Fireworks! November workouts going off like a rocket
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Totally agree. This has been a years long issue with me. I stretch all of the time, but STILL have tight chest muscles.
it is so hard to get to the pecs. i know all about the wall stretch and the this and the that. but i still have to find just exactly the right angle and configuration to actually 'hit' the muscles i'm aiming for . . . and i can spend half an hour trying to hunt that down sometimes. it's so easy for them to hide behind everything else.
i saw a massage therapist a few months ago who made me feel better by saying yeah; no. when it's got to the point of just being a big lump of angry muscle it's not going to respond to that stretch. he did a sort of 'pinch and strip' thing on me that helped a lot, but i'm finding i still have to keep doing that to myself.
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Do any of you do cable flys or clean and push or Snatch, and if so how long did it take to learn form and are they really necessary for a beginner. The trainer that showed me around the new gym said they're great to help work whole body. But as ive only started front squats with bar I think I've got enough other stuff to work on. It's only taken 11 months top learn to breath and lift bar at same time. Yes I'm coordinationally challenged.0
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My upper mid back is a weak spot for me too. Lots of rows and pull a parts and inverted rows on the TRX and Lat pulls.
Also if you tape two tennis balls together you can do myofascial release for your rhomboids by lying on them and rolling them up and down your t-spine. Feels great. Put the grove between the balls over your spinous processes and just lie on it. Move it up or down a spinal segment and lie on it again.0 -
i love the idea of some of those moves. but no, i haven't progressed to them either. i keep tinkering with my form on the 5 sl lifts.
it's okay to say you don't feel ready for something. maybe in six months or a year you can start asking yourself whether you're being sensible or lazy, but it does sound like you've got a lot going on already. my guess is that when you're ready to learn some new stuff you'll know. you'll be bored with 'just' doing what you're already doing and start eyeballing everyone else's moves to see which extra things you might want to pick up.0 -
Feels great.
i beg to differ.
or maybe it's not the rhomboids, but there's a bundle of little somethings right directly attached to those t-spine vertebrae, and you odn't even notice them most of the time. but if something come along and disturbs them zom-freaking-g. they hurt like a depth charge in some kind of trench. kind of a rolling-thunder echo effect that's insane.
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Do any of you do cable flys or clean and push or Snatch, and if so how long did it take to learn form and are they really necessary for a beginner. The trainer that showed me around the new gym said they're great to help work whole body. But as ive only started front squats with bar I think I've got enough other stuff to work on. It's only taken 11 months top learn to breath and lift bar at same time. Yes I'm coordinationally challenged.
Cable flys I'm not huge on because I feel like a jerk using the two pulleys that can be adjusted at the gym and can never quite get them right, but sometimes I'll try just to do something different haha.
Clean and press + snatch I have learend with video coaching, and even over a year later I'm still not all that advanced with the technique.
With the barbell
Dumbbell snatches and cleans are a LOT less technical and quite beneficial if you can learn to do them properly. But they're more of a conditionin/powerg move than a pure strength exercise. It all depends on what you are going for.
But no, they are absolutely not necessary. They,re fun, but they also have a high risk vs reward rating.Re on the rhomboids and pecs
Take it from the gal who ended up hurting her shoulder and upper back with a good yank on the rower: do not dismiss the lower traps!
I'm one of those weird freaks of nature that have hyper lax shoulders, so for me the pec stretch is kind of a funny thing. I can step my feet beyond the door frame I am stretching on and still manage to get a forward lean into the chest. I have to consciously pull the shoulders back to get any sort of stretch.
And my T-spine is a permanent ball of concrete. I only have a lax ball and I roll both sides separately quite regularly. I am still contemplating upgrading to a golf ball to go dig into that spot behind my shoulder blade.
Face pulls and Y raises are very good for working on that, and surprisingly enough, straight arm lat pulldowns give me a nice amount of work on the back of the shoulder - moreso than reverse flys, even.0 -
I am still contemplating upgrading to a golf ball to go dig into that spot behind my shoulder blade.
seriously. if you never listen to another thing that i say, listen to this one. go to your closest loonie store and hit the party-favours section. buy one pack of those little ~1-inch super-bounce balls before you bother to try a golf ball.
those things are plenty firm enough to do the deed. and they get IN under the shoulderblade as well as all of the other crannies, without hurting your skin. not to mention they're easier to roll around against a wall with, without chipping the paint or kind of skidding away because there's a hard finish on them.
do this. it's an order
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You know when the guys in the gym sigh and look away things aren't good that's me trying to do a cable fly even with no nearly no weight on. Just gets worse with weight. I'll try it lying on a bench with db before I give up completely.
