Starting Nov 1
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I got a 3.29mi run in yesterday and it went fairly well--good, considering how long it's been since I've run regularly. The last one was only a couple of miles, too, earlier this week. I'm hoping to get back in a routine.
Today's an off day, which feels weird. Lunch with a student in an hour, then an hourlong massage followed by a chiro appointment. These aren't as much fun as they sound--I have some serious TMJ they're working on. It's better now, thanks to them, but these appointments aren't a hoot.
I've never used a smith machine--I see it at the gym but never bothered. I like the free weights.
2B2 tomorrow.0 -
Morning ladies!
Been MIA due to the stomach flu last week - oy was that not fun. On the upside, I lost 2lbs since I didn't really eat for 5 days! :drinker: Anyway, I did Stage 2 A1 last Monday, and man - was I exhausted after! Those squat presses are NO joke, I struggled with a 30lb bar (after trying it with an oly bar and failing hahaha).
I am going to do B1 tomorrow and try and get in A2/B2 this week as well. I seem to have something going on everyday after work, so looks like I'll need to get a few AM workouts in and some runs at lunch if the weather stays clear. I'm nervous about the deadlift on a box - hoping I can find a place where no one can see me do those.
@Blue - you just blew through this stage! Good work
@Beepee - so far I really enjoy stage 2 - but we'll see if I'm saying that after B!
@Jen - TMJ is no fun - good luck!
Happy lifting ladies!0 -
I enjoyed A much better than B - not sure what it is. Must be all those lunges in B! Although I do like the DL from the box better than the regular one. I concentrate on my form more when the bar is lower than my feet. I think it forces me to use my legs instead of my back.
B is so long! All that extra ab work at the end is killer. I do a bit of intervals before each workout anyway so that part doesn't bother me. I've started getting up 10 min earlier to make sure I get it all in.
I was peeking at stage 3 - I thought stage 2 was scary? We ain't seen nothin' yet :noway:0 -
I'm going to do B this morning. I think I'll skip the intervals. By the time I finally get to them, I'm just kinda feeling like the hell with that.
The massage yesterday was super nice, as it turns out, but then near the end I was saying how tender my glutes were and she started poking around and said, "I think your sacrum is out of alignment. Mention it to Jenn (chiro)." She did before I even could, and then the chiro--in addition to beating the hell out of my jaw--adjusted my sacrum. So that's a little tender this morning. I immediately felt generally looser and it might explain the sore hip joints I sometimes have when I run, but this morning the whole area was a bit pinchy and now a bit tender. I woke up on occasion when my right side would stiffen up, the side where the adjustment occurred. Probably I should have iced it, but she didn't mention it (my old chiro would go on and on about it).
So that was something.
Sorry you had the stomach flu, ramalem! that stuff spreads like crazy at work (dorms=petri dishes).0 -
How did your B go Jen?
My last B of stage 2 will be Thursday I think. We met with a personal trainer who is the wife of a work colleague last night - I had her critique my form on squats and deadlifts. She said I had it down pretty good. :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: She did give me a few pointers but nothing major.
My hubby is looking for a program to do now while I'm looking for something to do after I'm done NR in the late spring. I'm going to be sending her the list of exercises from each stage so she can see what I've been working on. This should be interesting.
I finally had a scale victory of sorts this morning :laugh: I'm now down a couple of pounds from my pre-cruise weight although not quite low enough to adjust my ticker yet - that's my lowest of the low. Hopefully I will be making that adjustment real soon!0 -
Hey, good for you, blueberry!! All around good news.
My workout was pretty not great. I posted about it in the daily chat thread. I think I may swap my DL on box for DLs with more weight--I fear I'm using my back too much. I had a chiropractic adjustment yesterday that made my glute a bit pinchy--turned into a full-on hamstring pain. My knee was twinging again. Somehow I hurt my tricep doing the prone cobra. No idea how--when I got out of the position it just seized and hurt like hell. I stretched it a bunch and now it's ok, and I took some advil for the back achiness/hamstring from chiro. Still feeling ok and I took that around 10 am. Oh well. I think I'll take some extra days off, and maybe not run, either. Frickin' knee.0 -
I hear ya on the aches and pains! I bashed my elbow unloading groceries a few months ago and it's really weird the exercises that affect it. The ones you think would hurt don't and the ones you think are easy hurt like crazy. Getting old sucks lol0
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Heavier DL was my backup plan or the box. Still feeling a bit in flutes butoatly back, still thinking my back muscles ate that weak because it feels like a 'good' pain.0
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Sorry for your pain, Sleepyjen. I hope you are better soon!
