December Workout Check-IN: The Kettlebells Rock Edition!
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Re: Roll of Shame
If any of you have a navel piercing, kind of suck in your belly a bit as you roll by to keep the bar from catching the piercing. Not that that has happened to me at all...
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Well I was going to take a bath so can go back out and get lunch... dinnunch? linner? At this point... ugh. But they are going to test the new alarm system in the building and i really don't want to be stark naked when they come into my apartment to check on the thingy... So here's today's session
Taken from the cutting version of ICF 5x5
squats 45x5, 75x5, 105x5, 135x3, 165x1
175x3x5
These felt so slow, but somehow not grindy and there was no forward bend at all. Still have a bit of a wonky knee thing going on. Determined I'm gonna go in tomorrow to do mobility work, some LISS and the 34 hero manmakers
bench 45x10, 65x5, 85x5, 110x3
125x3/3/4
Roll of shame on the first set trying to attempt a 4th rep. #3 wasn't so bad but I kind of tried to pause at the bottom and just completely lost my tightness. The bar just flattened me. I think I moved like half an inch before realizing it wasn't gonna work and gave up. Ah well, still got 4 on 3rd set, and that,s a rep PR so yay!
rows 45x8, 65x5, 85x5, 100x3
110x5/5/4 (and a half).
I tried to avoid using momentum on that very last rep and came up about 2 inches short of the complete range of motion. Too bad.
shrugs 85x8, 110x8, 125x8, 145x8
did my 33 hero manmakers here because I didn't want to fatigue my arms too bad before doing them. Got them all in 7:44 so much improvement there!
rope cable triceps ext 45x10, 65x8, 70x8, 70x8, 55x10 (unno, wasn,t really feeling them so I went a bit over what I should've been doing lol)
barbell curls 30x8, 35x8, 40x/, 45x8, 45x7 and a cheat rep to finish it off
hyperextensions bwx15, 25x10, 25x2x10
aaand standing cable crunch 95x10, 105x10, 115x10
+ I did another 15 hero manmakers when I got home so I would have a complete slate with the challenge (missed the first day of 30, so I did 5, 10, 15 over the last 3 days to make up for it)
What with my warm-up that I also did at the beginning, today's taken me well over an hour and a half. And this is the reduced # of sets version. So uh, nope, I won't be able to pull off this program after the weekend. PHUL until xmas it is!0 -
Last Night's workout - PHUL Upper Hypertrophy
Incline Barbell Bench Press - 70# 4x8
Flat Bench Dumbbell Fly - 15# (each arm) 4x12
Seated Cable Row - 35# (each arm) 4x12
One Arm Dumbbell Row - 30# 4x12
Dumbbell Lateral Raise - 10# 4x10
Seated Incline Dumbbell Curl - change to barbell 35# 4x10
Cable Triceps Extension - 30# 3x8
Looking forward to Lower Hypertrophy later today Although front squats are brutal for me...any suggestions on alternative excercises? 0 -
Today's workout
Squats-1X5X 65/75/85/95/105, 5X5X 115
Sumo squats-5X5X100
BP- 1x55/65, 5x5x75
BR- 5x5x80
Everything felt good, so, I will start adding weight.0 -
Jennifer_Lynn_1982 wrote: »Looking forward to Lower Hypertrophy later today Although front squats are brutal for me...any suggestions on alternative excercises?
Goblet squats, where you hold a dumbbell or kettlebell at chest level (but not against your chest) and squat with it. It's go the same core recruitment pattern as the front squats, but your shoulders will take the brunt of the load instead of your wrists, if that's what bothers you. It's not a great sub for lower rep work, but for hypertrophy dayI think you'll get your bang for the buck
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trainer day!! yay.
ohp 60lbs. it was absolutely not easy, and i quit as soon as i got to 5 on the amrap set so i believe it'll be a repeat or something like a half-pound increase next time. but i'm totally fine with that. every rep went up with adequate form and every rep got locked out. but it was way too hard for me to really feel like i was working the form the way i like to feel about overhead press. i'll call it progress if i can do the next session at this same weight and i do have that 'form' feel to it.
squat: 90lbs. i'm really happy with this as well, even though i did 95 on my own time a week ago. i was feeling the form on this too and it was good. and 90 was a comfortable weight with just enough challenge to it. 6 on amrap.
it was a good workout considering that my lat/trap/serratus complex is so irritated on the left i was debating whether i should go at all. physio appointment tomorrow and i'm really hoping for a few answers on it.
so it's looking as if it's all 'up' from here. and one final nice note: i rode to the session, and for whatever reason, i had my lower abs engaged and participating in a way that i could also feel, for the entire half-hour ride home.
so much of lifting for me is not about the strength, because my muscles probably have the strength, individually. it's 'finding' them when i want them, so they take part in the work.0 -
Goblet squats, where you hold a dumbbell or kettlebell at chest level (but not against your chest) and squat with it.
i'll second this, because i am all about them right now as a pre- thing to do for back squats. i hold the bell a few inches in front of my ribs, at about boob level. and then i go down to parallel or just below, and really consciously make sure my lower abs and my core are turned all the way on. and then i just hold it like that for a few seconds or until i feel like coming back up. when i do this, it's suddenly the easiest thing in the world to keep a nice upright chest and (comparatively) explode coming out of the hole.0 -
Took some Aleve, went to yoga and felt loose enough to go ahead with SL.
