I plan to head back to the gym and do all the stuff I don't get to do now that 5x5 has taken over my life! Kettlebell swings, snatches, Turkish gets ups, bit of ab work, bit of cardio...0 -
Just back from an hour's skiing on the dry slope. Loved it, and felt really good to get my ski legs back!!0
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kimiuzzell wrote: »Just back from an hour's skiing on the dry slope. Loved it, and felt really good to get my ski legs back!!
What is a dry slope?0 -
Had a great session tonight. Managed to have a rack to myself for nearly half an hour.
DL 1x10 40kg, 1x8 50kg, 1x5 55kg, 2x 5 60kg feels sooo good to be DL again
Front Squat 3x8 30kg, 1x8 35 kg, 2x8 37.5kg
Bench 5x5 30kg, 2 x 3 32.5kg this is going to take time me thinks
Lat pull down 1x8 26kg, 1x8 26+ half, 3x8 33kg
A press 2x10 9 kg, 2x10 10kg
Single arm bench rows 3x12 kg don't seem to be able to get form right using barbell to do bent over row
Preacher curl 12.5kg barbell 3x12 arms fair burned with these.
Starting to get my confidence back
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fanncy0626 wrote: »kimiuzzell wrote: »Just back from an hour's skiing on the dry slope. Loved it, and felt really good to get my ski legs back!!
What is a dry slope?
Well, we don't have mountains where I live (in fact, we are one of the flattest places in the UK) and we certainly don't get snow very often! So, we have man-made ski slopes, with artificial surfaces. Sort of like carpets made out of brush bristles! Of course, it is not like the real thing, which we have to go to the Alps for, but it does mean we can ski all year round rather than having to wait for our "once a year" holiday! Not dependent on weather, and you still get a proper ski workout. We've got a fun park for the snowboarders and freestyle skiers to do their tricks, we've got a mogul field to practice our technique on, and we've got three different slopes there - nursery, intermediate and the main slope. It's a bit harder than snow because the artificial surface gives more resistance than snow, as you would expect, but that makes it a more efficient workout, and makes snow even easier when we eventually get there!0 -
So....after "buzzing" all night from having skied, and not getting the best night's sleep, I was a bit bleurgh when the 5.30 alarm went off, but gym kit was ready prepared so I went, and I am glad I did as the weights room was really quiet so no hanging around for kit.
SQ: 5x5@ 50kg - got all five this time, and really pleased. Will probably stay at this weight for the next session as well to ensure form remains acceptable. (did type "good" but "acceptable" was more appropriate!!!)
OHP - hmmm.....failed at 27.5kg using the olympic bar again, so took off 2.5kg to bring back to 25kg and still failed! However, did 5x5 without too much difficulty using the 25kg barbell. Not sure why, whether it is psychological or just the shorter bar is easier?
DL: 2x12@ 40kg then 1x5@ 57.5kg. Last rep was a struggle, but with my grip/weak wrist rather than my back/legs. Might need to start trying variations of grip with my lower weight sets, and will stick with 57.5kg next time before trying 60kg which is one of my goals for November so still 2 weeks left to achieve it!
Lat pull down - 2x12@ 33kg
Lunges - 2x12 each leg @25kgbarbell
Swissball crunches with 10kg plate - 2x15
Dumbell shoulder press 2x12 @10kg but using bench rather than freestanding as by that time I was ready to run away!
6 pressups. Could try harder!
So, just a day at work to get through now - would quite like to go home and get back under my duvet!!0 -
Lots of hard work going on in here. Great lifts @christch
Went to gym after work, which was fine except on the second lift my headache from earlier returned with a vengeance. I pushed through and feel a little better after eating foods but still it's achy so may have to take something before bed. Legs were still a little achy but not a hindrance and I did de-load on most of the lifts, so that helped. Left water bottles at work though, oops, and I have the next two days off but oh well. So, glad to get days off as it's the first day off since I got back and I need to do laundry after sleeping in. Lifts were a bit out of order cause had to wait for the deadlift spot to open up, though all of the other equipment in the area was open as not many lift on a sunday night after 11 pm.
26 lower power
squat 3x4 @ 155 - felt okay considering I have been sore for a few days now.
leg press 3x8 @ 210 - okay as well
leg curl 3x8 @ 60 - eh
deadlift 1x5 rdl warmup then 1x3 and 3x4 @ 185 - Not bad, calluses hurt a little but 185 finally feels somewhat easy instead of heavy.
sumo deadlift 2x5 @ 135 - just for fun, still feels a bit odd.
standing calf 3x8 @ 75 - only one I increased instead of de-load, more challenging but managed it.
Now I wish I was sleeping but instead am eating chicken enchiladas that roommate made and have to write newsletters and stories before bed, which the cat likes cause she's going to nap on my lap while I do that.0 -
Back from the first lift of the week, switched to 3x5 during today's workout (it was taking me SO LONG, squats alone took like 25 minutes!!)
Squat warm up: 1x5 20kg, 30kg, 40kg
Squat: 5x5 55kg
Bench warm up: 1x5 20kg
Bench: 3x5 37.5kg
Row: 3x5 42.5kg
Squat: Have been working on my bar position and grip, feeling better with it now, and no more wrist hurting with the thumbless grip. Slightly felt myself pushing from not my heels on a few reps so I guess my weight is shifting forwards a little. One to watch out for going forwards.