I find that the DL using the E-Z Curl Bar on the step is teaching how to use my hips more (push through the heels and "pinch" the erm....bottom), rather than my back. I still am sore ( the good kind) from Mondays S2 WB right in the glutes!
Got my high from TRX, Core and Zumba classes yester...and now am so sore!! Wohoo!! Today is S2 WA0 -
I think I might swap to doing regular DLs--my back is definitely a little achy today. Should it be? I don't know. It feels DOM achy, but I do suspect that's largely b/c I'm overusing it, pulling up and down on the box.
Getting old is a marvel, isn't it. :P
Bepeejaye, you're a wonder with the multiple classes in one day. Good lord! You have way more energy than I do. Good on you.0 -
Morning ladies!
I did S2 B1 last night - and I didn't really enjoy it all that much. I could hardly make it through the split squats, and was terrible at keeping my balance. The other struggle for me is that there isn't really a ton of room in my gym to do the alternating sets for some of the exercises, so I end up not alternating and wearing myself out (aka the reverse lunges on the box and the cuban snatches). Definitely feeling it today, and starting to realize I probably won't be able to up my weight much through this stage.
Jen - my back isn't achy, but I also used the ez curl bar at only 30lb because the 40/50lb ones were being used. When I do regular DL my back does get a bit sore, but not in a bad way.
Bepee - do I remember you saying you had a slight twinge/pinch after doing the cuban snatches? I realized I wasn't doing them correctly last night and am feeling it on my left side :ohwell:
Anyway, I think I'll be glad to pass this stage, although stage 3 isn't looking much better... Happy hump day ladies!0 -
I'll be glad to pass it too. I also use the ez curl bar, but I have a fair amount of weight on it--including its 15 lbs, 55-60 lbs. My chiro and my trainer friend said you don't want a flat back and I felt--perhaps because the squat to grab the bar is so deep--that I was over-using my back. It's a little more than regular-DL achy today--I'd gotten in stage 1 to the point where I never felt those in my back, but today I do!
Cuban snatches. I think I do those badly. Probably I should ease back on the weight, but I've only got 10lb dumbbells. It's exhausting, that one!0 -
If you lift 3 days/week, stage 2 flies by! 8 workouts is nothing - done in 2-1/2 weeks - thankfully! I think Stage 3 is the same?
If less weight = better form, I'd drop the weight. Especially if you're feeling it in ways that aren't DOMS. I only get slight DOMS which tells me I could probably lift more - but I'm not willing to risk injury to do so. I'll get there gradually but I might be one of those still doing princess weights at the end LOL0 -
I think the achiness from the chiro adjustment really threw me. I haven't had one in years, so I kind of forgot. My friend who's a serious lifter said I probably should have given it a day. oh well. And this damn knee. Damn you, knee! I think I'll start doing floor DLs, get a knee compression thing, give it four or five days. It'll take me ages to get through stage 2 0
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But at least you'll still be standing to get thru it Jen and then it's off to Stage 3!0
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Eventually, yes! So I won't be lifting until what, then, Sunday? Boooooohiisssssss. 0
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Sorry about your knee, Jen...I hope it is much better! :flowerforyou:
Thanks...mostly, I love to dance! I can dance and dance and dance all night when we go out dancing! Also for a while I had been looking for high intensity cardio (or at least one that will drive my Heart Rate to close to 80%, or something challenging...) and then I found it when I moved states, and am loving it! :drinker:
About you being achy, DOMS achy is good!I think I might swap to doing regular DLs--my back is definitely a little achy today. Should it be? I don't know. It feels DOM achy, but I do suspect that's largely b/c I'm overusing it, pulling up and down on the box.
