The august ladies' August check in and chat
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I've been deadlifting 115lb this week and I'm having a damn hard time with grip. How do I improve my grip?
Mixed grip as PP stated and chalk. If your gym won't allow chalk you can try gloves, I prefer chalk but gloves help too.0 -
Just got "Starting Strength" in the mail. "doing a happy dance"
Awesome, you will love it! After I read that I got the DVD- it really helped my form too. It's nice to get such detailed explanations on form.0 -
I'm up to 90lbs on squats and that seems to be going well. I just really have to concentrate on all the form stuff - squeeze traps, elbows in, core tight, breathing out going down and in going up, chest up, feet pointed, knees not to pass, push up through the heels. Ugh, it really takes it out on me mentally.
I feel ready to move OHP up five pounds to 60. Will be trying that today. My BP is improving too so I'll move that up five pounds on Monday to 75.
I've been deadlifting 115lb this week and I'm having a damn hard time with grip. How do I improve my grip?
Hi tatas! :bigsmile: I just had to say that LOL
Your numbers are looking great! I started in February and am just now at 75 on my bench press LOL.
I was struck by what you wrote about breathing when squatting. My understanding is that we should be holding our breath throughout the squat and breathing while at the top, in between reps. Because if you are breathing during the movement, it's impossible to keep your core tight in the way that you need to in order to perform the squat. So... you might try taking a deep breath and holding it while you perform the squat, and see how that feels for you. I personally like it a lot.
And for the deadlifts, the mixed grip is da bomb!0 -
Thanks for the advice, all! I watched the video posted upthread, too and so I'll give mixed grip a try next time around. I'd rather not use gloves, but I've never seen chalk at the gym. I'll talk to the owner next time if the mixed grip doesn't work well for me.
My day today:I started so I'm all crampy and wanna lie around. Got some awesome tomatoes from the farmers market though, then the gym.
I failed at THREE on military style push-ups. Yikes. Girly style, I made it to 26. I did a 60 second plank! Warmed up with empty bar for squats, OHP, and chest presses. Then lifted 5x5.
-90# squats
-60# OHP up from 55#. This was ****ing hard. I damn near failed at the fifth rep of each set and then did fail on fourth set. Deloaded to 55# for last set.
-55# pendlay rows. These are so awkward. I could've prolly lifted heavier but I haven't really done these so starting out small seems like a good idea.
No cardio cool down, just a nice stretch.
For fun: back in the day I was "virgomagik" all over the webz. When my nephew came along, though, he couldn't say my name (Tascha) so he called me "tata." I've been tata ever since! If you called my house and asked for tata, everyone would know who you meant, all my IRL friends and family call me that now (except my husband). Because I'm an OCD Virgo, I prefer all lower case letters. :blushing:0 -
I have a few questions and this seemed like as good a place as any for them.
I've been lifting since July 12. When should I deload, and what does that look like? As many details as possible would be great!
Up until this week, I've been doing a 20-30 minute walk after weights and occasionally between weight days. I miss the elliptical but I'm not sure I am ready to get back on it (still pretty tired recovering from weights). How can I reasonably get in some time on it (because I think it's incredibly helpful with my anxiety) without overtaxing myself?
I know there are a few more that I can't think of at this moment.0 -
For fun: back in the day I was "virgomagik" all over the webz. When my nephew came along, though, he couldn't say my name (Tascha) so he called me "tata." I've been tata ever since! If you called my house and asked for tata, everyone would know who you meant, all my IRL friends and family call me that now (except my husband). Because I'm an OCD Virgo, I prefer all lower case letters. :blushing:
Oh good, thank you! I had wondered, and now I know!! :flowerforyou:0 -
Having an awesome rack is just a fun coincidence, and having nursed my son for 2.5 years = real magik, especially since my rack is STILL awesome after that!For fun: back in the day I was "virgomagik" all over the webz. When my nephew came along, though, he couldn't say my name (Tascha) so he called me "tata." I've been tata ever since! If you called my house and asked for tata, everyone would know who you meant, all my IRL friends and family call me that now (except my husband). Because I'm an OCD Virgo, I prefer all lower case letters. :blushing:
Oh good, thank you! I had wondered, and now I know!! :flowerforyou:0 -
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I received my (holy crap expensive) fractional plates! I will probably be making most of my increases with those from now on, as 5lb is a bit too big a jump for me without having my form go south.
Workout B day:
Squats 5x5 @ 31 kg (hehe those 0.5kg plates are so adorbs!!! They are even Fisher-Price coloured!)
OHP uhhh 5 3 3 4 4 @ 20kg
^^^ For the last 2 sets, I went narrower with my feet and grip and it seemed to help. I also tried to "clench" as you gals have suggested, but to be honest, I wasn't sure what I was clenching in the heat of the moment, so I'm not sure I did it right. Also, at this weight, my OHP is kind of slow, my hips moooove back instead of "snapping" fast........Is this okay? I do manage to stick to a pretty straight line with the bar and get it all the way up and hold it, but it's not so explosive as I've seen. Obviously, it's heavy for me, as I am still dropping almost all my sets.