It's odd how heavy the weight feels on your back but then you go to squat and down and up you go!
Bench went better thanks to your videos above! Getting verrry close to my max though as some of those reps were properly dodgy. I'm going to practice failing on Friday (I'm thinking roll of shame onto the safeties) as now that I'm benching to my bra band I have to set the safeties lower and they won't catch the bar anymore.
Row actually felt ok today, it's still an odd feeling exercise but I think I'm getting better about keeping my back down and flat, and maybe even working the right muscles!
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I had a great non 5x5 workout today, just taking the opportunity to getting to the gym on a day off. Kettlebells, some elliptical, sit ups, just having fun really! Back to the squats etc tomorrow :-)0
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I( have been downright hurtin' from the "back at it" + new workout days soreness so I was a little dreadful of today, even though I had my favorite lift planned - the clean! All went well, however. Even considering I woke up at like 4:15 and couldn't go back to sleep xD
Power clean pull + power clean combo.
65x3
75x2
85x1
95x1
then EMOTM x6 with 105x2, 110x2 and 112.5x2
Then I re-racked the bar with an additional power clean (which I intended to make a full one, but I actually overpowered the bar something fierce and almost hit myself in the chin! I guess I was afraid it wouldn't clear, lol)
Decided with my bench being a little more difficult, it was also time to reincorporate dedicated overhead pressing.
67.5x5x5 went fairly well. No knee bend, barely any arching. Last 2 reps aren't easy by any means, but they were not grinders either. Wee!
Then hit up the speed shred session which turned out to not be as hard as I thought. For once!
every 20s x 3min -> seated vertical jump
3 rounds per arm with the 25lbs KB of
- KB Power clean x5
- KB push press x10
- bodyweight split squat x15
every 20s x 3min -> power step broad jump - I almost cleared the floor panel which I estimate is about 6 feet wide a few times!
Finisher: 10, 8, 6, 4, 2 for time [4:34]
- Push-up
- Recline Row
- KB Swing @24kg (that's about 52.5lbs)
In retrospect, I went too easy on the regressions on this one. I think the step up is shoulder tap push-ups and feet elevated recline rows, so we'll see. Cap is 10 minutes so obviously I can push a bit more. Maybe I could try the 70lbs KB. But that's a HUGE step up from 50. Why is there nothing in between? =/
Then did 4 sets of face-pulls
30x20, 45x15, 50x15, 55x15
superset with cable crunches
90x15, 105x12, 110x12, 115x15
Oh, and I finished with an easy 15mins on the recumbent bike. Got my glutes good!0 -
Yesterday I did kettle bell swings on my rest day. I increased my weights today. It was a little difficult. I will need to stay here at these weights until I get my form perfect.
Squat- 5X 65\75\85\95\105, 5X 5X115
Sumo squat- 5X5X 100
BP- 5X 65/70/75, 5X5X 80
BR- 5X5X 85
I am still painting. I have trim boards a hallway and the kitchen left to do. Three coats of paint. Hopefully tomorrow we will be able to put the trim back up. Then I will start tearing up the wood floor.0 -
i need upper-back strength. my legs laugh at these 100-lb squats, but my t-spine sure doesn't. deloaded again yesterday over it. i don't really consider this a full workout, but not sure if i'll try to repeat it today.
85 squats and 3x5@55 for ohp because my back wasn't the world's happiest.
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canadianlbs wrote: »i need upper-back strength. my legs laugh at these 100-lb squats, but my t-spine sure doesn't. deloaded again yesterday over it. i don't really consider this a full workout, but not sure if i'll try to repeat it today.
85 squats and 3x5@55 for ohp because my back wasn't the world's happiest.
I agree with you. Sometimes when I don't have good form during an exercise I feel like I didn't even accomplish anything. If you find anything that will increase upper back and body strength let me know.0 -
fanncy0626 wrote: »I agree with you. Sometimes when I don't have good form during an exercise I feel like I didn't even accomplish anything.
yeah, a whole lot of this. i'm vaguely following what i think mr trainer was saying, and looking at things that will hit the space between my shoulderblades so i can maintain a straighter shelf there. and when i say 'following' what i really mean is 'thinking about' since i know perfectly well already what kind of things i should do. but yeah, a few flyes and airplanes couldn't possibly harm me with this.
downward dog (ugh) really helps to un-round the t-spine, i know. and the other thing is pec stretch. i swear i'm coming to believe that tight pecs cause 87.3% of all the evil in this world.
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canadianlbs wrote: »
downward dog (ugh) really helps to un-round the t-spine, i know. and the other thing is pec stretch. i swear i'm coming to believe that tight pecs cause 87.3% of all the evil in this world.
Totally agree. This has been a years long issue with me. I stretch all of the time, but STILL have tight chest muscles. My chiropractor reminds me about the stretches every time I see him for an issue between my shoulder blades...something I have to address this week, again.
I went to yoga today. Felt really tight after lazing around all weekend.
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