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Another session tonight mainly ISO work though.
Glute kickbacks 3x12 35kg
DL 1x5 40kg,2x5 50kg, 2x5 60 kg
Goblet squat 3x10 20kg
Plie squat 3x10 20kg
Db bench 5x5 14kg
Incline bench 3x10 10kg machine
A press bench 3x10 10kg
Tricep pulldown 1x10 10kg, 3x 10 10+ half
Leg press single legs 3x10 20kg
Leg curls 3x10 10kg
Tomorrow and Thursday no session though Thurs having measurements done so will be interesting to find out bf% hopefully not to high.
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Sunday...
Squat: 57.5kg - 5x5
OHP: 25kg - 1/3/3/2/2
DL: 70kg - 1x5
Yesterday... some much needed cardio after a really bad weekend.
10 minutes of Vinyasa (warm up)
Burpees x5/Plank x30sec (alternating - 6 sets each)
Crunches x20/Scissors x20 (alternating - 5 sets each)
Plank - 1min (2 sets)
Treadmill: 5km (30min)
Treadmill: 4km, uphill (45min)
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Fuark! Not a good workout
So tired. Legs sore. Heavy weight 
Squats 45x10, 75x5, 105x5, 135x3
155x3x5 (felt like 180...)
EMOTM x6
Strict assisted pull-ups (alternating between pronated and supinated grip) -> noted as approx assist(lbs)xreps
100x5, 85x5, 100x5, 85x5, 85x4, 70x3(.5)
4 rounds of (2KB @20)
- Russian Snatch x5
- Push press x5
- Drop lunge (farmer hold x3, front rack last round) x5/leg
- power clean x5
EMOTM x6
- Sumo deadlift pop squat x4 (30lbs KB)
- Squat thrust R.A.T. (9/6/6/7/7/7 - total: 35)
Going on 2 days off, I believe. I'll need the rest and the mobility work...
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Still taking it easy. We had a cold front come through with storms and a 20 degree drop in temp within an hour! All of my joints are feeling the weather change!
Squats 5x5 120 lbs. Nice depth and speed with short rests.
BP 5x5 95 lbs. Working on form, but completed all the reps with no problems. I'm tickled pink to be able to say that about 95 lbs, LOL! I remember being stuck at 70 for a really long time.
Row 5x5 90 lbs. Another good opportunity to work on form and DH filmed me. I have NOT been parallel to the floor, even though I felt like it. Rather, there's a slight rise in angle from my hips to head. When I'm more horizontal, I feel like my head is below my hips. I'll have to set up in front of a mirror, for a while, to make sure I get there. Also, I use something to elevate the bar and I don't think that's necessary for me since I'm short. It just makes it easier to load.0 -
Trainer day
Activation and core stuff
Front squats 80# 3x5
Walking lunges with 50# many many
Plank the kind where they try to push you over
Cable rows
Dumbell rows
Isohold push-ups
More core
Tonight some easy spinning at 60-65% MHR.0 -
Yep, I 3rd the tight pecs and weak scapular issues. I'm stretching my pecs and doing airplanes and prone dumbbell lying on my side.... (can't remember name of it) at the end of my workouts to try to fix this. It has helped in the past when working with PT.0
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Good workout. Everything felt heavy, but form was good.
Squat - 3x5 at 130 lbs. So close to getting those big girl plates back on there.
OHP - 3x5 at 60 lbs. This the probably the solid-est I have done these at 60 lbs. I am really trying to get that shelf thing, and it is helping that I concentrate on pulling my shoulder blades down and together at the bottom of each rep.
DL - 1x5 at 170 lbs. I need to get my chalk again for the next one I think.
Pull ups - 3x4. First time I have gotten 4 all 3 sets.
Row - 3x5 at 75 lbs
Close grip BP - 3x8 at 65 lbs
Barbell curls - 3x10 at 40 lbs
Cable crunches - 3x10 at 55 lbs - definitely getting easier.
Hip Thrusts - 8,10,10 at 115 lbs. Had issues with bar placement for the first set and it was moving around too much.