Getting old is a marvel, isn't it. :P
Bepeejaye, you're a wonder with the multiple classes in one day. Good lord! You have way more energy than I do. Good on you.0 -
Hi Rama,
Aye, it was me. The first time I did it, I felt pain on my shoulders and wrists. Then when I went back home I watched some videos on YouTube, and realized I was doing it wrongly. I was hyperextending mi arms...thinking that because I was at an angle, I should extend them until they get past mi ears. But from the videos, it is really a very small movement, and it works that shoulder. I tried it this last time, and I felt great! I only did with 7.5 lbs DBs on each hand. I do not want to up it any higher, until I have the form down.Bepee - do I remember you saying you had a slight twinge/pinch after doing the cuban snatches? I realized I wasn't doing them correctly last night and am feeling it on my left side :ohwell:
Anyway, I think I'll be glad to pass this stage, although stage 3 isn't looking much better... Happy hump day ladies!0 -
I think that's my issue with the snatches--my 10 lb/each hand is way too much.
Thanks for the flower I think I'll do something non-stressful to my knee today like the elliptical. It still feels much better than when I initially injured it and couldn't get off the ground or go up stairs without pain--I don't even feel it, really, which I suppose is the probelm--I only feel it doing those bulgarian squats and the lunge variations. Oh well. Better to lose a few days and be well than push through and be hurt.
I did hop on the scale for the first time in weeks today and was down .5 from the lowest weight I saw pre-Christmas--I'll take it!
Have a good day, everyone!0 -
Stage 2 is in the books! Finished it off this morning with the dreaded workout B.
I don't have my papers in front of me but I know my DL went from 10kgs on the bar to 17.5kg. I just have to remember to straighten out at the top - I tend to get almost upright and set them back down again.
Bulgarian lunges - I discovered I was doing improper form. I wasn't resting my foot on the bench - only my toes. I think I started with my 4kg kettlebell and finished with 12lbs.
The step back lunge started with 8 finished with 10.
Cuban snatches I started with 5 lbs and worked it up to 10. They're awkward but I didn't have any issues with them.
Lat pull downs - for some reason I find this so easy with my cables - I was doing 120 but probably could have gone higher. My cables only go to 200 so I have to leave SOME room for improvement LOL
I did 15 of each of the AB exercises, 10 on each side of the other ones (can't remember what they're called) and 60 sec cobras.
I'm going to be away for a bit next week so I think I'm going to start Stage 3 Feb 3 or 4. I'm picking up more weights for my bar and 15 and 20lb dumbells on the weekend so I should be good to go!0 -
good for you, blueberry! I used the elliptical machine today. I haven't done that in years.0
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Good job everyone, sounds like you all are chugging along nicely. Lifting tonight, I always plan Wednesdays to lift but amd so burnt out that Wednesdays has become my "nap on the couch" night.0
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Naps on the couch are a necessary part of the plan - at least for me :laugh:0
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I've had too much coffee to nap. :drinker:0
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No naps for me today sadly.
Completed A2 today - didn't increase weights except for the wood chops, man are those hard! Had some balance issues today with both the pointed rows and the lunges but got er done! Only 5 more workouts in this stupid stage yay!0 -
Switched lunges and squats with a barbell instead of dumbbell and can move up weight again finally! I don't think I'll go back to dumbells for any more leg exercises.0
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Has anyone noticed how similar the Bulgarian squat is to the static lunge rear foot elevated in Stage 2 Workout A?0
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Switched lunges and squats with a barbell instead of dumbbell and can move up weight again finally! I don't think I'll go back to dumbells for any more leg exercises.
Do you notice a big difference? I have been using only dumbbells and have wondered about this. Deadlifts are especially challenging...not even sure if I should bother doing them.
On a side note, is anyone doing the modified home version of the wood chop with the dumbbells? I have been doing it, but it just doesn't feel right. I asked my hubby if he thought it looked right and he said yes, but I don't know.
At this point I know you are all probably thinking: Would this woman just please go out and buy some real equipment or join a gym??? Hopefully this weekend...0 -
BPJ I think the difference is the placement of the foot on the step. I was reading the stage 2&4 thread and they were talking about it there.
lporter at least you're still around working hard! So many have dropped out since pages 1 & 2 of this thread :laugh:
I love these conversations because I get ideas on how to make modifications to my own workout if I need to 0 -
I put my foot higher for the squat--on a weight bench--and lower for the lunge--an aerobic step. now I'll have to look at the book and see where my feet are….might explain my knee, too.
I got a wrap for that today but it fits badly--to tight at edges, bunching in middle. Anyone have one they like?
Thanks,
J.0
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