Squats 115 lbs 5x5 Didn't get stuck, thank goodness.
OHP 50 lbs 5x5 felt confident enough to do this without the rack. Used a pre-loaded barbell and watched the unevenness between left and right in a mirror. Oy.
DL 165 lbs 1x5
BP narrow grip accessory for grins 65 lbs 5x5. Too light or too few reps, but I wasn't sure how my elbow would feel. Loved the tricep engagement. I'll keep doing these.0 -
Rest day for me. And by rest, I mean I worked 9 hours. Though, speaking of PHUL... @krokador Any tricep suggestions as far as skullcrusher is concerned? I know you mentioned straps when I first started but I don't have any. May not be able to do that one for a little bit.
Elbow has been a problem for about a week so I'm probably going to do other stuff for tomorrow's "upper power" since it's not even based on how much I lift but certain movements. Will have to see how things feel tomorrow night. Long as I'm not getting a cold because it is not allowed. Started feeling the potential this morning so have zinc stuffs, but better not be sick. *tries to be determined on the issue*0 -
DawnEmbers wrote: »Rest day for me. And by rest, I mean I worked 9 hours. Though, speaking of PHUL... @krokador Any tricep suggestions as far as skullcrusher is concerned? I know you mentioned straps when I first started but I don't have any. May not be able to do that one for a little bit.
Yup! I don't remember the setup completely so I'm not sure if you have those on the hypertrophy day, but rope cable pushdowns are definitely an alternative. (or overhead cable rope extensions. These are a bit "harder" but more similar to the skullcrushers, I guess). Having the rope instead of a fixed attachment gives your elbows more leeway into moving in a way that's more comfortable for you. Another one migth be a single DB seated overhead extension (it's easier to get the DB up while seated, but you don't need a back rest).
Let's see if i can find demos for ya (It looks like it's going to be a Scott Herman day... what the hell! lol)
rope cable pushdown:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vB5OHsJ3EME
overhead cable triceps ext (well this one is bb.com. Seems some people also do those with a high pulley and leaning super far forward. Bottom pulley is how i learned it)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mRozZKkGIfg
2-hand db overhead extensions:(my tip, again: you don,t need back support, and you can definitely do it without facing the dumbbell forward at the top):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbX7Wd8jQ-Q
Also, if all else fails, close grip bench press might be a decent sub as well. Just make sure "close" grip is not "narrow" grip. You don't want to internally rotate dem shoulders!
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Got carried away in the gym today - husband is away, so I had no reason to head home in any hurry, so I was there for nearly two hours. I was half expecting them to throw me out!
Squats: 5x5 @ 69kg
OHP: 5x5 @ 21.5kg
deadlifts: 1x5 @ 61kg
I did lots and lots of warm ups on the deadlifts and tried to remember everything from videos ... and yeah, I think it's coming together. Is there any downside to doing sumo deadlifts? They feel better, but I'm not sure if they're as 'good' as a regular one.
ha, and I also used Olympic plates, which my normal gym doesn't have. Feels like cheating a bit - I'm only 1.48cm tall and so those plates lift the bar a long way up
After that I messed around with kettlebell swings and snatches, with some Strong Curves glute exercises, some abs, some cardio - this was in the bigger of the two gyms I go to and I was just playing with toys, really!0 -
I did lots and lots of warm ups on the deadlifts and tried to remember everything from videos ... and yeah, I think it's coming together. Is there any downside to doing sumo deadlifts? They feel better, but I'm not sure if they're as 'good' as a regular one.
Sumo deadlifts play on leverages a bit and will be closer to the squat in mechanics. You don't get quite the same involvement on the lower back and I think lats to an extent due to the closer grip/lesser distance to travel up. If you feel more comfortable with it it's not really an issue in and of itself, but it really depends on your goal. If anything though, since you squat earlier on in the workout, you might be able to pull a bit more weight conventional due to using less of your glutes which are already fatigued.0 -
I did lots and lots of warm ups on the deadlifts and tried to remember everything from videos ... and yeah, I think it's coming together. Is there any downside to doing sumo deadlifts? They feel better, but I'm not sure if they're as 'good' as a regular one.
