Strength Training Challenge

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  • linder4866
    linder4866 Posts: 11,150 Member
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    Tuesday---weight room---same settings on each machine as last week. Followed by brisk walking. Then the cardio/strength training class. Hard work once again and I did move up to a heavier bar today for the upper body work. The workout for the abs was just too much for me today, I had to modify about 3 of the moves as my abs just totally failed and they cramped up something awful. Wow, I hate that feeling!!! I've been doing a different workout for the abs each day for the last few days and apparently they are not happy to try to keep up!!

    Best wishes to all!!

    Be strong.........:bigsmile:

    Lin in Central Iowa
  • Rerun201
    Rerun201 Posts: 125 Member
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    I'm following You Are Your Own Gym. Started the beginner program about 4 weeks ago before I joined up here. I'm really liking it due to the variety it offers.

    My goal is to get through the remaining 6 weeks of the beginner program, then assess where I want to go from there.

    I've done the whole weight training thing for many years in the past. Between that and the long distance running I used to do before that, my joints need a rest. Bodyweight strength training fits for me in this regard. Please do not take what I said as any sort of condemnation of either form of exercise. It's more intended to reflect the axiom, "Squatting is not bad for your knees. How YOU squat may be bad for your knees".

    I'm really liking the variety of leg exercises with YAYOG. Romanian Deadlifts are a real treat, as are Bulgarian split squats. These moves seem simple but are not that easy for me to perform. However, I shall endeavor to persevere.
  • MisterDerpington
    MisterDerpington Posts: 604 Member
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    Can I still get in on this? Just started Greyskull LP. It's a linear progression program that focuses on compound lifts with a little bit of customization. Probably going to look like this:

    Monday:
    Squats 3x5
    Overhead Press/Bench Press 3x5 (alternating A/B)
    Lat Pulldown 3x8/Curls+Tricep Pushdown superset 3x12 (alternating A/B)

    Wednesday:
    Deadlift 1x5
    Overhead Press/Bench Press 3x5 (alternating A/B)
    Lat Pulldown 3x8/Curls+Tricep Pushdown superset 3x12 (alternating A/B)

    Friday:
    Squat 3x5
    Overhead Press/Bench Press 3x5 (alternating A/B)
    Lat Pulldown 3x8/Curls+Tricep Pushdown superset 3x12 (alternating A/B)

    I'll probably add in some direct ab exercises here and there.
  • barbiecat
    barbiecat Posts: 16,976 Member
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    :bigsmile: :bigsmile: :bigsmile: It's great to see some new faces.....keep coming back and let us know how you're doing

    :flowerforyou: did my strength training this morning while watching TV with hubby

    :bigsmile: Barbie from NW Washington

    “If it’s important to you then you will find a way, if it’s not you’ll find an excuse.”


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  • jodios528
    jodios528 Posts: 379 Member
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    this morning did a version of weights that also incorporates Pilates so you are moving the entire time. You end with plyo jumps and squats - that got my heart rate up! I'm still sticking to the higher weights I added last time I did this and it's still tough so not ready to move up again yet.

    Welcome to the new guys - hope you keep coming back.

    Rerun - what are Romanian Deadlifts and Bulgarian split squats?

    New move of the week: upright rows with relevies:
    Stand with your legs together toes turned out slightly (1st position from ballet). Hold light weights in front of your thighs (arms extended down palms facing you, thumbs towards the middle) with the dumb bells touching so they form a straight line. slowly lift the dumb bells (keeping them touching) along the center line of your body letting your elbows lead and positioned higher than your hands until your hands are at your chest and your elbows are just at your shoulders or a bit higher. then slowly release back to the starting position. then once you have that move, add a lift of your heels when you lift the weights and release your heals down as the weighs come down.

    Stay strong! Jodios
  • linder4866
    linder4866 Posts: 11,150 Member
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    I did get my strength training in on Thursday. As usual, I used the weight machines at the gym and increased the weight a bit on chest and triceps. Felt pretty good with the work. Then I went to class and almost all of the class was abs, shoulders, and arms.

    Onward! Glad to see everyone checking in.

    Be Strong!!

    Lin
  • cindylu1962
    cindylu1962 Posts: 322 Member
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    I met my scale goal today!!!!!!
    I WILL BE setting another one as i need to reduce more body fat.
    Plus I feel sooooo much better.

    So for my strength activity that I really love but probably looks dorky at the gym:
    I have been using weight plates while walking the track. Biceps, triceps, etc.
    My favorite is pretend canoe rowing. I hold the plate on the ends of the plate and 'paddle" my way along, The lift and twist are great for the core, the arms, and back. i'm not sure if I'm feeling it in the chest so much but I may have to go from 10 pounds to 15 to experience that. It is a lot of fun and I think the people who are regularly at the gym with me have gotten used to my shannigans. I'm staying off the stationary weights as they are too big for a shorty like me and they are not functional for my life. Moving while strength training is more practical for what I am trying to achieve.
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  • jodios528
    jodios528 Posts: 379 Member
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    I met my scale goal today!!!!!!
    I WILL BE setting another one as i need to reduce more body fat.
    Plus I feel sooooo much better.