Oh, and this gym only has 2 sets of 2.5 lb plates, and they are hard to find as the weight room is very big. Finally found a couple before squats. Then, eventually spotted two - buried under several 45s on the leg press?!?!? Who is using 2.5 lb plates on the leg press?!?! This is the meat head gym!0 -
Squats 5x5 @ 65 kg - these are feeling really good
Bench 5x5 @ 32.5 kg - I've dropped back a bit in weight as i realised my form wasn't right, trying to work on that
Rows 5x5 using 2 x 18kg dumbells
Nothing much to report, all went well...0 -
Day off from work so I sat a lot in attempt to write but I'm still very behind. But I've gotten a couple of chapters written and am a few thousand words further in the novel than before. I also went to the gym. Tried the pants I got from shopko and they worked fine but don't trust them for any lower body days. Forgot my water in the car, which was a slight nuisance. Also, tried the running shoes that are needing replaced cause planned to jog at the end and figured it wouldn't matter much for upper body day. Well, my right foot had other thoughts and I had to go shoeless for a few lifts as it kept getting achy and cramps for no reason. But it was fine while I jogged in the shoes on the treadmill...
27 - upper hyper
incline bench press 4x10 @ 65 - did okay but starts to feel a tad struggle at the very end
db fly 4x10 @ 12.5 - also did wrist curls with 10 lb db 3x10 in between sets
seated row 4x10 @ 70 - though i changed machines half way, the second set on the one oddly felt like the resistance changed, got more difficult, and not sure why
one db row 4x10 @ 25 - okay but had foot cramping issues during these, was rather odd
lat raise 12.5 3x8 - challenging, as usual
cable bicep curls 3x9 @ 50 - cause i didn't like the seated db ones, i am doing these instead
cable tricep extension 3x10 @ 60
Cardio - 30 minute jog with 5 minute warm up and cool down.
Now more writing then sleep.0 -
I had a rotten nights sleep so really had to dig deep to go to the gym before work. I did it, though.....
SQ 2x12@30KG barbell as I thought I wasn't going to get on the rack at all. 30KG is most I can safely lift onto my shoulders freestyle.
SQ 5X5 @50KG got onto the rack late on. Stayed at previous session's weight for form to.improve. Will stay there one more time, then up I go.
BP 5X5 @35KG. Pleased with this.
Row 5X5 @35kg back is definitely straighter so happier than before. Again, will stay here next time then try and increase.
Seated cable rows 2x12 @33.75KG
Press ups, step ups, Swiss ball stuff.
Absolutely shattered now.....but glad I went.0 -
Gym was busy so my order was all messed up today, felt super super weird not starting with squats
OHP warm up: 1x5 15kg had to use the women's oly barbell as all the other ones were being used, also had to clean it up at the start of each set
OHP: 3x5 30kg - so what the hell was the problem at 27.5kg that I missed 2 sessions in a row?!
DL warm up: 1x5 35kg, 1x5 55kg, 1x3 65kg
DL: 1x4 75kg - felt my back round on the 4th rep so didn't attempt the 5th
Squat warm up (the oly bar became free) so I could get in the cage: 1x5 40kg
Squat: 3x5 57.5kg - this felt weird, I think my legs were shot from the DL. Also seemed to be squatting really low and bouncing out of the hole, I am not sure why!0 -
Squats- 5X 65/75/85/95/105, 5X5X115
Sumo squats- 5X5X 100
OHP- 2X5X 45, 5X 50, 5X5X 55
DL-1X5X 145
I am going to stay at 115 pounds on the squats until my form is perfect. The OHP is still a killer! My form is getting much better though. I can't believe I used to lift 75 tones on this one. However my form was not very good. The dead lift seems quite heavy and I will stay here for a little longer.0 -
did workout b, more or less. kind of a placeholder session more than a real one. my squat form has me confused again bleh.
squats 85. i'm being manic about keeping a tight back. it's throwing everything else off from my balance to my valgus collapses to idk what else besides. so i stuck here and i guess i'll just keep seeing how things work out.
deadlift 135. i've been slopping it with deadlifts and have come to know it. so. back to the thing about doing it in two pulls - first one just engaging traps/lats/erectors and grabbing the 'slack' out of the bar, and then the second one being the actual pull. the bar was just flying up with 85 and 105 when i did do that first pull properly. but i did so many whee-this-is-fun reps that by the time i got up to 135 i had kind of gassed myself out. so 135 was HEAVY. too heavy for 5 reps, in fact. still, definitely the way forward.