Deadlift 5x5 @ 55kg0 -
Today's workout:
Three military style push-ups to fail, ten girly style. 70 second plank.
Empty bar 1x10:
- squat
- OHP
- chest press
Lift 5x5:
- 95# squat
- 75# chest press
- 120# deadlift with mixed grip
Heavy TOM. Wanted to cry when boys started crowding into the free weights. Mixed grip was incredibly helpful, so thanks to those who suggested that. Staying out at these weights for the week, will reattempt 65# OHP and increase to 60# for rows.0 -
Stopping by to check in. Was bed ridden with allergies all weekend so I didn't make it to gym friday or yesterday. Best believe I'll be taking my heiny tomorrow though allergies and all if that is what the case may be.
Ladies your numbers look awesome.
tata- Glad the mixed grip helped you out.0 -
Quick gym day before a week of travel for work.
A today:
Squat: 5x5 @ 90
Bench: 5x5 @ 85
Row: 5x5 @ 85
I'll be stuck using the hotel's gym (if they have one) so it will probably be a modified Wednesday workout.0 -
Been a little MIA - trying to soak up the last of the summer.
I tweaked my back doing something stupid on Thursday, so I skipped the last workout of the week and rested until today. Now I'm repeating last week, with no bumps except for deadlifts (since I only do it 1x a week anyhow).
Squats
5x5 @170
OHP
5x5@70
Deadlifts
1x5@200
Pushups
3x15
Farmers walk/waiters carry/leg lifts.
Now it's time to eat allll the foods.0 -
Squats -
5x5@165 (will repeat next week)
OHP
90 lbs - 44332
I have been stalled at 85 for quite a while. I decided to attempt all 5 sets at 90, even though I didn't get 5 reps a single time. Will repeat until I push through.
DL - 1x5@205
Still feels very heavy and I had a good 15 second break between the last two reps, so I'll repeat this weight again next week as well.
Kira, I don't know how you have the energy for all that other stuff at the end. I'm pretty much fried and just counting the sets down until I'm done!!0 -
LOL. Normally I don't do anything after volume days - but I'd had a four day break, and was repeating weights I had done before, so I had a little extra in the tank. But most volume days, I want someone to take me to the car in a wheelbarrow.
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Rest day for me today. Tomorrow going to attempt 50 lbs (25kg) on the bench press. Trying to work it a little at a time.
Also trying for 90 on squats... You ladies are so inspiring. 0 -
Hard tonight. Didn't get much sleep last night due to sick cat, so I think that didn't help.
Squat: 65lbs 5x5
Bench: 65lbs 2x5, 60lbs 3x5
Row: 80lbs 5x50 -
2nd time today, work out B. Went way better than my first day. Although I did use dumb-bells, next time I'm going to try the bar, the hubby has decided to join me, so I'm slightly less intimidated, and we'll go to the gym when there are less people in there so we can actually use the equipment.
Squats- 40 pounds 5*5 + a few more just to show hubby how to do it.
Over head press- 30 pounds.......5*5, arms are weak and I was shaking, with the bar it'll probably a thousand times heavier.
Dead lift
I did 5*1, but I think I did it wrong, I can't get my form right, don't know where I"m supposed to be feeling it etc.
Than did about 25 minutes of a light walk afterwords.0 -
Whew, I actually managed to get caught up on the reading! Y'all have been busy!
I reset to the empty bar today after recovery week to nurse various aches and pains and just giving myself a break before school started, so to those of you who feel lonesome at the low weights, I'm here to keep you company. Cause that's still 45 lbs more than you did when you lifted 0 lbs. So cheer up! You're squatting a young child or a really large fish! Seriously. :flowerforyou:
This is what a 50 lb fish looks like by the way:
Back at it after a recovery week, during which I snuck into my garage at one time, hugged my squat rack and told it I'd be back (I kid you not) and "cheated" by doing some squats and bench presses so it wouldn't feel so forsaken. I think I might need professional help. :huh:
Neeway, I'm planning on walking a 5K in November, so I'm scaling back the lifting to 2x/week, doing 3x8 on the major lifts, and getting my cardio bunny suit on doing Hal Higdon's walking 5K novice program. Yep, I'm starting in August (tomorrow). In the heat of the summer. In Florida. Because I'm obviously mental. :huh:
Missed y'all! Good to be back! Keep up the great work!0 -
Ha, Dani - your fish picture made me laugh out loud!
Workout A tonight
Very short on time so didn't do my usual warm up.
Squats 65lbs 5x5 - I think I'm finally getting the hang of the bloody thing - still might hang around at this weight for a few more goes (I miss my big plates! But I will be patient....)
Bench 70 lbs 5x5 - increasing again. Feels like I've nailed the technique on this one!
T-bar row (sticking with this for now) 65 lbs 5x5 - felt great.
A few hanging leg lifts was all I had time for.
Going to continue with 2 x a week at the weights and running 3 times a week. May throw in a cross training session on day 6.
Ran 5 km on Sunday - felt pretty good. One blessing of this crappy cold summer is that it's great running weather!
Joanne0