    So So HAPPY for you!!!! Congrats
  • barbiecat
    barbiecat Posts: 16,976 Member
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    :flowerforyou: cindylu, congrats on reaching your goal.....love your creative exercising

    :flowerforyou: Lin, adding more weight is a great achievement

    :flowerforyou: Jodios , I've done upward rows before, but I like your variation and will add them to my routine

    :bigsmile: :bigsmile: finished my routine this afternoon......I'd already done a lot of walking so I felt a little more tired than usual but i added an extra set of pushups.

    :bigsmile: Barbie from NW Washington

    “If it’s important to you then you will find a way, if it’s not you’ll find an excuse.”


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  • jodios528
    jodios528 Posts: 379 Member
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    After teaching yoga I squeezed in a quick workout - upper body strength and some cardio. Will plan on abs or lower body tomorrow.

    Stay strong everyone

    Jodios
  • LesaDave
    LesaDave Posts: 1,480 Member
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    I really wanna do this, but I don't know how to make an "alternate" while still recovering from a broken leg. But hopefully I can see something like this in a month or two. Great idea!!
  • jodios528
    jodios528 Posts: 379 Member
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    I really wanna do this, but I don't know how to make an "alternate" while still recovering from a broken leg. But hopefully I can see something like this in a month or two. Great idea!!

    So sorry you broke your leg. Hope you are healing up well. Maybe you can try and do upper body strength training while seated. Hopefully this thread will still be going strong when you are ready to join
  • jodios528
    jodios528 Posts: 379 Member
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    After dancing I did lower body and ads so I've gotten in my 1st strength for the week (yesterday was upper body). I did a ton of squat, lunge and pile combo's. Also a number of planks.

    One of my favorite planks is a side plank called thread the needle. you are on your side, forearm on the ground and elbow directly under your shoulder. your top leg is slightly in front of the back for greater stability (you can always stack they but that is pretty advanced). Pressing into your feet and forearm lift your hips and legs (beginners can stay on their lower knee). Lift the top arm straight up and then hollowing out the belly bring your top arm down and through towards the back of the room - under your arm pit. then lift the arm back up towards the ceiling. After a set of 8 switch sides. You'll really feel this in your obliques!

    Stick with it!

    Jodios
  • cindylu1962
    cindylu1962 Posts: 322 Member
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    Jodios,
    Not sure I am physically capable of doing that just yet but I'm impressed you can!131544reaheg4vv1.gif
    This will help you get ready for turkey day
  • barbiecat
    barbiecat Posts: 16,976 Member
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    :flowerforyou: I did my strength training today while my beef stew was simmering so we had a great lunch when I finished.

    :flowerforyou: Jodios, I add the upward row with releves using five pound weights......I do side planks for 30 seconds on each side and have been waving my upper arm around to distract myself and now you've suggested a more organized way to move it.....I added a third set of pushups on the mat.


    :bigsmile: Barbie from NW Washington

    “If it’s important to you then you will find a way, if it’s not you’ll find an excuse.”


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  • Katla49
    Katla49 Posts: 10,385 Member
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    "Construction" season is over at my house and it is time for me to do some organized strength training, so I'm back. Hopefully I'll do a better job of it this time and avoid back pain. I'm a beginner again and will be starting with pushbacks and planks. Advice is welcome.
  • linder4866
    linder4866 Posts: 11,150 Member
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    Did my weight training as well as I could this morning at my former employer's gym. It's a private center for current employees and retirees. Most of the employees are young and today I had to keep working around a few pumped up young guys who wouldn't yield the machines after two sets (house rules). Did what I could. Then I went to a wonderful class!! There were intense cardio intervals but most of the class consisted of repeating sets of complex muscle moves with a medicine ball.

    Lots of great moves but one I really liked was a squat where you just keep moving. As you go down into the squat you lower the medicine ball as far down as you can directly in front of you with arms extended towards the floor and as you come back up you toss the ball in the air and catch it. You do the squat with the legs in a sort of plié and when you toss the ball up you try to straighten the arms during the motion. Kind of difficult to do the ball toss perfectly so you can keep the whole move smooth.

    Be strong my friends. I love to read about the training each of you is doing.

    Lin
  • linder4866
    linder4866 Posts: 11,150 Member
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    Back to the gym again today and did the weight machines. Added some weight on one set on several machines. A tiny bit of progress. Then to the fitness class. Another great day with a lot of upper body work (particularly arms) and core work. Enough work overall that moving my arms and shoulders tonight is a bit painful.

    Hoping everyone is well.

    Be strong.

    Lin
  • cindylu1962
    cindylu1962 Posts: 322 Member
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    My strength challege must be working because my total body fat continues to decrease steadily as of late.
    So off to the gym to get in a real work out. Got to work on that back fat!!!!!!!:smooched:
  • jodios528
    jodios528 Posts: 379 Member
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    did super sets with a Jessica Smith YouTube video. Not too sore today, but I'm definitely coming down with my DH's cold - drat! I might do some easy yoga later just to stretch out but not push too hard given I was up half the night coughing.

    so here is my exercise of the week: sumo squats with weights: stand with feel just slightly wider than hip's distance. turn your toes out slightly (less than 45 degrees). Holding 2 heavy weights in your hands, palms facing you, squat down - butt goes back and hinge slightly forward from the hips, weights nearly touching the floor (or as close as you can get). You'll look like a sumo wrestler ready to pounce. Pressing through your heels come back to starting position. Do 8 slow (2 counts down and 2 back up). Then do 16 single counts.

    Stay strong!

    Jodios sniffling in N. Il

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