ohp. small breakthrough maybe. my upper back gets so tight that just holding the bar for ohp can be more like a stretching exercise than the first part of a lift. however, two things that have come back to me and may be big help. 1. squeezing the bar. i've actually been pressing with my fingers loose and the bar just sitting on the heel of my hands with the thumbs holding it there. 2. engaging triceps while making that shelf. wow, what a difference from doing that. i mixed it up between 45 and 55 because i wasn't seriously Doing A Workout today, i guess.
pretty soon will have to stop futzing around, pick specific weights for each lift and concentrate on those as my working weight. but my strength fluctuates quite a bit between workouts so bleh.
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I lifted Monday, backed off a bit on squats. My form was suffering.
Squats: 5x5x125
Bench 5x5x85
Row: 5x5x85
Yesterday - jog/walk on treadmill
Today - nada. I was supposed to lift but I went to bed last night feeling like I was going to throw up. I woke up at 2 and still felt sick. I woke up at 6 and felt somewhat better, but didn't want to push my luck. Too tired/lazy tonight to mess with it, so it's on the agenda for 6am tomorrow. Not giving up, though, I'm feeling stronger
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Session tonight working at 3x12 for sets for hypertrophy up from 8s so had to drop weight temporarily.
DL 3x12 40kg probably could have done 50 kg
Front Squat W/up 25 kg, 3x12 30kg
Bench w/up 25kg, 3x12 27.5kg
Seated row 3x12 33kg
Lat pulldown 3x12 33kg
Triceps pulldown 3x12 12.5kg
Preacher curl 3x12 12.5kg
Leg curl 3x12 12.5kg
Leg extensions 3x12 10kg
Had measurements taken and best bit bf 24.6% I'm thrilled
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Long day since closing cashier called in. We had new person come in for a few hours but then it was just me and the store manager for the last 1.5 hours. Went to the gym afterwards and things went pretty well. Trying to type it all now but cat is on my lap and being needy so this took me a little while to get all down.
28 - lower hyper
front squat 3x8 @ 80 and 1x8 @ 95 - I did an extra set using a different grip, the crossed arms one because the lift is limited more by my wrists than my legs. Might keep doing it this way as it still works some on the wrist but also gives a little challenge to the legs at the end.
bar lunge 3x8 @ 70 - eh, lunges
good morning 3x10 @ 70 - challenging enough
leg extension 4x8 @ 65 - nothing special
leg curl 3x8 @ 70 - usual
seated calves 4x10 @ 95 - meh, calves
Now for writing.
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It has been a very long time since I checked in here. I am hoping that this will help keep my lifting more regular.
DL - 1x5x145, 1x4x165, 1x3x165
OHP - Not great because I was a little tired from the DL. 3x5x45
BP - 3x4x60
Squats - 3x8x75
I am going light with more reps on the squats for the next little while. I have been told that squats aren't good for me knees (arthritis) but I enjoy them to much and they don't hurt so what the hell I will continue doing them.0 -
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.
Just a tip... try lying with a yoga mat rolled up vertically under your spine so that the mat and you spine are parallel, and your arms are in a cactus position. If you can do this 5-10 minutes a day it's a great stretch for your pecs and will also help with upper back pain (particularly behind the shoulder blades).0 -
bluefish86 wrote: »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.
Just a tip... try lying with a yoga mat rolled up vertically under your spine so that the mat and you spine are parallel, and your arms are in a cactus position. If you can do this 5-10 minutes a day it's a great stretch for your pecs and will also help with upper back pain (particularly behind the shoulder blades).
Can you explain cactus position? I'm thinking where the arms are straight out from the shoulders and the fore arm bent upward? I think I also need to do this type of stretch.0 -
Today was a SL rest day. I did 20 minutes of kettle bell swings and 40 minutes swimming. The best part was the 20 minutes in the hot tub after!0
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Rest day for me. I'm starting to appreciate the importance of these''0
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Great workout tonight, I feel so good!
Squats 5x5 @ 65.5kg (man, I love squats!)
Deadlift 1x5 @ 62.5kg (not so sure about loving these)
OHP 3/5/5/4/3 @ 22kg (think better to drop back on this!)
Then some dips, and a bit of cardio before home.
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