Sumo deadlifts play on leverages a bit and will be closer to the squat in mechanics. You don't get quite the same involvement on the lower back and I think lats to an extent due to the closer grip/lesser distance to travel up. If you feel more comfortable with it it's not really an issue in and of itself, but it really depends on your goal. If anything though, since you squat earlier on in the workout, you might be able to pull a bit more weight conventional due to using less of your glutes which are already fatigued.
Hmm, thanks, that's interesting. It's the involvement of my lower back that concerns me in regular deadlifts! I'll keep trying both, see how I go.0 -
@krokado Thanks. I do the first one on upper hypertrophy day but will try the other cable one and see how that feels. Hopefully can go to gym after work. Am a little congested but it's not bad yet...0
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Went cycling today with a group of friends, 45 miles in the wind. Man, I've not been doing enough cardio recently, I'm wiped out!0
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Had the worst workout today.
Squat 125lbs 4/3/4
Bench 87.5lbs 4/2/3/2/3
Rows 100lbs 5x5 but not counting it as a success because I know I didn't get full ROM on a lot of the reps.
Sigh. Better luck next time. Seems like 125 is my new sticking point on the squat. Had the same trouble trying to break through 100....0 -
I was able to increase weight on my squats and OHP today! For the OHP I could only do it for two of the five sets. I left the DL at 150 because that was an increase last week and still not pretty.
Squats-1X5X65/75/85/95/105/115, 5X5X 120
Sumo squat-5X5X105
OHP-1X5X 45/50, 2X5X60, 3X5X 55
DL-1X5X 1500 -
I went to the gym yesterday after my 9 hour work shift but between elbow still having issue and coming down with a cold, I didn't do upper body power. I did upper body and tried out a couple of different things instead. So it was random upper body night and tonight is a no go cause congestion blah. After my work shift today I'm just coming home and going to bed. Tried not to get sick but pesky thing happened anyways. At least, after tonight, I have a couple of days off work for rest. Working has bothered my elbow more than lifting so it will be a nice break for that too.
bench press 1x8 regular and 1x5 pause @ 65, 1x8 regular and 1x5 pause @ 75, 2x3 @ 95 - tried a couple of things since elbow has been an issue. Knew I wouldn't be able to get 105 let alone more as would have been the plan with power day.
decline bench press 2x8 @ 55 and 2x8 @ 60 - okay but unracking was the hardest cause I'm not quite tall enough so getting the bar in position is a slight struggle.
lat pull 1x8 @ 60 and 2x8 @ 70 - these weren't bad.
db shoulder press 2x8 @ 17.5 and 2.8 @ 22.5 - tad light, wasn't going to do ohp so thought I'd do these instead, had to share the 22.5 but that was okay as the guy is one I see around a lot and he's at least nice (plus puts away everything when he's done with a lift)
face pull 3x8 @ 20 - something new. Went light and wasn't quite sure if I had them right since I watched youtube in order to find out how to do it. Felt it in my shoulders as I'm not used to that movement at all.
overhead cable tricep extension 3x10 @ 20 - tried to see if it could replace skull crushers for a little bit cause elbow. Kept hitting my ponytail so that was a slight nuisance and elbow felt it a tad but not bad.
shrugs 2x10 @ 30 - random but I couldn't figure out what to do last. I considered trying rack pulls for the fun of it but some guy was camped in the cage doing some seated thing with heavy weights plus dumbbells and pull ups. Plus, I might not be tall enough cause the lowest spot for the safeties doesn't look like it's below my knees, but I'd have to get closer to be certain.
Then I went home, took medicine though I didn't feel that bad while lifting and slept off and on. Now to get ready and go to work so I can come home tonight and sleep more. Maybe figure out small foods to eat cause this soup was a fail. Too much stuff in it, veggies and meat. May need more tissue soon... good thing I can get that from work.0 -
Hope you feel better soon, @DawnEmbers - rest when you can.0
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canadianlbs wrote: »Goblet squats, where you hold a dumbbell or kettlebell at chest level (but not against your chest) and squat with it.
i'll second this, because i am all about them right now as a pre- thing to do for back squats. i hold the bell a few inches in front of my ribs, at about boob level. and then i go down to parallel or just below, and really consciously make sure my lower abs and my core are turned all the way on. and then i just hold it like that for a few seconds or until i feel like coming back up. when i do this, it's suddenly the easiest thing in the world to keep a nice upright chest and (comparatively) explode coming out of the hole.
Thank you @krokador and @canadianlbs ! I will try goblet squats next week, my arms/shoulders can't take the front squat again...
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